June 2008

Last summer at this time, we were preparing for the adventure and enjoyment of travelling to Canada for the DTIA Conference in Niagara Falls to meet with many of you. This June, we are facing a big move to our new quarters in the Village of Lederach. This will mean lots of cleanout, reorganization and hard labor to move out and then move in and reconnect and retest all of our computer, telephone and network equipment. Knowing this, we have finished the next release early. Here is a summary list of the important changes coming your way in July for Release 1.15:

• Case Short Memo Field
• New field up to 10 characters
• Use is optional, can be used for whatever purpose the lab wishes, such as short ID or alert, alternate doctor in group practice
• Will be shown as new column in Case List grid
• Has not been added to standard reports or work tickets
• Case Packing List
• Similar to standard invoice formats on letter-size paper, but will not include prices or dollar amounts
• Will include patient name, shade and teeth
• Can be requested from Action menus associated with case
• Formatted for use with 2-window envelopes showing lab name in window near top and shipping address in window near bottom
• Options: Invoice Setting to Confirm Status
• Added a new option: Have user confirm status for each invoice
• Default will be ON (checked)
• If user checks OFF (unchecked), the window for selecting/confirming invoice status will not be displayed and the default status will be recorded
• Case List: Selection of Cases
• In addition to double-clicking of mouse for selected/highlighted case, also
• provide for pressing the Enter key to select
• Options: Invoice Setting for Default Remake %
• Added a new option: Default billing % for remakes
• Initial setting will be 100
• User may override with value 0-99
• When billing, if the default is other than 100, the billing percentage will be applied to the line amounts if the case has been marked with Remake? set to true (ON).
• Options: Company Information
• Two new fields for Registration and Certification, variable length
• Will be displayed on Case Materials Disclosure report
• Recommend that user include type of Registration or Certification, e.g.
• FDA 12345 or DAMAS 67890
• Basic Lists: Materials Disclosure
• Each Materials Disclosure list will include a title/description and then list of materials
• Each material record will include manufacturer, part/description, batch or lot codes
• May be assigned to an item in Basic Lists- Items.
• Will be used in Case Entry to select for case items
• May be edited for specific case
• Designed to provide ease of use and time-saving for standard list
• Case Entry: Materials Disclosure Tab
• New tab to view/edit materials associated with case
• If Materials Disclosure is assigned to an item in Basic Lists-Items, will automatically enter materials list for case
• In addition, Materials Disclosure list can be selected at Case Enty
• Case Materials Disclosure List can be edited for specific case.
• Print Case Materials Disclosure Report
• Available option from Case List and Case Entry
• Can be displayed/printed and sent to doctor and/or held in house
• Includes company with registration/certification(s)
• Includes case header information such as number, patient
• Includes case billable items and materials
• Separate page for each case with space for Identalloy, Identceram or other certification stickers.
• Case History Report
• Adds new section for case materials disclosure
• Case Materials Analysis Report
• Available from Left Navigation/Reports
• User selects date range for cases entered
• Must select manufacturer, full or partial match
• Can optionally select part/description and batch/lot, full or partial match
• Report title will reflect search criteria
• All matching cases will be included, with case number, customer name with address and telephone, patient name, dates entered and invoiced, case item(s) with quantity and description, and case materials list

Our special thanks to RGK Dental Lab and Killian Dental Ceramics for the suggestions and beta-testing of the Materials Disclosures set of changes which added further compliance with FDA, GMP and DAMAS standards for safety, quality control and tracking. Others dental labs deserving commendation for adding suggestions for this release include: Modern Technic, Nellmar, Princeton and Rogers,

No Slowing Down This Summer

Last summer at this time, we were preparing for the adventure and enjoyment of travelling to Canada for the DTIA Conference in Niagara Falls to meet with many of you. This June, we are facing a big move to our new quarters in the Village of Lederach. This will mean lots of cleanout, reorganization and hard labor to move out and then move in and reconnect and retest all of our computer, telephone and network equipment. Knowing this, we have finished the next release early. Here is a summary list of the important changes coming your way in July for Release 1.15:

• Case Short Memo Field
• New field up to 10 characters
• Use is optional, can be used for whatever purpose the lab wishes, such as short ID or alert, alternate doctor in group practice
• Will be shown as new column in Case List grid
• Has not been added to standard reports or work tickets
• Case Packing List
• Similar to standard invoice formats on letter-size paper, but will not include prices or dollar amounts
• Will include patient name, shade and teeth
• Can be requested from Action menus associated with case
• Formatted for use with 2-window envelopes showing lab name in window near top and shipping address in window near bottom
• Options: Invoice Setting to Confirm Status
• Added a new option: Have user confirm status for each invoice
• Default will be ON (checked)
• If user checks OFF (unchecked), the window for selecting/confirming invoice status will not be displayed and the default status will be recorded
• Case List: Selection of Cases
• In addition to double-clicking of mouse for selected/highlighted case, also
• provide for pressing the Enter key to select
• Options: Invoice Setting for Default Remake %
• Added a new option: Default billing % for remakes
• Initial setting will be 100
• User may override with value 0-99
• When billing, if the default is other than 100, the billing percentage will be applied to the line amounts if the case has been marked with Remake? set to true (ON).
• Options: Company Information
• Two new fields for Registration and Certification, variable length
• Will be displayed on Case Materials Disclosure report
• Recommend that user include type of Registration or Certification, e.g.
• FDA 12345 or DAMAS 67890
• Basic Lists: Materials Disclosure
• Each Materials Disclosure list will include a title/description and then list of materials
• Each material record will include manufacturer, part/description, batch or lot codes
• May be assigned to an item in Basic Lists- Items.
• Will be used in Case Entry to select for case items
• May be edited for specific case
• Designed to provide ease of use and time-saving for standard list
• Case Entry: Materials Disclosure Tab
• New tab to view/edit materials associated with case
• If Materials Disclosure is assigned to an item in Basic Lists-Items, will automatically enter materials list for case
• In addition, Materials Disclosure list can be selected at Case Enty
• Case Materials Disclosure List can be edited for specific case.
• Print Case Materials Disclosure Report
• Available option from Case List and Case Entry
• Can be displayed/printed and sent to doctor and/or held in house
• Includes company with registration/certification(s)
• Includes case header information such as number, patient
• Includes case billable items and materials
• Separate page for each case with space for Identalloy, Identceram or other certification stickers.
• Case History Report
• Adds new section for case materials disclosure
• Case Materials Analysis Report
• Available from Left Navigation/Reports
• User selects date range for cases entered
• Must select manufacturer, full or partial match
• Can optionally select part/description and batch/lot, full or partial match
• Report title will reflect search criteria
• All matching cases will be included, with case number, customer name with address and telephone, patient name, dates entered and invoiced, case item(s) with quantity and description, and case materials list

Our special thanks to RGK Dental Lab and Killian Dental Ceramics for the suggestions and beta-testing of the Materials Disclosures set of changes which added further compliance with FDA, GMP and DAMAS standards for safety, quality control and tracking. Others dental labs deserving commendation for adding suggestions for this release include: Modern Technic, Nellmar, Princeton and Rogers,

Before Auditors Come A'Knockin

If you would like to learn more about meeting standards for safety, quality control and compliance, here are some sites to visit:

• http://www.nadl.org
• http://www.safelink.com
• http://www.identalloy.com

Upcoming Schedules

Here in the USA, we will be closed on Friday, July 4, to celebrate our Independence Day. For those in other countries, we will check email throughout the holiday weekend.

We do not yet have our exact move date in July, but will let you know this as soon as we know, as well as our new address and telephone numbers. Knowing that we would be moving back to Harleysville, we retained our main number there 215-256-4535 and its associated toll-free number 800-257-4535 throughout our temporary stay in Souderton.

Our current license fee schedules, including the special introductory price for product costing, are effective through June 30, 2008. If you have been sitting on the fence about adding something new, now is the time to act.

Last year, our Lucky 7 contest was a big success, so this year we will continue on with a Lucky 8 contest for 08/08/08. Look below for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is your software upgradeable?

A: Yes, DentaLab for QuickBooks can be used with up to 200 stations. In addition, special supplements are available for Image Scanning, Barcode Scanning for Case Tracking, Shipping, Qualtity Control and Technician Productivity, and Email Notifications. Upon request, we can also create custom versions of DQB. QuickBooks Enterprise can be licensed for up to 20 concurrent users.

Q: We have created a custom QuickBooks invoice....can we remove the other templates from our selection list?

A: Yes, there are two ways to do this. One is to delete the template(s) you are not using. The other way is to make the template(s) inactive. We recommend the latter, just in case you want to reactivate to make use of these at a future date. In QuickBooks, go to Help, then enter templates for the search topic and then delete or inactive. This display will guide you how to delete, deactivate and/or hide templates for your version of QuickBooks.

Giving Incentives

Many labs have developed programs to give their workers incentives for meeting and beating target goals for production and quality. DentaLab for QuickBooks provides several ways to track the work of technicians:

1) In the basic system, case items can be assigned to specific technicians and/or completed work can be date-stamped and credited to a technician. Daily lists of technician assignments can be generated to provide targets or expectations of work to be completed.

2) In the Barcoded Technician Productivity Supplement, case items can be scanned to accurately record the technician and date/time of completion. Values, based on either points or money, can be assigned to individual technicians for specific items with a default value if not assigned. This is often called the piece rate system. Through the settings in Options, the lab can assign an adjusting rate for remakes and adjustments ranging from 0 to 100%.

3) Analysis reports can then be generated for specified date ranges to calculate the values, again in points or in money, of the case items completed for all or specified technicians. If hourly wages are required, the values in excess of these can be paid as incentive bonuses. This method has been the most popular, as it gives credit at the same time work is completed and the values are known. The point system has been highly used, because it minimizes changes to the rates by placing one conversion to money in the final calculation.

4) An alternate in this supplement for those wishing to calculate incentive pay as a percentage of billings, each lab can establish a maximum labor percentage. For each billable case item, tasks can be assigned a share of this percentage. These task schedules can easily be coordinated with standard procedures. Each technician, depending on skill level or longevity, can be assigned a percentage of this share. This method has the advantage of keeping a lid on the percentage of incentive pay and that bonuses can increase as skill levels increase. Its disadvantages, from the technician's point of view, are that credit is not given until the case is billed and if management determines a reduced billing is required to please the customer, the technician receives less pay than expected. Analysis reports for date ranges and all or specific technicians are also be easily generated for this method.

5) Toward the goal of achieving the highest quality, in the basic system, case items can be marked with quality control issues and technicians. Reports, based on selected criteria of date ranges, quality control issues, technicians and items, can be generated for review and analysis.

Let the Games Begin!

Lucky 8 on 08/08/08! It's only once in a century that such a number occurs. And this year, 08/08/08 will be the opening of the International Olympic Games. To honor this special happening, we will be awarding prizes related to DentaLab for QuickBooks on August 8, 2008.

The winning prizes will include a choice of:

• 1 license for DentaLab for QuickBooks for single station
• OR 1 upgrade to DQB Enterprise 3 (3-user system)
• OR 1 license to DQB Image Scanning Supplement
• OR 1 license to Product Costing
• OR 1 DQB Training Session (Fall 2008 or Spring 2009)

To have your name put in the hat for the drawing, please respond via email to sales@mainstreet-systems.com by July 25, 2008, with your contact information and responses to these three questions:

1) What do you value most in computer software for dental laboratories?

2) What features would you like to see in the future for computer software for dental laboratories?

3) What do you like most about the synchronized systems of QuickBooks and DentaLab for QuickBooks?

To use any of the DQB software prizes, you will need to have a PC with Windows XP or Vista and a copy of QuickBooks Pro, Premier or Enterprise 2004 or later.

Each lab may make one entry. Please feel free to tell others about this contest. The winners will be notified via email on August 8. Good luck!

Dental RX
We have been working with dentists on an alternate version of DentalRx that will be web-hosted and offered as an online service. The initial version will be for the USA and will include ADA insurance codes and dentist notes and preferences. Our goals for this second version remain the same:

• Easier-to-read prescriptions
• Provide accuracy and consistency
• Fewer errors due to misunderstanding between doctors and labs
• Convenient tooth chart and calendar
• Secured access
• Time and cost-saving features

And much more...look for this in 2007

Call 1-800-257-4535 or visit www.mainstreet-systems.com to learn more about Mainstreet Systems and our software designed specifically for dental laboratories.