Research Reports from the Department of Operations
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
9-1-1976
Abstract
This chapter examines the impact of Expanded Function Dental Auxiliaries (EFDA) on dental practice management, focusing on productivity and profitability. Various practice configurations with EFDA integration are compared to conventional setups, demonstrating that EFDA inclusion significantly reduces a dentist's workload, increases practice capacity, and enhances revenue and earnings. Tools and methodologies from Operations Research, such as patient load forecasting, scheduling, and economic analysis, are applied to assess these effects. A novel tool, the Dental Practice Management Game, is introduced, utilizing computer simulations to analyze complex practice scenarios without requiring specialized knowledge of Operations Research techniques. The analysis explores two key dimensions: the effect of EFDA on productivity, measured by patient capacity, and economic outcomes, including revenue and earnings. Results reveal that EFDA integration optimizes practice efficiency, supports logical fee determination, and provides actionable insights for sustainable practice growth, making it a valuable resource for dentists and dental educators.
Keywords
Operations research, Dental offices--Management, Dentistry--Practice--Management, Computer-generated simulations as evidence, Dentistry--Study and teaching--Simulation methods, Management games, Computer-assisted instruction
Publication Title
Technical Memorandums from the Department of Operations, School of Management, Case Western Reserve University
Issue
Technical memorandum no. 409
Rights
This work is in the public domain and may be freely downloaded for personal or academic use
Recommended Citation
Reisman, Arnold; Emmons, Hamilton; Morito, Susumu; Rivaud, Juan; and Green, Edward J., "On Setting Up a Dental Practice with EFDA's" (1976). Research Reports from the Department of Operations. 361.
https://commons.case.edu/wsom-ops-reports/361