Dental Software Transition: How to Lead Your Team Through Change

Claire Dickinson, Operations & Professional Relationships Director

Claire has over 22 years of experience in dentistry and a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a master's in Organizational Management and Leadership

If you’ve decided to transition your practice management software whether you’re moving to the cloud, updating to Dentrix Ascend, or switching systems altogether, the real challenge isn’t the software. It’s bringing your team along with you.

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I learned that lesson the hard way over 20 years ago when my practice switched from a DOS-based system to Dentrix. We had one day of training, no preparation, no team alignment and by Monday morning, we were live. I hated it so much; I even wrote a letter to return Dentrix.

Looking back, that transition had no system. If we had focused on clarity and change management first, it would have been a completely different experience.

Today, I want to help you avoid that same mistake.

Don’t Start With Training, Start With Why

The biggest mistake practices make is diving into software training before the team understands why the change is happening. If your team doesn’t know the purpose behind the transition, they won’t embrace it. They’ll resist. And training becomes a waste.

Before training begins, your leadership team must define:

• The reason for change
• What success looks like
• How workflows will be affected
• What support looks like

That awareness phase sets the tone for everything that follows.

This idea mirrors what I talk about in Dentrix, Burnout, and Better Systems: A Real Conversation About Stress-Free Dentistry, strong systems and clear workflows don’t just increase efficiency, they reduce stress and give teams confidence to handle transitions.

Prepare Before You Train

One of the best strategies shared by Claire Dickinson, who is currently transitioning her own multi-location group from Dentrix Enterprise to Dentrix Ascend, is that training should be customized, not generic.

Instead of dropping a standard agenda on your team, take time to:

• Assess your current workflows
• Identify how tasks are done today
• Determine how they will be done in the new system
• Involve key team members in planning

This pre-training analysis allows you to tailor your training so that it actually fits your practice. It’s strategic, not chaotic.

If your practice has workflows and systems already defined, this process will be easier. For example, practices that have documented daily, weekly, and monthly routines like those discussed in Best Practices . . . Daily Routines, are far more prepared for transitions because they already think in terms of systems and repeatable processes.

Anticipate Resistance and Support Your Team

Not everyone embraces change easily. Some team members will adapt quickly (I’ve found clinical team members often pick things up fast), while others may struggle (like doctors who are used to doing things the old way). Change management isn’t a one-time event, it requires constant conversation, reinforcement, and support.

Create a feedback loop:

• Check in frequently
• Make adjustments based on team input
• Encourage questions
• Create a safe space for learning

A key part of change management is making sure people feel heard and supported. When they know it’s okay to ask, “I don’t get this yet,” training becomes far more effective.

Reinforcement After Go Live

Transition doesn’t end when training is over, it begins. After go-live, schedule reinforcement sessions:

• Follow-up training
• Q&A sessions
• Workflow refinements
• Check-ins with individual team members

Reinforcement is what transforms adoption into mastery.

Lead With Clarity and Support

Your transition will be successful not because of the software you choose, but because of how your team responds. You are the guide, you set the tone. If your team understands why you’re making the change, how it will benefit them and patients, and how they will be supported throughout, they will succeed.

Software changes are happening faster than ever. Your ability to navigate them with clarity, strategy, and empathy will define your success.

And remember, I’m here watching your journey of becoming a high-performing dental team.