Roland DGA — Implementation Playbook (DSO)

Executive Summary

Roland DGA delivers integrated digital workflow orchestration and print automation across multi-location practices, connecting clinical data to production output without manual re-entry. For Dental Service Organizations, this eliminates the fragmentation that occurs when multiple locations operate independent systems while maintaining centralized oversight and compliance. DSOs typically achieve 40-60% reduction in administrative touchpoints, standardized clinical workflows across locations, and improved supply chain efficiency within 120 days of full deployment.

Pre-Implementation Checklist (Weeks 1-2)

Technical Infrastructure Assessment

Network & Hardware Requirements:

• Audit current bandwidth at each location (minimum 25 Mbps upload/download per chair)
• Document existing practice management systems (Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve)
• Identify legacy equipment that requires bridge integration (scanners, milling units, imaging systems)
• Assess server capacity: Roland DGA cloud modules require dedicated static IP and network security policies
• Create inventory of all digital devices (intraoral cameras, CAD/CAM units, 3D printers)

Security & Compliance Baseline:

• Conduct HIPAA risk assessment across all locations
• Document current backup/disaster recovery procedures
• Identify compliance gaps (e.g., encryption standards, audit logging capabilities)
• Establish data residency requirements by state/jurisdiction

Stakeholder Alignment

Executive Alignment:

• Define success metrics with DSO leadership (cost per case, turnaround time, provider satisfaction)
• Secure budget commitment including hardware, training, and 6-month support
• Establish steering committee with clinical, IT, and operations representatives
• Create communication cadence (weekly during implementation, bi-weekly post-go-live)

Clinical & Operational Buy-In:

• Interview 3-5 power users at each location to identify workflow blockers
• Present ROI model specific to DSO scale (centralized labs, supply procurement benefits)
• Address provider concerns about clinical autonomy vs. standardization
• Identify internal champions at each location

Baseline Metrics Capture

Document these pre-implementation:

• Average case turnaround time (digital prescription to delivery)
• Manual data entry hours per location per week
• Supply ordering frequency and inventory shrinkage
• Staff overtime/weekend work patterns
• Current system downtime incidents (frequency, duration, impact)
• Patient case scheduling gaps and lab communication delays

Pilot Wave (Weeks 3-6)

Pilot Location Selection

Choose 2-3 locations representing your DSO's diversity:

• High-volume location (5+ chairs, established workflows, tech-forward staff)
• Mid-size location (2-3 chairs, mixed technology adoption)
• Remote/challenging location (broadband constraints, limited IT support, workflow resistance expected)

Selection Criteria:

• Leaders willing to dedicate 4-6 hours/week to feedback loops
• No major staff turnover planned during implementation window
• Existing digital devices (intraoral cameras, scanner) preferred but not required
• Mix of clinical specialties if DSO serves multiple disciplines

Configuration & Setup (On-Site, 2-3 days per location)

Day 1 — Systems Integration:

• Map existing practice management data schema to Roland DGA
• Configure API connectors between PMS and digital workflow modules
• Set up user authentication (LDAP/Active Directory if centralized)
• Establish digital asset storage (cloud vs. hybrid model decision)
• Test bidirectional data sync with sample patient records

Day 2 — Clinical Workflow Mapping:

• Document current case submission process (digital vs. paper orders)
• Configure case templates aligned to DSO clinical protocols
• Set up routing rules (e.g., "crowns >$800 require lead clinician review")
• Train on image capture standards and metadata requirements
• Establish approval workflows and handoff points

Day 3 — Go-Live Preparation:

• Shadow staff through 5-10 live cases
• Document customizations and workarounds staff invented
• Freeze configuration; communicate no changes for 2 weeks
• Establish escalation protocol for system issues
• Create location-specific quick-reference guides

Training Approach

Tiered Model:

1. Administrator Training (4 hours, 1-2 people per location)

   • User management and role-based access control
   • System monitoring, backup verification, troubleshooting
   • Monthly maintenance and update procedures

2. Clinical User Training (2 hours, all providers/clinical staff)

   • Workflow simulation with anonymized cases
   • Image capture and submission standards
   • Review and approval interfaces
   • Emergency procedures (system down fallback)

3. Staff Training (90 minutes, all front-desk/coordinators)

   • Patient communication (new timelines, digital workflows)
   • Order entry and case tracking
   • Insurance pre-auth integration
   • Basic troubleshooting (reboot, account lockout reset)

Delivery: In-person preferred; record all sessions for onboarding future hires. Provide hands-on practice with 10-15 test cases before production use.

Scaled Rollout (Weeks 7-16)

Wave Planning

Wave 1 (Weeks 7-9): Remaining 40% of DSO locations

• Apply pilot learnings to implementation sequencing
• Reduce on-site setup time to 2 days (configs template-based)
• Assign pilot location "champions" as peer mentors to new sites

Wave 2 (Weeks 10-12): Final 30% of locations

• Fully remote setup where possible (video walkthroughs, asynchronous training)
• Configuration now 90% standardized; 10% local customization only
• Self-service training modules sufficient for most users

Wave 3 (Weeks 13-16): Remaining 20% (satellite offices, part-time locations)

• Hybrid model acceptable (some staff trained remotely, core team on-site once)
• Compress timeline to 1-day setup if infrastructure stable

Change Management

Resistance Mitigation:

• Frame as clinical enablement ("captures your work more accurately"), not control
• Share quantified wins from pilot phase (e.g., "Lab turnaround cut 18% in first month")
• Establish "innovation time" — 30 minutes weekly where staff propose workflow improvements
• Create peer learning groups across locations (monthly virtual roundtables)

Sustaining Adoption:

• Tie staff bonuses to system adoption metrics after Week 4 at each location
• Monthly dashboards showing location-level performance vs. DSO average
• Celebrate milestones publicly (e.g., "Location X hit 95% digital case rate")

Support Infrastructure

Staffing:

• Hire 1 FTE Roland DGA Administrator per 8-10 locations (or contract managed services)
• Establish Help Desk tier structure:
  • Tier 1 (location staff): Quick-reference guides, peer support
  • Tier 2 (DSO IT): Workflow issues, configuration tweaks, PMS integration problems
  • Tier 3 (Roland DGA vendor): Software bugs, API errors, major incidents

Escalation SLA:

• Tier 1: 15-minute response (during business hours)
• Tier 2: 1-hour response; target 4-hour resolution
• Tier 3: 2-hour vendor response for critical outages

Documentation:

• Location-specific quick-start guides (1-page laminated cards for each workflow)
• Video library of common tasks (5-10 minutes each)
• Shared Slack/Teams channel for peer troubleshooting

ROI Tracking

Key Metrics to Measure

30/60/90 Day