Using Wait Time for Preventive Dental Care (Part 1: Strategy)

Too Much Waiting, Too Little Value

At Kaniksu Community Health in rural Idaho, the pediatric and dental departments are co-located but were disconnected in workflow. Pediatric patients often waited alone between intake and their well child check, while dental hygienists down the hall faced gaps in their schedules due to hygiene no-shows. Leadership recognized a missed opportunity: what if that wait time could become care time?

Real-Time Oral Health Integration

Kaniksu used Stat’s OHI icon to build a real-time workflow that allowed hygienists to be deployed into Well Child Checks (WCCs). Once intake was complete, the MA tapped the icon—and the hygienist was instantly notified to enter the room.

In just 5–7 minutes, the hygienist could:

• Review a Dental Health Assessment (DHA)
  
• Offer oral health education
  
• Perform a limited oral exam
  
• Provide fluoride treatment
  
• Confirm or establish a dental home

This happened while the child was waiting—making alone time clinically valuable.

Smarter Staffing: Staggered Hygiene Schedules

To support this model, Kaniksu restructured its hygiene schedules. One hygienist had lighter mornings, another lighter afternoons—ensuring someone was always available for OHI alerts.

Each day began with a planning huddle based on that day’s WWC list. The result? More responsive care without additional FTEs.

“We talk about alone time a lot—and that is what Stat wants to do: maximize how we’re using it,” one care team member shared.

Workflow Wins and Patient Gains

By embedding dental services into pediatric visits, Kaniksu:

• Reduced no-show impact by turning idle time into productive time
• Increased care coordination between teams
• Improved patient experience, with more services delivered in fewer visits
• Closed gaps in oral health education and prevention

This was care built into the moment, not added on top of it.

The Takeaway

Kaniksu didn’t add complexity. They added real-time visibility with Stat and built a workflow around it. The result was a simplified system that advanced preventive care, improved scheduling efficiency, and made the most of every minute.

Ready to See the Results?

Read Part 2 to learn how Kaniksu made preventive care during downtime profitable.

🟢 Read Part 2: ROI
🟢 Schedule a demo

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