How Park West Dental Coordinates 5 Concurrent Hygiene Columns

Park West Dental in Idaho Falls runs a high-volume hygiene operation. On any given day, 5 hygiene columns are running simultaneously—each with a patient in the chair, a hygienist performing cleanings, and a doctor needed for the exam portion.

That's 5 rooms calling for 3 doctors, all at different times, all day long.

The Challenge

Before VCom, the coordination looked like this:

The hygienist finishes cleaning and needs Dr. Drake, Dr. Jacobson, or Dr. Aaberg to come do the exam. But where is the doctor? In another operatory? In their office? With a patient?

The options were:

• Walk to find them (leaving the patient alone)
• Shout down the hall (unprofessional)
• Use a radio (interrupts everyone, including patients)
• Wait and hope (wastes chair time)

Multiply that by 5 columns, dozens of times per day. The time adds up fast.

The Setup

Park West configured VCom with provider-specific exam shortcuts:

F5: Dr. Jacobson Exam @here

F6: Dr. Drake Exam @here

Each shortcut plays a unique sound assigned to that doctor. When a hygienist in Room 8 presses F5, Dr. Jacobson hears his sound—no one else needs to react.

Dr. Jacobson glances at the banner on whatever screen is nearest: "Dr. Jacobson Exam Room 8." He knows exactly where to go.

The Flow

Here's what a typical hygiene column handoff looks like now:

1. Hygienist finishes cleaning in Room 4
2. Presses F6: "Dr. Drake Exam Room 4"
3. Dr. Drake hears his unique chime
4. Sees the message on his screen
5. Presses F2: "OK" (acknowledgment)
6. Finishes his current task and heads to Room 4

The hygienist never left the room. The patient never felt abandoned. Dr. Drake never got interrupted by a radio or a knock on the door.

Why 5 Columns Is Hard

Running 5 hygiene columns simultaneously means exams stack up unpredictably. Room 3 might be ready, then Room 7, then Room 3 again—all within minutes.

Without a system, doctors either:

• Rush between rooms reactively
• Miss rooms entirely
• Create bottlenecks that back up the schedule

With VCom, each request is visible, timestamped, and tied to a specific room. Doctors can see the queue and prioritize. Nothing gets lost.

The Results

Park West Dental reports:

• Doctors spend less time searching, more time treating
• Hygienists stay with patients instead of hunting for providers
• Patients experience fewer interruptions and wait times
• The front desk sees fewer schedule backups

Key Configuration Details

Shortcuts used:

• F5: Dr. Jacobson Exam @here
• F6: Dr. Drake Exam @here
• F2: OK (quick acknowledgment)
• F3: 5 Minutes (when the doctor needs a moment)

Audio cues:

• Each doctor has a unique sound
• Hygienists and assistants have their own sounds
• Generic messages play a neutral tone for everyone

Workstations:

• 14 operatories with shared shortcuts
• Reception and checkout with custom shortcuts
• 27 total installations connected

The Takeaway

Coordinating 5 hygiene columns isn't about working harder—it's about instant, targeted communication. VCom gives Park West Dental the ability to run a high-volume operation without the noise, the walking, or the chaos.

One keypress. The right doctor. The right room. Every time.