Yes, I use a looser icing of "beadwork consistency," which I achieve by adding about 2 to 3 tsp water per each cup of my Royal Icing "glue." You should never have to pat down dots after they're piped! If you use the optimum consistency, you'll also save a lot of time.
I have a blog post on my site about beadwork (aka piping dots) and one of the videos in my new video series also addresses the topic extensively.
I hope I've helped a bit!
Link to post on my site:
https://www.juliausher.com/kitc...dwork_technique_tips
Link to my video series: