A method and apparatus provides for minimizing visual artifacts resulting from laser scan process direction position errors in an electrophotographic machine. The electrophotographic machine has defined therein a process direction, and includes a photoconductive device having an image forming surface. A printhead unit is provided for generating a laser beam, wherein the printhead unit includes optics for scanning the laser beam to form a plurality of scan lines extending across the photoconductive device in a scan direction which traverses the process direction. Adjacent scan lines of the plurality of scan lines are separated by a scan line separation distance. A controller is electrically coupled to the printhead unit for controlling the power of the laser beam during the scanning of an adjacent pair of scan lines to form a synthesized dot which lies at a synthesized position between the adjacent pair of scan lines.