27 Dec Everything Dental Blog – December 2016

Season’s Greetings!

Here are some indisputable facts

• Patients: They are easier to keep than acquire. A great patient will keep their appointment, accept treatment, pay their bill and will refer friends and family.

• Doctors: With good interpersonal communication skills and sincerity create lasting relationships with team members and patients. Good relationships lead to trust which impacts employee loyalty and patient case acceptance. A trusted dentist will secure more clinical treatment and larger elective cases.

• Receptionists: A well trained practice administrator with good phone skills and a friendly demeanor will turn more patient inquiries into patient appointments. *In most cases, patient inquiries are made over the phone so one could surmise that phone skills should be a priority for the office.

• Hygienists: The Hygienist who delivers comprehensive oral exams and incorporates radiographs and intra–oral images will identify more dentistry. They will also change the perception the patient has of the hygiene appointment (cleaning). It is critical for the patient to understand what takes place during the hygiene appointment and how it impacts diagnosis and the patient’s over-all health. A hygienist who consistently charts for Perio will convert more patients.

• Dental Assistants: A dental assistant who converses with the patients and supports the doctor’s diagnosis plays a significant role in the practice. A dental assistant with outstanding clinical competency will anticipate the Drs. every need. A dental assistant who cares about the practice will enhance the patient’s experience. A dental assistant who treats their job as a career will expand their role and value to the practice over time.

• Dental Dealers/Distributors: Dental Distributors with professional (knowledgeable) sales reps and skilled service techs will continue to thrive. Failure to connect with the dental community and the independent clinician will accelerate the commoditization of dental sundries and disrupt the symbiotic relation dentists and reps have enjoyed for decades. Dealers must provide business solutions to help dentists manage compliance, marketing and operational challenges. The dealer’s role during this technological revolution will grow as dentists require technology integration and support.

• Dental Dealer Representatives: A consultative dealer representative has and will continue to be the practices best, free, part time employee. They are knowledgeable and generally have special skills (operations, marketing, coding, CPR, Osha/Hipaa certification). The better dealer reps maintain a qualified network of trades people and professionals that serve the dentist or group entity.

• Dental Consultants: Most practice management consultants have a proven track record and average 20- 40% growth in every office they work with. Most consultants guarantee their work because dentists are slow to change and reluctant to empower a third party. Hiring a dental consultant is the greatest investment a dentist can make in their practice.

• Attitude: If you master the art of charming people, your interaction with others will be easier and more rewarding. If you are creative, intelligent, hardworking and well liked, you will make more sales, get noticed by others and opportunities will be plentiful.

Thank you for making 2016 a wonderful year.

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!