Fall is here and are you gearing up for the new year?  Take the necessary steps to end 2009 with a bang and blaze into 2010!!!

“USE IT OR LOSE IT!” 
END OF THE YEAR BENEFIT LETTER 
 
 
Isn’t it true that most patients don’t have a clue what their insurance “benefits” truly are?  We call it “benefits” because dental insurance really isn’t insurance at all!
 
Dental insurance is a partial reimbursement for basic dentistry.  95% of patients need more than basic dentistry! 
 
It is so important that patients realize that if they don’t utilize their benefits…they LOSE THEM!!
 
For those that have insurance that renews in January, have treatment needs, and have benefits available, send the guarantor of each household a letter that reminds them to use those remaining 2009 benefits. Here’s a sample letter.
 
Dear Family and Friends,
 
Many of you have dental benefits that renew in January and as the end of the year approaches, it may be time to see what services you might still need so you can get the most from your coverage.
 
Dental benefits allow a certain dollar amount to be used toward your dental care each year.  If you do not use your whole benefit during the year, you will lose those benefits(unused benefits do not “carry over” to the next year).
 
If you have any questions regarding what treatment needs you still may have and what benefits you have remaining, please give us a call and our insurance coordinator will be happy to go through this with you. 
 
Sincerely,
 
Dr. Molar
 
Use this letter as a template and customize it to your office.  You may be surprised at how many calls you may get!
 
If you would like to talk to us more about your practice, please call Teresa (Director of Client Services) at 877-343-0909.  You don’t have to do this alone!  We can help you every step of the way!
 
 
 
 
 The Front Office Development Program
 
          “Get your front office trained efficiently.” 
    
 
PROGRAM AGENDA:  
 
Designation of Duties
Disc Training (Personality Styles)
Communication & Teamwork

The New Patient Experience
Telephone Verbal Skills
Recall & Reactivation
Financial Policies & Collection Techniques
How to Avoid  No-Shows & Broken Appointments
Creative Scheduling Concepts
Case Acceptance

 
CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION!
 
877-343-0909 or visit www.dentalmanagementu.com
 DENTAL TEAM  CONFERENCES
            2010
 
VIRGINIA BEACH ~ MARCH 12-13
 
PALM SPRINGS ~ NOVEMBER 5-6

 

In This Issue
Uncover Recall Reactivation Secrets
Quick Links
Order Webinars
Archieved Newsletters
Menu of Services
Upcoming Conferences 
 
 
If you’re like many practices across the nation, you have felt the impact of the economy in one way or another.  FEEL IT NO MORE!!  It’s time we go back to basics and work “on” our practice and not just “in” it!  Recall reactivation is a simple way to increase production and increase your bottom line.
 
THE TIME IS NOW….WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Recall Reactivation: A Must or Bust!
 
Do you have openings in your hygiene schedule?  We routinely see this when we start consulting with our clients but it doesn’t stay that way for long!  Reactivating is a campaign that if you take it seriously, you will see the results!  2/3 of your restorative comes from your recall exams. Begin TODAY with a new focus on getting those overdue patients in!
 
Start with 2009 overdue recall patients.  Divide the alphabet into 4 parts.  The first week of the month, 2-4 hours should be spent calling that first part of the overdue patients.  Designate 1 person that is the main reactivation coordinator to do this.  He or she should have quiet, uniterrupted time to focus on calling patients.  All calls should be documented in the chart notes and on a master list. 
 
The second week should be utilized calling the second part of the alphabet for 2009 and so on.  Once 2009 overdue recall patients have been called, then it’s time to start on 2008!  Dig deep into those overdue files with this thought in mind…..EVEN IF A PATIENT HASN’T BEEN IN FOR THEIR CLEANING IN YEARS, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY DON’T THINK OF YOU AS THEIR DENTIST! 
 
Patients often think that if you don’t call you don’t care. Start your “Calling is Caring Campaign” today!
 
For only $24.95, order your recall reactivation kit that will help you get those overdue patients in and fill your schedule!  Your kit includes essential verbal skills for telemarketing past due patients, formulas on how see if your recare system is effective, and a complete periodontal protocol you can utilize for your practice. A “MUST HAVE” for every office! 
 
Call 877-343-0909 to order today or email tdobbins@harbornet.com for a registration form!
 
 
 
                           NEW!!!
 
FRONT OFFICE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
You asked and we listened!  Our newest program gives you the hands on training for your front office staff with amazing results!
 
PROGRAM AGENDA:
 
 Designation of Duties
 Disc Training (Personality Styles)
 The 7 Phases of Patient Communication
 The New Patient Experience
 Telephone Verbal Skills
 Recall & Reactivation
 Financial Policies & Collection Techniques
 How to Avoid  No-Shows & Broken Appointments
 Creative Scheduling Concepts
 Case Acceptance

 
CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION!
 
877-343-0909 or visit www.dentalmanagementu.com
 DENTAL TEAM CONFERENCE 2009
     DON’T MISS OUT!!
 
ATLANTIC CITY ~ OCTOBER 23-24
 
SAN DIEGO ~ NOVEMEBER 6-7
 
A MUST FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM!  GO BACK TO WORK FULL OF ENERGY, MOTIVATION, AND PURE KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL GROW YOUR PRACTICE!
 
REGISTER TODAY! 
 
877-343-0909                            WWW.DENTALMANAGEMENTU.COM

Dear Doctors and Team,

Life would be great, if it weren’t for other people! Yet it is through relationships with others that you often obtain the greatest rewards. Your office is where you spend many hours of your life. Getting along and working productively with your colleagues is so important, yet many offices experience stress because team members argue, give each other the silent treatment or allow someone else to do all the work.
How well does your team work together? Can you depend on each other? Trust and respect one another?
Trust and respect are two essential elements for a successful office. But how do you increase trust or respect? It’s relationships – and not necessarily friendships. Relationships are built over time, when one person has respect for another. As a team member, you do not have to be a close personal friend with everyone in your office, but you do always need to show respect and professionalism.

Many offices experience conflict when team members do not follow through on their commitments, which creates a lack of trust. Here are some guidelines to facilitate accountability and build trust among your team members:

1. Defined duties are a must in any workplace. First, write down and detail the steps/duties in each person’s job description. Eighty percent of your time at work should be defined by your job description and responsibilities. Twenty percent of your time is spent helping colleagues and clients however you can. A successful, trusted and well respected team member uses words like, absolutely or certainly when asked for help.

2. Outline the time commitment and set aside adequate time for each task. It is not fair to assign or accept a responsibility and then have no time to accomplish the task. Be realistic about the timeframe, and make sure your team members are aware of the deadlines for each project they take on.

3. Be careful to not overload your staff with too many commitments or too many interruptions. They will get discouraged and burned out. Instead, focus on delegating one task at a time, communicating the objective and timeframe clearly.

4. Follow through by putting a note on your calendar to check on progress. If you don’t check on progress, the task may not be accomplished. Find out how the project is progressing and show interest. Ask questions about the task, and offer your advice and help if needed. Recognize your employee for taking on the responsibility. It is discouraging for a team member to work hard and not received recognition for a job well done!

5. Avoid showing favoritism toward specific team members. To build trust and accountability, offices need consistent leadership. One way is to have effective team meetings on a regular basis for feedback and input on projects. With team meetings, allow your staff members the opportunity to volunteer for special tasks and projects. Create a strong team by not showing favoritism to certain team members. It is impossible to build trust if one person is favored over others. Ask yourself: Does your staff believe they are treated fairly, without prejudice? Do some feel excluded from the decision-making process? Does one person “do it all?” When there is no accountability, often times one person will pick up the slack and take on too many responsibilities, to the point where he or she becomes upset with the situation.

By following these steps and increasing the accountability of your staff, you create trust and respect in the workplace. With these changes, your sense of teamwork and trust will grow, while decreasing your levels of stress and conflict!

Have a Wonderful Summer!

Rhonda Savage,DDS/ CEO Linda Miles & Associates
rsavage@harbornet.com

Dear Doctors and Team,

During my busy speaking schedule the past few months, I continually discover by the feedback from attendees that there is an ever prominent need for improved communication within the dental practice. Of all the topics in the LLM&A seminar files, verbal skills enhancement is still #1. As we all know, communication is the foundation on which the clinical and business success is built.

Verbal Communication is an art to be developed just like any other skill. Those who continually learn new and better ways of using positive words for positive results are those that see significant differences in the net profits of their practice. Communication must be strong from every member of the team, not just the dentist and one or two others.

The first point of contact with patients is the telephone. It is amazing how many dental practices use Voice Mail during patient hours because they are too busy to answer the telephone. The phone is your lifeline to the outside world…and the person answering your telephone sets the tone for how patients are treated in your practice. “Thank you for calling Dr. Smith’s practice, this is Christy, how may I help you” sounds much better than a hurried and cold, “Doctors office, hold please”. Your practice will never be on a true friendly level until the phone is handled properly with the person answering it sounding friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and empathetic. Why spend tens of thousands to market your practice and have those dollars wasted at the first point of communication.

When patients walk in, how are they greeted or are they greeted at all? Making patients feel special and being happy to see them (no matter what), is a skill that few people naturally possess. If your scheduling coordinator has the knack for making everyone feel special and welcome, count yourself among the lucky!

When patients are registered, many times they are not given proper instructions as to how the information is to be gathered and why. If the patient has not already filled out the registration and health history online, ask every new patient to arrive 20 minutes before their scheduled chair time to fill out their necessary forms and to meet your administrative team. Then a simple, “Please fill out your health history completely Mrs. Davis. Dr Smith is interested in your total health.” This immediately sets the tone that this is not a “drill ‘em, fill ‘em, bill ‘em” practice but a total care facility.

In seating patients it is important for the clinical team to greet each patient with a smile and a handshake if they have never met the patient before. “Hello Mr. Phillips, my name is Karen and I’m one of Dr. Smith’s dental assistants”, is far better than “you can come with me now”. No name equals no interest.

Prior to the dentist coming in, the assistant or the hygienist should explain the procedure that’s about to happen in positive terms…Such as: “Before we get started with your crown prep Mr. Connors, I want to be the first to say you are making a wise decision to replace that large silver filling that has given you trouble”.

Reassuring patients is part of being a clinical team member. Seventy-five percent of all communication from the dentist and team to the patients should be about dentistry….twenty five percent social chit chat. I find in highly sociable practices that there are more broken appointments and less case acceptance due to too much social interaction. Some social chatter is good…too much is a turn off and creates a less than desirable acceptance of treatment that the patients deserve.

Post treatment patient education again falls to the assistants and hygienists. This is the time to explain exactly what was done at today’s visit and outline what they should expect when they get home. A dentist who knows how to turn the patient over to another professional without making patients feel abandoned is a smart, non stressed and productive dentist. If you add seven minutes per patient to the doctor’s time with the post treatment patient education, with 30 patients per day (including hygiene), this is using 210 minutes which is 3.5 hours!!! If the doctor’s time is only half that long post treatment-wise, this is still close to 2 hours daily. Because no one else can do the clinical operative dentistry, it makes sense to hire, train and trust the assistants to do this phase of communication. And, the good news is: In every state, dental assistants are allowed to TALK!

At the completion of treatment, patients should be escorted to the Financial Coordinator for check out. Having the clinical team pass the power to the FC while helping with over the counter collections, the phrase should be: “Mrs. Bailey, I’ve given your chart to Diane. She’ll be giving you your receipt for today’s visit”. If your charts are digital, the comment might be: “Mrs. Bailey, Diane will see you now and give you your receipt for today’s visit”. Expect payment and it is amazing how much more you collect….

At check out is a perfect time to let patients know that you accept new patients. “Mr. Walker, if you have any friends, relatives, neighbors or co-workers who do not have a personal dentist be sure to tell them about our practice”. Oftentimes if patients have been kept waiting or they see hundreds of charts on the shelves, they assume you have more than you can handle…another good reason to go to digital records!

For more verbal skills I recommend our 12 DVD series that comes with a master of the workbook so that within your practice you and your team can mark off an hour before lunch, view the DVD together, then over catered lunch, discuss how your practice will put to use the next day the verbal skills from that 12 week series. Remember you must hear something 9-11 times before you “own it”.

Have a great summer….

Linda Miles, Certified Speaking Professional
Founder, Linda Miles and Associates and the
Speaking Consulting Network
lindamiles@cox.net

 

IN THIS ISSUE
 
              - Communication
              – Customer Service
              – Team Development                                                   

Dear Doctors and Teams,

 
Happy winter, hurry spring! I hope 2009 is off to a great start and if it is, you might be in the minority based on reports from many dentists across the country. Some dentists have reported their first down year since the inception of their practices decades ago, but many practices (the ones we monitor monthly) continue having an increase even if the increase is smaller than in years past. At LLM&A we look at this slower economic time as an opportunity in disguise. It’s a time to “look into your rear view mirror” and recapture the very important things that made the practice successful to begin with. “Time to get back to basics” as one long term client called it. It’s definitely a time to work ON the practice and not just IN it.

 
When times are good, money is coming in, patients seem satisfied, and the doctor and team “become comfortable”, customer service takes a dip, past due recalls are forgotten, and collections and past due insurances are only worked “when we have time”, which by the way is not often. Practices, like other businesses need to have slower times so they can look in the rear view mirror and recapture many of the weekly “dig deep” duties that make a tremendous difference over time. Making excuses and blaming the economy is not going to change anything. CHANGE begins with a change in everyone’s mind set that if we are all part of the problem, we must also be part of the solution, so let’s get started.

 
Dr. Rhonda Savage and her consulting team are extremely busy into the New Year with new client calls seeking better business systems, highly motivated employees and improved case presentation skills. And in the history of our 31 year company, we are hearing from clients of 20-30 years ago saying, “Your company helped us a long time ago and under your guidance and teachings the practice has done very well until now. Also new owners of old client practices are calling and saying, “I want to have the same long-term relationship with a LLM&A consultant that the senior doctor/former owner had with Linda Miles when she was their consultant”.

 
It’s exciting for me as the “Ambassador” of LLM&A and Rhonda’s marketing voice, to lecture alone thirty meetings per year and to also on occasion such as the ADA HAWAII, team up with Rhonda and co-lecture. We have a new program, “Two Sides of the Management Coin”. Dr. Rhonda shares her insight on a dozen or more issues of how the dentist owner sees the situation. Having been a team member in both clinical assisting and Practice Management for more than ten years before starting LLM&A in 1978, I then chime in with the team’s viewpoint on the same issues. Then we both offer ways to resolve each issue that makes it a win for patients, doctors and the entire team. It’s amazing to us how small issues can keep practices from reaching their full potential. These small yet serious issues can be resolved easily and lead to total harmony and greatly increased production. Among a few issues addressed are:

 
Communication: Employees can’t read employers minds and therefore if the owner of a business does not clearly outline his or her expectations, all parties involved end up disappointed. How can a dentist praise an employee for not excelling when the employee has never been properly trained nor trusted to perform at that level?
 
 
Compensation: Doctors typically dislike doing performance reviews thinking the employee who has one that is favorable might expect an increase in pay. The employee on the other hand needs to know what they are doing well and what they need to work on. Ignoring this issue causes frustration to both parties. Learning to openly discuss performance and letting employees know that “raises can only become effective when they are”, is quite easy when proper steps of communication are followed.
 
Click here to view LLM&A products
    
 
New Technology Investments: It’s the doctor’s practice and therefore the doctor’s prerogative to invest in whatever they wish to add to their practice. Without proper introduction of the benefits to patients and the bottom line, don’t be surprised if the team members hate the new technology, refuse to use it properly and view it as the “raise they have not had in two years”. Communication and seeing each issue through clear eyes is the key to a harmonious practice and higher than average increases each year. These are just a few of many issues that hold practices back and cause them to decline.
 
If you and your entire team are not registered for one of Rhonda and Teresa’s two day Dental Team Conferences, go to our site at www.DentalManagementU.com to download the brochure and registration form today. The next DTC is Lido Beach Resort, Sarasota April 24-25; Atlantic City, NJ (changed date from June so as not to interfere with the NJ state meeting) now October 23-24; and San Diego, CA November 6-7. There is a fee break for two or more from the same office and limited registration for best group interaction. Be one of the lucky practices that attend the 2009 programs. This program is second in line of effectiveness to our in-office consulting on an individual basis.

 
And, if your Practice Administrator/Office Manager is not getting the respect she/he deserves from the rest of the team, chances are this person was given a title but very little proper introduction to the team as the middle management person they are expected to be. Dentists, dental spouses and Practice Administrators attend another two day workshop (PAW) so that dentists without a PA/OM will know how to hire and train this key person one day. Dental spouses who went into the practice years ago to “help out until we found someone” come to this workshop with (finally) their replacement! Practice
 
Administrators/Managers come to discover what their four main duties should be and literally how to become a consultant to their own practice which is a life saver for busy dentists. Being the PA is a full-time job in practices producing $80,000 plus per month. The hours a dentist spends trying to be the main care giver and the manager create many burned out dentists. That course registration is also available on our site and is only given once per year to a limited number attendance for better group interaction. Make this the year you attend even if it is awhile before you actually need a full-time PA. Date of this year’s PAW is May 15-16 in Las Vegas.

 
In these days of increased competition and patient pull back due to an uncertain economy, every tool that reinforces your commitment to excellence should be used. At LLM&A, we have many of the tools for your toolbox and the good news is…they are VERY easy to use.

 
Until next time,

 
Linda
 
 Interested in having Linda speak to your dental society or study club? Click here.
 
 
 
Dental
 Team
   Retreats
 
Pick the Perfect Place to Create Your
5-year Practice Vision
 
 Click on photo for more information
 

 
CEO LLM&A, Dr. Rhonda Savage
 
Dear Doctors and Team,

 
 
It’s been a true privilege to visit many fine offices in the U.S. and Canada since we’ve written last! Every office is different and unique; we enjoy working towards creative solutions based on individual office’s needs.  Our practices have enjoyed success, even in these last two years of rough times, primarily because they’ve focused on the basics: excellent patient care, systems, teamwork, communication and controlling overhead.

 
As dentists and team members, we spend a lot of time measuring. We measure production, collection, Accounts Receivable, hygiene department effectiveness, dental supply costs and staff overhead. In many ways, part of being an effective leader is setting up systems to measure everything in our practice. Measuring is really the only way we know how we’re doing as a business. The numbers are important to know, but there are other equally important parts of your business that are more difficult to quantify. As compulsive as we are about measuring, wouldn’t it be great if we had ways we could quantify our successes or failures on the “soft side” of our practice?
Soft side numbers would include measuring your office’s performance on customer service and interpersonal relationships with each other. Can you calculate how often we may be impolite to people, how often we’re nice, how often we ask for feedback rather than shutting people out, how often we bite back a cutting remark? Can you gauge your tone of voice:  curt, short, or clipped; kind, instructive or caring?

 
These soft skills are the measures that your patients hold you to, not the quality of your dentistry. The soft side of our practice is also what allows us to retain long term staff members. In fact, creating and keeping a happy and productive staff has long been the challenge of dentistry.

 
One young front scheduling coordinator recently wrote to me about what was bothering her at her office. She vented that the boss would not install a business phone system that would allow her to efficiently direct calls.  Her doctor would not invest in additional phone lines and patients reported constant busy signals. Her office was equipped with used equipment that wasn’t right for the job; that her pay, after five years, was significantly below the average in her area. She had few benefits…no health insurance, holiday pay only if the holiday fell during the work day.  The team members were not paid for time necessary to set up and be present when patients arrived in the morning. Performance reviews were none existent. She didn’t feel appreciated or needed: she couldn’t recall the last time she’d received an “atta-girl!” from her doctor.

 
Dentists seldom face organized demands for higher wages or better fringe benefits!  But the profession tends to have a greater rate of turnover than commercial offices, plus relatively higher training costs and greater problems in hiring.  Feelings of lack of appreciation are the number one reason why staff “wave the white flag of surrender” and leave dental offices. The feeling of lack of appreciation is a very real concern in many offices we consult in. Often we see that the praise and compliments from staff to doctors is not there, nor is the praise from doctors to staff and staff to staff.

 
Customer service to the patients will often be a “3 out of 10″ when the staff morale is low.  Productivity will suffer.  It’s difficult to praise and compliment each other when you’re feeling frustrated.  If this doesn’t change, the environment will not be healthy. Patients pick up on the stress levels and eventually feel like going elsewhere where people seem happy to help rather than stressed.

 
How can we measure the morale in our practice and our level of customer service? It’s impossible to truly measure these important aspects of our practice, but we can look at how well we do in the “soft skill” department.

 
Some of these soft skills include the ability to:                                                         

Think before you speak
Say please and thank you
Learn the power of an apology
Listen with respect
Learn how to have a difficult conversation with eloquence and skill
We all want harmony and a smooth functioning office.  Less stress, more fun and greater productivity are often sited goals of our practices that we consult in….yet why are these goals so hard to reach? Because often the systems for good communication are not in place; these systems include team training, solid business systems and a focus on communication at every level of the practice.
When I asked one doctor recently what her three major frustrations were, she said:
“Staff, Staff and Staff!”

 
When I recently asked a dental assistant, working in a three doctor practice, what her greatest frustrations were, she replied:

 
Doctor #1
Doctor #2
Doctor #3
 
 
The great thing is that we can change our direction and we do not need to do this alone! Sit down with your team and encourage an open, honest discussion about the issues in the practice. Work at creating an atmosphere where it’s ok to talk about not only what’s right, but what’s wrong.

 
Doctors, ask your team to bring 2 solutions to each problem. This isn’t a time to have a gripe session, rather this should be focused on the changes necessary for a positive direction and future growth. Staff, talk with your doctor about your concerns. Begin the discussion with “There’s something that I need to talk with you about.  Is this a good time? I want the very best for your practice and the patients. There’s an issue that concerns me….”
 We can change our direction; the power is within each of us! Keeping a focus on the positive is what is driving the successful practices that we see today. You can have growth, even in these down economic times!
 
Richard M. Devos said:
“Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push, a smile, a word of optimism and hope.  A “you can do it” attitude when things are tough.”
 
Call Linda Miles and Associates for a complimentary 30 minute practice analysis at 877-343-0909. See how we can help take your practice to the next level!
 
Warm regards,

 
Rhonda Savage DDS
 
Interested in speaking to Dr. Savage about your practice concerns? Call her at (877) 343-0909.
 
Interested in having Dr. Savage speak to your dental society or study club? Click here.
LIMITED TIME OFFER!! REGISTER TWO PEOPLE AND THE THIRD ATTENDS FOR FREE!!
 
Invest in your team with our Dental Team Conferences!!  These conferences are motivational, educational, and perfect for the entire team!

 
Dental Team Conferences:
April 24-25, 2009                    Sarasota, Florida

October 23-24, 2009              Atlantic City, New Jersey

November 6-7, 2009              San Diego, California

 
Looking to enhance the responsibilities of your Practice Administrator?  Do you want to have a Practice Administrator for your practice and aren’t quite sure how to do it?  This course is designed specifically for the Practice Administrator, Dentist, and their spouses!

 
Practice Administrator Workshop:
May 15-16, 2009                    Las Vegas, Nevada

 
REGISTER FOR THE DENTAL TEAM CONFERENCE AND THE PRACTICE ADMINISTRATOR WORKSHOP TODAY!

 
1-800-922-0866 OR REGISTER ONLINE AT
 
WWW.DENTALMANAGEMENTU.COM
Please keep in mind this newsletter is being offered complimentary in response to the many requests to stay in touch with our many clients and followers. If you wish to unsubscribe to Dynamic Data, please send an email message to tdobbins@harbornet.com to let us know.

 
Miles & Associates’ corporate headquarters may be reached at 800.922.0866. Fax us at 253.857.0834. On the web atwww.DentalManagementU.com, or via email at rsavage@harbornet.com 

 
 
Linda Miles may be reached at
Linda L Miles
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-0249
Phone: 800.922.0882

Dear Doctors and Team,

We have some very exciting news that has transpired since our SPRING issue of DYNAMIC DATA. In April, Dr. Rhonda Savage, one of our most successful clients from 1993-94, called to say she has just had her third shoulder surgery and can’t practice clinical dentistry. She is already a sought-after speaker so it made sense to her to offer to buy our company versus spending four years in law school which was another option. Our closing was last Friday, and we are very excited about our new growth with Rhonda at the helm of LLM&A as the new CEO.

I will still be lecturing until 2010 and helping Rhonda move our small company to a whole new level. Lee Tarvin who has been with our company for 24 years will remain as Seminar Coordinator and Executive Director of the east and west coast divisions. Rhonda’s husband, Jim will be handling the products division. Rhonda and I will team up to do four two-day workshops beginning in late 2007. We will all be lecturing at major meetings and for local associations. When you have a happy seller and happy buyer, the sky’s the limit as to how far a company can go.

One of the best experiences of my 29 years in business was working with Roger Hill on the LLM&A transition. Over the years, I sent Roger many clients who always called to thank me for their very positive experience. A few even sent me thank you gifts! He immediately came to my mind when I knew something of this magnitude needed professional and expert advice. Dr. Jonathan Bregman of Durham, NC, a 25 year LLM&A and Roger Hill client and I were talking one day when he encouraged me to contact Roger that day due to his own recent successful transition. Roger and his entire staff along with Blake Hassan, attorney with John McGill and Associates (all in Roger’s building), did an awesome job in a very short period of time. We continue to highly recommend them for your transition needs.  

If you are a LLM&A client of the past, be expecting a call from Rhonda within the next five to six months. If you are in need of a follow up consultation, please call our toll-free number (800-922-0866) soon to reserve a day or two in the remaining five months of 2007. Our team of consultants, Rhonda Savage, Char Sweeney of MI and Susan Kulakowski of FL will be consulting with ten clients each during the next five months. In order for us to be 100% dedicated to our active clients, we limit the number of clients we work with. To be one of these lucky practices, please respond sooner than later for follow up as their schedules are filling for this year. I will be working with my active clients until their twelve-month agreement expires. After that, I will limit my own consulting to four days per year.

The most disturbing obstacles we have seen the past few years in our consulting assignments have been:

1) The shortage of well-trained clinical assistants to hit the ground running in a very well run practice.

2) The hidden hygiene department production losses and the task of making each practice know that when hygiene grows, the entire practice grows. 21st century hygiene is nothing like the “prophy palaces” of the 80’s.

3) The lack of leadership skills by the dentists and upper management (the practice administrator). Leading by example means the dentist lives in a glass house. They lead by example! All team members will be as loyal to the practice as the dentist. And… the team learns to be a great role model by watching the dentist.

4) The 3rd grade pettiness and whining of some team members working against one another. Dentists are too busy taking care of patients and running a business to have to also deal with inner-office conflicts. Our greatest reward is having a client say, “after the consultant left, our work environment was the difference in night and day. Now everyone is spotlighting the others’ strengths rather than putting a microscope on their co-workers weaknesses.” 

5) Scheduling and patient flow that isn’t smooth. Practices that run behind all day are stressed to the max. Knowing how to engineer the day versus throwing names on the computer screen and hoping to go to lunch at some point is not the productive or sane way to schedule. Most of these frustrations are a result of everyone at the desk doing everything…so no one is fully accountable for the schedule. It’s easy to pass the buck regarding inefficiencies without defined duties and accountability in both the scheduling and the financial/insurance positions. Ironically, when the front office becomes smooth, the clinical division flows like silk.

6) Patients who are walking out without scheduling their recommended treatment plan. This is a very serious problem some dentists don’t want to admit they have. Most of these problems result in weak presentation skills of dentists and team members. About 70% of these treatment plans fall apart in the financial discussions.   

These are just a few of the areas of concern our consultants can help with. Having revisits in consulting is like having a continuation of hygiene visits to stay orally healthy. You can’t have a consultation in 1995 and expect continued growth or smoothness ten to fifteen years later. If your practice misses the overall excitement when great results are happening month after month, contact us to schedule a time for a follow-up visit.

SOLUTIONS

# 1-Dentists ask: What’s out there to provide updated skills for my clinical assistants? Believe it or not, there are many hands-on courses and also clinical assisting consultants who can come to you. One in my own area is Shannon Pace, who teaches at the Dawson Center and gives courses across the country and locally in Chesapeake, VA. Her telephone number is 757-757-647-4114. Her email address is: shannonpace@aol.com.

The ADAA also has online courses, as does Sullivan Schein for purposes of training assistants. If your dental assistants do not belong to the ADAA, encourage them to join by offering to pay their nominal (less than $200 per year) membership dues. The turning point in many dental assistants’ careers, (including mine), was belonging to their local state and national dental assisting associations. Networking with other professionals allows one to know they have a career, not just a job. This also reduces staff turnover in the assisting department.

Pennwell Publishers has a new annual meeting held for moving the role of clinical assisting to a whole new level. See Dental Economics or RDH magazine for the dates and times of these annual dental assistant conventions. School in NEVER out for the pro! “When we stop learning, we stop growing”.

#2-On our monthly practice monitors the graph of success is obvious when the hygiene department becomes the true passive income center it is supposed to be. Eliminating broken appointments through improved communication of everyone in the practice is about a 20% increase in most hygiene departments. Having a hygiene consultant come into the practice to bring the department to the 21st century has doubled many hygiene departments of our clients over the past four years. We refer to those hygiene consultants in our Speaking Consulting Network www.speakingconsultingnetwork.com. Call these hygienists directly or call our toll-free number if this is something your practice needs.

#3-There are very few courses in dentistry that apply to the leadership role of doctors, spouses and practice administrators. So many times dentists have said to me, “I know I lost many great employees over the years due to my lack of knowledge in how to hire, train, trust and praise my team. They received little (if any) feedback from me and eventually left. If only someone taught me how to be a boss!”

Dental spouses were often asked to come into the practice temporarily to get the practice started. No one really trained them how to run a dental practice, much less how to one day train their successor in the key management role of practice administrator. In 2004, we started our annual two-day PAW (Practice Administrator Workshop) for dentists who need to know how to be an effective leader, for dental spouses to bring their successors so they can finally be trained along with the practice administrator, and for the PA who has the title but no real tools to know how to do the job effectively. The PA may also not have the respect and support from the rest of the team because no one taught them leadership skills for this very important role. Our next course is going to be February 8-9 in sunny FL, hotel and city being selected this month. Since this course has limited attendance of 100 people for better group interaction, please call Lee at 800-922-0866 to pre-register now with the confirmations going in the mail in early September. It would be great to see all of you there….

#4-Third grade pettiness. Any dental management consultant can fix systems problems but we are of the mind-set that if that consulting company does not also “fix” the attitudes of the people within the practice, it is not long before the systems collapse and fall into the same mediocrity as before. We too are referred to practices because we normally have 25-40% increase in productivity with better systems such as scheduling and reduction of broken appointments through effective communication to name a couple areas we fix. What our firm is MOST referred to is the fact that we have the ability to see the good in all team members. We give them the tools, but more importantly empower them to become the best of the best. We teach them the importance of becoming their doctor’s head cheerleader to patients. Over the course of our year of consulting follow-up calls each month, we become their head cheerleader when we see results in their department. Just like a weight loss program that one has to keep track of what they eat and how often they exercise…with someone else monitoring that success, it works! Having someone (other than the boss) nudge gently when things aren’t going as planned and praising the team when they reach their goals, makes all the difference in month-by-month success.

As I look at retirement from the consulting end of my business one day, I know the part I will miss most is the monthly monitors to see immediately how that client is doing. I’ll also miss talking with them once per month and emailing them at midnight after a day on the phone….but Rhonda, Char and Susan are filling that void as they too keep me abreast of their clients and how our model continues to make a huge difference in the lives of dentists, their teams and most of all their patients.

#5-Defining the check in and the check out positions of the administrative area is one of the most difficult to do when the team “likes doing it all”. We estimate that the front desk team loses about two hours of their production time each day talking back and forth to fill the other person in when BOTH do everything. In a multi dentist office, there can be four or five doing everything, which is like a three ring circus to watch. Until the left hand knows what the right hand has done, is doing, or plans to do, chaos prevails. With defined duties, one person (the Scheduling Coordinator) concentrates on greeting patients warmly, answering the incoming calls (lines one and two) and engineering the day. This person has about 97 other duties but these are their three main and most important duties. The Scheduling Coordinator’s main duty is to keep a warm body in each chair each hour of the day. They also know how to fill openings in the schedule the minute after one occurs using their pending file, not moving already scheduled patients!

The check out person (Financial Coordinator), presents the fees, goes over the insurance and financial options, collects money at the time of service and posts treatment (unless it is done chairside), posts the payments, balances the day sheet and follows up on all past due accounts. With both overlapping these duties, there is constant talking and the clinical team can only guess who to take their patients to for checkout procedures….it is normally to the one who looks the least stressed at that moment! This is NOT how to run the administrative side of a dental practice.

There are four types of flextime that must be left in a very busy schedule. Otherwise the practice is going to always run behind and lose patients who can’t get in for hygiene, emergencies, as a new patient or for their half-day dental procedure. These and other systems are clearly outlined in our two-day DBC (Dental Business Conference). These exciting conferences are held in three locations in late 2007 and 2008. It is highly recommended that the doctor not SEND the team, but BRING the entire team to one of these DBCs. Management today is a total team effort. Call Lee at 800-922-0866 to pre-register for the LasVegas, NV DBC November 30-December 1. 2007; Myrtle Beach, SC June 13-14, 2008 or Branson, MO October 17-18, 2008. The two-day DBC is also available to meeting planners. The Holiday Dental Conference in Charlotte, NC is our first meeting-sponsored DBC. This is November 9-10 this year (2007). Limited attendance means all these courses will fill up quickly, so plan now for the one you and your team can attend to make 2008 your BEST YEAR ever. I will personally be giving these courses along with Rhonda Savage in our personally sponsored ones for 2007 and 2008. The DBC is available in 12 DVDs or CD version for in-office training. The two-day PAW is available in CD form. These can be ordered online at www.DentalManagementU.com or by calling 800-922-0866.

#6-Improving the new patient experience has been one of our most sought after parts of our seminars and consulting. Congruency among everyone’s communication is key. Also strong patient education on the benefit to the patient, and sound financial arrangements presented by a competent Financial Coordinator is the difference in night and day results. I am truly amazed at how many dentists tell me that they only offer CareCredit on SOME cases not ALL. What they really mean is that they are willing to lose 100% of the case versus 4.9% to have this wonderful service presented on ALL cases to ALL patients. If the practice already offers a 5% cash courtesy, in reality if the CareCredit amount is 9.9, it is only costing the dentist 4.9% to use the best thing that has happened in dentistry in my 45 years (patient financing).   

Here’s hoping you and yours will have a very wonderful rest of summer. Enjoy your children and grandchildren….they grow up very FAST. It seems that only yesterday our two granddaughters were born. Taylor is going to be 17 in December and Jordan is soon to be 13. Don and I leave today for the Internet Dental Forum 12 day European Cruise and four days in Rome. The best part of our vacation is we are taking our granddaughters with us for a once in a lifetime experience.

Please email us with questions or just to say hello. We love hearing from our Dynamic Data readers and clients. Dr. Rhonda Savage’s email is rsavage@harbornet.com, Char Sweeney’s email is csweeneyph@aol.com, Susan Kulakowski’s email is sueziqk@msn.com, Lee Tarvin’s email is leetarvin@cox.net and mine is lindamiles@cox.net.

Sincerely,

 

Linda Miles and Team

A complimentary e-newsletter from Linda Miles for the
professional dental community.
For subscription (or unsubscribe) details, as well as Miles &
Associates contact information, please see the end of this
newsletter.

Miles & Associates
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757.721.3332
757.721-2892 (Fax)
800.922.0866 Toll-free
www.DentalManagementU.com

Dear Doctors and Team Members,

Winter was slow in coming to Virginia Beach, thus my winter newsletter is about three weeks past deadline. But…I’m hopeful for better weather ahead as I saw dozens of robins in our back gardens this week. This is an indication spring is just around the corner. While the winter was short (four weeks versus our normal eight), you folks in Denver and the mid Atlantic (NY, NJ and PA) know the fierceness of a delayed winter. Thankfully, I was only over-nighted once this year (Harrisburg, PA) Friday night, February 16th. Being over-nighted on the way home is not the nightmare for a speaker/consultant as missing connections and having cancelled flights on the way to an assignment. In 29 years of business travel, I’ve only missed five assignments due to inclement weather, illness such as the flu or laryngitis, or family emergencies. And as an employee in dental practices, I missed only two days in eight years after going back to work when my youngest child was four. Seven days in 37 years is truly a good record.

Speaking of good records, we are often asked by our clients and the many dentists in our audiences WHY employees tend to take so much time off these days? Are we a sicker society? Is the work ethic of the younger employee different than my generation? And what is a dentist or practice administrator to do with so much absenteeism among the team? My first response to this is the question? Do you PAY employees to be sick? If you offer “sick pay”, (which may become a legal benefit based on some recent proposed changes in the labor laws), you may be paying them to be sick especially in December if it does not roll over to the following year. It seems to me more employees (on their staff questionnaires before a consultation), are listing under the question: What benefits do you NOT HAVE that you would like to see added in the years to come? Invariably the answer many times is: “I wish we had more sick days than the number we now have”.

Always check with the state and federal employment laws on these issues, and subscribe to Bent Ericksen and Associates, dentistry’s leading human resource newsletter. BOP (Bent on Personnel) at 800-679-2760 or visit their site at www.bentericksen.com. These and other questions are answered in detail, not legal mumbo-gumbo, in regards to these and other employee issues.

 
At LLM&A, it’s been a very busy past nine months. Care Credit, dentistry’s leading patient finance company distributed a FREE CD that I recorded in CA late last year titled: “The 12 Necessities of a Successful Practice”. This CD went out to thousands of dentists and many of them have either attended our two-day workshops, seminars, or hired our consultants to work with them in 2006-2007. It seems that many dentists are experiencing many of the same challenges of:

1. Finding and retaining loyal accountable team members
2. Keeping their overhead down while keeping their practices up
3. Reducing the number of openings in their schedules
4. Attracting patients who want ideal care versus “just what insurance covers”
5. Time Management (balance of clinical, business, personnel, family)

 

Dentistry is not easy! If you are a clinical team member, you go home each day physically tired. Business staffers go home emotionally exhausted…dentists go home completely drained and burned out!

Gaining control of the practice early in the game is smart. Some of the practices we have worked with recently have been doing every thing the hard or wrong way…not for days or months, but for years. The longer the systems and communication breakdowns occur, the harder it is to get the ship back on track and headed to the destination of choice.

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My friend and fellow SCNer, Kimberly Goodson, RDH, Beaumont, TX, President and Founder of PerioPal Ltd., today’s leading voice activated perio charting system is happy to share with us a wonderful testimonial from the founder of VICTOR, the very first Voice Activated Charting System:

Linda Miles’ Note to Kim:  

 

A WORD FROM ANOTHER 21ST CENTURY HYGIENIST AND SCN’er

 

LYNN SLIM, RDH, MS:  

Chat-and-polish dental hygienists should be obsolete by now, but there are plenty out there, and they’re keeping your daily hygiene productivity low. 
That’s not my only concern, however, so follow along, and I’ll explain what I mean. Professional health-dedicated hygienists are markedly different from chat-and-polish hygienists, and they take their clinical responsibilities very seriously. They assess each patient’s needs before providing preventive services, continue their education without having to be coaxed, and make sure they have adequate time for each patient. In addition, their patients are well maintained on a customized recall interval, and the dentist/employer trusts them to assess their patients’ oral health status and to treat their dental health needs accordingly. 
Professional health-dedicated hygienists can be described as follows:
√ committed to continuing education
√ independent thinkers
√ fairly compensated based on hygiene excellence
√ insist on and earn respect from the entire dental team
√ committed to modern preventive therapies
√ perform patient assessments to determine hygiene treatment plan
√ committed to and active in their professional organizations 
Can a dentist/employer recognize the difference between a chat-and-polish hygienist and a health-dedicated one? Sometimes the difference between the two is not too obvious. Consequently, a lot depends on the employer’s interest and experiences in dental hygiene. Dental hygiene consulting is a relatively new and growing branch of dental practice management, because the hygiene department of a dental practice is becoming more sophisticated and complex in terms of services provided, maximizing operational performance and productivity quotas. 
Patients today are not only looking to establish relationships with providers (dentists and dental hygienists), but also they are also sophisticated enough to assess a clinician’s skills. Patients who find hygiene-therapists, whom they can trust, feel more comfortable establishing compliance and treatment programs with appropriate recall appointments. Periodontal therapies like scaling and root planing are necessary preventive services that experienced dental hygienists can provide for their patients. Skillful hygienists take pride in the use of instrumentation that includes advanced ultrasonics with the new precision-thin inserts. Health-dedicated hygienists don’t just talk about flossing and brushing while treating patients, but instead they customize oral hygiene self-care programs to meet their patient’s special needs. Evidence-based protocols are implemented to treat dental caries and periodontal infections. In addition to being skilled clinicians, dental hygienists must have an adequate understanding of the pathogenesis of diseases, good communication skills in order to motivate and satisfy patients, and cutting edge treatment options. 
Lynne H. Slim, RDH, MS specializes in coaching dental hygienists to enter 21st century dental practices and provides hands-on advanced instrumentation training. Please visit her website at: www.periocdent.com for more information about the hygiene consulting services offered.

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My sincere thanks to a superb meeting planner and SCN VIP guest, Dr. Andy Doerfler, Spring, Texas for creating the title for my newest seminar for the TEXAS Dental Meeting May 10-13. “NO ONE CLINICAL IS IDENTICAL” ™. Having started my career in the early 60’s as a dental assistant for Dr. Jim Nelson, Bluefield, WV, I am thrilled to have a seminar just for chairside assistants which debuts at the Texas Meeting. It outlines the traits for the ideal assistant and discusses how to become a super star in dentistry. What better meeting than the LONESTAR state for this course to begin. I will also be presenting the same course in San Francisco for the ADAA on September 29th.

If you have never attended the Texas Stage Meeting on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, check it out today. A GREAT TEAM RETREAT spot for sure! AND….after Dr. Doerfler’s presence at the 2006 Speaking Consulting Network along with Dr. Paul Isler from the Hinman, more than 25 of their presenters in 2007-2008 are from SCN. Thanks Dr. Paul and Dr. Andy for making SCN a priority in your busy schedules last year.

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PATIENTS DENTAL INSURANCE MIS-CONCEPTIONS

As I travel and interview dozens of strangers monthly, it amazes me how many people in the general public have total misconceptions regarding dental insurance and dental care in general. Some of these misconceptions include:

1. I am self-employed and have no dental insurance; therefore I don’t go to the dentist unless I have a problem.
2. I can only do what my insurance plan covers. If it is not covered, I must not need it!
3. I would never spend a lot of money on my teeth. I’ll just get them all pulled so I’ll quit having dental problems.
4. My husband’s company just changed insurance plans. I must find a new dentist because Dr. X is not on the plan’s list of providers.

 

PERTINENT ANSWERS REGARDING DENTAL INSURANCE

Q- Our company just changed benefit plans. I really like my dentist. Does this mean I must change to one of the dentists on the provider lists?

 

A- Patients are being misinformed regarding these issues. In most cases, the patients have choices of WHO provides their care. The only thing that changes for these patients is the way in which their accounts are paid. The practices most often still file the claim forms as a courtesy. Using electronic claims gives a faster turn around of the funds directly to the patients. The patients normally prefer to use their credit cards for payment and by the time the credit card statement arrives, the reimbursement is back to the patients. In some treatments, there is a difference in co-payments paid by the patients but in almost every instance, the patients would rather pay this difference than change dental practices and chance not having the same level of care or service.

Q- I’m self-employed and do not have dental insurance; therefore I don’t go to the dentist unless I have a problem. Isn’t this the norm for most people who don’t have dental insurance?

 

A- This misconception by patients is one of the biggest problems dental practices across the country are facing. Dental insurance is an appeasement benefit, which in most cases is a rebate. The annual maximum allowable benefit has not changed on most plans in over 30 years. Fees then were a third of what they are today. Oftentimes, the premiums paid by the patient or their employer costs more annually than their total benefit. If we didn’t have food insurance would we still eat? The answer to that is simple. Good dental health is as important as fueling one’s body, yet many people use being non-dental-insured as their excuse to neglect their teeth. Preventive dentistry is not expensive, neglect is!

Q- I can not/should not have anything done to my teeth that is not covered by insurance plan, right?

 

A- Many patients use dental insurance as their crutch. They have the misconception that if it is not covered on their plan, it must not be a necessary treatment, or it is out of reach financially.  Following the advice of a benefit plan company that is in business to save money by restricting care is an unwise decision. Listening to your dentist and dental healthcare team, who are in business to save your natural teeth for a lifetime, is a much wiser choice.

Q- Why doesn’t my insurance cover this?

 

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Please keep in mind this newsletter is being offered
complimentary in response to the many requests to stay in
touch with our clients and followers. If you wish to
unsubscribe to Dynamic Data please send an e-mail message
to lindamiles@cox.net to let us know.
Miles & Associates’ corporate headquarters may be reached
at 800.922.0866. Fax us at 757.721.2892. On the web at
www.DentalManagementU.com, or via email at
lindamiles@cox.net
Miles & Associates – Winter 20007

Miles & Associates
Linda L Miles & Associates
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-0249
Phone: 757.721.3332
FAX: 757.721.2892

A complimentary e-newsletter from Linda Miles for the professional dental community. For subscription (or unsubscribe) details, as well as Miles & Associates contact information, please see the end of this newsletter.

Miles & Associates
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757.721.3332
757.721-2892 (Fax)
800.922.0866 Toll-free
www.DentalManagementU.com

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Dear Doctors and Team,

It has been an amazingly busy past few months for our clients with record-breaking figures in the month of August, a bit slower in September, but a very strong October and November for a strong end for 2006. Our two most improved solo practices, which were seven figure practices to begin with, are up over $250,000 for the year. Our highest reported month (August) was a $207,000 month. This is a four days per week dentist, with two days per week associate. The senior dentist’s production alone was $108,000. This practice has been a client for 6 years and was at the $74,000 level before.

HYGIENE DEPARTMENT WEAKNESSES. The majority of new clients, who sought consulting assistance this year, had many of the same symptoms: A terribly weak recall system that does not adequately “feed” the doctors’ schedules. Couple that with a low new patient number and the practice stalls or declines steadily. After doing a 100-chart audit, these practices have discovered the computerized management system reports are often incorrect due to human error, changes in staff, or the practice did not invest in training from their software companies to avoid these seriously compounded problems year after year. Manually doing the 100-chart audit then multiplying by the total number of active patients (past two years) is an eye-opening experience for most dentists. For a 2200 active chart practice, multiply your findings by 22. (For a complimentary copy of our 100-chart audit form email me at lindamiles@cox.net.)

Rather than pointing the finger at the scheduling or hygiene coordinator for allowing these weaknesses to occur, which may have started years before the current team was hired, let’s break the problem down.

First, the practice may be limited as to how many hygiene chairs are in the practice. Or the practice may be able to fill all hygiene slots without worrying about 2/3 of their patients not being seen. There could be many holes in the hygiene schedule that are not promptly refilled the minute the opening occurs. The doctor may have heard and believed the myth: “the fewer hygiene patients seen, the higher production for the doctor”. They may have stopped pre-appointing as one prospective new client reported this week, which has caused a $200,000 loss this year and a reduction from three hygienists to two. Or perhaps there is not a strong mix of services and the hygiene department is merely a “prophy palace” where all patients get the same level of care no matter their level of oral health. Without continuous updates in the software program, continuing education for the entire team, these weaknesses get worse year after year. I call a declining hygiene department the practice’s “silent killer”.

Do we blame the employees who were not adequately trained to thoroughly do their jobs? One new client practice had four openings in two hygiene schedules for the day after our all day meeting. When I expressed concern about the $600 plus loss in hygiene on Wednesday ($150 times four), coupled with the $1800 operative loss (hygiene is a third of total volume), this loss would be $460,000 per year if they had four openings every day. No one assumed responsibility for the holes in the schedule, as there were no defined duties at the desk. Their response when I pointed this out was “oh, only four is actually a good day….sometimes it’s worse”. This is the same practice that complained to me during their interviews that morning that they had not had a raise in two years! I wonder why? I pointed out to them that if the broken appointments were filled and they strived for zero defects daily, the practice could have paid them an additional $100,000 (22% of the loss). The openings were promptly filled in the next thirty minutes and they let me know for the next few days by cell phone how each day was filled to capacity with the exception of the deliberate emergency patient appointments. We can’t blame the employees if their roles were not clearly defined and they thought broken appointments were normal.
      
Do we blame the dentists who hired but did not train their team how to manage the recall system, reactivate overdue patients, and be committed to zero defects in the schedule, which means filling the openings as they happen? No, it is not the dentists’ fault that practice and systems management along with team development skills were not taught in dental school. They are too busy getting their clinical requirements in dental school. Besides…these type problems are not an issue until they have them!               

For more information on how you can improve your hygiene recall, click here for a copy of the article I co-authored with Colleen Rutledge, RDH in a recent article in Dental Practice Report.

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GOOD END OF THE YEAR LETTER-During the month of October/November it’s a good idea to send the patients a memo with your thanks for their referrals throughout the year. In the memo you might also remind patients that if they pay their current account balance off by December 30th they can deduct 5% from their balance (a one time holiday gift to them). Or they can transfer their current balances to a patient finance company like CareCredit to avoid the 1.5% interest added to their unpaid balances each month. Don’t forget to also include the following statement: “With Dental Insurance Benefits, don’t forget, if you don’t use them…you lose them. Avoid the end of the year rush by calling today to maximize your family’s insurance benefits as many plans renew in January”.

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VERBAL SKILLS TRAINING MADE EASY-Team members often shy away from being put on the spot during verbal skills training, as they may not have the answers to the role-play questions because they don’t know the situations that will be discussed. To assist in this very important one-hour per month in-office training, we recommend asking each team member to jot down all questions patients ask them for one week each quarter. (Over the phone, checking in, checking out, and chairside.) This allows dentists and all team members to realize what’s missing in patient education so they may jointly create just the right answers. It also gives each team member a heads-up on what questions they should be creatively thinking about answering in a more positive way.

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CE ALERT- Many dentists feel that taking or sending team members to CE is not only expensive but often ask: “What if I train my employees and they leave my office? I’ve now trained my competitor’s staff member”. That type of thinking is not only unhealthy for the staff members who may be going through their day not being sure of all their duties (not just daily but weekly and quarterly as well). It is also very unhealthy for the practice. We estimate that a solo practice is losing more per week than it would cost to educate the entire team. As I told many dentists, “Training your employees and having them leave is not nearly as expensive as NOT training them and have them stay.”

See our website for information on our two day Practice Administrator Workshop in Sarasota, FL February 9-10, and our two-day Dental Business Conference in Norfolk, VA March 2-3. The DBC gives all team members and dentists a PhD in communication skills, case presentations, hygiene department efficiency, scheduling with a reduction of broken appointments plus much more. Managing the practice of today is a total team effort and not only for the administrative team. 

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TWO HOURS PER WEEK OF NON-PATIENT TIME-For those dentists who fear that marking off two hours per week for staff meetings, role playing, behind the scenes duties and in-house training will reduce their production time by a day per week, please read the following testimonial from a Texas practice administrator, Cynthia Sellers, who attended our new Practice Administrator Workshop in January 2006.

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Just wanted to drop you this quick note to update you on our weekly meetings that we implemented on February 1st, as per your model.   

We have been doing this for almost 3 months now and so far, we produced/collected 10% MORE in February and 11% MORE in March.  We closely monitor our practice by the numbers and can clearly track the increase.  I must say that SOMETHING IS CERTAINLY WORKING.  Plus, our entire team is more ‘refreshed’ and cheerfully productive.  The overall team communication is stronger than ever and thus, less stressful at the end of the day – everyday. What you preach about being “happy tired” rather than “stressed tired” is definitely the case here.

Our concern with implementing this was that we would be taking a chunk of time out of our workweek for these meetings and consequently, less production.  In fact, our team was very worried about how this would affect their goals and bonuses.  Well, I am happy to report that in February, they made their regular bonus and in March (which is typically a slow month for us) they made SUPER bonus.  Needless to say, there’s nothing but smiles, motivation, and positive attitudes around here.  All this is solely due to YOU and what you teach us to do.  We’re working less and making more $$$.  Life is good.

You teach this all the time and I wanted to give you some reinforcement that this really does work.  Thank you.

Dr. Grayson & Cynthia Sellers
Port Isabel & Los Fresnos Dental Centers

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NEWS FLASH-We have some new and exciting products coming down the pike in the first quarter of 2007. Watch for full details in the winter issue of DYNAMIC DATA or  on our website www.DentalManagementU.com in a few weeks.

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MARKETING IDEAS-Are you having problems filling your schedule during certain parts of the day? Would you spend $200 per MONTH to increase your daily production $800-$1000 per DAY on average? Place a decorative vase or bowl at the front desk check-in station with a professionally made small sign that reads: “YOU MAY BE A WINNER, ASK US”. All patients who appoint at your most difficult-to-fill hours (example 10-2 in a suburban office), will have their name and phone number on a folded piece of paper placed in the bowl for your monthly drawings of four $50 gift certificates. Mothers who demand after school hours will suddenly find a friend, spouse or relative to bring the children in during those hours so they can have their names in the drawing multiple times. Buying the four monthly gift certificates at your local businesses turns into a marketing project as the word spreads to the owners and employees of that business. A win/win/win idea.

Technology updates are important to keep your practice on the cutting edge. Dentists and team members who use the patients’ chair time to talk about the practice’s new “toys” are not only educating their patients which leads to higher case acceptance, they are also marketing their practice when patients return to work or their homes and tell others what they have learned and how up to date their dentist is. Cad Cam dentistry, lasers, digital imaging are just three pieces of technology patients are impressed by. How do I know? I talk to about 30 seatmates on airplanes monthly. They are the people I interview about their dental experiences.

What negatives do these “research” people discuss with me:

1. Why is it that my son who needs two fillings can’t be seen for three months but my husband needed 6 veneers and they could see him in six days?
2. I left my last dentist who I liked very much because I got tired of her hygienist talking down to me about my home care.
3. After my doctor’s practice grew I felt like a number, not a person.
4. Hilda the Hun worked at the desk. I left because she was about money and not about customer service or my dental care.
5. My wonderful dentist went off my insurance plan so I had to change dentists.              

   These were my responses:

1. Many practices block schedule which means they leave certain time frames on the schedule for certain procedures. Oftentimes the number of procedures requiring less time, such as fillings, take up much more appointment time each month than anticipated which requires a longer than normal time between appointments.
2. Hygienists have a very tough job and they take that job very seriously. When a patient is non-compliant in regards to their own role in good home care, the hygienists I know wonder if they (the teacher) failed in their education of the importance of home care. I’m sure that your hygienist had your very best interest at heart and was well meaning. Their job is to help every patient keep their natural teeth for a lifetime. Even though it may have sounded like a scolding, sometimes reminders are in the patient’s best interest.
3. Have you discussed how you feel with the dentist through verbal or written communication? I’m sure that even though the dentist has become very busy they may not be aware that their customer service has declined. When patients walk into the reception room, they should be greeted enthusiastically by whoever sits at the welcome station. Patients pick up on low energy and a lack of customer service, but if the owner is unaware of it, it can’t improve. Do your dentist a favor and let him or her know how you feel. They most likely will thank you and address the issue at the next team meeting.
4. I’m sorry you had a negative experience with the gatekeeper. That person makes or breaks the practice by how they communicate. They must be caring, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and empathetic to all patients at all times. Financial discussions with patients should be pleasant, not adversarial. I think patients should have an exit interview if they leave the practice for any reason. It’s a real shame the dentist is losing patients like you and most likely they have no idea.
5. Many patients are led to believe by their employers that they have no option except go to a dentist in the network. Patients on most plans can go to the dentist of their choice. The only difference is the way in which their account is handled. They will pay at the time of services with the office filing their insurance as a courtesy. With electronic filing, patient reimbursements are normally made by the insurance company within two weeks. Many patients prefer to place their fee on a credit card so that their reimbursement (in most cases) is received before their next credit card billing date. And with patient financing, which your dentist should have, you can pay for your healthy and attractive smile while you make monthly payments with no interest over an extended period of time.

That’s it for this quarter clients and friends. Here’s wishing you and yours a very wonderful holiday season. And here’s hoping that your 2006 is ending on a very positive note. My consultants and I stand by to help you and your team with a variety of programs, practice development products, and consulting services that range from a one Year PEP (Practice Enhancement Program) to a one-hour PAC (Practice Analysis Consultation). The PAC means we review all doctor and staff questionnaires, two or three pages of your schedule as it was the previous week, and a two page Practice Analysis form which tells us the true health of your practice. During a One Hour Tele-Conference Call (pre-arranged), our consultants (or I) tell you the three greatest weaknesses and more importantly how to fix them. We call this our “Home Depot” Consultation. The good news, it is only $795 until March 31, when we will have our first PAC fee increase in four years.

Quote for the Quarter: “The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him, his own” 

Warm wishes on this chilly rainy day in Virginia Beach,

Linda Miles, CEO
Linda Miles and Associates

An INC 500 company in our 28th year (due to YOUR success, not just our own)

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Please keep in mind this newsletter is being offered complimentary in response to the many requests to stay in touch with our clients and followers. If you wish to unsubscribe to Dynamic Data please send an e-mail message to lindamiles@cox.net.

Miles & Associates’ corporate headquarters may be reached at 800.922.0866. Fax us at 757.721.2892. On the web at www.DentalManagementU.com, or via email at lindamiles@cox.net Miles & Associates.
 
Linda L Miles & Associates
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-0249
Phone: 757.721.3332
FAX: 757.721.2892
800.922.0866 Toll-free

A complimentary e-newsletter from Linda Miles for the professional dental community. For subscription (or unsubscribe) details, as well as Miles &
Associates contact information, please see the end of this newsletter.

Miles & Associates
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757.721.3332
757.721-2892 (Fax)
800.922.0866 Toll-free
www.DentalManagementU.com

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DYNAMIC DATA SUMMER, 2006

Dear Doctors and Team,

It’s hard to believe that the summer of 2006 is almost over…From the many practices I’ve monitored the past seven months, I’ve seen tremendous improvements over 2005 in what’s supposed to be an overall economic slump. Dentists are more aware of their responsibilities as the leader of their practices. More emphasis has been placed on the human resource side of management with more team members clearly in tune to the practice guidelines and doctor’s expectations of their job. More practitioners have invested in over the shoulder clinical courses, attended case presentation and communication courses, and the entire team feels much more “at ease” with the discussion of fees and financial options, knowing patients are accepting more of the ideal treatment plans versus “just wanting to get by” until their next round of dental insurance kicks in.

We already know, “patients accept what the practice accepts”. If anyone in the practice thinks patients won’t do this or that, they are absolutely right. If changes are presented in a positive way whether it is for a treatment fee, the value of the next appointment, or the fact that dental insurance does not cover most complete treatment plans, patients will accept these facts too.

Broken Appointments (more so in summer months), prompted this article request from my friend, Joan Garbo for her newsletter I hope my summer readers like it too.

HOT TIPS…FOR HOT WEATHER

Failed and short-notice changed appointments are serious problems at any time during the year, but can really play havoc on the summer months’ production, typically vacation months for doctors, and team members.

Parents and patients don’t intend to be less committed to their appointments but during the “lazy days of summer” let’s face it…if anyone makes them a better offer than going to the dentist, off they go, which means your scheduling coordinator works at top speed keeping the changes in the schedule filled. Not to mention the stress involved with the confirmed patient “no-shows”.

First let’s look at the major causes of broken appointments:

1) A lack of communication from the doctor and entire dental team to the patient regarding the importance of their next visit while they are sitting in the dental chair on their current appointment. If you have ever wondered why some practices have 3-4 times as many broken appointments as another practice, listen to the amount (or lack of) patient education regarding the next appointment in your own practice starting immediately.

If the office communication in your practice is 75% social and only 25% dental education, no wonder you have more than your share of open time which is totally non- productive. Reversing the conversations to 75% dental education and 25% social chitchat is key. All it takes is a 30 second eye to eye, heart to heart talk about the importance of keeping the next appointment, and VIOLA….a reduction in over HALF the amount of wasted time. While socializing with patients may be fun…it should never be more than 25% of the conversation and at that, focused on the patient, not the dental team member or dentist.

2) Non-motivated team member is another serious reason for open chair time. Their attitude is: I’m going to make the same amount of money today no matter how many people show up, so why work so hard? If you don’t already have an incentive bonus plan in place, I highly recommend one. Or the doctor could have a daily “bonus kitty” and drop a $10, $20 or $50 bill into the locked box or office safe for each day with zero to X number of open slots on the schedule. Each open slot costs the team their “fun-money” which is divided at the end of the month and pro-rated to part time team members. With an average of $30 per day times 16 days, this could be close to $500 per month!

3) Weak verbal skills and untrained scheduling coordinators determine why a large percentage of changed or failed appointments take place in a practice. There are three tones of voice that might be used when a patient calls to try and change or cancel their appointment: 1) happy, 2) neutral, or 3) friendly-disappointment. If employees like downtime, they will sound happy when an opening occurs. Because patients like to make the person taking the call happy, they will continue being a source of failed appointments because they know the team member actually seemed elated with the call.

If the patients receive a neutral response such as “Oh, no problem at all Mrs. Webster, let’s see when I get little Samantha back in. How about this coming Thursday at the same time?” Again, if it is easy to change or cancel appointments because the caller feels it’s OK and no problem at all, look out…your practice will again have more than your share of broken and failed appointments. I have heard from some scheduling coordinators in my audiences that they spend a third of each day restructuring each day that falls apart!!

The only way to control wasted chair time especially in the summer months is always sound friendly yet firm when someone calls to ruin your schedule. “Oh Mrs. Webster, I’m sure that the trip to the lake that Samantha has been invited to participate in is very important, but so is her appointment with us. I have reserved the doctor’s entire late morning just for her bandings. As you know, it would be impossible for me to fill this amount of the doctor’s time on short notice. Is there any way we can work around Samantha’s invitation so that they may leave around noon instead of 10 AM?

If and when your scheduling coordinator develops the skill of being very friendly yet disappointed when patients try to fail or postpone their appointments, patients and parents begin to realize the inconvenience of this, especially the last minute changes. REMEMBER: An appointment will NEVER become more important to the patient than it appears to be to you”.

A good “test” is to have the doctor go across the parking lot with a cell phone while covering the mouthpiece with a handkerchief to disguise their voice. The doctor calls the office and pretends to cancel the most productive appointment for today or tomorrow to see just how it is handled in their practice.  

You may also list on the back of your appointment cards: A broken appointment is a loss to three people: 1) The patient who missed the valuable time. 2) The patient who could have used the valuable time. 3) The dentist who was fully staffed and prepared for the appointment time.

Summer “play time” does not have to ruin your production. Be pro-active…play it cool by having each member of the team improve his or her verbal communication skills. And remember it has to be congruent with everyone committed to that goal. With verbal skills communication, “you are only as strong as your weakest link”.

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Newsletters always create a wave of business for our business after they go out and for those who do quarterly newsletters. One of the best in the dental business is HYCOMB MARKETING in the bay area of CA. Here’s what my friend, Melinda Spitek, Owner of HYCOMB has to say to our readers. PS: We highly recommend Hycomb’s newsletters and hope you will inquire about them too. Keeping your name and dental information in front of your patients every 90 days is the key to successful marketing.

Doctor, has your hygiene schedule been less than full? Have your new patient numbers dropped off? Struggling in this lousy economy? More and more patients past due? Suffering from Empty Chair Syndrome?

When times get tough you need to regroup and motivate your existing patient base. Maintaining contact with patients between appointments is a great way to keep patients thinking about you. But it’s hard to find the time to send letters or write and print a newsletter on a regular basis.

The antidote is actually quite simple. Every 90 days, a professional communication sent by you, filled with colorful and intriguing information about dentistry, arrives at every door of your patient base. All you need do is review the articles you prefer to appear before it is sent out. Hycomb does all the work.

Your own quarterly newsletter, produced by Hycomb and personalized just for your practice, is by far the simplest and most cost-effective means of re-welding that connection between your practice and your existing patient base every 90 days. Perhaps most importantly, for the majority of our subscribers it’s practice marketing made easy.

We can help! Call HYCOMB 800/523-6961

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Want some beautiful scenery in your office to take patients’ minds off the procedures they are having? Wish you could “get lost” In a beautiful place in your mind to meditate and get away from the day-to-day stress? Bill Robertson Photography is another place to go for artwork for your office, note cards, recare cards and other marketing materials. Check out his site at www.billrobertsonphotography.com 

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In late March, the ADA In conjunction with CareCredit, dentistry’s leading patient finance company, mailed thousands of letters offering my newest CD “The 12 Necessities of a Successful Practice” free to any office that called CareCredit. We have been overwhelmed with the positive response to this CD after dentists listened to it. In one week, we heard from 7 long-ago clients and meeting planners with whom we had lost touch over the years. As we know, the post office only forwards addresses for a year after a move. In addition to client   moves, we moved our corporate office twice in ten years. Some mailing addresses did not get updated in a timely fashion. How exciting for us to reconnect and reschedule follow-up consulting and lectures for friends we worked with in the past. If you have not called CareCredit for your free CD, please do so. Pennwell also had a card on their June Issue of Dental Economics for the same CD. CareCredit’s phone number Is 1-800-300-3046.

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TEAM RETREATS have become a large part of our business in the past year or two. This year I did a private practice retreat In St. Johns, Virgin Islands with a practice from TN, the Phoenician Resort In Scottsdale with a practice from TX, and will soon go to Kona, Hawaii with a group practice from NC. This Is normally a two half-day private consultation/lecture with afternoons free to play or continue networking with the work family in a non-working environment. We gather the same practice statistics and questionnaires as with our consulting services. The doctor and consultant/speaker then spend an hour on the telephone creating the custom designed 8 hours of meeting time, selecting topics that are most pertinent to their specific practice/team needs. For a brochure on this wonderful way to get your practice team on board and working toward a common goal, email me at lindamiles@cox.net or call 800-922-0866 for more information.

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AMAZING…Where some of the mis-information in dental management comes from is beyond me. I sometimes think people who assume they are helping dentists actually keep management consulting firms in business doing what I call DAMAGE CONTROL.

About six months to a year ago I read in a leading newsletter:” When dentists are out of their offices on vacations and for CE courses, don’t let the staff stay in the office to do their behind the scenes work as this is what keeps the payroll percentages so high!”

MY TAKE IS: It’s not the staff being paid for 52 weeks per year their normal 32-40 hours per week that is keeping the staff salaries (and other overhead) high, it’s the constant turn-over in team members that come and go…The down time, retraining time and loss of stomach lining to re-hire is the problem folks. I don’t know about my readers, but in the past, when I took a fulltime job, it meant I needed full time pay. My personal bills (like everyone else’s) go on 52 weeks out of the year.

I wish I had $10 for every team member in dentistry who has left to find a job that was fair when issues like those arose. The ONLY time it is fair to ask employees to be off without pay 4-10 weeks per year, (which some dentists take off), is to discuss it on the interview and agree to it in writing that: A) the employees have an option of taking time off without pay, B) using their personal vacation time and get paid, or C) coming in to work with a list of behind the scenes chores (pre-arranged with the dentist before he or she left), so that they do not miss their agreed upon pay.

Another amazing statement was made recently from another dental newsletter: Treat all your team members differently and better according to how well they each perform!! Imagine that: PRIMA DONNA/QUEEN BEE alert big time! Every member of the team thinks they have the hardest job, contribute more than anyone else, are the most loyal, the most accountable and the least appreciated. To add fuel to that fire…. NOW, the owner dentist is to use favoritism to “get the slackers in gear?” 

MY TAKE IS: One’s confidential salary should reflect their personal worth to the practice. This is between the employer and the employee and is no one else’s business…BUT when it comes to benefits, perks, bonuses, shard responsibilities, rules and guidelines, they best be the same for all who work the same number of hours and pro-rated for those with fewer hours. Equality and respect creates teamwork….The same holds true for the patients in the practice. Some practices only want A and B patients…What a crock! ALL patients deserve the same level of care and consideration. The majority of my clients aren’t arrogant who turn patients away if they don’t: A) dress right, B) have the right address, C) the right job title, or D) accept the total large treatment plan just because the doctor presented it. The goal is to turn the D’s into C’s this year, B’s the following year, so that eventually…through love and respect they become A’s. These wonderful dentists treat their staff and their patients with kindness and respect (from the last hired to the longest) and the A to D (and beyond) patients who need their care.

You can tell WHO writes what these days….a lot of this mis-guided communication comes from those who got out of school, went to a professional post graduate program and started writing paychecks! It helps if those giving advice had to work their way up the ladder of success. And as Granny Miles said many times…”You can’t get higher than your raising”. And: “Be nice to people on the way up as you don’t know who you might need on the way down.”         

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The 10th annual Speaking Consulting Network was a huge success with a 30% Increase In membership and 45% Increase In exhibitors for the Phoenix Conference the end of May. For meeting planners wanting to spend two days networking and mingling with the cream of the crop speakers, consultants and authors, this is the place to be. Each year SCN comps the tuition for 12 lucky VIPs. Exhibitors tell us this is the ONLY dental meeting they feel totally connected with from the moment they arrive through the farewell dinner on Monday evenings. This year’s meeting roster consisted of 49 management consultants, 21 dentists and 29 hygienists who speak, consult or write. The other 40 were support staff, VIPs, exhibitors and sponsors. Next year’s conference for first year members only is Saturday, June 2, with all attending Sunday and Monday June 3-4 while our exhibitors are in full swing and dozens of exciting classes are taking place. This year’s 6 lucky winners of the coveted SOS (Spotlight on Speaking) were Joan Garbo, Leslie Canham, Erin Sandman, Cher Thomas, Danny Bobrow, and Jeanie Windes. Each presenter gave ten minutes of their best material to be critiqued by meeting planners, fellow members and exhibitors. Sixty days later, I am hearing wonderful opportunities that have opened up in the industry for those who bravely volunteered and were selected. Again, SOS’s Master of Ceremony, Dr. David Reznik, did a magnificent job of not only facilitating SOS, but coaching the presenters as well.

SCN 2007 in Charleston, South Carolina will be our fourth sell-out in a row with a maximum attendance of 200. If you wish to be there as an exhibitor, new member or returnee, call Lee today at 800-922-0866 to reserve your spot with the initial payment of $500. Monthly debits will then start November 10th for 6 months for your balance. Second year members’ come at 50% off, while third year and beyond members come at another 50% off the second year tuition. Don’t miss the fun and excitement of SCN if you have a strong desire to attract and retain speaking, consulting and writing assignments. The energy and spirit of SCN Is what propels it year after year. Our 2007 keynote speaker (a secret for now) will be worth your entire tuition.

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The following message is from one of our last Dental Business Conference attendees who also attended the January 2006 new two-day course for Practice Administrators, spouses of dentists who wish to train the PA In the future, and for dentists who would like to better utilize their Practice Administrator. In many practices, the Practice Administrator has the title but no real authority and even less training to be the dentist’s right-hand businessperson. Many Practice Administrators have had little or no training so this new course is just what the practice needs. For better group Interaction, we limit the attendance to 100 people. Call Lee today to get on the list for our February 9-10, 2007 FL workshop. Doctors and dental spouses don’t SEND…but BRING your practice administrator for best results….

ATTENTION MEETING PLANNERS: Send for our new brochure on how your association or study club can host the two-day workshops in your hometown. Or visit our site and check out the Information under Seminars (then Meeting Planners). 

Cynthia’s comment below: (She runs two very successful TX practices with her husband, Dr. Grayson Sellers).

Just wanted to drop you this quick note to update you on our weekly meetings that we implemented on February 1st, as per your model.  
 
We have been doing this for almost 3 months now and so far, we produced/collected 10% MORE in February and 11% MORE in March.  We closely monitor our practice by the numbers and can clearly track the increase.  I must say that SOMETHING IS CERTAINLY WORKING.  Plus, our entire team is more ‘refreshed’ and cheerfully productive.  The overall team communication is stronger than ever and thus, less stressful at the end of the day – every day. What you preach about being “happy tired” rather than “stressed tired” is definitely the case here.
 
Our concern with implementing this was that we would be taking a chunk of time out of our workweek for these meetings and consequently, less production.  In fact, our team was very worried about how this would affect their goals and bonuses.  Well, I am happy to report that in February, they made their regular bonus and in March (which is typically a slow month for us) they made SUPER bonus.  Needless to say, there’s nothing but smiles, motivation, and positive attitudes around here.  All this is solely due to YOU and what you teach us to do.  We’re working less and making more $$$.  Life is good.
 
You teach this all the time and I wanted to give you some reinforcement that this really does work.  Thank you.
 
Dr. Grayson & Cynthia Sellers
Port Isabel & Los Fresnos Dental Centers

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TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES

The proper way the telephone is handled cannot be stressed enough. Going back into practices that have supposedly learned WHY it Is the most important instrument in the office, or calling an office that has sent their team members to our courses only to hear a weak greeting, little or no energy from the person answering the phone, or a person who sounds interested in making the call as brief as possible, truly sends the wrong message to those calling the practice. Being enthusiastic, caring, thoughtful, concerned, friendly and helpful MUST be part of the scheduling coordinator’s demeanor. When this is not the case, I estimate that it is costing the dentist more than $10,000 per month in lost production and patients. The next time you call a professional office and get this low level of service, ask yourself: “Is that business owner aware of the fact the person handling the phone is costing the business over $100,000 per year plus whatever they are being paid?”

Our 12 week In-office DVDs with a master workbook, five copies of my newest book DYNAMIC DENTISTRY, plus a post book 25 page test for 5 CEUs should be part of every practices’ library. You can review or learn telephone techniques and dozens of other important management topics in the comfort of your own office for pennies per day. Order online or call 800-922-0866. 

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Two LLM&A consultants, Susan Kulakowski and Janelle Kent of FL have created the perfect hands-on course for new or experienced dental business staff who need to hone their skills in scheduling, the reduction of broken and changed appointments and financial-insurance discussions.

We all know that about 70% of all case acceptance falls apart in the financial discussion phase of communication. And we also know that just one failed appointment per day results in a 6 figures loss at the end of each year. I highly recommend this exciting course for the two plus people who have the most interaction with patients (over the telephone, checking in, checking out and during financial consultations). Treat the business staff to the course that will pay big dividends the day they return to the practice.

The Florida Center for Staff Development is a nine-hour intensely interactive workshop. The two-day courses, ending at 2 PM each day to allow for group dynamics after class, are held simultaneously in a beach setting away from the busy practice.

The financial workshop, “From Job to Career Professional” and the scheduling workshop, “Mastering the Art of Productive Scheduling” are THE workshops, which will make your business staff the “best of the best”. Attendance is restricted to no more than twelve in each class to allow personalized and individualized practice focus. The small group setting and the sharing of information, ideas, and challenges makes this course exceptional and like no other in dentistry. For new team members who need to get on the same page quickly and for those burned out from years of scheduling and discussion finances and insurance the hard way!

Your team will return highly educated with renewed energy and confidence. The tuition includes breakfast and lunch both days, course materials with workbook, continuing education certificate of completion, and three follow-up group conference calls. For a minimal total investment of what you are losing WEEKLY, this is the ANSWER!

The dates are November 3,4 at the Diamond Head Beach Resort, Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. The direct contact number is 866-862-7875.

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VACATION ALERT: One of my clients just reported a wonderful vacation In Paris. A Parisian couple owns several apartments in Paris with perfect views of all the famous sights to see and places to visit. The apartments look like House Beautiful according to Dr. Robert Randall. The site to visit is www.perfectparis.com.

Also if the Smokey Mountains beckon you, try the www.sunsetcottage.com site and select one of their log cabins or chalets in TN. Don and I will be there after Thanksgiving with another couple. For a two-bedroom two and a half-bath cottage on the river and beside a golf course, the price is right at $200 per couple for three nights. Call 865-429-8397 for more information.

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Here’s hoping the second half of 2006 is off to a fabulous beginning with July having been one of your best months ever. One of my consulting client offices (two dentists) is on target this year for a $300,000 NET increase in the two years since we started working with them. …. Their SECRETS Include: Better leadership, greatly improved scheduling, staff knowing doctors expectations, improved communication within the practice and also to patients, a huge reduction of open chair time, new technology, clinical excellence courses for the dentists and entire team, new marketing, and assistance from a highly skilled hygiene consultant who took the hygiene department from the low $50,000 to the low $70,000 level per month. NOW THAT’S PROGRESS! Almost forgot: When I started working with them In July 2004, their total overhead was 73.1% that year, dropped to 70.4% in 2005 and is 64.4% in 2006.

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Enjoy the rest of your summer. Plan now a get-away to the Smokey Mountains for the fall, and a trip to Paris in the spring…. It isn’t just about the WORK….It’s about the journey, so enjoy each and every step of the way. Share this journey with your family, then take your team on a Team Retreat to celebrate the help they gave you In reaching new goals and making the journey a pleasant one. As Albert Switzer said,” Success does not create happiness, happiness creates success”. And remember, “The task ahead of you is never greater than the power behind you”. Have a great remainder of 2007. If you need one of our team members to assist in any way, please call 800-922-0866. We LOVE hearing from our readers, so a brief update on how you are doing is welcomed and will be answered within a week or two. 

Linda Miles, CEO
Linda Miles and Associates  

Please keep in mind this newsletter is being offered
complimentary in response to the many requests to stay in
touch with our clients and followers. If you wish to
unsubscribe to Dynamic Data please send an e-mail message
to lindamiles@cox.net.

Miles & Associates’ corporate headquarters may be reached
at 800.922.0866. Fax us at 757.721.2892. On the web at
www.DentalManagementU.com, or via email at
lindamiles@cox.net
Miles & Associates – Summer 2006
 
Linda L Miles & Associates
P.O. Box 6249
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-0249
Phone: 757.721.3332
FAX: 757.721.2892
800.922.0866 Toll-free

Dear Doctors and Staff,

It has been a whirlwind first quarter for most practices. Many of the ones that we monitor monthly have had their best quarter in the history of their practice. One such practice was an office I started consulting in 1982 when their solo practice had a goal of $32,000 per month. That same four-doctor practice just had a seven figure first quarter…Now that’s progress!! Their hygiene department did over $300,000 of that figure. What’s their secret? In addition to loving dentistry, these four dentists are great leaders with a knack for attracting patients who want the level of care that their practice provides. They also follow the 12 Necessities of a Successful Practice. That was my topic during my one-hour interview with Care Credit in December. If you have not already received your complimentary copy of this CD, please call Care Credit in CA and request it. If your practice is enrolled with Care Credit patient financing call 800-859-9975. If you would like to know more about how Care Credit can propel your practice by getting you out of the lending institution business, call 800-300-3046 Ext. 4519.

I can’t believe how many dentists still believe they can save or make money by extending credit in-office. The cost of financing in-office is not only twice as expensive as the fees by an out of office patient finance company, the practice often must hire another employee to devote time to mailing hundreds of statements and making dozens of collection calls each month. BUT….the real expense is the number of broken appointments in practices that extend in-office credit. Their number is normally two to three times higher than practices that use an outside patient finance company. Omer Reed said in 1978, in Williamsburg, VA, “people who owe you money don’t like you”. Over the years I have added a couple of other parts to that true statement, “people who owe you money do not refer to you”, and “people who owe you money break appointments”. So the hidden costs of practices financing the dentistry are HUGE! One dentist recently was proud of the fact that his office actually made over $24,000 in interest charged to patients last year. Taking into consideration the additional staff to do tons of statements in this 5 doctor mid-western practice, the cost of postage, making collection calls and the higher broken appointment ratio, the practice is losing money…not to mention the adversarial relationships that are created when a collection call has to be made for slower paying accounts. GET SMART…allow your team to spend their A/R management time doing more productive duties such as marketing, reactivation of inactive recalls, and more direct customer service versus behind the scenes busy work that ends up costing much more than patient financing such as Care Credit.
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What are some of the issues we have dealt with this past quarter? These concerns have come from non-client calls as well as practices we have worked with for years.

ACCOUNTABILITY-Some staff members dislike defined duties on a daily basis, as hiding inadequacies is much easier when “everyone does everything”. Dentists need to know just who to go to when the schedule is less than ideal, or when a case is not back from the lab yet the patient is here for a crown seating. They need to know that each patient’s visit flows from person A to person B and that all steps of communication are handled superbly, not one way with this patient and another way with the next. Without a “system” for passing each patient through the various phases of the patient visit, mistakes are made, breakdowns in communication occur, which negatively impacts productivity. It is not easy to follow a set protocol, but practicing dentistry is like acting in a play. Without a pre-determined line, a cue from another person, a timed schedule for completion, an ending in mind, the show does not go on as planned. In a successful practice, each person involved realizes it is SHOW TIME at all times and it takes team effort to have the day go without too many glitches. Leaving off procedures in charting, hoping someone else will enter it for them, depending on someone else to do the instruments because they did them a few times before, or not calling to fill an opening in the schedule within five minutes of that opening shows a lack of accountability.

MORALE PROBLEMS-When the practice is very busy there is normally less time for those working in the practice to whine, moan, groan, gossip, and point fingers at co-workers for not doing their job. After an all-time high (like the first quarter of 2006), when the month of April started, a few more complaints surfaced in emails and phone calls from not only staff but dentists as well. A feeling of not being appreciated, or the boss resenting the bonuses paid the past three months and threatening to change the rules as the bonuses paid were too much. Some had been too busy to hold regular staff meetings and planning sessions. We all know, “when the communication dies, motivation dies. When motivation dies, morale drops and so does the production”. It is VERY important to hold regular staff meetings and especially important during the busiest months.

ABSENTEEISM-With the late winter and early spring, many practices have experienced a high rate of illness in the ranks of their staff and staff families. Even some dentists who are never ill did not avoid the flu viruses of the past few months. When an employee is out, it truly creates a burden for the coworkers and the dentist. Some dental practices have sick allowance but most prefer to have a WELL BONUS that rewards staff for being well. Each employee has four personal days per year (one per quarter). They may use these days for extra vacation, a long weekend, and illness or children activities at school. If they use one in the quarter they are paid. If they use two days in one quarter they are paid for one and not paid for the second day off. At the end of the employees’ anniversary month, their unused days are bought back at their daily rate. If the employee has perfect attendance and turns in all four personal days they are awarded an additional $200 bonus. While any “system” can be manipulated and there is no perfect system, this one has worked very well for many practices over the 28 years I have recommended it to client practices. There is also a question of fairness with the monthly BONUS if a staff member is absent. Because it is a hardship on the rest of the team, I feel it is only fair to keep 25% of that person’s monthly bonus for each day the employee is absent. Those funds are then divided at the end of each month with those who had perfect attendance. Paying people to be “on the job” is much better than paying people to be ill. If the sick pay does not carry over, and it usually doesn’t, you don’t have employees taking it versus losing it during the last quarter of the year.

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE-When is the last time the dentist in your practice left the office feeling totally appreciated by the entire staff? I hear of late how many team members focus on what is wrong with their jobs versus what is right. Staff members complain that we got “this” but we also want “that”. When is enough really enough? Don’t look for the employer to be the only one showing appreciation. How long has it been since the team did something very special for the dentists to say “thank you”? And we are grateful for A) B) C) and D). I encourage my client practices to make a list of what is right and what is good about the job they have and what they might miss if they were forced to go elsewhere to work. Sugar attracts more flies than salt. Start a campaign to REALLY show appreciation for the facility you work in, the technology your dentist has invested in to make your job easier, the CE opportunities provided to you, the lunches out, the generous benefit package that your practice provides and your nice boss in general. Dentists have a tough job taking care of patients, running a business they were not trained to run and being personnel director to a group of employees who never seem completely happy. Change your work environment and watch how much more you enjoy going to work each day. Focus on what’s right and quit picking and whining about what may not be 100%. PS: There is no perfect job!

Dentists, do the same exercise for each member of your team. What personal and professional qualities do they bring to your practice that you would have a difficult time finding in another in their same department (hygiene, administrative and clinical assisting)? Do you as the business owner focus on what’s right at staff meetings? Do you hire, train, trust then praise your team on a daily basis? Do you allow them to grow and prosper with you as the practice grows? Do you get more excited than they do when goals are reached and you GET TO generate those bonus checks? Or are the bonus checks delayed with an excuse each month, which leads the team to believe you really don’t want to share the practice growth with the staff? An attitude of gratitude is very necessary in order to keep the office a fun, exciting and rewarding place to work. And it goes both ways!
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Recently, I had the pleasure of hearing a presentation given by Nancy Hammel and Dr. Michael Silverman of DOCS (Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation) regarding the benefits of Oral Sedation Dentistry. Nancy is the Director for Team Education and Dr. Silverman is the Founder and President of DOCS.

Both Nancy and Michael spoke eloquently about the huge demand for safe, comfortable, and effective methods of providing dental care, pointing out that a significant portion of the population do not go to the dentist on a regular basis because of their fear and anxiety. They offered a very compelling argument that oral sedation dentistry will continue to increase in demand and as is fast becoming a necessary tool for every successful practice in America.

I found their program to be not only educational, but also lively and fun. Dentists and Team Members will learn the necessary skills to return to their practices and begin implementation immediately. I am now thoroughly convinced that Oral Sedation Dentistry can be a huge benefit for fearful patients as well as a great service that will in turn enhance practice success by impacting profitability for those dentists who are willing to invest in the training and necessary equipment.

I strongly recommend that dentists as well as team members attend. Below is a listing of their upcoming seminars.

May 19-21 - Chicago
June 22-24 – Seattle
July 28-30 – Boston
Sept 28-30 – Kansas City
Nov 9-11 - Las Vegas
Nov 30-Dec 2 - AtlantaFor more information call 877-325-DOCS or visit www.sedationdocs.com

 

NEED MONEY?

If you are a new dentist or an established dentist in need of practice financing for expansion or start up, please review the following:

Capital4HealthCare consistently provides prudent practice advice for purchasing and expanding dentists as well as sophisticated practice finance solutions carefully crafted to enhance purchasing power and for practice growth. Our clients are recent graduates, associates and established practitioners who are acquiring first practices or expanding their practices by acquisition or organically. Our team includes five dentists, we represent clients nationwide and we offer a variety of conventional, SBA, specialty, investment banking and institutional investment resources in order to achieve the best practice financing result for our clients as to interest rate, term and loan amount. We invite dentists to visit our website at www.capital4healthcare.com; we may be contacted toll-free at 800-324-8808, by e-mail at information@capital4healthcare.com.

A word on overstaffing from:

THE EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE IN ACTION By: Peter Drucker and Joseph Maciariello

There is a fairly reliable symptom of overstaffing. If the senior people in the group…spend more than a fraction of their time, maybe one tenth, on “problems of human relations”, on feuds and friction, on jurisdictional disputes and questions of co-operation, then the work force is almost certainly too large. People get into each other’s way. People have become an impediment to performance, rather than the means thereto. In a lean organization people have room to move without colliding with one another and can do their work without having to explain it all the time. (Page 24)
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In our local newspaper this morning…worth passing along. (Hope none of these are on your team)

AMERICA—-THE SELF-INDULGENT

“The government owes me a comfortable life and retirement.”
“My employer owes me higher wages and improved benefits every year.”
“The boss at our company is ridiculously overpaid and works half as hard as I do.”
“Do unto others before they do it unto you.”
“Sports heroes are GODS”
“I’m close to my children…we play video games all the time.”
“Personal accountability is an old-fashioned idea”
“God? Get real. Total non-factor in contemporary society”
“My “say anything, do anything, come as I am, in your face” attitude is my birthright.
“There are a few problems in this country. I’m just wondering when THEY will fix them?”
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GOOD NEWS FOR ASSOCIATIONS LOOKING FOR PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

 COURSES THAT NOT ONLY GIVE “THE TASTE” BUT ALSO “THE RECIPE”

For the past 19 years, I have given my flagship two-day total practice management course, the LLM&A Dental Business Conferences four times during each year. This course gets rave reviews and tons of feedback from enthusiastic team members and dentists with proud reports of their improvements the first 90 days, 6 months and after a year. As soon as a new employee is hired, their dentist or Practice Administrator calls or emails asking, “When’s Linda’s next Dental Business Conference?” It has become a must for new employees to get up to speed with advanced co-workers in the savviest practices in North America and has been lauded as “the shot of Vitamin B-12 needed when dentists or team members feel a little less than excited about their day to day duties.

The DBC is recommended for the entire dental team for as we all know, management of today’s dental practice is a TOTALTEAM EFFORT. Everyone needs effective verbal skills when greeting patients over the telephone, and when scheduling or discouraging those broken appointments the practice does not need or deserve. Dental team chairside communication sets the stage for case acceptance, scheduling is done by more than the scheduling coordinator, and hopefully no one in the practice (including the dentist) is timid when it comes to answering simple fee questions from patients?….Passing the buck means: A) fees are not really important in this office, or B) I think the fees are too high and I’d rather someone else answer that! While only the Financial Coordinator should discuss HOW patients will pay, having positive feedback to simple fee questions eliminates patients saying NO to needed treatment. Patients will find a way to pay for ideal dentistry just as they find a way to eat out 6 times per week and buy whatever else they want. Learn how to make patients become non-co-dependant on their insurance plans. The DBC also covers hygiene department improvements to become the most profitable passive income center in the practice and Marketing is our closing segment.

If your dental study club or state association would like to sponsor LLM personally to come to your area to present the two day DBC, members can save 20% per registrant and save money on hotel and airfares for your member dentists and their teams. Call Lee Tarvin at 800-922-0866 to secure one of my late 2006 or 2007 dates (8 available openings through 2007). We provide a sample marketing brochure for you to duplicate and mail, printed and shipped workbooks, DISC profiles for all, and a checklist for ease in sponsorship. Your association provides the meeting space, AV equipment, breakfast and lunch both days and 60-100 attendees.
 

Testimonial from a recent attendee of our San Diego 2-day Dental Business Conference:

Just wanted to drop you this quick note to update you on our weekly meetings that we implemented on February 1st, as per your model.

We have been doing this for almost 3 months now and so far, we produced/collected 10% MORE in February and 11% MORE in March. We closely monitor our practice by the numbers and can clearly track the increase. I must say that SOMETHING IS CERTAINLY WORKING. Plus, our entire team is more ‘refreshed’ and cheerfully productive. The overall team communication is stronger than ever and thus, less stressful at the end of the day – everyday. What you preach about being “happy tired” rather than “stressed tired” is definitely the case here.

Our concern with implementing this was that we would be taking a chunk of time out of our workweek for these meetings and consequently, less production. In fact, our team was very worried about how this would affect their goals and bonuses. Well, I am happy to report that in February, they made their regular bonus and in March (which is typically a slow month for us) they made SUPER bonus. Needless to say, there’s nothing but smiles, motivation, and positive attitudes around here. All this is solely due to YOU and what you teach us to do. We’re working less and making more $$$. Life is good. 

Dr. Grayson & Cynthia Sellers, Port Isabel & Los Fresnos Dental Centers, TX
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Check out this site…I was amazed with how easy it is to get coverage for patients in the cross coding arena:

IPS- Integrated Practice Solutions, is a medical technology company that provides third party billing services to medical/dental practices using a proprietary computer program with a user-friendly interface. One of the company’s primary products, Medallyon, is unique in merging dental treatment with medical insurance reimbursement. The company’s services incorporate innovative technologies with an experienced management team and customer service focused on improving dental patients’ acceptance of planned treatment along with client profitability.
www.ipsdental.com

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DENTAL INSURANCE

Speaking of coding for insurances. If you do not have a copy of Dr. Charles Blair’s new coding book, CD-2005 Coding, get one at www.DrCharlesBlair.com. It will become your insurance go-to book. And to stay current with all the many changes in the insurance utilization arena, narratives etc., I hope that you and your team have access to INSURANCE SOLUTIONS NEWSLETTERS by Vicki Anderson of WA. www.insurancesolutionsnewsletter.com. Dental Insurance is changing!
Are you and your team?

Have a great spring and hopefully you have planned some time off this summer for family vacations. Children have a tendency to grow up VERY fast. My granddaughters are now 15 and almost 12. It seems like my two children, LaDona and David should be that age…Take time off this summer to enjoy and celebrate time off with your family. You work hard. You deserve it!

As we go to press, I am gearing up for a Private Practice Team Retreat (PPTR), with a private practice from Texas in Scottsdale next weekend. I have just had a wonderful team retreat in St. Johns, Virgin Islands with another client practice from TN last month. In September, I go to Hawaii with a large group from NC for their Retreat. If you and your team wish to be one of my 8 Private Practice Retreats for 2007, please call Lee at 800-922-0866. My consultants and I love doing private retreats for a re-awakening of the practice values, focusing as a team on the five-year doctor’s vision, and having an outside objective non-biased person assess the total health of the practice as it is…and discover how it can be when everyone pulls together.

Best personal wishes,
Linda Miles, CSP, CMC
lindamiles@cox.net
www.DentalManagementU.com
www.SpeakingConsultingNetwork.com
1-800-922-0866
lindamiles@cox.net