DYNAMIC DATA NEWSLETTER tm September 2000

A complimentary e-newsletter from Linda Miles for the professional dental community.

For subscription (or unsubscription) details, as well as Miles & Associates contact information, please see the end of this newsletter.

Visit us at www.DentalManagementU.com

At the end of September we enter the last quarter of 2000. Is your practice on track for at least a 15% increase over 1999? Most practices increase fees by 6-7% annually. Another 6-7% increase should come from improved efficiency, effective scheduling, reduced broken and changed appointments, better teamwork, and higher degrees of case acceptance through improved communication with patients.

Have you planned your 2001 Office Retreat of morning learning sessions with afternoons off? It's fun to celebrate the success of 2000 while setting goals for 2001. Many dental professionals are so busy working in their practices, they don't have time to work on their practices. Retreats offer a revitalization of commitment, enthusiasm, teamwork, and pride in the profession of dentistry for dentists and staff.

Going to an off-site resort area for two or three days is a great way to be very creative. In 2001, our team of consultants will host retreats in various resort areas. Each week-long session will allow each consultant to work with three practices in one of our pre-arranged locations, or you may bring the consultant to your selected location. Request either Monday and Tuesday mornings, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, or Friday and Saturday morning. Call 800.922.0866 for more information and dates. We firmly believe that happy, well-trained staff are more productive and stay with their careers longer.

We are happy to report that more than 300 people are registered for the April 2001 Western Caribbean Cruise in the first 90 days of marketing! Our sincere thanks to Care Credit, our sponsor for this SunFun Seminar as well as Cancun in January. For those in our readership who have not yet registered, call our staff today for the team-building seminars of the century.

We have had a great response for our Virtual Classrooms. All Practice Administrators who wish to register for the 8 weeks of Monday night telebridge classes should call Annie, Christy, or Lee to get their names on the list. Class begins mid- November. Networking is the best way to learn valuable insight into the joys and challenges of practices just like yours.

CLIENT OF THE MONTH

Monthly, we will begin highlighting a Client of the Month. This is a practice we have enjoyed working with over the past years. Our Practice of the Month Award for September goes to a very special client office in Tuscaloosa, AL. Dr. Robert Davis, Dr. John Marshall and Dr. Del Shoffner. My first visit to Dr. Davis' solo practice was in 1987. I have had the pleasure of watching this practice grow from a one-doctor practice to a fine group of professionals. If I could pin-point three reasons for their tremendous success, they would be:

1) Love of the profession and keeping in tune with changes.
2) A highly skilled team of committed dentists and staff.
3) Dr. Bob Davis' sense of pride and leadership ability. Also, his desire to bring out the best in his co-workers.

It is always good to revisit each practice for reassessing and new goals. Keeping in touch through monthly monitors and conference calls continues to be a source of enjoyment and excitement.

MARKETING TIP OF THE MONTH

One of the highlights of this past month was hearing from Michele at Dr. Chris Cooley's practice in the Memphis area. His staff went one step further than the toothbrush baskets idea I have shared with many clients. They targeted the local schools and delivered baskets with imprinted toothbrushes and floss, erasers, crayons, pencils, and a 6'' ruler with the phrase, "How does your smile measure up?" Way to go, Dr. Chris and Staff!

It isn't too soon to start adding to your monthly statements, the following phrase, "Avoid the end of the year Insurance rush, call today to maximize your employee dental benefits." Patients love the fact you wish to help them. The insurance companies aren't too keen on assisting patients in maximizing their employee benefits, but what else is new??

One of the highlights of September will be that Don and I will be hosting Dr. Don Wallace and his wife Heather from New Zealand. Don and Heather were our hosts in N.Z. 2 years ago. Their picturesque practice overlooks a beautiful lake there in New Zealand.

Don and I are also looking forward to my 4th speaking tour to N.Z. and Australia this Fall. My client, Dr. Deanne Blazek and her husband, Dr. Larry Hetzel from Wisconsin will be meeting us in Brisbane. Our Speaking Consulting Network friends, Kathy Metaxes and Dr. Denis Cosgrove, will be on hand in Perth. We sincerely thank our dear friend and host, Ruth Port of Port Laboratory, Sydney, for the invitation to return to our many friends and followers down under.

Last, but not least, my sincere thanks to my own super staff for making 2000 a fantastic year thus far. Our consultants are exceptionally busy, my calendar for 2001 is nearly filled to capacity, and we are starting to organize 2002! The world of dentistry gets better each decade.

Please keep in mind that this newsletter is being offered FREE in response to your request for information. If you wold like to unsubscribe to Dynamic Date please send us an email to let us know.

Miles & Associates' corporate headquarters may be reached at 800.922.0866, or 757.498.0014. On the web at www.DentalManagementU.com, or via email at LLMiles@ix.netcom.com.

Miles & Associates - September 2000

Miles & Associates 4356 Bonney Road Suite 2-103 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452

757-498-0014 757-498-0290 FAX 800-922-0866 Toll-free www.DentalManagementU.com