DYNAMIC DATA NEWSLETTER™Autumn, 2006

DYNAMIC DATA NEWSLETTER™Autumn, 2006

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,

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.

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”.

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.

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. 

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.

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

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.

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)

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