DYNAMIC DATA NEWSLETTER™Winter, 2007

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.

My take on sick pay is exactly what my last employer said on my interview in 1976: “If you pay people to be sick, you will make them sick” He went on to say, “I pay my people to be well”. His four days per year, (one per quarter) of personal paid time served his practice well (and also my own business) over the past thirty years. His well bonus plan versus sick days, kept absenteeism as an all time low. The employees could miss one day per quarter (for any reason and be paid for the day. If they missed two days in one quarter, they were paid for one but not the other. In our anniversary month our employer “bought back” each of the four unused personal days. If we had perfect attendance (turned in all four days), we received an additional $100 bonus, which in client practices today is now $200. We knew our first day off was a huge penalty…our day of pay plus the extra bonus. We worked hard to stay well!
 

NOTE: SEE BOTTOM OF NEWSLETTER THIS QUARTER FOR TIPS ON HANDLING DENTAL BENEFIT QUESTIONS (VEBAL SKILLS) AND OUR NEWEST PRODUCT (THE ONE DENTISTS HAVE ASKED FOR). TO BE RELEASED APRIL 1ST.

 
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.

Call CareCredit today if you would like a FREE COPY of the “12 Necessities of a Successful Practice” at 800-300-3046 X519. Let us hear from you if we can also assist you beyond that. Our dates for private consulting are going fast for 2007, but perhaps you can benefit by attending one of my lectures in various cities throughout the year. (See my itinerary at www.DentalManagementU.com under Speaking and under Itinerary). Or you may wish to order the two-day Dental Business Conference on 12 DVDs for Lunch and Learn sessions. Mark off the hour before lunch once per week. Listen to one tape each week for 12 weeks. Over lunch discuss how to implement the many ideas therein.

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:

"It has been many years since VICTOR was the dental chart of choice. 
Now someone has finally harnessed voice so that hygienists and dentists the world over can cheer. 
Not only does the voice work, but also the pricing is terrific. 
My congratulations on a job well done!” ~ Walter Golub DMD, Co-Developer VICTOR

Linda Miles’ Note to Kim:  

Dear Kim,

All the hygienists I mention your product to are excited and WANT it. Reducing the perio charting time from nine to three minutes (with PerioPal) equals a half hour of time in hygiene per day. Assuming that 5 out of 8 adults will be charted, this is 30 minutes, multiply that times 16 working days, is eight hours per month. At an average of $130 per hour, this is a loss of $1040 per month and a loss of $12,480 per year...per hygienist...It’s true, time is money...not to mention the wasted time and/or breakdowns when it means pulling another employee to do the charting?

To learn more about this amazing technology:

Periopal

Printable Paper

Bridge Info

 

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.

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.

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?

 

A- Dental insurance is meant to be a partial reimbursement for basic preventive and basic restorative care. 95% of all adults need more than basic dentistry. Taking care of small dental problems before they develop into major dental emergencies is a goal every patient should have. Having a dentist who performs a comprehensive oral health examination and one who presents a complete treatment plan that will restore the mouth to an optimal level is key, regardless of who pays for the service. The same people who complain about the fees involved in total dental care are the same people who think nothing of buying Plasma TVs, eating out six times per week, getting a new car or truck every other year and taking expensive vacations. Smart consumers know that you get what you pay for, and having your priorities in the right order, includes having a clean, healthy and attractive smile.

UPCOMING SPEAKING CONSULTING NETWORK….A “DON’T MISS”!

The Speaking Consulting Network (SCN) (for busy speakers, consultants and authors or those who wish they were busy) has had an overwhelming number of inquiries from those who have heard of SCN but have not yet attended. We are taking exciting new registrations weekly that will be another sell-out for new members the fourth year in a row. Dental companies, magazine editors, and meeting planners are also hearing by word of mouth about the exciting three days for first time attendees and two days for returnees that SCN brings to their products, services, magazines and upcoming meetings.

The Spotlight on Speaking session (SOS) Monday afternoon, June 4th, has 19 applicants four months before the June Conference, which makes it very difficult for the Director of SOS, Dr. David M. Reznik, to choose only six lucky presenters. In front of the entire audience six members present ten minutes of their best material…allowing the audience to offer them “love taps” of helpful assistance on how to improve as a professional speaker. As I open meeting programs or see in major meeting ads so many former SOS presenters names each year, this proves the value of this part of SCN. To download the 2007 brochure or to register (monthly payments still available through May 10th), go to the SCN site at www.speakingconsultingnetwork.com, or call Lee at 800-922-0866. The new SCN blog (for active members) is a great way for current members to stay in touch frequently. How exciting to have sessions to post your most recent speaking or consulting good news….or to have a ready-made group of co-consultants to help you sort through a trying or complex client situation (which means your clients get not only you, but a team of experts in solving their more complex problems). The blog also features how to develop “passive income” (products such as books, CDs or DVDs), and writing tips. There is NOTHING LIKE SCN in dentistry today. Whether seasoned or starting out…these days in Charleston in early June can change your life and career like no other professional group. If you don’t believe me…watch the streaming testimonials on the site.

 
OUR NEWEST PRODUCT:

Our newest-two day Practice Administrator Workshop (PAW) with copyrighted workbook outline is available on CD after April 1, 2007. Our introductory price for this two-day $995 per person workshop is $347.50 (half off the August 1st regular price of $695). This pre-release offer ends with our first ads and direct mail pieces, which are costly to do. Order your complete set now. (Online at www.dentalmanagementU.com or by emailing lindamiles@cox.net or leetarvin@cox.net. The PAW has been a huge hit from those who have attended the past two years. From CA to FL and all states in between, we are discovering that dentists who have a Practice Administrator (Office Manager) rarely know how to utilize this valuable key person. They perhaps did a weak job of introducing this person to the rest of the team, which has possibly resulted in a title with little authority or respect. Besides the duties being clearly defined, we teach our listeners and attendees to become “on-site consultants” to their own practices by touching on ALL aspects of practice management. This includes team building, leadership, budget controls, marketing and new technology updating. The CDs (or attending the workshop in person), is ideal for dentists who do not yet have a Practice Administrator, those who are thinking of hiring one (as you know it’s a fulltime job), or those dental spouses who came into the practice to “help out for three weeks” and are still there hoping one day to train their replacement.

TESTIMONIAL JUST IN FEBRUARY 17, 2007: From Karen Ruzek, NJ

“The Practice Administrator Workshop was fantastic. Even though I have read your book, “DYNAMIC DENTISTRY” from cover to cover, I still gained many, many “pearls” of wisdom (fifteen pages of notes) from your workshop. My next investment will be WOMEN WORKING WITH WOMEN. I feel it will give me good insight and resolutions with some of the challenges I’m currently facing. I also purchased another copy of “DYNAMIC DENTISTRY” to give to a dentist who recently purchased an established practice in FL. I’m hoping he’ll give you a call. It sounds like he could use your help. In my opinion, “DYNAMIC DENTISTRY” is the blueprint that will provide a solid foundation for new or established practices. Thank you for this wonderful book. “
 

AND…those recommended products of others:

About four months ago Dr. Fay Culbreth, founder of ONGUARD TOOTHBRUSHES sent me a variety of ten of their newly designed toothbrushes. Always looking for GOOD new products that dentists, their patients and team may enjoy knowing about, I started using the brushes daily…one for my travel bag and one for home. My family members who also shared the samples all LOVE them as much as I do. Never have I found a brush that completely reaches all areas of my small palate and all tooth surfaces as well as the ONGUARD brush in a shorter amount of brushing time. Shaped like a cross versus the conventional smaller toothbrush head, I now feel totally lost without the ONGUARD. These are available at Harris Teeter stores in the pharmacy/oral health section for $3.99 each or can be purchased directly for $1.89 at www.onguardbrush.com or by calling 800-299-0048. (PS: I’m a happy user and have no financial interests in this product). Give your patients a brush that gets them talking about this new product and YOU.

A dear friend, Dr. Bob Levoy, one of the leading experts on practice management for the health care industry and primarily for dentists, has a new book just out. It covers EVERY aspect of hiring. “222 Secrets of Hiring, Managing and Retaining Great Employees in Healthcare” should be required reading for every dentist who has ever hired or retained the WRONG employee. Bob Levoy’s email is b.levoy@att.net.

Another dear friend and colleague, RISA SIMON has a MUST HAVE new book called TEAM FIRST (How to connect with your dental team). In this seven-chapter book, Risa takes passages from several leading business books including Emotional Intelligence and From Good to Great, explaining how your customers (patients), as important as they are, may not be the top priority of your organization. TEAM FIRST enhances team harmony, refreshes relationships within the practice and turbo-charges your operational efficiency by getting ALL team members on board.

Having a two-day notice in December that my friend Risa was unable to travel in two days, I charged into action (something Risa would do for her speaking friends), and covered her lecture for 250 dentists and team members in East TN on December 1, 2006. For this day, I studied TEAM FIRST for the eight-hour drive to Gatlinburg while Don drove. This is how I know so much about Risa’s book and it’s value. It was ironic that Don and I had already (6 months before) planned a drive-trip to Gatlinburg the following day to meet with our friends from KS for a three-day mini vacation in the Smokey Mountains.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing many of my East TN friends in that group and appreciate Risa giving me the opportunity to lecture on her book and its wonderful content. Her site is www.simonsayssolutions.com.

TEAM RETREATS:

For our consultants and for me personally, TEAM RETREATS are very popular these days as are GIFT SEMINARS for SPECIALISTS’ referring dentists and their teams. In 2006 I had the privilege of working with four Team Retreats in St. Johns, Virgin Islands, the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Tidewater Dental on the Patuxten River in Southern MD, and Kona, Hawaii. All four groups were wonderful to work with. Besides our four hours of seminar time and open communication each AM (Fridays and Saturdays), the afternoons were fun and a time for making wonderful memories. This along with deep thoughts and planning on how to make their good practices even better. Call Lee at 800-922-0866 for more information on TEAM RETREATS and for our consultants’ availability for the remainder of 2007.

QUOTE FOR THE QUARTER…
“Into each life some rain must fall”…you can either drown in it or you can gather it for growth in other areas. As a wise physician once said: Having a positive OUTLOOK creates a positive OUTCOME”. I HOPE YOUR 2007 BRINGS ONLY GOOD THINGS FOR POSITIVE GROWTH.

Sincerely,
Linda

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