A very common presentation topic at dental meetings is "Get To Yes" - or how to have patients accept their treatment plan. In this video I want to discuss getting "Beyond Yes". In addition to all of the things we need clinically to come up with a successful treatment plan, there are things we need from the patient to be successful. We want our patients not Read More
Implementing Change In Your Dental Practice
One of the most common issues I deal with when I work with dental teams is change. It's very common for a team member to tell me that other team members are averse to change. Also common is a team member who feels like they have lots of good ideas that never get implemented. All of us have a relationship with change, and our response to change can depend on Read More
A Sturdy Foundation for Relationships
There is so much focus on dental insurance today, that it sometimes feels like that is the foundation of our relationships with patients. For me this does not feel like a solid foundation. When this is the basis of our relationship, the moment the plan changes there goes our relationship and they look for a new dental office. We have so many other choices of Read More
If I Owned The Practice
Recently I have been having a lot of conversations about dental team members taking time off. One way to improve this for everyone is to create a system to manage the process. Another way to look at this is to ask whether everyone understands the impact of time off. As the owner of the business we are very clear about the impact when we take time off, but Read More
Being A Dental ‘MacGyver’
If you remember the TV show MacGyver, the lead character was a master at using whatever he had at hand to solve complex problems. I worked once for a dentist that was like MacGyver. Patients would come in with a really old partial, and would ask if they could have it fixed, and I would watch the wheels turning in his head. Part of this was he loved thinking Read More
Phasing Dental Care Over Time
We often talk about phasing treatment for dental patients as a strategy for helping them afford care. Alternatively we look at it as following a model of care that is taught in dental school. I'd like to think about the gift of phasing care as a way to develop ownership over time. Each appointment is a chance to create new co-discovery experiences. This Read More
Creating Patient Appreciation For Your Care & Expertise
A recent experience with a home remodeling contractor had me thinking about what it takes for patients to understand and appreciate the care, skill and judgement being exercised by their dentist. Dentistry is one of the most complex and precise professions, making it a challenge for dentists to communicate it, and patients to understand all that goes into Read More
Dental Patient Engagement
Teachers describe engagement as when the student is working as hard as the teacher. Often in dentistry we are doing all or most of the work, and the patient is simply listening. In my experience this is not an affective way to help patients move forward. I'll discuss several ways to really "engage" your patients in the exam process and increase their Read More
5 Steps to Ask For Referrals
Over the years I have heard many strategies that dental practices use for asking for referrals. I strongly believe that we need to ask for referrals. Patients do not always know we are accepting new patients. In my experience when we ask, our referrals will increase. The challenge for me has always been the way people ask, and feeling uncomfortable about the Read More
Personalized Emails
It is very common this time of year to send our email reminders to patients that as the year approaches the end they might want to utilize their remaining dental insurance benefits. I recently talked to a friend that received one of these emails. The conversation had me thinking about the power of personalizing our communication with patients. This may mean Read More