Practice management

Core Team Decision Making

Do you have positive influencers in your practice? We continue from last week by considering the strategic type of decision making when implementing change into your practice. Decision Style – Core Team decision making: The leader trusts and depends on a select group of members of the practice (with representation from each department) who are … Read more

Great Practice Marketing Is Your Competitive Advantage

“5 Success Factors To Better Compete” For many dental offices, the business year correlates to the calendar year. Here we are at Q4 and it’s time to be strategizing and executing on business growth initiatives to finish the year strong, while also establishing momentum for a fast start in 2016. If attracting more new patients … Read more

Does Your Practice Schedule Run Behind?

Be aware of the little habits that make a big difference.. Below are some common reasons that dental practices run behind. Identify if any apply to your practice and then discuss at the next team meeting to brainstorm solutions. 1. Starting late at the beginning of the day 2. Don’t audit charts prior to the … Read more

Capture the Brain Power in your Practice

Move great ideas forward….. Ever have a great idea bubbling in your brain that you share with one or two colleagues throughout the day? An idea to minimize tasks, bring new patients to your practice or how to save on expenses? Sharing your idea with one or two people usually means that’s as far as … Read more

Dental spending is a significant to Canadian employers

Recently, I reviewed the spending on healthcare benefits by a mid-sized Canadian employer. In particular, I looked at the dental plan and the drug plan. Here is what I found: dental spending grew by 12% over the past year at a time when the number of employees was stable dental spending surpassed the combined cost … Read more

Help your Practice Run Smoothly in 4 Steps

Ensure patient confidence with this post-hygiene system… EVERY DENTIST HAS experienced it: a choppy hygiene report that createschaos, patient confusion and a ripple effect of schedule delays. When it becomes chronic, it has a deleterious effect on your entire operation. How to fix this common but potentially dire problem? As with just about every aspect … Read more

Why Use Social Media for Your Dental Practice

The impact of today’s technology on your business… Social Networking is the dialogue used by one or all of the above to converse, communicate and contribute online. Social networking can re-connect someone with their past, update today’s world on your daily events, share opinions, experiences and insights to a virtual friendship that can reach many … Read more

Attitude Required for Collection Calls

How to maintain a good relationship with the patient  Making collection telephone calls is critical for past due amounts that are owed to the practice by the patient. The goal of your collection calls should be to maintain a good relationship with the patient while letting them know that you expect payment from them. You … Read more

STOP the Cancellations While you Sleep!

Supporting and Enforcing Your Cancellation Policy..  One the quickest and easiest way to begin supporting your Cancellation Policy is to STOP accepting appointment changes and cancellations to be left with your service or on your voice message service! Many patients will leave a message after practice hours to avoid facing the music of their last … Read more

3 Time-Saving PR Tips for the Busy Dentist

The digital revolution has ensured that most of the public relations activities are carried out online. It increases the reach dramatically and reduces the costs of a PR exercise to nearly zilch. However, PR activities can still be time-consuming, and as a busy dentist you may not be able to spare enough time and attention … Read more

What has chronic kidney disease got to do with building my practice?

Good question. As it turns out, just about everything. Let me tell you why. This week I posted on social media a study linking periodontal disease to chronic kidney disease. The response?  It is the first time our Facebook page for Partners in Prevention got 100 “likes” in 24 hours. There were also 41 “shares”. … Read more

Kerr Asks “What Music Works Best in a Dentist’s Office?”

Kerr Corporation, a leading manufacturer of innovative dental products, has posted a detailed investigative report about the music heard in dental offices.  The article explores recent trends in what music is played at dental practices and includes interviews with a number of experts on the subject. Titled “What Music Works Best in a Dentist Office?” … Read more

Why Is Work So Stressful? Reduce Stress In Your Dental Practice.

This is the age old question that’s been plaguing mankind since the first sheep herder clocked in at the farm. The reason work is so stressful is because of us. That’s right, we do it to ourselves. Sure, many jobs are inherently stressful; air traffic controller, bomb disposal, parents of young children (that last one … Read more

Practice Management Software: Your Most Important Decision

The choices that dentists have in choosing a practice management software are almost overwhelming. While recent consolidations have reduced the “major players” in this area, there are still dozens of programs from a multitude of players. As different systems are compared, one will see how certain features are handled better on one program than another, … Read more

A New Look at Servers

The modern dental office continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Many dentists are building or upgrading their practices to achieve their goal of a paperless or chartless system. There are many components to this, which includes electronic chart notes, digital charting, intraoral camera images, digital x-rays, and digital camera photos. As practices move towards … Read more

The Fine Print

There is no doubt that many dental offices have moved into the digital realm over the past few years. Systems that were primarily paper-based, such as insurance processing, scheduling, and charting are now being accomplished within the digital patient record. Many dentists use the term “paperless” to describe their ideal office. However, I don’t feel … Read more