Lost?

I am still in awe of the TV show Lost. I will miss it. If you are one of the millions of fans that watched the final show of the TV series, Lost, then you may be like me. I loved the story. I found myself frustrated and bored by some of it but the story was always compelling, rewarding and worth coming back to.

In the final show, we had closure on many questions. Yet, the series allowed us to hold on to the belief that life is a process. It is a journey. When it comes to dental management I always encourage my clients by reminding them that success is not the end of the process but enjoyment in the process itself.

My enewsletters continue to give you rewarding tips on the practice of dental management. This week’s newsletter is filled with topics and headlines for writing email newsletters. Write your story and allow your patients to know you better and enjoy your dental family. The newsletter does not have to go out via email frequently but they can be compelling, rewarding and worth coming back to. To sign up for Jamison Consulting’s biweekly newsletter go to www.jamisonconsulting.com and sign up.

This blog is just part of the story.

Sometimes the news is not good

What to do when the news surrounding you is not good? Several people close to me have endured some catastrophic events recently. It is hard to know what to say, what to do. The only thing I can come up with is to listen to your heart and ask others for their advice.

One of my friends lost her 7 year old daughter two weeks ago. After a brave battle with cancer, little Hannah, died on March 19, 2010. Her mom is a woman of great faith. It is her belief that Hannah is in heaven and having faith has helped her through this difficult time. It’s a strong guide - faith. Do you have faith in your life? Belief in something bigger than yourself. Do you believe that you are working in order to give testimony to that faith. It can move mountains.

My sister-in-law and my brother are currently awaiting surgery on my 4 year old niece’s arm. A fluke fall has led to a catastrophic injury. Dr. Walker in Boston is operating today to examine the extent of necrotic tissue and to see if little Lucy will be able to keep her arm. My sister-in-law sought out the very best in the specialty for Lucy’s care. Seeking out advice gives reassurance. Do you seek out the very best advice for the troubling issues facing you? Why go it alone?

Troubled times lead to asking for help. Have faith that you will find the right person to help you.

Boom Boom Pow

I was supposed to be with my client and friends in New Jersey tonight. Weather dealt the northeast a Boom Boom Pow. So a girlfriend and I scooped some tickets on the street and went to see the Black Eyed Peas. Wow! It is always amazing to watch performances that are so well orchestrated. This was an awesome visual and experiential concert.

The weather has dealt many dentists a blow this week. Days are coming and going with no patients on the schedule.  If your schedule has lots of time available already, then you may have just discovered how you are able to be more productive in fewer days. Every scenario leaves an opportunity. On a day when patients are unable to be seen, get some practice. The Black Eyes Peas delivered a highly professional, jaw dropping product. It takes practice. If your weather prevents travel, use the internet to find seminars on www.dentaledu.tv. Assign different seminars to individual employees. Share best notes with one another by instant messaging or perhaps a conference call (arranged by the phone company). Remember, the weather doesn’t have to leave you feeling helpless.

Tonight’s going to be a good, good night…. ooh, hoo.

Dentistry has a Heart

To my good fortune, I have a practicing hygienist working with me as an intern. Jessica is a full time hygienist seeking a 4 year degree and in her Capstone course work, she has decided to learn practice management. I am a mentor to her. This is my second time as a mentor.

She has been reading the material on my website, www.dentistryhasaheart.com and my email newsletters. Jessica tells me that many dentists are not conducting a full periodontal examination on their new patients and that hygienists know that there is a link from the mouth to the heart but aren’t exactly able to say what it is.

Here it is: Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women? One in two women will die from heart disease or stroke! Periodontal disease is the number one form of chronic inflammation. When the liver detects inflammation in the body, it sends out a protective C-Reactive Protein (CRP). A simple finger stick blood test can detect alarming levels of CRP which is an early indicator of heart disease. Approximately 75% of the adult population in the United States are affected by periodontal disease. One half of the people who die of a heart attack do not have high cholesterol levels.

Get your patient involved. Enable the patients to know what their CRP level. It may be life saving and preventable with periodontal therapy.  (Research gathered from resources by Dr. Neil Gottehrer, Dr. Marvin Slepian and Dr. Ron Schefdore) C-Reactive Protein finger stick blood test  kits can be ordered from Dr. Ron Schefdore’s website, www.healthyheartdentistry.com.

Implementing a heart healthy program is easy. See. www.dentistryhasaheart.com for details.

Giving Thanks

Are all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed?

I always lament the loss of a client. It means that the client isn’t perceiving enough value. It has been my good fortune to have 90% client retention this year. Several of my clients have been through 17 productive years with me. Many have invested in having my counsel for at least 3 years. Why aren’t these dentists cutting me out of their budget in difficult economic times? It’s because they each know that I will work hard for them. I will bring them every new idea I find and we will continue to hit the basics. Are all of your i’s dotted? Are your t’s crossed? Here are a few basics to consider:

1. Do you need everyone on your team? All of my clients were able to redistribute responsibilities and reduce their work force by one person. It is slower. Having one less person only caused the remaining team members to be committed to their list of duties.
2. Is your collection policy clear to your patients? Collect at the time of services. Offer payment options including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Chase Health Advance financing. Cash or check can be encouraged by offering the patient a “savings” of 5% if paid prior to treatment. Lose the terminology “bookkeeping adjustment, discount or courtesy adjustment.” Patients want to hear the word “savings.”
3. Are you producing what is possible per hour? Delegate what can be legally delegated, schedule yourself on a 10 minute increment, pack your cord prior to the crown prep, organize your tubs and trays, buy enough instruments, invest in your dental assistants skills, use loupes. That’s just for starters…
4. Have you ramped up your marketing? Your website is critically important to developing new business. Don’t have one? Get one. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Invest significantly in search engine optimization and then be sure to offer an option to save. This technology, called LinkBox can be researched at www.citywidedentaloffice.com. Don’t be afraid to use resources available to you to reactive patients either. My favorite system for software enhancement is Lighthouse PLZ. You can ask for the Jamison Consulting special fee of $ 99 for the first month by calling 888-410-8582. Clients love this appointment confirmation service because it offers so many other features including the ability to send all of your patients with email addresses a newsletter via the internet.
5. How’s your location? Leases can be renegotiated. New buildings and real estate can be purchased very reasonably right now. A change in latitute can make a huge difference in attitude!
6. Who’s calling the patient after procedures? Your patient is delighted when they hear from their dentist. It is a WOW moment that can be achieved with no cost and little time invested. You need all the word of mouth referrals that you can get.
7. What’s your follow up system after treatment plans are discussed? Don’t have one? Come on, get with the program. This is someone’s job. Be sure that this employee has the work station, computer screen and verbal skills to effectively track treatment plans presented. I was very upset this week that my A/C repairman didn’t have a tracking system in place. My A/C needed maintenance. I would have gladly scheduled him if he had called. I just forgot.
8. Add new products and services. If you have time for training, don’t worry about the travel. You can now take CE accredited courses online at www.DentalEDU.tv. You will find required courses and seminars like mine, such as Beyond Your Bottom Line and Dentistry has a Heart. Your patients will be intrigued by knowing that you continue to add to your available services.

So that gives you a start. If you wish to have an objective point of view, please contact me at 813-251-6401 in Tampa, Florida. I counsel dentists in every stage of practice. The above mentioned list gives you some idea of what we have implemented in client’s offices just this last year.

Seattle Study Club

There are first class events and then there are Raving Fan events. I am proud to have been one of the featured speakers at the national meeting of the Seattle Study Club for program coordinators. This meeting was comprised of women and men who manage the business for specialists in dentistry AND manage an academic year of continuing education for their referring dentists. This is an exceptional organization committed to advancing interdisciplinary treatment planning for the benefit of comprehensive dentistry.

The speakers included Dr. Jerry Teplitz, Bob Stutman, Dr. Nate Booth, myself and the team of the Seattle Study Club corporate office. It took place in Bellevue, WA. I wish to thank Shaida, Carla, Lisa, Tiffany and Greg Tice for their hospitality and the commitment that it takes to put on an event that runs seamlessly. Great job!!

I enjoyed meeting all of you and will never forget the experience!!

Assets Recovered

It is hot in Florida. Which is why I was grateful to head up north for a week.

My first stop was Baltimore, MD where I spent 3 days with the team from Chase Health Advance financing company. Chase was the major sponsor of a seminar during the AGD national session. The subject-Oral Body Systemic Connection. It was my pleasure to meet and learn from two masters on the subject of inflammation and the connection of periodontal disease to cardiovascular disease. Neil R. Gottehrer, D.D.S. and Marvin J. Slepian, M.D. presented their research and conclusions. This is a true asset for Chase Health Advance who has a helpful Resource Guide.Visit www.dentistryhasaheart.com  for the tools that you will need to promote this link with your patients.

My second stop was Wilmington, DE where I visited a friend from one of my client’s offices. Jean and I share a love for cooking and it was such a pleasure to dine together and visit a DuPont estate called Winterthur. My actual reason for being in Wilmington was to celebrate with a different client’s family. I was invited to the wedding for their daughter. The event was held in the elegant DuPont Hotel in downtown Wilmington. The bride and groom were happy and my friends, Joe and Joani, hosted an exceptional experience. Thank you Joe and Joani for including me in your lives for 16 years!! My relationships with my clients, past and present, is my greatest business asset.

Last stop on the tour led me to Joe’s office in Collingswood, NJ. There I partnered with an expert in Softdent training named Jan Keller. She is very knowledgeable and executes training in a meaningful way. She taught me and the team to recover hidden assets in the A/R by running 3 reports and so I will share them with you.

!. Accounts Receivable summary-here you will see the aged patient balances and insurance balances. Your team member is going to focus on the insurance receivable first by running the next report…

2. Outstanding Insurance Claims by company-find multiple patients covered by the same insurance carrier on one page. What a time saver when dialing for dollars.

3. Accounts Aging Report by Oldest Balance Order first-the person who has owed you money the longest is at the top of the list. Start there and make good financial arrangements where needed. Check the website at www.ftc.gov for the guidelines on the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. Call me if you would like verbal skills.

Looking at reports will give you answers. Know what you are looking for. Numbers are your practice’s greatest asset. You can set goals, analyze data and come up with a plan. My clients are experiencing up to 23% growth in revenue and collections this year. To find out how we plan, I am able to offer a FREE seminar called Beyond Your Bottom Line, (normally a $ 595 value). If you are interested in attending on August 28, 2009 in Naples, FL, please contact me at 800-637-3947 or by email at jamisonconsulting@verizon.net.

The Boss reigns (rains)

Do you know The Boss?!? Bruce Springsteen was in town for the Superbowl. I was smart enough to register as a volunteer to participate as a fan on the halftime field. Oh My Gosh!!! If you saw it, you know what I’m talkin’ about. Glory Days!

As fans we rehearsed all day on Sunday. It was hot. I met a lot of nice people from Iowa and from California. The next rehearsal was on Thursday. From the time we checked in at 2pm until we finished early at 8:30pm, it rained. I mean it poured. I was never so thankful for hooded ponchos. But in my squishy running shoes and wet jeans I began looking for the positive spin to this story. We were there and trained to be cast members. The Boss and the E Street band performed flawlessly in the pouring rain not once but twice on Thursday night. I was impressed.

Why might this observation be relevant to your dental practice? Practice makes permanent. In these critical and challenging economic times you better be rehearsing. Don’t leave key situations to chance. This includes the telephone intake, the new patient experience and the hygiene visit. If your practice is slow, commit to practicing regularly. It is all about the relationship. The producers of the hafltime show continually reinforced how much Bruce Springsteen wanted the fans to interact.

The Superbowl experience was unbeatable for me and my husband. Is your practice Super?