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

Lost Dog Found!

How many of you have a beloved animal? My dog’s name is Coco. He was at my heel yesterday while I was moving something from our house to the storage area and then he wasn’t. I looked in the house, then took a lap around the block, then the village. A half hour had passed and the worst part was that he didn’t have a collar on. I was excruciatingly upset. One of my gifts in life is solving problems. What could I do that I knew worked and would work fast. I made 25 flyers as quickly as I could and retraced my steps to post them throughout the immediate neighborhood. A call came 5 minutes after I started!! I was so relieved. A lovely young couple had Coco and were out searching for Lost flyers. Thank you, thank you.

The take away lesson for dental clients is to ask yourself, “What works?” and “What can be done that will have the most immediate impact?”. If you are struggling with any dental practice issues, read the blog posted below entitled, Are all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed.

For the time being, I have put a collar on my dog, Coco. Are there any practice issues that shouldn’t have happened in the first place i.e. Employment compliance and HR issues, lack of training for a new employee, allowing below average work to pass as acceptable. Look for my article on www.DentistryIQ.com.

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.

Get Linked In

Do you have $ 75 and 10 minutes of your time to invest in more new patients?

 Are you getting as many new patients from your website as you possible can? I am convinced that an interactive tool for your website is truly significant in bringing you more new patients. The technology is called LinkBox™ and is now available. This product allows a prospective patient to click on an icon strategically placed on your web pages. The link connects your new patient to a microsite that enables them to see what promotional offers you currently have in your practice. There are more benefits than meets the eye. For a demonstration, click on www.citywidedentaloffice.com. I am one of the first authorized consultants to offer this technology. To discuss how you can benefit from this patient referral marketing tool, please contact Laura Jamison at jamisonconsulting@verizon.net or toll free at 800-637-3947.

Oral Body Inflammatory Connection

 It is not too soon to be considering how you will be promoting Dentistry has a Heart Month in February.  To read about Laura’s experience in Baltimore with the world renowned cardiologist, Dr. Marvin Slepian and trail blazing periodontists, Dr. Neil Gottehrer, look further in the blog. Dentistry has a Heart.com will link you to all of the tools and quotable resources you will need to inform your patients of the preventable nature of heart disease and your role in their overall health. If you are frustrated by holes in the hygiene schedule, look for Dentistry has a Heart on www.DentalEDU.tv as of September 15, 2009.

Dental Masks for Patients

 Lastly, if you are looking for a way to help your patients, offer free dental masks. This season of H1N1 flu has many people concerned and offering a mask to take back to work may get your patient’s attention. Be healthy and stay healthy!!

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.

Celebrations

We have two things to celebrate here in my family’s household. My son, Wil, is graduating from elementary school . My baby:(  He is moving on up to middle school next year and is prepared and excited to do that. The second item is that we are celebrating that my husband sold his motorcycle. It got too dangerous to drive around. I am grateful the he has made that decision and is ready to move on.

Celebrations are important!! In your practice, do you take the time to celebrate the little things? It is the little celebrations that really count because it could be a month or a year before you celebrate something huge. So here are a few suggestions for saying thank you to your team members when they finish a project, do something special for a patient or hit a weekly goal.

Enjoy!

1) Time spent with you on a personal basis. 2) Personal notes of encouragement. 3) Hand out mixed bags of Hershey’s Hugs™ and Kisses™. 4) Plan a team retreat for encouragement and renewal. 5) Write a note on a blank puzzle, break it apart and send the pieces. 6) Give a video rental gift certificate with a bag of microwave popcorn. 7) Have a mobile detail service come to wash cars for the day. Give a 100 Grand™ candy bar with a note: “You’re worth 100 Grand to us!” 9) Give a long stemmed rose. 10) At your next meeting, surprise everyone with party decorations. 11) Feature a member of the team in a newsletter or in your reception area. 12) Have a massage therapist and nail technician come in for an afternoon spa day. 13) Send a cookie gram.14) Make a button for everyone with “My boss appreciates me.” 15) Personalize Christmas ornaments for the holidays. 16) Have a whitening party. 17) Submit photo of your team to the local media and run an ad that shows appreciation for the team. 18) Personalize a coffee mug for each team member. 19) Give a seasonal bouquet of flowers. 20) Have t-shirts made with the team photo on them.

If you have ideas that you would like to share, contact Laura at jamisonconsulting@verizon.net or by calling 800-637-3947.

Back to basics

My husband and I shared a good laugh this weekend. A new washer and dryer were installed a month ago. My husband, Tim, bravely installed it with a friend. When the first load of laundry went into its spin cycle, our whole house shook violently. It took several weeks before Tim got back to the installation process. He fortified the floor, set the washer and dryer side by side, even dismantled the machines to look for something wrong. After many hours of frustrating efforts, I called Maytag. The very young female voice on the other end of the phone asked if we had removed the “packing straps and bolts” from the machine when it was installed. I was told that if not, then the machine would shake frantically. “Oh Honey. Did you remove the packing straps?” In looking at the installation manual, guess what Step One says? Remove the packing straps. Problem solved!!!

How often do you feel that you need to complete a lengthy process of trial and error to figure out the solution to a problem? Dentists tend to be isolated in their approach. They don’t really know what is causing their production to decrease or their collections to plummet. I recommend several things:

1) Know your numbers. Set goals and range norms in place to follow daily, weekly and monthly.

2) Have a business agenda at one of your team meetings each month. Discuss the numbers and the problem areas with your team. You will be amazed by what their insight is.

3) Go back to the basics with your systems. There is a good chance that what was step one in a system for phone enrollment, appointment scheduling, your new patient exam, financial arrangements has been missing for some time. It could be that a new employee never got that bit of information or an employee of record just didn’t want to do things the way you outlined them.

Oh, the mystery of step one. Where do you feel that you can go back to step one in your practice? Call me if you would like the help. My number is 8132-251-6401 and my email address is jamisonconsulting@verizon.net.