Never a dull moment: New dentists discuss managing work with life and family

Dr. Fallon and her family.

A partner dentist in a group practice in Massachusetts, a spouse and a mom to two children ages 5 and 3, Dr. Andrea Fallon knows well the day-to-day challenges of balancing job and family responsibilities.

“Dentists have worked so very hard to gain that degree, and owner dentists have an obligation to their practice and staff to continue to produce and keep the practice going,”
said Dr. Fallon. “I find it difficult to make the time for both work and family. This balance is a daily struggle.”

To be sure, the obligations many new dentists are facing — managing student loan debt, working full time, contributing to a family and keeping their own needs and well-being in check — can feel overwhelming.

Dr. Fallon said one way she ensures work doesn’t bleed too much into time with family is to unplug. She keeps her cellphone off when possible at home and only checks email at the office. She said she limits herself to two work-related events such as dental meetings, speaking obligations or CE per month and she and her husband, who also works full time, schedule up to two week-long vacations a year to spend time as a family.

She also takes one day out of the office every few months for solo time.

“I may go for a run or a yoga class. I may get my hair cut. I may do nothing and read a novel, but it’s my day to do whatever my body/mind/spirit needs,” she said.

Dr. Mattingly and her family.

Time off is also a way to mitigate stress for Dr. Emily Mattingly and her husband, David, who is also a dentist. The couple has two children and both dentists are partners at a group practice in Missouri.

The Mattinglys plan family vacations each year and, two or three times per year, take a weekend away as a couple to go to a dental conference.

It’s easy to fall into a routine and forget that “you cannot work all the time; you have to take a break,” said Dr. Emily Mattingly.

Alternating workdays with her husband when possible, hiring a nanny and living close to their parents help manage work schedules with her children’s schedules, said Dr. Mattingly, who said she maintains a detailed calendar with to-do lists.

Still, no matter how much time and thought goes into planning, sometimes parenting and working full-time means improvising, Dr. Mattingly said, recalling a recent particularly demanding morning that resulted in her daughter, who is 2, having a cupcake for breakfast.

“We don’t usually have cupcakes for breakfast. Sometimes it’s just survival mode,” Dr. Mattingly joked, but added sincerely that there’s no one right away for managing a busy life.

“There is too much social media/internet posting telling people how they should structure their lives from parenting to working to what you eat,” she said. “I’m really a proponent of doing what works best for your family and ignoring unwanted or unnecessary pressures from others.”

One tool the ADA offers to help new dentists navigate the pressure is a collection of articles, videos and other resources related to stress management and work-life balance on the ADA Center for Professional Success website, Success.ADA.org.

Furthermore, a number of courses related to improving work-life balance will be available at ADA 2017 – America’s Dental Meeting, including one focusing on emotional well-being and another offering an introduction to meditation.

For more information about the meeting and courses offered or to register, visit ADA.org/meeting. New dentists can network, relax and learn with their peers at the ADA New Dentist Conference held in conjunction with ADA 2017. For more information and to register, visit ADA.org/NDC. Also, the Women in Dentistry Leadership Series geared toward women dentists and team members will feature speakers discussing approaches to life and navigating a male-dominated field. For more information, visit http://ift.tt/2smmFct. The Women in Dentistry Leadership Series is sponsored by Crest + Oral-B.

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Another Year Wiser

It's the end of another school year and you're another year wiser, but how much do you know about wisdom teeth?

Our third molars have been referred to as “wisdom teeth” for centuries since they typically appear in our late teens or early twenties, when we transition from adolescence into a “wiser” adulthood.

Most people get four wisdom teeth, but some have more, fewer or even none. Sometimes wisdom teeth come in without any problems, but very often this isn't the case.

If these teeth are so wise, why are they such troublemakers? Because they often become “impacted” — meaning they are trapped in the jawbone or beneath the gums, unable to grow in properly. This can damage the roots of nearby teeth, or create pockets in which bacteria can thrive and cause a gum infection.

 

Impaction isn't something you'll necessarily feel — at least not initially. That's why it's important to keep up your regular schedule of routine dental visits during the years your wisdom teeth are growing in — usually between the ages of 17 and 21. However, if you feel any pain or notice any other signs of wisdom tooth trouble before your next scheduled dental visit, be wise and call the dental office right away!

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Getting to know you: Dr. Courtney Burrill

Dr. Courtney Burrill poses for a photo with her three
children, Carolyn, Alex and Audra. Dr. Burrill is a general
dentist in the United States Air Force currently stationed
in Anchorage, Alaska.

Why dentistry?

My journey to dentistry was not a straight path. I started a family right out of college, moved around with my husband’s career and I worked as a high school science teacher. When the opportunity presented itself to attend dental school, I took it! Its the perfect mix; getting the opportunity to help others and getting to form authentic relationships with my patients.

Why are you an ADA member?

I feel a sense of duty to stay involved with my profession and to keep myself knowledgeable and relevant in our ever-changing world. From my local component to the national level, being a member of the ADA helps me feel confident that someone has my back.

What was your first job?

During high school, I worked the snack bar at a local golf course, was a waitress at a hotel restaurant and worked at Einstein’s Bros. Bagels.

What has been the best time of your career so far?

The most memorable time in my career thus far was participating in a humanitarian mission to the Philippines. It was an amazing experience to work with local and foreign dentists and military members, providing medical and dental care to thousands of impoverished Filipinos.

When I’m not practicing, I’m:

Always involved with my amazing three kids. I enjoy being involved in our local community, coaching my kids youth sports teams and being outdoors (year-round!) in our great state of Alaska.

One fun fact about me:

I was a Starbucks barista for three years in college. Latte anyone? Getting to feed my caffeine addition and chatting with people all day long…loved it!

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Sleep Apnea: Our Journey to Be Recognized as Physicians of the Oral Region

We dentists started as barber surgeons, with teeth as disposable as hair. The oral region was glossed over as unimportant by the medical community for thousands of years. A good friend of mine, a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist), admitted to me that his education stopped at the temporomandibular (TM) joints and anything beyond that was a total mystery to him. In my http://ift.tt/2r7grPJ

So, You're Getting Invisalign...

Whether braced weren't an option when you were younger or you’ve always had that one crooked tooth that you wish would get in line, Invisalign is a fantastic and subtle option to get that perfectly straight smile you’ve always dreamed of. Check out the steps we’ve outlined below to learn more about how it works and to decide if it’s the right option for you.

This is your chance to ask your dentist any questions you have about Invisalign and how it will fit into your existing oral health routine and lifestyle.

Come prepared with questions like: How much will it cost? Will my insurance cover it? Are the retainers painful to wear? How long will I need to wear my retainers and how many retainers am I likely to go through?

The more informed you are before proceeding to the next step, the better!

 

Once you’ve committed to Invisalign, the process will move forward fairly quickly. Your dentist will need to get an accurate and thorough scan of your teeth so they can create your individualized Invisalign trays. Your mouth will be X-rayed, photographed, and given a 3D scan (and fear not: it’s a totally mess-free process as no impressions need to be taken).

 

This is one of the most exciting and unique parts of the Invisalign process. Your dentist will come up with a completely individualized treatment plan for you based on your X-rays, photographs and scans. This includes both the length of treatment and the number of retainers (also called trays) that you will wear. 

Your dentist may also decide that attachments (or ‘buttons’) are a necessary part of your treatment. Attachments are small, clear grips attached to the surface of some of your teeth to help keep the retainers anchored in place properly.

 

Once you and your dentist have agreed on your treatment plan, your dentist will have all of the retainers you will need throughout the process created. If attachments are part of your treatment plan, your dentist will likely schedule an appointment with you to apply them prior to picking up and wearing your retainers.

 

The big day is finally here and your journey to the straight smile you’ve always dreamed of is about to begin! Your dentist will run through the process of putting the retainers in as well as any maintenance do’s or don’ts you should be aware of.

 

By the time you’re ready to move onto your second retainer, there should already be a noticeable improvement with your teeth. Just like your friends (or your kids) who would complain every time they had their braces tightened, you will likely feel a bit of discomfort as you switch to a new tray. This is all a natural part of the process and it means the retainers are working how they’re supposed to.

 

Once again, there should be a visible difference between your teeth at the beginning of the Invisalign process and now!

 

This is the fun part! You’ll get to see exactly how far you’ve come and how much you’ve already achieved. Your dentist will take a look at your mouth to make sure everything is as it should be and to see if your attachments need to be adjusted.

 

Congratulations! You’ve done it! You’ve followed all of the steps your dentist laid out for you, dutifully changed your trays, and now you’ve got a mouth full of gloriously straight teeth to prove it! 

In your final assessment, your attachments will be removed from your teeth and your dentist will cover everything you need to do to ensure your teeth stay put (options will likely include either a fixed appliance or a removable appliance).

 Benefits of Invisalign

Still not sure if Invisalign is right for you? Here are some of the amazing benefits you can look forward to:

 

1. Unlike braces, your Invisalign retainer can be removed to eat, drink, and brush your teeth.

2. Invisalign retainers are transparent and are much subtler than braces.

3. Invisalign retainers are comfortable to wear

4. New retainers are put into place to adjust for the movement of your teeth (meaning you don’t just wear one retainer for the entire process)

5. Invisalign retainers are easy to pop in and out (which is particularly helpful if you have a special occasion coming up).

6. And most importantly, your Invisalign retainers will not affect your speech. Once your mouth has adjusted to the retainer, you’ll be completely lisp free (we promise).

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Curriculum vitae or resume: What’s the difference?

While many people use resume and curriculum vitae (CV) interchangeably, their formats are quite different and they are not intended for the same audience, according the ADA Center for Professional Success. Which type of jobs encourage a resume? Which typically prefer CV?

Determining what type of employer will be reviewing your application will determine whether you submit a resume or a CV.

A resume is used when applying to business, industry, government, or non-profit jobs.  Usually one to two pages, a resume should include your name and contact information, education, and work experience listed chronologically. It should be a summary of your most relevant professional experiences tailored to the particular job or position you would like to acquire.

The main purpose of a resume is to get an interview. Hiring managers review hundreds of applicants so your resume should be concise and clear. A polished resume is your first chance to make a good impression on potential employers.

A CV is typically for fellowships, grants, scholarships, or jobs in academia. The CV should be fairly detailed and cover your life’s accomplishments including teaching and research experience, publications, awards, presentations, and affiliations.  You should also include academic areas of interest, education, employment experience, and professional references.

Unlike a resume, a CV does not have a page limit. On average, a CV is two to three pages in length, but will continue to grow throughout your professional career.

Final Pointers:

• Be conscious of formatting. Make sure spacing is consistent within the document.
• Stick to common fonts, such as Times New Roman or Arial, you do not want to distract the reader or make the information more difficult to read.
• When listing experience, use chronological order with your most recent position first.
• Seek out examples. Modeling your resume after an individual who shares your discipline and interests may be beneficial.
• Look to any document formatting system you use (such as Microsoft Word) or online for free resume templates.  Much like the font, use something simple and straightforward.
• Don’t put sensitive personal information such as your Social Security number on your resume or CV. It can put you at risk for identity theft.

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Innovation on a budget: Three ways to boost your dental practice’s performance without breaking the bank

As in any fast-paced industry, innovation plays a critical role in dentistry. Today’s dental practice owner is both entrepreneur and health practitioner, and adaptability in both roles is crucial to success. While it’s true that innovation can mean playing an endless game of “keeping up with the Joneses,” it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are several ways that dental practices can adapt to changing times and improve performance while sticking to a budget.

Innovations in treatment: Educate your staff and patients

When you think of innovative treatments, technology may take center stage in your mind. While it’s true that clinical technology is an important investment for any dental practice, there are ways to improve your quality of care without spending much.

Acknowledging the mouth–body connection is one way to provide better service, and all it takes is some training and a plan. By educating yourself and your staff, you’ll equip your office to provide more comprehensive care. So choose a topic and study up. A few examples:

• The TARGET Center says that dentists can help with early recognition of HIV infection. They can also provide better care to HIV-infected patients by being aware of how their medications affect oral health and what side effects their medical treatments may have.1
• The Oral Cancer Foundation reports that “a thorough, systemic examination of the mouth and neck need only take a few minutes and can detect [cancer] at an early and curable stage.”2
• Nutrition can play a big part in oral health, especially in children. Taking the time to discuss nutrition while counseling patients shows your commitment to personalized care and can help improve their overall health.

Consider training your dentists and hygienists to assist patients in recognizing early warning signs and dealing with health issues. This can be as simple as reading authoritative websites and articles, or you can invest in outside training.

Innovations in customer service: Show your patients you care

Although most dental practice owners go into dentistry for its clinical aspects, customer service is a huge part of growing a healthy business. Younger generations are gaining spending power and making their own health decisions. That means dental practices must adapt if they want to keep a strong customer base.

A no-cost way to retain patients and gain new ones is to provide outstanding, personalized service. It may not sound so innovative, but too many practices neglect this vital area. Making a few notes in a patient’s chart about his or her family, job, or hobbies will help you engage in friendly conversation at each appointment.

Also, consider whether your staffing situation is appropriate. Do you need more staff, fewer staff, or a change of staff to better suit your needs? Patients don’t like to wait, and they love friendly, personal service. If you need to add staff on a temporary or permanent basis, consider using a modern, cloud-based job-matching platform instead of a temp agency. Platforms like Cloud Dentistry might seem like a traditional staffing agency, but are different than the usual dental temp agency.  Save time and money compared to traditional staffing firms. They also make it easier to choose the right person for the job.3

Staffing should be considered when it comes to specialty services, too. Today’s dental patients value seamless experiences. They have a limited amount of time. They’d rather not spend it tracking down specialists and going back and forth between offices. Large corporate practices may offer special procedures in house. Smaller practices may insource specialists, bringing them into the practice when they are needed. This keeps revenue in house and makes life easier for patients. Today’s advanced job matching platforms can help practices hire specialists on an as-needed basis.

Innovations in marketing: Meet your potential customers where they are

Any discussion of innovation in the twenty-first century must address the internet. There’s room for innovation in both online marketing and the way practices manage their internal data.

Pew Research reports that nine-tenths of American adults are online.4 Many of them use the internet for health research. According to a report in the Journal of the American Dental Association, “patients are directly accessing information on new dental care technologies and treatment methods, then coming to their dental appointments with questions on these new therapies.”5

For dental practices, this means more than just having a website. Innovation in online marketing is multi-faceted:

• An informative, user-friendly website is critical. Patients want to check out a practice online before they visit in person. It’s a great idea to include a blog that shows off your knowledge, highlights your customer service, and boosts your search engine ranking. Hire a web guru or research the process and do it yourself.
• Ranking high in search results can bring you business, but only if you’re targeting the right audience. A professional can ensure that your site uses the right keywords, has an optimal meta description, and targets a local audience. If money is tight, you or one of your tech-savvy employees can do this.
• Reviews can go a long way in growing (or damaging) your business. Don’t be afraid to ask for reviews on your business’ Facebook page, Google, and review sites like Yelp. You can even respond to reviews. It’s a great way to mitigate bad reviews, resolve issues for unhappy patients, and demonstrate to the public that you care.
• Content marketing is taking off. Building an online presence through blogging and social media can boost your business, but only if it’s done thoughtfully. Innovation is useful here. As with website creation and search engine optimization, you can hire an expert. Alternatively, you can do some research and optimize your corner of the web on your own.

Internally, your dental practice can take advantage of cloud technology. Transitioning from local servers to cloud-based services may save you money in the long run. If you’re still storing your data in your office, consider switching to a cloud-based service that takes care of maintenance. This change can also make accessing your files more convenient.

Consider your investment

Each practice is unique, of course. Before you take on any change, it’s prudent to analyze the costs and benefits. Innovation can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you decide to take on loads of new technology or focus on wowing your patients with personal service, your practice can benefit from innovation at any level.

References

1. Integrating HIV Innovative Practices. Module 1: Treating the Whole Patient — The Importance of Oral Health in Total Patient Care of PLWHA. TARGET Center website. http://ift.tt/2ockGsY. November 2013. Accessed February 11, 2017.
2. The Oral Cancer Foundation. Cancer Screening Protocols. The Oral Cancer Foundation website. http://ift.tt/2olsN3l. Accessed February 11, 2017.
3. Cloud Dentistry. Why Cloud Dentistry? Cloud Dentistry website. http://ift.tt/2ocFwIp. Accessed February 12, 2017.
4. Pew Research Center. Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet. Pew Research Center website. http://ift.tt/2jskpzi. January 12, 2017. Accessed February 11, 2017.
5. Douglass CW, Sheets CG. Patients’ Expectations For Oral Health Care In The 21st Century. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 2000;131:3S-7S. doi:10.14219/jada.archive.2000.0397.

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Wake-up Call: Fixing Your Employee Cell Phone Policy

Many of us are attached to our cell phones and a tap or two away from our social media accounts 24/7 these days—including your employees! This poses unique challenges to dental practices attempting to regulate employee behavior on the job.

Unlike so many other businesses, dentists and practice managers have to worry about upholding standards of patient care, complying with HIPAA and keeping Protected Health Information (PHI) safe, confidentiality requirements, and all sorts of other layers of responsibility.

With all that on the line, it’s clear that you need a clear and firm policy regarding cell phone use in your practice. But…wouldn’t it be easier just to tell employees they can’t use their phones…or even to take them all away during the workday?

Beware: Cell phone confiscation makes for an unlawful policy

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend of dentists and managers taking more and more extreme measures to keep employees off their phones while at work, including confiscation policies like this one: “Employees must place all cell phones in the basket upon arriving at work.” And I understand the temptation! But there’s a problem with this approach: It’s not great HR, and even worse, it’s unlawful.

Policies like this sound like they might be effective, but recent decisions by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) have found these types of policies to be unlawful. Why? They may discourage or even interfere with an employee’s right to use their cell phones, during break times, to communicate about workplace conditions with fellow employees, union reps, lawyers, or regulating bodies.

You are reading this correctly: Employers not only can’t restrict an employee from discussing their wages and working conditions with one another, you can’t even have a policy that may discourage an employee from exercising those legally protected rights!

Not only that, but employees are adults—even if not all of them act that way. Cell phone confiscation policies and outright bans are a bit too parental, and can trigger a backlash of rebellious discontent that is not worth the effort.

So, what’s the wisest alternative to keep employees off their phones when they should be working?

From an HR perspective, there’s no single easy answer that fits all practices. An effective employee cell phone policy needs to cover many different elements and scenarios:

• Cell phones should not be used in front of patients or at the front desk
• Cell phones should not be used when employees are expected to be working (Note, you can’t restrict cell phones to only “off the clock” because breaks of 20 minutes or less should be paid, and thus are on the clock).
• Cell phones should only be used in the break room / outside the practice / etc.
• And more…

And each office setup is different, so that’s a challenge, too. Your rules may need adjustment, within the boundaries of what is enforceable in your state.

The hard, scary facts on employee cell phone use

It is not reasonable to expect that phone, text, and social media usage stops cold and your employees’ personal inbox disappears at work just because we, as employers, make a rule. And while our policies should treat employees as the responsible adults that most of them are, those policies do need to be robust, clear, and enforceable in case rules are broken.

Here are some points to consider:

• Legal compliance. Policies must not violate any federal, state or even local laws, especially the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which applies to all employers, regardless of union status. The NLRB, which enforces the NLRA, has been particularly aggressive in recent years.
• Smartphone capabilities. Today’s phones are also cameras and recording devices. They store and transmit images and videos, voice recordings, and data. If an employee snaps a picture of something in your clinical area during break time, do you know your options as an employer?
• What if an employee photographs an OSHA violation? This is important to understand: Employees have protections that allow them to take pictures and videos of workplace conditions—but not to compromise PHI.
• All employees must be fully trained in their HIPAA compliance responsibilities, including the safeguarding of PHI. They should know better than to photograph or post any patient details on social media (even your practice’s) without formal patient authorization, or to discuss patients with anyone not at your practice and who doesn’t have a need to know. Your employees must also understand how very severe the consequences of HIPAA violations can be.

To keep you safe, your cell phone policies need to be thorough without being overly restrictive, and enforceable when you need to discipline or terminate, without treating your employees as children. In short, well-balanced and professionally drafted cell phone and social media policies are essential to protect your practice.

These policies need to be created by an expert, so call us or contact your favorite attorney for help, and it doesn’t hurt to have expert advice on hand to know how to legally enforce them in any difficult situation.

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Dental Professionals: The world has gone mobile- have you?

Researchers have found that in today’s society more than half of all web traffic is on mobile devices. As a result, dental offices have jumped on board by creating and using mobile friendly websites.  A major reason for the growth in mobile internet usage is that we live in a society that has become virtually dependent upon mobile devices.

There are many offices in the dental industry that are hesitant about moving into the mobile realm. There is an inherent preconceived notion that patients may interpret a mobile website poorly or that the mobile presence may not be how the practice envisioned.

Truth be told, there are an excellent amount of advantages to dental practices that have a mobile website. These advantages generally include:

• Better placement on Google search results
• Quicker and easier access to your website
• Additional engagement and time spent on your website
• Increased number of potential patients
• More efficient handling of patient appointments

Do you know if your practice website is mobile friendly?

If you are unsure, you can check using Google’s mobile friendly tool. While researching your website, another important feature Google offers is Google Analytics. Analytics is a useful tool for tracking how visitors come across and engage with your website.

It is becoming easier than ever to create a mobile friendly website!

Conversion platforms have become the simplest way for dental offices to take their practices mobile. These platforms offer functionality that recreates your website into a mobile version. A few websites available with user friendly software are:

• bMobilized
• DudaMobile
• mobiSiteGalore
• onbile

Taking your new mobile site to the next level with ‘Plugins’

Plugins are add-on features a practice can use to add bells and whistles to a website. Plugins can include anything from a click-to-call button, which will directly call your office, all the way to an appointment scheduling option. Online appointment scheduling is more convenient for patients and also saves on your resources such as time and money. Other widely useful plugins include:

• Share Bar: A bar hosting links to all of your practices social media websites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn).
• Map: By entering your office location, patients have the option to use GPS navigation to more easily find your dental practice.
• News Feed: Posting notifications keep your patients updated with your practice. It is also a place to inform patients about promotions or specials.
• Photo Gallery: New patients will appreciate a virtual tour of your office facilities as well as getting visuals of your staff. This will create a more personal encounter for patients, making them more likely to come in for a visit.

After creating your mobile friendly website…

There are some last minute questions to ask yourself:

• Would you spend time on this website if it wasn’t your own?
• Is the website easy to read?
• Is the website easy to navigate?
• Does the website load within a few seconds?
• Does the website provide an overall good experience for patients?

Now it is time for you to tweak your own mobile website! Software available today has made this process more accessible to the average person. Advantages of a mobile website are undeniable for both your practice and patients. The world has gone mobile- make sure you’re not left behind!

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Tips to Lower Dental Office Occupancy Costs

It’s increasingly challenging to keep costs low when managing a dental practice; controlling expenses should be a high priority. Reducing overhead by improving efficiency, maximizing revenue, and cutting unnecessary expenses is a good place to start; but what happens if you’ve already addressed these areas?

Most dental professionals aren’t aware of the potential cost-drivers and expensive risks hiding in the details of their dental office lease. A dentist could save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of their tenancy by taking the time to review these details before signing their lease. Amendments can typically be made to the lease at startup or renewal time to control costs and protect your practice from financial traps in the long run.

Dental Office Lease Costs and Other Fees

“Annual Base Rent” in the lease is the amount a dental tenant agrees to pay the landlord for occupying the space. Securing reasonable rates initially will allow you to remain profitable as your practice grows. Aim to protect rental rates and unreasonable escalations by negotiating a cap on the annual escalation.

You should also do your due diligence to research rental rates for competing spaces in the area, and learn what the landlord is asking for other comparable vacant spaces in the building/center to ensure that the proposed lease rates are fair.

Operating Costs

Operating costs are the expenses related to the operation/running of the building. Due to the fact that occupancy costs such as property taxes or insurance are fixed in nature, an explicit dental office lease outlining the impact of these costs plays a key role. Non-fixed costs (ie. maintenance) must be closely audited to ensure you are not overpaying for your proportionate share.

Know What You’re Being Charged For

Many landlords have been known to back charge expenses by filing them under the term “operating costs.” It’s important to ensure you have the “right to review statements of operating costs” included in your dental office lease in order to determine exactly what you’re being charged for.

There are a number of operating expenses that are unreasonable for the landlord to pass along to the tenant, including:

• Improvements made to increase property value
• Building repairs or replacement of structural components
• Real estate broker commissions
• Professional fees not relating to your space
• Interest or principal payments on mortgages or debt costs, unless it is your debt or “Tenant Improvement Allowance” (TIA)
• Marketing association fees that are not driving traffic to the building or helping your business

Keep in mind that operating costs can often be controlled or reduced at lease negotiation time by setting up percentage formulas or by capping costs at certain thresholds.

Common Area Maintenance (CAM) Charges

CAM charges fluctuate from year to year depending on factors such as insurance premiums and property taxes. It is critical to ensure you have the legal right to audit CAM charges and that the lease clearly states the landlord is responsible for paying the CAM charges on vacant space in the building.

Administration Fees

Ensure that you are not paying high administration fees to your landlord (anything over 5% is unreasonable). Also, be aware that “administration fees” and “management fees” mean the same thing; ensure you’re not being charged twice.

Tracking Critical Office Lease Dates

Take proactive measures to avoid unexpected financial disasters by tracking and managing your critical dates aggressively. If you miss your dental office lease expiry date, you are automatically a month-to-month or “overholding” tenant and have lost the security of your practice location.

When in overholding, your landlord has the right to terminate the lease and evict you by providing only 30 days’ notice. The cost to demolish, renovate, relocate, and rebuild a dental clinic from scratch can easily cost $200,000 or more, not to mention any practice downtime faced and lost patients as a result of the move.

Double the Monthly Rent

Many lease agreements state that as soon as your lease expires, the landlord has the right to charge you twice the normal monthly rent. Check the “overholding” clause in your lease to see what your penalty rent will be.

The “Option to Renew” Provision

The “option to renew” provision in the lease provides the ability for tenants to extend their tenancy in the building. The “extension deadline” is the last day that you may exercise your option to extend the lease term. Negotiating “options” into your lease is beneficial because they can protect you from rental escalations and provide you with the flexibility to stay even if the landlord has other plans for the space at the end of your term.

The Power of Negotiation Time and Lease Language

It is always a challenge to control occupancy costs for a dental practice; and language in the lease can easily drive costs up. Dentists can save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of their tenancy by tracking critical dates, taking action at least 18-24 months before renewal time, and reviewing the details of their dental office lease at startup time.

The best way to ensure that your lease is set up with fair and affordable terms is to have the agreement reviewed professionally by dental office leasing experts before you sign it.

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How to Onboard Your New Employee: Five Tips for Success

So you think you may have found “the one” at last: the perfect new employee for your dental practice. Congratulations! After the exhaustion of writing and posting job ads, endlessly reviewing resumes, and interviewing applicants, you probably feel it’s time for a sigh of relief. After all, this candidate has all the skills and training you were looking for, and might even be able to raise the bar of your whole team in some particular area. Just remember, as exciting as this new opportunity is, there are still a few last steps to take before you relax (or not!) back into your normal routine.

Without the support of a good onboarding plan, your dream employee could turn into a nightmare. Here are five things you can do to set everyone up for success in those critical first few months.

1. Write Up an Offer of Employment. You should always make a written employment offer. This letter should include a summary of basic job information, including wages, schedule, and benefits. Providing these details in writing is required in some states, and it’s what your prospective employee is usually most interested in clarifying.

However, your offer letter is more than a nice way to say “You’re hired!” You should also include a disclaimer stating anything your employment offer is contingent upon, such as a successful background check (see next point) and the employee’s satisfactory ability to perform the essential functions of the position. A good “at-will” disclaimer is also critical. Otherwise you could inadvertently guarantee a length of employment and ruin your at-will status.

2. Do a Professional Background Check. This is not optional, no matter how perfect your candidate seems. Remember, you haven’t met the real person you’re hiring yet—only the shiny, enthusiastic job seeker who is trying to impress you. And DON’T just do a “Google check” by yourself. You can’t “un-see” protected information you may stumble upon, like an illness, pregnancy, or bankruptcy.

A professional background check involves little cost or effort, and will flag concerns and help avoid negligent hiring lawsuits later on. If your candidate has padded their resume or sued their last six employers, you need to know. You’re protecting the office from any truly dangerous surprises as well, such as malpractice caused by incompetence or malice, or a history of violent behavior.

3. Make Sure Your Team is Ready. Before your new hire’s start date, make sure existing staff members are prepared and will have time for their roles in onboarding and training. The right advance preparations can go a long way toward making sure your new hire’s first few days are productive for them, and not too disruptive to everyone else.

And no matter what skill level they are starting at, from an experienced billing specialist or hygienist to your greenest front receptionist or dental assistant, every new employee needs a mentor to show them the ropes. Make sure someone is available as support and to answer questions. The newest member of your team shouldn’t feel like their first few days are spent trying to stay out of everyone’s way.

4. Ensure a Great First Day. First impressions mean a lot. While no one expects each day at work to be amazing, how people behave on Day 1 sets the expectation for everything going forward. This means you should note any early warning signs on the employee’s part, and remember that they will be doing the same for you and your team. Going the extra mile to make your new hire feel welcome is something they’ll never forget. On the other hand, a bad initial experience could sour your working relationship before it begins.

In addition to making introductions around the office, follow a New Hire Checklist to make sure you’re covering all your bases as an employer. And schedule time to review and sign HR documents and to complete all training that needs to occur before patient interaction, including HIPAA training.

5. Use a “Getting Acquainted Period.” In some cases, despite everything you learn during the hiring process, you won’t REALLY know if someone is a good fit until they actually start doing the job. After all, what if they’re the slowest coding specialist you’ve ever had, or the clumsiest DA? You’ll want to keep the flexibility to terminate quickly if they’re not working out.

You can do this with a special policy in your employee handbook that specifies the first 90 days or so as a “getting acquainted period.” During this period, both parties can make sure the job is a good fit, and the employee could be let go at any time if things are not working out. (Have an expert draft this policy to make sure you do not inadvertently guarantee employment either during this period or afterward.) If you wish, you can wait to offer full benefits until the trial period passes.

Good luck to you and your new hire! After a few months, everyone should be settled in. By then, you’ll know for sure that you made the right hiring choice, and your amazing new team member will know they work for a company that truly wants its employees to succeed.

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Five Actionable Ideas to Improve Customer Experience at Checkout

Customer experience within your dental clinic can be improved by extending patient care through to the checkout. Collaboration of advanced payment technology and the oath to do right by your patients is certain to result in a seamless level of service, and consistency of care, in every element of your customer’s experience.

By implementing any one of the following five actionable ideas below, you can yield results in improving customer experiences that will both extend to your clinic’s longevity and your credibility as a merchant:

1. Ingenico terminals: Since October 2015, it has been a legal – yet slow to enforce – necessity for all businesses, including dental clinics, to have the equipment to accept card-present payments with an EMV (EuroPay, MasterCard and Visa) chip. EMV chips are computer chips within credit and debit cards that replace old magnetic stripe technology in order to offer a more secure payment verification service. Use of the EMV chip shifts liability away from merchants in cases of fraud. With card use on the rise, alongside time-of-service payments, adoption of chip and PIN terminals is strongly encouraged for business and client longevity. The rise of EMV and acceptance of it in your dental clinic results in an added layer of security for your patients.

HIPAA/FIPA compliance encourages this level of protection of patient information, despite its financial basis, as the liability shift now comes with greater consequence for merchants. Financial security is now to be considered within any and all data breaches that compromise patient protection.

Data shows that a customer’s trust is most recognized and required in healthcare than in any other merchant business. Helcim™ can help guide you through merchant systems and PCI compliance to ensure point-to-point encryption of all transactions. An all-in-one processing solution service, adoption of Helcim’s terminal products comes with 24/7 technical support to ease your transition.

Providing a streamlined experience for your customers, higher models of Ingenico’s products also accept contactless payments for the added convenience in customer transactions.

2. Virtual merchants: Strongly recommended for non-accepting EMV merchants, the virtual merchant acts similarly to EMV technology. Processing a transaction through a virtual merchant encrypts the previously vulnerable magnetic stripe. Much like EMV, virtual merchants offer real-time authorization, alongside the option to digitize and email receipts and invoices.

Like payment terminals, virtual merchants are now accepting a majority of banking cards. As Helcim’s most popular payment solution, virtual merchants are web-based interfaces with access across popular operating systems and smartphones.

Within its interface, this payment solution has the added benefit of acting as a secure digital ledger. As a result, the virtual merchant can act as a customer credit vault, providing quick access to customers’ billing information and transaction history.

With the convenience of having your patient’s payment on file, payment can be easily accessed and even automated.

Customer security is maintained through virtual merchants through ‘Tokenization’. Tokenization will supplement vulnerable information with other values upon processing transactions. Instead of assigning a vulnerable credit card number to your patients, patients will be assigned secure client IDs that can be accessed for payments within your individual merchant system.

Initial card information is secured in Helcim’s secure servers, allowing only these unique card tokens to be processed to verify new transactions.

3. Smile Savings insurance plans: By accepting this widely used, and cost-effective insurance plan for your clients, your business will become optimized for real-time payments, as well as an elevated customer experience. Usage of this plan excludes the common necessity of patient billing and deductibles. As part of their policy, regular visits to a patient’s dental clinic is encouraged in order to obtain the most value from the plan. Consequently, this affords merchants with the opportunity to offer continuous care and a standard of experience. These real-time payments, noted to come with real-time authorization, can be configured to accept a range of payments that adopt EMV technology. This affords merchants with regulatory receivables and customer longevity, which can be enhanced with the convenience and ease of optimized payment technology.

4. Auditing: Inclusive to the adoption of the aforementioned technology, it would be considered actionable to implement insurance auditing and patient chart auditing within your business. Using tokenized payment verification, a customer’s experience can be maintained and monitored. Auditing allows a business to monitor and assess their own growth and security, while reassuring patients that they have a vested interest in the maintenance of their own insurance efficiency. Using the digital ledger, patient treatments can be kept up to date, and assessed for their quality of service in order to tailor the customer experience upon each scheduled visit.

5. Mobile pay: Although mobile payments are often limited to $100, it is a simple and secure way to streamline the customer experience. Though some are dubious as to this payment solution’s security, popular services such as Apple Pay require fingerprint and/or passcode verification. Furthermore, Apple Pay adopts encryptions not unlike EMV chips, creating unique security codes and device numbers to counter EMV’s unique transaction numbers. Apple Pay can even be configured to implement your business’s personal loyalty program and rewards system. The adoption of mobile pay services reassures customers’ security concerns, even allowing them to leave their credit or debit cards in the security of their own home for the substitution of their smartphones, tablets, and even computers at checkout.

The adoption of these ideas seeks to improve the customer experience through healthcare automation, allowing you to focus on what matters most, customer interaction. These methods are sure to further secure a trusted and strong bond between you and your patients on an individual, and tailored level, throughout every level of service.

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The Rewards and Sacrifices of Becoming an Emergency Dental Practice

Becoming an emergency dental practice can be very rewarding, both financially and emotionally. Emergency dentists become open to new patients and can help people who are suffering on short notice.

Of course, there are personal and professional sacrifices that come with operating an emergency practice. If you are considering taking on patients, it’s important to have a good idea of what is involved and what types of issues you need to prepare for beforehand.

Hot-Tempered Patients

No matter what kind of practice you operate, you’re going to have to deal with the occasional combative patient. However, don’t be surprised if you find this happening a bit more frequently when you become an emergency dentist. There are a few common reasons why emergency dentists tend to bear the wrath of unhappy patients more often than others.

Pain: Patients seeking emergency dental services are often under a significant amount of pain as a result of broken, chipped, or abscessed teeth, to name just a few. Coping with pain is enough to put anyone in a foul mood.

Payment: The cost of getting care for a dental emergency isn’t something most people plan for, and you are likely to deal with plenty of patients who won’t like the cost of their emergency treatment.

Waiting: Some patients who show up with an emergency are going to have to wait to be seen. Accepting walk-ins is a great way for emergency dentists to get more patients, but not all those patients will understand having to wait for the next available doctor.

Extended and Early Hours

If you plan to be competitive with other emergency dental practices, Monday-Thursday 8 am to 4 pm office hours will not work. Our emergency practice is open 8 am to 9 pm during the week. We are also open until 6 pm on Saturday and 5 pm on Sunday.

Aside from this schedule, there are times that I will make arrangements to see patients even earlier. For instance, if someone’s front crown falls out and they have an important appointment the next day, I’ll agree to see them as early as 7 am.

High Volume, One-Time Patients

These extended hours also mean you’ll get a lot more one-time patients. Part of the allure of our practice is that we are open late and take walk-ins. That means many patients will already have a family dentist, but need to be seen after work or on a weekend to have an emergency dental issue taken care of properly.

Emergency dentistry also means that you’ll be getting a high volume of patients in the afternoon and on weekends. To keep your team members and the other dentists from burning out, you may find it helpful to rotate schedules, so people aren’t working every weekend. You’ll likely find it is necessary to take on additional team members to meet the increased demand.

 Becoming Proficient with Common Emergencies

As an emergency dentist, there are some issues you’ll see more often than others. It’s important that you prepare for some of the more common emergencies.

• Denture problems
• Trauma
• Tooth fractures
• Crown and bridge problems
• Pain diagnosis

Keep all the necessary treatment materials well-stocked to ensure you are equipped to begin handling emergency cases at higher volume.

Making Sure You Get Paid for the Treatment You Provide

You’ll need to have your collection process on lockdown before you start focusing on dental emergencies. The patients who need immediate help can come with varying financial backgrounds and may or may not have insurance.

Make sure new patient paperwork includes an updated payment policy that clearly defines the patient’s responsibilities. Keep the signed copy of this policy in the patient files. Your plan should include all the payment options your office accepts.

You should also make it clear to patients that you will not see them before finalizing payment arrangements. You should also make sure your practice management software is up-to-date and that you will easily be able to bill insurance companies and track those payments.

Sending Statements

With a higher volume of patients, you may be better off sending out statements more frequently. Sending them once a month may become overwhelming and eat up resources. Consider making this a weekly or bi-weekly task.

Collections

Unfortunately, there are going to be occasions when patients don’t pay their share on time. You state’s collection laws will determine how you are legally allowed to start the process. These laws often specify how often you are allowed to call patients.

While it can be a hard part of the job, it is important to remember that it is only fair for patients to pay the agreed-upon amount. The skill and expertise of your staff are essential in easing someone’s suffering, and you deserve compensation.

Be persistent if necessary, but it is also crucial to be compassionate and respectful, even when the patient is less than courteous.

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How Rethinking Your Practice Atmosphere Can Decrease Patient Apprehension and Anxiety

Patient anxiety is something dentists deal with on a daily basis. It’s true that many patients are soothed by a reassuring dentist or sedation dentistry. However, for those with higher levels of anxiety, the mere sight of a waiting room could cause panic attacks.

At its worst, patient anxiety could erupt into belligerence, angry outbursts or a refusal to comply. Even doctors who seldom become flustered by uncooperative patients can have a hard time calming patients down when severe anxiety leads to a panic attack or anger.

While empathy and sedation dentistry are useful in most cases, it’s also important to think about what kind of atmosphere you are presenting to patients.

Does Your Reception Area Feel Like a Waiting Room?

We’ve all been in those dispiriting waiting rooms where the flickering neon lights reflect off white tile floors. You’re sitting in a chair that looks like it was purchased at a discount from a mediocre hotel’s conference room.

The problem with this type of area is that it feels too much like a waiting room. And even if your reception area isn’t quite as dreary as the example listed above, I’m willing to bet there are some steps you can take right away to make it more comfortable and welcoming.

Soothing Colors: A weekend spent applying some new paint to the walls can help make your patients feel more comfortable and at-ease. Light shades of blue and peach or pink pastels can make a room feel warm and uplifting. Shades of beige are also considered soothing if you’d rather go with something more traditional.

Lighting: Don’t rely on bright overhead lights to provide all the lighting. The ceiling lighting should be subdued, and ideally adjustable. Use lamps on the end tables to provide a soft, natural light throughout the reception area.

Furniture: Some nice comfortable chairs with real cushions and soft armrests are a great addition to any reception area. I’ve seen dental studios offer a mix of furniture and even add a sofa or loveseat to the mix. Wooden end tables and coffee tables can help make a room feel much more comfortable.

Decorating: Having some art on the walls is an excellent way to make a reception area feel more calming. Lamps and a beautiful thick rug all promote comfort and relaxation and can help set your patients at ease.

Embracing the Dental Spa Philosophy: Is it for Every Office?

Today, many dental practices are embracing the spa philosophy. This can do more than offering a relaxing environment for patients, but can help you attract new ones. A recent study showed that around five percent of dental offices surveyed by the American Dental Association use the term “spa” to describe their dental practice.

It’s understandable that certain types of dental offices might not feel comfortable taking on that designation. For instance, a practice taking in a lot of emergencies with a high volume of patients may want to present a more clinical appearance.

However, family dentists and cosmetic dentists can implement spa-like features to help relax patients without turning the office into a four-star resort. Small additions have been shown to reduce patient anxiety substantially.

• Aromatherapy
• Heated booties and neck rolls
• Heated and scented towels
• Soothing Eye Masks

With a little redecorating in the reception area and a few simple additions like those mentioned above, your practice can feel more welcoming and soothing.

Some dental offices take the spa philosophy even further, and some even hire in-house massage therapists or offer skin treatments. However, these practices often serve the cosmetic dentistry needs of patients with a higher net worth. For most practices, this is not a reasonable expense to take on.

Conclusion

Creating an anxiety-reducing atmosphere doesn’t have to be an excessively expensive endeavor, and it can be phased in over time. Of course, this is not a replacement for attentive caring, and excellent communication skills, but a useful compliment.

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Email Marketing: 21 Strategies to Digitally Blast your Dental Office

Find an email marketing provider that works for you

1. There are dozens of websites that help you manage your email marketing, and it may be a bit intimidating to choose just one to get started. Some effective and well-known sites for email marketing include Constant Contact, MailChimp, and AWeber. The best part about these sites is that most of them give free trials so it’s easy to figure out which one works best for you and your company. They all have different forms of creating contact segment lists and design formats that make it easy to develop content and send out those emails, even for beginners.

Make list segments

2. You always want to make sure that your emails are relevant to the people who are receiving them. For instance, you may not want to send the same email to people who work in dental offices, as opposed to those employed by dental supply companies.

3. You can create subscriber list segments based on occupation, attendance at conventions, location, or any other appropriate field.

4. Choose any or all of the segments that you want to email to ensure you are contacting the correct people.

Don’t be a spammer!

5. It is imperative that your email subscribers are opted-in. This means that each subscriber gives you explicit permission to add them to your email marketing list. Ways to obtain opt-ins can be achieved through website sign up forms, permission via email, or through customer leads. A double opt-in may also be used to reinforce permission.

6. You may be emailing thousands of people at a time, so don’t overdo it! Be careful with wording so that your emails aren’t marked as spam. For example, use caution with words such as “free,” “money,” “cash,” “cheap,” and “congratulations.” Consider avoiding excessive exclamation points as well.

7. It is okay to advertise your products and services. However, subscribers will delete your emails fast if they feel they are being pressured to purchase products.

8. If you look at your email draft and feel that you wouldn’t open it yourself, then chances are that your subscribers won’t either!

9. Be sure to clearly include an unsubscribe link on the top and/or bottom of each email.

Sometimes less is more

10. Get to the point! Most people aren’t going to read through a ton of information. They will, however, be more inclined to follow your links and take a look at your website if you keep things concise. Try to make an engaging subject line that is relevant to the email.

11. Lighthearted humor and enthusiasm are always good, but keep it appropriate for your industry.

12. Limit the number of emails you send out to each of your segments. One thing you do not want is for potential customers or clients to become annoyed with constant email blasts and for them to unsubscribe from your email lists.

Designing your e-mails

13. In the dental industry, you are going to want your email blasts to be aesthetically pleasing, but don’t send out anything that goes over the top or borders on flashy. Have fun with designs, layouts, and even a few images, but keep it clean and easy to follow!

14. A simple color scheme is always a good idea, especially one that your company uses for graphics. This makes your brand more consistent and memorable.

15. Fiverr is a website that provides digital services that start at five dollars. If you want to develop content that gives your emails creative graphics, for example, then definitely check out Fiverr!

What to include

16. In all your emails, be sure to include links to your website and social media pages. If they are easily accessible links, subscribers will be more likely to search through your sites.

17. Emails are, of course, a fantastic way to advertise your promotions. To attract customers and attention to your business, you can offer free samples, sales, or even giveaways.

18. Send out some “thank you” blasts! For example, if you send convention attendees an email thanking them for visiting, your company will be more memorable.

Why email marketing?

19. Sending subscribers a friendly email every once in a while allows your company to remain relevant to current or prospective customers. They will help keep the memory of your brand alive and give you a strong, professional online presence.

20. Email marketing providers use analytics to gain information on subscribers and engagement. This includes statistics on open rates, number of clicks, unsubscribes, spam, and other data.

21. Now, more than ever, online marketing is becoming hugely important for businesses. As the demand for advertising continues to expand, the online sector is really the only part that is growing. If your business does not have a strong online presence, you risk losing customers. Email marketing helps attract new customers while retaining the old ones, which are some of the most important functions of marketing.

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Dentistry is the Easy Part: Can You Manage Patients and Your Team?

The best dental practices are not only a result of excellent dental care. Good practices are built on quality relationships between the dentist and patients, the patients and the team, and the dentist and their team.

The modern practice is a fast-paced, busy environment with a fair amount of stress involved. It can be very difficult for dentists to focus on relationship building. However, if you can master communication with patients and team members, you’ll have a strong and thriving practice to show for it.

Step One: Get Your Team On Board
What does your team value nearly as much as a paycheck? A sense of belonging. As the leader of your practice, it’s important to let your team know how important they are to its success. Once your team members feel more like stakeholders and less like subordinates, they’ll likely be much more personally invested in your success.

Be Openly Passionate About Your Career
It’s a cliché you’ve heard a thousand times, but leading by example is a great way to keep your team motivated and inspired. Make your passion for dentistry and helping others contagious. Letting your team members see how much you enjoy the field of dentistry and helping others will inspire them to do their best work.

Address the Tough Conflicts
Personality conflicts are always bound to pop up here and there. As an effective leader, it is your responsibility to address these issues. That could mean getting to the bottom of a conflict between two team members, or addressing a dispute between yourself and another teammate. In the case that you have a perpetually toxic employee who’s bringing down the whole crew, you may have to make the tough decision to let someone go.

Step Two: Managing the Patients

When Flaky Patients Cost You Money
Every dentist has come across this problem: you come in early to accommodate a patient who needs a 7 am appointment so that person can make it to work on time. You’ve sacrificed your personal time to do the right thing and help a patient in need.

Then, the patient ends up being a no-show without so much as a courtesy phone call. At this point, you have a decision to make.

• Bill the patient for his or her missed appointment
• Let it slide, but explain to the patient that you will have to charge them next time

I would recommend a warning for the first offense, especially if it is a relationship you’d like to maintain. However, don’t be afraid to let someone know exactly how it impacts your practice when they simply decide to blow off an appointment.

If the patient is routinely late for appointments or fails to show up, send them a bill, along with an explanation.

Combative Patients
Dealing with combative patients can make the job far more exhausting than it needs to be. One recent study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information shows there are a few common triggers that could set off aggressive patients.

• Patients who are not current on their payments
• Those who come late or skip appointments
• Those who are told they cannot be helped immediately
• Patients with drug or alcohol issues

Even patients who don’t normally have temperament issues may become hostile when a serious dental issue is threatening their health and causing pain. If the patient is nervous or fearful about what will be involved with their treatment, they may also lose control and become angry.

No matter what the cause, aggressive behavior by patients puts undue stress on the entire staff and can be extremely stressful to deal with. There’s also the danger that someone’s aggression could turn physical and create a safety hazard.

Pay Attention to the Warning Signs
A patient about to lose his or her cool will often display certain warning signs. Knowing these signs can help you act to reduce the tension and potentially avoid a conflict.

Body Language: patients who are on the verge of becoming hostile tend to tense up and might clench their fists or tighten up the jaw. You may also notice a patient start fidgeting.

Behavioral Changes: Changes in behavior may also become apparent when a patient starts getting angry. Perhaps someone who is more talkative will become quiet all of a sudden, raising their voice when they do speak.

How to Diffuse the Situation
It can be hard to keep your cool when a patient becomes angry and emotional, but doing just that has proven to be the most effective method.

Empathize
Empathy is the great diffuser when it comes to patient conflict. Even when a patient is asking loaded, confrontational questions, it is important to remain calm.

• Let the patient finish his or her rant
• Calmly address their concerns, addressing the patient by name
• Contact the authorities if you think the confrontation could turn physical

In most cases, you’ll be able to diffuse the situation and make the patient understand why a particular treatment may be necessary, or why a certain procedure costs as much as it does.

Conclusion
Good communication with your team and patients can set your practice up for success and keep potentially tense situations from getting out of hand. You’ll find caring for patients becomes much easier when everyone is on board.

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Want to make an impact on the profession? Become a speaker

Dr. Rico Short is among the speakers from the 2016 New and Emerging Speaker Series who are included in the ADA 2017 lineup.

Have you heard about the New and Emerging Speaker Series? I participated last year, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made recently. The New and Emerging Speaker Series offers up-and-coming professional educators like me the chance to present at the ADA’s Annual Meeting.

If you’re an independent speaker trying to break into the lecture circuit on your own, this is really an excellent opportunity. The ADA is simply looking for presenters like you to share unbiased evidence-based information that will positively impact dentistry. Why not make a difference while also boosting your own career?

I recommend applying for the New and Emerging Speaker Series if you’re seeking a platform to discuss real cases with real dentists in the real world. It has opened so many doors for me to speak to local and national dental study clubs around the country, and I am truly grateful. Check out ADA.org to learn more and apply!

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5 Tips for a Healthy & Bright Summer Smile

For many families, summertime means vacations, pool parties, running in the sprinklers, cookouts, camp, sports, and more. The main objective is fun!
While some routines go out the window during the summer, dental care for your children cannot be one of them. Making time to maintain a healthy dental care routine is especially important in the summer. When you’re packing up your towels, sunscreen, and flip flops, don’t forget your dental essentials!

Traveling

When packing your travel items (soap, brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.) don’t forget to prepare for a dental emergency. Though you don’t want to assume the worst, accidents can happen and you want to not only be prepared, but also be comfortable. Include oral pain relief gel and a dental emergency kit in your luggage. Ask your dentist for the one he/she suggests.

Mouthguards

Summer sports are some of the most fun parts of summer! High-contact sports are not the only ones that require the use of a mouthguard. Keep your summer smiles protected during the following activities:

• Bicycling
• Skateboarding
• Volleyball (sand or court)
• Baseball/Softball
• Surfing

Avoid Sugary Drinks – Stick to Water

We often think to grab the sports drinks when rehydrating in the summertime. Sports drinks are fine, but you will want to ensure that your children drink an equal amount (or more) of water afterwards to combat the excess sugar. High amounts of sugar can lead to tooth decay and dehydration. Moderation is key for any food or drink with a high sugar content – especially when your children are active in warmer weather.

Healthy Snacks

Your kids may be in and out of the house while swimming, riding bikes, playing in treehouses, backyard sports, etc. When kids are active they work up an appetite and want to snack more. Have healthy snacks on hand to fuel them up! Fresh-cut fruit, veggies, turkey wraps, and sliced cheese are good on-the-go snacks.

Schedule a Dentist Appointment

Don’t wait until right before school starts to schedule an appointment! Starting out the summer with a fresh smile can not only avoid potential dental mishaps during the summer, but also serve as a helpful start to a healthy summer routine. Let’s talk about getting your children’s dental health on track for the summer.

The post 5 Tips for a Healthy & Bright Summer Smile appeared first on Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry - The best Pediatric Dentist in Charlotte, Davidson, Gastonia and UNCC area..

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Just graduated? ADA creates new graduate resource

Recognizing that dental school graduates have unique needs, the Association created a web portal to help new dentists plan for success after graduation.

The web page, ADA.org/newgrad, includes features designed to help new graduates transition from dental student to practicing dentists. Members of the Class of 2017 who visit the new website can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a Lenovo Workbook or $100 Visa gift cards.

Features included in the new website are:

• Advice from peers and mentors.
• Exclusive ADA member benefits, including discounted ADA dues.
• Career resources and insights from the ADA Center for Professional Success, Success.ADA.org, such advice on common employment issues, signing a new contract, managing patient referrals and fraud prevention.
• Tips on debt and financial management, including online tools and calculators to help plan for a stable financial future.

For more information on the new website and to enter the sweepstakes, visit ADA.org/newgrad.

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What Do You Sell?

Today’s dental economy is rapidly changing, and the dentist owner is challenged to remain current in every facet of his or her business, both clinically and operationally. There is a continuous wave of new materials, techniques and technology inundating us, begging for our attention 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the arrival of discount dentistry, social media, poor dental insurance http://ift.tt/2qasWax

Talking finances in a clinical setting

One of the greatest challenges for many dentists is the need to discuss money with patients. Dentists are people who are devoted to the well-being of their patients; just read any dental school admissions essay and you will clearly see that we are a population of helpers. So in the dental operatory, after having presented treatment to the best of your ability, you may dread the eventual question, “How much will this cost?” Your intuitive reaction may be to flee, to allow others to field this question or to respond with defense: “You need this treatment! How much it costs is irrelevant!” But, as Vince Lombardi once said, “Preparedness is the ultimate confidence builder.”

Dr. Singh

The best way to handle the difficulty of discussion money is to go into any patient encounter prepared. The following outlines three steps you can take to effectively prepare for this discussion:

1. Hire the Right Person

The best person to discuss the intricacies of the cost of treatment is not the dentist. Our role in the practice should be clearly clinical. When hiring the front staff or office manager, ask questions regarding sales experience. This will help you find the right fit for these responsibilities. It may be difficult to see dentistry as a business involving sales, but we must remember sales and ethics are not mutually exclusive. Dentistry does involve sales in the complexities of treatment acceptance. When you hire the right people, people who have a comprehensive knowledge of sales psychology and insurance procedures alike, they will be able to have an objective and educational conversation with the patient and close on the treatment you have prescribed.

2. Understand insurance.

Insurance is very common in our day and age. And depending on the type of insurance, the cost to the patient can vary significantly. As a new dentist, this is one of the most challenging things to maneuver. If your practice accepts a wide range of insurance, it is necessary to get acclimated to not only understanding how certain insurance plans work but also what verbiage to use when explaining insurance matters to patients. This will primarily fall on the treatment coordinator to articulate, but in times when the dentist needs to discuss these matters, it is best when it has been ironed out and the dentist has a good working knowledge of matters.

3. Know Your Role

Although you must have the right people on your team, this does not give the dentist a free pass. Dentists must understand that their treatment has a financial (and emotional) value attached to it. Dentists must be comfortable enough discussing finances enough to cohesively pass the baton to their team. The patient will typically ask these questions at the end of a diagnostic appointment. The dentist’s role is to translate the value. My general rules of thumb for my involvement with finances is as follows:

• Do not get in the way. The worst thing a dentist can do is misquote treatment fees (either too high or too low). I have a generalized understanding of UCR for all treatment codes and a general understanding of how much insurance typically covers. But when I do not know the specific cost, I hold my tongue and let the patient know we must collect more information to give a more precise estimate.
• Do set the stage. Whenever possible, I do let the patient know how much they can expect to pay but also let them know that my staff are excellent at figuring out the tricky details with insurance. I make sure they have no additional clinical questions and understand the value of the treatment I am recommending before helping them transition to a meeting with a treatment coordinator.
• Do ask questions. It is really easy to make assumptions when hearing questions about cost. It is almost intuitive to assume they most likely cannot afford treatment. But at times, it is more complex than that. I like to respond with open ended questions like “Is cost a primary concern for you?” This allows me to see if their question is about affordability, treatment spacing, payment plans or timing.

Discussing finances may seem cumbersome at first but with some practice, you will find that it is the key to making your business thrive.

Dr. Amisha Singh is a Denver native and loves living in beautiful Colorado. While in dental school, she was the founder of the first diversity oriented, nationally based organization in the school and she currently is a member of the ADA, CDA, and MSCD and serves on the CDA New Dentist Committee as Social Chair. She is also a blogger, writer and speaker who works with IgniteDDS and Ignite DA to inspire other dental professionals and provide them resources to be the best clinicians possible. She is the AVID Healthcare Liaison for Denver Public Schools and teaches a success series integrated into the curriculum of underprivileged middle school youth to aspire them to careers in healthcare. She is also a founder/ board member for Colorado’s first South Asian Chamber of Commerce. Her passion is encouraging entrepreneurial spirit, inspiring others and she wants to dedicate her life to helping make dentists be better, healthier, more empowered people.  When not practicing dentistry she loves to get lost in a good book, cook, and do all things creative.

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Is your child afraid of the dentist?

Find out if your child’s fear of the dentist is based on their inherited habits or their surroundings.

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The Perfect Little Smile

Picture Day is often both a blessing and a curse; it helps parents and children build lasting memories and gives kids something to look forward to during an otherwise mundane school day, but one bad outfit choice or awkward blink at the wrong moment can ruin everything.

Here are some tips and tricks that we think can help you and your kids achieve the perfect Picture Day smile:

 

On the morning of the school picture, send your child to school with floss (in string or stick form), some chewing gum, a compact mirror, and a comb. Remind your child to check their teeth before they head down to have their picture taken because all it takes is one piece or parsley or one popcorn kernel to spoil their smile.

 

Have your child practice their smile in front of a mirror a couple of days before pictures are scheduled to occur. Kids are often self-conscious about having their picture taken by strangers, so do your best to help get them comfortable by bringing your cellphone with you and taking a bunch of warm up pictures with them first. Bonus points if you join in the fun and have your child take some pictures of you too.

 

Have a back up outfit ready. Accidents happen and the last thing you want is for your child to get to school and to spill applesauce all over themselves just prior to having their picture taken. Ensure your child brings a spare shirt and a spare pair of pants with them just in case. This also helps if your child has last minute outfit regret but is unable to go back home to change.

 

And speaking of outfits - don’t force your child to wearing something they don’t want to wear or feel uncomfortable in. It will show on their face and in their composure and will be immortalized in their school picture forever. Work with them to find an outfit you’re both happy with.

 

Remember to make any major changes to your child’s appearance the night before or the morning of! Yes, this includes impulsive hair cuts and, depending on your child’s age, experimenting with hair dye. As adorable as your child might look with bangs, the morning before Picture Day really isn’t the time to unleash your scissors on them.

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Does your website need a refresh?

Your website is your practice’s presentation to the public. It’s also the foundation for patient education efforts and represents a significant opportunity to enhance your practice’s brand and outreach. Simply put, it’s a dentist’s single most important marketing tool and a considerable investment.

As you know, technology changes rapidly. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, it’s probably time to think about a website refresh. And if you don’t yet have a website, learn about why you should over at the ADA Center for Professional Success.

Is your website at least five years old?

Appearance matters. If your website is three to five years old, it’s time to consider a major makeover. If it’s older than that, the odds are high that you’re losing many prospective patients to other local practices that are presenting a more up-to-date image.

Is your website difficult to use on a mobile phone?

According to a recent report on Marketing Land, 65 percent of digital time is spent on a mobile device. You probably have noticed that you use your smartphone much more than a computer when outside your practice. Needless to say, it’s important for your practice’s website to be functional on a mobile device. Many new websites are “responsive,” which means that the appearance of your website is virtually the same regardless of whether it’s viewed on a computer, tablet, smartphone, or other mobile device. Today’s users expect responsive design and, if your website doesn’t offer it, odds are they’ll move on to another practice’s website.

Is your website canned rather than custom?

You can certainly post some stock content, but visitors are more likely to engage in content that is more personal, such as posts about your office, staff and office events. Give visitors a reason to spend time on your site. Custom content such as videos, biographies and office tours will provide points of interest. Embed videos from ADA’s Mouth Healthy YouTube playlist about a variety of topics related to oral care. Learn more about creating exciting content.

Does your website remind you of your attic?

Clutter, clutter, clutter. Your website, just like your basement, attic or garage sure can get cluttered in a hurry. Take advantage of website analytics tools – like Google analytics – to see which pages are being viewed often. If your website has a lot of pages that aren’t being viewed, they should either be promoted through marketing tools or deleted. Your website should only be as big as you need it to be.

To learn more about how to create the ideal website for your practice, visit the ADA Center for Professional Success.

Need help?

If you don’t have a practice website or need help refreshing what you have, the professionals at PBHS can help create an engaging, branded website for your practice. PBHS is the ADA Business Resources endorsed marketing company, specializing in dental websites. As a member, you save $500 on website design packages. Visit pbhs.com/ada or call (855) 932-4232 for a free consultation.

Find additional marketing resources at ADA.org/marketing.

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Your Perfect Smile

Grin and bear it: your smile is something that’s universally recognized as a symbol of happiness, regardless of where you live or the language you speak. Not only is your smile an indication of your demeanor, but it can affect those around you, too. Have you ever tried smiling at a stranger? It’s completely contagious -- try it!

Between selfies, making a good first impression, and even winning over your boss, your smile contributes to all of ‘em.  Here’s how to perfect your winning smile:

You’ll feel a little silly practicing different smiles in the mirror (only if you get caught), but it’s important that you feel confident and a bit sassy in the smile you wear everyday. And a great way to feel confident in your grin is to know what it looks like! Your perfect smile  should be comfortable enough that you can hold it for an hour. If it hurts, it’s probably slightly forced. So turn on some happy jams, head to your mirror, and you’ll find the no-cheese please smile before you know it.

 

Nothing says camera-ready like a white, healthy smile. As kids, we have our parents to remind us to take care of our teeth, but as adults, chances are your mom is not calling you twice a day to remember to brush AND floss (including those teeth way at the back!). Visit your dentist every 6 months for a cleaning, rinse with water after drinking red wine or eating a sugary treat, and try to use a straw when drinking coffee or tea.

 

Ahh, yes. The smize, which is smiling with your eyes. Ever wondered why we are blessed with crows feet as we get older? From all the smiling! Turns out Tyra was right-- smiling should be a combined effort with your mouth and eyes. When you show off your grin, pay attention to how your eyes feel. If they feel slightly squinted and the muscles around them are contracting, you’ve nailed it!

 

The most genuine smiles are those that emerge during laughter. Next time you’re posing for a photo, think of something that makes you chuckle and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how the picture turns out. No untagging required!

 

Now that you’ve found your best smile, rock it as often as possible! In the shower, on the phone, at the grocery store--we promise you’ll notice an extra pep in your step.

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How to Discuss Dental Treatment with Your Patients

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al-cfiCXdf8

Understanding Dental Coding and Billing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPXCxuBkok8

The Dental Patient Experience

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_kv5WMwTw

How You Communicate with Your Patients Matters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N-um78qtxA

Introducing the Guidelines for Practice Success

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDoLWbnRAlU

Employment agreements: The devil’s in the details

Congratulations! You finished dental school and received an offer to join a practice. That’s terrific news. Or maybe you’re in the position of offering employment to another dentist. Either way, before you put your John Hancock on any contract you’ll want to do your best to understand the provisions and key legal terms. While dental school taught you the art and science of patient care, maybe you didn’t graduate with a good understanding of the ramifications of much of the language used in many dentist employment agreements. Fortunately the ADA and the Center for Professional Success is here to help.

A new publication “Dentist Employment Agreements: A Guide to Key Legal Provisions” explains many of the terms and provisions common to dental employment agreements. The material is presented in a manner to help you consider and review a contract of employment. It’s not a substitute for a lawyer, but can help you know what questions to ask and discussions to have with your legal advisor. Some of the topics covered include:

•   The differences between employees and independent contractors
•   Explanations of salary, commission, bonuses and benefits
•   What a non-compete clause is and how it differs from non-solicitation
•   How mediation and/or arbitration can resolve disputes
•   Points to consider when hiring a lawyer to review the employment agreement

For explanations of these and many other terms commonly found in employment agreements, download the entire content of “Dentist Employment Agreements: A Guide to Key Legal Provisions” using the link found under “Supporting Materials” below.

The ADA designed these materials to assist our member dentists. We do not, in making these materials available to you, intend to give you legal or professional advice or opinions. To get appropriate legal or professional advice, you need to consult directly with a properly qualified attorney admitted to practice in your jurisdiction. To the extent ADA has included links to any third party web site(s), we intend no endorsement of their content and imply no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further we make no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites, which we do not control in any way.

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