Join your peers in Atlanta – fees increase today at 5 p.m. CDT

There’s still time to register for the New Dentist Conference at ADA 2017. The advance registration deadline has been extended until 5 p.m. CDT today. If you’re looking to bring friends to the New Dentist Reception, be sure to purchase additional tickets while prices are still low.

New this year you can purchase up to five (5) additional New Dentist Reception tickets for your friends, family or guests – your ticket is already included in the New Dentist Conference package. Ticket prices increase after the Friday.

Stay on top of your schedule, ADA 2017 events and all things New Dentist Conference with the mobile app. Search “ADA 2017” in your app store to download. A new feature this year includes the ability to connect with others who are attending the meeting before you arrive in Atlanta and while you’re there!

Visit ADA.org/NDC to register.

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Come sail away: New dentist sails the Atlantic

As the media has noted ad nauseam, millennials seem to prefer experiences to possessions. Still, can you imagine purchasing a sailboat instead of a house – and living on it – because you love to sail? Or taking a year or two off from your dental practice to sail around the world?

Dr. Herby Benavent, who practices in Clarksville, Maryland, grew up in Puerto Rico and has had a lifelong love of the ocean. He and his wife Maddie set sail on the trip of a lifetime on their boat named Wisdom (the dinghy’s name is Tooth) – across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, then down to the African coast. The pair will then head west to Brazil and finally up to North America. They don’t know how much time the trip will take, but said they could be gone as long as two years.

So who inspired Dr. Benavent, 31, to take a break from the dental practice he operates with his father and pursue this dream? Much of the credit goes to his patients.

“I see a lot of older patients, and I noticed none of them talk about how much they worked,” Dr Benavent said. “They do talk about the memories they made with their family and friends.”

As you might expect, some were skeptical of Dr. Benavent’s plan. After working so hard to obtain a dental degree, why take off in the prime of your career? The Benavent’s simply decided there is no time like the present, and if they wanted to do this, they should do it before starting a family.

Dr. Benavent said he realizes and respects, because of practice or student loan considerations, many of his peers wouldn’t be able to do something similar. Still, living a simple lifestyle is one big reason the Benavent’s are able to set sail. Dr. Benavent bought the 50-year-old sailboat for $20,000 in 2012 and lived on it alone until Maddie moved in a couple years ago. While at sea, the couple budgets $500 per month for the trip.

“You don’t need to purchase fuel on a sail boat,” Dr. Benavent wryly noted.

So while you may not be able to take a couple years off, dentists like Dr. Benavent or Dr. Bruce Terry think it’s important to remember your passions, especially when dentistry seems all-consuming.

What’s one passion you’d like to pursue? Or one that you already do? Comment below!

Read more about the Benavent’s in this article from The Baltimore Sun, and follow their journey on Instagram and YouTube.

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3 Questions Every Dentist Should Ask Before Hiring a Dental Consultant

The post 3 Questions Every Dentist Should Ask Before Hiring a Dental Consultant appeared first on ACTdental.

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Not too late: Can’t-miss webinars this week

Would you like to learn more about how to use video to market your practice? And would you like a better understanding of various federal guidelines? Check out these two webinars this week:

Marketing Your Dental Office with Video: Creating videos can help differentiate your dental practice from your competitors and increase awareness in your local community. They can also drive traffic to your website or generate interest in a particular service. Learn more and register for this Wednesday webinar.

Regulatory Compliance Got You Down? Turn Your Practice Around!:  The regulatory environment is full of ever-changing regulations that can make it difficult for dentists to ensure they’re up-to-date on, and in compliance with, the many regulations that need to be followed in the practice. Participate to learn about requirements from OSHA and HIPAA, as well as the latest guidelines on infection prevention and control. Learn more and register for this Thursday webinar.

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Starting a new dental practice checklist

Starting a new dental practice? If you’re opening a new dental practice, there are many things to consider, including licenses, local requirements, supplies, insurance, infection control and OSHA, just to name a few.

This checklist and related resources can be used as a starting point to address many of the issues dentists encounter when opening new practices. For more information, contact your state dental society.

To download the checklist, available to ADA members for free, click here.

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Is Amabrush the Future of Toothbrushing?

Amabrush is a revolutionary new toothbrush that brushes your teeth automatically, all at once, in just 10 seconds.

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Specialty pathway Q&A: Oral pathology

Dr. Emily Lanzel likes solving puzzles. It’s a simple enough hobby and a simple enough reason why she pursued oral pathology.

Dr. Lanzel

“Each case is a new puzzle,” said Dr. Lanzel, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Dr. Lanzel holds a master’s degree and a certificiate in oral and maxillofacial pathology from the University of Iowa, where she also received her dental degree. In addition, she has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The ADA New Dentist News asked Dr. Lanzel about the details that went into her decision to pursue a specialty.

Here is a summary of the conversation:

Q. How and when did you choose to pursue oral pathology?

A. Dentistry is a wonderful profession, but from day one, I was not cut out for general dentistry. I loved the basic science courses, had a passion for studying and a dislike of using my hands. I would much rather take a test than cut a crown prep. I fell in love with oral pathology my second year of dental school during our oral pathology course.

Luckily, the course was taught by one of the greatest educators and nicest people I have ever met, Dr. Mike Finkelstein, and he fostered my interest. There was no going back from there.

When it came time to apply for residency, I weighed the positive and negatives — professionally and personally — and decided to follow my passion for pathology and academics.

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I have made, and I have no regrets.

Q. How would you describe some of the benefits or challenges of pursuing a
specialty?

A. By far, the benefit of pursing something I was truly passionate about far outweighed the challenges. But, the job market for oral pathology is a definite challenge. The jobs are not plentiful and, unlike general dentistry, you can’t go just anywhere to practice.

Q. What factors did you consider and what resources did you use to help you make this decision?

A. The best resource was talking to current residents and practicing pathologists to get information about residency cost, job outlook, day-today life during residency, etc. I probably should have done more investigating of the pros/cons than I did, but nothing was going to keep me away from studying oral pathology at that point. I also spent three weeks between my third and fourth year of dental school in the oral pathology department experiencing what the residency was like.

Q. What else should dentists know when considering pursuing a specialty?

A. If there is a specialty you are interested in, see if you can do an externship or job shadow within the department to get a better feel of what you would be getting into. Also, choose a specialty/ job that you can see yourself doing every day and still love it.

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Can Children Develop Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is not a disease that many people associate with children. Though it is not prevalent in children, gum disease can rear its ugly head if your child has poor dental habits and doesn’t receive regular pediatric dental care.

Because teenagers have increasingly high levels of hormones, they tend to be more at risk for gingivitis and early periodontal disease than younger children. Their gums are more susceptible to irritants.

There are three different childhood periodontal diseases that pediatric dentists use to categorize symptoms and severities.

Chronic gingivitis causes gums to swell and occasionally bleed, usually during brushing, flossing, or eating. Though serious, chronic gingivitis is treatable and preventable with a regular healthy dental routine. If your child has consistently bad breath, this might also be a sign of chronic gingivitis.

It is a common misconception that “just a little blood” during brushing and flossing is harmless. Bleeding gums is your mouth’s way of signaling that a bigger problem lies ahead if action is not taken now.

Aggressive periodontitis can affect young people who are otherwise healthy. The reason it is categorized as aggressive is because it progresses rapidly. Aggressive periodontitis is most commonly found in teenagers and young adults, and mainly affects the first molars and incisors. A common symptom of aggressive periodontitis is severe loss of alveolar bone. An excess of plaque and calculus does not have to be present in order to develop this gum disease.

Generalized aggressive periodontitis typically occurs during early stages of puberty. Symptoms include inflammation of the gums and excessive plaque and calculus buildup. Sometimes teeth can become loose if the disease has progressed.

There is good news – all of the above can be treated!

Pay attention to your child’s brushing habits and watch for the signs of gingivitis, such as bleeding, swollen, or receding gums. With little ones, be sure to assist them with brushing. When they start independently brushing and flossing, be sure to pay attention to their technique and timing.

Enforce good dental hygiene habits at a young age in order to prevent cavities, gingivitis, and early periodontal issues. The earlier oral health becomes part of your child’s routine, the healthier they will be.

Schedule regular pediatric dental visits for checkups and evaluations. If any of the above symptoms are affecting your child, your pediatric dentist will be able to determine the best course of action.

If your child is experiencing any of the above, or their dental habits are a concern to you, contact us to schedule an appointment. We will happily give your little one an examination and discuss the best short-term and long-term treatment plans.

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Learn how to navigate the regulatory environment

The regulatory environment is full of ever-changing regulations that can make it difficult for dentists to ensure they’re up-to-date on, and in compliance with, the many regulations that need to be followed in the practice.

To make it easier for dentists to become more knowledgeable about certain key federal regulations, the ADA Council on Dental Practice is sponsoring a webinar — Regulatory Compliance Got You Down? Turn Your Practice Around — scheduled for Sept. 28, from noon-1 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Register for the webinar here.

The webinar is a companion to the council’s latest practice management resource, the ADA Guidelines for Practice Success module on Managing the Regulatory Environment, which is available free online to members at ADA.org/gps.

This webinar will feature many need-to-know requirements from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act plus the latest guidelines on infection prevention and control.

The presenter is Olivia Wann, managing member-owner of Modern Practice Solutions, which provides professional compliance training and consulting services for dental practices. Ms. Wann was one of the content authorities who participated in the development of the content for the Guidelines for Practice Success module. In addition to being an attorney, Ms. Wann has worked as a registered dental assistant and dental office manager.

Additional online resources available through the Guidelines for Practice Success series include modules on Managing Marketing, Managing the Dental Team, Managing Patients and Managing Finances. Each resource is available free online to members by searching ADA.org/GPS, and print editions may be ordered through the ADA Catalog.

Participants will earn one hour of continuing education credit for the program.

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ADA 2017 Distinguished Speaker Series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpMG3vctxYY

ADA 2017 Opening General Session

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_IYrWudt7E

Webinar: Marketing your dental office with video

Creating videos can help differentiate your dental practice from your competitors and increase awareness in your local community. They can also drive traffic to your website or generate interest in a particular service. Videos help build the trust that is important to establish in any patient relationship. A successful video is one that meets your dental practice’s business objectives. Taking the time to map out a strategy will help you develop a quality product to achieve your goals.

Join us Sept. 27, 2-3 p.m. CST, as we walk you through the process of creating a great video, from generating the idea, filming the video yourself or collaborating with a film team, and where you can post the video after it’s produced.

Learning Objectives

• Learn about different types of videos for different audiences
• Determine budget and production value
• Considerations before filming in your office
• Using your video to market your practice

To register for the webinar, click here.

Our Presenter

Christopher Fraze is the Vice President of PBHS and leads the Product Development team. Mr. Fraze has spent the last 17 years at PBHS designing and implementing new Internet technologies for the dental community. By demonstrating how to pre-educate patients, increase case acceptance, facilitate workflow in the office and improve office productivity, PBHS became nationally known as the leading innovator in building an online presence. Mr. Fraze helped bring to market the process of secured patient communication, referral collaboration, in-office patient education tools, and waiting room pre-education and marketing.

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New Dentist Conference offers opportunity to network, share experiences

When North Carolina dentist Dr. Kristin Kaelke Miller says that one of the highlights of the New Dentist Conference is the networking, she means it.

Drs. Kristin Kaelke Miller and Scott Driver, best friends from dental school, reunite in Denver while attending the 2016 New Dentist Conference.

“Well, at the meeting last year in Denver, I met someone at my 16th District lunch table that led me to get my awesome new job out of it,” Dr. Miller said. “An associate was there from a practice that was two minutes from where I live. The practice was somewhat new, but I don’t know if I would have found out about them as quickly if we hadn’t sat down and started talking that day. They were looking for someone with my background and experience, and the timing was perfect. Networking doesn’t get much better than that for me.”

Dr. Miller, a member of the class of 2011 of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, has been going to the New Dentist Conference since 2014, with plans to attend this year’s event in Atlanta in October, concurrent with ADA 2017 – America’s Dental Meeting.

The New Dentist Committee chair at the North Carolina Dental Society, Dr. Miller said there are many reasons why she makes it a point to be a part of each year’s New Dentist Conference. “I love going to see old friends and faces and network with other like-minded dentists, new and old,” she said. “I catch up with old classmates from my dental school in Kansas City, but I get to see a lot of new dentist friends that live all across North Carolina, too. Even though we’re in the same state and all fairly involved in organized dentistry, I don’t regularly see them, so it’s fun to be able to hang out and relax together. I get a lot of opportunity to do continuing education near me, so the continuing education, social events and food are a bonus.”

Dr. Jarvis

Louisiana-based Dr. Raymond Jarvis, who graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in 2010, is one of two national New Dentist Committee members that work with the ADA to organize and plan the New Dentist Conference.

Dr. Jarvis first attended the conference last year, and said he is a strong advocate for new dentists to come to Atlanta.

“One tough part about being a dentist is that we work in our practices by ourselves or with a small group of other dentists day in and day out,” Dr. Jarvis said. “The New Dentist Conference gives us a chance to interact with other new dentists from around the country to share and learn about our successes and failures. It can be very freeing to learn that we all share similar experiences of learning to manage the daily goings on of a dental practice, supporting our student debt, juggling work and family life, etcetera. On top of that, we have an amazing lineup of inspirational speakers and CE courses as part of the New Dentist Conference.”

He added: “We really have put in a lot of work in to make this an amazing conference. I am looking forward to seeing many new dentists at the conference. I hope that everyone takes full advantage of everything the New Dentist Conference and the ADA Meeting has to offer.”

The New Dentist Conference is Oct. 19-21 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, concurrent with ADA 2017 – America’s Dental Meeting. Register at ADA.org/NDC.

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Dental Sedation Survey Results Are In

Our dental management survey this week asked dentists if they offer sedation dentistry.

We also asked what fees doctors charge for various types of dental sedation.

All of our survey respondents offer sedation as a service in their practices, and fees vary widely among those who offer it.

Fees ranged from a low of $45 for nitrous oxide to highs of $500 for IV sedation and $600 for pediatric sedation.

Fees average about $300 for oral conscious sedation that helps lower dental anxiety.

When we asked which types of dental treatment prompted the most sedation requests from patients, we found that the type of dental service was not the deciding factor.

Patients who suffer from fear of dentists and dental anxiety request dental sedation for everything:

“All phases from prophies to impacted extractions,” said a New Jersey general dentist.

“All procedures if need be,” said a general dentist who practices in Canada.

Sedation dentistry can be a useful tool for treating patients.

It can also be an effective dental marketing opportunity for dentists who want to differentiate their practice by offering additional services.

However, offering sedation dentistry is major commitment to undertake, due to the additional training involved, state licensing requirements, and the availability and costs of dental practice insurance.

Have you considered offering dental sedation in your practice? Why, or why not?

Related Posts:

• Sedation Dentistry Fees (Video)
• Sedation Dentists: What is the Cost of Sedation…
• Sedation Dentistry: From Nitrous Oxide to Oral…
• Dentist Feels Sedation Dentistry Helps Many Patients
• Why Sedation Dentistry Can Be an Integral Part of…

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Dental Marketing Plan: Should You Include Custom Athletic Mouthguards?

The fall and winter sports season in North America means many dentists will be treating mouth injuries. Missing teeth are all too common among football, basketball and hockey players.

Dentists know that tooth loss, concussions and even worse injuries can be prevented with proper custom fitted mouth guards.

We wondered how many of our surveyed dentists offer mouth guards.

Only 40% of our responding dentists offer custom mouth guards in their practice.

We also asked if our dentists are proactive in promoting custom mouth guards, and educating patients about their value in preventing serious oral and head injuries.

Only 20% actively recommend them, or make a point of educating patients about them.

“I find that it often comes down to price to patients/parents. I am amazed at how many parents balk at paying $100 or more for a custom, professionally-made protective mouthguard for their child, even after being completely educated and informed about the huge benefits over the cheap, boil-and-bite mouthguards.” Ohio prosthodontist

“I have tried to encourage them without much luck. Most kid athletes want to wear what everyone else wears and they don’t want to stand out. It takes some work and marketing to schools and coaches.” Texas dentist

From the results of our survey, custom athletic mouthguards certainly don’t have the market appeal of cosmetic dentistry services or clear braces.

However, the topic can still be used successfully in a dental marketing campaign.

Write a post for your blog about how custom mouthguards can save kids from serious head injuries.

Or write an article for your favorite real estate agent’s newsletter comparing the cost of a custom mouthguard to the cost of dental implants and oral surgery!

Educational articles — written in language that patients can understand — are an ethical approach to
effective dental patient marketing.

Related Posts:

• Hockey Players: Good Luck to Your Teeth
• Sports Mouthguards from the Dentist (video)
• Can a Mouth Guard Improve Athletic Performance?
• Cosmetic Dentistry Still Tops the List of Services…
• Survey: What Questions Do Patients Ask About Dental…

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Dental Marketing Survey: Does The Phone Book Still Bring In New Patients?

In our most recent dental marketing survey, only 25% of respondents are still getting patients from the phone book, and just 13% are using a display ad.

Three-quarters of our dentist survey participants are getting either very few or no phone book patients at all.

When we asked this same question a year ago, although the trend was clear, it’s interesting to see how much and how fast dental marketing has changed.

One year ago, 39% of our dentists were getting patients from the phone book, and 57% were using display ads; 61% said they were getting few to no patients.

An Ohio prosthodontist speaks for the 75% majority in our digital society:
“Phone book? What’s a phone book? Since most people don’t know what one is, we don’t bother advertising in it. It doesn’t make sense anymore…Don’t waste your money!”

Our survey also revealed that 88% of our dentists are getting new patients from dental websites.

And 50% are getting mobile marketing results from patients using their smart phones.

Clearly, the internet and mobile devices have virtually replaced phone books as far as consumer search resources are concerned.

But before tossing out the phone book entirely, an Illinois dentist reminded us that it’s important to know your market’s demographics.

“The phone book brings in a lot of older adults. Patients usually call for extraction or dentures but often end up with implants, perio and bridgework. These are patients who don’t cruise the web but call when they are ready for care.”

Older Baby Boomers and their seniors may not be digitally savvy, but they still need dental care. If they’re part of your market, the phone book may still be a viable channel for your dental practice marketing.

Are phone book patients part of your target market?

Related Posts:

• Phone Book Dental Marketing (Survey Video)
• Dental Marketing Moving Away from the Phone Book?
• Dental Practice Marketing: Is Yellow Page Advertising Dead?
• Dental Marketing in the Phone Book (video)
• Dentists: Are Smartphones a Part of Your Dental…

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Dentist Survey: Do You Offer Botox® Treatments At Your Practice?

Botox® has clinical uses in a dental practice — for treating TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder), or helping elderly patients relieve drooling that occurs due to loss of muscle tone.

In states where a dental license allows dentists to administer it for cosmetic purposes, Botox® patients can be a welcome addition to the practice’s cash flow.

One might easily argue that dermal fillers are not that far removed from smile design and other types of cosmetic dentistry.

“I think it is a purely personal decision as long as the training is there. It would be entirely appropriate in a highly cosmetic practice.” Texas dentist

We’ve conducted surveys on this topic in the past, and the results showed that 70% of respondents had no problem with dentists providing Botox® treatments.

We wanted an update, so we asked: Should dentists provide Botox® and dermal fillers?

Again, most of the doctors saw no problem with offering the treatments, but this time it was a smaller 55% majority.

Speaking for the minority,18% of our dentists survyed think Botox® is approprate only for therapeutic use, and 27% think providing dermal fillers is not an appropriate role for dentists.

We also asked: Do you offer Botox® or Restylane injections at your dental practice?

It’s not surprising that 27% responded that they do not and never will.

The rest of our dentists were split: 9% said they offer Botox® or Restylane injections and their patients love it; 27% said they would if state regulations allowed; and 37% said they don’t yet provide dermal fillers, but might someday.

The bottom line is — in states that allow it — offering Botox® comes down to a dental management decision.

“We know our way in and around the face better than most estheticians and are skilled with a syringe. I have offered it in my practice and not found it to be worth the investment of time and materials. Too many people look for the next Groupon.” Colorado dentist

Have you considered offering Botox® at your dental practice?

Related Posts:

• Botox From The Dentist: Good Idea Or Not? (Video)
• Dental Marketing Targets: Sleep Apnea, TMJ &…
• Dental Botox is Big Business These Days (video)
• Botox Dentists Expand Definition of “Cosmetic…
• Dentists Offer Botox in the Dental Office

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Dental Practice Management: Do You Have a Financial Arrangements Coordinator? (Video)

A Financial Arrangements Coordinator can be a valuable asset to the dental practice management team.

This key position is responsible for all financial interactions with the patient, from treatment plan to dental financing and payment options.

“It is a complete necessity to have someone who is ultimately responsible and the ‘go-to’ person for all financial arrangements, especially patient interaction,” said a Michigan dentist.

“Having a financial arrangements coordinator is probably a great idea for larger multi-dentist offices, but I find it is not likely to be cost-effective in a smaller practice,” said a general dentist.

Jim Du Molin and Julie Frey chat about this survey asking dentists if they have a Financial Arrangements Coordinator on their dental practice team:

Jim, a former dental practice consultant, thinks it’s a good idea to have an employee dedicated to managing financial arrangements.

Dentists seem to be split. Of those who responded to this survey, 55% do not have a financial arrangement coordinator, and 45% do employ a team member to carry out this function.

Although it’s not feasible for every practice, there are many benefits to having a dedicated “money person.”

“I have one designated team member to make financial arrangements, but occasionally another member has to step in due to the primary being out of the office for various reasons,” said a Nevada dentist.

“We estimate insurance benefits, and receive the patient’s portion on the date services are provided. Other than that, the only other financial arrangement we offer is through Care Credit. Our receptionist comfortably handles this as part of her duties,” said an Illinois dentist.

“I wish everyone would just pay at the time of service!” said a California dentist.

“We have only one person, and no one else discusses money. That way it stays simple, and patients can’t say someone told them something different,” said an Oklahoma dentist.

The bottom line is that handling financial arrangements effectively can have a positive impact on the practice’s revenue.

It can increase case acceptance, and free up the dentist’s time treat more patients  instead of talking about money.

Related Posts:

• Dental Practice Management: Is a Financial…
• Are Dental Website Patients Better…or Worse? (Video)
• Dental Financing Important in Tough Times
• Dental Production (Survey Video)
• Dental Practice Management & Dental Insurance (Video)

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Are Dental Website Patients Better…or Worse? (Video)

Online dental marketing can attract new patients to a dentist’s office.

Internet patients sometimes have a different profile from other new patients.

“The majority of our big cases the past few years have come from the internet,” said a Minnesota dentist.

“Referral patients have more trust from the beginning. Online patients are typically younger and not as financially able to afford treatment,” said a general dentist.

We conducted a survey asking dentists about dental website patients: Are patients who find a dentist online different from patients who come in via more traditional methods?

Jim Du Molin and Julie Frey talk about this survey about patients acquired via online dental marketing:

One third of dentists responding to this survey said they don’t see a difference.

However…half of those doctors feel that online dental patients are more likely to follow through with treatments, while the other half think online patients are less likely to follow through with treatment.

One in five dentists said that word-of-mouth referrals from current patients are the best type of dental patients to follow through with treatment.

Overall, the results suggest that patients are pretty similar, regardless of the dental marketing methods that were used to acquire them.

“Online patients are generally young, looking for the best price and not dentally educated. Anyone who chooses a dentist based upon online reviews sees dentistry no differently than a gas station or a supermarket,” said a Massachusetts dentist.

“Online patients have done their research and know a lot about our office before becoming patients. They are certainly more likely to follow through with recommended treatment,” said an Ohio prosthodontist.

“For me, a cold online lead is not unlike a patient who drove by and saw my sign. They are a tougher sell then a true internal referral. A Facebook referral can be close to an internal referral when referred by an existing patient,” said a Georgia dentist.

“Dental website patients ask more questions, are younger and more tech savvy, tend to believe what they read online, are less critical in their thinking, and are so wed to their smart phones that they’re not big conversationalists,” said a California dentist.

Online dental marketing doesn’t have to replace traditional marketing avenues like direct mail and internal marketing.

Dental websites are an additional way to capture more new patient leads.

Related Posts:

• Dental Marketing: Dentists See a Difference in…
• What’s the Most Effective Dental Marketing…
• Dental Websites for New Patient Leads (Video)
• Dental Marketing: Which Type Of Patients Are Most…
• Online Dental Marketing With Video (Video)

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Cosmetic Dentistry Tops The List As Most Popular Dental Practice Service (Video)

In addition to family and general dentistry, most dental practices provide additional types of dentistry.

Dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and braces are some of the many services dentists offer.

“We offer a very wide range of services for a general dentist: Invisalign, sedation dentistry, dental implant placement & restoration, CEREC, most Endo, Perio, and Oral Surgery. Without this broad offering, we would be doing much worse financially,” said a Minnesota dentist.

“More than half of our practice is dental implants now,” said a California dentist.

We conducted a survey asking dentists which services their dental practice offers.

Jim Du Molin and Julie Frey discuss the vareity of services that dentists offer:

What are the most popular dental services offered?

Besides general and family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry is number one. In fact, 86% of dentists responding to this survey offer cosmetic treatment.

Over 70% of dentists also mentioned tooth whitening, dental implants and crowns, dentures, and children’s dentistry.

Over half of dentist respondents also offer root canal therapy and treat gum disease.

What types of dentistry are less commonly offered?

Just under half of respondents mentioned TMJ, Invisalign, and wisdom teeth. Only one in three offers sedation dentistry, and one in four provide orthodontics or treat sleep apnea.

It’s important that dentists consider the types of treatment they offer when creating a dental marketing plan.

“In our litigious society it is better to refer anything that can be done better by a specialist, including molar endo. It is not worth the trouble, and the patients will love you for referring. You lose patients on whom you do extractions – trust me, that is spoken with 50 years’ experience,” said a New York dentist.

“Oral conscious sedation is great combination with CEREC users – one appointment dentistry while sedated,” said an Oklahoma dentist.

“An oversupply of orthodontists and general dentists doing braces and other orthodontic procedures will mean more competition for the few patients considering treatment,” said a Wisconsin orthodontist.

“I have been teaching and doing Botox injections for over 7 years. Where else can one earn about $500 profit in under 5 minutes? Cosmetics pays,” said a New Jersey dentist.

Jim thinks dentists should offer services that, number one, patients are interested in, and number two, that the dentist likes providing.

“To me, those are the two essential elements of a successful dentist: making a profit – and enjoying yourself while you do so,”  said  Jim.

Related Posts:

• Cosmetic Dentistry Still Tops the List of Services…
• Botox From The Dentist: Good Idea Or Not? (Video)
• Should Wisdom Teeth Decisions Involve a Specialist? (Video)
• Dental Marketing: Which Type Of Patients Are Most…
• Dental Sedation Survey Results Are In

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Dental Survey: Dentists Still Cautious About Raising Fees

As small business owners, dentists know that it’s good dental management to raise fees on a regular basis…if their market supports it.

“It makes sense to raise your fees by at least the local or regional cost of living increase (inflation %) to keep up with that. Around here it is currently about 3% per year.” Ohio prosthodontist

In this survey, we asked dentists how long its been since they raised their fees.

In some regions, the economy is rallying enough that dentists have been able to increase rates.

Within the past year, 27% of the dentists in our survey have raised their fees; and 13% have done so within the past 6 months.

“I am considering it as the economy looks more hopeful and because prices are going up all over…and I have to pay my own bills.” Texas dentist

However, 60% of our dentists have not increased fees within the past 2 years…or longer:

It’s been more than 3 years since 40% of our dentists raised their fees.

“Still pretty shy about raising fees as often as we used to, due to the weak economy and patients struggling fnancially.” Illinois dentist

And 20% of our responding doctors haven’t raised their fees in more than 5 years.

“Just can’t pull the trigger since the recession killed us.” New York dentist

“With the insurance companies basically setting the fees, raising fees too often only hurts the patients who do not have insurance.” Missouri dentist

How is your local economy doing? When was the last time you raised your dental fees?

Related Posts:

• Dental Practice Management Survey: Dental Fee…
• Raising Dental Fees May Be a Dentist’s Only Choice
• Dentist Annual Fee Increases: Dental Management
• Dentists’ Greatest Fear – Raising Fees (video)
• Dentist Survey Results: How Do Your Dental Exam Fees…

The post Dental Survey: Dentists Still Cautious About Raising Fees appeared first on The Wealthy Dentist.

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How Children Celebrate Halloween Around the World

Halloween is coming up and we are so excited! We’ve already posted about how to care for your teeth during the onslaught of sugar, alternatives to candy, and had some pretty cool Halloween ideas, but what about other the holiday itself? Do other countries celebrate Halloween the same way we do? Do they even know what Halloween is? Do they visit their dentists after eating way too much candy!? Don’t worry, we have the answers.

Halloween Around the World

Do you know what Halloween means and the history behind it? The tradition of Halloween actually originates from the Celtic tradition called Samhain. We wanted to learn more about Halloween and we wondered how children celebrated Halloween in other countries . We did some research and discovered the origin of this American holiday.

People believed that on Samhain their deceased loved ones could roam the earth for one night, and they celebrated by feasting and dancing! However, as much of the world became more Christianized the name changed. It used to be called All Hallow’s Eve, but has been shortened to Halloween.

Many other countries around the world observe holidays that celebrate departed loved ones. Although they aren’t the same as Halloween, they are similar to our version of Halloween and share common ideas. Ideas like Jack O Lanterns and celebrating the dead. So which countries are they?

Canada

Canada celebrates Halloween in much the same way that we do, even trick-or-treating and dressing up! Canadians use Halloween to celebrate the supposed day when dead ancestors can cross into the land of the living, which is the same as us! In fact, Canadians are so big into celebrating Halloween that they spend even more money than Americans on candy and decorations!

Mexico

It’s time for Dia De Los Muertos! This means Day of the Dead, and is a Mexican holiday celebrated around the same day as Halloween. Mexicans celebrate and remember their dead loved ones. Though they do not believe that dead ones return for this holiday, they spend the time praying and remembering their ancestors. They hold festivals and parades full of food and color! They also have a tradition of painting their faces in brightly-colored recreations of skulls, like this little girl. We think this looks like a lot of fun!

Scotland, Ireland, and Wales

These countries in the United Kingdom come from Celtic ancestry, and as such have kept the traditions of the original Samhain and celebrate around October 31st by gathering families together and having parties and feasts! The people who celebrate Samhain take the honoring of their dead very seriously, even religiously! Many people hold rites and rituals, as well as visit the gravestones of loved ones on this special night. If you think graveyards are scary, don’t worry, it’s just to put flowers on headstones and pray and remember!

Japan

In Japan they take the time to celebrate and honor their ancestors through the Obon Festival. The Obon Festival is similar to our version of Halloween and the Celtic version of Samhain in that it celebrates the deceased through dancing and festivals. The difference is that it’s celebrated in summer! This Japanese holiday has been going on for 500 years and looks like this:

Cambodia

Cambodia, a country near Thailand, celebrates Pchum Ben, a holiday to honor their deceased loved ones. It is celebrated by feasts, dancing, festivals, and visiting the graves of their ancestors. Cambodians celebrate this holiday for 15 days! We wish Halloween was that long…

China

Have you ever heard of Chinese New Year? This is the country-wide holiday where Chinese celebrate the passing of another year, similar to our New Year’s Eve/Day. The difference is that they also take this time to remember and honor any loved ones who have passed on. They celebrate through the traditional ways of festivals, parades, and lots of delicious food, and they decorate with red lanterns like these!

Wow, Halloween sure is different around the world! But we are not alone in our celebration of deceased ancestors and loved ones. How do you celebrate Halloween with your family? Do you carve pumpkins and dress up? Do you eat lots of candy after trick-or-treating? Or does your celebration consist of something closer to Samhain or Pchum Ben? Let us know! And for all the parents out there concerned with the American tradition of sugar overload, you can always set up an appointment with Burg Children’s Dentistry here. Happy Halloween, Dia De Los Muertos, Chinese New Year, or whatever you celebrate, and we hope to see you soon!

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Webinar: Third-party payer contract – The most important decision

One of most important decisions any dentist will make is whether to participate in a managed care dental plan or not. There are several considerations when making this decision:

Register Now for the webinar, Third-Party Payer Contract: The Most Important Decision.

This webinar will discuss common contractual clauses within third-party payer contracts and their potential implications. In addition, you will receive information on:

• Questions you need to ask yourself before signing a contract
• Common contractual issues reported to ADA and how to respond to them
• How to receive assistance regarding contract analysis

ADA leadership has heard your feedback on these issues and this webinar is among the many tactics we are employing as part of our coordinated communications plan on these issues. We look forward to your participation.

For more information on ADA’s activities on Third Party Payer Advocacy, visit http://ift.tt/2x7iDtO

For additional information on dental benefits, visit: http://ift.tt/2pBErL5.

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Stay engaged with ADA Success

Designed for students, ADA Success offers a series of face-to-face programs presented by ADA member dentists or other subject matter experts on the following topics:
• Managing Debt and Wealth.
• State of the Dental Profession.
• Practice Management for All Dentists.
• Finding a Job.
• Leadership and Ethics in Dentistry
• Understanding Employment Agreements.

Want to bring Success to your dental school, dental society meeting or residency program? Contact the ADA Office of Student Affairs or visit http://ift.tt/1Sc2hWy.

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Is your Find-a-Dentist profile up to date?

In July, the ADA launched a new national ad campaign to help make it easier for patients to find ADA dentists. With the ad campaign, potential patients are seeing new digital ads that share amazing teeth facts and urge them to schedule a dental checkup with an ADA dentist. The ad campaign is the latest phase of a three-year initiative to drive new patients to ADA members.

The ADA encourages members to fill out their Find-a-Dentist profiles, complete with a photo, practice information, office hours and payment options.

The online tool allows prospective patients to easily find an ADA member dentist using a ZIP code or address. They can refine their search using distance, specialty, gender, and payment options.

Participating ADA member dentists are prioritized in the search results starting with the most complete profiles. So, the more complete the profile, the higher in the search results page.

To update your Find-a-Dentist profile, log in to your MyADA page, ADA.org/MyADA, using your member ID number and password. For more information or assistance, contact the ADA Member Service Center. For more information on the campaign and for resources to help market a practice, visit ADA.org/findadentist.

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ExpatWoman review: Dental consultation and teeth cleaning with Dr. Eman Haggag

ExpatWoman's Victoria visits Dr. Eman Haggag at Dr. Michael's Dental Clinic in DHCC. Read about her experience today!

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Pediatric Dentist vs. General Dentist: What’s the Difference?

When choosing dental care for your family, you may be tempted to select a family dentist. The convenience of having all of your dental needs handled under one roof is hard to beat. However, you may be surprised to learn that your dental care needs vary greatly from your child’s, and that many family dentists refer children to a pediatric dentist.

Children’s mouths are constantly changing and developing. Even before the first tooth erupts, there are a lot of changes that happen beneath the gums. There are many factors that affect these changes, such as hormones, growth spurts, diet, genetics, the list goes on.

So, why choose a pediatric dentist? Don’t they learn the same things as a general dentist? The answer is yes – and no. A pediatric dentist specifically chooses their profession to study the dental needs of children in-depth. A pediatric dentist studies typically 2-3 years beyond that of a general dentist in order to learn about child development, emotional development, child psychology, children with special needs, childhood diseases, and much more. Typically, a pediatric dentist also participates in continuing education specifically geared towards the dental needs of children.

Psychology plays an important role in pediatric dentistry. A pediatric dentist is trained to handle children that may have anxiety about the dentist, as well as provide helpful tips for parents in order to help them prepare for appointments and cut down on the unneeded fear of the dentist.

Here’s an infographic to show you a short side-by-side comparison of pediatric dentistry vs. general dentistry.

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ADA, others support Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act

Washington — The ADA is one of 15 dental organizations supporting the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act, legislation that would enable borrowers to more efficiently pay back their loans, according to ADA News.

In a letter to Reps. John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., the Organized Dentistry Coalition — led by the American Association of Orthodontists — praised the legislators for their support of reducing the student debt burden. Reps. Garamendi and Fitzpatrick are expected to introduce the bipartisan bill later this week or during the week of Sept. 11.

“On behalf of dental students, dental specialty residents and graduates who face a staggering amount of student loan debt, our organizations greatly appreciate your efforts in promoting this important legislation to help relieve the burden of student loans,” the coalition wrote. “In particular, we endorse the legislation because it seeks to provide parity in the ability to refinance student loans and ensures the federal government does not profit from student borrowers.”

The Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act would:

• Allow borrowers to refinance their student loan interest rates to the 10-year Treasury note rate, plus 1 percent, throughout the lifetime of the loan.
• Eliminate origination fees and instead set future student loan interest rates at the 10-year Treasury note rate, plus 1 percent.
• Delay student loan interest rate accrual for many low- and middle-income borrowers while they are in school.
• Allow for borrowers in medical or dental residencies to defer payments until the completion of their programs.

The coalition pointed out that dental and dental specialty graduates have some of the highest average debt loads of any borrowers. They noted that by improving student loan repayment parameters, it will allow borrowers to make other important investments in their careers and futures such as starting a business or purchasing a home — changes that are “essential to providing a fair and equitable loan system for future borrowers and also to jumpstarting the U.S. economy.”

“We are pleased to see that the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act again has bipartisan support in the 115th Congress, and we look forward to working with you to promote the measure,” the letter concluded.

Read the letter here.

Follow all of the ADA’s advocacy efforts at ADA.org/Advocacy.

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The DSO Bubble on “The Dentalpreneur Podcast”

Dr. Mark Costes has become a powerhouse in podcasting and lecturing.  He runs one of the most successful podcasts, “The Dentalpreneur Podcast,” and he has a regular presence in many of our e-mail inboxes.

Mark started off with some questions about the editorial process for Dental Economics and then we got into the nitty gritty.  We shared some advice about becoming a dental speaker and then moved to the large economic forces that are shaping dentistry.

I was really excited to talk to him about DSOs.  I coined the phrase “The DSO Bubble” to suggest that the growth of corporate dentistry may not continue at its current pace in the long term.  I’m not anti-DSO, but I am seeing some signs that their growth may not totally overtake traditional private practice.

You can check out the interview wherever you listen to podcasts or by clicking this link.

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The power of a ‘Thank You’ card

Remember that warm and fuzzy feeling that you got last time you received a handwritten card in the mail?

Dr. Wehking

In a world that seems to grow more pessimistic every day, I’m using good ‘ol Thank You cards to celebrate the little victories in life and spread good vibes.  These little celebrations are helping not only my personal development, but also the growth of my practice.

Gratitude in my personal life:

My personal goal is to write one random Thank You note or positive Google/Yelp review per week.  I find that this goal helps me find the goodness in the every day activities like grocery shopping or ordering at a restaurant.  For example: “Wow!  Sheila really went out of her way to help me find the vitamins!”  Instead of, “Ugh, why are the vitamins always so hard to find?”

Gratitude in my practice:

Each new patient receives a thank you card from every team member that they came in contact with during their visit. While this may sound like a pain in the neck and just another thing to keep track of, it’s actually super easy.  We paperclip a Thank You card to each new patient’s paperwork and as we hand-off the patient from dentist to assistant to hygienist, every person takes 10 seconds (YES, IT LITERALLY ONLY TAKES 10 SECONDS) to add a little note to the card.

Writing a card (or leaving a review) gives me time in the day to stop and be thankful.  It’s my time to remember that my patients have chosen to trust *me* to care for them.

Sending good vibes is also a great marketing tool.  Not only will the patient get the warm and fuzzies when they receive your card in the mail, but its another point of contact with them to keep your office on their mind.  You know what’s really cool?  Sometimes we get a Thank You card back!  You certainly can’t deny that it just plain feels good to be appreciated.

Dr. Dawn Wehking graduated from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 2010. She is a member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association and the Boulder/Broomfield County Dental Society. She was awarded Fellow status with the Academy of General Dentistry.  She finished the Spear Education curriculum, a place where great dentists go to learn how to be exceptional dentists.  She  serves as visiting faculty at Spear Education. Dr. Wehking is also an ADA Success Speaker, teaching dental students about life after dental school. Dr. Wehking owns a small private practice in Lafayette, Colorado. On her days off, you’ll find her with her furry children, enjoying Colorado’s great outdoors.

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Pathways to Dentistry: VA Hospital

When Dr. Sam Willens was in dental school, he imagined himself one day working in his own private practice office.

So these days, about seven years since graduation and six years since he got hired on full-time at a Veterans Affairs hospital dental clinic just outside Chicago, his main advice for other new dentists is “keep an open mind.”

Dr. Sam Willens

Without keeping an open mind about his career, “I would’ve missed out on the opportunity to work here. Six years later I have no regrets with my decision to practice dentistry in a VA Medical Center. It is a huge honor to be able to provide oral health care to our nations veterans,” said Dr. Willens, a 2010 graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago.

At the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Dental Clinic, Dr. Willens sees veterans of all ages and provides comprehensive dental care.

The VA setting is superb for patient care, he said, because there is communication between the dental and medical teams as well as access to an integrated electronic health record.

“This allows us to provide safe and ideal treatment to even the most complicated cases,” he said.

Dr. Willens completed a rotation at the VA hospital during his nal year of dental school. After graduating, he  ursued a general practice rotation at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, a program that was affliated with the VA hospital. A full-time position opened up there before he nished his residency, and a colleague encouraged him to apply.

After considering the satisfaction he felt working there, Dr. Willens said he asked himself, “Why wouldn’t I apply?”

In addition to treating patients, Dr. Willens in his current role supervises general practice residents, a part of his job that appeases his interest in dental education, he said.

But perhaps the best part of the job, he said, is the opportunity to meet so many veterans, learn their stories and thank them for their service. “I feel so much respect for what they’ve done and being able to help improve their oral health is my small way of giving back,” Dr. Willens said.

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Why Your Patients Should Never Come First

Speakers and Consultants have said for years in lectures and workshops that “Patients Come First.” I get it. As health care providers, we want our patients to feel like they are very well taken care of, that they are important, and that we truly care about them as people. We start to believe that people […]

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