Be careful not to commit fraud. Patients sometimes make requests that may represent fraud. The patient might know it is wrong, but they may ask the practice to put a different date on an insurance …
Confusion creates paralysis.
Confusion creates paralysis. The treatment coordinator consult must be extremely clear, step-by-step, and value-based. More and more patients are becoming confused about all of the different …
Where are the bottlenecks?
Where are the bottlenecks? Bottlenecks are a business term that refers to anything that slows a system down. There are collection issues, unexpected emergencies, absent staff members, and patients who …
Overhead is rising.
Overhead is rising. It is no surprise to any practice that overhead is rising. In our 2022 Dental Economics-Levin Group Annual Practice Survey, we found that production had increased in most practices …
Have you taken a deep dive lately?
Have you taken a deep dive lately? Each year we suggest that dentists identify one area that they want to focus on to add to or improve in their practice. For some it is management systems. For others …
What exactly are you waiting for?
What exactly are you waiting for? We often hear from practices that had significant potential for growth and development years ago that they were waiting for the right time. What exactly does that …
Kill the stress.
Kill the stress. The best way to kill stress is to improve your practice systems on a consistent basis. A simple question to ask at the end of every day is “What did we improve today?” If you cannot …
Do patients think you’re worth it?
Do patients think you’re worth it? In dentistry, we all know the value of a good orthodontist. However, there’s a lot of confusion in internet advertising about where orthodontics should be done. …
Who do you admire?
Who do you admire? If you truly admire someone, can you identify the one characteristic, trait, or behavior that you like best about this person? In many cases, this is an opportunity to begin to work …
Pause before answering.
Pause before answering. When patients ask questions, they are often questions you’ve heard hundreds of times before. Dentists and team members are human and when we know the answer, we often jump in …
Give patients options.
Give patients options. Don’t be afraid to give patients options when presenting treatment. Just be sure to let the patient know which option you think is best and why. People always want to know why, …
Are you frustrated?
Are you frustrated? If you’re experiencing any frustration in your orthodontic practice, an excellent approach to overcoming it is called the frustration exercise. A frustration exercise involves …
