Improve efficiency with a hygiene assistant. To increase hygiene production, consider adding a hygiene assistant. This will require the use of two dedicated treatment rooms so the hygienist can move …

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Institute procedural time studies. Dentists and team members often have a false impression of how long procedures take. They need to better understand the length of time that each treatment actually …

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Acknowledge your fellow team members. Surprise your co-workers by leaving a silly, fun, or inspiring note anonymously for them at the end of the day. When they come in the next morning and discover …

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Script every patient interaction. Scripting helps dentists and team members communicate more effectively with patients. As in sports, working from the same “playbook” builds team unity. Scripting …

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Plan interoffice communications in advance. When the treatment timetable for a referred patient is predictable, schedule communications with offices and patients ahead of time. Or, when appropriate, …

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Advice for the Hygienist – Build more value for the hygiene visit. Many patients think of it as “only a cleaning.” More of them will schedule regularly if they are aware of all the services you can …

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Advice for the Dentist – Assign responsibility for each target. Every target must be “owned” by the doctor or a staff member. Practice leaders shoulder ultimate responsibility for practice …

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If you find a certain administrative process frustrating, figure out how to change it. Even the best management systems develop bottlenecks. If you run into a snag in your work, think about why it’s …

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Advice for the Front Desk Team – Help patients with their insurance. Dental insurance coverage is a source of anxiety for many people. Anything you can do to alleviate that anxiety is a win for the …

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Ask patients for feedback. Many dentists and teams have only a vague notion of how patients truly feel about their practices. Without specific data, patient satisfaction is difficult to gauge. …

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Advice for the Dentist – Have lunch with a team member. To learn more about your staff members and to give them a better sense of what motivates you, meet with them individually to share a meal. This …

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Give encouragement and compliments to patients. If patients are doing a great job sitting still for a lengthy procedure, compliment them. They’ll appreciate it and feel better about the appointment. …

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