Attitude matters. Staff attitude is often the fundamental element that determines how patients perceive the practice and whether they remain loyal. An upbeat, energized team will have a far more positive effect on patients. There will always be challenging days, but having a good attitude in the face of adversity impresses patients and inspires your fellow team members.
Friday Freebie: Watch Dr. Levin’s video, “Game Changer #5 – Dental Service Organizations” by clicking here.
Don’t just communicate… influence. Whenever you are communicating with parents, keep practice objectives in mind. Go beyond information to motivation, influencing parents to show up for appointments, comply with instructions, refer new patients, etc.
Additional Resource: Read a FREE excerpt from Dr. Levin’s book, “7 Secrets to Communicating with Dental Patients,” by clicking here.
Watch for ways to collaborate with team members. In a well-run practice, each team member’s individual responsibilities are clearly spelled out. Yet there are always opportunities for staff members to help others, especially during the busy holiday season. Think about how you can assist your teammates. Share information and insights. Suggest ideas and improvements. Volunteer to cover for staff members who are swamped or away from the office. The more you offer, the more you are likely to receive in return… and the better the team as a whole will perform.
Whitepaper Wednesday: Download Dr. Levin’s FREE whitepaper, “The 9 Areas of Expertise: Team Building,” by clicking here.
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 requires. Incorrect scheduling can lead to large gaps or hurried appointments, which some practices see as unavoidable. Through procedural time studies, treatment can be more accurately scheduled and opportunities can be created for greater profitability and less stress.
Additional Resource: Watch Dr. Levin’s video, “New Rules – Production Per Chair Scheduling” by clicking here.
Advice for the Pediatric Dentist – Keep an open mind. Team members will be inspired if they see their leader replacing obsolete thinking with new ideas, learning better ways to run the practice as a business, and paying serious attention to team members’ comments and suggestions for change. A “my way or the highway” attitude usually backfires, resulting in resentment and resistance. A leader inspires by listening, learning, adapting and distributing credit where it belongs.
Management Monday: Check out Dr. Levin’s whitepaper, “Level IV Leadership,” by clicking here.
Offer convenient appointments. Do you have convenient appointments for new patients spread throughout your schedule? The days of trying to force new patients into inconvenient appointments are over because most people will simply not accept them. And if they do schedule it’s likely that they will cancel, cancel at the last minute, or not show up at all.
Friday Freebie: Watch Dr. Levin’s video, “New Rules – Schedule 98% of New Patients Who Call The Practice” by clicking here.
KPI Spotlight: Average Production Per New Patient. The average production per new patient is an essential statistic for every practice. When the average production per new patient is increasing, it’s a healthy sign that the practice is moving in the right direction. New patients typically make up 40% of doctor production in a general practice. Be sure to keep tabs on this vital statistic.
Whitepaper Wednesday: Check out Dr. Levin’s whitepaper, “The 9 Areas of Expertise: New Patient Experience,” by clicking here.
Script every patient interaction. Scripting helps pediatric dentists and team members communicate more effectively with parents and patients. As in sports, working from the same “playbook” builds team unity. Scripting communicates clear and consistent messages to patients and parents by using:
Additional Resource: Watch Dr. Levin’s video, “Case Presentation – What’s Working & What’s Not” by clicking here.
Stay in the loop with OSHA. Are you up-to-date on all OSHA standards? The only way to be sure is to invite an OSHA consultant to perform a review and give you feedback. It’s amazing how many OSHA regulations go unnoticed by practices.
Management Monday: Check out Dr. Levin’s whitepaper, “Wherever You Are Today, You Won’t Be There Tomorrow,” by clicking here.
Write goals in clear, specific language. Documenting goals in this way actually makes them more attainable. By having carefully defined written goals, your entire practice team will be motivated to achieve them. Vague, general objectives… or worse, goals that aren’t even written down… lack this motivational power.
Friday Freebie: Watch Dr. Levin’s video, “New Rules – Goal Setting is Critical and Powerful” by clicking here.