HOW TO SPOT AN OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL DISORDER DURING THE HYGIENE VISIT; Five signs to look for that could change a life

By: admin

December 13, 2017

Have you noticed that some patients tend to have more lunch stuck on their teeth then others?

You know the patient that comes in and apologizes for eating on the way to her appointment. You tell her that it is fine, that you are just glad she had lunch. When she opens her mouth, you are shocked. It appears that the entire bagel is still in her mouth, smashed up against her teeth. How is that possible?

Then there is the 60-year old man that instantly falls asleep when you lean the chair back and starts snoring just as you are going to give him an injection. How about the cute little six-year old girl that has a speech impediment, or the five-year old boy with an overjet and long skinny face with dark circles under his eyes.

You may have thought that the lady with the bagel mouth was just not kind enough to clean up before her appointment, and left you to do it for her. Well, it is very likely that she has an ankylosed tongue that does not allow her tongue to reach up high enough to clean food debris off of her teeth.

It may be obvious to you right away that the 60-year old man is suffering from sleep apnea, but did you know that is could be due to his tongue not being able to reach up to the roof of his mouth. It is literally blocking his airway at night because it rests on the floor of this mouth.

That cute little six-year old girl hasn’t been able to develop proper speech patterns due to a tongue thrust. And you got it, the five-year old boy is a thumb sucker. These are all signs of an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD).

HOW TO SCREEN FOR OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL DISORDERS

Dentists and hygienists are in a prime position to screen for Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders. There are several signs we can screen for to determine if the patient may have a disorder and benefit from seeing a trained therapist. The following are some of the most commons signs:

Upper or Lower Lip Frenum Restriction

Jaw Pain or Clicking/Popping

Mouth Breathing

Sleep Apnea

Snoring

Ankyloglossia (tongue tie)

Forward Head Posture

Neck Pain

Enlarged Tonsils/Adenoids

Acid Reflex

Narrow Palate or Crooked Teeth

ADHD

If you are new to learning about OMT, keep it simple by starting with these five signs and symptoms:

Ankyloglossia

Commonly referred to as “tongue-tie” occurs when the lingual frenulum is too short to allow for normal tongue movements. Best if done with the patient in an upright position. Have the patient open wide and lift his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Determine is he is able to reach his tongue up to his incisive papilla easily or if he struggles. Then have him stick his tongue straight out, if the tip appears heart shaped, this is a sign that he is tongue tied. The heart shape apex happens when the frenum is short and pulls down the center of the tongue.

Low tongue rest posture

Think mouth breather. When nasal breathing is impaired, the jaw drops and the tongue rests low and forward in the mouth in order to open the airway for breathing. It may be that nasal breathing is not impaired, but mouth breathing has become a habit. Watch for your patients resting position. Is the mouth open? Is he breathing out of his mouth or nose?

Tongue Thrust

Tongue thrust is in which the anterior surface of the tongue makes repeated contact with any of the anterior teeth, or protrudes between the arches. Have the patient swallow for you while you are holding his bottom lip. If he has a tongue thrust he may have a very hard time swallowing. He may need to pull the lower lip out of your hand in order to complete the swallow. In a healthy swallow, the tongue rests in the palate, the teeth come together, and then the person swallows. The facial muscle should not move, so any lip puckering or licking of the lips before swallowing should be warning signs of tongue thrust. Another sign will be an anterior open bite.

Sleep Apnea

When you place a patient in the supine position and he immediately falls asleep and starts to snore, this is a sign that he may have sleep apnea or other conditions keeping him up at night. Luckily for us trying to get work done, this does not happen very often. In most cases you will need to question the patient. You will often get the response of “my wife tells me I snore, but I don’t know”. If nothing else, this is an opportunity for them to become mindful of possible snoring and to question their spouse or use a sleeping app to record their sleeping patterns and sounds. Referring the patient to have a sleep study or consult with his medical doctor is a good place to start.

Digit Sucking

Although there are adults that suck their thumb, odds are that most of your thumb sucking patients will be children. It may be an easy screening if you see the child suck his thumb, but often they will not do it in public and you will have to look for signs and question the parents. Look for an anterior open bite and a swollen nub on the patients thumb or fingers. One reason a child may suck his thumb at night is to help open his airway so he can breathe. If he has a tongue tie he may be using a digit to press the tongue down out of the way. Resting the tongue on the incisive papilla area is also soothing and if his habit is hold the tongue down, he is missing out on this natural soothing technique. OMT specialists have ways to help break the child of this habit and can help with underlying causes.

WHAT IS OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is the neuromuscular re-education or re-patterning of the oral and facial muscles. It is the establishment of correct functional activities of the tongue, lips and jaw, so that normal growth and development may progress in a stable, homeostatic environment. OMT specialists obtain training in this field in order to work with patients to correct disorders that are affecting their well-being. Think physical therapy for the mouth.

HOW TO BECOME A TRAINED OROLFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPIST

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapists include dentists, dental hygienists, speech pathologists and occupational therapists. Although OMT may be in the scope of our license, further training is required in order to properly treat patients. Training opportunities for those interested in learning more about Myofunctional Therapy include private mentoring from a current Myofunctional Therapist, courses through academies or associations, or information learned within the educational curriculum.

CONCLUSION

Proper treatment of OMD’s require a collaboration of dental and medical professionals. By being aware of the signs for these disorders, you are able to provide a screening for potential issues and refer them to seek treatment with a trained OMT. When you become aware of OMD’s you will start to see them everywhere- maybe even in the mirror.

References:

International Association of Orofacial Myology- www.iaom.com

Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy- www.aomtinfo.org

Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences- www.aamsinfo.org

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association- www.asha.org

Cindy Rogers, RDH, BS, OMT is the lead hygiene advisor for Dental Practice Solutions. She started in dentistry as the front desk girl in 1998, and has since been a business leader, dental hygienist, writer and untiring advocate of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy.

The Dental Hygienists Role in Keeping Doctor’s Schedule Full

By: admin

December 6, 2017

Every success schedule in the dental office begins with a strategy. Without a strategic plan, you are not able to meet the financial goals to keep your dental practice surviving.

The best plan is to not survive, but thrive.

What is the dental hygienist’s role in keeping doctor’s schedule full?

1^st Step to Doctor’s Success Schedule

The first step for hygienists to help keep doctors schedule full is to have a mindset that they are like an associate to doctor; helping the practice to grow.

2^nd Step to Successful Scheduling

The next step is actually two-pronged. The hygienist needs to audit all patient records before their day at the office begins. This audit serves many purposes but for this blog we will stick to the topic of what a hygienist’s role is for successful scheduling and helping doctor’s schedule stay full all day.

When auditing the patient’s records look to see what outstanding treatment is necessary. Why does the patient need to schedule this? What is the urgency the hygienist and all the clinicians will speak to this patient about?

For example: Does the patient have a dark spot on their bite-wing x-ray and when you audit the patients record you feel concerned they may very soon have a toothache.

Why did this patient not want to schedule this appointment? It is important to understand the patient’s objection so that when the hygienist has the patient in their chair they can immediately address the patient’s previous objection.

Example: Without even saying; “I know money is a concern,” what you can say is (Have the patient seated upright in the chair with x-rays, and/or intra-oral photos there in front of the patient), “Mrs. Jones, doctor and I are both concerned about this black spot on your x-ray. Let me show you this area. Do you see this black spot? Here is the nerve of your tooth and as you can see this black spot is very close to the nerve which means that once it reaches the nerve it will cause a toothache and also means we probably need to do a root canal and a tooth with a root canal needs a tooth. This means spending a lot more money to keep this tooth.”

Notice how the hygienist in this example address the patients concern before they could even give their objection which they stated at their last appointment and this is the reason the treatment is unscheduled.

It is also very important that hygienists not only think about the gum health of their patients but provide a visual exam.

After the hygienist completes all of their screenings, it is a great time to sit the patient upright in the chair and show them what you see. Look together with the patient. Make the patient part of this process. This means that you look together and ask the patient if they see what you see.

Use words that the patient understands. Saying words like “periodontal disease,” and “tooth decay” probably don’t mean as much to your patient as if the words: gum infection, inflammation, active disease, cavity, black soft spot, etc.”

When you see holes in doctor’s schedule it’s time to take a look at the hygiene patient exam process. It’s a great time to look at patient records who have not scheduled their appointment and discuss as a team what you can do differently so these patients will schedule and pay.

The best way to get patients scheduled and paying for the care you offer is to communicate (your words and actions) in a way that helps the patient to feel and believe they want what they need.

Many of your patients have left your office without committing to schedule and pay for your care. Many of these patients also took very nice vacations this summer, they already plan to buy that new iPhone X, some have spent a lot of money on a really nice car and many have spent thousands of dollars on a sleeve of body of tattoo’s.

Our job? We have a responsibility to help our patients want what they need. Don’t most people want to live a longer and healthier life? This is our overarching message, “Optimal oral health will help you live a longer and healthier life!”

Still have holes in your schedule? Please feel free to reach out to an expert. This is one area that we have created a success strategy around. Our client offices have many patients who now schedule and pay for treatment AND many of their patients pay before their treatment is complete.

Our client offices have a system in place for big cases where patients are currently paying in advance for doctor and hygienist’s services.

Most of the medical cosmetic offices have patients pay in advance and why can’t your patients feel urgency to pay for keeping a healthy mouth?!

It’s all in how you are delivering your message to the patient in your chair.

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS is a dental consultant, coach, speaker and author. She is also CEO of Dental Hygiene Solutions, powered by Dental Practice Solutions. Debbie is a world-class leader in creating profitable hygiene departments. She is well-known as a former clinical assistant professor at USC in Los Angeles and a former hygiene department program director. Dentistry Today recognizes Debbie as a Leader in Dental Consulting.

DENTISTRY TODAY considers her a top dental consultant for the past 16 yrs.

The focus of Dental Practice Solutions is to create healthier, longer lives for your patients while supporting the practice to optimize their hygiene department. The team at Dental Practice Solutions, takes an integrative approach with your team to create an increase in your production and collections without working harder. When you continue to use the systems implemented, you will benefit from production that creates dividends year after year, for the life of your dental practice.

Debbie is also a former Hygiene Program Director and clinical assistant professor for the dental hygiene program at USC in Los Angeles.

Debbie is passionate about supporting dental teams to provide a profitable, patient-centered dental practice through improving systems and efficiencies in the dental hygiene department

Your Dental Practice Profitability Compass

By: admin

November 29, 2017

How much time did you spend planning your last vacation?

Did you map it out?

Or, did you just throw some clothes in a suitcase and take-off in your car headed in what you thought was the quickest path to your destination?

I bet that you took many hours to plan your last vacation and you started packing probably the week before you left.

In today’s world of technology, you pulled up your map using your mobile device and maybe you printed the directions on your laser printer.

How much time do you spent planning your day at the dental office?

Does your team have a practice profitability compass?

Your Compass

The compass we provide our clients is what you probably know as a “team huddle.”

Once you have this system in place, it should take about ten minutes to plan your day.

The entire team will audit their area of expertise.

Here are a few suggestions to organize your team huddle:

Begin with the financial coordinator (Office manager or similar position) reporting on production/ collections: Monthly goal and your current month-to-date production/collections. Talk about what went well the previous day and what did not go well, etc.
Scheduling coordinator reports on open holes in today schedule and in the near future. Let the team know about ER patient availability. Provide doctor with a list of new patients for him/her to call before their 1^st (Yes! This is something different and you will stand out among other dentists in your community if you do this one thing!)
Hygienists come to this meeting with an understanding and communicate to the team about which patients need: new medical history, Oral ID™ FMX/BWX, doctor exam, perio charting, outstanding restorative needs, family members who also need a hygiene appointment or restorative care, post-op call update (For all patients who received local anesthesia), etc.
Assistants audit their schedule to share and inquire about patients with special needs, local anesthetic needed, type of impression needed, results of post-op calls from the day before, which patients have family members who need a hygiene or restorative appointment, etc.
Yes, even doctor has a part in the morning team huddle. We suggest that our doctor call all new patients scheduled during the week prior to their 1^st appointment. Doctor will report on the outcome of this quick call to welcome the new patient.

When everyone takes time to look at their schedule and review their patient needs as listed above, you will discover adjunctive and necessary services your scheduled patients and their family members need.

When you look at your practice profitability compass you can work together as a team to close various gaps in meeting your goals. You will also be able to serve your patients at a much higher level.

Closing the Gaps

Maybe you are still scratching your head. Some of you think meetings are a waste of time.

What I am suggesting is that everyone let the team know what is needed to make the day profitable, efficient and provides the best care for the patients.

Your morning team huddle will help navigate your day and eliminate any un-necessary bottlenecks which might occur.

This compass is what makes a day that has a smooth landing without turbulence.

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS is a dental consultant, coach, speaker and author. She is also CEO of Dental Practice Solutions. Debbie is a world-class leader in creating profitable hygiene departments. She is well-known as a former clinical assistant professor at USC in Los Angeles and a former hygiene department program director. Dentistry Today recognizes Debbie as a Leader in Dental Consulting.

Be sure to grab this free 3-part hygiene video department training, webinar on the Gingivitis Code plus flowchart on training the patient with gingivitis and Strategic Planning Session: http://www.dentalhygiene.solutions/

You can reach Dental Practice Solutions to schedule a complimentary strategic planning session by calling 949-351-8741 or you can send an email to: admin@dentalpracticesollutions.com

You can also go to the website: www.https://dentalpracticesolutions.com

Santa Monica Dental Consultant | Prevention Alzheimer’s Disease: A Team Approach

By: admin

November 13, 2017

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the number of people with the disease has soared to nearly 5.5 million.

Lifestyle changes can make a difference and as healthcare providers we are on the forefront of educating our patients.

We also have much research that states inflammation in the mouth causes inflammation in the body.

A team approach to prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease is how we can conquer disease in our world today. Our team approach includes a discussion with our patients about the mouth-body connection.

Studies are very encouraging as they have shown that it is easier than you think to prevent the disease. It is much easier in today’s world to keep your mind sharp and engaged as you age.

Although currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, here are some simple strategies that may help reducing your risk:

Be Active

It’s important to include 150 minutes of moderate exercise each. This is the single most important thing you can do for prevention. The Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation suggests that regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing the disease by as much as 50 percent. While cardio is an important aspect of overall health, including weight training to increase muscle mass works towards maintaining healthy brain functions.

Share a Cup of Tea

Encourage your patients, family and friends to socially engage with others. It’s too difficult in today’s world of technology to sit and text our family and friends let alone, play around on social media. Time passes quickly when you are pre-occupied with technology so put exercise on your calendar. If you want to sustain healthy cognitive functions you must get out there and be with people who can stimulate your senses. When you remain socially active it becomes your defense against Alzheimer’s even later in life. And while you’re at it, make a pot of green tea to share. 2-4 cups of green tea a day has been proven to sharpen memory and slow the brain’s aging.

Healthy Eating

You can adopt simple eating habits that will improve your brain’s overall health. Put a halt to eating foods loaded with trans fats and refined sugar as much as possible. Both of these lead to brain inflammation. Be sure to include foods high in Omega-3 fats. Salmon and Omega-3 rich foods contain DHA. Omega-3 fats and DHA prevent Alzheimer’s. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, especially berries and leafy greens, which contain antioxidants that protect your brain.

Challenge Your Brain

The more obscure and unfamiliar the challenge, the better it is for your brain health. Learning something new causes your brain to create new pathways. Try reading a new book, solve a puzzle, learn to play an unusual instrument or learn a foreign language. Mental stimulation and continued learning throughout life have shown promising results in preventing Alzheimer’s.

Get Your ZZZZZZZ’s

A routine sleep schedule can help reduce memory problems in more than a few ways. Research shows that lack of sleep may actually be a risk factor in developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Sleep loss slows your ability to think, creating a negative effect on your mood, two factors that contribute to developing Alzheimer’s later in life.

Humor. LOL

Humor is one of the best ways to curb stressful situations and avoiding chronic stress is essential to Alzheimer’s prevention. Daily stress causes shrinkage in areas of the brain that cause memory loss. Stress also inhibits the growth of nerve cells. Laugh, smiles a lot and don’t take yourself so seriously.

We live in a time of expanding research and recent studies give promise to a potential cure for Alzheimer’s. Prevention is the most significant step you can take in controlling the future of your mental health. Let’s not wait until there is a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.

As healthcare professionals, let’s work together as a team and educate our patients, our family and friends about the mouth-body connection.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTO HERE ABOUT Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS is an international dental consultant, coach, speaker and author. She is also CEO of Dental Practice Solutions. Debbie is a world-class leader in creating profitable hygiene departments. She is well-known as a former clinical assistant professor at USC in Los Angeles and a former hygiene department program director. Dentistry Today recognizes Debbie as a Leader in Dental Consulting.

Newport Beach Dental Consultant | How Do We Bill It and Get Reimbursed?

By: admin

November 3, 2017

Please join Founder of Dental Practice Solutions, Debbie Seidel-Bittke and Consultant, JoAnn Leon
for the course
“How Do We Bill It and Get Reimbursed?”

JoAnn Leon will walk attendees through the correct treatment and billing sequence for reimbursement to occur is a timely manner.

Proper sequence must occur for many services so patients insurance will reimburse the service rendered.

The following topics and challenges offices often face will be covered at the upcoming course:

Extractions – Routine or Surgical: Why you may not be getting paid.
Bone Graft at the Time of Extraction: What is your billing sequence and information submitted to insurance co.?
Ortho Extractions: Are you getting paid? JoAnn will share exactly how these need to properly be submitted to insurance for expedited insurance reimbursement.
Dry Sockets: Are you getting paid? JoAnn will discuss the proper method for reimbursement.
Offices with Invisalign: How are you billing? Steps to expedite reimbursement.
Emergency visits: How to use the after hours code.
Proper Billing for Occlusal Adjustment.
And so much more!

Course Information

Course Date: November 30, 2017
Dinner Begins at 6:00 PM
Course: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
2 CE Credits

Click Here to Register

**Limited Seats Available**

We ask that those attending bring their billing challenges as JoAnn will take time to personally work with you to ensure these claims are reimbursed.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Five ways to acquire new patients this month

By: admin

September 27, 2017

More than ever, the saying “if you’re not growing, you’re dying” is the truth in the dental industry. Building and maintaining a thriving dental practice in today’s competitive landscape is becoming increasingly difficult.

Acquiring new patients in this environment requires equal parts strategy and persistence. You’ll want to have a plan in place for both digital and traditional marketing while ensuring you’re providing a consistently exceptional customer experience.

Here are some ideas to get you on the path to acquire new patients this month.

#1 – Reviews

I know – asking for reviews can be uncomfortable. However, it’s essential for dental practices to build a foundation of good reviews. Research shows that 91% of consumers read reviews and 84% trust them as much as a personal recommendation (BrightLocal). Additionally, having 50 or more reviews can mean a 4.6% increase in conversion rate (Reevoo).

If you don’t have a system in place to generate reviews from your patients, you’re missing out on a key piece of social proof and losing patients to your dental competitors who are actively building their reputation online.

#2 – Facebook marketing

On average, Facebook sees a jaw-dropping average of 1.13 billion daily active users (Hootsuite). Of the internet users in the United States, 82% of 18-29 year-olds, 79% of 30-49 year-olds and 56% of 65+ year-olds are on facebook (Hootsuite).

Statistically, that means that your practice can reach a good chunk of potential patients directly through the social media platform. Facebook offers tons of unique demographic filters, making it simple and cost-effective to target potential new patients in your area.

Pro tip: Implement real-time, online scheduling and give patients the ability to schedule directly from your Facebook ads. LocalMed closes the loop on the patient acquisition process, giving your marketing ROI a boost.

#3 – Answer your phone

LocalMed surveyed their users asking why they chose to schedule online instead of calling the office. Of those who mentioned they had attempted to call, an astonishing 53.6% of their calls went unanswered.

… Yikes.

Bottom line: Make sure your phone is answered during office hours! Bonus points if you can prevent putting them on hold. If not, you’re losing potential patients.

#4 – Promote your patient referral program

As mentioned earlier, online reviews are incredibly important, but so is good old-fashioned word of mouth. 83% of people in 60 countries trust recommendations from their friends and family, making it the most credible form of advertisement available (Nielsen Company).

Focus on ensuring your patient’s experience is stellar from start-to-finish, then promote your (amazing!) patient referral program.

Not only do referrals increase the effectiveness of your marketing up to 54%, but happy patients’ referrals have a 37% higher retention rate compared to other acquisition channels (Deloitte). Talk about a win-win!
#5 – Implement real-time, online scheduling

It’s 2017, and your patients are texting, Facebooking and Uber-ing. Do you really think they want to call your office and spend 8.1 minutes scheduling an appointment (Accenture 2013 consumer survey)?

Absolutely not.

81% of patients would prefer to schedule their appointment online, and 59% of Millennials would switch healthcare providers for one with better online access (Decipher Research / Intuit Health).

When you sign up for real-time, online scheduling, you provide patients the convenience they’re looking for, while also closing the loop on the patient acquisition process. Potential patients can schedule an appointment instantly, wherever they find you, 24/7.

And there you have it.

Five digital and traditional marketing methods you can try out to win new patients this month and increase your competitiveness in the rapidly-evolving dental industry. Which one will you try?

Author

Mandy Fischer, Marketing Coordinator at Local Med.

Thank you to LocalMed for the guest blog this week! Should you wish for patients to have the ability to schedule appointments without a phone call to your office, LocalMed has a scheduling system you want to check out. Our clients use their widget and get a higher number of new patients scheduling from their website and much more.

Want To Know What’s New in 2018 for ADA CDT Codes?

Join us on November 30th in Los Alamitos

“How Do We Bill it and Get Reimbursed?” From Gingivitis to Peri-Implantitis

Do you have rejected claims?

If you have challenges with reimbursement of perio and gingivitis patients; how do you code the service when the patient doesn’t have radiogrpahic bone loss?
What is the most efficient process for reimbursement of crowns, implants, fixed or removable prosthetics?
We will also address new changes in the ADA CDT Coding coming in 2018.

If you have questions, then you must attend this very informative, Q & A Session with your dental colleagues.

We have put together a fun CE with answers to your billing and coding questions. Light dinner will be served but seating is very limited so you must pre-register. $40 for CE, Food & Drinks

2 CE’s, Food, Drinks, Fun and Lots of Learning.

Check-in and dinner: 6:00 – 6:30

Course: 6:30-8:30

Presented by:

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS, CEO of Dental Practice

JoAnn Leon, Certified Quality Assurance Procedural Auditor

Member of California Association of Dental Plans

Front Office Procedure Consultant at Dental Practice Solutions

REGISTER HERE

Website: www.https://dentalpracticesolutions.com

Beyond the Medical History: Questions You Must Ask.

By: admin

September 20, 2017

Save Lives! Review Your Patient’s Medical History

During this month of September, I want to dedicate my blogs to my mother Pauline Seidel. In 2002, my mother came in for her hygiene appointment after having her mitral valve replaced.

During my periodontal evaluation I discovered a perio/endo abscess and she later had the tooth extracted and a bridge placed. She soon after completing the dental procedure had a stroke and died from endocarditis.

I really do not know for sure if when she had the extraction, that she took her pre-med. I don’t know if the dental office asked the important questions such as:

Do you have any heart conditions?
Did you take your pre-med today?

I know that we, as clinicians, and our patients, are in a hurry most days. That’s how life is in todays face-paced world!

Updating Your Medical History Process

The medical history is something I am very passionate about because I have reason to believe that my mother may have not taken her pre-medication which is imperative when you have your mitral-valve replaced. What I observe in offices is patients are seated and the assistants go to bring in doctor. Hygienist’s feel like there is not enough time to do it all so the review of medical history and even taking patients’ blood pressure are forgotten.

Do you have a system in place about reviewing the patient medical history?
How often to do you and your team members seat a patient in the chair and ask about the patients’ medical history?
Do you ask more questions after the patient tells you, “No changes.” ?
What is your office protocol for reviewing and updating the medical dental history?

Save a Life

Besides asking, “Do you have any changes in your medical history?” – Let’s create other questions to ask our patients. We are in the business of creating longer and healthier lives; right?!

Questions to Ask

The medical history you have may not be able to answer all the important questions you need to know for example:

Do you have any heart problems?
Do you take any blood thinners?

Even patients who do have heart problems, in my experience, have forgotten (I know…!) to write this in the medical history and they have even forgotten to let the clinician know about the change(s). Take a step forward in saving a life and ask more questions beyond what your patient has written on their medical history.

Some Examples of Questions You Must Ask (Even if the patient didn’t check these in their medical history):

Have you had any recent surgeries?
- Again, I have had a patient forget to update their medical change and the man forgot, probably didn’t want me to know, he just had throat surgery (Hard to believe I know; but it’s a true story!)
Do you have a dry mouth?
- Good to know when your patient takes a lot of medications.
  - It’s the number one side-effect with medications
- Xylitol or Fluoride Varnish and 5% Fluoride Gel can prevent decay
Do you drive and text?
- Oh! You haven’t heard about this question? Refer to the above section “Save a Life” because this is our business

Today’s medical history forms can provide great information such as should you text, call or email your patient?

You can discover some great information that can help keep the perfect connection going beyond the patient in your dental chair.

Seating Your Patient

We recommend that you seat your patient and then just sit with your patient for few minutes to “connect.” Sit knee-to-knee and eye-to-eye with no patient bib. Use the next 2 minutes to connect, find something outside of dentistry to talk about. Create a human experience, not a dental experience at this point.

After you connect with that person in your chair, now ask the important questions and begin the review of their medical history.

This connection is a key secret to our clients who are highly profitable. Find out something personal or something that will make them light up and feel comfortable in the dental office (You do know most patients don’t want to be at the dentist. sad but it’s true.) Let your patients feel how much you care for them. They are more than a patient in your chair.

Conclusion

As fast as dentistry changes; so must your medical history.

Think about having online forms and accessible on a tablet or desktop in your front office. For new patients it can be an efficient and time-saving process to have your office forms online and accessible through a link you email or a place on your website.

When was the last time your updated your actual form to capture patient’s medical history?

How often does your office want a new medical history form completed?

These are important questions your entire team must know the answers to.

Make sure you have every person who seats the patient take a moment to “connect” with that person in the chair and then never forget to review the medical history before any dental treatment begins. And if you can implement a blood pressure screening annually, you will definitely hear from your patients that you have saved a life (or many for that matter!).

Together, as a team of healthcare professionals we can save many lives. That is what we are all about isn’t it?!

“Help Patients Keep teeth and Save Lives.”

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

ABOUT DEBBIE SEIDEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS founded Dental Practice Solutions in 2000. She is considered a Leader in Dentistry by Dentistry Today. Debbie shares how to optimize your hygiene department with offices globally. The approach to optimize your dental hygiene department is an integrative approach as the entire team learns how to drive efficiencies and profitability in the practice. Teams that have worked with the team at Dental Practice Solutions have now doubled their practice production without working harder.

For optimizing your hygiene department grab our no-cost hygiene department video training series which includes a gingivitis webinar and a gingivitis patient treatment flow chart: enter your name and email here to receive this

During the month of September you can schedule a no-cost Strategic Planning Session to optimize your profit potential in 2018. This is a value of $500. Call or email Kate to get this scheduled today: 949-351-8741 or mail.admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com

Secret Ingredients to Your Dental Practice Success

By: admin

May 25, 2017

The success of a dental practice depends upon doctor “OWNING” their business, taking the lead, building up their team and then implementing all the systems, info, etc., provided to them by the dental practice management consultant.

Dental Practice Solutions can only deliver the ingredients for your dental practice to use. It is up to you to implement and use the knowledge we provide. This is how it all comes together to create HUGE SUCCESS!

I am “Over the Moon” excited to receive this message when I awoke this morning.

This is the message I received from our client:

“Looks like we will do over $45k this week.

We have smashed target for the month of May, thanks to the hygienist packages.”

~Dr. Rachel Hall, Evolve Dental Healing

Secret Ingredients to Your Dental Practice Success:

“Hygienist Packages” refers to our proprietary system for dental hygienists (also the doctor, treatment and financial coordinator) to present patients to increase case acceptance and payment of hygiene services.

If you would like to see how this can work for your dental practice please contact our strategy coach Vanessa Garman for a complimentary strategy session. Vanessa can put together a plan and discuss how this will work for you:

Call her to schedule this time: 949-351-8741 or Email to Schedule: vanessa@dentalpracticesolutions.com

The Dental Hygienist’s Role in Maintaining Dental Implants

By: admin

May 10, 2017

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1xqE8muP2s?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=560&h=315]

Dental Implants are an expensive alternative to tooth replacement and they must last a lifetime. This is our ultimate goal when placing implants.

If our desire is to keep implants for a lifetime of the patient, as it has been made evident by the publications from LA Dental Town, it is important for the dental hygienist to understand the morphology of the peri-implant mucosa, the attachment between the mucosa and the titanium implant. This area comprises the junctional epithelium, about 2 mm high, and the connective tissue zone of greater than or equal to 1 mm in height. This is the zone that protects the osseointegrated surface from environmental factors, such as plaque in the oral cavity.

It is this zone where the health and longevity of a dental implant is imperative and it is a major role for dental hygienists is to maintain dental implants.

An important role of the hygienist is to assess if their patient as a potential implant candidate. Many people know about dental implants but choose not to inquire about them and they choose not to consider them for tooth replacement.

It is the open-ended questions, a smile evaluation and communication with a potential implant patient will begin a foundation for case acceptance of dental implants. When you allow the patient to complete a smile evaluation, you allow the patient to be the one asking about the area where a tooth is missing.

Allowing your patient to be the one inquiring about treatment will put them in the drivers seat and you are only there to offer answers to the area the patient has checked off in their smile evaluation that the are not 100% satisfied with.

You can now lead this conversation into a discussion about the consequences of not having an implant. You now have an opportunity to discuss why implant therapy a good option for a particular patient.

Continuing with your conversation you may talk about adjunctive or alternative forms of therapy/treatment that can be utilized.

It is very important for all the auxiliaries to understand why implants work, how well they work, and everyone on the dental team must understand all aspects of implant care so communications and explanations to the patient, that based on the doctor’s diagnosis, is a seamless process. This means that you have had role-play sessions as a team about “what to say,” “Who are the patients that doctor considers a good implant candidate, etc.”

When your patient accepts treatment, it’s the hygienist who will be responsible for educating the patient about oral care during the surgical and prosthetic phases of treatment. It is important for all the clinicians to understand the surgical treatment your patient will undergo and the types of restorations that will be placed. It is imperative that you recommend the appropriate oral hygiene techniques during healing phases.

Clinical hygiene and routine home-care procedures need to be effective but non-invasive so the healing tissues are not disturbed. It is also important for the patient to be aware that gentle debridement will only be effective while tissues are healing. Once healing and restoration are complete, a new hygiene routine will need to be established, learned, and complied with.

It crucial for the hygienist to educate their patients about the need for routine, maintenance. This is not an option if the patient has a desire to keep their implants for the rest of their life. Explain to your patient what can happen when their implants are not properly cared for at home and maintained by their dental hygienist.

Prevention: It’s Not All About the Tooth. It’s About Longer, Healthy Lives.

By: admin

May 4, 2017

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsqus0Yko5w?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=560&h=315]

On April 21st Jimmy Kimmel’s wife Molly gave birth to a boy and they named him “William.”

He appeared healthy for the first few hours the nurse in the pediatric floor noticed that William had a heart murmur and he was soon after her discovered taken to neonatal floor where with further investigation by numerous doctors they discovered that baby William was born with a heart disease called

The baby’s pulmonary valve was completed blocked. After surgery at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, the surgery was a success. The baby will need another open-heart surgery in about 6 months and then as a teen another non-invasive procedure.

Kimmel was quoted as saying that “No one should have to make a decision to pay for a loved-one’s life. It should not matter how much money you make you should be able to save a person’s life…”

Yes, Mr. Kimmel, you are right! No one should have to end the life of a loved one or not be able to pay for life-saving treatment to save another humans’ life!

“Prevention: It’s not all about the tooth.”

This has me thinking that we, dental professionals, are in a perfect position to help our patients live a longer and healthier life. Oral disease contributes to systemic disease.

The research from our surgeon general and the National Institute of Health have been documenting this scientific research since the late 1900’s.

We are learning in today’s always changing world, that the main reason why our patients will continue to return to their dentist routinely and not constantly switch to a new provider, is when they understand the important role of their dental professional in their total health.

It’s our professional role to help our patients understand that we don’t just treat our patient’s mouth. It’s not about a tooth. What we want to be portrayed as are associates in our patients’ total health. We are partners in preventing disease. Not just oral disease but systemic disease. Today’s world of dentistry is about total health.

Putting a halt to inflammation and infection in the oral cavity is one important way we can help our patients eliminate systemic diseases: heart attacks, various inflammatory diseases, arteriosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and various cancers, etc.

My question to you is, “Are you sharing this important information with all your patients and helping them live a longer and healthier life?”

What words do you use to explain the important role you play in your patient’s life to help them live a long, healthy life?

Do your patients know the important you play in keeping their body healthy? Or contrary, do they think you only care about the tooth and nothing but the tooth?!

Worse yet, are the patients who think you just want to see them because you always “Find” something…i.e. you just want their money.

This is all about the truth and not about a single tooth.

Let’s tell our patients about how they can live a longer and healthier life.

Prevention saves money and saves lives.

It costs less money: Cash and insurance dollars when our patients routinely see their hygienist for preventive services.

Preventing disease is our number 1 role as dental professionals.

Baby Kimmel

The dentist, the hygienist and the dental team that sees the Kimmel family has a very important role. It is imperative that the Kimmels’ dental team speak about prevention and the important role it plays in keeping the whole body healthy.

I sure hope Jimmy Kimmel’s dentist is reading this. Maybe someone can send this information to Jimmy Kimmel.

I wish the Kimmels and their new baby “William,” the very best and I hope they understand how important it is for their baby to have a healthy mouth his entire life. This is key—It’s imperative that baby William have a health mouth his entire life.

HOW TO SPOT AN OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL DISORDER DURING THE HYGIENE VISIT; Five signs to look for that could change a life

The Dental Hygienists Role in Keeping Doctor’s Schedule Full

Your Dental Practice Profitability Compass

Santa Monica Dental Consultant | Prevention Alzheimer’s Disease: A Team Approach

Newport Beach Dental Consultant | How Do We Bill It and Get Reimbursed?

Five ways to acquire new patients this month

Author

“How Do We Bill it and Get Reimbursed?” From Gingivitis to Peri-Implantitis

Do you have rejected claims?

If you have challenges with reimbursement of perio and gingivitis patients; how do you code the service when the patient doesn’t have radiogrpahic bone loss?

What is the most efficient process for reimbursement of crowns, implants, fixed or removable prosthetics?

We will also address new changes in the ADA CDT Coding coming in 2018.

Beyond the Medical History: Questions You Must Ask.

Secret Ingredients to Your Dental Practice Success

The Dental Hygienist’s Role in Maintaining Dental Implants

Prevention: It’s Not All About the Tooth. It’s About Longer, Healthy Lives.