The Dentist Freedom Blueprint Podcast
May 4, 2018
Driving Your Dental Practice to its Highest Level of Success
Episode #162: Debbie Seidel-Bittke – Driving Your Dental Practice to Its Highest Level of Success
May 4, 2018
Episode #162: Debbie Seidel-Bittke – Driving Your Dental Practice to Its Highest Level of Success
May 3, 2018
The Ketogenic Diet and Periodontal Disease: Could Eating More Fat Help Reduce Periodontal Disease?
Written by Cindy Rogers, RDH, BS
Inflammation has been found to be associated with just about every health condition. Chronic inflammation is a common thread among many conditions like stroke, cancer, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and depression. So, it would make sense that it is also associated with periodontal disease.
How Inflammation is Associated to Periodontal Disease
For starters, inflammation is right there in the name periodontitis. Itis is defined as a medical condition accompanied by inflammation. Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease initiated by oral microbial biofilm. This distinction implies that it is the host’s response to the biofilm that destroys the periodontium in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Five Signs of Inflammation
The Ketogenic Diet
If it is the host’s response of inflammation that is destroying the periodontium, then maybe we can control this response by following an anti-inflammatory diet. The ketogenic diet is a very effective anti-inflammatory diet.
The Ketogenic diet is known for being a low carb diet, but it is much more than a low carb diet and different than the Atkins Diet. The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate protein and low carbohydrate diet.
When following this diet, your body is forced to burn fats rather than carbohydrates for energy. If there are little carbohydrates in the diet, the liver converts fats into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketones replace glucose as an energy source. Food that are high in carbohydrate will cause your body to produce glucose and insulin. Glucose is the easiest molecule for your body to convert and as energy so it chosen first over any other energy source. Insulin is produced to process the glucose in your bloodstream by taking it around the body. When glucose is being used as primary energy, the fats you eat are not needed and are therefore stored around your body.
Ketosis is a natural process that the body uses to survive when food intake is low. Ketosis happens when you have lowered your intake of carbohydrates to the point that your body is forced to use fat as energy. When this happens, ketones are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver.
Excess carbohydrates are converted into pyruvate, then to acetyl-CoA and then into HMG-CoA. Cholesterol is formed when HMB-CoA is converted into cholesterol by the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. Statins lower cholesterol by blocking HMG-CoA reductase.
High carbohydrate diets lead to the overproduction of insulin, and insulin stimulates HMG-CoA reductase. High carbohydrate diets and its associated hyperinsulinemia equals hypercholesterolemia.
Why Ketones Help Reduce Periodontitis
An anti-inflammatory diet works like a natural statin. With the release of ketones in the body, the body is in a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a desirable anti-inflammatory state. Ketone bodies reduce oxidative stress, which is very important, because an excess production of free radicals is implicated as a promotor of most chronic inflammatory diseases.
Getting into a State of Ketosis
To get into ketosis, you must eat less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Most carbohydrates should come from non-starchy vegetables, nuts and dairy. Refined carbohydrates, starch and fruit are off limits with the exception of avocados. Berries and star fruit can be eaten in moderation once you have entered ketosis. It is recommended that you take supplements as well.
DO NOT EAT:
DO EAT:
Cindy Rogers, RDH, BS is a dental consultant, coach, speaker, and author for Dental Practice Solutions. Cindy coaches in the areas of front office systems and processes as well as the hygiene department. People love the calm ZEN vibe that comes with Cindy but don’t be surprised at her “Inspiring and Motivating” ability when working with your team! Please contact Cindy for a complimentary Profit Boosting Session:
cindy@dentalpracticesoultions.com or call 949-351-8741 Visit the website for valuable resources and schedule your complimentary session today: https://dentalpracticesolutions.com/
April 12, 2018
Written by Cindy Rogers, RDH
A potential new patient calls your office and says that he has a tooth ache and would like to be seen as soon as possible because he is in pain. Excited at the opportunity to fill a hole in your schedule, you gleefully say “we have some time available today to do an exam and x-ray and get you out of pain.” Great, that is all the guy wants, right? Well not exactly.
This patient has to this pain because he has not had comprehensive dental care in a while; maybe even years. His dental care has consisted of seeking relief from toothache to toothache. He would get a toothache, go to the dentist, get out of pain and then repeat the cycle of limited exams, PA’s and limited treatment. He was never offered the option of having a comprehensive exam and full mouth x-rays.
You see, this guy is a general contractor, he does not work in dentistry and does not really know much about it. All he knows it that he is in pain and he needs dentistry to help him get out of it. It is our job to educate him on dentistry and what is best for him. It is also our job as a business to determine what is best for us. This is a win-win opportunity.
Why is a Comprehensive Exam and FMX Best for the Patient?
Why is this best for the Practice?
True, you could possibly add a little bonus in production by doing emergency treatment. Let’s take a look at the bigger production picture. Here is a possible scenario of the opportunity to increase production.
| Scheduled Time | 30 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Production | $150 | $300 |
| Patient Cost | $0 | $0 |
| Possible Treatment Plan | $500 | $5000 |
By doubling the initial appointment time, you will at least double the production. You will also be able to present him with a “whole mouth comprehensive treatment plan.” The patient will be so impressed that you took the extra time with them that they will refer their friends and family to your dental office.
What to Say to the Patient During the Initial Phone Call
Dental Office: “Mr. South, I understand that you have a toothache and it is our priority to get you out of pain. Let me explain how we can do that and prevent you from suffering again in a few months, all while saving you time and money. How does that sound?”
“Mr. South, I understand you are trying to save money by only fixing one tooth at a time. Let me explain why this is actually costing you more money and keeping you from using the insurance benefit that you pay for.”
“Mr. South, did you know that cavities are contagious? We are concerned that if we only fix the one tooth, that many others in your mouth are still infected and will be causing you pain in the near future. Let me explain how we can help prevent this from happening.”
Getting the patient out of pain is indeed a priority, but, let’s not forget about the big picture. The big picture for him and for your practice.
Your Goal: No more pain for the patient and in return you have a patient for life in your dental practice.
Cindy Rogers, RDH, BS is a dental consultant, coach, speaker, and author for Dental Practice Solutions. Cindy coaches in the areas of front office systems and processes as well as the hygiene department. People love the calm ZEN vibe that comes with Cindy but don’t be surprised at her “Inspiring and Motivating” ability when working with your team! Please contact Cindy for a complimentary Profit Boosting Session: cindy@dentalpracticesoultions.com or call 949-351-8741 Visit the website for valuable resources and schedule your complimentary session today: https://dentalpracticesolutions.com/
March 23, 2018
Date:
Fri, September 21, 2018
6 CE Credit Hours – Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon Snack – Lots of Fun Learning!
Location:
Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Airport
7900 Northeast 82nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97220
Time:
Fri, September 21, 2018
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM PD
Schedule:
Breakfast & Check-In – 8:00 AM to 9:00 M
Morning Session – 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Lunch – 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM
Afternoon Session – 1:15 PM to 4:15 PM
Closing Remarks & Questions – 4:15 PM to 4:30 PM
March 22, 2018
Marketing is an essential part of attracting new business. Strong print and internet marketing materials can help introduce your practice to potential new patients. Glowing reviews and testimonials tell people that you have a trustworthy team and offer quality care. However, even the best marketing efforts won’t contribute anything to your business if you fail to convert leads into patients. There are a variety of reasons outside of your control that might stop someone from scheduling an appointment at your practice, but it’s important to make sure you do all you can to help motivate people to seek treatment with you. Below are some tips to help your team more effectively sell the value of your service to potential new patients.
Be responsive and available. As a dental professional, you know what it’s like to be busy. Often, your patients have busy lives of their own. Make sure your team is available to take calls as they come and try to offer flexible appointment times to help people work within their limited free time.
Don’t be too pushy. While it’s helpful to be clear about all the treatments offered at your practice, patients are often turned off by overly “salesy” approaches. Take the time to get to know a patient and their needs, goals, and budget before trying to sell them on dental solutions. This will make them feel valued and understood, increasing the likelihood of treatment plan acceptance.
Offer a friendly and welcoming environment. There are a number of people who absolutely dread going to the dentist. Because of that, some potential patients may already have a negative feeling towards you and your team despite no fault of your own. Work to overcome this discomfort quickly by offering a personable and kind environment. Make sure your team greets patients by name and gets to know a bit about them. A little can go a long way.
Don’t lose track of people. Repetition is one of the easiest techniques for cementing something into memory. If a potential new patient contacts your office, be sure to follow up if you don’t hear from them again. You never know the reason they didn’t call back, so taking that step for them can offer a second chance to make a connection and help your practice stand out more in their mind.
Many dentists find it difficult to think about their practice as a business. It is likely that you chose dentistry due to a passion for service and healing, not bookkeeping or sales. Yet nearly any successful retailer will say that the only way to gain business is to give customers what they want, when they want it. Contact us for more strategies on boosting new patient numbers and patient retention!
Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS
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. She can be reached at (888) 816-1511. Send an e-mail to info@dentalpracticesolutions.com or go to her website: https://dentalpracticesolutions.com
Check out the Free 3-Part Hygiene Department Training: http://www.dentalhygiene.solutions
March 20, 2018
It’s that time of year…again! The gym was packed tonight. I could barely find a parking spot! Even my chiropractor was running 20 minutes behind schedule. He told me this month of January is very busy with people wanting to take care of their health.
I started seeing a chiropractor in August 2017 (After someone ran into my car and then ran off! Another story, another time) and no one else was even scheduled at the same time as my appointment.
If you think this blog is a bit trite, let me explain…. The Dow Jones was at an all high record!
What does this mean for you?
It means that people are spending money.
So, what will you do differently in 2018?
What is your BIG audacious goal?
Are you thinking you are ready to retire?
Are you thinking 2017 was good enough?
If you said “yes” to the two questions above and if you say the Dow Jones on January 4, 2017, I want to suggest you step outside your comfort zone.
Want to retire in the next five years?
Yes?
I suggest you make a commitment. Call it a resolution to improve your treatment planning and case acceptance skills.
Check out some of the classes at the numerous dental conferences with your team and especially your hygienist. Your hygienist should be the one team member who gets your patients “set-up” to accept treatment before you doctor, even walk in that hygiene room to begin your exam.
Are you satisfied with your production and collections in 2017?
Yes?
My suggestion is that you run some reports such as unscheduled hygiene appointments and unscheduled treatment. These are two great areas to look at.
This is important to do now because you want to tap into this time of abundance in our world. IT is happening NOW.
Whether you want to retire this year, in five years or in twenty-five years today is the day to write down your BIG audacious goals.
AUDACIOUS GOAL
Why an audacious goal?
I saw an audacious goal because if you don’t step outside of your comfort zone, things will remain the same for you.
Comfort Zone. Definition: a place or situation where one feels safe or at ease and without stress.
Or put another way: To Remain the Same.
How will you accomplish your audacious goal?
The second thing you need to do is write down your goal and the third is to have confidence that you can achieve this goal.
What is the #1 habit I have now accomplished?
I wrote it down and I also have confidence that I can absolutely achieve this goal.
It is one VERY simple goal. What is it????
I have started to make my bed every day.
Ok. SO, it’s day 5 in 2018, and I am telling you that it is so simple that I have achieved it.
Your audacious goal needs to be a simple one. It needs to be something that you absolutely, without a doubt, can accomplish.
You must write this down.
I also want to suggest that you write these goals down as a team.
If you want to have your own goals, that is fine but if you have business goals, to accomplish them, you will need 100% team participation.
YOUR WHY
Now that you have decided to write down at least one goal you will accomplish in 2018 (Love my optimism? lol), I want to ask that you think about WHY you want to increase _______________.
The reason you must get clear on this is because if you make $100,000 more in 2018, your front office employee(s) still make $12.hr (Maybe more. Maybe less) which means nothing is in it for them.
Your “Why” can be to spend more time with your family. In this case maybe you want to work three days and not four each week. If this is an example of your goal in 2018, I suggest that you allow your employees work on this goal, so they can earn the same salary in three days.
When you create your goal, it needs to be shared with your team. Remember, they are there to support your vision for the practice, so you must find a way to involve your entire team if you want to accomplish your dream.
Tips to Prioritize the Action Plan
For example: If you want to improve the number of New Patients who come to your office in 2018, write down your number accomplished in 2017.
Whatever you do, enjoy accomplishing your BIG audacious goal(s). Life is too short to be stressed every day.
Remember to do something small every day to achieve your goal. Create one habit that will get you to your goal(s) in 2018.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS
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. She can be reached at (888) 816-1511. Send an e-mail to info@dentalpracticesolutions.com or go to her website: https://dentalpracticesolutions.com
Check out the Free 3-Part Hygiene Department Training: http://www.dentalhygiene.solutions
February 23, 2018
Written by: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS
AS YOU KNOW, patients don’t just visit their dentist for bi-annual hygiene appointments, aka: Preventive Care. There are a host of services available to promote great oral health and create beautiful smiles.
Is It Time to Expand Your Services?
Expanding the services, you offer can be a great way to improve value for your current patients and pique the interest of prospective patients as well. Have you considered expanding the services in your practice?
Here’s a few simple value-add services to consider:
April is oral cancer awareness month so offer your patients a no-cost screening using the latest technology such as the Oral ID. Does your hygienist understand how valuable sleep apnea screenings are for all patients (even children)? Another simple service your dental hygienist can offer is a TMJ exam. This is easily administered during the oral cancer screening.
Other simple, same-day, adjunctive services are: fluoride varnish and whitening services, just to name a few.
I just had my teeth whitening using a 4 minute system called Uphoria. It was created for hygienists to use after the hygiene appointment. It was a simple ultrasonic device that added a hydrogen peroxide to my teeth. It was simple, no sensitivity or awful taste in my mouth. My teeth lighted by 3 shades in those 4 minutes.
We’re Here for You at Every Stage of Your Business
It’s never wise to bite off more than you can chew, but strategically expanding your services can yield huge dividends—for your patients and your business. If you have any questions about expanding the services your practice offers, let us know! We can guide you through all of your options and help you select the best solutions for your unique needs.
We’re grateful for our clients!
AUTHOR Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS
Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS
Founder and CEO of Dental Practice Solutions
Debbie can’t remember life without dentistry. She has worked in the dental field as a dental assistant, hygienist, former assistant clinical professor, hygiene department program director and for eighteen years as a coach, consultant, author and speaker.
In 2000, Debbie founded Dental Practice Solutions and she has helped thousands of dental offices world-wide share the important message that oral health will help people live a longer, healthier life.
When a dental office is able to share this message with their patients they will discover patients are most likely to continue returning to their office. These are patients for life when they understand how much you care about them.
Email us or call to schedule a Profit Boosting No-Cost Training with Doctor your Hygiene Department. Email: admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com or Call to schedule a training: 949-351-8741.
February 14, 2018
Guest Blog By: Mandy Fischer of LocalMed.
Was one of your New Year resolutions for 2018 to improve your marketing strategy and bring in record numbers of new patients?
If it was, but you’re not entirely sure where to begin – we have some suggestions for you! These 5 action points can help you decide where to focus your time and effort this year in order to take your marketing to the next level.
Take advantage of peer-sharing groups.If you’re looking for a sure-fire way to expand your marketing toolkit this year that requires nothing but your time and effort, check out and get involved in the groups that already exist for your benefit on social media.
There are dozens of groups and forums out there where dentists, office managers, consultants and marketing professionals are discussing best practices, what works and what doesn’t. Make it your mission to find at least one group that you can contribute and ask questions in this year!
2. Audit your digital presence.
Google yourself, and check out the first few pages of results. Make sure that your practice’s name, phone number, address, email address, web address and doctor’s name are all correct on every listing. If it isn’t – make a note of it, and fix it ASAP. If there’s differing information, you’re doing significant harm to your brand and likely losing potential patients.
Your digital presence is there to build trust with potential patients, and if you’re providing conflicting information, they’re just going to choose a different dentist.
3. Be strategically social with your patients.
Take a critical look at your social media strategy. Are your posts engaging people, or is nobody looking? Make it your mission to post relevant, fun, personable information that will make people WANT to come to your office! One of your most valuable assets is your branding – and that includes your social voice!
Post authentic photos of you and your staff having fun in the office, or happy patients (make sure to comply with HIPAA law) – and stay away from posting anything clinical that will scare away patients (i.e. a before and after of teeth whitening is fine, but a patient being prepped for implants is not!).
Your brand includes your visual assets, your brand voice and your customer experience. Evaluate your office’s current efforts, and come up with a specific plan for improvement.
Some questions you can ask to diagnose how you’re doing:
n your marketing.In addition to the tasks above, make sure you have a comprehensive marketing strategy in place. Facebook ads, direct mailers, referrals and ground marketing are all great ways of getting the word about your practice out.
But how do you convert leads into patients? If it’s by phone call only, or an “online request”, it’s time to upgrade to a better system.
Real-time online scheduling is the missing piece that closes the loop on your patient acquisition process. Enable patients to schedule an appointment with your office from wherever they find you, like your website, Google, Facebook, HealthGrades, Yelp, etc.
By giving patients the option of booking their appointment on the their own time, you can significantly increase your conversion rate on your current marketing efforts, meaning more patients in your door without needing to add any additional marketing strategies.
AUTHOR: Mandy Fischer
Marketing Coordinator for Local Med
Thank you to our guest blogger this month! We had a wonderful response a few months ago when Mandy wrote for us. We appreciate LocalMed and all they do to get patients scheduled even when you are not there to answer the phone call.
January 23, 2018
Research has shown time and again that happiness plays a large role in the productivity of employees. For example, a study conducted by Google saw a 37% increase in productivity as a result of initiatives focused on improving employee morale. Financial incentives alone are often not enough to boost employee performance, as our brains are hardwired to respond to positivity.
Here are 5 simple tips you can follow to help improve happiness in your team. For more solutions for running a more productive practice, contact our firm today!
Studies indicate that US companies lose about $500 billion annually due to loss of productivity caused by unhappiness at work. Don’t let your team be a part of this problem. If you’re looking for additional strategies for running a happier, more productive office, contact our firm today!
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:
Course Information
Course Date: November 30, 2017
Dinner Begins at 6:00 PM
Course: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
2 CE Credits
**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.