Clackamas Dental Consultant | Dental Practice Solutions

Overcoming Overwhelm In The Dental Office

By: admin

May 21, 2019

Do you feel like you have too much to do and so little time to do it?

If you said YES, to this question, you are not alone.

I am hearing dental professionals around the world say they feel overwhelmed and they say they can’t complete it all!

I decided to attack this complaint head-on. I am on a mission to help you do more in less time.

Let’s strategize ways to overcoming overwhelm in the dental office.

24 Hours in a Day

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. This is something that we can’t change.

What we can change is how we look at MORE.

There will always be more.

There will be more holes in your schedule.

OUCH!

More holes in your schedule is NOT a good type of more.

There will always be more insurance claims to submit.

There will be more calculus to remove on people’s teeth.

Instead of looking at more as a negative, let’s flip this and look at more as a good thing.

More new patients. That is good; right?!

More calculus to scale?

Another good thing; right?

This means you have a J O B.

How many emails do you have to read each day?

How many voice messages did you listen to today?

How many text messages will you read today?

It feels a bit stressful to look down at your cell phone and see ten text messages and then we have those voice messages! This adds to more time away from doing something else you probably enjoy MORE of.

There is something MORE you would rather do than these type of tasks.

BTW: I decided to not delete my voice messages last week because I felt overwhelmed with all the messages. I thought, if this is an important call, this person can text or email me.

And yes, one person could not leave an important message because my voice mailbox was full. So guess what?!

This person emailed me. Then when I had a few minutes, I emailed them back.

180 Degree Shift

Let’s shift this negativity around MORE into MORE as a good thing.

How about if we now focus on:

More money.

More friends.

More hours of work because this means more production.

More production means a great chance of paying the bills for the dental practice, more money to share with the team, more money to buy new equipment.

The Plan To Overcome Overwhelm

Feel Gratitude

Each day take just three to five minutes and write three things that you are grateful for.
Write down the first three things that come to mind.
After you start to do this daily, your gratitude will come very easily.

I write silly things down that I am grateful for. Things like my electric toothbrush, my sweet dog and loving cat.

When you focus on the positive and especially before you go to bed, there is a shift in your thoughts.

Negative thoughts more easily turn to positive thoughts.

Every 90 Days, Write A List Of What You Have Accomplished

Look back ninety days and think about what you have accomplished since that day ninety days ago.

If you can’t think back that far then get your calendar and go to ninety days from today. Mark today’s date on the calendar ninety days away.

Now when you get to that date on your calendar you can think back to today and know how much you have accomplished.

You have come a long way in ninety days. This is turning LESS into MORE.

There is always MORE to be grateful for.

Volunteer, Give Back

Now this may sound counter-intuitive but when you have the opportunity to help people who don’t have as much as you, there is a natural shift into what you feel grateful for.

If you are able to read this, I know that you are in the top 10% of the population in this world!

I would love to know if this has helped you to overcome the overwhelm.

I get it!

I understand how much we have to do in a dental office and in life, in general.

Let’s create solutions to overcome the overwhelm.

Let me know by commenting below, if this has helped you to overcome the overwhelm.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DEBBIE SEDIEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS

Debbie founded Dental Practice Solutions in 2000. She speaks at dental conferences throughout the world and also coaches and consults with dental practices worldwide.

The team at Dental Practice Solutions takes a holistic approach working with each dental practice. Debbie understands how to quickly tap into productivity of the dental hygiene department to optimize systems with the entire team, showing everyone how to work smarter and not work so hard.

Thinking about taking your dental practice to the next level?

We are looking for a few dental offices to beta-test our Dental Practice University training.

The training has video modules for the doctor, front office, dental hygienists and the entire team. There are scripts, forms and written processes.

You get information about Creating your culture, vision, team huddles that creat big productivity, hygiene video trainings on time management, treating the gingivitis and periodontal patient, CAMBRA, Lasers, phone skills, time management for the front office, handling cancellation calls, reactivating overdue patients, treatment planning, case acceptance, presenting financial arrangements, etc, etc.

There is a lot of training you receive over the next year. There will be hundreds of training video modules. You will also receive 24 AGD CE Credits for participating.

As a beta-tester, you pay nothing. We do ask that you provide feedback and give your opinion and ways to improve the University trainings.

To learn more about the University and to see if your dental team qualifies to be a beta-tester please TEXT: DPU to: 949-351-8741. Please text us: your name, your office name, your best email address and phone number. We will schedule 15 minutes to share more and let you know what we need from you and your team should you be chosen as beta-testers.

Fluoride: What to Use and When!

By: admin

May 14, 2019

Last week I wrote about the “F” word. Yes, I decided to give this word a negative connotation because so many people; dental professionals and the public, are against the use of fluoride.

Who are we to tell our patients they can’t use something that we know may reverse a type of disease they have been diagnosed with.

This week I will talk about fluoride: What to use and when to use it.

WHAT IS FLUORIDE?

So, you may be one of the healthcare professionals who think fluoride is harmful.

I used to drink a lot of milk as a child. It was so much milk that my parents told me they would have to buy a cow. Can I drink milk as an adult? Am I lactose intolerant?

The answer is a bold, YES!

I overdosed on milk and now I am lactose intolerant.

So is it possible fluoride is a poison?

Yes, if too much is ingested on a regular basis. Fluoride can be very toxic if too much is ingested in a small period of time.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element found in our soil but if not used properly it can cause serious medical problems.

OUR ROLE

I believe that we have a responsibility to treat each patient with a customized, individualized plan of care.

WHEN TO USE

In last week’s blog, I shared the latest CAMERA update and I invite you to refer to this when you have a patient who is at high-risk for caries. When you look at this information you will have a template that outlines “who” is at risk for caries.

WHICH FLUORIDE TO USE

There are many choices of fluoride to use so I will provide a brief overview of the most widely use, as well as, the latest on Silver Diamine Fluoride.

ACIDULATED PHOSPHATE FLUORIDE

This fluoride is also known as APF 1.23% and contains 12,300 ppm fluoride ion and it comes in foam and gel.

Please be aware that in 2013 the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs chairside recommendation’s advise against the use of 1.23% (APF) foam. The reason for this is that the research has not demonstrated its efficacy for caries prevention,

The benefits of using this fluoride are storage, stability, acceptable taste and tissue biocompatibility.

APF needs to remain in contact with the teeth for 4 minutes.

This can make administration more difficult for small children who have trouble sitting still in a dental chair. For this reason, children under 6 years of age should receive a fluoride varnish.

NEUTRAL SODIUM FLUORIDE

This gel was not included in the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs guidelines for caries prevention but it is still available for topically applied fluoride use.

The gel and foam have a ph of 7.o. A 2.0% Sodium Fluoride gel or foam has 9.050 ppm fluoride ion. Very much like APF, neutral sodium fluoride has good bioavailability and people find the taste pleasant.

Fluoride varnish is a highly is a highly concentrated form of sodium fluoride. 5% sodium fluoride varnish contains 22,600 ppm of fluoride ion.
Fluoride varnish was originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of hypersensitivity but is used off-label for caries prevention.

The Cochrane Review states that patients treated with a fluoride varnish experienced an average reduction of 43% in carious lesions, less missing teeth and tooth restorations.
When looking at the effect on newly erupted or deciduous teeth the Cochrane Review discovered a 37% reduction in decayed, missing and tooth surfaces with restorations.

This is my personal choice when applying fluoride and it is what I recommend our clients use for their patients who are high-risk for caries and for children who qualify for a fluoride treatment.

The delivery of fluoride varnish allows the fluoride to remain in contact with the teeth for an extended amount of time.

Depending upon the patients’ risk for caries, fluoride varnish can be applied 2 to 4 times a year by a dental professional.

There is little evidence of adverse reactions to fluoride varnish placement and patients (especially younger children) are accepting of this preventie service.

From a personal point of communication, I share a story with patients, about living in Oregon and we MUST apply a varnish to our back deck or the wood will rot due to all the rain we receive in Oregon.

Use the example of the wood on a deck rotting when varnish is not applied. Explain that saliva has chemicals and possibly an unbalanced ph that will make the teeth rot. Applying the fluoride varnish will prevent the rot in teeth

Sounds corny? Sounds cheesy? Well, patients get it!

When you talk to patients about application of fluoride and/ or using fluoride at bedtime, talk about the cost benefit.

Explain that to have a fluoride varnish in the office two times a year and buying the take home fluoride gel may cost “X” but if the teeth need restorative services it now costs “x, y and z.”

Show your patients the plaque, the biofilm that is causing the carious lesions. Show your patients where decalcification areas are located and explain the benefits of prevention.

Explain that prevention costs less than treating disease (tooth decay; a cavity). Show your patient areas of root exposure and crown margins which at some point may have a carious lesion (cavity).

Showing patients is very helpful in getting them to make the change needed to prevent decay, use the fluoride, pay for what they want.

As the saying goes, “Seeing is believing!”

Also, check the ADA Codes when submitting for insurance reimbursement of the fluoride varnish.

I see it all the time that offices are using an old CDT code and therefore they don’t receive reimbursement or the highest dollar amount that can be reimbursed.

SILVER DIAMINE FLUORIDE

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a combination of sodium fluoride and silver nitrate. Silver nitrate has been known for years as an antimicrobial agent. Sodium fluoride is known to reduce caries.

Sodium nitrate has the ability to arrest and prevent caries due to silver nitrate’s potent germicidal effect and fluoride’s ability to reduce decay. SDF is available in liquid concentration of 38.3% or 43.2%.

SDF is also approved for hypersensitivity and is used off label for caries management.

CONCLUSION

As healthcare professionals we have a responsibility to our patients to understand the value of the various types of fluoride. We must also know the indications for when to use each type of fluoride.

The best care we can provide our patients will be individualized and customized for their needs.
If you were asked, “Is this the best service you have to prevent cavities in my teeth?” what will your answer be?

ABOUT DEBBIE SEDIEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS is founder and CEO of Dental Practice Solutions. Debbie is also a former dental hygiene program director. Her expertise is optimizing the hygiene department by taking a total team approach; including the doctor as the leader. Our Dental Practice University will launch for dentists and their team on June 6, 2019.

We are looking for ten offices to test drive (Beta-test) the university. The Dental Practice University has training video modules, forms and scripts for each department in your dental practice.

*For our beta-testers this includes modules for the doctor(s) about creating a culture to have a lot of new patients, keep your dental team the life-time of your dental practice, as well as re-create or create your vision and mission. Doctors receive a 90-Day goal setting journal.

The hygienists have their own training video modules that cover time management, caries risk, treating the gingivitis and periodontal patient.

The front office has video modules on phone calls, new patient calls, we provide job descriptions and a lot of information for hiring and keeping employees long- term.

You receive 24 AGD CE Credits. Once the University is open to all dental practices around the world, it will be FREE for the first 2 weeks and then $97.00 a month indefinitely. It includes AGD CE Credits for up to 2 employees each month. Additional employees can register and get the AGD CE Credits for $20/month.

If you would like to test drive the University over the next year, we do have a few requirements. Please text our office: 949-3551-8741 AND write DPU. You must include: YOUR NAME, YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE NAME, BEST PHONE NUMBER and EMAIL.

Once we receive this we will get back to you to discuss if you qualify for the “test drive” to Beta Test the Dental Practice University.

P.S. If you are chosen to test drive the DPU, two of your team members will receive the 24 AGD CE Credits.*

Oral Cancer Awareness Month

By: admin

April 23, 2019

April is Oral Cancer Awareness month, and this is a perfect time to think about how you can better serve your patients’ oral healthcare needs. Oral cancer screenings by dental professionals will reduce the incidences of oral cancer diagnosed each year.

The rise in oral cancer is up, higher than every before. There is no decline in this rate in sight, so as dental professionals we have our work cut out for us.

New cases of oral cancer, no matter age, race, and gender; overall is 10.5 adults per 100,000 will develop oral cancer. Oral cancer rates are significantly higher for males than for females.

Oral cancer rates are higher for Hispanic and Black males than for White males.

If dental professionals can participate in early diagnosis for oral cancer, if we can help discover an abnormality sooner, we can increase the changes of improved survival rates. An estimated

Raise oral cancer awareness and make a difference in your community by arranging an office event where people can walk in and get screened during a certain timeframe.

One of the best ways to screen is using fluorescence technology.

OralID’s fluorescence technology uses a blue light (435–460 nm) that provides the clinician an aid in visualization of oral mucosal abnormalities, such as oral cancer and pre-cancer. The other medical applications of fluorescence technology include highlighting abnormalities of the GI tract, cervix, lung, and skin.

You can learn more about the OralID® by visiting the Forward Science website: http://www.oralid.com/

For more information about oral cancer awareness and simplified, cost-effective ways to screen your patients plan to join the Oral Cancer Awareness Socialthon on Friday April 26, 2019. The socialthon will be hosted on Facebook, all day on Friday April 26, 2019.

Join us for the Socialthon here: http://bit.ly/OralcancerSocialthon

REFERENCES.

https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/oral-cancer/incidence
https://oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/
- Feb 27, 2019 – The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cancers which we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma…
- Key Statistics for Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancers
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/oral-cavity-and…cancer/about/key-statistics.html
- Jan 9, 2019 – In recent years, the overall rate of new cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers has been…
- Oral Cancer Incidence (New Cases) by Age, Race, and Gender …
https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/oral-cancer/incidence
- Oral Cancer Incidence (New Cases) by Age, Race, and Gender. … Overall, 10.5 adults per 100,000 will develop oral cancer. Oral cancer rates are significantly higher for males than for females. Oral cancer rates are higher for Hispanic and Black males than for White males.
- Oral Cavity and Pharynx Cancer statistics. … Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software.
- DM Laronde; HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer Rates by Race and Ethnicity
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/statistics/headneck.htm

1. Provide Patient Education

Adopting a protocol at the office for patient education regarding oral cancer can help with early detection.

2. Help Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment Find Relief

Patients currently undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation often suffer from mouth sores. Because cancer treatments impact the body’s immune system so severely, patients become more prone to mouth sores.

These sores can appear on the lips, tongue or roof and floor of the mouth, causing pain and discomfort while eating, talking and even breathing.

We often hear from our dental pros how much their patients find relief with our Super Relief Dental Gel, powered by healing aloe vera, folic acid, zinc and Oxygene®.

3. Screen at Every Checkup

According to the “2016 Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Survey,” only 37% of survey respondents recall being screened for oral cancer at their last dental checkup.

Furthermore, 83% of respondents said they’d like to be screened for oral cancer at every checkup, and 86% would like their dental pro to talk to them about oral cancer.

If there isn’t a regular screening policy in place at your office, now’s a great time to adopt one!

Patients are sure to appreciate this, especially new patients who were used to getting screened at every appointment by their past provider.

4. Help Patients Establish a Oral Routine

Oral Cancer Awareness Month can be another incentive to motivate good oral health routines in your patient’s lives.

Brushing twice a day, flossing and using quality dental products will always be the key to maintaining good oral health.

Oxyfresh Lemon-Mint Power Rinse Mouthwash is our most popular alcohol-free mouthwash for a reason. Besides its unique and refreshing blend of essential oils, it contains aloe vera to moisten the mouth and comfort the gum tissues, plus Oxygene® and zinc for powerful deodorizing action.

Recommend this powerful mouthwash to your dental patients so they can ditch dry mouth and have fresher breath as they work on quitting the habit

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

Debbie founded Dental Practice Solutions in 2000. She speaks at dental conferences throughout the world and also coaches and consults with dental practices worldwide.

Check out how the team at Dental Practice Solutions adds to your productivity without working harder or more days. Schedule a FREE 30-minute call now.

How Do You Improve Your Game of Dentistry?

By: admin

April 9, 2019

Do you have a favorite sport or hobby?

I have always enjoyed playing tennis and in high school I played on the tennis team.

If you are like me, then mediocrity is not an option and being “just” average at what you enjoy is a non-negotiable.

As a high school student and tennis player, it was very important to me, that I was one of THE BEST players and I did everything in my power to do just that!

In high school, I hired a coach, Manni Papparani. I got a part-time job to pay for a coach so I could be the best!

Each week my tennis coach helped me refine my skills as a tennis player. Back in the late 70’s video was not real popular but my tennis coach would record videos of my swing and my serve.

My tennis coach was a professional and definitely on the leading edge,

I had a minimum-wage job part-time, and yet, I paid to be the best on the tennis team!

Rafael Nadal is one of the best tennis players in today’s world of tennis.

Why would Rafael Nadal hire a coach?

He is one of the worlds best tennis players in the world afterall?!

Does this even make sense?!

Why hire a coach when you are at the top of your game?!

Rafael is at his peak. He knows what it takes to be a winner and yet, he hires a coach. He hired his uncle, Toni Nadal.

To some, this may sound like a waste of Rafael’s time and money but to those of us who think being at the top of our game; hiring a coach is a non-negotiable.

Rafael Nadal has always had a coach. This is a very important part of what makes him the best.

Do you intend to be your best?

Dental school gave you a great start to become a clinician but if you intend to be a successful dental practice owner, you must be at your best to play this game called “Dentistry.”

How do you consistently improve your game of dentistry?

How Do You Improve Your Game of Dentistry?

Let’s look at Rafael Nadal’s Coach.

Toni Nadal as an example of a great coach:

Toni Nadal has worked as a tennis coach and has been a manager for a tennis club for many years.
He went before Rafael as an expert/professional tennis player.
He has a trainer’s degree and taught at the tennis club.

This example demonstrates an expert who has been “in the trenches,” they have educated themself to know what it takes to be great!

“Your success is outside your comfort zone?”

What are the Qualities of a Great Coach?

Again, let’s look at Rafael’s uncle and personal coach as an example:

Discomfort.

Coach Toni is known for putting pressure on Rafael as he progressed forward in his career.

Most people don’t want to feel pressure. It’s human nature to not want to step outside our comfort zone.

Coach Nadal brought Rafael to the point of crying numerous times; but did this create success or failure?

The answer is an obvious NO.

Getting to the point of tears was part of Nadal’s journey. It’s part of what made him so tough.

Look at anyone who has accomplished great success.

Did they stay in their comfort zone or did they get out of their comfort zone?

They got out of their comfort zone? Right?!

Respect.

Respect for equipment. This means taking care of the office dental equipment. Nadal believed that throwing a tennis racket showed a lack of respect towards people who could not afford the same equipment and the sport itself.

Responsibility.

In the dental office this means you take responsibility for your actions. You show up on time to work. You have a sense of pride and ownership. This goes right alongside of respect.

Toni Nadal as a coach, trained Rafael on poor tennis courts with old tennis balls to show that it was not the equipment that would decide if he won or lost. He believed that losing was a fact of competing in sports and that the only one responsible for winning or losing was the player.

As a team member and even as the owner of your dental practice, how are you responsible for your success or loss of productivity?

Authoritative.

Coach Nadal had an authoritarian attitude with the players that he coached. Toni Nadal wanted his opinions to be important to players he was coaching rather than it just being advice.

As the owner and leader of your team, you must have the authority to make the best decisions, you must be looked as an authority in your patients eyes as well as your employees.

Look to an authority who can guide you doctor, someone who will take you to your next level of success.

Why Hire a Dental Practice Management Coach?

In dental school dentists learn all about teeth, but very little about bookkeeping, cash‑flow, accounting, traditional & online marketing, hiring/terminating employees and so much more.

Dentists who try to do everything alone usually find it impossible to grow to a level of sustainability for the lifetime of their dental career. These are the dentists who can’t survive an economic decline.

Business experts, dental coaches, practice management consultants will help a dentist and their dental practice work more efficiently and accomplish more in less time and with less effort.

Hiring a dental coach, practice management consultant, will support the systems (or lack of) to optimize your dental practice productivity.

Asking for support from specialists will help you achieve more personal fulfillment and reduce your chances of the proverbial “burn-out.”

It’s Time to Take Action!

No matter where you are in the life of your dental career, you will benefit from hiring an expert practice management coach/consultant.

Without the support of a dental practice expert, you will work harder, you will work longer hours, you will not be as effective: as a leader, a husband and/or parent. If you want to enjoy your life more, you need to have a coach, and expert to support you in many different ways.

Most dentists want to have consistent growth and you need consistent growth in any business.

The best dental coach / consultant, will help you work smarter, not so hard. They will guide you to be the best leader of your dental practice. Your leadership skills will need constant refinement. This is just how successful businesses operate.

Never let your P & L, your budget, your production dollars today, stop you from hiring an expert.

The best expert for your dental practice will support you to optimize your systems and create a harmonious team. In return your level of productivity will receive annual dividends.

Hiring a dental expert should bring you continuous dividends.

Your part is to “show up.” When you take action, if you show up, you are a winner with a high ROI…..for the life of your dental practice.

When you take action now you can participate in our Dental Practice University (DPU) with up-to-date systems for you and the entire team. This also includes 16 AGD CE Credits when you are enrolled over the next year.

DPU has video trainings for everyone on the team, it includes scripts and forms to customize and use immediately. You can try out DPU now for ONLY $9.99.

ENROLL HERE TODAY!

ABOUT DEBBIE SEDIEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS

Schedule a FREE Profit Boosting Session Here today.

Happiness is NOT an Option!

By: admin

March 25, 2019

Most dental professionals begin their career with a very noble passion to serve others.

Doctors, dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, physicians, nurses, etc., want to make a difference in the health care industry and help people live a healthy life.

Once you graduate dental school and begin work in the real world as a dentist, life, for many, begins to feel overwhelming.

You may now decide to buy a dental practice. Now you find yourself overseeing your practice marketing, looking at your P & L, dealing with HR issues, managing people and so much more!

And on top of all this, as if this were not enough, you must keep up with all the changes in our dental industry, rising costs of supplies, equipment, technology; updates and repairs.

I can totally relate because I have experienced this in my life personally as a business owner.

The days, weeks and months, move so quickly that we lose sight of ourselves and our own needs. We forget to put self-care on our list of priorities.

Our families and loved ones suffer because of this overwhelm.

We arrive to the office irritable and out of focus.
We leave the office and return to our family, our loved ones, worn out.
We are physically in our home but mentally we are absent.

As a result, our loved ones cannot connect with us.

We miss out on a lot of relational cues that our family is giving us and there is a big disconnect that happens.

This happens because usually IQ (Intelligence Quotient) doesn’t match the EQ (Emotional Quotient). Growing your IQ is great for many reasons however, growing our EQ is equally just as important.

We are learning that EQ is actually more important than IQ when dealing with people and living your best life.

If we leave our emotional quotient behind there is usually an imbalance that happens and we think the more we do, the more we achieve.

The truth is that more equals less; we’re less efficient.

We become more diluted and spread too thin. We are not able to recharge as much as we need.

When we allow this to happen we become consumed with too much negativity. Eventually burn out gets the best of us.

Next, we notice physical, mental and emotional symptoms. We get fatigued, suffer heart attacks, anxiety, and depression takes over our life.

Truth be told, dentists have one of the highest suicide rates today.

So how do we change all this?

We can’t very well expect things to magically change if we do the same things over and over again, right? So, we have to rewire our brains.
We have to allow ourselves to get out of our comfort zone.
We need to shift the way we deal with our challenges our perspective, increased resilience and delve into the zone of being aware of who we are as humans.
We have to forgive ourselves more, we have to break out that pattern of imposing self-inflictive pain; take a step back and acknowledge that our emotions have a purpose.

We gain back our kindness and compassion by indulging in self-care. This is a must. If we can just take 5-10 minutes a day to reflect, journal, listen to music or work out, etc.

We must take a step back to see what we’re letting ourselves get drained with and what we should be thankful for. When you do this, you will feel recharged. You become more productive and stresses that seem so big before, will now appear smaller.

It’s important to reconnect with your roots. Ask yourself, “What are my non-negotiables? “

SOLUTIONS TO GET YOUR LIFE BACK

We must reset, enjoy our home with family.
We must be able to enjoy the office with our dental team members.
We must figure out what our emotions mean and how to reconnect with ourselves. Ask yourself, “What is this trying to tell me?”
We can train our brain to wind down.

One example where we can do this is to remove our self from the social media vortex.

It can be a difficult habit to kick and that’s why it’s even more important to do this. In doing so, we can focus on what our day really looked like and just what happened that our day did not go well.

They say that if you place a dot on a white sheet of paper, people naturally notice the black dot first when in truth, 99% of that paper is white.

We have to bear in mind that when you start doing something that feels uncomfortable, this actually has the potential to make your life happier.

When you think about it, leaning into the discomfort is where the growth starts. It’s like trying something new that leads us to a new level we’ve never been before.

I hope you are able to get the gist of this truth that I am trying to relay to you.

If this article has spoken to you and you would like to know more, feel free to get in touch with us and we’ll help you achieve the change you need and desire.

We are only a call away or email away.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS is the founder and CEO of Dental Practice Solutions. She is a dental consultant, coach, speaker and author. Debbie is a world-class leader in creating profitable hygiene departments and does this by taking an integrative approach with the entire team. Debbie 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.

Check out the Dental Practice University to participate in one of our trainings. The training is at your leisure, from your computer, alone or with your team. It is intended for doctor and the entire team plus, it includes 16 AGD CE Credits. Enroll now and you can choose to be locked into a low monthly tuition. There are no contracts; you pay to play….monthly. If you no longer want the information, you don’t pay for the trainings. What you paid for is yours to keep indefinitely.

How to Become a Great Leader as a Dental Practice Owner

By: admin

December 17, 2018

In today’s Live Interview Debbie Seidel Bittke, RDH, BS, talks to Dr. Racheal Hall and being a dentist and why leadership skills are key to your success as a dental practice owner.

Dr. Rachel Hall is a dentist for Evolve Dental Healing and has a passion for helping dentists create systems that build fortunes and have fun while doing this.

Most dentists did not begin their career thinking about leadership skills. They went to dental school to provide clinical dentistry. Some dentists saw a great fit for themselves, combing art with science.

As a dentist leading your dental practice success means you must learn how to become a great leader, whether you like it or not.

What Rachel shares about how she became a great leader was the ability to always be open to learning. When you learn something new you need to practice, practice, practice to be your very best at the new skill or dental practice system, etc.

We also talk about Trust and how you must have trust in your team.

During our chat we also talk about:

The importance of everyone on the team to work towards one goal
Delegation of responsibilities
The importance of consistency (You will hear an example of what needs to be consistent)
Defining your values and self-worth
Importance of the team in helping to make changes

There is so much more that we talked about for thirty-five minutes.

If you are a dentist or dental practice owner, this is a short interview you must check out. Take a few minutes to listen and learn how you too can achieve and exceed your goals. You will understand how important it is for your team to drive your dental practice systems!

Every week we have a special guest interview and it is live on our Business FB Page. Please like and follow the FB Page to receive daily inspiration, tips to grow your hygiene department and hear from other dental influencers, dentists and your colleagues.

Stop Treating Your Schedule Like a Video Game; How to quit messing around and schedule your day for success

By: admin

August 21, 2018

Written by: Cindy Rogers, RDH, BS, OMT, Lead Hygiene and Business Coach.

I admit that while I was a scheduling coordinator, I was treating the schedule as if it were a video game. I would squish and stretch appointments to make them into pretty colored boxes that all fit nice and tightly together. I thought to create a productive day meant to have all the blocks filled in

It did not occur to me that these pretty little boxes basically controlled how the clinical teams’ day would run. Yes, they did often come up and kindly tell me to stop treating the schedule like a video game. I was told that they needed more time for this or that and that they could not possibly do a root canal at the same time as an extraction. I did not really understand what they meant. All I knew is that my pretty boxes needed to match up and their demands were messing that up.

After being reminded a few hundred times and working with some great consultants, I got better at this, but still did not truly understand why my boxes couldn’t just fit together nicely.

Now that I am a hygienist, I totally understand and often apologize to my previous team for all of the agony I must have caused them. I figure the reason they supported my transition into hygiene was so that I would get my payback.

Five main points to consider when planning your day

I would like to now share five points to consider when planning your day. These steps will help make your day successful both in production and in keeping your team mates on your side:

How much time does each procedure require?

Make a list of how much time each doctor needs for treatment procedures. (i.e., 60 minutes for one crown, 90 minutes for two)

What hygiene visits do NOT require an exam?

Typically, gum treatment appointments do not always require an exam. This is where you will be matching up time for the doctor to perform procedures that are hard to break away from.

What time of day do the providers prefer to perform longer procedures?

Let’s face it, some of us are morning people, and some of us aren’t. Why not do your patients a favor and find out.

What is a good time to save for new and emergency patients?

You should have time set aside for emergencies and new patients. You want to be able to offer these patients an opportunity to come in within 72 hours of them calling. Often, offices will block out time right before lunch. This way they have time to perform palliative treatment if needed, and a longer lunch if not.

What is your daily production goal for each provider?

Each provider should have a daily production goal. When you mix and match these procedures during the day, they should add up to reach this goal.

Now you want to match up the hygiene appointments that do not require an exam with the longer treatment appointments. These will be your rocks for the day and time where the providers can work uninterrupted.

Next, schedule treatment such as composites, and preventative hygiene. These will be your pebbles. After the foundation of rocks and pebbles are set in place, you can sprinkle some sand around them. Sand will be your crown seats, limited exams, and hygiene re-evaluations.

Each day should be balanced this way to assure your goals are met and that you are not running around crazy seating crowns and doing limited exams one day and sitting for 8 hours straight the next. Everyone on your team will be much happier and more productive. Remember that the daily schedule is your plan for the day. If you plan poorly, chances are your day will run poorly.

Written By: Coach Cindy Rogers, RDH

For many years Cindy has been an integral part of successfully building dental practices from the group up. Cindy is known for creating a harmonious work environment where the whole team looks forward to coming to work every day. The result of this has been massive growth for the practice.

Her passion is to share her success and knowledge with other practices so that they can experience a great team working environment while watching their profitably explode. What you will experience with coaching by Cindy, is somebody that can bring your team together to create your ultimate dental practice, and the ultimate patient experience.

It is through her years of experience in the dental field and the methodologies of Dental Practice Solutions that Cindy creates the next level of success for each dental practice she touches

When not focusing of dentistry, Cindy spend her time with her family exploring the outdoors in beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Contact Cindy: admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com

Dental Consultant | The End of Year is Near. How to Get Dental Hygiene Patients to Return Now.

By: admin

August 8, 2018

The end of the year is near. In today’s blog you will read how to get your dental hygiene patients to return now.

Summer is coming to an end. The kids are going back to school. Parents are busy with work, back-to-school shopping and it seem there is not time to visit the dental office

Many of your dental patients haven’t scheduled necessary dental treatment for themselves or their family.

Most dental benefits will not roll over to the next year and that means you are wasting insurance benefits for your patients.

Now is the time to try and help your patients maximize their dental insurance coverage. Many of your patients are overdue for a routine hygiene appointment.

August is the best time to be looking over your list of overdue hygiene patients and also patients with outstanding treatment.

Every month of each year, plan a day to run a report of overdue hygiene patients. Mark your calendar to run this report the first week of each month.

At this point in the year, it is crucial to focus on contacting your overdue hygiene patients as well as get patients to return who have unscheduled treatment to complete.

How do you contact your patients?

It is important to contact your patients in a way that creates a quick response.

With today’s world of technology, you may notice that most people don’t pick up their phone (of not often), they don’t check their personal emails throughout the day and not many people go to their mailbox to pick up their mail each day.

We suggest that you have the ability to two-way text all of your patients.

To begin the two-way texting, you need to have the technology connected to your practice management software.

We recommend SolutionReach to our clients because not only does this company offer two-way texting, but you can add a link for your patients to click which will allow them to immediately schedule their appointment.

What does your text message say?

You will at the very least want to text all overdue patients with only a sentence that says, please call our office about your dental appointment.

We have found this works very well for patients to call your office and especially when they know they don’t have an appointment.

Once the patient does call they will most likely let you know, “I don’t have an appointment.”

Your response will sound like this:

“Mrs. Smith, please let me check your patient record to find out exactly what is happening here. May I put you on a brief hold? This will take me less than ten seconds to check.”

Most patients will be patient enough to wait a few seconds.

Here is the part that may be new to you.

The team of consultants at Dental Practice Solutions, teaches clients this acronym called, R2R.

What does R2R mean?

R2R means “Reason to Return.”

The R2R is a brief description each clinician writes on the last line of the patients record, each time the patient is seen in the office.

This means that the clinician has discussed, communicated, with their patient the reason why they need to return, and that reason will not only be a clinical reason but a benefit to the patient.

If the patient you just took a call from, has a clinical R2R note that states, Pt has bleeding gums, infection around all the back molars and heavy tartar build-up in lower front teeth. Pt has diabetes and I explained that treating gum disease will put a halt to the life-altering challenges of diabetes that can be prevented when their mouth is healthy.

Using the R2R. What to say to the patient.

Once your team of clinicians begin to use the R2R the person answering the phone call will always put a patient who calls about an appointment on a short hold while they check the R2R.

Now that your patient is on the phone, let them know that doctor (and you can include the hygienists’ who last saw the patient) is concerned about their health. Explain that last time they saw doctor and hygienist they had infection in their gums and this can make their diabetes worse which causes other serious health problems. Let the patient know it is extremely important to complete the gum treatment because now we know this will help improve their diabetes.

What do we do if we have not used the R2R?

If you are reading about the R2R for the first time, when you look at a patients’ record, there will not be an R2R and I suggest that you have each of your team members learn about this.

Please contact our office and a dental consultant on our team will be happy to provide a training for your team. We can offer AGD CE Credits if you like.

Steps to reactivate overdue hygiene patients:

Step 1. Run your reports

1. Run an overdue hygiene patient report for the past 6 or 12 months.
  1. If you don’t usually run this report monthly you will want to go back at least 12 months when you begin running this report.

Step 2. Send a text message

Use your patient engagement software (Ex. SolutionReach) to contact overdue hygiene patients
Your first text message should only say “Please call our office today about your dental appointment.”

Step 3. In one week for the patients who have not responded to your text message, send them an email.

In your email you can now include your scheduling link, so these patients can easily click the link to schedule their hygiene appointment.
Your email message can be customized with each patients’ name, but the same email goes out to every patient who needs a dental hygiene appointment.
As a dental consultant I have learned that people respond more favorably to this email when you offer them an incentive to return for their appointment.

We know that free tray whitening works well when attempting to get overdue hygiene patients back to your office.

1. 1. You can also use other special offers to motivate patients to return such as money of Invisalign.

Step 3. Understand the specific type of appointment needed.

When you do have patients calling to schedule their appointment, be sure to look at their patient record to understand what type of appointment they need.

Step 4. Begin using the R2R.

1. All clinicians must make this part of their patient record.
2. When a patient calls to schedule or change an appointment, the front office person answering the patient call, will look up the R2R so they know exactly what the patient needs to schedule for (Ex. Prophy, x-rays and doctor exam, etc.) can speak to the patient about the necessary service and value/benefits for scheduling.
3. This R2R can and should be used every time a patient calls to change a dental appointment. Use the value and benefit to the patient to get them to keep their appointment not change it.

The number 1 focus this month needs to be contacting all patients who need to return this year for a hygiene appointment.

Need help implementing the R2R or any other systems?

We are here to help you! Call us to find out how to get training virtually or in-office. We are here to help! Your team will receive AGD CE Credits with any training we complete for you. Contact us today. Email: admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com or call our office: 949-351-8741

Next week I will return with information to contact patients with outstanding treatment. I will also write about how overcome this big challenge of patients leaving without scheduling their important restorative care.

ABOUT DEBBIE SEIDEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS

Debbie Seidel-Bittke is the CEO of Dental Practice Solutions and has over 15 years of business and consulting experience, as well as 30 plus years of working knowledge as a dental professional.

Having the unique ability to understand dentists’ need, Debbie can help each dental practice grow to be efficient and profitable. The growth occurs by optimizing your dental hygiene department. She has a team of experts that will work in the other areas of your dental practice as necessary. Debbie’s insight allows her to effectively communicate and implement success strategies while strategically addressing productivity challenges in the dental practice.

As a dental hygiene business coach, a former clinician and educator, she is adept at collaborating with dentists and their team to incorporate her expertise to see a dental practice grow to levels beyond their imagination. Debbie and her team of experts will increase the profitability of each dental practice. This year, 2018, no client of Dental Practice Solutions will increase production less than $125,000 and without working more days in the office. Ask us how you can be next to do this!

Call or email our office to schedule for your Free Profit Boosting Session:

Email: admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com or call our office: 949-351-8741

Dental Consulting | Dental Hygiene Patients: Keep the Back Door Closed

By: admin

August 1, 2018

Written by: JoAnn Leon, Front Office, Insurance Credential / Reimbursement Coach

We hear this question all the time, “Can you help me get more new patients to my office?

The answer is, “Doctor, do you realize that you have 1,560 patients and 300 of these patients have not returned to your office in the last eighteen months?”

How to keep the back door closed when new dental patients come to your office.

The most effective plan you can have in place is to reactivate your over-due hygiene patients. If you have a program such as SolutionReach, you can very easily reactivate these 300 over-due hygiene patients.

STEPS TO KEEP THE BACK DOOR CLOSED

Step 1. Know Your Numbers.

The team at Dental Practice Solutions, recommends that you run a hygiene report, so you know how needs to return for a hygiene appointment in the last eighteen months.

Step 2. Send a Special “We Miss You Letter.”

Send this e-newsletter to over-due hygiene patients. SolutionReach has great template to send patients an eye-grabbing e-newsletter.

Step 3. Offer an Incentive to patients who receive your e-Newsletter.

We have created a system around reactivation of your overdue hygiene patients. Without a doubt it works well to offer patients a gift for returning. This is the WIIFM syndrome. You know what I mean by WIIFM? I mean the “What’s in it for me” syndrome.

What has worked well for numerous years is offering your patients free tooth whitening when they do complete their hygiene appointment, pay for the prophy or necessary treatment, along with appropriate x-rays (BWX, FMX, etc.) and doctor exam. At the end of the hygiene appointment the hygienist or a clinician will take impressions and the patient returns in a day or two to pick. Up their whitening trays and two syringes of gel.

You can also have your whitening gel syringes customized here.

Step 4. Call Your Overdue Hygiene Patients.

Each day someone in your office should be working on calling overdue hygiene patients. Not too many people actually answer their phone these days so if you don’t get ahold of your patient, your next step is to text your patient.

Step 5. Texting Overdue Hygiene Patients.

What do you text a patient, so they want to call your office and schedule their hygiene appointment?

First of all, let me say that it is important that you have two-way texting set up if you do have the ability to text your patients. In today’s fast-paced and technologically oriented world, it is important that you can text two-ways with patients of record.

Your text should only say this: Please give our office a call about your appointment.

“They don’t have an appointment,” you say!

That is correct, the don’t have an appointment and you do want them to call about an appointment………one they need to schedule.

This one sentence works in a phone message or text and…. btw, it works very well when you are calling to collect money. That is

another blog, another day.

Step 6. What You Must Say When You Do Talk to the Patient?

Before you pick up the phone to call a patient and even if a patient calls about an appointment, it is important to look at the patients record, if you have electronic patient charts.

You need to look at the patient’s ledger to see if they owe money, etc. Very important is to look at the patient’s clinical notes and read about the reason WHY they need to return.

Ask yourself before you call the patient:

When was the last time there were in our office?
What do they need to return for?
- Is it only (Not just lol) a hygiene appointment?
- Do they have outstanding/unscheduled treatment?
What do you know if valuable to the patient?
- For example, is money a possible concern and maybe a reason they have not returned?
  - Be prepared to overcome money objections by offering solutions and changing the loss of money into this appointment will help them save money
    - For example: Patients who have diabetes or high blood pressure, this is the perfect opportunity to talk about the mouth-body connection. Let them know that a healthy mouth means less money on medications and doctor/hospital visits

Step 7. Try Something Different Than You Have Been Doing.

You know what they say about insanity?

Doing the same thing over and over does not typically yield a good outcome. Take one or all of these steps and begin today implementing one. Just try one of these.

Go to your calendar and on today’s date write “Begin Reactivation.” Write down how many overdue patients you have on this day. Next turn to your calendar six months out and write a reminder to check the number of overdue hygiene patients.

The goal is for this number to be less than it is today.

And do remember to be patient with yourself (And the team) as you implement these new steps.

Each month you must run a hygiene report and reach out to your overdue hygiene patients. It still surprises me, the number of offices we work with. When we investigate a new clients reactivation process, it happens too often, that there is no reactivation system hence, hundreds, thousands of overdue hygiene patients.

Do you have an over-abundance of overdue hygiene patients? Does reactivating them seem like a daunting task? Reach out to use. Let’s create your strategy and close the back door for new patients as well as your current patients of record. Schedule a no-cost Profit Boosting Session Here.

You can also email us or call: 949-351-8741 to get this scheduled now.

ABOUT JOANN LEON

For many decades, Joann Leon, has worked alongside various doctors from international backgrounds she has obtained extensive knowledge in management, insurance contracting and clinical aspects of various types of dental practices. Joann is able to provide unbiased, objective advice on selecting the right insurance plans, maximizing fee schedules, and streamlining accounts receivable collections.

– Certified Procedural Quality Assurance Consultant Eagle Soft Setup
– Insurance Credentialing & Contracting Dentrix Software Setup
– Human Resources/Legal Compliance Easy Dental Software Setup
– Filing Grievances Insurance/Patient New Practice Startup/Established Practice Analysis
– Fee Schedule Analysis Loss Prevention/Staff Accountability
– Digital/Hard Copy Filing Front Desk Employee Training
– Purchase/Sale of Practice Audit Preparation of Charts

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her sons and grandchildren; serving her spiritual community as a lector and Eucharistic minister. She enjoys spiritual retreats at least twice a year, the beach, dancing, and going out on scenic drives.

Contact JoAnn: admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Do you feel like your dental practice runs your life? Do you wish that you did not have to concern yourself with running the business of dentistry? Do you want to not worry about the marketing, deal with payroll, worry about open holes in your schedule and a bank account that does not grow?

I feel your pain and I have created an all-day live CE Event in Portland, Oregon. Plan to join Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS, CEO of Dental Practice Solutions, along with Doug Fettig of Aldrich Advisors.

We have planned a life-changing event so you don’t need to worry about your dental business but you can focus on your clinical dentistry.

Plan to bring your team so they can learn and begin implementing what they learn. This will leave you feeling like you have a new lease on life!

You get 6 AGD Credits, breakfast, lunch, snacks, coffee, tea, soft-drinks plus we will give away prizes all throughout the day: valued at $50-$1,500. You will walk away with your customized blueprint.

More information and Register Now. Early-bird Pricing Expires August 21, 2018.

Dental Coach | Are Dental Professionals Aliens?

By: admin

July 26, 2018

Written by: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS,

CEO, Dental Practice Solutions

Do your dental patients see you as an alien?

Do we alienate our patients by the words we use when we speak to them about treatment needs?

In this blog I will discuss a simplified way to evaluate patients for gum disease.

Are you probing your dental patients or are you probing aliens?

Doesn’t it really depend upon how we talk to our patients?

Do your dental patients consider the dental team like a bunch of aliens?

Here is an answer: We probe aliens not our patients.

Dental professionals use a ruler to measure between the gums and teeth.

All jokes, puns and play with words aside, we must break through the language barrier and bring the “dental talk,” our words down to a place where our patients really understand what we are talking about.

We need to bring them “into the loop,” so to speak. Let’s help our patients imagine what is happening in their mouth. Let’s help them engage in the decision-making process about what they need. This is one important step to case acceptance and getting patients to return indefinitely.

Case acceptance improves when you use words that help them understand what they need. Your descriptive words will make or break the opportunity for your patients to schedule, pay and return indefinitely to your office.

Patients may tell you they understand what the word periodontal means but if you were to do a case study, you will discover patients are more likely to schedule and pay for treatment when you speak their language.

What words do your patients understand?

Say measure not probe
Say see not found
Say bleeding not BOP
Say gum disease not periodontal disease
Say gum treatment not SRP or scaling and root planing
Say preventive care not recall
Say gum maintenance not periodontal maintenance
Say oral abnormality not oral cancer
Say hole in your tooth not decay
Say change of appointment not cancellation

Our goal is to have patients change (in a timely manner, 48 days prior) not forever cancel future appointments. Contracts are canceled, and appointments are changed.

How do you get patients to own their disease?

Once you have communicated with your patient what you will be completing at today’s appointment and you have explained that you will check for oral abnormalities, show the patients your periodontal “ruler” and explain that you will measure the space between their tooth and gums.

Explain what the numbers you read on the ruler mean. It will sound something like this:

“Jodie, today we will check for oral abnormalities. I will shine this light (if using fluorescent light) and check for any abnormalities on your tongue, cheek, floor of your mouth and throat, etc. After this, I will use this ruler (show your periodontal probe so they understand what your ruler is) and check for inflammation, infection or bleeding in your gums. You will hear me call our numbers one through three and this means you have healthy gums. If you hear me call out a four, this means there is inflammation and if you hear me say a five or higher this means you have infection in your gums. Not to worry if you hear me call out a four or higher because if there is inflammation or infection, you and I will create a plan, so you have healthy gums in the future. Once I am finished calling out these numbers, I will ask you, what is the highest and what is the lowest number I called out?”

Patient Takes Ownership of Their Disease

In most situations, when the hygienist is calling out these numbers and when the patient has been told they need to listen for these number because they need to say what was the lowest and what was the highest number they heard, it creates ownership if there is inflammation and/or infection.

Most hygienists who do use this communication technique when completing a comprehensive periodontal exam (CPE) have patients who are immediately engaged in conversation about what they just heard. It really does save a lot of time explaining what is going on in your patients mouth when you educate them about what you are doing and what you want them to listen for.

It also helps to have visual aids available. If your patients do have bleeding gums, do your best to take pictures (intra-oral) of the area where there is bleeding. Same thing when you see a lot of calculus, supra-gingival. Take pictures and your patients will more easily understand what is happening in their mouth.

When patients can see what is happening and when you can break the conversation down into words they are most likely to understand, it becomes much easier for patients to want what they need.

If you have never tried this technique for communication, I invited you to try this because I am certain you will notice more patients schedule and pay for treatment. They will continue returning to your office for routine preventive care, when they take ownership of their disease.

Do you want more training to boost your patient care? What is your case acceptance? The standard is 85% of your patients scheduling for treatment after you have presented a plan for them. If you are not aware of your case acceptance percentage and/or if you want to see this percentage increase schedule a no-cost Case Acceptance Profit Session with Debbie HERE. You can also schedule 30 minutes by emailing or calling our office: Email: admin@dentalpracticesolutions.com or call: 949-351-8741.

Do you want more training for your office? Plan to join us in Portland Oregon on September 21^st for a live CE Event called: Dentistry: Get a Grip on Your Practice and Grow Your Business

Click here for more information about this all- day live event.

ABOUT DEBBIE SEIDEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

We have planned a life-changing event so you don’t need to worry about your dental business but you can focus on your clinical dentistry.

Plan to bring your team so they can learn and begin implementing what they learn. This will leave you feeling like you have a new lease on life!

More information and Register Now. Early-bird Pricing Expires August 21, 2018.