FollowThis week I share Phase 3 of Time Management for the dental hygiene routine appointment. These are tips to stay on time when you “do treatment.”
Staying on time is what made me feel stressed during my career as a clinical dental hygienist and this week I have put together tips to keep the hygienist running on time and reduce any stress created.
If you can follow these tips, you will discover you don’t feel like you are running on a treadmill and your patients will leave your office more satisfied because they did not have to sit and wait for doctor to complete their exam.
The foll
owing are a few tips: (View the video below for more in-depth tips)
1. Doctor needs to enter for the hygiene exam no later than 30-45 minutes into a 60 minute hygiene appointment. If you have less than 60 minutes you will need to adjust this time. No more waiting until the end of the hygiene appointment to notify doctor of a patient exam
2. A patient of record can remain in a supine position when doctor enters for the exam. The hygienist will leave their provider chair and move to a position opposite of the doctor for the exam process.
3. The hygienist can lead doctor by providing small chitchat about something personal regarding the patient. This chitchat lasts only 6-90 seconds
4. The hygienist will lead doctor through the exam process by giving a report of what was discovered during the data collection process, the determination of treatment and what is necessary for the next hygiene appointment. For example does patient need a full mouth series of x-rays. The exam communication with doctor is a great time to add value and some benefits for why the patient will return for their next hygiene appointment
5. The hygiene exam (When doctor and hygienist have calibrated their services) should last approximately 5-7 minutes
Watch the video below for more specific information to streamline your time management especially when you “Do Treatment.”
ABOUT DEBBIE SEIDEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS
In 2000, Debbie founded Dental Practice Solutions, a dental practice management business focused on creating profitable dental hygiene departments, as well as improving the total bottom line of the dental practice. She has been named as one of Dentistry Today’s Top Consultants for 10 years in row!
Debbie is a former clinical assistant professor from the University of Southern California where she taught the senior dental hygiene students skills to treat periodontal patients. She also co-taught the practice management course at USC from 200o-2002. (Until the school start PBL – Problem Based Learning)
Debbie has a team of experts to guide teams throughout the world to provide quality, patient centered practices that sustain profits for the life of their dental practice