The block of granite, which was an obstacle in the path of the weak, becomes a stepping stone in the path of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
First off….if you are “old school” and it works for you that is great! This is just my own personal opinion and I wanted to state that. For some reason every time I blog people take some of this stuff so personal. I LOVE reactions….everyone is unique and understanding how we all have our own way of doing things is something I truly cherish.
On that note…..
I have been around this business for a long time. I was just thinking how much things have changed since I first started. I have always tried to be ‘cutting edge’ – the first to have a pager, then a brickcell phone, the first fax, computers, internet, hand held ordering devices and portable laptops. Every time there is some new way to do business – I seek it out!
The latest is social media – and I believe this one is coming faster than any other technology has ever hit us in the past. Its’ truly viral. So many people don’t truly understand the power – but think of social media this way – referrals on steroids.
I thought I would list what I considered ‘old school’ ways of selling and ‘new school’ ways of selling. I personally still use a combination of all methods! Whatever works for me and the customer.
This is my personal opinion of old school sales versus new school sales;
Old School
-phone in orders
-hand write orders
-search through catalogues
-tons of brochures
-flyers
-close every sale
-push quantity rates
-one shot deals/ limited time deals
-free goods
-coupons
-mail in rebates
-pressure sales – close, close, close
New School
-Internet ordering
-Laptop or Desktop ordering
-Instant messaging
-blackberries – text messaging, instant messaging, internet, email, phone
-Interactive messaging
-electronic brochures (internet websites)
-electronic flyers
-long term loyal relationships
-order as needed
-lower everyday prices
-instant rebates
-loyalty programs
-Social media marketing
-referral marketing
-viral media marketing – youtube video, facebook, twitter
-direct target marketing
Can you see how things are rapidly changing? What do you think of Social Media and the new way marketers are engaging customers? There are definite privacy concerns, but are you willing to give up some privacy in order to have a more convenient life? Most people must be willing or Facebook and Twitter would not have grown to over 400 million!
This is a new category for me – and my sister helped me become aware of this product line. She has a degree in Bio-sciences and works in the health food industry. She has a great understanding of pro-biotics.
Pro-biotics help our oral health work the way nature intended – supporting the good bacteria in our systems for good oral and digestive health. You have heard of the benefits of pro-biotics for our digestive system – this new application for pro-biotics just makes sense!
Have you had experience with this product you would be willing to share? What is your professional opinion?
The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them
Bernard Baruch
As a Dental Health professional you educate your patients on the importance of good oral hygiene. Yesterday I blogged about not only educating your patients, but actually offering the products you recommend for sale at your own office. The blog yesterday made me realize I should talk a little more about some great floss products in particular that my hygienists here just love….no particular order.
I love the taste of the Clean Paste (like brushing between the teeth) and the way the Reach Gum Care absolutely removes everything – a really cool consistency!
Ortho patient compliance at its’ finest! This is one product that I showed around that 85% of my offices purchased! A great over the counter retail product for your ortho patients.
It isn’t that they can’t see the solution, it’s that they can’t see the problem.
G.K. Chesterton
Oral Hygeine is important!
The majority of offices I deal with are proud of their perio programs and happily promote good oral health. At the same time, they recommend products and are afraid to actually sell the products they promote. How can you increase patient compliance? How about offering the products you recommend within your own office?
I’m not saying you have to be a tacky salesman – you can offer these products and simply educate your patient on the benefits. Follow through – if you really believe these products are good for your patient, there is no reason that your treatment planning shouldn’t include the products in the price of treatment, is there?
As always – my personal treatment planning for my customers…
#1 – Good for the patient and proven
#2 – Good for business.
Home care products are usually well recieved if presented properly – come up with a game plan that includes your team! Increase patient compliance and increase revenues – everyone wins!
Here is a list of great products I would recommend…
#1 – Power Brushes Power Brushes – I would carry an assortment of styles and price ranges.
#2 – Prospec MI paste Prospec MI paste – an amazing product for remineralization, sensitivity therapy, boosting whitening results
#3 – Whitening Whitening – I would offer a variety of whitening products in all price ranges. I like the Pola line since they carry the entire range of products.
Watch this interesting youtube video demonstrating results of the LANAP procedure using a Periolase.
There are tools that are made for specific procedures in your practice – and it seems that the Millenium Periolase has strong support for the LANAP procedure (and many other soft tissue procedures). I am a strong supporter of lasers in dentistry – we have a very high percentage of laser dentists in my area (might have something to do with my own beliefs).
Lasers can differ in how they perform and the results they deliver. Every laser I have seen has clinicals that prove they perform well at certain tasks. If you can understand the benefit to your patient and you are ready to take a step forward with this technology – it would be good to take the time to educate yourself on all the different types of lasers and the performance of each one.
A basic Diode laser is an excellent place to start and I would reccomend the following:
Ivoclar Odyysey Navigator about $13,000 CDN
Biolase EZ Lase $11,500 CDN
There are less expensive options – but I believe the return on your investment is strong enough to warrant the mid-price range with more features and full dealer support and training.
I believe that cost of living raises are not earned. This is simply inflation. We all need this just to keep up. I really like to see raises that are givenfor performance.
Think like a boss.
If you owned a company and wanted to be able to pay your employees the top in the industry wages and benefits – how would you be able to do this?
The only way a company can pay well is if they are profitable. The most profitable companies must run efficiently and productively. So apply this rule to the space you control. How can you be more efficient and productive at work to help your company be more profitable and thus earn higher benefits…
Here are some ideas….
Reception
-Keep the operatories booked efficiently. Learn how to schedule in the most effective way. Understand how much time is needed for treatment, and schedule efficiently. Make sure the day flows well.
-Answer your phone.Sound simple – but so many offices I call allow voice mail to answer when they are busy. Maybe your patients leave a message – but there is a better way this can be done. There are now services that will answer your phone. Services that are specific to the dental industry with dental trained personnel who can answer questions and book appointments. Virtual Assistants…worth checking into!
-Use your computer.Make the most of the software you have and use electronic claims and submissions. Learn and use reports tohelp your office improve collections, scheduling, treatment plans, unscheduled treatment, etc.
-Make sure your patients come in happy and leave happy – you are usually the first and last person they see…
-Use Demandforce to book your appointments – automate the procedure whenever you can in order to have more time to add value
Dental Assistants
There are huge opportunities for CDA/RDA to expand their skill set and help the office become highly efficient and productive. Here are some ideas.
-Make use of all your skills.
-Expand/Learn new skills – valuable skills to learn now….digital x-ray, how to enter treatment on a computer, how to take a panoramic xray, Orthodontic assisting, Implant and Surgery assisting.
-Help promote cosmetic procedures your office supports
-Help educate your patient
-Learn to use an intraoral camera
-Learn to take digital pictures
-Learn the digital imaging software
-Keep the doctor running on time orahead of schedule!
-Look for efficiencies in your day to day tasks. How can you turn over an operatory quicker? Take xrays faster, speed up delivery of instruments, reduce patient waiting times.
-Treat every patient like they are the boss.
-Love your job and show it! Be an example of a leader and profit center for your office.
Hygiene
There are huge opportunities for Hygeine! This is where most treatment starts and where your patients will likely spend most of their time when they visit your office.
-Make sure the patient is well educated on oral hygiene. Use all your skills to present a good periodontal program and educate them on the importance of regular visits.
-Learn to use the intraoral camera on every exam
-Learn to use digital xray
-Have available any perio products you recommend. Do your best to get that power brush in their hands if they need it.
-Be educated on the latest in perio.
-Have you considered laser?
-Have you considered treatments like Periowave?
-Do you make the patient extremely comfortable?
-Do you offer products like Oraqix (no needle anesthesia)
-Can you make scaling comfortable?
-Do you recommend bleaching?
-Have you investigated remineralisation products like Propsec MI paste?
-Do you retail the items you reccomend for your patients? Becoming a retailer is a profit center – and you are recommending these products anyways – why can’t you offer them at your office? This is a very strong way to increase your daily hygeiene production!
-Get a practice analysis from you Henry Schein rep to make sure you are maximizing your patient bookings
-Use Demandforce to help make sure your chairs are full – and broken appointments are filled immediately.
Associates:
-Time is money – make sure you are running efficiently
-Be concisous of expenses – use product as if you are paying for it
-Expand your skill set
-Refer within the office first if possible
-Be involved in marketing yourself and the practice
-Keep educating yourself on the latest procedures
-Bill for your time.
-Attend team meetings – treat the practice as if you are paying the bills. Be respectful.
-get rid of the ego – every team member matters if you want to produce well! Be good, but be modest – its way more attractive to your patients and attracts better staff.
My last comment – every single minute counts in the type of business you are in. Production relies specifically on the team working well together. Make sure to have meetings to make sure the team is playing with the same playbook….
So you took the time to check out the world of social media – and if you are following my blog you are starting to understand the importance of organizing your information to get the most out of your experience.
A Quick tip – many of us have become “Fans” of a lot of pages – all the things that really interest us! The Fanpage for your favorite musician or group or maybe you are following a writer, blogger, or another colleague. One thing that starts to cause a mess of your facebook is when you become a fan of a lot of different interests! It becomes difficult to keep track – I am here to help you!!!
ORGANIZE YOUR FACEBOOK FANCLUBS/ PAGES
You may be missing some great postings from the pages you wanted to follow because Facebook sort of ‘edits’ the posts on your walls. If you want to make sure to not miss a minute of the action – follow my “Facebook in 5 minutes” blog to set up a “Channel” for your “Pages”
#1 – Go to “Account” and then click on “Edit Friends”
#2 – Click on “Pages” to see the fanclubs/pages you subscribed to.
#3 – Create a “New List”
#4 – Add all your favorite pages to the list
Now when you go back to “Home” and click on “Friends” you will see your new list – and you will be able to click and follow all your fanpages on your own customized channel!
Do what you love and never work a day in your life….
How is that for an inspiring message just before I Rave on Surgical Instruments! The great thing is – I KNOW how many of you reading this LOVE this stuff! There are so many passionate health care workers – my blog this weekend is about how to get paid really well doing what you love!
Luxators could be a useful instrument for your surgery.
I have sold these for years, and I forget about how well they work until someone re-orders! Luxators are specially designed perio ligament knifes with a fine tapering blade that compresses the alveolar and cuts the membrane and gently eases the tooth from the socket.
The real source of wealth and capital in this new era is not material things.. it is the human mind, the human spirit, the human imagination, and our faith in the future. Steve Forbes
BLUE VIEW from Garrison Denal Solutions….
Its’ all about the contrast – clear matrix systems are hard to see, blue makes sense!
Blue View for Class V – anatomical and flexible. Eliminate the air inhibiting layer and reduce finishing time while protecting the restoration from contamination!
Blue View for Class II when you can’t adapt the FenderWedge or Compositight system, this matrix simply gets put into place and squeezed to tighten!
Blue View for anterior restorations feature a stop so you can pull tight and eliminate the need for a wedge or extra hand and the curved strip easily adapts and prevents the strip from slipping – and obviously the blue allows you to see where the band is placed!
Now a matrix tape in a roll with a blue tint….it just makes sense! Available in 6mm, 8mm, and 10mm width.
“The most valuable things in life are not measured in monetary terms. The really important things are not houses and lands, stocks and bonds, automobiles and real state, but friendships, trust, confidence, empathy, mercy, love and faith.”
Bertrand Russell
A perfect Directa Class II restoration
Here is another no brainer product from Directa! The Fenderwedge protects the adjacent tooth during your class II preps….so you can work faster and maybe even complete the case using the fenderwedge as a matrix during your simple pedo cases.
