Whoever you are leading and wherever you are leading them, pay close attention to what your team members are doing and how they are doing it.

Have you ever belonged to a team outside of your dental practice? Sports team, quiz team, advisory team? If you have then you will already know the importance of communication, leadership, respect, trust, and co-operation. A team is a co-operative unit, and achieving any goal is not possible without the best efforts of every person on the team, including the team leader. An effective leader will produce an effective team.  Read more... http://crowndentaloptions.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/building-an-effective-team/ 

Finding ways to grow is an important part of life and is a constant challenge to all of us but grow we must!

  “Successful teamwork is not about mastering subtle, sophisticated theories, but rather about embracing common sense with uncommon levels of discipline and persistence, Ironically, teams succeed because they are exceedingly human. By acknowledging the imperfections of their humanity, members of functional teams overcome the natural tendencies that make good teamwork so elusive.” - Lencioni 

 A recent survey by The Blair/McGill Advisory revealed that doctors are making significant progress in tightening in-office collection policies...

read more by clicking the link below...

Don't letroad blocks distract you from your goals.

 How many times have you heard, “My insurance doesn’t cover that,” after you’ve recommended treatment for a patient? But what if the recommended procedures were covered by the patient’s medical insurance?

Does your office know the importance of dental-medical insurance cross coding in the practice of dentistry?

It used to be so simple – your practice is dental and you filed dental claims for dental patients. You only thought about medical claims when you had medical procedures performed by your doctor. Well, times have changed. If your practice is not up-to-date on the latest in insurance filing systems, then you could be losing money and/or delaying reimbursement.

read more: www.dentistryiq.com/index/display/article-display/1673866109/articles/dentisryiq/practice-management/insurance/2011/9/how-dental-medical.html

 New procedure codes and updated fees for 2011-2012

read more: www.dentistryiq.com/index/display/article-display/5055361830/articles/dentisryiq/practice-management/experts-tips_and_tricks/2011/03/New-procedure-codes-and-updated-fees-for-2011-2012.html

 Up to 150 audits anticipated; every covered entity, business associate eligible

The cloud. Cloud computing. Every tech journal is talking about “the cloud” like it’s the greatest invention since the Internet. The concept has already caught fire in dentistry, and it appears that it may change how we practice forever.

Read more: www.dentistryiq.com/index/display/article-display/5043667810/articles/dentisryiq/clinical/surgical-restorative/2012/01/4_ways_cloud_computing_will_change_dentistry_for_the_better.html

All throughout the day, we treat them one by one. Each individual patient is treated in a different way. This is our standard of care. Will you agree with this statement? If you don’t agree, then let’s make a “Red Letter Day”- – today!

What is the difference between a Prophy and a Periodontal Maintenance?

Are you scaling more than twenty minutes during a regular continuing care appointment? If you are then it is probably more than just a Prophy.

read more: http://sm4dentists.com/dentistrynews/2011/10/decide-prophylaxis-periodontal-maintenance/

Read Part 2 here:   http://sm4dentists.com/dentistrynews/2011/10/decide-prophylaxis-periodontal-maintenance-part-ii/ 

Five Mistakes in Dental Hygiene  that could be costing you THOUSANDS!

Read the article here:  

 Sometimes you find an article, a book, or a post that hits you square in the face. Yesterday I read this one and I wanted to share it here today....  CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE

 According to RDH’s sister publication, RDH eVillage, the average hourly rate for a dental hygienist in the United States is $42.01.  But a variety of demographic factors influence hourly rates in the United States, and RDH eVillage published four reports in late 2011, breaking down the numbers on a state-by-state basis or based on metropolitan areas.

READ MORE HERE:

Would you like to see thousands of dollars of restorative treatment scheduled from hygiene every day? Would you like to see this happen without having to enroll the treatment yourself?

READ MORE HERE:

Dental hygienists are not given very many codes to use in patient care. Given the descriptor of D4355, very few patients qualify for treatment under that code. I urge you to proceed directly to definitive periodontal care for any patient with periodontal pocketing. One thing is sure – make sure you code correctly for what you do. To do otherwise is considered fraud.

READ MORE HERE...

Does your hygiene schedule look like Swiss cheese? You are not alone in this challenging dilemma! The downturn in the economy, job loss, and corporations converting to the least expensive dental plans have created a huge tidal wave, whooshing patients from your chairs.

Today, dentists are laying off hygienists due to their Swiss cheese schedules, and recent hygiene graduates are having a hard time finding jobs. Is this the new normal for patient retention in your hygiene department?

READ MORE HERE:

“The key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions.” – John Simone

What questions do you ask yourself every day?

Read More Here:

Caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA) encompasses a methodology of identifying the cause of disease through the assessment of risk factors for each individual patient and then managing those risk factors through behavioral, chemical and minimally invasive procedures.

READ MORE HERE...

Has modern dentistry overlooked the importance of tongue cleanliness? Dr Gorden Christensen addresses the issue: Read More Here:

Fully 85% of your happiness comes from your relationships with other people – at home, at work, and in every area of your life. You require a balance between your work and your personal life in order to be happy. 

READ MORE HERE: 

 READ THEM HERE:

  It is simply impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator. Effective communication is an essential component of professional success whether it is at the interpersonal, intergroup, intragroup, organizational, or external level....

READ MORE HERE:

 Great employees are reliable, dependable, proactive, diligent, great leaders and great followers... they possess a wide range of easily-defined—but hard to find—qualities.

A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance.

Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees:

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There are four levels of customer satisfaction, all based on the degree to which you meet customer expectations. The higher the level you achieve, the more you will build customer loyalty and the greater will be your success.

READ MORE:

  If you believe success is simply making (or having) a lot of money, you may be setting yourself up for failure. 

READ MORE:

 Consistently do these five things and everything else follows. You and your business benefit greatly.More importantly, so do your employees.

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 As a leader what you don't do can sometimes make as much or even more impact than what you do. Here are five things remarkable bosses never do:

How often should we be updating medical history? Perhaps there’s a better way to ask for updated medical history........ READ MORE

We need to remember when explaining treatment and options to our patients to simplify our explanation so the patient can understand. Dental jargon can be confusing and actually create  fear and confusion. Read about how a  9 year old reminds us to  K.I.S.S.........

It has been my observation that some new employees come into our office with expertise equal to or even above our staff average in some areas. On the other hand, some look good on paper and are not able to work at the level the résumé infers.

Benjamin Franklin was clearly a man who knew how to get things done. He was a writer (often using a pseudonym), publisher, diplomat, inventor and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.



Here are 14 action-inducing lessons from him:

Although I am not a dentist, I co-own a dental practice in Phoenix, AZ it is still a work in progress. Here’s the five most important lessons I’ve learned since owning this practice....

While the $Million Dollar Practice (or greater!) might indeed be a meaningful goal for you, here are six specific objectives that I would suggest have even more relevance for you:

In today's saturated market the hygienist must find ways to strengthen their role in the dental practice and become more valuable team members. One way to achieve this is to learn how to sell the restorative dental treatment your patients need.

Most efforts at change fail because the people or cultural aspects are ignored. You can have a great technical or skill strategy, but it is the human equation that ultimately creates success or failure…

read more…

Are you a big picture thinker?

Fascinating Article:

Michael Douglas first sought medical help in 2010 after experiencing a sore throat that persisted for a protracted period of time. After several visits to doctors, a tumor on the base of his tongue was discovered. With further analysis, it was determined that Mr. Douglas had stage IV squamous cell carcinoma oral cancer read more….

Two scientists have discovered a molecule that kills the bacteria that can cause tooth decay, meaning a treatment for cavity-proof teeth could be on the way.......

the reason internal referrals are the most valuable form of practice growth is because new patients who are directly referred to you already have a sense of trust. They already feel invited and welcome…

READ MORE

In my 30 years of practicing periodontics, I have come to the conclusion that treatment planning is one of the most challenging and demanding aspects of our job. Many factors enter into the decision-making process where case planning is concerned, including the patient’s expectations and financial commitment, the scientific possibilities and predictability, and our own clinical ability and input from the interdisciplinary treatment team. No two cases are truly ever the same….

read more…..

Ask the right questions when reviewing your life’s achievements.

READ MORE:

This is an absolute must read!

100 dental practice experts share what they consider the most important elements in running a dental practice. There were some consistent topics: leadership, communication, and teamwork. Read more...

Twice-a-year hygiene appointments help patients maintain good oral health and prevent more severe dental problems in the future. However, in response to the slow economy, more patients are postponing hygiene appointments. As dental professionals, we know that the longer patients delay regular care, the greater the probability of future oral health issues. The challenge for dental practices is to help patients understand this read more….

Working interviews appear to be a successful tactic for most dental hygiene job candidates; of the group who were not paid for the working interview, 63% were hired for the position they applied for....read more....

It’s very important for dentists to offer the best possible service they can and to aggressively monitor and manage their reputations online.

This article outlines five online reputation management tips for dentists....read more....

One of the most important elements in creating an outstanding dental practice is leadership. Without it, the practice lacks a strong culture, motivation, and dedication...read more....

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail... read more.....

We need to engage in genuine communication with our patients about the clinical excellence we provide, and our customer service needs to exceed their expectations.  read more.......

If dental hygienists do not integrate the growing evidence on the oral-systemic link into their practices, they will have forfeited a great opportunity to define themselves as healers....read more...

How many times has this happened to you? You do a thorough examination on Mrs. Jones, taking a full set of X-rays. You work up a well thought out treatment plan that will restore her mouth to health and function. You take 30 to 45 minutes out of your busy schedule to treatment plan and educate her about the restorations you will use to fix the problems. She smiles and says, "Okay, I'll think about it."

The reason education kills case acceptance is because patients decide to do dental treatment based on emotion, not education or intellect. In fact, most buying decisions are emotionally based.  read more......

Everyone has his or her own perspective regarding money, wealth and riches. The perspective depends partly on how you were raised, your parents’ relationship with money, what you’ve observed, what you’ve experienced, your teachers, mentors and guides, with whom you spend the most time and how much you’ve been impacted by media.

In America, where we are preoccupied with money and the accumulation of it, most people associate wealth with money – lots of money. But the wealthiest man in the world, Warren Buffet, says that creating wealth is different than focusing on making money or becoming rich. And he should know!      Read more…

What can I expect from the “mini implant” concept for my patients, especially for lower complete dentures?

Read more...

The buzz surrounding social media as a marketing tool in dentistry is not dying. In fact, with the majority of patients now tuned into sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp, the relevance of social media is only growing. Practices that embrace social media reach an entirely new generation of patients and potential patients. Practices engage them on a whole new level — an accomplishment no doubt reflected in their bottom line. Furthermore, with smartphones in abundance, patients take their social networks with them wherever they go, giving dental practices an even greater opportunity to connect and to grow. 

Here are six creative ways for your practice to use social media and see results: Read more…

Excise Tax Going into Effect in 2013-will it affect your practice?

“Restorations fabricated in the dental office, including those fabricated via chairside milling systems, are also subject to the excise tax.”

If you have a dental machine that uses computer-aided design making it possible to have a crown procedure done in one visit.....read more 

What are the major shifts and trends impacting the world of dentistry today? 

Successful dental practice leaders understand that the world of dentistry presents a constantly changing landscape. The practice that fails to react quickly or plan proactively tends to be left behind.  Read more…

The truth is that we will never return to how things used to be. Taken together, the following eight “game-changers” demonstrate that American dentists are in an entirely new situation — one that they have never faced before. Although some game-changers may seem daunting, proactive dentists can ensure bright futures for their practices. Read more… 

One of the surest ways to gain a competitive advantage is by learning how to make the most of your time. Through continuous learning and personal development, you can keep up with, and get on top of, your job, career, and field of expertise. Read more...

3 ways to increase dental case acceptance by Roger Levin

Superior case presentations involve far more than just explaining procedures. Patients want to hear how they will benefit from treatment — a brighter smile, the elimination of pain, a healthier mouth, etc. Without an emphasis on treatment benefits, patients may have difficulty accepting the dentist’s recommendations.

For the best treatment presentation results, use these key concepts:read more

Would you like to see thousands of dollars of restorative treatment scheduled from hygiene every day? Would you like to see this happen without having to enroll the treatment yourself? Of course you would. I am going to share with you some of the inside secrets I have learned from years as a hygienist in high-performance practices and years as a hygiene consultant helping practices grow. There are key steps to building a hygiene department that builds the entire practice, happily. read more...

What Makes a Great Boss?

 By: Melanie Joy Douglas, Monster Contributing Writer

Bosses are often the primary reason for people either loving or leaving their jobs. A boss, as Joan Lloyd writes, is the umbilical cord that connects employees to an organization, and if that cord is damaged, the employees will eventually leave. Read more…..