Welcome to the June e-zine, which I hope you find packed full of useful ideas and interesting information.
It’s not even summer yet and I am already finalising events for the autumn – no wonder the years pass by so quickly! Be sure to investigate what is happening near you, details are provided below but my website always features the latest information and you can visit anytime!
In this issue we focus on setting fees and highlighting what patients really want – a clean dental practice that prioritises their health and welfare. Do you fit this bill? If not, think about what changes you might want to introduce to deliver what patients consider to be important to them. If you need any help, you know where I am.
I hope you enjoy and benefit from the contents of my e-zine and please feel free to pass it onto anyone you think might benefit.
Best wishes
Sheila
Please, if you are a capitation practice would you pay some attention to preparing for your fee increase decisions NOW. I hate going into practices in September or November each year to find out they’re losing tens of thousands of pounds annually because capitation plan fees are not covering the costs of time given to patients. Please DO NOT put your fees up by the amount suggested by your plan provider and please DO NOT set your fees according to the local going rate! Your fees should always be based on the costs of providing the standard of care you believe is right for your patients and if you don’t do the sums scientifically every year, you can bet you’re losing money!
This means you have to find out how much time each band of plan fees patients have had with you in the last year, and how much time they’ve spent with your hygienists. Then you calculate the cost of that time at next year’s hourly rate , divide it by 12, and add your plan admin fee. You can then truly say that your fees are based on the costs of providing care, and quote the increase with confidence.
If your fees have to increase dramatically – all you have to do is explain why your new fees are worth paying. Please call me if you need help with either the analysis or the perceived value in the practice or the communication to patients! But please pay attention NOW! Most of you will be asked for your 2011 fees in July – it’s only a few weeks away!
Most of my clients would love to be doing more cosmetic dentistry. We all know that interest in treatments to improve the appearance of teeth and gums has halved in most patient bases in the last year and a half since the recession started – but there are still many out there who would love to have brighter, whiter, straighter or generally more complete or attractive teeth.
The trouble is, I find that most practices are either over keen to promote the benefits of cosmetic dentistry as a statement of practice philosophy, or are mis-managing the chances to find out if patients are interested.
Let’s think about patients for a moment. Some patients will have been watching makeover TV or reading magazines with articles about brighter smiles and come in asking for help. But most patients come into the practice with fingers crossed, thinking ‘I hope I don’t need anything doing this time’. The thought of doing something about their smile isn’t at the forefront of their minds when they actually walk in, and they won’t necessarily mention their interest unless you ask them.
You, their dentist, don’t know that they’ve discussed their best friend’s whitening with them, or that they’ve thought about doing something about their appearance when they change relationships, contemplate the reunion or the family celebration, or when they’ve come into a little money at last! And if you don’t give patients a chance to tell you what they’ve been thinking – you miss the opportunity that’s sitting there waiting for you.
I prefer practices to keep their promotions, their public advice and their whole service focused on health – this is what patients tell us they want most from their dentist, and capture the cosmetic interest with only one question asked at every dental health check. ‘Are you happy with the appearance of your teeth and gums?’ is an excellent question to ask – as long as it is asked within the context of a full health screening, and as long as it’s not the first question asked.
Some patients will object/complain/react negatively – but this gives you a great opportunity to underline your health focus – ‘lots of patients are getting keen on cosmetic dentistry and I like to know when they do – we talk an awful lot of patients out of these treatments as it is far more important to get or keep them healthy…’
But if you ask this question in the midst of your dental health checks all of next week, I bet you’ll be booking in more treatments!
Mess... marks...dust...grime...smears…fingerprints and splashes. None of these are acceptable in any practice. I’m still shocked at how many practices I visit that have needed the full Kim and Aggie treatment.
How can any of you expect patients to take up your advice, or to plan to return when they spend all their time in the chair looking at dripping, fingerprint-infested or rusty over-chair lights held together with Sellotape. Or they are counting dust bunnies, spider webs or grubby marks on the walls?
There’s no point in promoting hand washing advice in your loos if the sink hasn’t been wiped down for three days!
Please… GET CLEANING… this matters to patients!