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CASE STUDY #1:
WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE? |
This is an actual scenario brought to the attention of Kerry Straine. Read the challenges the dentist was facing and then decide what advice you would give. When you're finished, compare your recommendations with the actual ones Kerry suggested.
Did you come close?
THE PROBLEM
A dentist barely produces enough to cover his overhead and have anything left over for him. His appointment book is rarely filled. And those are just a few of his headaches ...
THE FACTS
The general dentist has been in practice for 15 years. He has four treatment rooms in his facility. His practice management software report shows 2,356 patients have visited at least one time in the last 24 months, with more than 90% of his patients over 25 years of age. He claims to have 10% of his patients in periodontal therapy. He has one hygienist four days a week with eight appointments available per day. His schedule is booked out one week, but that's short of his goal; beyond one week, the schedule has significant openings.
The practice currently has 150 patients appointed in hygiene. The staff has a hard time keeping both the hygiene schedule and the doctor's schedule filled and they always seem to be scrambling to do so.
If he truly has 10% percent of his patients in periodontal therapy, his one hygienist can only service 698 patients. This is derived from 32 appointments per week times 24 serviceable weeks in a 6-month period. The total number of appointments available is 768. The dentist's healthy patients will be coming once every six months for their cleaning and each will take up one appointment during this time. His patients in periodontal therapy will be coming every three months and will each need two appointments in the next six months. This is 698 patients with 70 of those coming in twice (698+70=768). Consequently, 1,658 patients cannot get a hygiene appointment.
The dentist doesn't have an effective reappointment system; patients are leaving the office without their next hygiene or restorative appointment. And he doesn't have a solid recall program since most patients are not scheduled for their next hygiene appointment and they aren't booked out very far in hygiene. Of the patients that he diagnoses and for which he recommends treatment, only 20% actually schedule the next appointment and complete the treatment upon his recommendation.
What is YOUR best advice for this dentist? Read Kerry Straine’s advice by clicking here!
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| Straine Practice Analysis™ |
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DID YOU KNOW…
that, according to a 2007 Gallup poll of Americans, the top five most-trusted occupations (rated for their honesty and integrity) are nurses, pharmacists, veterinarians, medical doctors ... and dentists! |
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JUNE-SEPT. 2007
SEMINARS
June 1: Lehigh Valley, PA
If We're In The Black, Where's The Green?
A dental practice cannot stay in business without knowing what to expect financially. When financial policies fail, dental practices go down. Business relationships suffer. Patients are abandoned. A dental practice must be prepared, plan its future, and control its actual performance in order to deliver its clinical promise and reach its financial goals. This seminar will help you develop meaningful goals and learn how to effectively communicate them to your team. Also, discover the seven steps to personal and professional fulfillment.
June 12: Southern CA
If We're In The Black, Where's The Green?
Aug. 24: Tampa, FL
If We're In The Black, Where's The Green?
Sept. 7: Cleveland, OH
If We're In The Black, Where's The Green?
Sept. 12: Grand Rapids, MI
Develop A $1-Million Hygiene Department
Sept. 14: Detroit, MI
If We're In The Black, Where's The Green?
Sept. 21: Houston, TX
If We're In The Black, Where's The Green? |
| If you would like to register for any of these events or learn more about them, please click here. |
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Straine recognizes these "Industry Icons" for their positive leadership and distinguishing strengths.
They possess the drive to achieve results, the ability to take initiative, the skills in collaboration and teamwork, and the ability to lead teams.
Tom Dudas, DMD
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Location of practice: Leola, PA
Dental school: Temple University School Of Dentistry
Year graduated: 1987 |
What is your most noticeable characteristic?
I'm relentless in the pursuit of my mission.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Financial independence.
What is your favorite pastime?
Watching my daughter play soccer.
What book are you currently reading?
"1776" by David McCullough.
What is your all-time favorite movie?
"The Right Stuff."
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Not there yet! I'll know it when I see it!
What will you not tolerate from anyone?
Dishonesty in all its forms.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Better listener.
What do you value the most?
My wife and children.
What talent would you most like to have?
Public speaking skills.
Who is the person you most admire?
Kerry Straine.
What is your pet peeve?
Slow people and clutter.
What is it that people don't know about you?
I truly have the ability to "chill out."
What is the most important thing you've learned about yourself since working with STRAINE?
That hard work and dreams are not enough; you need systems and structure and coaching.
Solution To Case Study #1:
What's YOUR Advice?
KERRY’S ADVICE
Clearly, this practice needs to produce more to alleviate the doctor's financial situation. It also needs to focus on keeping both the doctor and hygiene schedules filled.
This will only happen by taking a proactive approach with effective strategies to manage its patient base. The dentist needs to be clear in his clinical vision and the mission he wants his staff to carry out as they guide their patients into receiving excellent dental care. He needs to write this into the office's operating policies with areas of responsibility clearly defined for the staff. The policies must have the following immediate goals:
- Reappoint all patients who come into the office for their next hygiene visit and restorative visit as necessary.
- Reactivate all patients who have become inactive (who currently don't have an appointment). Look first for patients who have uncompleted restorative treatment to fill the doctor's schedule and then for patients who are overdue for hygiene. Each hygiene patient is to have an exam with the doctor to identify restorative needs to help fill his schedule.
- More effectively communicate to the patients the need to complete the treatment plan. Each staff member must be able to explain clearly in patient terms any treatment that the dentist recommends with the same sense of urgency. They are to "role play" until each staff member is comfortable with their verbal skills.
- After the treatment plan is explained to the patient, the assistant or hygienist is to walk with the patient to the front and explain to the treatment scheduler what needs to be scheduled for this patient. This is to be done in front of the patient. Financial arrangements are to be made in accordance with the office's financial policy. The treatment plan is to be printed out and handed to the patient with the appropriate patient education tools to take home.
- As the practice fills up its one hygienist's schedule more than two weeks out, a second hygienist needs to be added one day per week at a time as the schedule fills.
By following this plan, the benefits will include:
- More predictable schedules.
- More production from both hygiene and the dentist.
- Patients complete their treatment plans and receive appropriate dental care.
If you’d like your practice to be considered for a future Case Study, click here or call us
at 1-800-568-7200 X110.
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