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CHRIS GRAHLN E W S L E T T E R
T H E
As your Patterson Dentalrepresentative I appreciatethe opportunity to help with dental supplies, elite technology such as CEREC and Eaglesoft, office supplies, dental equipmentand creating a more enjoyablepractice. I hope you find somehelpful tips and ideas in thisedition of the newsletter! -Chris Grahl
On the inside...
NEW PATTERSON TECHNOLOGY FAQ SITE LAUNCHED!
The Patterson Technology FAQ site used by customers and employees of Patterson now has a fresh new look. The goal of the new update is to help users find answers more quickly in the company’s knowledge base.
The idea to update the knowledge base came from the need to innovate and refresh the site. The site’s new look and capabilities align it with the rest of the technology industry. With a look similar to the Google website, the searching process has become easier and more efficient.
The updated Patterson Technology FAQ site has new ways to search in addition to new functionality. There are new tabs to choose when searching. For example, if a user is looking for an Eaglesoft answer, they can simply click the Eaglesoft tab to drill down.
The site also has other resources available on the right side of the webpage. From there users can access quick links to ask a question, use the live chat feature, contact a sales representative at the PTC, or give feedback.
You’ll be able to access recorded videos for you to review or help train staff, submit a question to email or live chat support directly from any screen and much more!
I encourage you to spend some time on our new site – I think you will love the changes! If you want to view a morein-depth presentation of the changes, select the ‘Quick Tour’ link on the FAQ site.
- Compliments of Dianna Borries Patterson Technology Center-National Support Manager
4 WAYS TO MAKE ITEASIER FOR YOURDENTAL PATIENTS TO PAY FOR TREATMENT
you could consider.
From Dr Levin:
Payment options: Growth strategy for dental practicesIn a study released in November, 2014, the ADA Health Policy Institute reported that cost is one of the top reasons adults were not visiting a dentist. Specifically, cost of care was specified by 35.7% of adults aged 18 through 34 … 43.4% of those aged 35 through 49 … and 50.5% of adults aged 50 through 64. Even among those with private healthinsurance, 35.1% of respondents cited cost as the biggest reason for not visiting the dentist.
Clearly, dental practices seeking toincrease production need to address what many prospective patients identify as a financial barrier to treatment. This does not necessarily mean reducing fees, because the actual cost is less important than the affordability. Making purchases affordable has become a common strat-egy for increasing sales by all types of businesses in our society. From monthly payments for cars and houses, to adding purchases to credit card balances, to pro-motional discounts, consumers (who are also dental patients) respond favorably to affordability strategies. Such strategies also work for dentists.
For all treatment plans that will require significant out-of-pocket expenditures by patients, offering these four paymentoptions will increase your acceptance
NEW PATTERSON TECHNOLOGY FAQ SITE LAUNCHED! — Pg 1
Contact InformationChris Grahl, Patterson Dental | 706.461.4588 [email protected]
www.PattersonDental.com, www.athensdentalpartner.com
4 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOUR DENTAL PATIENTS TO PAY FOR TREATMENT — Pg 1-2
FALL SEVEN TIMES, STAND UP EIGHT.-JAPANESE PROVERB — Pg 2
16 DIFFERENCES OF A BOSS OR A LEADER — Pg 2-3
4 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR TEAM’S PERFORMANCE — Pg 3-4
DENTAL DIALOGUES: FRAMINGDENTAL INSURANCE — Pg 4
Roger Levin provides a lot of articles and information fordentists. I read this article and thought it might be something
QUOTABLE — Pg 4
THE ART OF CUSTOMER SERVICE — Pg 2
CHRIS GRAHLN E W S L E T T E R
T H E
2Chris Grahl, Patterson Dental | 706.461.4588 [email protected], www.athensdentalpartner.com
rate:
5% or 10% discount for payment in full whentreatment beginsPatients who have good personal cash flow but are trying to economize will find this to be an attractive option. It will also appeal to those who like getting a “deal” or buying products that are on sale.
Half-payment at the start of treatment, half oncompletionPatients who’d rather pay cash than create debt — but need to spread out the cost somewhat — will oftenrespond to this plan.
Acceptance of major credit cardsThe credit card industry and retailers thrive on consumers’ desire for convenience and the ability to make purchases without counting what’s in their wallet or bank account.Allow your patients to enjoy these advantages.
Outside financingAcceptance of larger cases increases when practices help connect patients with reputable finance companies, such as CareCredit, to handle payment for treatment. Inexchange for a modest fee, you not only increaseproduction but also eliminate potential collection problems.
THE ART OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
From Patientnews.com is this important reminder: “Evaluating key performance indicators (KPIs) shows us how close we are to achieving our goals. Benchmarking and tracking KPIs throughout your practice is the founda-tion for any performance improvement strategy, and the front-line first point of contact for prospective patients is essential.
It’s likely that you have set your daily, weekly and monthly production and collection goals. But are you tracking your inbound call activity? Do you know how many new patient calls are missed or go to voice mail? Do you know the rate at which each call handler converts a prospective new pa-tient into an appointment?”
My thoughts -- Every practice needs to track some of these things to be effective and productive. I’m happy to discuss options available from Patterson.
FALL SEVEN TIMES, STAND UP EIGHT. - JAPANESE PROVERB---From http://philosiblog.com/
What does that mean?
I like this quote, as it is about the ‘never say die’ attitude. It means getting back up every time you get knocked down, fall down, or otherwise end up feeling down. Even if you start feeling like one of those inflatable punching bags the little kids use, you have to get back up.
This quote also infers that the only way you can lose is to not get back up. If you go down and stay there, that is the only path to a sure defeat. While you are still able to get back up, there is still hope, however slim it might seem.
And that’s what the quote is about. Getting back up, no matter what. Over and over and over again. Until you win. Until the other guy gets tired of swinging, or loses interest and wanders off. You just don’t stop until you have what you set out to achieve.
Why is getting back up and back into the fightimportant? Note that the previous section isn’t saying to keep doing the exact same thing. You are unlikely to get a different result until you use a different method or approach. Adjust what you are doing based on the results you get, and you’re half way there.
The important part of getting back up is to get back into the fight.
Where can I apply this in my life? You did all the time, when you were younger. You learned to talk, to walk, to eat, and do all the basics in thismanner. You tried something and it didn’t work. You might have thrown a brief fit, but then you got back to it, and kept after it. So keep after whatever your current goal is.
Life will knock you down. You have to answer the question “Will you get back up?” Well, will you?
16 DIFFERENCES OF A BOSS OR A LEADER- By Jay Geier
The boss drives his people.The leader coaches them.
CHRIS GRAHLN E W S L E T T E R
T H E
3Chris Grahl, Patterson Dental | 706.461.4588 [email protected], www.athensdentalpartner.com
The boss depends on authority.The leader depends on goodwill.
The boss inspires fear.The leader inspires enthusiasm.
The boss says “I.”The leader says “we.”
The boss says, “Get here on time.”The leader gets there ahead of time.
The boss places blame for the breakdown.The leader fixes the breakdown.
The boss knows how it is done.The leader shows how.
The boss says, “Go.”The leader says, “Let’s go.”
The boss uses people.The leader develops them.
The boss sees today.The leader also looks at tomorrow.
The boss commands.The leader asks.
The boss never has enough time.The leader makes time for things that count.
The boss is concerned with things.The leader is concerned with people.
The boss lets his people know where he stands.The leader lets his people know where they stand.
The boss works hard to produce.The leader works hard to let his people produce.
The boss takes the credit.The leader gives it.
4 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR TEAM’S PERFORMANCEBy Sally McKenzie, DrBicuspid.com
of an overall effort to help build a thriving, profitablepractice.
Sounds like a pretty simple concept, right? Unfortunately, many dentists just don’t take the time to give theiremployees the direction they need to excel. They expect them to just instinctively know what to do, especially if they’ve spent time at another practice. Consequently,employees don’t meet expectations, and the dentists who are supposed to offer them guidance can’t understand why.
To help get you and your team members back on the same page, it’s time to strengthen your performancemeasurement system. Need help? Start with these four steps and you’ll be well on your way to a clear, well-defined performance measurement strategy that will give your team members the tools they need to excel in their roles.
1. Develop detailed job descriptionsI know what you’re thinking. Job descriptions are a waste of time. I’m here to tell you they’re not. Job descriptions serve as a road map to success for your team members and should clearly outline job tasks and duties, as well as your expectations and how their performance will bemeasured.
Detailed job descriptions make it clear who’s responsible for which systems and exactly what is expected of each team member. Sit down with team members to create job descriptions and resist the urge to overlap duties. If you do, you end up giving employees tasks rather thanresponsibilities. No one knows what they’re responsible for, leading to frustration and a lot of finger pointing when tasks don’t get done or aren’t done correctly.
Empower one team member to take control of eachsystem, and then cross-train so every area has coverage when the point person is out of the office.
2. Create a culture of successIf you want your team members to excel, you have toprovide them with the tools and training they need toeffectively perform their jobs. Don’t just expect new hires to pick things up as they go along, or think spending 10 minutes quickly going over how to schedule patients is all the training your scheduling coordinator needs. Thisimportant team member should learn how to effectively communicate with patients, the pros and cons of blocking the schedule, and the importance of monitoringunscheduled treatment reports.
3. Realize what gets measured gets doneWhen evaluating employee performance, it’s important to use an appraisal instrument that evaluates a variety of key areas. Those areas include the following:
If you want your teammembers to succeed -- and we both know you do -- they have to know what’s expected of them. They need to strive to achieve individual andpractice goals and know they’re part
4Chris Grahl, Patterson Dental | 706.461.4588 [email protected], www.athensdentalpartner.com
• The employee’s willingness to help others
• The employee’s willingness to cooperate with others
• The ability to follow instructions
• The number of errors in their work
• The employee’s work ethic and attitude
• The employee’s productivity
• The employee’s commitment to completing responsi-bilities and improving workflow
4. Provide ongoing guidance and feedbackThis is key to improving employee performance. Instead of only setting up yearly performance reviews, give your team members feedback as much as possible.
Don’t wait until there’s a serious problem. Let teammembers know what they’re doing well and where they can improve. Praise employees publicly, and talk to them in private when you need to be critical. Be specific and be honest, and employees will know exactly what they need to do to improve performance.
Your team members want to do their part to help your practice succeed. They want to know how theircontributions can help move the practice forward and to feel like they’re important members of the team. For that to happen, they need to know exactly what’s expected of them and how their performance will be measured. Follow these four tips and you’ll soon have a happier, moreproductive team that’s helping to move your practicetoward true success and profitability.
DENTAL DIALOGUES: FRAMINGDENTAL INSURANCE
dental insurance from a Mercer Advisors script:
• I notice you have insurance.
• Did your insurance company examine your oral health before giving you the plan?
They didn’t? I’m not surprised!
• Only one kind of true insurance is guaranteed, and that’s life insurance.
For that, you get an exam!
• All other forms of insurance are a limited payout based on the terms and conditions of your plan.
Nothing to do with your mouth.
• Let me tell you how insurance works. In 1967, the annual limit was $1000. That would be over $5000 today.
So, in a 5-year period, you could get over $25,000 in treatment completed.
Today, the annual limit is still $1000 so it is impossible to get everything you need paid by insurance.
• I promise you, I will never be guided by your insurance plan.
Let’s talk first about what dentistry you need, then how you can pay for it.
• Insurance is a method of payment, not a method of treatment.
QUOTABLE
“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.” -- Vince Lombardi, football coach
“If anything is worth trying at all, it’s worth trying at least
10 times.” -- Art Linkletter, radio and TV personality
“At Patterson Dental we often talk about creating a great “patient experience” and why this is so important in your practice. I think we can all agree that patient’s purchasing habits have changed over the last few years. The question is have we adapted to our patients? Are we creating more value for our services and building stronger relation-ships? I want to do this in my business and also want to help you do this in your prac-tice. I believe we have great ideas to share and help implement in your practice. Let’s work together and reach our potential and have some fun in dentistry!”
CHRIS GRAHLN E W S L E T T E R
T H E
Sometimes it seems that patients are more concerned about what insurance will pay than the actualtreatment itself. This is an interesting way to frame
