Good Eye - Amazon Web Services€¦ · uct, they are then giving you permission to talk about how wonderful your product is. 2. Focusing too much on the “science” and/or fea-tures

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www.firstimpressionsmag.com : First Impressions : June 2012 : 3

content

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First Impressions (ISSN 1548-4165) is published bi-monthly by Medical Distribution Solutions Inc., 1735 N. Brown Rd. Ste. 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8153. Copyright 2012 by Medical Distribution Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: $48 per year. If you would like to subscribe or notify us of address changes, please contact us at the above numbers or address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Medical Distribution Solutions Inc., 1735 N. Brown Rd. Ste. 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8153. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors.

june 12

Publisher’s LetterOpportunity in the Uncertainty ..............p.4

Ask the Expert .......................... p.6

What I Like About YouOffice managers share top qualities of sales reps ................................p.8

Taking the LeadOne practice management consultant’s broad experience has helped her better understand – and solve – her dental customers’ needs. ...................................p.12Easy as PiezoSome basic education can enlighten dental customers about the advantages of piezoelectric ultrasonic scaling technology.. ............................... p.16

Credibility CountsWhy an organization has to build and maintain a credible culture ............p.18

QuickBytes ..................................p.20

Windshieldtime ......................p.22

Crossed wires? Easy. Crossed communications? Not.Benco Senior Service Tech Jan Powell ties success with being able to relate to your customer. ....................................... p.24

A Clean Act to FollowService techs can keep their customers informed on sterilizer maintenance and repair. ....................... p.28

A Word of AdviceKnowledgeable sales reps + consultants = powerful offering for your customers. .....p.32

Good EyeFinding hidden sales opportunities may be as simple as this: Stop, look and listen, baby.. .....................................p.38Dentists On Board and OnlineSocial media: a necessary tool for your customers’ success? ............... p.44

Dental Crisis in America?Government report details causes, solutions to access problems ............... p.48

Dirty Little SecretsInfection control expert Nancy Andrews answers your questions. ....... p.52Tech Talk: Resin Composites................p.56

The Reel WorldYears of experience running a chartered fishing company have given one rep insight into the challenges of running a small business. ..................................... p.58

Wyatt Wilson: Conviction, passion, concern, laughs .....p.62

News ..................................................p.63

Products .........................................p.66

Marketing Matters...............p.70

p.62p.12 p.24

4 : June 2012 : First Impressions : www.firstimpressionsmag.com

publisher’s letter

TBrian Taylor

There is a lot going on around the world and in the industry. We see political unrest across Europe and the Arab world. France just elected its first Socialist president in more than 20 years; Greece teeters on the edge of financial disaster. At one time, these were merely stories to us – they had little or no influence on what was happening in our country or our lives. Those days are gone, as I think for the first time we all are sensing what it means to be living in a global environment and economy.

Here at home, we see how globally we are linked as the markets rise and fall based on international events not just our own. This new world dynamic can be distracting to us as we go about our daily tasks on a much smaller scale in our territories and regions. We need to be focused on our customers and their needs while at the same time remain aware of a bigger economic picture. Imports and gray market issues are a real concern and add another

Opportunity in the Uncertainty

Michael Bocian, Darby Dental SupplyRick Cacciatore, Iowa Dental SupplySteve Desautel, Dental Health Products Inc.Paul Jackson, Benco Dental

Suzanne Kump, Patterson DentalDawn Metcalf, Midway Dental SupplyLori Paulson, NDCTim Sullivan, Henry Schein Dental

Clinical boardBrent Agran, DDS, Northbrook, Ill.Clayton Davis, DMD, Duluth, Ga.Sheri Doniger, DDS, Lincolnwood, Ill.Nicholas Hein, DDS, Billings, Mo.Roshan Parikh, DDS, Olympia Fields, Ill

First Impressions editorial advisory board

element to your job. Educating your customer on issues like this make the suppliers’ role one that goes beyond detailing simple features and benefits. Without a lot of insight into industry best practices, much less a global per-spective of outside influences, your customers need help in running their businesses.

Yet the opportunity to set oneself apart has never been greater. We all are familiar with the 80-20 rule (that roughly states that 80 percent of the results are produced by 20 percent of any group). Today, more than ever, your cus-tomers need you to be one of the 20 percenters. If price alone is allowed to be the determining factor in where your customer buys, everyone loses but the online /discount suppliers. Unless you can demonstrate your value to the dentist and his/her business, the future won’t be bright.

Several of this issue’s articles point out the need for suc-cessful reps to step up their game. In “A Word of Advice” the discussion centers on the need for a true consultative selling approach. Understanding the business of dentistry and being able to discern and share best practices or detect flaws in a customer’s processes are key components for a rep to be of great value.

Social media marketing for dentists is among one of the newer challenges and opportunities for dentists. Our story in this issue highlights how a number of dentists are using Facebook to connect with their patients and drive growth in their business. Savvy reps can increase their own value to the customer by understanding how these tools are being used and sharing ways to implement and incor-porate them into dental practices.

As in most instances, uncertainty presents huge op-portunities. Not many would argue that today’s times are some of the most dynamic yet unsettling in many decades. Gaining an understanding of the big picture (globally) and the local scene will position you to demonstrate your val-ue to your customers and reinforce why they do business with you and not the Internet.

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ask the expert

Q: What do you see that surprises you the most in how dental sales reps prospect dental offices?

A: Many of the dental reps I come across do a pretty good job in “balancing” the need of assessing the dynamics of the office and the personality of the dentist while being pleasant, informative and not too pushy. Having said that, here are the three most common areas I come across that can be improved upon, especially in the beginning stages of the sales process.

1. Scolding. Many reps, when they see or hear that the office is using a competitor’s products, immediately get defensive. The challenge is that there is no way for you to know WHY or HOW the other product got into the office (someone else brought it in, it was given to them for free) or whether they like it or not. If it sounds as if you are tell-ing them they made a mistake, they will become defensive, and you are fighting an uphill battle even if they want your product. Keep your focus on what’s happening in their of-fice, and if they tell YOU they don’t like the other prod-uct, they are then giving you permission to talk about how wonderful your product is.

2. Focusing too much on the “science” and/or fea-tures. Yes, everyone knows that sales is about talking ben-efits, and yet I am amazed at how many dental reps go right into a long list of features and/or showing the den-tist all the studies the product has backing it. If the basic features or information of your products can be read (in a brochure, website) let them read it afterwards. Yes, they

need to know the product is credible, but the precious few moments that you initially have with an office manager or dentist should be spent discussing the emotional and/or financial benefits the product has in their specific office setting. Does it save me time chairside while producing the same or better result? Will the patients thank us for how pleasant their office experience was? Will it help make me more profitable than last month (or last year)?

3. Making assumptions. Reps sometimes assume that dentists also know all about their competitors. So, when doing their demos or pitches, reps will often immediately say why their composite is better than X, Y and Z’s prod-ucts. General dentists have hundreds of types of products they need to carry. It’s unrealistic to think that they could possibly know every major composite or impression ma-terial. Many times the dentist may know the name of the product but doesn’t know the actual company that manu-factures it. When a rep mentions how their product match-es up against X, Y, or Z, it sometimes causes the dentist to say “Oh, I didn’t know about Y…now I need to check it out.” The end result, by bringing up the competitor, is that it delays the process or gets you in a price war and you have just “sabotaged” your own sales process. Of course, if a dentist asks you directly how your product compares to Y, go ahead and do your thing!

Every office is different in what they are using, what they know, and what they want. Your job is to simply al-low them to tell you before you tell them everything about your product!

Ask the ExpertA former practicing dentist and current sales expert answers your questions

By Anthony Stefanou, DMD, Founder, Dental Sales Academy

Dr. Tony Stefanou is a 1987 graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. In addition to being in private practice until 2005, Tony has been the VP of Sales & Marketing for several dental companies, and has been a private sales consultant and trainer for many sales teams in the industry. He is the founder of the Dental Sales Academy, and developer of the “How to Sell to Dentists” workshops, which are live, interactive two-day events offered several times a year. He can be reached at [email protected]; (917) 796-4538; or visit www.howtoselltodentists.com.

Editor’s Note: Anthony Stefanou, DMD, will answer reps’ questions on their dental customers. E-mail him your questions at [email protected].

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office managers

What I Like About YouOffice managers share top qualities of sales reps

For this issue we asked our man-agers ‘What qualities do you like about your sales representatives?”

What a response! Our survey respondents have a lot of love for their representatives. They also were very vocal about what qualities they disliked, but that will have to wait for the next issue. Overall our mem-bers are appreciative of the efforts their reps make for them. The answers ranged from the expected (low pric-ing, good service) to the unexpected

(understanding the dental business model). The message we received by reviewing all the responses is that when the rep becomes a part of the practice they are recognized as an in-

valuable source of information. Let’s talk first about the expect-

ed responses. Pricing and products are still important as the econo-my continues to loom uncertain for many. Rebates and free good

offers have always been a source of

frustration for managers. Many times the invoices and shipping information are handled by several persons. When the manager is the one submitting for free goods and rebates, many times this task is pushed to the back burner and the due date can speed by. Tara A. in Pennsylvania says she appreciates her rep because “he actually serves our practice needs by handling rebate paperwork.”

Help with pricing trends is invalu-able. An Illinois manager says she loves “her rep’s honesty with pricing.” Another

Illinois manager loves that her rep “fol-lows orders so if we are entitled to a promo the sales rep automatically puts in for the free products to be shipped on a quarterly basis. This is great, be-cause we do not have to track special offers, or order more than what we need to receive an offer.” We think that sounds like a good partnership.

Familiarity with the business model of dental offices seems to be a new competitive advantage for the rep. The

Editor’s Note: The relationship between office managers and sales teams can be a beautiful thing when it works

well. The American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM)

would love for every manager to have great relationships with their reps. We’re

thankful that First Impressions has allowed us to strengthen this relationship by giving us a voice in this column. Office

managers will respond to questions in order to provide insight into the decisions

we’re faced with for our practices.

Familiarity with the business model of dental offices seems

to be a new competitive advantage for the rep.

Heather Colicchio Teresa Duncan

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office managers

persons managing the offices are exposed to more business ideas than ever before. Also on the rise are the multi-location and multi-provider models. Increased ef-ficiency is the name of the game here – not just clinically but ad-ministratively. A strong case can be made for a real business partner-ship between the rep and the man-ager according to this respondent: “Our rep runs annual reports on our usage of supplies and also lets us know about practices locally for

sale.” Some reps also will act as liaisons between qualified job seekers and managers that have openings.

Dental reps are also seen as a source of information for new products. Many times the dentist will tell the man-ager to ask for information from the rep about a new prod-uct. As you can imagine, the subject of ‘follow-through’ came up. Reps that respond with product literature and links to sites are likely more well-regarded than reps that turn on the full court press and especially more so than those that fail to respond at all (a common comment). If you respond to a request about product with a sales push, then you can bet the manager or dentist will think twice

before they contact you again. The thought process of the manager will be to do their own research rather than risk another sales pitch. They are going to buy from you – let the decision-making process run its course.

The foundation of a good re-lationship is still customer service. The most common responses had to do with pleasant attitudes, ex-ceptional service and genuine con-cern for the team members. One respondent is always impressed by

a rep that knows every employee’s name and notices when someone isn’t there during the visit. Also mentioned was concern for wasted time. But it was concern for the rep’s wasted time. More than a few managers mentioned that they wished their rep would call or e-mail first because they hated not being able to talk to them during a particu-larly crazy day. Dana R. from Indiana says that she is fine with her rep “e-mailing to check on things instead of a trip into the office.”

Hopefully many of you recognized your traits and habits in this article. We certainly recognize the role of the dental representative and your invaluable help to our offices. [FI]

Heather Colicchio is the President and Founder of the American Association of Dental Office Managers and Teresa Duncan serves as their Educational Content Adviser. For more information on AADOM please visit www.dentalmanagers.com.

Are you wondering what’s on our mind? Send an e-mail to [email protected] with the subject line “First Impressions.”

Reps that respond with product literature and links to sites are likely more well-regarded

than reps that turn on the full court press and especially more so than those that fail

to respond at all (a common comment).


first person

Taking the LeadOne practice management consultant’s broad experience has helped her better understand – and solve – her dental customers’ needs.

School of hard knocksA trip to her own dentist at age 16 for a cleaning and checkup proved to be a turning point for Hegarty. “My dentist asked me if I would work for him part-time,” she says. “I would come in after school and greet and seat patients, assist the dentist and collect money,” she recalls. “My dentist took me under his wing. It was very old school – the school of hard knocks.”

Firsthand experience in the front office and helping out in the operatory taught Hegarty that she was more interested in the business side of the dental in-dustry. “In college, I pursued a business degree with a focus on human resources,” she says. Afterward, she joined a new dental practice as an administrative assistant, and progressed over the years to a position as office manager. But whether she was working in the operatory, at the front desk or as an office manager, she quickly learned how important every-one’s role is when it comes to running a business. “We all needed to understand [what goes into] the full patient expe-rience in order to help run the practice,” she says, noting that

she was fortunate to gain experience at a couple of progressive practices working as a patient coordinator, a hygiene coordinator, a financial co-ordinator and treatment coordinator.

Around this time, Hegarty be-gan to explore other opportunities in dentistry, which opened a new set of doors for her. “I transitioned to a practice management software firm, beginning in training and sales,” she says. “I never saw myself in sales, but I quickly became comfortable with it because I believed in the product and service.” Eventually, she transitioned into speaking and consulting. “Fifteen years ago, when my daughter was in first grade and I was looking for a flexible position, I started my own practice manage-ment consulting firm. I could work at 2 a.m. if I chose to do so!”

Still, she never could have de-veloped the successful business she runs today without her varied experiences, she points out. “The perspective I got from holding so many positions in dental practice

has helped me help dentists,” she says. “The more experi-ence you have, the more you can [identify with] what your customers are going through. I believe in [keeping up with] continuing education and a lot of reading. The better pre-pared you are, the more creative you can be.” But, she has found firsthand experience to be essential to servicing her customers’ needs, she adds.

This goes for sales reps as well, Hegarty continues. Reps should learn about their dental customers’ day-to-day challenges running their practice and determine how

Ginny Hegarty

It’s important for sales reps to know their products. But, without thorough insight into their customers’ needs, product knowledge alone won’t suf-fice, says Ginny Hegarty, SPHR, president, Dental Practice Development Inc. The better sales reps understand the clinics they service, the greater

difference they can make for their customers, she points out. Reps should “roll up their sleeves” and learn all they can about their customers and the challenges they face, she advises. “They should get to know what is going on behind the scenes at the practice. It’s also a great idea to keep up with dental journals and blogs to gain further understand-ing of the team dynamics within dental practices.”

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first person

they can support them, she explains. “Reps can say to their customers, ‘I read a great article about running a practice by [an expert/consultant in the field], and I’d love to share it with you.’” True, dentists often get overloaded with read-ing material, she notes. “Magazines can pile up in their of-fice,” she says. “But, they often bring them on vacation. I’ve had dentists call me about an article two years after I’ve written it. Dentists will appreciate reps bringing inter-esting and impactful articles to their attention.”

Meeting the customer’s challengesDentists tend to focus more on patient care, Hegarty notes. As such, they depend on their sales reps to become their trusted advisors and “help them meet their challenges,”

she says. With this in mind, “sales reps should always put purpose and passion before profitability,” she points out. “If sales reps make their purpose clear as a trusted advi-sor – and if they make their passion clear – their customers will trust them.”

Hegarty offers similar advice to the dentists she con-sults. “I teach my dental teams that if they focus on doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason, they will be successful.” Sales reps can help them do so by steer-ing them toward resources that help them develop a solid strategic plan. “Many dental practices don’t have a strategic plan in place, which is [crucial],” she says. In fact, dentists and their staff members often have different agendas, she points out. “I work toward helping them achieve shared goals.” Likewise, she believes that sales reps who help their

customers develop a focused plan will provide great value to the practice.

Sales reps can help their dental customers learn how to “empower their team,” says Hegarty. “You don’t want to see dentists micromanage their team. Nor can they hire a great team and let everyone go, or everyone will [adopt] their individual agendas. Rather, it’s all about den-tists having the right people on their team and developing a solid direction. [For sales reps, it’s about] helping their customers with advice from industry experts who can as-sist them in managing their team, their expectations and their practice’s results. When reps ask their customers how their days are going, they should really listen to what they are saying. The names and faces may change from

year to year, but for many practices, the issues stay the same and sales reps will quickly begin to see just how helpful they can be.”

Taking controlToo often, dental practices are dis-tracted by outside forces in the in-dustry, such as the economy, she continues. In addition, rapid chang-es in technology can be overwhelm-ing. “So having a plan in place and a

team to support it is important.” At the same time, sales reps should encourage their customers to stay focused on the things they can control – namely, providing great pa-tient care and service – she adds.

“I tell my clients to tell their team, ‘Our focus will be on what we can do,” Hegarty continues. “This is where the sales reps come in. If your [dental customer] says, ‘The economy is killing me,’ tell [him or her] to focus on what [he or she] can do. If there are referrals they can make to help the doctors sharpen their protocols and systems, they will catch all the details that can fall through the cracks.” Ultimately, dentists will pay more attention to the reps they trust, she adds. “Becoming a trusted ad-visor is a value-added service that makes a great sales rep a valued friend.” [FI]

Learn more about Ginny Hegarty at www.ginnyhegarty.com or www.facebook.com/dentalpracticedevelopment.

“ I teach my dental teams that if they focus on doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason, they will be successful.”

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sales focus: piezoelectric scalers

Easy as PiezoSome basic education can enlighten dental customers about the advantages of piezoelectric ultrasonic scaling technology.

Are your dental customers dragging their feet about adding piezoelectric scalers to their practice? If so, are they aware that piezoelectric ultrasonic scaling technology is similar to that of magnetostrictive

devices? Experts consider both technologies to be very sound. And, even if dentists are schooled in the more traditional mag-netostrictive technology, it shouldn’t be a far leap to adapt their practice to piezoelectric devices. Available in Europe since the early 1970s, and the United States since the early 1990s, piezo-electric handpieces can be used not only for scaling and perio applications, but for endodontic and restorative procedures as well.

How it worksThe technique used for piezoelectric scaling is similar to – if not the same as – that used for hand scaling. In fact, the scaling tips for piezo resemble the hand instruments used by hygienists. True, because the technology is versa-tile and can be used for a number of applications, there is some additional education required. But, it’s nothing that can’t be easily covered in an in-service or a lunch-and-learn.

Piezo ultrasonic handpieces contain a stack of piezo-ceramic discs (usually four per device), which oscillate at high frequencies of 25 to 40 kHz when excited by electricity. The stacked discs within the handpiece help facilitate the oscilla-tion process, while the displacement created by the oscilla-tions translates into vibrations within the piezo tip. The result-ing vibration is linear by nature, lending itself to a variety of applications, such as periodontal root planing, supragingival scaling, endodontic retreatment, apical surgery, gutta percha condensing, passive ultrasonic irrigation for root canal dis-infection, crown and post removal, minimally invasive caries preparation, margin preparation, and inlay/onlay preparation.

Because there are no moving parts in the piezo hand-piece, there reportedly is no heat buildup. As such, less

water is required, allowing clinicians better visibility and helping reduce the gag reflex in patients. Also, piezo hand-pieces tend not to vibrate, facilitating greater tactile sense for clinicians. Additional features include built-in autoclav-able LED lights for increased visibility; irrigation options that enable clinicians to run not only water, but such irrig-ants as chlorhexidine and sodium hypochlorite; and a wide range of tips in different sizes and shapes.

Depending on the features offered (e.g., LED lights, mul-tiple irrigation tanks, etc.), piezoelectric ultrasonic handpieces range in price from $1,550 to $4,365. The number of devices a practice requires depends on the types and number of proce-

dures done. For instance, a practice that specializes in hygiene, endodontics and restoration should place a handpiece in each operatory, according to experts.

Working with the customerMagnetostrictive technology may suit dentists and their staff well. But, they should be aware that it’s not the only option. Reps should ask a few prob-

ing questions, such as the following, to initiate a discussion about piezoelectric ultrasonic scaling:

• “Doctor, What are the most common procedures you perform?”

• “Are you interested in a single ultrasonic scaling technology, such as piezoelectric ultrasonic, that can be used for many procedures?”

• “Are you aware of the versatility of piezoelectric ultrasonic scaling technology?”

• “Did you know that piezoelectric technology is very similar to use compared with magnetostrictive scaling technology?”

A little education can go a long way in helping dental customers recognize the value of piezo. [FI]

Editor’s Note: First Impressions Magazine would like to acknowledge the assistance of Acteon with this article.

Depending on the features offered (e.g., LED lights, multiple irrigation tanks, etc.), piezoelectric

ultrasonic handpieces range in price from $1,550 to $4,365.


sales management

Credibility CountsWhy an organization has to build and maintain a credible culture

By Anita Sirianni

There is a credibility gap that is woven into the corpo-rate culture of many companies that is hard to spot. It is a little easier to measure credibility in others, but difficult to assess our own. Yet, when credibility is lacking, it under-mines everything we do. Company cultures that fail to up-hold high standards in this area suffer from compromised productivity and profit.

To be considered credible one must inspire belief in others as well as be thought of as capable. Yet in the rapid pace of work life, it is easy to lose sight of the skills and attributes that help us along the way. More difficult to discern are the factors that contribute toward the impres-sions we have on those we work with. Yet, there are several qualities that have a direct impact on our communications

with others ultimately affecting our overall productivity.

Some managers beat their head against the wall after years of frus-tration only to discover a poor im-age among peers or subordinates has been undermining their efforts. In the cordial workplace people tend to ‘play nice’ and keep their opinions to themselves – making it difficult to get a realistic measure on how the im-pressions we have on others we work with impact our actual effectiveness.

Credibility is one of those attri-butes we rarely pay attention to and yet it impacts almost everything we do. There are several factors to con-sider in cultivating and maintaining positive credibility at work and in life.

Integrity. Integrity is the founda-tion of trust in any relationship or organization. Integrity must begin at the top with leaders and managers in order to create a company culture of

trust, honesty and ethical behavior. A keynoter, Mark Sanborn said it best, “Integrity is mea-

sured by the distance between your lips and your life.” Integrity is a choice. You can be honest or dishonest in all of your dealings with others. It is very easy to talk about integrity or any other attribute or value. The true test of integrity is to watch the way a person lives his life and makes choices.

Integrity need not be an elusive concept. Behaviors indicative of integrity tend to collect around common themes, such as a person’s ability to openly communicate with others or to do the right thing in spite of peer pres-sure. Or perhaps it’s a manager who creates a work envi-ronment where bad news or mistakes are viewed as learn-ing opportunities.

Many companies suffer a disconnect between what they say and do. One classic example is the com-pany that boasts, “Our people are our greatest as-set!” while they establish employee policies that

restrict creativity and entrepreneurial thinking. Or executives that espouse “work-life,” but employees feel pressured to check e-mail and call in for staff meetings while on vacation.


Consider creating new standards of integrity. Use sur-veys and interviews to prioritize a list of the top behaviors you desire most in your employees. There should be a con-sensus that if people demonstrate those behaviors, then your organization is living up to its own values.

Once you identify integrity-based behaviors, you must next ensure that employees follow suit. Measure this through personal interviews or surveys to establish a baseline to determine whether these behaviors are being observed and taken seriously. Many companies now tie be-havior to employees’ performance reviews or career goals.

Identifying and measuring key behaviors may not be enough to create the desired result. People may know the rules but are unable or unwilling to follow them when facing pressure from managers, or even peers. Be sure to address any cultural impediments that prevent integrity from becoming a part of your company’s culture. Find out what types of work pressures encourage, if not force, people to act unethically.

Empathy. By providing employees with what they need to succeed, leaders can build a sense of trust. This consequently promotes the relationships employees have with one another, leading to greater collaboration and improved productivity.

Others oriented. Companies that appreciate their em-ployees demonstrate their high regard by treating their em-ployees like valued business partners. Leading others toward a shared mission and vision, rather than a series of personal agendas, builds trust. One of the fastest ways to lower cred-ibility is to operate in a self serving or biased manner.

Culture of open dialogue. A company that encourages employees to share dissenting opinions without fear of re-prisal fosters an environment of open discussion and re-spectful conflict, causing employees to take ownership of issues and voice their suggestions for improvements. That can be accomplished by welcoming opposite points of view in meetings or sharing contrarian comments in the company newsletter or on your intranet. Managers can reinforce this new culture by inviting employees to voice their objections, and listen without becoming defensive.

Responsive. Trust is established when employees feel impor-tant and valued for their contributions toward company goals.

Great leaders solicit the feedback and involvement of employees at all levels. They tend to interact with employees in ways that make them feel valued, wanted, and listened to. They involve em-ployees in decisions, actively seek out their ideas, and keep them involved in decision-making. In doing so, they achieve the faith and confidence of their workers, colleagues and peers, who be-come willing followers, loyal employees and trusted coworkers.

Accessible. The best way to bridge the credibility gap is with timely, transparent employee communications. Lead-ers address real business issues straight on and provide honest feedback that is free of spin and corporate speak.

Competent. It isn’t enough to be thought of as credible without the goods to back it up. Expertise can be subjec-tively perceived, through objective mechanisms including credentials and certifications. However, the credibility that comes from applied competency is earned through results achieved. Knowing how to strengthen and maintain cred-ibility is sometimes as important in knowing what not to do as following the right steps. Consider just a few com-mon factors that cause credibility to be reduced or lost.

• Being inconsistent. Nothing confuses people faster than inconsistency. And if confusion due to contradiction is the only constant, trust is sure to fall victim. Seek personal rather than shared gain and lose respect and trust.

• Withhold information. When the communication channels shut down – both top-down and bottom-up – rumors start and misinformation is believed to be real. Trust falls apart when information is lacking, late or not shared.

• Being closed-minded. An unwillingness to consider other ideas and points of view, and/or to create an atmosphere of, “it’s going to be my way or the highway …,” will certainly cut-off communication and eventually shatter trust.

• Untruthfulness. Telling half-truths or lies is a quick way to break a bond of trust and vaporizing credibility.

Self knowledge is the foundation for growth. It is cou-rageous work to put yourself under the microscope for closer inspection. Yet, by fully understanding your person-al and organizational credibility you will discover a power-ful source of influence, leadership and success. [FI]


Editor’s Note: Technology is playing an increasing role in the day-to-day business of sales reps. In this department, First Impressions will profile the latest developments in software and gadgets that reps can use for work and play.

Free conference calls quickCrowdCall, a free mobile app for iPhone and Android, al-lows you to create free conference or group calls with up to 20 people anywhere on earth. The app, from Socialdial Inc., calls for users to select the people they want to in-clude in their conference from their contacts list, touch the call button, and begin. Instead of creating a dial-in number and PIN codes, CrowdCall calls everyone on the confer-ence list when the user presses the call button. There’s no need for participants to have the app to participate. The only cost is a local call from the user to the CrowdCall service, which uses local minutes on phone plans.

Two’s a crowdTwo screens aren’t better than one, says Wall Street Journal Technology Editor Walt Mossberg, in his nega-tive review of Sony’s new Tablet P tablet. Sold in AT&T stores, Tablet P is a 7-inch-long, narrow, hinged de-vice with no exposed display. When the user opens it, twin screens are revealed. Content can appear on one of the two screens, or be spread across both. “It sounds cool, but the Tablet P has some crucial drawbacks,” writes Mossberg. “The most important one is that, to take advantage of its full viewing area by us-ing both screens as a single display, you must put up with a thick, black, plastic bar across the center of whatever you’re viewing. That disruptive scar is the inside of the hinge, where the dual screens meet.” To be fair, Sony has modified or created some apps so they take advantage of the dual screens, without the annoying black bars, he says. But at launch, there were only about 40 such specially

adapted apps. “Portability is a virtue, and some companies are working on flexible screens that could bend without exposing a hinge,” he says. “But in my view, the Tablet P doesn’t cut it.”

Trade stocks wherever, wheneverTrade stocks wherever you are, whenever you want, with the City Trading™ iPhone app from City Index. The app is available to spread betting and CFD trading account

holders across iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices. Mobile trading is the future of spread betting, says the company. But City Index adds that a risk of mobile trading is the desire to trade on impulse. “With constant exposure to price movements, it can be tempting to place a trade without first researching and analyzing that market, which could lead to potential losses.”

Personal cloud for home networksAs consumers use their mobile devices more and more to enjoy music, television and movies, they are facing a capacity crunch as those devices quickly fill up, writes Gregory Schmidt

“ As consumers use their mobile devices more and more to enjoy music, television and movies, they are facing a capacity crunch as those devices quickly fill up.”

– Gregory Schmidt in the New York Times


in the New York Times. Cloud services from Apple, Amazon and others help with the storage problem, but they come with annual fees, he points out. Services from iTunes and Amazon are free for lower capacity storage, but then jump to $25 a year and up. Western Digital has introduced My Book Live, an external hard drive that creates a personal cloud for shared storage on a home network. For $180, you get a terabyte of storage capacity, and you can share files with other comput-ers on your home network, stream media to an entertainment center, and access files on your mobile devices. It also serves as an automatic wireless backup for all computers.

Smartphone battery with twice the lifeMotorola has introduced a 4G Android smartphone on Veri-zon Wireless with a battery with almost twice the capacity of the one in the company’s Droid Razr, and more than double the capacity of the one in Apple’s iPhone 4S, according to the Wall Street Journal. In a test by the newspaper, the battery in the Droid Razr Maxx lasted more than 20 hours in mixed, moderate use, including voice calls, video playback, hun-dreds of e-mail downloads and Web and apps usage.

Less personable, more capable, than SiriDragon Go is a less personable app than Siri, but more capable for people who like to speak instructions to the phone, according to a review in the New York Times. Drag-on Go from Nuance works differently from Siri. For one thing, it doesn’t talk back. The other is that it tells you where it is getting its information. So if you ask it to book a table at a restaurant, it returns results from OpenTable, which you know because of what’s indicated in a tab at the top of the screen. If you don’t have the app needed to complete a request, Dragon Go provides a link so you can

download it without searching the App Store. Dragon Go is also available for Android. Both versions are free.

Networking home audioMore than 60 percent of U.S. tablet owners use their device weekly to listen to music, and these consumer habits will drive deployment of home audio products with embedded networking technologies, according to research firm Parks Associates. Consumers are using products such as smart-phones and media tablets for music access and playback, and they want ways to distribute that content around the home, says Parks principal analyst Kurt Scherf. Networked audio products provide high-quality, multiroom music ex-perience. By 2016, more than 90 million home audio units – almost 60 percent of a worldwide market that includes A/V receivers, MP3 speaker docks, sound bars, and home theater systems – will ship with embedded networking so-lutions such as DLNA and Apple’s AirPlay.

Hands-free rechargingThink how convenient it would be if you could recharge electronic devices without ever having to plug them in – or even take them out of your backpack. Instead, you could leave your briefcase, tote bag or backpack on a counter in your living room, and the smartphones and tablets within could see to their own recharging. The New York Times re-ports that WiTricity Corp. in Watertown, Mass., has devel-oped a technology to handle these wireless energy trans-fers. Electronics using systems from WiTricity – which is short for “wireless electricity” – should appear this year, according to company CEO Eric Giler. The systems won’t be sold directly to consumers, but rather, to equipment manufacturers. [FI]

By 2016, more than 90 million home audio units – almost 60 percent of a worldwide market that includes A/V receivers, MP3 speaker

docks, sound bars, and home theater systems – will ship with embedded networking solutions such as DLNA and Apple’s AirPlay.


WindshieldtimeChances are you spend a lot of time in your car. Here’s some automotive-related news that might help you appreciate your home-away-from-home a little more.

Electric vehicle charging stationsLocating a charging station for electric vehicles should be easier with the TripTik Travel Planner on AAA.com or the AAA TripTik Mobile app for smartphones. To find charging stations near an address or along a route, users select a green plug icon to display locations on a map in TripTik Travel Planner or the TripTik Mobile app. Click-ing on an icon opens a listing that provides the station address, hours, charger levels and, where available, a telephone number. App users can dial the listed numbers in a single touch to check station availability status. More than 2,000 charging stations are identified.

Top fuel-efficient carsToyota and General Motors are the leaders in producing fuel-efficient cars, according to TotalCarScore.com. For the ranking of top vehicles by MPG, the company evaluated au-tos with the best combined (city and highway) fuel mileage that also scored an above-average “Total Car Score” in their segment. Top scorers in the midsize sedan and wagon segment: Toyota Prius (50 MPG) and Toyota Camry Hybrid (41 MPG). In the large sedan and wagon segment: Buick LaCrosse/LaCrosse Hybrid (MPG 23/29) and Toyota Avalon (23 MPG). In the midsize SUV and crossovers segment: Chevrolet Equinox/GMC Terrain (MPG 26/26) and Kia Sorento (MPG 25).

Top U.S. destinations for moversHouston, Orlando, Las Vegas and Chicago are the 1-2-3-4 top U.S. destination cities, based on mileage reports

from U-Haul International. The ranking reflects destina-tions for movers traveling more than 50 miles, and con-siders every city in the country, regardless of size. It was the second year in a row that the four cities placed tops in the report. Rounding out the top 10 (in descending or-der, beginning with No. 5) are San Antonio, Texas; Aus-tin, Texas; Atlanta, Ga; Sacramento, Calif; Kansas City,

Mo; and Denver, Colo.

Safe driver initiativeThe American Academy of Ortho-paedic Surgeons (AAOS), in partner-ship with the Auto Alliance, unveiled its 2012 public service announcement urging drivers to use the most ad-vanced safety feature of their vehicles while behind the wheel – themselves. This is the third year of the national “Decide to Drive” safe-driver initia-tive, sponsored by the AAOS and the Alliance. The 2012 message, pro-duced as a print advertisement, de-picts a woman unveiling a car with the message, “The most advanced safety feature this car has is the driver stand-ing next to it.” According to the Na-tional Highway Traffic Safety Admin-istration, distraction-affected crashes claimed the lives of 3,092 people in

2010. According to the results of an AAOS-Harris Inter-active Survey, 94 percent of drivers in America believe that distracted driving is a problem in the United States, and 89 percent believe it is a problem within their own communities.

Keeping tabsOnStar announced the launch of Family Link, a service that allows subscribers to stay connected to their loved

The No. 1 most commonly

needed repair is “replace

oxygen sensor,” which can lead to as much as a 40 percent reduction in gas mileage if ignored.


ones driving an OnStar-equipped vehicle. It includes two features: Vehicle Locate, which allows subscribers to log onto the Family Link website to view a map with the vehicle’s location at any time; and Vehicle Location Alert, which sends e-mail or text message notifications to let subscribers know the location of their vehicle. They can choose the day, time and frequency of the alerts. Family Link is OnStar’s first a la carte service. Subscribers can add it to any existing OnStar package for $3.99 per month.

Check engine lightMany drivers believe that the best way to resolve a “Check Engine” light is to look the other way. That’s not so, says CarMD.com Corp., a provider of automo-tive information and products. The company released its second annual CarMD® Vehicle Health Index™, a year-over-year comparison of car repair trends. The in-dex reveals and ranks the most common “check engine” light problems, their related repairs and how much those repairs cost. Each of the top five most common car problems can negatively impact a vehicle’s gas mile-age if ignored, according to CarMD.com. The No. 1 most commonly needed repair is “replace oxygen sen-sor,” which can lead to as much as a 40 percent reduc-tion in gas mileage if ignored. The No. 2 most common repair during 2011 was due to a loose or missing gas cap, which accounts for more than 147 million gallons of evaporated gas each year, and can result in a 0.5 per-cent decrease in gas mileage. The No. 3 most common repair, “replace catalytic converter(s),” appeared in the top three repairs for all four geographic regions stud-ied. In most cases, a catalytic converter won’t fail unless a related part – such as a spark plug – is ignored for too long. A damaged catalytic converter will result in gradual fuel consumption loss and may eventually cause a vehicle to quit working altogether. New to the top five this year is “replace ignition coil(s),” the No. 4 most common repair. Ignition coils can fail due to bad spark plugs, high underhood heat or age, and can decrease fuel economy by up to 20 percent. No. 5 is “replace mass air flow Sensor (MAF),” which can lower fuel economy by 10 percent to 25 percent if not repaired.

Automaker Report CardFor the last three years, Honda, Subaru and Toyota have monopolized the top three spots, respectively, on the Con-sumer Reports Automaker Report Card. That order has been significantly reshuffled for 2012, with Honda falling out of the top three, according to a report in the New York Times. Subaru received the highest score on the report card for the first time, moving up from No. 2 last year. Honda, including Acura, its luxury subsidiary, had held the top spot for the last four years. The automaker fell to No. 4 out of the 13 automakers included in the feature. Toyota, including its Lexus and Scion subbrands, retained its third-place position from 2011. Mazda, the most improved au-tomaker in the survey, moved from seventh to second. Rounding out the top five was Nissan, including Infiniti. Though Honda’s stumble may have represented the most jarring change to the report card hierarchy, Ford, includ-ing Lincoln, fell the furthest, from fifth position last year to No. 10 this year. An automaker’s report card score is based on an average of the company’s combined road-test and predicted-reliability scores, as determined by the magazine’s editors.

Subcompacts are newest breed of TexansIt takes Texas-size courage to drive a tiny car in that state, where herds of the biggest trucks roam free, notes the Wall Street Journal. And yet a growing number of Texans are buckling up behind the wheel of some of the smallest cars around, such as the Mini Cooper and Fiat SpA’s 500. Subcompacts made up 4.5 percent of about 910,000 total vehicle sales last year, up from 2.7 percent in 2007, ac-cording to Edmunds.com, the auto-shopping firm. As of Feb. 28, Fiat of Austin sold more 500s this year than any other Fiat dealership in the country. While a fifth of 2011 Texas vehicle sales were of big trucks – far more than in any other state – sales were down from 25 percent in 2007. Rising gasoline prices help explain the gradual shrinking of the Lone Star State’s automotive footprint. But that’s not all. Crucially, say dealers and auto-market watchers, to-day’s fuel-efficient cars aren’t the Spartan, knee-bruising and poorly performing microcars popular during the gas-price crunch of 30 years ago. Today’s models have plenty of amenities and panache. [FI]


service techs

Crossed wires? Easy. Crossed communications? Not.

Powell is a senior ser-vice tech with Benco Den-tal, calling on customers throughout central Penn-sylvania. “If it’s a product Benco sold, I’m there to take care of it, or to get

the right people in place to do it,” he says.

Powell was raised outside of Millerstown, Pa., about 45 minutes northwest of Harrisburg. His fa-ther, who oversees construction of gasoline stations for Perry Petroleum Equipment Ltd., instilled in his son an interest in plumbing and electrical systems at an early age. “If it could

be torn apart, even my toys, I would do it,” he says. “I knew what was in-side and outside everything.”

Powell graduated in 2005 from Penn State with a degree in mechani-cal engineering technology, but knew that he wouldn’t thrive in a desk job.

“I would rather be hands-on, building or fixing things,” he says. For a year and a half after graduation, he oper-ated heavy equipment for his uncle’s excavating company. Near the end of 2006, he interviewed for a service position with Benco, and he took the position in December of that year. Though Powell had never worked with dental equipment before, Benco

Jan Powell can take apart and reassemble just about anything. But one thing that’s tough to un-tangle are crossed communications. That’s why he aspires to listen carefully and communicate

clearly with his customers at all times.

Benco Senior Service Tech Jan Powell ties

success with being able to relate to

your customer

As many service techs would, Powell lists digitalization as the biggest trend in dental equipment over the past five years.

Jan Powell


service techs

and its manufacturers provided all the training he needed, he says. And they still do.

As many service techs would, Powell lists digitaliza-tion as the biggest trend in dental equipment over the past five years. “We went from very few customers having [digi-tal equipment] to pretty much all of them having some sort of it,” he says. Digital imaging and practice manage-ment software are two examples. “Everything is integrated through the computer now,” he notes. In many cases, trou-bleshooting a piece of equipment is done digitally. As a result, the successful service tech must have a thorough understanding of digital technologies, he says.

Relating to the customer“But you’ll get the most success based on your ability to relate to the customer,” he adds. “Under-

standing their wants, being able to communicate, so they know what’s going on at your end, and you under-stand where they’re coming from. That way, there’s no crossed communication.”

And where are today’s customers coming from? Patient care is No. 1, but cost is a close second. “People want to know where their money is going,” says Powell. “You have to explain to them, ‘This is a part that wears out over time,’ or ‘We need to take care of this so it doesn’t happen again.’” It is up to the service tech to explain why some parts simply need periodic replacement or repair, and to explain clearly to the practice the steps they can take to keep their equipment operating efficiently.

“Customers’ expectations have gotten higher,” he says. If he can’t fix a piece of equipment on the spot, cus-tomers expect to hear the game plan as to how it will get

fixed. “There’s no way I can fix everything in one visit,” he says. “And if I can’t, I walk them through the steps of how we’ll narrow down the problem, so we’re not just throwing parts at it.”

Powell says he has another customer too, one with whom he must establish a relationship at least as close as the relationships he has with his customers. That would be the Benco field rep.

Service techs are the eyes and ears of the sales reps, he says. “We can give them a heads-up on problems we may be facing with new items or equipment.” In turn, sales reps can give service techs a heads-up on new products or equipment that techs may be seeing in the field in the near future. Service techs and field reps are valuable allies. “A lot of times, customers will ask us our opinion of a piece of equipment before they buy it,” says Powell. “They

know we see things inside and out, and they know we’re not commissioned.”

Powell expects the service tech’s role to continue to change. For one thing, techs find themselves shipping more small equipment to the manufacturer for repair, rath-er than attempting to fix it onsite. That’s because a grow-ing percentage of small equipment is sealed at the factory. Another change is the growing use of electronic trouble-shooting systems, which alert the service tech to actions needed to repair specific pieces of equipment.

But one thing won’t change – the role of the service tech as his or her customer’s trusted advisor. “Your best day in the office is when, after you’ve been working in [the practice] for awhile, you actually become like one of the staff,” says Powell. “When that happens, you know you’ve done your job.” [FI]

Service techs are the eyes and ears of the sales reps. In turn, sales reps can give service techs a heads-up

on new products or equipment that techs may be seeing in the field in the near future. Service techs

and field reps are valuable allies.


service techs

A Clean Act to FollowService techs can keep their customers informed on sterilizer maintenance and repair.

Who better than the service tech to ensure dental customers care for their sterilizers properly? And, who better can make the call to repair or replace the equipment? By

working closely with dentists and their staff, service techs can help their customers get optimal results – and greater value – from their sterilizers.

The technologyThe most common method of sterilization is steam, or autoclaving. (Other methods include dry heat sterilization and chemical vapor sterilization.) To achieve optimal steril-ization conditions inside the chamber of a steam sterilizer, it is necessary to remove the air trapped inside the cham-ber once the sterilizer door is closed.

There are three types of steam sterilizers:• Gravity displacement.• Steam flush pressure pulse.• Fractionated steam sterilizers (pre- and post-vacuum).

Gravity displacement units rely on gravity to force trapped air out of the bottom of the chamber through a valve at the beginning of the cycle, as the heat builds. Once specific conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.) in-side the chamber are reached, the valve closes and remains closed throughout the remainder of the sterilization cycle. With this type of sterilizer there is the potential for small pockets of air to remain trapped in the top crown of the chamber after the valve closes. This trapped air may cause incomplete sterilization, particularly when sterilizing chal-lenging loads (e.g., textile packs or lumened devices), as it reportedly is more difficult for steam to penetrate air pock-ets, or “cold spots” in an overloaded sterilizer.

In a steam flush pressure pulse sterilizer, an electronic solenoid valve is used to expel air and steam during heat-up. As the sterilizer heats up, the control system periodically opens the valve to the chamber, based on such conditions

as temperature, pressure, etc. Since the valve is electronically controlled, it can be opened numerous times as required to more thoroughly vent the air from the chamber and load. These sterilizers are pre-programmed to optimize steriliza-tion parameters, that is, when, and for how long, air will pulse out to effectively expel any trapped air.

Fractionated steam (pre- and post-vacuum Class B) ster-ilizers use a vacuum pump to remove air from the chamber during heat-up. This technology reportedly results in a more rapid and deeper dispersal of steam, with fewer cold spots. Pre-vacuum refers to the use of the vacuum pump to the chamber, which sucks out air from the chamber before steam is injected. In large hospital sterilizers, there may be large containers of

instruments and stacks of linens, which require a deep penetration of steam. In dental office environments however, this level of complexity is typically not necessary. Post-vacuum refers to the use of the vacuum pump to suck out the remaining steam and moisture at the end of

the cycle, as the drying process begins. The vacuum during the drying cycle uses this vacuum pump to expel moisture and speed the drying process.

AlternativesOnly dry instruments should be loaded into chemical va-por sterilizers so that excess water does not contaminate the chemical used to sterilize the instruments. Dry heat sterilizers, on the other hand, are sometimes associated with less risk of orthodontic instrument corrosion. These systems sterilize instruments at extremely high tempera-tures (320 degrees F to 400 degrees F) for prolonged peri-ods of time (one or two hours).

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service techs

Chemical immersion, or liquid sterilants, are used ei-ther for pre-cleaning instruments prior to sterilization, or for sterilizing heat-sensitive instruments that cannot be processed in a steam autoclave. Traditionally, liquid steril-ants have been glutaraldehyde-based. Some dentists may be concerned about exposure to glutaraldehyde vapors, and disposing of the chemicals can be tricky, due to Envi-ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) laws.

The role of the service techService techs should educate their dental customers on the importance of following maintenance protocols, which may vary by technology and manufacturer. For instance, some gravity sterilizers require the user to run a special cleaning solution through the unit each month – followed by a cou-ple of rinse cycles – to ensure that soap residue and wastes are removed from the system. These systems do not use

fresh, steam distilled water for each cycle, as do other units.Wear and tear on the sterilizer can lead to such issues as

valve malfunctions. Sometimes, dentists may not realize that the unit is, indeed, acting up. For instance, they may believe that steam leaks are supposed to occur. A simple discussion with the customer can serve as a starting point regarding how well the unit is running. In addition, service techs should remind dentists to run biological indicators (which contain live spores and are used to test the efficacy of the sterilization cycle) weekly to ensure the sterilizer continues to work effectively. Again, without regular follow-up, service techs can’t know for certain whether the unit is passing muster.

In addition to checking maintenance records, service techs should ask several probing questions, such as the following,

to initiate a discussion about the effectiveness and effi-ciency of the sterilizer:

• “How old is your sterilizer? Do you know if it has reached and maintained the correct temperature and pressure for sterilization?”

• “Has your unit failed in the past, forcing you to obtain a loaner or to delay or postpone procedures?” (If the answer is “yes,” the tech should explore with the account the possibility not only of buying a new auto-clave, but also of purchasing a second unit to keep the practice up and running in case one should go down.)

• “Did you know that automatic sterilizers ensure that correct parameters are maintained? With today’s units, you can push a button and walk away – no more babysitting your autoclave.”

• “Did you know that, on average, an automatic sterilizer saves 10 resource minutes per cycle over a manual sterilizer? This can save a practice between two and five hours each week.”

• “Are you aware that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 85 percent of sterilizer failures are due to operator errors?

If it appears that a new sterilizer is in order, service techs might ask the following to gauge the needs of the dental practice:

• “How many instruments will you need to sterilize each day? How many sterilization cycles do you plan to run daily?”

• “How large are your instruments?” The instruments must fit in the chamber of the sterilizer.

• “What type of electrical wiring exists in your office?” This may dictate the model best suited to a particular practice.

• “How large an area exists in the practice to accom-modate a sterilization center?” This, too, may limit the type of sterilization protocol a doctor can pursue.

Service techs likely know the history of the sterilizers they service. As such, they are in a good position to make the call as to when to repair and when to replace. Communicating with – and educating – dental customers will help ensure everyone is on the same page when that call has to be made. [FI]

A simple discussion with the customer can

serve as a starting point regarding how well the

unit is running.

Editor’s Note: First Impressions would like to acknowledge the assistance of SciCan with this article.


sales

A Word of Advice

“The key element is recognizing that our clients’ biggest challenges are with running their businesses,” says Greg Biersack, vice president operations, Burkhart Dental. “If we’re really going to serve them, we have to understand their busi-ness and we have to have resources available to them.” Perry Burkhart Jr.’s decision to acquire consulting and education firm Practice Leader-ship in 2000 reflected that approach, he says. “[Burkhart] felt that if we were to fulfill our statement of pur-pose – provide products, services and information to enhance the success of the dental profession,” the company could do so by acquir-ing Practice Leadership.

Sales rep as advisorThe value of a knowledgeable sales rep can’t be underestimated, says Ir-win Becker, DDS, founder of Irwin Becker Initiatives and former chair

Who wouldn’t agree that sales reps need to be more than sellers of products or equipment? They need to be consultants too. But there are times when only a consultant can be a consul-

tant. Dental distributors that can offer both – that is, percep-tive, knowledgeable salespeople as well as on-call or in-house consultants – may have a leg up, according to those with whom First Impressions spoke.

Knowledgeable sales reps + consultants = powerful

offering for your customers.


of the department of education at The Pankey Institute. “When I was in active practice, to be a bet-ter dentist, at least in South Florida, you had to incorporate the very best sales rep into your office. He or she became your advisor, more than a salesman.” Though Becker doesn’t have a formal affiliation with any distributor, he is an infor-mal “on-call” contact for distribu-tors and reps.

In years past, the best dentists wouldn’t make a major purchasing or practice decision without check-ing in with their rep, he says. Even today, dental practices are missing something if they choose to buy supplies and equipment through catalogs or online, hence bypass-ing sales reps. Prices may be lower through online retailers, “but you don’t get the sage advice of some-one who’s been in the industry for 25 years.”

Good reps earn their reputa-tion, he adds. “They are in there on a weekly basis, and they have a connection with the team.” Doctors who avoid sales reps may be shortchanging themselves, he adds. “I encourage my doctors to spend some time, at least once a month, to meet with the sales rep and establish a working friendship. It just makes for a better relationship.

“Especially in these times, there’s a lot of negativity,” he says. “It just bubbles up in every practice. They’ll say, ‘Well, the economy’s bad.’ And I say, ‘Wait a minute, the economy’s getting better; that’s an old story.’” Sales reps can do themselves and their customers a favor by main-taining a positive attitude themselves, he adds. “They can be more positive about dentists providing comprehensive and complete dentistry.

“We all have to help keep practices enthused, positive and focused.”

The consultative approach“We take so much pride in our con-sultative approach,” says Biersack. “We have a clear expectation that our people will be engaged with their clients on a regular basis, deal-ing with their business. We still ask our account managers to call on our clients once every couple of weeks, which is becoming increasingly unique in the business.

“The frequency of contact al-lows our account managers to see more of what happens in the prac-tice and to get into conversations about their customers’ businesses,” continues Biersack. “If an account manager doesn’t really understand the business of dentistry, then they can’t really provide any value in business conversations.”

A perceptive rep can pick up on nagging problems which the dentist and his or her team have simply come to accept, because they believe they have no other op-

tion, says Biersack. For example, the rep might notice the doctor is tired in the afternoon. Perhaps the office is scheduling the most difficult cases in the afternoon, toward the end of a long day. “An account manager who understands the business of dentistry can pick up, ‘This practice is having a problem with scheduling.’” They may suggest that the practice schedule those long, difficult cases in the morning, and the simpler, faster ones in the afternoon. “If you’re only going in there once every four to six weeks, you may not pick up on these situations and you can’t enter into those conversations.”

Dental practice investigatorsBurkhart account managers can attend twice-yearly “Business of Dentistry” training programs at the Bur-khart Consulting office in Portland, Ore., says Margaret Boyce-Cooley, director of Practice Leadership Burkhart

“Sales reps can do themselves and their customers

a favor by maintaining a

positive attitude themselves. They

can be more positive about

dentists providing comprehensive and complete

dentistry.”

– Irwin Becker, DDS, founder of Irwin Becker Initiatives


sales

Consulting. “We go through all the business systems they’ll encounter,” such as analyzing data from practice management software, even walking through P&L state-ments with doctors. “We tell them they are dental prac-tice investigators,” says Boyce-Cooley, who was in leader-ship and training for 11 years prior to joining Burkhart seven years ago.

Account managers leave the courses knowing how to conduct a Perio Analysis of a hygiene department, how to review an accounts receivable report with the doctor, and other business skills. And the Practice Leadership team tries to keep reps sharp by e-mailing business and industry tips and news bi-weekly.

The call for helpStill, there’s only so much a sales rep can do. Sometimes the best thing to do is to call for help.

A good rep can identify situations in which a hand-off to a Practice Leadership consultant is the best option, says Biersack. “We expect our people to be able to identify problems and to say to the office, ‘I’ve got somebody who I think can help you.’”

And everybody can use outside help from time to time, says Becker. Even the sharpest dentists – that is, those who stay current, pursue continuing education, at-tend special courses and institutes – can get stuck at some point. The doctor simply might have difficulty applying all that knowledge into concrete changes in his or her prac-tice. “That’s when [the practice] needs a coach, someone to assist them.” Sales reps are in a unique position to rec-ognize when that moment has arrived.

Years of consulting experience have led Becker to see some common themes among practices. Sales reps might do themselves a favor by recognizing them as well.

“In almost every practice, the core of the issue is the relationship between the dentist and their team members,” he says. “What needs to be clarified for each team member is the definition of ‘optimal care.’ In other words, ‘Where is the practice headed and what is my role in achieving that mission?’ No matter what practice it is, there’s always room for improvement and growth, but first there needs to be a recommitment to their current vision and mission.”

Even if a practice has enjoyed success for 10 or 15 years, the employees may have an older, outdated picture of what the doctor is really attempting to do. “The doc-tor may now be looking over the horizon to a transition period, or he or she may find a new aspect of dentistry

he wants to focus on,” says Becker. “A given practice may now be ready to rethink their practice philosophy. And the dentist may benefit from help articulating that vision to the rest of the team.”

A consultant or coach may help detect when the den-tist’s lack of self-confidence is leading to difficulties in the practice, a common situation, says Becker. After years of experience, he has come to categorize most dentists in one of three ways: 1) those who lack self-confidence in their approach to their patients and dental team; 2) those who lack self-esteem and overcompensate by becoming uncomfortably overbearing; and 3) those who have be-come so analytical they find it difficult to make critical and timely decisions.

Even the sharpest dentists – that is, those who stay current, pursue continuing education, attend special courses and institutes – can get stuck at some point.

The doctor simply might have difficulty applying all that knowledge into concrete changes in his or her practice.

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sales

Somewhat related, Becker finds that many practices may have one employee who is a cancer to the entire team. “Everybody knows it,” including the doctor, he says. Even the sales rep who calls on the practice regularly can detect such a problem. “But the doctor doesn’t have the confi-dence to stand up [to the difficult employee] and say, ‘It’s time for you to experience growth in your career, but it will be outside of our practice.’”

Efficiency vs. effectivenessPerhaps because of the economic times, many practices have lost the ability to balance effectiveness and efficiency, says Becker. “Most practices today are hell bent on achiev-ing an efficient practice,” he says. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But what happens is, they get so busy, they lose their focus on effectiveness.”

For Becker, effectiveness means providing optimal care. “That means you’ve done a comprehensive exam;

you’ve spent time getting to know the patient; you under-stand everything about that patient, so you can create an individualized treatment plan for him or her. And that be-comes a healthy lifetime plan for the patient.

“That’s much different than being efficient by only fix-ing the one tooth that’s a problem. It’s a whole different perspective. The dentists who focus on optimal care and complete dentistry are the ones who stay successful. The ones who have developed a lifetime doctor-patient rela-tionship keep their practice going, even during economic hard times.”

Doctors can do one more thing to ensure success, which is easy to detect but difficult to achieve, says Becker.

“Believe it or not, the most common issue I find when visiting offices is that the doctor hasn’t fully developed high-level listening skills. They may appear to be listening, but they’re not intently focused.” At the morning huddles, while team members are talking about issues of impor-tance to the practice, the dentist is looking at a chart and may never make eye contact with whoever is speaking. “I encourage them to develop the ability to stop, take a breath, make eye contact and really listen,” says Becker. “It’s more than listening. It’s really connecting with the other person.”

“Good economies mask poor business systems,” says Boyce-Cooley. Dental practices without good systems in place may perform well in strong economic times, but they will fall short when the economy stagnates.

She and the Practice Leadership team see three issues in many of the practices they visit: 1) poor accounts re-ceivable processes; 2) poor recall systems (or, as Boyce-

Cooley refers to it, “re-care,” “since recalls are what you do with cars”), and 3) shortcomings in human resources, often traceable to the fact that dentists are not always natu-ral business leaders.

Enlightened practices often make the best consum-ers, says Becker. “The more involved the dentist is with learning, growth and technology, the better it will be for the rep.” That’s why offering practices help – per-haps with the assistance of outside consultants – is of-ten in the rep’s best interest. “Clearly the most effective outside consultant is one who really understands opti-mal care dentistry and has longstanding technical and behavioral experience.” [FI]

“Believe it or not, the most common issue I find when visiting offices is that the doctor hasn’t

fully developed high-level listening skills. They may appear to be listening, but they’re not intently focused.”


cover storycover story

They say that baseball differs from many sports, in that when the pressure is on, the best thing to do is lay off the throttle. The harder you try – to hit a home

run, to execute that double play, to avoid striking out – the more pressure you feel, and, ironically, the more apt you are to fail.

In some ways, sales is like baseball. Say you’ve been challenged to grow your business 10 percent this year. What do you do? Make more calls? Push more products? Follow up with your accounts more aggressively?

Good EyeFinding hidden sales

opportunities may be as simple as this: Stop, look

and listen, baby.


cover storycover story

Sometimes the best thing to do in sales, as in baseball, is to lay off the pitch, according to those with whom First Impressions spoke. Instead of talking more, talk less. Don’t “tell” so much as ask questions; often the doctor or team will let you know what you need to do. And take a quiet, fresh look at the office; opportunities are probably staring directly at you.

Identify the opportunity“We as manufacturers and dealers can fall into the trap of not asking enough questions,” says Ron Chaver-in, territory sales manager, DentalEZ Group/Star Dental. “I always go back to asking questions as the key to gathering information that can open up doors to hidden opportunities.

“We get into a mode where we have an objective – and that’s great,” he says. “But our objective can be, ‘Today, let’s ask two or three prob-ing questions in each account,’ such as, ‘Doctor, if you could change one thing in your dental office, what would it be?’ It’s open-ended, and it gets doctors talking about something the rep might not have even thought of. Maybe it’s a product. Or he might say, ‘My back is kill-ing me.’ Maybe the doctor is experiencing hand fatigue. There’s a hidden opportunity; the rep may look at the er-gonomics of how that doctor is performing dentistry.

“Gathering information through questioning is the best way to open doors to hidden opportunities in the dental office. And the solution might not come to you in that moment.”

Take off the blinders“When you’re talking about hidden opportunities, espe-cially when it comes to our category, you’re talking about taking off the blinders,” says Sean Foley, senior market-ing manager, medical distribution channel, Georgia-Pa-cific Professional. “I go back to my food service sales

days,” he says. “[Sales reps] tend to focus on what we called center-of-the-plate-type items. In medical terms, that would be the patient or exam room, the supply closet or the sample closet. But take a step back and look at everything else that doc-tor is using.” The restrooms might be stocked with disposable towels. There are facial tissues, copy paper, pens, pencils, ink cartridges. “The rep should be thinking of everything it takes to run an office, not just the patient care items.

“I would say that whatever is on the patient care side, there’s just as much on the back-of-the-house-type of products.”

Speaking from the DentalEZ perspective, Chaverin suggests dis-tributor reps look for hidden sell-ing opportunities in the utility room of the dental practice. Dentists who own their building know how much they’re paying for water. And even those who rent or lease do, of course, pay for water, though the tab may be

absorbed in their monthly payments. One way to reduce that cost significantly is to buy a dry vacuum system, says Chaverin. “Eliminating 500-plus gallons of water use daily not only saves the doctor money, but it’s a fact the doctor can market.” That is to say, the doctor can tell her patients, “We are concerned about the environment, and here’s one thing we’re doing about it,” he points out. Similarly, an en-vironmental story can be told about amalgam separators, which reduce the amount of mercury in groundwater.

Reps need to keep their eyes and ears open for con-tinuing sales opportunities, points out Jamie Saltzman, vice president of sales, public safety/alternate care, ZOLL Corp. “Offices that bought [automated external defibrillators] some time ago may be ready for an up-grade.” For example, first-generation AEDs don’t com-ply with current AHA Guidelines for cardiac resusci-tation. In addition, voice prompts to guide rescuers to

“I always go back to asking

questions as the key to

gathering information

that can open up doors to hidden

opportunities.”– Ron Chaverin,

DentalEZ Group/Star Dental

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cover story

the proper depth and rate of chest compressions have changed. What’s more, dental practices may have lost track of when they changed the pads or batteries on their AEDs. “A good amount of pads and batteries in the field have expired,” says Saltzman. It’s up to the rep to ask questions, and in the process, make a sale.

Follow upIf identifying the opportunity is Step 1, converting it to a sale is Step 2. But that may take some finesse and, at the same time, straight talk with the client.

“Reps need to balance their fear that making a sug-gestion will jeopardize their relationship with the account,

with the fact that we all need to add value,” says Chaverin. “Solving problems the practice didn’t expect you to solve will set you apart.” Better still if those problems can be solved by products or services in the rep’s bag.

If, for example, the rep asks the doctor how his or her business is doing, the response might be, “Things are slow, so I’m trying to set myself apart from others, build my practice, increase patient flow.” At that point, the rep might ask, “Have you considered implement-ing a comprehensive oral cancer screening process? We can help you do that,” says Chaverin. “There may be resistance to change,” he says. But the manufac-turer’s marketing support for such a plan can make implementing such a program much easier than the doctor thinks, he says.

“One of the most common things reps will hear is, ‘We don’t use that [product]; we don’t have a market for that in this office,’” says Suzanne Swan, eastern regional

manager, SDI North America. That’s the point at which the rep needs to draw upon his knowledge of and excite-ment about the product, to educate the doctor and get him or her enthusiastic as well. If the manufacturer has provided adequate education, the rep will be comfortable presenting the product, she points out. In fact, reps who are knowledgeable about a product or procedure will be more than willing to educate their doctors on it. It helps if the manufacturer has equipped the dealer rep with educa-tional materials, so the doctor can get comfortable as well. This is particularly true for product areas with which the doctor may not be well acquainted, such as glass ionomers, which SDI carries, says Swan.

Why not me?Sometimes the only resistance the rep faces after having identified a hidden opportunity is simply, “I didn’t know you sold it,” say those who spoke with First Impressions. That’s partly the rep’s fault.

Distributor reps may fail to mention tooth-whitening products because they assume their customers are buying it from direct-selling manufacturers, says Swan. But whit-eners represent good, steady, repeat business for both the rep and the dental practice. SDI’s “Whiter Brighter You” patient loyalty program encourages dentists to offer their patients free whitening for life provided patients come in for regular hygiene recall appointments. The program has also helped doctors increase their overall revenue by giving their tooth-whitening patients an incentive to come back to their practice for other procedures, she adds.

Not all dental practices are aware that their dental distributor carries AEDs, says Saltzman. “If a distributor

“Not a lot of retail reps have talked about this product segment. It doesn’t naturally come to mind for a lot of

them. Our job is to inform and educate them about the opportunity, so they feel more comfortable asking

about the doctor’s rotary endo needs.”– Brian O’Neill, regional manager, eastern U.S. and eastern Canada, Coltene Whaledent


rep isn’t asking his or her customers, ‘Are you interested in an AED?’ those customers are probably buying that AED from someone else,” he says. That someone else might be an online seller, the local CPR trainer, or even the medical sales rep who’s trying to gain some crossover business in the dental market.

Distributor reps carrying rotary nickel titanium (NiTi) endo files may get a similar reaction, points out Brian O’Neill, regional manag-er, eastern U.S. and eastern Canada, Coltene Whaledent. That’s because until recently, such files were handled exclusively by direct-selling manufac-turers. “Not a lot of retail reps have talked about this product segment,” he says. “It doesn’t naturally come to mind for a lot of them. Our job is to inform and educate them about the opportunity, so they feel more com-fortable asking about the doctor’s ro-tary endo needs.

“This product line is very tech-nique-sensitive,” adds O’Neill. “One primary obstacle sales reps may face is the fact that the doctor has been using a particular file for a long period of time.” Even if that file presents problems for the doctor, he or she has developed a comfort level using it and may be reluctant to change. “That’s where distributor reps have to be confident in demon-strating the clear advantage of the new file they’re presenting.”

The competitionIf it’s not direct-selling manufacturers or the web that of-fer the distributor rep competition, it could be the local warehouse club or office supply store, points out Foley. The hygienist, office manager, receptionist or someone

else may be making lunch hour runs to retail outlets to pick up paper goods or office supplies. “They don’t stop to think, ‘The distributor rep is here twice a week, and I can get ev-erything I need from him,’” he says.

And even if office managers are aware that the rep may carry these goods, they may stick with a ware-house club because they perceive it as being cheaper, Foley says. The rep’s challenge – and opportunity – is to demonstrate that while the retailer’s sticker price may be less, the total cost isn’t. “We’re all about selling dispens-ing systems,” he says. “It’s all about hygiene, reducing cost in use.” Plus, is it worth the receptionist taking time during a busy day to fetch stuff at the warehouse club? “You have to factor in all those soft costs. When you do, there go your perceived cost savings.”

Distributor reps have many good product stories to tell. For Georgia-Pacific, for example, it’s not only im-proved hygiene and lower cost-in-use, but it’s more efficient product put-ups, higher capacity dispensing systems, and the strong environmental sustain-ability platform, says Foley.

But they have a broader story to tell. “Now that [distributors] have [the NiTi] market segment, they can offer the No. 1 service they bring to the table,” says O’Neill. “[Distribu-tor reps] are accessible to the office. The doctor and staff can reach them

at any time of day or night with issues or problems. And they offer the practice one-stop shopping. That cuts down on invoices and shipping costs, and it makes managing in-ventory a lot easier. Reps can now address all the doctor’s needs and present them with competitive discounts and end-user specials.”

All that spells opportunity. [FI]

“We’re all about selling

dispensing systems. It’s all about hygiene, reducing cost

in use.”– Sean Foley, senior marketing manager, medical distribution

channel, Georgia-Pacific Professional


trends

Ashley Curington, DDS, owns a den-tal practice in Buford, Ga. But, whether her patients are down the street or away at college, halfway across the country, she makes sure she’s never far from their thoughts. She swears by Facebook. “Face-book helps me connect with my patients on a personal level, which is what sets dentists apart from one another,” she says. “If I see that a patient’s dog has died – or that his or her child has won a trophy – I can send my condolences or congratula-tions. And, I can go the extra step for my patients by sending a gift basket.” In fact, upon learning about one patient’s death on Facebook, she immediately Facebooked the patient’s daughter to express her sympathy. “I told her about my favorite memories of her mother,” she says. Never mind that Curington never met the daugh-ter, who lives in another state. “Facebook connects you all over the globe!”

Granted, it took a concerted ef-fort on Curington’s part to become comfortable using social media. But, she is confident that her investment has been worthwhile. “Today, I have 13 computers in my office, but I’ve had to learn my way [around them],” she points out. “My husband, Mark Anthony (an attorney), worked for the Yellow Pages for many years. As more people turned to Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, texting and YouTube, he [came on board].” And he brought her with him, she adds.

“We see a lot of children at our practice, so I always follow our local schools on Facebook,” she says. “We also have iPads at our front desk. We show every patient how to check in us-ing the iPad.” Patients are discovering this is a convenience, she points out. By typing in the first three letters of their first and last name – and following a se-ries of prompts – patients can update their history more quickly than if they must write out the information. “All of the patient’s information on the iPad is integrated with the desktop computer, so my staff has all of the [necessary] history,” she adds. Because Anthony is an attorney, he prefers that Curington retain her older patients’ paper files as well, but that’s only for “litigation rea-sons,” she notes. “For my newer pa-tients, I only have electronic charts.”

By Laura Thill

Dentists On Board and OnlineSocial media: a necessary tool for your customers’ success?

editor’s Note: The following article is from the March 2012 Digital Issue of First Impressions

if your dental customers aren’t connected on Face-book or YouTube – if they’re not texting or tweet-ing – they may be missing a huge opportunity to connect with their patients and colleagues. Partic-

ularly as more professionals learn to navigate the social media scene, it’s becoming an increasingly acceptable – and necessary – tool for branding oneself within the dental community.


it’s a mustCurington is adamant that “every dentist seeing patients” should have a Facebook page – as well as access to all of the other social media tools. “Any mom with a child under 20 will tell you that she talks to her child by texting,” she says. “Even for dentists who only see adult patients, there are grandparents using Facebook now. I have patients who are grandparents and say they would never talk with their grandchildren if they didn’t use Facebook! I check my Facebook page all night long.” Indeed, she recently has connected with patients in Arizona, California and New Orleans on Facebook. “Someone in Arizona tagged her brother who was coming into town from a mission, and he Facebooked me for an ap-pointment,” she says.

Dentists can use the Internet to advertise services, just as retailers do, according to Curington. “Stores, cruise lines and grocery stores all go online to advertise last-minute spe-cials,” she points out. “Dentists can do the same thing. We can go online and [advertise] that if our patients’ kids are coming home for Christmas, we only have a certain number of openings left.” Patients can text their kids about scheduling their appointments – online, of course. “My patients can request their appointment online with a specific dentist or hygienist,” she says.

Fun with FacebookFor Curington, using social media is very much about pro-viding good healthcare and running her business efficiently. At the same time, she’s had some fun with it. “I wanted my patients to have a white Christmas,” she says. “I worked with my sales rep to get a special on whiteners and then went on Facebook and sold 400 boxes in no time. Patients were say-ing, ‘I’m due for an appointment. I’ll schedule that and pick up my bleach while I’m there.’”

Then there was her 13 Days of Christmas special she offered to patients. “When patients came in [last Christ-mastime], they could enter their name for a chance to win a prize.” And, these were prizes worth winning, such as an

iPhone and $500 gift cards to Target, she points out. Each evening at 6:00 p.m., she would post a video of her son picking the winner’s name on Facebook and Twitter. Non-winners who wrote on her wall, “I love my dentist, Ashley Curington,” received another chance to win a prize.

“I had patients watching online to see if they won,” says Curington. “Then they could watch a video of me delivering the prize to the patient. The first night I went to deliver the iPhone, and the patient was at a dinner party. I crashed the party!” And while she didn’t find the pa-tient, who had already left the party, she certainly got her

patients’ attention – as well as 2,700 Facebook hits that week. “I had kids texting me that they were in class that evening but would be watching [the online video]. By get-ting out of the office and connecting with my patients and their families, I show them my human side.”

in practiceIf social media is proving to be a good means for dentists to connect with patients, why not use it to connect with other dentists and staff ? About a year ago, Mojan Safavi, DDS, experienced some key staff changes at her McKin-ney, Texas-based practice. After placing ads in the local newspaper and online for an office manager, she quickly learned that there’s much more to hiring than she imag-ined. Watching from the sidelines, her husband, Feridoon Amini, assessed the inefficiency of the hiring process. “The difficulty is that there are so many good candidates

For curington, using social media is very much about providing good healthcare and running her business efficiently. at the same time, she’s had some fun with it.


trends

available,” he recalls. And while that suggests greater opportunity for dentists to find the perfect match for their practice, it also means having to sift through an endless number of resumes, which may or may not accurately reflect a candi-date’s skill set. “People exaggerate on their resume,” he says. “They do what they need to do to get their foot in the door.”

An IT specialist, Amini recognized an opportunity to help his wife better manage her business while provid-ing a service for dentists and dental professionals to con-nect with the others in the industry. He set out to cre-ate a software platform – DentalSpots.com – designed to help dentists run their business more efficiently. First and foremost, his goal was to tackle the issue of helping den-tists looking to hire new staff find the right fit – and vice versa. The Craigslist of the dental industry, DentalSpots.com offers dentists tools for quickly reviewing candidates’ skills. “Rather than checking his or her e-mail and finding hundreds of resumes to print out, dentists can review re-sumes at a glance on DentalSpots.” In fact, job-candidates also have the option of adding an audio or video resume. “We’ve found that written resumes are not always the best measure of a person’s qualifications,” he points out. “Sometimes one comes across better audibly or visually. And, personality can be very important.” Once dentists and job-candidates are entered into the DentalSpots.com system, they have an option to rate dentists or candidates they have worked with – the goal being to help both sides find the best fit.

DentalSpots.com also helps people who are relo-cating to another part of the country find openings in a new practice. “We noticed that a large number of peo-ple are moving from California to Texas,” says Amini. “DentalSpots offers a way for people to connect with

potential employers.” Likewise, den-tists can reach out to prospective employees to let them know they are opening a new office, he adds. “Whether or not someone needs a job right now, DentalSpots offers a way to network and get exposure.” It’s also an opportunity for dentists to gain exposure, he points out. “We

look at this as a human resource tool for dentists.”

more to comeAmini notes that he and his development team of IT profes-sionals take user feedback very seriously. “We want this site to be user-driven,” he says. “Based on feedback we receive, we update [our system and tools] every couple of weeks.”

Indeed, he looks forward to releasing several new tools in 2012:

• community. Allows dentists and dental professionals to discuss new technology and dental issues online. In addition, offers dentists a secure site for referring patients to specialists.

• marketplace. Enables vendors to reach out to dentists with new products and services.

• Practice advisor. Offers suggestions to dentists for running their business.

• online education. Offers video training and an opportunity for dentists to earn CE credits.

Also in 2012, Amini plans to implement a patient-relationship management site – a sister-site to Dental-Spots, called ChooseYourDentist.com. “This site will help patients look at dentists in their area and make informed decisions about choosing their [provider],” he says. In ad-dition, Amini is “experimenting with the idea” of offering online reverse auctions. [Fi]

The craigslist of the dental industry, dentalSpots.com offers dentists tools for

quickly reviewing candidates’ skills.


trends

One quarter of children ages 2 to 5 and one half of those 12 to 15 have tooth decay, notes the report. Dental caries are the most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting almost 60 percent of children ages 5 to 17. As people grow older they continue to be plagued by oral health problems. One in four adults ages 65 and older in the United States have lost all of their teeth.

Low-income more affectedWhile there are high rates of oral dis-ease in all age groups, low-income Americans of any age are more likely than higher-income Americans to have oral health problems, according to the report. Lack of access to a den-tal provider and the high costs of den-tal services are a major cause. About 17 million low-income children go without basic care each year. Children living below the poverty line are twice as likely as their more affluent peers to suffer from toothaches, and the likeli-

Dental Crisis in America?Government report details causes, solutions to access problems

First Impressions readers know the difficulties that many Americans encounter try-ing to gain access to dental care. But sometimes the facts bear repeating. That apparently was what prompted Bernard Sanders, the independent U.S. senator from Vermont, to prepare a report on the subject. The report, entitled “Dental Crisis in

America: The Need to Expand Access,” was issued on behalf of the Subcommittee on Pri-mary Health and Aging, for which Sanders serves as chairman. The Subcommittee is part of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions.


hood of experiencing this pain is even greater for kids with special needs.

Some racial and ethnic minority groups have even higher rates of oral health conditions. American Indian and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of dental disease, and rates of untreated de-cay are also significantly higher among Mexican Americans and African Ameri-cans than among those who are White. Compounding the problem, people from minority groups are underrepresented in the dental profession.

In addition to the high costs of care, low-income and minority families may experience other barriers to care, including language and cultural barriers, transportation challenges, and difficulty finding arrangements for work and childcare. Seeing a dentist is expensive, so many people seek care only when disease is advanced and pain is unbearable. It is at that point when many peo-ple go to the emergency room for relief.

Shortage of providersAbout 190,000 dentists currently practice in the United States, points out the report’s authors. Not only is this number too low to meet the current need, but an uneven distribution of dentists across the country makes the prob-lem even worse. Dentists have a disproportionate presence in suburbs, whereas those who are most in need of care are concentrated in inner cities and rural communities. In fact, more than 47 million people live in over 4,400 “dental health shortage areas” around the country.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) estimates it would take a net increase of nearly 9,500 providers to address the unmet need today. Yet den-tal schools are graduating fewer dentists than the number required to replace those who retire each year.

While these aggregated numbers indicate the scale of the problem, the real crisis is that too few dentists are will-ing to provide care to low-income populations, older adults, and people with disabilities, according to the report. Only

about 20 percent of the nation’s practic-ing dentists provide care to people with Medicaid, and, of those who do, only a small percentage devote a substantial part of their practice to serving those who are poor, chronically ill, or living in rural communities.

Lack of insuranceAs many as 130 million Americans lack dental insurance coverage. Pri-vate health insurance plans often ex-clude dental coverage, and even those that include a dental benefit often require high levels of cost-sharing, making care unaffordable for many low- and middle-income families. Traditional Medicare does not offer dental benefits, and many veterans do not qualify for benefits through the

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. About half of all dental services are paid for out of pocket because so many people lack dental insurance, and it is very com-mon even for people with insurance to have to pay for a significant portion of their care.

Dental services are an optional benefit for adults who have Medicaid. States may place limits on the types or amount of services they will cover or may elect not to provide dental services at all as part of the Medicaid program. While most states provide at least emergency dental services for adults with Medicaid, less than half of states provide coverage for other types of dental care.

The little bit of good news is that Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide dental coverage through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program, say the re-port’s authors. Under the Patient Protection and Afford-able Care Act, more than 5 million more children will have dental coverage by the year 2014. The bad news is that coverage alone, especially Medicaid coverage, in no way guarantees access to a dentist. Many dentists do not accept Medicaid, and those who do often have an unreasonably long wait for services.

Under the Patient

Protection and

Affordable Care Act,

more than 5 million more children will have dental coverage by

the year 2014.


trends

The cost of untreated problemsUntreated dental problems result in missed work and school, poor nutrition, and a decline in overall well-being. In 2000, the U.S. Surgeon General’s report, “Oral Health in Ameri-ca,” noted that students miss more than 51 million hours of school and employed adults lose more than 164 million hours of work each year due to dental dis-ease or dental visits. A more recent study published in 2009 found that 504,000 chil-dren age 5 to 17 missed at least one day of school due to a toothache or other oral health problem in California alone.

Because no real dental safety net ex-ists in the United States, many people turn to the emergency room for care, at a

cost to hospitals and taxpayers, according to the report. The Pew Center on the States estimates that there were more than 830,000 visits to ERs nationwide for preventable den-tal conditions in 2009 – a 16 percent increase from 2006. In 2007, more than 10,000 visits to Iowa emergency rooms were related to dental issues, with a cost to Medicaid and other public programs of nearly $5 million. In Florida, there were more than 115,000 hospital ER visits for dental prob-lems in 2010 with costs of more than $88 million.

SolutionsMore providers are needed to help address some of these problems, according to the report. Specifically, more oral health professionals are needed to treat low-income indi-viduals and other populations that face barriers to care. After a period from 1986-2001 when several private, not-for-profit dental schools closed their doors, a number of new dental schools have been established.

There should be a continued effort to increase the number of dentists, and in particular, dentists from di-verse backgrounds, suggests the report’s authors. Den-tal schools should encourage students to gain experi-ence in community-based programs as a component of their education, and continuing dental education should

focus on ways to address disparities in access to oral health services. The In-stitute of Medicine report, “Improv-ing Access to Oral Health Services for Vulnerable Populations,” notes that “[a]n improved and responsive dental education system is needed to ensure that current and future generations of dental professionals can deliver quality

care to diverse populations in a variety of settings, using a variety of service-delivery mechanisms, and across the life cycle.”

Another option to expand the workforce is to intro-duce new types of dental providers – called, variously, midlevel dental providers, allied dental providers, or dental therapists – to the team, suggests the report. These types of providers currently practice in Minnesota; in more than 50 countries around the world including Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand; and in some rural Alaska Native communities. Advocates in about a dozen states including Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington are working to develop proposals with models to expand their dental workforce.

Other options exist for expanding the workforce. For example, some states allow dental hygienists to provide care directly without a dentist on site, allowing hygien-ists to practice in areas with high levels of need and in

There are more than 1,100 FQHCs around the country, and nearly 3.5 million people received

dental services in the health center system in 2009.


nontraditional service settings. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses, pharmacists, and physicians, can also play a role in screening for oral disease and delivering preven-tive care to improve access. In 2010, 35 states reimbursed primary care medical providers for performing preven-tive oral health services.

While over 90 percent of dentists currently work in private dental practices, very successful community- and school-based models for the delivery of dental care exist, points out the report. Dental services have been success-fully integrated into Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which provide comprehensive health services to everyone in a community regardless of their ability to pay. There are more than 1,100 FQHCs around the coun-try, and nearly 3.5 million people received dental services in the health center system in 2009. A major expansion of FQHCs is underway across the country as a result of the health reform bill. An increase in the number of den-tal providers through the National Health Service Corps would also promote further access through FQHCs, ac-cording to the report.

Nearly 2,000 School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) provide needed services for children while in school, par-ticularly those students who lack insurance or have lim-ited access to providers in the community. More SBHCs should provide dental care in conjunction with primary medical and other services to expand access to children, suggests the report’s authors. Furthermore, innovations such as portable dental clinics and telehealth technolo-gies can be used in these and other settings to reach those in greatest need.

Another potential solution to increase access, for those least likely to have it, is to expand dental coverage to adults on Medicaid. Requiring a minimum adult dental benefit under Medicaid would ensure coverage for those who now cannot afford to pay out of pocket for care.

Now is also the time to consider new ways to encour-age more dentists to treat people with Medicaid, says the report. Even during tough economic times, states are tak-ing significant steps to improve dentists’ willingness to treat children with Medicaid including addressing administrative challenges and increasing reimbursement rates. [FI]

Editor’s Note: To view the entire report, go to http://www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/DENTALCRISIS.REPORT.pdf.

KEy FINdINGS

• More than 47 million people live in places where it is difficult to access dental care.

• About 17 million low-income children received no dental care in 2009.

• One-fourth of adults in the United States ages 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.

• Low-income adults are almost twice as likely as higher-income adults to have gone without a dental check-up in the previous year.

• Bad dental health impacts overall health and increases the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and poor birth outcomes.

• There were more than 830,000 visits to emergency rooms across the country for preventable dental con-ditions in 2009 – a 16 percent increase since 2006.

• Almost 60 percent of children ages 5 to 17 have cavities, making tooth decay five times more common than asthma among children of this age.

• Nearly 9,500 new dental providers are needed to meet the country’s current oral health needs.

• More dentists retire each year than there are den-tal school graduates to replace them.

Source: Dental Crisis in America: The Need to Expand Access, Chairman Bernard Sanders, Subcom-mittee on Primary Health and Aging, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions


One and doneI am employed by a company that makes and sells a single-use disposable mouthpiece that provides isolation and works with the suc-tion for use during operative procedures. Every day, I speak with doctors (and assis-

tants) who think it is OK to put these and other disposable (one-time-use only) items in cold sterile. Our mouthpieces are single-use only, and are labeled that way. I’ve also been informed by some assistants that their doctors have them put the used mouthpiece in Ziploc bags and have the pa-tients take them home and bring them back to the office for future treatment! Is there any way you can address this issue? It is really disturbing.

You are right to be disturbed! Unfortunately, re-use of single-use items is not uncom-mon, even though we

all know that practice is an example of not using a product according to label directions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly states that single-use items must not be re-used. Fed-eral and State Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations state the same thing. Ba-sically, because items must be made safe for re-use, and single-use items cannot be reliably decontaminated and sterilized, the practice is illegal. The challenge, as you point out, is to convince customers that there is a real risk involved with re-using items that they believe can be safely

re-used. Many people do not believe the rules are based on fact, and simply complying with the rules is not a compel-ling motivation for many.

Here are some reasons for NOT attempting to “sterilize” and re-use single-use disposable products:1. Any product or material used to treat a patient (or

that becomes contaminated by any means) must either be disposed of or cleaned and sterilized for re-use. This standard reflects legal and ethical profes-sional guidelines and laws governing dentistry for patients’ safety and applies to any item used intra-orally. If a semi-critical item cannot fit this criteria (for example; digital sensors), appropriate barriers, disinfection and safety precautions must be used ac-cording to manufacturers’ directions.

2. Single use products are not safe for sterilization and re-use. If they are marked “single-use,” there is a reason. It costs more to produce products that hold up to steriliza-tion processes. Single-use products cost less because they are made with “weaker” or “more tempo-rary” materials. The item is unreli-able and may break or fail when used again, compromising the qual-ity of dental care and/or resulting in patient or worker injury.

3. Re-using single-use products is considered “cross-contamination” because these items cannot be safely cleaned, disinfected or steril-ized. Single-use products may be damaged enough during use that the surfaces become

Dirty Little SecretsEditor’s Note: Are your customers asking tough hygiene questions? Here is your chance to ask someone “In the Know.” Nancy Andrews, RDH, BS, will take your questions and tell your tales. Pulling from centuries of experience, endless education, lots of research, and occasional consultation with other experts, Nancy invites your e-mails at [email protected]. The best question or tale at the end of the year gets $100.

infection control: Q&A

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infection control: Q&A

rough and textured rather than smooth enough to be effectively cleaned. This roughness may not be clini-cally detectable, especially when the item is relatively new. However, unseen surface damage retains micro-scopic debris and can transmit pathogens hidden in joints, grooves and textures.

Some offices may accept the idea that single-use items should not be re-used on different patients, but think that the items may be cleaned well enough to re-use on the same patient at different appointments. Here are reasons for NOT re-using a single-use item on the same patient for different appointments: 1. If it cannot be completely

cleaned and at least disin-fected, the contaminated item is likely to harbor debris, bacteria and funguses on the surfaces, which may prolifer-ate during storage. This may result in detectable odors, as well as the appearance of poor asepsis and basic lack of cleanliness when the item is used again – or even more importantly, placed in the patient’s mouth.

2. Storage and re-use of con-taminated items is a prac-tice that poses high risk for cross-contamination. The item must be stored safely. If the item is contami-nated, it must be identified, labeled and isolated for safe storage, and handled as a contaminated item. The logistics of safely storing such items in a busy office are overwhelming and destined to fail. This practice is absolutely not acceptable infection control.

3. Sending a single-use item home with a patient to store and return creates the opportunity for uncon-trollable contamination of many types, including exposure to pets, pests, any type of dirt or debris, and moisture. Any item brought in by a patient should be considered contaminated and handled accordingly.

Dental workers should never perform dental care using unsafe items.

Dental care MUST be performed using safe practices. Re-using single-use items is an example of not meeting professional standards, and poses real risk of product fail-ure and breach in infection control standards resulting in unacceptable risk to patients and dental workers.

Red flag on red bagsI have had two customers over the years that have lost uniforms (outer lab jackets and gowns) because they were stored in red

bags waiting to be picked up by laundry services. Last week one more customer had this happen! I think they believe they need to keep contaminat-ed laundry in red bags. What type of storage container is ac-tually required?

Red bags are rec-ognized as biohaz-ardous waste con-tainers, especially

if bags with the biohazardous symbol are used. It makes sense that the waste services would pick up the red laundry bags. Contaminated laundry

must be clearly marked and isolated (separated) from clean laundry. The containers must be able to contain wet or saturated items without leaking. While labels are rec-ommended, and color-coding may be a part of the label-ing system, RED BAGS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR CONTAMINATED LAUNDRY, and may even create confusion. Offices should have an OSHA compliance program that indicates the correct system for separating and storing clean and contaminated laundry, either for on-site laundry or for pick-up. Often the laundry services provide containers. Whatever the system is, it should be written down, labeled and obvious, and everyone should be trained to recognize contaminated laundry. FI

Single-use items (like this one from Isolite Systems) are just that – meant to be used once.

sultanhealthcare.com

The NEW disposable syringe tip that could increase your annual sales $1,100† per practice.Three out of four of your dental clients are using hard-to-clean, potentially contaminated metal tips… over and over! And with the CDC recommending single-use instruments whenever possible**, now’s the perfect time to convert your clients to new FlashTips. You’ll help them prevent cross contamination, while you earn steady income on a product they’ll use thousands of times a year.

Cash in now on this amazing opportunity! Contact your Sultan Healthcare representative.Call 800-637-8582 for more info.

* These tips come from a practice in Charlotte, NC. We took them to a dental lab, and cut them in half.** Source: CDC Guidelines MWR Dec 19 2003. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Healthcare Settings – 2003.† Estimates based upon 2010 Strategic Dental Marketing Market Share Reports and annual average patient flow.

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tech talk

Resin CompositesEditor’s Note: At The Dental Advisor, not a day goes by without our phone ringing from a customer asking for the “best.” As a dental publication that was designed after Consumer Reports, over the past 25 years we have learned one thing – the best changes from day to day. Providing relevant and timely information to customers is something we strive for. This series of Tech Talks focus on educating dental sales professionals on the products and technology they are selling so they can in turn educate their customer. Product evaluations are available at dentaladvisor.com.

By Mary Yakas

The most common classification system for resin composites considers the distribution and aver-age particle size of the composite filler. Most resin composites can be classified into three main categories: microfills, microhybrids, and nanofills.

Microfills (Particle size: 0.02- 0.04 ìm). Microfilled com-posites work best for anterior restorations due to their translu-cency and high luster polish (due to small particles). However, because they are less filled than other composites, they lack strength and should not be used in heavy stress-bearing areas. Microhybrids (Particle size: 0.4-1.0 ìm). Microhybrids have the needed strength and wear for posterior composites due to their particle size and filler load. They have the polish and esthetic characteristics for anterior restorations but these properties are not sustained long term. They are the most opaque of all composites and, therefore, are great for support-ing a microfill layer. Microhybrids are considered a universal composite that can be used in anterior and posterior teeth.Nanofills (Particle size: 0.01-0.10 ìm). Nanofills con-tain the smallest particles and are the most recently intro-duced composite. The two types, nanofills and nanohy-brids, are composed of various nano-sized particles and fillers. They share the excellent wear and strength proper-ties of microhybrid composites. They are superior to mi-crohybrids in surface smoothness and polish.

Bulk-fill compositesAll resin composites exhibit some degree of polymerization shrinkage. To reduce the amount of shrinkage, incremental layering during placement is recommended. Voids or gaps in the restoration can occur if the technique is not done properly, leading to postoperative sensitivity or secondary caries. Curing between layers also adds additional time to the procedure. Some manufacturers have developed bulk-fill flowable composites. Another approach is a bulk-fill composite utilizing sonic tech-nology. The high translucency of these materials allows for high light penetration, ensuring a deep depth of cure. Bulk-fill flow-

able composites can be used as a bulk-fill base (up to 4 mm in depth), a timesaving feature. The high viscosity allows for good adaptation to walls and proximal boxes. A shortcoming is that these composites are not highly filled and exhibit low wear resis-tance; therefore, they must be layered with a stronger composite.

Bulk-fill sonic technology is a single-step, bulk-fill composite (up to 5 mm) that does not require an addition-al composite layer. Sonic activation lowers the viscosity of the highly filled composite, allowing for easy placement and adaptation. After the composite has been placed, it returns to a stackable, sculptable state.

Self-adhesive flowable compositesTraditional composite restorations require the application of a bonding agent to the tooth before the placement of the composite. There are some situations where a one-step composite restoration would be beneficial, especially when working with pediatric patients where you need to work quickly. Self-adhesive composites bond to tooth structure without the need of a separate bonding agent, thus reducing the number of steps, saving time, and potentially reducing postoperative sensitivity. Self-adhesive composites are ideal for use as a liner under larger restorations, as pit and fissure sealants, and as small Class I and Class II restorations.

Universal flowable compositesTraditional flowable composites are known to adapt well to cavity preparations and are easy to place. Unfortunately, some flowable composites lack strength and wear resistance due to their low filler content and have primarily been used as a base or liner or for minimally invasive restorations. Recently, manufacturers have developed a new generation of highly filled flowable composites indicated for Class I-V restorations. The high filler content increases strength and wear resistance, lowers polymerization shrinkage, and allows the material to be stacked. The addition of nanofill particles assists in creating highly esthetic restorations. [FI]

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From dental to deep seaJoining the dental industry was an easy decision for Edwards. In fact, he did so almost immediately following his college graduation. An internship with a dental clinic in Greensboro, N.C. during college convinced him to pursue a career in dental prod-ucts sales. From 2001 until 2004, he worked as a Henry Schein Dental field sales consultant, growing a small territory in South Carolina into a prosperous hub of dental customers.

After about three years, however, Edwards took a leap of faith and tem-porarily left the dental industry to try his hand at real estate development. He relocated from Southport, N.C., to Wilmington, N.C. – a move that well suited the longtime saltwater fisherman who enjoyed spending his free time on his boat, the Abigail. Almost im-mediately, he recognized the need for a

local chartered fishing company. Start-ing a small business and taking advan-tage of tax exemptions “was a great way to justify owning a boat,” he explains.

For starters, Edwards needed a cap-tain’s license, which requires some coursework, a certain number of hours of boating experience and pass-ing an exam. He had a six-pack license, meaning he could take out as many as six people per fishing excursion. In addition, the Coast Guard requires li-censed boats to be equipped with:

• Enough life preservers for everyone on board.

• An emergency medical kit.• An emergency location device

(in addition to a standard GPS device).

• Edwards keeps a couple of GPS devices and CB radios on board as well.

rep corner: Richard Edwards

The Reel WorldYears of experience running a chartered fishing company have given one rep insight into the challenges of running a small business.

By Laura Thill

Richard Edwards knows what it takes to run a small business. Whether he’s work-ing to find the best solutions for his dental customers or managing his charter fishing business on his 32-foot center console, the Henry Schein Dental field sales consultant understands the challenges involved in marketing one’s service. “I need to advertise and market myself,” he says of the small, chartered fishing

company he started nearly eight years ago. “So must my dental customers. I can relate to the chal-lenges they face. I know how to use [social media], such as websites, blogging and Twitter, to mar-ket my [fishing company].” This insight, he adds, has helped him become a true business partner to the dentists he services.

Richard Edwards


Marketing a new business may present a challenge for some, but it came naturally for Edwards. A simple Google search showed him that few other fishermen were taking advantage of the Internet to advertise their business. “I saw there were no proactive websites being used to market a charter fishing company,” he says. He selected three key words – Wilmington, fishing and charter – to name his web domain to ensure that his company would “pop up first in a Google search.” Indeed, from the beginning, his website generated 80 to 85 percent of his clientele, he points out.

That said, his first couple of years in business, Ed-wards ran the company at a loss much like many small businesses. “But, my goal was to have fun and take some tax write-offs,” he adds. Persistence paid off and between the busi-ness generated by his website, and business passed his way from local restaurants and hotels (“I would visit hotels and res-taurants and drop off a bag of fresh fish and my business card,” he recalls), Wilmington Fishing Charters grew. Before long, he was chartering as many as 25 to 30 excursions in peak summer months, he notes.

Catch of the dayFishing supplies vary, depending on the type of fish be-ing caught, according to Edwards. Some fish, such as blue marlin, entail a 50- to 60-mile run offshore and require gear designed to catch larger fish. Bottom fish, such as grouper, snapper and codfish, entail a shorter run (about 15 to 40 miles offshore) and equipment designed to catch mid-size fish. Smaller fish are available within a few miles offshore as well, he notes. Still, a good fisherman knows to be prepared for anything. “One time, I had an 18-old boy on a trip, and he [spotted] a marlin about five miles out!” he says. “We had to follow it for about eight miles, but in the end, he caught it. You don’t usually see this type of fish so close to shore.”

In addition to family trips, such as this one, Edwards recalls catering to local military bases. “It was fun to take the troops out fishing,” he says. Not so fun was the bach-elor party excursion. A bad hangover on choppy waters does not a sailor make – and Edwards was forced to abort the excursion and quickly return the party to shore.

Relating to customersRunning a business for several years taught Edwards the challenges his former dental customers face running their practices. It also made him realize how much he missed the relationships he had formed with former customers and

colleagues. He approached his one-time boss at Henry Schein Dental, Tim Jones, who immedi-ately presented him with a com-petitive territory in the Wilming-ton/Myrtle Beach, S.C. region.

“Running a chartered fishing company, I had to advertise and market myself,” says Edwards. His dental customers must do the same, he adds, noting that his experience with social media, such as the Internet/web, blogs and Twitter have “helped me be-come a business partner with my dental customers.

“I always ask new offices the same question,” he con-tinues. “Can your current company or rep help you with coding, marketing, social media, new patient flow, goals, overhead reduction or an increase in production? If the answer is ‘no’ to any of that, I can help.”

Meanwhile, Wilmington Fishing Charters continues to hold its own. “Years ago, I placed an ad on Craigslist for captains [to run the boat], and I received calls left and right,” says Edwards. By sub-contracting his boat to other captains, the fishing excursions continue to run seven to nine months each year, weather permitting. “My daughter, Maggie, is nine months old,” he says, adding that between his family and his dental customers, his time is pretty well spoken for these days. [FI]

Edwards his wife Jessica Riffle Edwards and their daughter Maggie.

For more information about Richard Edwards and his chartered fishing company, visit www.edwardsconsulting.com or www.wilmingtonfishingcharters.com.


rep corner

• King mackerel. A member of the tuna family, this fish is common in the Western Atlan-tic waters (both near- and off-shore). While short on endur-ance, king mackerel are known for speed and agility. They feed on jacks, sea trout, sardine-like fish, ribbonfish, shrimp and squid. They are a challenging

catch, as they leap out of the water. Fishing gear should in-clude no less than a 20-pound line and tackle. Higher rated tackle may be necessary to catch larger king mackerel. A heavy wire or mono leader is necessary to protect against the fish’s sharp teeth.

• Yellowfin tuna. A schooling fish, yellowfin tuna generally range in the top 100 meters

of the water column. They can weigh as much as 300 pounds. While mainly found in deep offshore waters, they some-times are seen closer to shore when conditions are suitable.

• Mahi-mahi. These fast-growing fish typically reach between 15 and 29 pounds

and are known for changing color out of the water. They feed on flying fish, crabs, squid, mackerel and other forage fish. Most of the year, mahi-mahi spawn in warm ocean currents.

• Wahoo. Known for rapid growth (up to eight feet in length and 180 pounds) and high speed (as fast as 50 mph), wahoo are often in high de-mand by gourmet chefs. They

can be caught relatively close to shore and are known to stage a good fight on light-to-medium tackle.

• Grouper. Although known for their large size, their stout build prevents them from swimming long distances or at high speeds. They use their mouth to dig into the sand and build shelters under large rocks. Their powerful gill muscles make it very difficult for fishermen to extract them from their caves.

• Cobia. These long, slim fish gravitate to warmer waters (between 68 degrees F and 86 degrees F). The power-ful fish is known to put up a huge struggle when hooked. They generally are caught via spinning, plug casting, bottom fishing and trolling. Equipment for spinning and plug casting should include a medium-to-medium-heavy rod and reel, with 12#-20# line. Equipment for trolling or bottom fishing should include a medium-heavy rod and reel, with 20#-30# line.

For more information, visit Wilmington Fishing Charters at www.wilmingtonfishingcharters.com.

Many fish of the seaFrom king mackerel to cobia, chartered fishing excursions vary depending on the catch.

So you want to try a bit of fishing off the coast of North Carolina? You’ll have to be more specific than that. Following are some common catches – what they are and what it takes to catch them:


people

Wilson oversaw ACTEON’s dental, med-ical, and veterinary business dealings for the United States and Canada. Prior to becoming the vice president/COO, a position he held for seven years, he served as the company’s national sales manager and vice president of sales and marketing.

“Wyatt’s energy and leadership was the driving force behind ACTEON North America’s success and we will all miss him as a leader, work colleague and friend af-ter his many years of loyal service to this company,” said the company in a statement after he died. “Wyatt’s passing leaves a void that can never be filled, but those of us who knew him have all been made better by the honor of his association.”

College footballWilson was born and raised in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1972, explains his older brother, Jason Wilson. The family relocat-ed to Fredericksburg, Va., prior to Wyatt’s eighth-grade year, when their father, David Wilson, retired from the Navy after 24 years. A couple of years later, the family moved again, to Washington Township, N.J. Wilson played offensive tackle and defensive end at Washington Township High School.

Upon graduation from high school, he passed up an opportunity to play at Virginia Tech (where brother Jason was a guard) and several other schools in order to attend Clem-son, who had recruited him as a defensive tackle. At the time, he explained his decision to a reporter from a local paper. While attending

Wyatt Wilson: Conviction, passion, concern, laughs

Wyatt Wilson was almost big-ger than life. A college football player at Clemson University, he stood about 6 foot 5 and, while

at Clemson, weighed 270 pounds. And he had a big personality to match, according to those who knew him. Wilson, 39, vice president and COO of ACTEON North America, died suddenly in De-cember. He left behind his wife, Lauren, and two children, Logan, age 10, and Rachael, age 4.

Wyatt Wilson


high school in Virginia, he was always Jason’s little brother, he said. “And I wanted to get away from that. I want to make a name for myself, like I did this year.”

“He was happy with his choice,” explains Jason, who works at Samuels and Son Seafood, Philadelphia, Pa. But at Clemson, his younger brother suffered some injuries and just had some talented guys in front of him, says Ja-son Wilson. So after three years, he quit school to enter the work force.

For a time, Wilson worked for Ron Jaworski Golf, and then in the dental industry, says Jason. Then he became the Albany, N.Y., sales rep for Quandt’s Foodservice Dis-tributors, where Jason also worked. Later, when Wyatt and his wife, Lau-ren, moved back to New Jersey, he re-entered the dental industry.

Transition to distribution“To be honest, he’s the guy who made ACTEON North America what it is,” says Tim Long, North American sales and marketing man-ager. “When we converted our busi-ness from direct to dealer [in 2004], he was the guy” who called on the distributors to make it work.

Long first met Wilson at the 2007 Hinman Dental Meet-ing. “I shook his hand, and he asked me if I wanted to take a walk.” The two walked the show floor. “The thing that will always stick out in my mind was that he was like the mayor of the show,” recalls Long. “Every three steps, he was stopping to shake somebody’s hand, have a 30-second conversation.”

Indeed, at 6 foot 5, Wilson could command attention. “He was a big man and he had a big personality as well,” says Long. “I don’t think I have ever seen a person who could walk into a room and immediately own it more than Wyatt could.”

From early on, Wilson took an interest in Long’s ca-reer. In fact, it was Wilson who convinced Long to move from Kansas City to New Jersey to become ACTEON’s national sales manager two years ago. “The way he sold it to me was, ‘You run my sales, we’ll run this together.’” And that’s what they did.

Led by example“Wyatt led by example,” says Long. “He was the leader of ACTEON North America, but he was also the hardest worker. Whether you saw him making a presentation at a sales meeting or doing a demo in the booth, his passion and knowledge of the product and the way this business worked always came through.”

It was his passion that made Wilson successful in sales, continues Long. “He had the ability to portray to the doctor how excited he was about his products,” he says. “As I tell my sales guys, ‘If you’re not excited about this, how can you expect anyone else to be?’ Wyatt’s true

passion and the belief he had in the product line always showed through.”

Wilson also had the ability to quickly develop a rap-port with people, and to earn their trust, whether it be dentists, dealer partners or manufacturer partners. “They always knew Wyatt would stand behind them,” says Long. “And they always knew where he stood.”

And it didn’t hurt that he could be very funny. “If you were to ask our customers, partners or doctors who knew him, ‘What’s the first thing you think about when you think about Wyatt?’ it would be that he was funny,” says Long. “He was always laughing and quick with a joke.”

Unassuming, but directWith his knowledge of multiple markets, Wilson could of-fer valuable insights into the industry, says John Mancus,

“ If you were to ask our customers, partners or doctors who knew him, ‘What’s the first thing you think about when you think about Wyatt?’ it would be that he was funny. He was always laughing and quick with a joke.”

– Tim Long, ACTEON North American sales and marketing manager


people

national technology manager, Benco Dental. “He knew the industry inside and out, and he could speak to its various aspects. He was very knowledgeable, but also very person-able. He not only had a very good business sense, but he was unassuming. You felt comfortable working with him.”

That said, Wilson could be direct and, given his size, almost intimidating at times. “Wyatt and I would meet; I would have my numbers, he would have his,” says Mancus. When Man-cus heard the words, “John I have something I need to share with you,” he knew to expect a frank dis-cussion on distributor sales.

Mancus recalls when he and Wil-son became friends. It was about a year after they had met. The two were looking at the layout for ACTEON’s trade show booth when Mancus no-ticed the Clemson football ring on Wilson’s finger. Turns out Mancus knew one of Wilson’s college team-mates, kicker Jeff Sauve, who actually saw some time in the NFL.

“After that, we became really tight friends,” says Man-cus. “ACTEON has very good products. But you also like to help people who are good people.”

Conviction and passionJosh Killian, vice president, digital technologies, Pat-terson Dental, first met Wilson when Killian was man-ager of Patterson’s St. Louis branch, about 10 years ago. “He was a nice guy, very professional, eager to grow the business, and he wanted to understand how he and AC-TEON could better serve Patterson.” Killian had the feeling from the get-go that Wilson was someone he could count on.

When Killian moved to Minnesota to become director of marketing for equipment, he had the opportunity to work with Wilson on a regular basis. Again, he was im-pressed by his knowledge and enthusiasm. “Wyatt was a salesman at heart and he enjoyed calling on and interacting with us. We appreciated his personal interest, as well as his involvement as a decision-maker.

“Wyatt was one of those people I always made time for,” he says. “If he had a question or needed an answer or wanted to talk about something, I was abso-lutely there, because he was always there for me.”

One thing that stood out with Killian was the fact that Wilson never talked down competitors’ products. Rather, he knew his own products thoroughly, and he presented their merits with con-viction. “You could tell he had conviction and passion about the ACTEON product line.

“And he always tried to do things that he thought would engage our sales team in the field,” continues Killian. “He took the time to understand what the people in the trenches want from a marketing program, not just what the people in the corporate office want. And that’s the right way. We always say, ‘We’re nothing without our sales team.’ Wyatt understood that.”

Mancus recalls the last time he saw Wilson. It was the most recent Greater New York meeting, “He was walking the trade show floor with his son. He was so proud, introducing him to everyone. He was always so gracious to people. The consum-mate, warm-hearted big guy. And when you saw him walking the trade show floor with his son, you knew, ‘Here’s a guy who really knows his stuff, loves his products, and is just a good guy.’” [FI]

“Wyatt was one of those people I always made time for. If he had a question or needed an answer or wanted to talk about something,

I was absolutely there, because he was always there for me.”– Josh Killian, vice president, digital technologies, Patterson Dental


Dental Health Alliance announces Dental ReSERVEThe Dental Trade Alliance Foundation (DTAF) an-nounced the launch of Dental ReSERVE™, a web site designed to provide a format for dental manufacturers to donate equipment and supplies to non-profit organiza-tions that provide free dental care to those in need. If you have oral health care products that are about to expire, or can no longer be sold but could be used by organizations that serve those in communities who have limited access or cannot afford quality oral care, please go to Dental Re-SERVE™, www.dentalreserve.org, to download the DTA Member Application and return the completed form to the DTA Foundation Headquarters.

Schein opens TechCentral Solutions CenterHenry Schein Inc opened its Henry Schein TechCentral So-lutions Center in American Fork, Utah to provide customer support for dental and office technology solutions. TechCen-tral brings together experts in Dentrix practice management solutions, computers, networking, the internet and other busi-ness technologies, who work together as one team to provide each customer 360-degree support, not just single-product help. TechCentral offers customers one-number-to-call ac-cess for questions and problem solving related to integrated dental office technology. Customers can reach the new center at (800) 522-2164, or learn more at www.henryscheintechcen-tral.com/sc or www.henryschein.com.

Patterson Companies named to Forbes Most Trustworthy CompaniesPatterson Companies Inc was named one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes. Independent finan-cial analytics company GMI provided the list, based on its evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative data of more than 8,000 companies traded on U.S. exchanges. The find-ings assess the quality of corporate accounting and manage-ment practices. GMI used a rating system that assigns each company an accounting and governance risk (AGR) score. Companies with a track record of transparent and conser-vative accounting practices; solid corporate governance and management; and upfront revenue and expense recognition and asset valuation receive the best scores.

DENTSPLY Implants launches ATLANTIS Abutment for ANKYLOS Implant SystemAfter the recently announced union of DENTSPLY Friadent (Mannheim, Germany) and Astra Tech Dental (Mölndal, Sweden) into the new company DENTSPLY Implants North America (York, Pa.), the company an-nounced its first product release with the expansion of the ATLANTIS™ patient-specific abutment solution to include availability for the ANKYLOS® Implant System for U.S. and Canadian customers. ATLANTIS Abut-ments are available in titanium and gold-shaded titanium, and are set up for over 50 interfaces, including all ma-jor implant systems from DENTSPLY Implants, Strau-mann (Andover, Mass.), Nobel Biocare (Zurich, Switzer-land), Biomet 3i (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) and Zimmer Dental (Warsaw, Ind.).

DentalEZ launches student social media campaignDentalEZ Group launched a social media promotion, Hands-On Campaign, to help third- and fourth-year dental students get a jump on their careers. Students will gain experience with current dental products and technologies, network with dental professionals, have access to relevant continuing education courses, and be eligible for ADA benefits and opportunities. Den-talEZ Group will also award two grand prizes. Inter-ested students should take a photograph of a “hands-on” moment in their daily lives that they are passionate about, in or out of the oral healthcare arena, and then submit it to DentalEZ Group via its Facebook page. The company will choose the top two photos that gen-erate the most votes. The fourth-year winner will re-ceive a DentalEZ “All Access Pass” to the 2012 ADA Show, including flight, transportation, two-night hotel stay, show registration, and a “meet and greet” at the DentalEZ booth. The winner will also receive a Star-Dental Starter Kit containing a high-speed handpiece, a low-speed motor, and a swivel plus two attachments. The third-year winner will receive a StarDental Starter Kit containing a high-speed handpiece, a low-speed motor, and a swivel plus two attachments. The dead-line to enter is June 30, 2012.

news


news

Freud Dental Supply is expanding its operation with the merger of Hewitt Dental Supply. Allan Day will be the branch manager of the Texas facility, which will be do-ing business as Freud Hewitt Dental Supply. Founded in 1978, Hewitt Dental has provided equipment and ser-vice to dental practices in the central Texas market for

over 32 years. David Surks, president/CEO of Freud commented, “This merger adds a sixth regional branch for Freud Dental.” Freud’s operational base includes: the Flanders New Jersey location; Freud Corban Den-tal; Freud Dental Enterprises; Freud Cordent; Freud Hewitt; and Freud Global.

Freud Dental announces merger with Hewitt Dental Supply

ACTEON releases new Essential Tip KitACTEON North America introduced a new set of ultra-sonic tips for the Piezotome 2, Implant Center 2 LED, and Piezotome Solo LED devices for piezoelectric osse-ous surgery. The Essential Kit includes six of the most popular tips for Piezotome that can be used for a variety of procedures such as sinus lifts, tooth extraction and bone block grafting during pre-implant bone surgery. The ultrasonic frequency of Piezotome makes the instru-ments active only on bone so there is reduced risk of damaging delicate structures such as gingiva and nerves. These uniquely designed tips can only be powered by Piezotome 2 technology exclusively from ACTEON. For more information, visit www.acteonsupport.com/.

products

Paradise Dental Technologies introduces R144 Queen of Hearts™ periodontal curetteParadise Dental Technologies introduced the R144 Queen of Hearts™ periodontal curette. This curette is designed with much longer cutting edges

and a closed-face blade for fine finishing with minimal tissue distention, allowing you to efficiently reach the root con-cavities, base of the pocket and furcations of periodontally involved teeth with better adaptation. For more information and videos visit www.pdtdental.com or call (800) 240-9895.


Patterson Dental Sales GraduatesThe following Patterson dental reps met the sales training requirements at the Patterson Companies corporate office in St. Paul, Minn.

Jennifer Apodaca Erica Bernardo Allison Brinkley Devin Duke

Melissa Goldbrum Matt Gushka Amy Hotter Jay Kannaley

Daniel LeBlanc Daniel McAllister Winter McCulloch Darrell McKlevish

Matt Ochs Jimmy Smith Brittany Stoltz Kevin YamadaAshley Schacht


Rob Hughes: Digital Technology Specialist Hughes will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Indianapolis, IN. He has five years of experience in the dental industry. Hughes received his de-gree from Franklin College.

Matt Shook: Digital Technology Specialist Shook will represent Henry Schein Den-tal at its center in Wichita, KS. He re-ceived his B.S. from Friends University.

Matt Woodend: Field Sales Consultant Woodend will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Grand Rapids, MI. He has nine years of experience in the dental industry and was previously em-ployed as a territory representative. Woo-

dend received his B.S. at the University of Central Florida.

Bill Matthews: Digital Technology Specialist Matthews will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Little Rock, AR. He has six years of experience in the dental industry and was previously employed as an integration specialist.

Bridget Brewer: Field Sales Consultant Brewer will represent Henry Schein Den-tal at its center in St. Paul, MN. She was previously employed as a distribution representative. Brewer received her B.A. from the University of Minnesota.

Joe Wilson: Equipment Sales Specialist Wilson will represent Henry Schein Den-tal at its center in Atlanta, GA. He has 20 years of experience in the dental indus-try and previously owned Lynch Dental Company. Wilson received his B.A. from

Emory University.

Josh Swearingen: Field Sales Consultant Swearingen will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Colum-bus, OH. He has six years of experi-ence in the dental industry and was previously employed as an executive

territory manager. Swearingen received his B.A. from Ohio State University.

Joseph Farley: Digital Technology Specialist Farley will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Houston, TX. He received his B.B.A. from Baylor University.

Alexander Koulouris: Digital Technology Specialist Koulouris will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Charlotte, NC. He has over five years of experience in the dental industry. Koulouris received his M.B.A. and B.A. from the Zicklin School

of Business at Baruch College.

Tom Lavin: Digital Technology Specialist Lavin will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Phoenix, AZ. He has nine years of experience in the dental indus-try. Lavin received his degree from Fair-leigh Dickinson University.

Jason Preston: Digital Technology Specialist Preston will represent Henry Schein Dental at its center in Fort Lauder-dale, FL. He has five years of experi-ence in the dental industry and was previously employed as a regional

sales manager. Preston received his B.S. from Brigham Young University.

Henry Schein New Appointee Announcements


Jose M. VirruetaTerritory RepresentativeVirrueta will call on customers in the Central Valley region. He has more than eight years’ experience in the dental field.

Douglas BlackTerritory RepresentativeBlack will call on customers in the Cen-tral Valley region.

Douglas AndersonTerritory RepresentativeAnderson is the newest member of Ben-co Dental’s Cactus region, calling on cus-tomers in Las Vegas.

Monica MarquezTerritory RepresentativeMarquez is now a member of Benco’s Cactus region. She has worked in the dental industry for more than 24 years.

Sally BrowneTerritory RepresentativeBenco Dental welcomed Brown to the company’s Gateway region. She has more than five years of experience in the dental industry.

Dennis DoyleTerritory RepresentativeStovall is now a part of Benco Dental’s Sooner region. He has been in the dental industry for more than 15 years.

Karen VincentTerritory RepresentativeVincent brings with her more than 15 years of dental industry experience. As a member of the Mid-South region, she will call on customers in Memphis and the surrounding areas.

Elaine ParkTerritory RepresentativeBenco Dental is pleased to welcome Park to its North Star region. She will call on customers in Minneapolis and its surrounding areas.

John ManningTerritory RepresentativeManning is Benco’s newest addition to the Empire region. He has more than six years of experience in the dental field.

Leigh HautauTerritory RepresentativeWith more than 17 years of experience in the dental industry, Hautau is now a member of Benco’s Long Island region.

Benco Dental New Appointees


What are you talking about with your cus-tomers? Social media? General marketing strategy? If you aren’t, you should be.

I was recently asked to do my second social media webinar. Social media seems to be all the rage in marketing. Many of you are using Facebook and Twitter to connect with your customers and your dental partners. Now it’s time to have a conversation with your offices about so-cial media. Tell them how it works for you and how it can help them grow their practice and connect better with their patients. Social media is the newest spoke on the wheel of dental marketing.

That being said, social media certainly is not the most important spoke in marketing. The bigger question is what exactly are your customers’ doing to market their practices, gain new patients and retain existing ones? We know that social media could and should be a part of their plan, but what else could they be doing? Are they asking their existing patients for referrals? This is still one of the best ways to get new patients. Most dentists and/or staff won’t ask the question, but I’ve seen referral cards used successfully at the front desk. A happy patient can grab one and refer away, if there is an incentive. It’s great when an existing customer can get a discount on whitening or on their next visit with a referral.

I read recently that over 75 percent of dentists now have a website for their den-tal practice. A good dental sales rep should know exactly how good or bad their custom-er’s website is. Does it look like it was created on FrontPage by their nephew 10 years ago?

A clean, informative, interactive, educational website can help attract and retain patients. Are there pictures and information about the staff? What about videos and a blog? Is it SEO op-timized? A quality website nowadays does not have to cost the practice a fortune. If it looks dated or bland there is a good chance that prospective patients will keep surfing until they find a site that is professional and up-to-date.

There are many other aspects to dental practice market-ing that I will cover in future issues of the magazine, but it is important that you have a conversation with your custom-

ers about their marketing efforts now: from print mailers to social media, and everything in between. Find out what they are doing, what is working, and what isn’t. Then ask your customer if you can help them lay out a comprehensive marketing plan. You may be surprised that your input is welcomed and needed. I am not suggesting that you do the practice’s marketing for them, but help guide them and be involved in the success of the practice. As a dental sales rep in this hyper competitive environment it is essen-tial that you provide marketing assistance as a value-added service to your customers. Even if you don’t have all the marketing an-swers, you can direct your practices to con-sultants or informational sources which can help your practices grow.

Remember, a well-marketed dental practice has more patients and needs more supplies. If you provide value-added mar-keting assistance, there is a good chance the practice you’ve guided will buy those sup-plies from you. [FI]

Marketing Matters

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By Bill Neumann

A well-marketed

dental practice

has more patients and needs more

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Good Eye - Amazon Web Services€¦ · uct, they are then giving you permission to talk about how wonderful your product is. 2. Focusing too much on the “science” and/or fea-tures