Dental Support Specialties Blog

In my many blessings of speaking with offices all across the United States, it continues to perplex me as to why so many offices still don’t extend 40 hours of phone availability to their patients. I am not talking an answering service, who in my humble opinion are nothing more than a glorified answering machine – I am talking real availability to your patients to meet any and all of their needs during this time and this includes LUNCH HOUR! I am always amazed at ANY office that sets an answering machine over a lunch hour. Holy cow! Don’t you know that is when working moms make the majority of their appointments??? And how frustrating it is for someone calling your practice to hear “We’re out to lunch for an hour and half, your call will be important to us when we get back” (that IS what they hear you know!)

“Hi – this is Mr. Jones. I have an appointment scheduled next week, Thursday I think, that I need to cancel. I don’t have any more insurance left this year and it’s just a cleaning anyways so I am going to wait until after the new year”

“Hello! This is Mrs. George. Last time I was in, Deborah the hygienist told me she wanted to see me every 3 months. I don’t even know why. My insurance will only cover cleanings 2x a year so I need to reschedule my appointment that’s coming up next week.”

It’s 3 pm in the afternoon on a beautifully sunny day with a sky full of cotton candy clouds. There is a warm breeze caressing the city like a lover caressing his soul mates cheek after a passionate rendezvous. (Did I grab your attention??!!)

The phone rings………… The over tired, unappreciative employee cringes in dismay at the thought of actually having to answer the phone on the second ring,  rolls their eyes on the third, wearily answers it on the fourth by mumbling some unintelligible pathetic greeting that even a certified speed reader can’t decipher and then couldn’t even tell you who called or what they wanted after they completed the call in 32 seconds flat. They go back to wondering why their life sucks, how they got stuck in this pathetic job (oh, hey, when is payday?!) and how Susie is having a banger of a get together this weekend and gosh is it Friday yet?

No football team wins without being prepared. No football team wins without systems in place. No football team wins without teamwork. No football team wins without passion.

“The minute I think I’m getting mellow, I’m retiring. Who ever heard of a mellow winner?” Woody Hayes

How do I know? My husband is a football coach who has passionately dedicated his talent and time for over 16 years to create winning strategies by placing all the talent on the team in the positions where they will succeed; encouraging these young men to think, act, be responsible for what they do, remove the “I” from their thinking, think in terms of “team” and be disciplined enough to always do what is right (both on and off the field).

System: An organized and coordinated method; a procedure; A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole ; A condition of harmonious, orderly interaction.

Protocol: A code of correct conduct; Rules or guidelines that are peculiar to every culture or organization , and are supposed to be observed by all parties in the conduct of business, entertaining, negotiating, politics, etc.

Does your practice have clearly defined systems, job descriptions/expectations and protocols that encompass every single department, task and expectation within?

You know you need to make some changes. You know your practice is not where you want it to be, where you vision it to be, where you know it CAN be. What on earth are you waiting for?

We know that change doesn’t come easy, and usually comes with a small price. But what you get when you don’t change is more difficult and costly than implementing the change itself!

I have compared the dental practice to a football team before – My husband is the defensive coordinator for a local high school football team – He has been engaged in football for the past 27 years non-stop and some consider him to be one of the top 10 defensive coordinators in North East OH. His passion for football is such a driving force, and he reads the game like none other. Our experience and conversation last night led to the inspiration of this blog.

We all know a great football play is preceded by what?…….Yes, a HUDDLE. Champion dental practices start their days out with a Morning Huddle!!

Priority – Precedence, especially established by order of importance or urgency.

Systemize – Bring order to or into; arrange according to a system.

Maximize – To increase or make as great as possible.

I’ve written many times about the importance of systems. SOP manuals. Training. Accountability. Responsibility. Job Descriptions and expectations. I also know that these systems and SOP manuals can be a hefty investment but I am here to tell you how they pay off many, many, many times over.

You spend thousands of dollars a year in multiple marketing strategies to get patients to call your office right? Websites, internal marketing, brochures, newsletters, care-to –share cards, mugs, pens, social functions, coaching, signs, etc.

You are spending all this money to attract new patients to your office, keep you connected with existing patients, so why wouldn’t you have someone answering your phones at least 40 hours a week? If you don’t have appropriate daily phone coverage, aren’t you just throwing your money out the window?  (I’m not even talking about after hours coverage – I am talking about normal 40 hour a week business availability to your guests)

Do you have a solid confirmation system in place to help maximize your scheduling opportunities? Whether you use an automated system or old-fashioned personal phone calls, take every step you can to get those confirmations!