A Smile in Return

Special Message from The Tomorrow's Smiles Program

Crying herself to sleep at night, she worried about what people said about her smile as she tried to forget about the pain...

This is the story of Jalja, a promising youth who suffered pain and embarrassment from the devastating effects of severe tooth decay.  Hiding her smile for fear of being ridiculed, she longed to be able to smile at someone and receive smile in return without being asked what was wrong with her teeth.   Living with pain every day, Jalja hoped to one day become a nurse and care for those in need, but she was afraid she would never realize that dream.  She could not afford the dental care she so desperately needed, and her future was clouded with uncertainty.  Jalja wondered if the pain would ever stop and wished she had the confidence that came with having a pretty smile.

Poor oral health can be devastating for an adolescent struggling to fit in and prepare for a successful future.  The Tomorrow's SMILES® program was designed to give teens like Jalja the building blocks they need for healthy, productive futures.  Caring volunteer dentists provide pro-bono restorative services to a pre-screened teen.  In return, participating teens Pay It Forward by sharing their newfound oral health knowledge through interactive oral health lessons with younger children in their community.

As a Tomorrow's SMILES teen, Jalja has renewed hope and a future filled with possibilities ahead of her....To learn more about Jalja's story, look for more updates in your Curve Dental emails and visit us at www.TomorrowsSMILES.org.  Contact Brenda Woodington, Tomorrow's SMILES Program Manager at (704) 350-1600, ext. 106 or via email at bwoodington@ncohf.org to volunteer for this smile-saving, life-changing program.

Marketing 101: Are You Really Excellent of Merely Average?

Sally McKenzie

Power Thought: McKenzie Management

Excellence can be an intimidating concept. After all, an entire industry has been built searching for it since Tom Peters released his bestselling book in 1982. With all the guides, formulas, and special reports that have dedicated countless pages to the topic we've learned this: Achieving excellence comes down to hard work, commitment, and, most importantly, leadership.

We've also learned that a fair number of businesses that claim in their advertising and marketing to be "excellent" are merely average - if that. We routinely encounter dentists who believe that if they market their practices as being "excellent" that's enough. Unfortunately, patients discover soon enough whether the practice is or isn't.

At the root of excellence - or even "very good" - is change. And change in any organization, be it a corporate giant, such as Apple, or your own dental practice, is a huge challenge. Why? Because the culture of most every business is "hardwired" from the top down.

But the beauty of that reality is that if you, doctor, are not achieving the goals or the success that you desire, you are the one with the power to change it. Yes, your team must be actively involved. But real change, true excellence, begins with you.

You set the course to create the change and that begins with the development of the plan, which involves asking a few fundamental questions.  Starting with: What's your vision for your practice? What does an excellent dental practice do differently? How do you get there? And how do you maximize it in your marketing?

Next, is "market research." Talk to your patients about their experiences. At a minimum, ask how your practice can do things better. Just remember that only a handful will be honest with you. And those that share less than stellar comments are doing you a huge favor. Here's why: Studies indicate that if one person complains, at least seven have had the same negative experience and each of them has told nine others about the problem, meaning that at least one negative comment about your practice has been shared with 63 others in your community - not exactly the word-of-mouth marketing you want out there.  

From there begin to assemble the building blocks of excellence by examining each individual system and how it fits into your practice vision. For example, what does the new patient experience involve in a practice that is dedicated to setting itself apart from the others in the community? How do patients feel when they call a practice that is truly committed to excellence? How is the team involved in carrying out the practice culture that you want to create? Once the broad-brush concepts are identified, take an honest look at how your team currently handles specific systems. Don't sugar coat it. Finally, recognize that excellence is the culture that you create in your practice day-in and day-out.

More About McKenzie Management...

Teamwork: Fact or Fiction?

Cathy Jameson, PhD

Power Thought: Jameson Management

How do you go about building and maintaining a strong team? How do you motivate that team to continue on a path of improvement? How do you establish longevity with good team persons and stop the merry-go-round of people coming and going from your practice?

Each person on the team is, in essence, a leader. Each person is responsible for supporting other members of the team and helping colleagues to maximize potential. As a member of a team, each person can build up the other people on the team - or tear other people apart. The former is, obviously, desirable. In addition, each person has a role in leading patients to make decisions. I think you will agree with me that in today's sophisticated dental world, a strong team is essential.

VISION: Start here. Make sure that your entire team is clear about the vision of your practice. Define the vision and be on a path of making that vision become a distinct reality. The vision is the overall view of your "ideal practice". What does that look like to you? Please refuse to accept anything less than your ideal. There is absolutely no reason to compromise.

GOALS: Once you have a clearly written and acknowledged vision, get involved with the specifics. How are you going to make that vision become a reality? Goal setting and goal accomplishment are, really, strategic business planning. Here is where you integrate solid principles of business management into your practice's development.

Goals become the defined plan of action set forth with the intention of accomplishing pre-determined results. Your goals must be written down. "That which cannot be monitored cannot be measured."

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR SUPERSTAR TEAM: Yes, you are--or can be--a superstar and each person on your team can be, also. Dr. William James, the father of American Psychology, says that the average person uses only five to ten percent of his/her potential. All of us have talent and potential that is untapped, un-nurtured, unused. So, as a team of leaders, be in the business of helping the other members of your team "unfold" in your environment.

HIRE SLOWLY - AND HIRE RIGHT. Work with experts in management consulting or in human resources to learn the very intricate skills of seeking, interviewing, hiring, orienting, training, and retaining quality team members. One of the reasons that there are so many turnovers in the dental profession is because the hiring and training wasn't done well in the first place.

By developing plans of action; by committing to "action"; and by holding effective team meetings, you will be well on your way to a critical concept of teamwork: ACCOUNTABILITY! Effective communication on a daily basis - about clinical issues, business issues and viewing the entire practice with a team's perspective will make all the difference. People understand their roles with a big picture perspective and strive to do their best. In order to develop a great team and in order to get things done in a timely and effective manner, each member of the team must be able to count on every other member of the team. After all, isn't that what teamwork is all about?

More About Jameson Management...

Being Phenomenal

Katherine Eitel

Power Thought: Katherine Eitel & Associates

But if this morning you got up and went to the old job, with the same people, and will return to the same life you left... then personally own that current choice and don't wait for your next chapter to begin being phenomenal.  While you may love the next job (or person or city) better, they'll come with their own challenges none-the-less.  Right now is the time to hone those skills.

Becoming a fully alive, passionate human being of excellence is a habit - not a stroke of luck or genius - and doesn't just "come upon you" when you land in the perfect circumstance.  This may very well be a stepping stone to something greater in your life but you are here today, not there.  So, be here.

For as long as you make the choice to stay where you are... show up fully, throw yourself into your work 100%, bring all your focus and attention to being a phenomenal employer/employee.  Be "in service" to every customer, patient, student, or team member and treat them with an uplifted attitude, genuine smile, and your most excellent service or level of skill.  We build the skill of showing up as an excellent human being every day in all our interactions... not just when we find ourselves in the perfect conditions.

Don't wait.  Be phenomenal now. 

More About Katherine Eitel & Associates...