Making the Case for Regular Staff Meetings

Debbie Castagna and Virginia Moore

Power Thought: The Practice Source

In 20-plus years of consulting, we've yet to see a practice lose production because  time is taken out of the week for one hour staff meetings.  On the contrary-the truth is that effective staff meetings improve productivity.

Challenge these statements:

• "Meetings are a waste of time." 
• "They are just gripe sessions."
• "Nothing was ever prepared so we stopped having them."

Staff meetings are the best forums available to you as a dentist and business owner for business development.  Learn how to have effective meetings the same you learned to use your software or your Cerec machine-with real training.

Staff meetings improve internal communication, your patients' experience and also lead to greater productivity and profitability.  Trust us-remember, we're basing these recommendation on 20+ years of experience.

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The Internet Rules!

Linda Drevenstedt

Power Thought: Drevenstedt Consulting

The Internet is an ever changing future trend. Keep up or be left out.

Social Networking will continue to grow.  Depending on your target market and demographics, this can impact your practice. As soon as a patient leaves your office their experience can be shared with their social network via Twitter, Face Book and what ever will come in the future.  The truth is you are no longer isolated patient experiences. The younger your patient base is, the more you are exposed to social commentary via these networks.  BE sure you monitor you "web" conversation. 

Pew Research shows the following:

• Young people are much more likely than older adults to use social networks.
• 75% of online adults 18-24 have a profile on a social network site
• 57% of online adults 25-34 have a profile on a social network
• 30% of online adults 35-44 have one
• 19% of online 45 to 54 year olds have a profile
• 10% of online 55 to 64 year olds have a profile
• 7% of online adults 65 and older have a profile

Patients who are internet savvy will come to expect online dental bill paying, online appointment scheduling, email and text confirmations, email and text recall notices and reminders.

Your Website should RUN your marketing. More patients will find their new dentist via the web.  The yellow pages and the newspaper are dead marketing mediums unless you are in the aged (over 65) age demographics.  Having a consumer (not dentist) oriented website will be A CRITICAL MARKETING ELEMENT. Websites need a webmeister who knows and keeps abreast of the latest SEO (Search Engine Optimization), uses testimonials, immediate capture of the web browsing patient with instant access to the office and offers which fit the patient. Websites are NOT a "put up and forget" marketing aid for the future. The need for continual updates, personalized photos of before and after procedures, and professional (marketing professional) input will be critical - particularly the more educated your patients OR the younger your patients.

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Teamwork: Fact or Fiction?

Cathy Jameson, PhD

Power Thought: Jameson Management

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?

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