The following is a guest post by Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS. If you are interested in guest posting for Dental Heroes, please sign up here.

Where does your practice production stand this time of the year? How are you utilizing the team to assess and connect with the practices’ patients? Many dental practices are still feeling the economic crunch but there is still time to capture six figures of production. Just making simple changes can create more than $100,000K in additional production this year. (Less than six months left in 2010 today!)

The Secret to Capturing This

If you could increase hygiene production by $500 each day or just $62.50/hour you will have an additional $62,000K in added profits for 2010. At the time I am writing this there are approximately 100 working days left this year. This is treatment sitting in patient charts (or your computer) which has been undiagnosed and/or unscheduled production. Each time I go into an office I find that there are at least 200 patients who have untreated periodontal disease. Why did this happen? There are many reasons this happens and the best thing we can do for these patients to create a longer and very healthy life is to get them into preventive treatment. It is our responsibility to share our knowledge: the science behind periodontal disease – the oral/systemic link and how this can change the way they live life!

Now imagine that if this hygienist can co-diagnose at least $2,000/week in restorative, cosmetic dentistry and even appliances, (Occlusal guards, snore guards and/or whitening) this can boost your production potential even higher. There are approximately 26 weeks left in 2010 at this point in the year so this means another by $52,000. Together, these two services provide for over $100,000 in scheduled production on the books during the next 6 months. I will honestly and very simply tell you how to get to this profitability on your appointment schedule and in 2010. There are few steps to get this done!

Step 1 – Prevent Periodontal Disease

This is my mantra and it should be yours as a dental professional. We have a lot of scientific information available to us so we can appropriately educate our patients about the importance of good oral health. Science tells us that if we treat the disease process sooner than later we can prevent future disease (Heart disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Arteriosclerosis, etc., etc.) If we share this information with our patients most people will sit up, listen and take action. How many patients have you met and they said “No” to living a longer and healthier life? Not many!

The fact is that if one hygienist (Working 4 days a week) enrolls just 100 of your current patients into active, non-surgical periodontal therapy and then periodontal maintenance every 3-4 months; hygiene production will increase by at least $150,000.00 in the next twelve months of these scheduled treatment plans. As a dental professional you probably understand that 80% of our adult population has some form of periodontal disease. The sooner we treat the disease the more likely it is we can halt the disease process. When patients understand this they will make this an important matter in their life. They will say “Yes” to scheduling and completing treatment.

Step 2 – Remember Restorative Dentistry Needs to come from the Hygiene Department

Please remember that the entire team needs to be educated on the doctors’ philosophy. Everyone on the team needs to understand what they are expected to do and what procedures are available to the patients in your practice. Write these things down in your office manual for all future employees. Enrolling $2,000/wk out of each hygiene operatory is a very conservative number. One secret is these patients need to schedule their treatment for these production dollars to actually show up. I recommend that you take time to always schedule the next appointment before the patient walks out the door. I recommend all hygiene appointments be scheduled in the hygiene operatory not at the front desk.

Step 3 – Financial Arrangements and Follow-up

Always have patients leave your office with a written and signed financial arrangement. If patients decline treatment they also need to sign a disclosure that they understand the risks, benefits, alternative treatment and disadvantages of not completing the treatment. This is a legal liability and if you don’t explain this it can come back to bite you in legal bills, etc., if patients lose teeth or have other problems. If you don’t have a financial arrangement form, make sure you create one this week. Most dental software programs can make this a very simple thing to do.

When patients trust you and understand it is about their total health they feel an importance to have treatment completed immediately. Patients that say “No” to treatment are many times uneducated about the oral and systemic link. Make financial arrangements clear and easy for them. Help patients understand what portion of the fee they are responsible for and when it’s due. Always follow up. If a patient declines treatment always follow up with a conversation each recare appointment. The economy is difficult for many people, and at this time in our world in can be very hard for a patient to even pay $100.00/month. It sometimes takes time to change patients’ thought pattern about oral health and disease. If a patient isn’t ready to schedule that day, then put them on your follow-up list and ask for their permission to call in 2- 3 weeks.

We are more than half way through another year. These past 3 years have been tough financially but if you know how to communicate with your patients you can see the benefits of a win-win! Your patients can save money by completing preventive care now rather than later. Your patients will be happy to know they can stop future health problems and not spend more money on their teeth. Most patients would prefer to not spend their money on endodontic treatment, implants, tooth extractions, dentures, etc. Always discuss alternative treatment if the current treatment is not accepted. Most people want to live a long and health life. Having a beautiful smile makes most people feel good about themselves. When patients understand the facts they are happy about your team and know you really care. Your dental practice and the benefits you provide for them will really pay off. When patients return for the appropriate treatment you win by increased profits.

How can you expand your practice growth next year? Sometimes offices can’t get to the next step alone. Most successful leaders also have a guide or mentor. We are here to be your guide and offer special tools to make your future profitability a reality. Many times an experienced dental consultant can get you there very – very- – quickly! Pick up the phone and ask us what we can do to make this a seamless process for you and your team. Just call and ask us how today.

Much Success to all!

Your Thoughts

Are you already employing some of these tactics in your practice? What kind of results are you seeing?

Related posts:

• Why You Should Promote Your Practices’ Same-Day Services

• 10 Profit Centers Your Practice Should Focus On

• Tips for Creating a Patient-Centric & Prevention–Oriented Practice

• Understanding the Assisted Hygiene Business Model (Part I)

• Quick Tips for Dental Practice Scheduling