Dedicated to helping doctors and their team have an office that is not only highly productive and fun but one that allows them to consistently exceed patient expectations.
Here are some practice management reminders, leadership, and team-building ideas that can easily be implemented during the month of June. (Don’t wait until the end of the second quarter of the year to evaluate if your and your team’s daily actions are in harmony with your practice vision and mission. )
For Marketing, Social Media Content, and Practice Growth Ideas for June Visit:June 2023 Marketing Ideas
Leadership & Team Building & Appreciation Idea
Practice improvement and growth start with you and your team! Remember, there is no way that the quality of patient care and experiences will exceed the quality of the people who provide it.
“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” –Napolean Hill
Invest in your team – Thoroughly train your employees (new & old) on your practice goals, systems, expectations, software, telephone skills, dental procedures, protocols, etc. Include regular continuing education – you can do this with in-office training, webinars, lunch and learns, and seminars/classes outside of the office.
Doughnut Day or Donut Day: June 2nd – Bring in donuts for the team!
Recess at Work day is June 15th – Get outside for a few minutes with your team for some fresh air. If you can’t all get outside, open the windows, and turn up the radio. How about a sweet treat to enjoy during “recess”? (ex: ice cream, frozen drink, etc.)
Practice Management Reminders & Ideas
Unscheduled Patients – Now is a great time to reach out to your unscheduled patients both active and inactive patients. Why? Because for your patients to smile healthy they need to schedule the treatment you’ve diagnosed and to come in regularly for their hygiene continuing care appointments.
Some questions to consider:
Of your active patients (seen in the last 18 months) how many have a next appointment scheduled and how many do not?
What systems are in place to ensure the team is staying in touch with your unscheduled patients?
How many patients left the practice this year?
What can you do together as a team to retain more patients by consistently exceeding their expectations?
What can you do together as a team to help more patients say yes to your very best care? Remember, When your patients are healthy – the practice is healthy.
Knowing your practice numbers and doing something with what you know about those numbers is key to growing and improving your practice. Numbers tell a story. Numbers tell you if your practice is healthy or unhealthy.
Reviews & Recommendations – Ask your patients to please review your office on Google and recommend you on Facebook. Don’t simply rely on third-party companies to do this for you. It’s so simple (& free) to invite your patients to do this for you.
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.” ― Mother Teresa
Practice Owners, if you would like to grow and improve your dental practice and have wondered what it might be like to work with me and what coaching is all about… please feel free to reach out to me to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation coaching call at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com.
As always, wishing you all a happy and productive month!
Please... If you enjoy the complimentary ideas that I share or if they’ve been of help to you and your practice – I would truly appreciate it if you would please take a second and leave a review/recommendation for me on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK.Looking forward to hearing from you.Thank you!!
November is Gratitude Month – Gratitude helps to strengthen and motivate your team, encouraging employee loyalty and engagement. This is needed now more than ever! Yes, they may show up each day physically but are they engaged? Are they also there mentally and emotionally?
One of the most common issues that I hear from dental employees is that they don’t feel appreciated. Feeling a lack of gratitude is often the main reason why they leave their employer or suffer a decline in positivity and productivity.
Hint: Sadly enough, I hear the same thing from the employer – my team doesn’t appreciate me, and/or my team is unthankful. So if you’re an employee reading this you’ll find that these same ideas for showing gratitude may be used for showing appreciation and gratitude to your employer. 🙂
Don’t assume they know that you appreciate them just because you give them a paycheck every week. Show them by your words and actions that you value and appreciate their contributions to the success of the practice.
Here are several ways for you to express and show gratitude for your dental team…
Greetings – Say hello & goodbye to your employees at the start of the day and at the end of the day.
Use your Manners – Say please and thank you. Make it a habit to say please every time you ask for something. Saying thank you improves your office, your health, and boosts morale.
Thank you notes – a thoughtful handwritten thank you note will go a long way in helping someone feel appreciated and valued.
Praise – Commend and praise your employees in front of and to your patients.
Give them your attention – Conduct quarterly commendation and performance evaluations. This also gives them an opportunity to share with you how things are going for them and their ideas to improve the office.
Feed them – Bring in breakfast, snacks, or lunch.
Invest in them – Thoroughly train your employees (new & old) on your practice goals, systems, expectations, software, telephone skills, dental procedures, protocols, etc. Include regular continuing education – you can do this with in-office training, webinars, lunch and learns, and seminars/classes outside of the office.
Gifts of Appreciation – Surprise your team with thoughtful gifts of appreciation (gift cards, cash, treats, etc.)
Work Anniversaries – Acknowledge work anniversaries. Don’t take their loyalty for granted. Make sure they feel wanted and appreciated.
Encourage Creativity – Host “Brainstorm Sessions” with prizes for creative marketing ideas, solutions to improve office efficiency, welcome more new patients, patient retention, and how to have more fun as a team.
Give them your time – Spend time outside the office with your team engaging in fun team-building recreational activities. Do this at least quarterly.
These are simple and inexpensive ways to let your team know how much you care. I encourage you to put them into action. When you do you’ll quickly learn that it is a triple win – a win for your team, a win for your patients, and a win for you (you’ll not only enjoy better health but practice growth too).
“Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life. “—Northrup Christiane
Have you signed up to receive my complimentary dental marketing and practice management ideas that are sent right to your email inbox each month? If not, take a second and sign up. Or send me your email address to bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com and I will send you an invite to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea.
Doctors, if you would like to grow and improve your dental practice and have wondered what it might be like to work with me and what coaching is all about… please feel free to reach out to me to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation coaching call at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com.
Did you enjoy these tips and ideas? I would love and truly appreciate it for you to please take a second to leave a review/recommendation for me here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK – Thank you!!!
Football season is upon us – whether or not you’re a fan of football, celebrating football season with your office employees, patients, and the community is a great way to have more fun and exceed expectations.
Here are a few ideas for you…
Special football themed day(s) in the office:
Wear your favorite football team gear.
Encourage your patients to dress up too.
Decorate the office.
Take lots of pictures to share on your social media pages.
Set up a photo booth area with fun football-related props.
Serve football & tailgate foods & bottled water.
Hand out some patient appreciation gifts such as imprinted lip balm, football shaped/decorated treats, for more ideas check out my Pinterest board HERE.
Consider inviting local businesses & referring offices to celebrate with you.
More ideas to celebrate football season:
Special Offers on Sport Mouthguards
Post sports related dental health tips on your social media pages.
Cheer on your local football teams via your social media platforms.
Sponsor a local football team.
Have a Raffle to win football game tickets or a football-themed gift basket to encourage Facebook Likes, Check-ins, Referrals, and Reviews on Google,and Facebook
Deliver football-themed snacks and gifts to local businesses and specialists.
Hope you enjoyed these ideas.
Please share your football fun pictures & ideas with me.
Would you please do something for me? If you enjoy the complimentary ideas that I share each month, I would love and truly appreciate for you to please leave a review/recommendation for me on Google or Facebook here are the links GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK
Are you receiving my free dental marketing and practice management ideas every month via email? If not, PLEASE take a second and follow today or send me your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to share my blog with your dental friends. ~ Thank you!
Is your office past-due for a good cleaning and organizing? Maybe even some remodeling or redecorating? It’s that time of year when many take advantage of the warmer weather to “spring clean” their homes. This is also a great time to spring clean your dental practice.
I encourage you to make a checklist of all the areas in your office that may need some cleaning. I’ll help you get started by showing you how to take advantage of using your 5 senses while cleaning your office. This is by no means an exhaustive cleaning list but it will give you ideas of where and what to clean.
Before you read on please remember that the patients’ (and potential patients’) perception of you, your team, the office, and the quality and safety of the care you provide is your reality. This means that everything that you do or don’t do…matters!
Even if you feel like you’re just too busy to tackle a project like this you’ll want to make the time; why? The long-term growth and success of your practice depend on it.
Sight, Smell, Sound, Touch, and Taste.
SIGHT
What do your patients and potential patients see?
Areas to “see” include;
Office Exterior (Curb Appeal)
Signage
Windows
Landscape/Weeds
Garbage/Debris
Safety Concerns/Handicap accessibility
Office Interior
Reception Room – Sit in your reception room, what do your patients see, touch, hear, smell and taste? Look high and low. What do you see? Dirty carpeting/flooring? Outdated magazines & decor? Stained or worn chairs? Peeling wallpaper? Cobwebs? Dusty plants/floral arrangements? Light bulbs that are out? Look over at the front desk area, if you see a sliding glass window that is full of signs and papers telling your patients what to do and what not to do…remove them immediately. It’s very unwelcoming!
Restroom – Most if not all of your patients that visit your restroom WILL determine the quality and safety of your care from that experience. (Isn’t that true of you when you’re at a restaurant or any public restroom? No one wants the gas station bathroom experience…not even when you’re at a gas station.) Your restroom should be clean, nicely decorated, and well-stocked with quality paper products and soap.
Front Desk Area – Clutter represents indecision. Make a decision to get rid of the clutter! (That includes any sticky notes attached to computer monitors, coats/sweaters hanging on the backs of chairs, and fast-food drink containers sitting out on the counters.) Purchase hot/cold beverage tumblers, preferably with your office logo on them for your team members to use at their workstations – this looks much nicer than your patients seeing soda bottles or coffee shop cups.
While you’re visiting the front office area, don’t forget about cleaning these areas too…
Current Protocols– Hygiene Continuing Care, Incomplete Treatment Reports, Confirmation, A/R-Collections, Greetings, Patient Hand-off, New Patient Welcomes, and Referral Thank you’s, etc.
Paper Communication Materials –Intake forms, Letterhead, HIPAA forms, Financial Policy & Postcards.
Job Responsibilities/Descriptions –Have every team member write down a detailed list of all of their job responsibilities. This is VERY helpful in determining more effective ways of doing things as well as finding out what is NOT being done.
Moving on to other areas of the practice…
Operatories – Sit in the treatment room chairs. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you taste? What do you smell? How do you feel? Again, your patients don’t measure the quality of care, they measure the quality of their experience. Keep your patients loyal to your practice by making certain they consistently have great experiences.
Closets – Make an inventory checklist. Throw away any expired or outdated products, equipment, manuals, etc. While you’re at it, if there is anything that isn’t be used properly due to lack of education or training, go ahead and schedule a time for continuing education/training.
Equipment/Technology – What needs repairs, upgrades or to be tossed? Computers, Software, Internet Speed & Access, Printers, Scanners, Copiers, Telephone Systems, TV’s, Postage machines, including…dare I say, typewriters?
Employee breakroom(area) / staff lounge – don’t forget about the employee break area. Is it clean and organized? Check out the refrigerator, microwave, cabinets, counters, and tables. There is no reason for this room to be messy and/or dirty. While you’re at it freshen up the room decor and stock the cabinets/refrigerator with snacks and beverages for your team.
The Team – Appearance – Wear clothes that reflect the excellent care you give your patients. Professional, clean, and wrinkle-free clothes. Clean hair, nails & body). Attitudes – Remove any toxic attitudes.
Office Policies – Review and update employee benefits and expectations. If you don’t have an office manual and/or employee handbook please get one asap.
TIP: Make a cleaning schedule – including the who, what & when. When will the parking lot, restrooms & reception room be checked & cleaned? This should be done several times throughout the day. Do not wait for the “cleaning person” to take care of those areas. If the flooring needs to be vacuumed… vacuum it. If the glass on the windows/doors have fingerprints…clean them. If the restroom toilet and sink are dirty… clean them. Make a promise as a team that if you see it (and you know you do) clean it.
Online Presence – What do your potential patients “see” when looking for a dentist in your area? Remember to spring clean your online presence too. Your website, Google My Business listing, and Social Media Pages. See: Dental Office First Impressions – Online Presence
SMELL
Get rid of the dreaded dental office smell. There are products out there that will eliminate that smell without aggravating patients with allergies. Bake chocolate chip cookies if necessary. Be cautious when using scented candles, air fresheners, and essential oils that they are mild and won’t aggravate those with allergies.
SOUND
Keep the noise down! Patients want to be put at ease; they don’t want to hear the latest office gossip or a TV that is too loud. Avoid using patients’ full names or complaining about patients when you can be heard from the reception room or treatment chair.
Music – Consider playing music in the reception and treatment rooms. Wireless headphones will allow patients’ to listen to music or the TV while in the chair.
Telephone Greetings/Messages – What do your patients and potential patients’ “hear” when calling the office? Be sure that what they hear is a reflection of your goals and vision. See How To Effectively Answer The Dental Office Telephone
TASTE
Beverage Station in the reception room. Complimentary coffee, tea, cold bottled water, juice, etc. See this Pinterest board for beverage station design ideas.
Snacks – Offer snacks such as fruit, granola bars, etc. This is especially nice for patients that may have been in for a lengthy appointment and need a little boost in energy.
Allow patients to rinse with mouthwash before and after the appointment.
Offer pre-pasted toothbrushes for patients that didn’t have time to or forgot to brush their teeth before their appointment.
TOUCH
Reception Room – Is it comfortable & welcoming? (Please keep COVID safety guidelines in mind before implementing some of these ideas/recommendations.)
Reading Material – Have a variety of magazine and books for patients to read.
Temperature – Keep the temperature in the reception room at a comfortable setting.
Lighting – Be sure that the sunlight from the windows isn’t blinding some of your patients during the day.
Treatment Rooms – Be sure that your patients are comfortable during their visit. Your treatment rooms should be exceptonally clean from top to bottom. Get rid of any clutter sitting out on the counters, floor, or shelves.
Massage Pads on Chairs
Blankets (If you have a patient that is always cold, pop the blanket in the dryer for them right before appt). Consider offering a weighted blanket during treatment to help reduce anxiety.
Distractions – (Movies, Music, Digital Aquarium, Etc.)
Give Painless Injections…always.
Put your patients at ease by talking with them before you start looking in their mouth.
Free Stuff – Give away items imprinted with your office name, website, and phone number to each patient at their appointment. Such as; toothbrushes, hand sanitizer, calendars, pens, and lip balm.
Using your 5 senses, look closely at yourself, your team, the exterior, and interior of your building, all office systems, your lab, sterilization procedures, website & social media sites, marketing materials, marketing programs, and the patient experience.
Your goal should be to find ways to consistently exceed your patients’ expectations and remove anything that is hindering you from reaching that goal.
If you’re struggling to reach your goals each month or struggling to get your team on board with your vision for the practice maybe a coaching relationship is just what you need. Feel free to reach out to me to set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss how a customized coaching program will help you to reach/exceed your goals.
If you enjoy the complimentary ideas that I share each month, I would love and truly appreciate for you to please leave a review on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK
Are you receiving my free dental marketing and practice management ideas every month to your email? If not, PLEASE take a second and follow today or send me your email address to bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to share my blog with your dental friends. ~ Thank you!
