how to prevent the schedule from falling apart

Dental Office Leadership, Management, and Marketing Tips and Ideas for November 2020
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Dental Office Leadership, Management, and Marketing Tips and Ideas for November 2020

Hello Friends,

The New Year is just around the corner – it’s understandable that for many 2021 can’t get here soon enough! While that may be true for you too; please, take some time to consider where you are at with your goals for this year. How do you want to end this year? What do you want November and December to look like?

Would you like to increase your production, collections, and new patients? How about reappointing more of your unscheduled/inactive patients? If yes, these ideas that I am sharing with you, when implemented, WILL help you increase production, attract more new patients, build relationships within the community, as well as exceed your established patients’ expectations. 

For the last several years, a few times each month here on my website I share complimentary dental office leadership, marketing, and management tips and ideas. Are you automatically receiving my email post updates to your inbox? 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!

Leadership, Management, and Marketing Tips & Ideas

November 2020

Leadership Tips & Ideas:

“The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.” – John Maxwell

Employee Appreciation – National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day: 15th – How is the office refrigerator looking? Time for a good cleaning? After you empty it of all expired foods and give it a good cleaning inside and outside…why not stock it with beverages and healthy snacks for the team to enjoy? It might also be a good time to post a reminder for EVERYONE to remember to ALWAYS clean up after themselves. 

Practice Management Tips & Ideas:

Incomplete Treatment & Insurance Maximum Renewals – Do you have any patients with incomplete treatment or ones that are due/past due in hygiene with remaining insurance benefits that are going to run out at the end of this year? Do what you can to help them see the need and value in scheduling an appointment this month before the end of the year rush really shifts into high gear! 

Have you followed up with a call(s) to your patients that haven’t responded to your use it or lose it letters/emails? If you didn’t get your letters and emails sent out I encourage you to take action now. Would you like a sample Use it or Lose it letter? Email me at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com and I will gladly send one over to you.

Do you know how many of your active patients have a future appointment and how many do not? Do you know how many of your patients have unscheduled treatment plans and money remaining on their insurance for this year?

To help you get that data quickly, like within minutes – if your PMS is either Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental you can request a complimentary, no-obligation practice data snapshot here: Game-Changing Awareness from Dental Intelligence  – Within minutes we’ll identify your practice’s strengths and uncover hidden opportunities.  I am happy to assist you with this at no charge and with absolutely no obligation to do anything further with me. 

Scheduling – What steps have you taken to ensure your schedules will be able to accommodate those patients that wait until the last minute to use their dental benefits before the year ends?

Marketing Tips & Ideas

Candy Buy Back – If you’re starting off the month of November hosting a Candy Buy Back event…be sure to promote it with posts and videos via your social media platforms, and alert the local TV news, and online & print newspapers too.

World Kindness Week: 8th – 14th AND Random Acts of Kindness Week: 16th – 23rd – Time to spread some kindness!  Here are a few ideas…

  • Give your patients that come in for an appointment a special surprise gift or treat.
  • Deliver gifts to a few of the local businesses.
  • Reach out to your inactive, unscheduled patients to let them know you’re thinking about them.
  • Is there a patient coming in this month for treatment that is experiencing serious financial hardship and would benefit from some extra kindness by you donating some of their dental treatment?
dental coach betty hayden kindness

Black Friday – Offer Special Pricing on Teeth Whitening, Electric Toothbrushes, Ortho Consultation, or a New Patient Visit.

Cosmetic Dentistry Opportunity:

Many of your patients will soon be attending end of the year office parties/events either in person or via Zoom.  Now is a great time to help them see how they can easily get their smile ready for the camera with teeth whitening and other cosmetic treatment/procedures.

Patient & Community Educational Idea:

November is Diabetes Month –

All month-long share posts on your social media platforms regarding the importance of regular preventive dental visits to the dentist. When you have diabetes, high blood sugar can take a toll on your entire body — including your teeth and gums.

Dental Office Tips and Ideas for Diabetes Month

International Stress Awareness Day: 4th    – Share tips on how to reduce stress & the relationship between stress and oral health. Service/Treatment Feature: Mouthguards.

Social Media Post Ideas to Improve Engagement during the month of November

National Peanut Butter Lovers Month

Childrens’ Book Week: 9th -15th

National Brush Day: 1st (Share videos of proper brushing techniques and how to choose which toothbrush is best)

X-Ray Day: 8th (Why x-rays important to your dental health)

Flossing Day: 27th (Share video demonstrating flossing techniques and tools)

Did you enjoy these tips and ideas?   I would love and truly appreciate for you to please take a second to leave a review/recommendation for me here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty (Dental Coach)

P.S. Please stop by and say hello to me on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest

Dentist Office Marketing, Leadership, and Management Tips and Ideas for October 2020
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Dentist Office Marketing, Leadership, and Management Tips and Ideas for October 2020

Hello Friends,

Well, here we are at the start of your final quarter for the year. It is my goal to give you ideas and strategies that will help you end the year strong. Ideas that when implemented will keep things fresh and fun in your office. More importantly, they will exceed your current patients and potential patients’ expectations which will allow you to focus on doing what you do best, helping your patients achieve healthy and beautiful smiles.

Dental Leadership, Management, and Marketing Tips and Ideas for October 2020 

Leadership Tips & Ideas:

Employee Appreciation – National Massage Therapy Week: 25th – 31st – Treat your employees with gift cards for a massage. Or if possible, bring in a massage therapist to the office.

Customer Service Week: 5th – 9th – Discuss with your team strategies and goals to ensure that your customer service and patient care are in harmony with your core values and vision for your practice.

Boss’s Day: October 16th – Plan now to make this a special day for your boss(es).

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.

Practice Management Tips & Ideas: 

Insurance Use it or Lose it Reminders – Did you get your end of year insurance dental benefit use it or lose it reminder letters/emails/texts/calls out?  

Dental Office Insurance Renewal Reminders Betty Hayden Consulting

Friends, how do your hygiene schedules look for October & November? Do you know how many of your active patients have a future appointment and how many do not? Do you know how many new patients you are welcoming into the practice AND how many patients you’re losing each month?  To help you get that data quickly, like within minutes – if your PMS is either Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental you can request a complimentary, no-obligation practice data snapshot here: Game-Changing Awareness from Dental Intelligence  – Within minutes we’ll identify your practice’s strengths and uncover hidden opportunities.  I am happy to assist you with this at no charge and with absolutely no obligation to do anything further with me. 

Marketing Tips & Ideas: 

Exceed Expectations for your current patients and the potential new patients that you engage with in your community. 

October is National Dental Hygiene Month –  

All month-long share posts and short videos on your social media platforms regarding the importance of regular preventive dental visits to the dentist.

National Dental Hygiene Month Betty Hayden Consulting

National Orthodontic Health Month – See some ideas here: https://bettyhaydenconsulting.com/2020/09/15/tips-and-ideas-for-octobers-national-orthodontic-health-month/

Apple Month – See more ideas here: https://bettyhaydenconsulting.com/2020/09/15/tips-and-ideas-for-octobers-national-orthodontic-health-month/

Patient Appreciation Gift Idea: October is National Popcorn Poppin‘ Month – Give your patients a bag of microwave popcorn or little bags filled w/flavored popcorn with a tag attached that says: “You make us POP with Appreciation” or “Your Referrals are POPPIN’ – Thank you!“

Patient & Community Dental Health Education Idea: 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – See more ideas here: https://bettyhaydenconsulting.com/2020/09/24/dentist-office-ideas-for-octobers-breast-cancer-awareness-month/

Social Media Post Ideas to Improve Engagement during the Month of October ~ 

Spinach Lovers Month

Betty Hayden Dental Social Media Contact Spinach Day

World Smile Day: 2nd

National Taco Day: 4th

National Kick Butt Day: 12th

National Chocolate Day: 28th

There you have it some fun and effective tips and ideas to help you have the best October ever!

Do you enjoy the dental leadership, management, and marketing tips and ideas that I share each month?   I would love and truly appreciate for you to please leave a review/recommendation for me here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK

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 (bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com) and I will send you an invite to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty (Dental Coach)

P.S. Please stop by and say hello to me on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest

Ten Steps to Create Healthy and Productive Fall Dental Hygiene Schedules
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Ten Steps to Create Healthy and Productive Fall Dental Hygiene Schedules

Hello Friends,

Many dental offices are facing the potential for the weakest fall schedules they have ever experienced. For others, your schedules may look pretty good for September as you have been reappointing patients that had appts during the shutdown. It may even look better than ever. So, if you’re busy right now does it even matter what the schedule looks like for October and November? After all, there is still plenty of time to fill all those holes, right?

For numerous reasons, it matters greatly what your schedules look like for this fall and as for having plenty of time to fill those holes, well, we know what happens with time… it goes by very quickly, especially when we’re busy!

Typically, a full hygiene schedule today means a full doctor schedule tomorrow – why is that? Approximately, 75% of restorative needs are discovered during hygiene patient visits.

Unfortunately, when there is that open chair time with no production to collect on, your overhead expenses continue without letup.

This isn’t just about money though – our focus should always be on helping our patients smile healthier and happier. When Your Patients Are Healthy – The Practice Is Healthy. To help make our patients healthier we need them to schedule appointments.

how to fill holes in the dental hygiene schedule

Here are some tips and ideas that won’t require a lot of extra time or expense to help improve your schedules for this fall…

#1. Morning Huddle – At your morning huddle, review schedules for patients coming in without a future hygiene appointment scheduled, any family members due in hygiene, and patients with unscheduled treatment plans.  What is your plan to ensure that these patients leave with their next appointment scheduled.

#2. Broken Appointments – Who is tracking, and how are they tracking your broken appts? More importantly, what proactive steps are taken to reduce or eliminate broken appts in your office?  (One broken appt a day can cost a practice well over $30,000 a year in lost production. Imagine what that number looks like if you have more than one broken appt a day.)

If a patient cancels same-day be sure to get them reappointed while you’re on the phone with them. Unless of course, they are a habitual offender – poor appointment behavior doesn’t get rewarded with the privilege of reserving time on your schedule.  How to Reduce Same Day Dental Appointment Cancellations and No Shows

#3. Telephones – It is imperative that all team members are well-trained to effectively care for the patients and potential patients calling your office.  How many calls end with an appointment scheduled and how many do not? Are your office phones being answered during the times that patients and potential patients are most likely to call? How many times is the phone ringing before being answered? How often are callers being put on hold?

What about the “shopper” callers, the callers with insurance questions, the callers with questions about whether going to the dentist is safe or not, the callers asking if you’re accepting new patients, how do you know that these calls are being handled and cared for effectively? How do you know that your team members are not inadvertently keeping them from scheduling an appointment? Keeping you from welcoming them into the practice as new patients?

This may not seem like a big deal or related to what I am talking about today but how the telephone callers are cared for or not cared for has a big impact on your schedules and the growth of your practice.  Dental Office Telephone Principles

#4. Treatment Plan Presentations and Completions – Pull your unscheduled treatment plan reports. Even if you prefer to leave it to your patients to decide when they’re ready to schedule, you certainly can keep in touch with them and continue to gently plant some treatment reminder seeds of urgency, want, and need.

#5. Welcoming New Patients – What are your plans to successfully welcome more new patients into the practice? What are you willing to do differently in order to reach/exceed your monthly new patient goals?

#6. Community – What are some things you can do to get your name out there in the community?  If you’re not already, now is an awesome time to become the “go-to” dentist in your city/town.

What can you and your team do to give back to the community? Hint: I share ideas with you each month to do just that. Are you following my monthly emails? Dental Office Marketing, Leadership, and Management Tips and Ideas for September 2020

#7. Reviews & Recommendations – This one is super easy! Let your patients do some of the work, invite them to do the talking for you. Give them something good to talk about and spread to their friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. How? Consistently deliver excellent experiences via the telephone and in-person at their appointments. Make it easy for them to leave a review on Facebook and Google My Business.

Please do not underestimate the power of “fresh” online reviews and recommendations to grow your practice.

#8. Insured Patients – Mid September, early October start your end of year insurance “use it or lose it” reminders and campaigns.  Patients tend to wait until the last minute to try and squeeze in a dental appointment to use their remaining benefits – strongly encourage them to beat the end of the year rush.

#9. In-Office Savings Plan –   If your office offers an in-office savings plan, create some campaigns to let more uninsured people and local small businesses know about your awesome and affordable in-office savings plan.

This is especially important right now as many of your patients may have lost their dental insurance coverage – or they know someone that does not have insurance and can refer them to you.

#10. Continuing Education and Team Building – The fall season may be the perfect time to schedule some in-office continuing education and training. As well as some fun team building activities.

Bonus Tip: Celebrate your Success! –  This is going to require a team effort to enjoy productive and healthy schedules for the rest of this year and beyond so please be sure to find ways to celebrate your success. Reward the behavior that you want to see more of! 🙂

Wishing you all the healthiest and happiest schedules for this Fall!

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.

Are you receiving my complimentary Dental Practice Management and Marketing Ideas via your email each month? If not, please follow today or send me (bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com) your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. 

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty – Dental Coach