Canadian dentists are well-primed to care for the dental health of patients. It’s taking care of business that seems the higher hurdle.
With competition elbowing in and patients demanding ever more value for less money, it’s tough to stay on top and keep a practice growing.
Taking care of business and being a good dentist can put you on a relentless treadmill that takes the fun out of dentistry. You might wonder why you didn’t take a business degree after your DDS.
If you feel this way, you are not alone! I’ve conducted in-depth studies of 400 Canadian dental practices over the last seven years. And although people and situations vary greatly, there is one common theme: dentists have put a lot of time and money into getting trained to deliver dental treatment, but relatively little into important aspects of dental practice.
Perhaps like many of your colleagues, you feel much more comfortable in a lab coat than a suit.
“Every aspect of the practice, including production, collections, cancellations, hiring staff, marketing, communications with staff and patients, and much more is not only addressed but is taught in such as way as to give you the tools…By the time I completed The Art of Management program I felt I had all the tools necessary to be in control of all aspects of the practice.”
Running a practice means wearing a dizzying number of hats. You must be boss, human resources department, salesman, financial wizard, and marketer – all on top of being a good dentist! The key to a successful practice is getting trained to manage all of these jobs so that they become as rewarding as the clinical work. Making all aspects of your practice work for you will bring you many rewards, including the financial reward of higher practice income.
Consider this… What kind of a boss are you? Are you a good leader and a an effective executive? Do you think you are too nice or too tough in managing your practice? Do you find yourself doing things you know you should have delegated? Do you hold staff meetings that generate increased productivity?
How is your personnel management skills? Are you hiring the right staff for the job? Studies show it costs an average of $11,000 when you hire and train the wrong person.
Do your front desks staff greet patients warmly and courteously? Do they know how to handle the “shoppers” who call to ask about your services? (Studies also show that every time someone calls in but doesn’t come in, you lose an average of $1,500.)
How good are you at sales? Do you have trouble communicating treatment plans or getting patients to accept the treatment they need? Do you have high-tech equipment gathering dust because you don’t know how to incorporate it into your practice?
Any of these questions can have as much impact on your bottom line as the treatment you provide in the operatory.
Find out how how to improve every aspects of your practice and take action as one of your colleagues has done.
