Category: Uncategorized

Three Things Never to Say to a Patient

Verbal skills in a dental office are very important. Here are three things never to say to a patient in your dental office:

1. We will be happy to make an appointment for your initial visit. The term “initial visit” sounds somewhere between bland and boring; it certainly does not communicate value. A better phrase is “comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.” Example: We can see you on Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. for your comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. The doctor will conduct a thorough examination, including x-rays, and answer all your questions. Patients sometimes complain about the high cost to walk in the door. Let them know that their first visit is not just to get acquainted but that the doctor will use his or her skills to make a professional assessment of the patient’s oral health.

2. I know it’s expensive but we have a financing plan. The word “expensive” to some people carries a connotation of “over-priced.” A much better alternative: The proposed treatment will never be more conservative, more cost-effective, or less invasive than it is today. We work with an independent financing company that allows patients to spread out payments over time with a low interest rate. Banish the word “expensive” from your vocabulary because it makes communicating value for the dollar more difficult.

3. I’m new. Everyone has to start somewhere, but when you say that you are new, you are telling the patient not to listen to you because you are trainee and you have no idea what you are talking about—at least not yet. It’s better to say, let me check for you and then proceed with the conversation. If you have been in dentistry for many years but you are new to the practice, then you can say,I recently started working here and it’s a great practice, and I have a number of years of prior experience. If you have no prior experience, impress the patient with your great work ethic and commitment to customer service and do not be afraid to ask your colleagues for help, but do not emphasize your lack of experience to patients if you can avoid it.

By having verbal skills at the ready, you will avoid pitfalls.

www.davidschwab.com

Taking Problems to Your Boss’s Boss Fraught with Peril

Dealing directly with your boss’s boss can be hazardous to your workplace health, something I know from experience.  I used to work for a very large organization. The CEO was a whip-smart and affable guy. In my first few weeks on the job, I would banter with him on the elevator, but I did not have much direct contact with him. There were many layers of management between me and the CEO.

One day just before closing time, the CEO unexpectedly appeared in my Dilbert cubicle and sat down in front of me. Heads turned. Why was the CEO on this floor? Why was he talking to one of the new hires? Was he going to fire the new guy (me)?

It turned out that he wanted my advice on an issue. We had a five-minute discussion and he seemed pleased with my input. He gave me an assignment that would take me about two hours to complete. I told him I would have it done by the next morning. Always pleasant, the CEO stood up, thanked me, and walked away.

About thirty seconds after that impromptu meeting ended, my boss called me into her office. She was not amused. She gave me a dagger-like stare and demanded to know how I could have had the audacity to “go over her head.” I explained that the CEO had come to me; I had not initiated the meeting.

However, my boss did not believe me, instead implying that there was some conspiracy afoot. She suspected that I had been secretly speaking directly to the CEO for some time in an attempt to subvert her authority. I explained that there was no plot to overthrow her. I was just sitting at my desk when the CEO dropped by. While this explanation did not sound plausible, it happened to be true.

She must have subsequently talked to the CEO because her paranoia later subsided. However, I learned a valuable lesson: appearances count and one must always be keenly aware of the chain of command.

When there is an office manager in a dental practice, employees are often unaware this business etiquette. If they do not like the answer they get from their boss, the office manager, employees quite cavalierly go over that person’s head and ask the doctor the same question, hoping for a different response. The doctor is not an appellate judge who is standing by to overrule someone else’s decision. If the doctor reverses the office manager’s decision, then the office manager no longer has any authority.

To make the system work, employees need to know that going to one’s boss’s boss is not acceptable. The doctor has to back up the office manager almost all the time. When the office manager’s word means nothing, then the doctor has the worst of both worlds: paying an office manager who is not allowed to manage. If the office manager makes mistakes or handles situations inappropriately, the doctor has to coach the office manager to help that person grow, or, in some cases, replace that individual.

The good news is that many dental practices are substantial businesses. With good managers in place who keep the practice running and allow the doctor to take care of patients, the business can survive and thrive.

www.davidschwab.com

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Presenting Dental Implant Fees to Create Value

Presenting dental implant fees to create value is part of the patient education process.  In Part 2 of his interview with Dr. Neil Park of Glidewell, Dr. David Schwab explains how to use “fill-in-the-blank” dental marketing scripts to help team members communicate key dental implant benefits.

Also, Dr. Schwab discusses “marketing by the power of 10” and explains how team members need to be comfortable discussing relatively low fees and then use the same techniques to discuss more extensive treatment plans and financial arrangements.

There is also a discussion of the team approach to dental implant treatment from a marketing point of view and messages to be used when both the surgical and restorative phases of dental implant treatment is done in one practice.

Special thanks to Glidewell for granting permission to link to this interview:

Dr. David Schwab Glidewell interview Part 2:

https://youtu.be/k7rHNzZ5jKI

Part 1 of this interview deals with using the best analogies to explain the long-term value of dental implants.

In case you missed it, here is Part 1 of the interview.

10 Value Propositions to Increase Case Acceptance

How do you help patients understand the value propositions behind the dental services you provide in order to increase case acceptance? Your 10 value propositions in dentistry should include:

1. You use only the finest dental materials. Crowns, for example, are replacement body parts. You do not use discount parts but only the best materials because they are long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing.
2. You do not claim to be the lowest priced dentist, but your fees are an excellent value for the dollar. It is never cheaper to do it twice.
3. Your practice is patient-centered. That means that every decision, every recommendation is first seen through the prism of whether it is good for the patient.
4. You have the very best equipment that allows you to diagnose and treat patients using state-of-the-art dentistry.
5. You have been in the community for x years, and you plan to be there for many more years. Continuity of care is very important.
6. You are concerned about the patient’s overall heath. If you routinely take the patient’s blood pressure or do oral cancer screenings, explain the critical importance of these services.
7. You have exceptional diagnostic ability. The solution you propose will work in large part because you can accurately diagnose the problem in the first place.
8. You are an artist and a scientist. The treatment you provide in your office is unique. Patients can get similar treatment somewhere else, but they can only get your artistry in your office.
9. Dentistry is a customized service, not a commodity. People can buy mass produced items in a store or online and shop for the best price. However, a crown, for example, is a custom-made restoration for that fits one tooth in the mouth of only one of the 7 billion people on the planet.  Your dentistry is one of a kind!
10. You spend time with patients and get to know them. Patients are individuals, not numbers, and they are never rushed out of your office. You genuinely like your patients and they appreciate your gentle manner. In sum, patients can trust you to keep them comfortable and provide them with excellent dentistry.  Your loyal patients know that they get their money’s worth in your office.

These 10 value propositions are very powerful. While some patients want only the lowest price, no matter what, there are many good patients who are searching not for the lowest possible price, but the best possible value. That is what you deliver.

http://www.davidschwab.com

What’s Luck Got to Do with It: Creating Your Own Success

Are successful people just the beneficiaries of good luck or do they seize good fortune in the form of opportunities and also overcome adversity? President Barack Obama commented on this issue in a commencement speech at Howard University on May 7, 2016. “That’s a pet peeve of mine: People who have been successful and don’t realize they’ve been lucky. That God may have blessed them; it wasn’t nothing you did.” (The entire speech transcript can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/Obama-speech-Howard).

It is certainly true that some people are more blessed than others at birth. If your family is enormously wealthy, then you may feel that you were born on third base. If your family is desperately poor, you may feel that you are not even in the ballpark. However, the arc of life of the fortunate and the unfortunate is not predetermined.

Pick up any issue of People magazine to read about people whose God-given talents propelled them to fame and fortune—until they squandered it all due to poor choices they made in life.

The problem with ascribing success to luck alone is that it invites a corollary: failure is a result of bad luck and the unlucky among us are victims, not masters, of life. This “victim mentality” can be insidiously self-fulfilling if one wallows in self-pity.

However,there are many inspiring stories of people who overcame adversity to become highly successful. For example, there was a man who:

  • Failed in business at age 21.
  • Was defeated in a legislative race at age 22.
  • Failed again in business at age 24.
  • Overcome the death of his sweetheart at age 26.
  • Had a nervous breakdown at age 27.
  • Lost a congressional race at age 34.
  • Lost a congressional race at age 36.
  • Lost a senatorial race at age 45.
  • Failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47.
  • Lost a senatorial race at age 47.
  • Was elected President of the United States at age 52.

His name was Abraham Lincoln. Many historians consider him the greatest U.S. President.

To be blessed with good fortune is one thing; to take advantage of good fortune and to persevere in the face of setbacks is quite another. Success is achieved not by talents bestowed but by using those talents wisely and well.

Dental Implants: Explaining Long Term Value

In this video produced by Glidewell, David Schwab, Ph.D. discusses “sticker shock” that patients often experience when they review the cost of dental implants.  There is also a new twist on a favorite analogy that can be used to explain why dental implants are a great investment and value for the dollar over time.  Glidewell’s permission to use this video is gratefully acknowledged.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgOmXkzr-qM

Setting Priorities in Your Dental Practice

Setting priorities in your dental practice is even more important that you may believe. I just finished reading Darren Hardy’s new book entitled The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster. I found myself laughing out loud at some of his stories about his painful experiences as a new entrepreneur. Mr. Hardy is now very accomplished, and he related a serious story that contains a lesson for all small business owners, including dentists.

Sir Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin Group, which comprises more than 400 companies, including airlines such as Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard was invited to give a one-hour keynote speech for a fee of $100,000. When he declined, the company that was trying to land him as a speaker upped their offer to $250,000, but that proposal was met by another polite yet firm turn down. The company then increased the offer to a whopping $500,000 for the one-hour keynote. This offer also included a private jet for transportation. The answer was the same—thanks, but no thanks. Finally, the company decided to let him name his fee and agreed to pay “whatever it takes.”

Here is the response from Richard Branson’s office, as reported by Mr. Hardy:

“No amount of money would matter. Right now, Richard has three strategic priorities he is focused on, and he will only allow us to allocate his calendar to something that significantly contributes to the accomplishment of one of those three priorities, and speaking for a fee is not one of them.”

When I read this account, my first thought, as a professional speaker, was that if I had received such an offer, I may have been persuaded to reorder my priorities. That, however, is the problem.

Mr. Hardy writes that people such as Richard Branson and Warren Buffet achieve success, in part, because they have just a few priorities and they stick to them. Hardy suggests that you write down all your priorities, narrow them down to three, and throw the rest away!

If you develop the habit of setting priorities and have the discipline not to get sidetracked by everything else that could compete for your attention in terms of running your business, then you will be able to focus clearly on your goals.

Try setting priorities and limiting your list to just three.

And download a copy of Hardy’s book for more advice and inspiration.

www.davidschwab.com

Dentists Need Scripts for Three Reasons

Dentists need scripts for three reasons: to make the practice more efficient, increase case acceptance, and provide consistent dental patient education. The word “scripts” is used as a short-hand method to suggest what are also called “talking points.” It is not a question of reading word-for-word prepared scripts when patients ask questions, but having key phrases available that each team member can weave into their own speech patterns.

Make the Practice More Efficient. A common scenario is that patients are told they need a certain procedure, such as dental implants. The benefits of dental implants are numerous, which is all the more reason to have a script that concisely conveys the most important information. For example, “dental implants are the most advanced tooth replacement system ever devised. They look and function just like natural teeth. They never decay or require root canals, and they can last for decades or even a lifetime with proper care.” One can always expand on this explanation, but notice how much information is conveyed in a short message.

Increase Case Acceptance. When patients cannot decide whether to go forward with recommended treatment, you can use a very compelling script: “The proposed treatment will never be more conservative, more cost effective, or less invasive than it is today.” Let’s unpack that sentence. Everyone wants conservative rather than radical dentistry. “Cost effective” is a very good term for conveying value. Finally, if patients delay treatment, they may need more extensive treatment in the future. The concept that the treatment will never be “less invasive than it is today” nicely captures that point.

Consistent Patient Education. For procedures that you commonly provide in your office, you need to have an agreed upon list of benefits. This list, or script, creates consistent patient education. If a patient asks why a crown is needed, it is likely that everyone in the office can provide correct answers, although the answers will no doubt vary depending on the person who is responding. The great advantage of having a script is for everyone literally to be on the same page and give patients consistent answers that the doctor has deemed in advance to be the best way to answer the question.

The wording used to answer commonly asked questions should not be left to chance.  Dentists need scripts to remove variables and provide a consistent and efficient way to provide dental patient education and increase case acceptance.

www.davidschwab.com

Fire in the Trash Can: Dental Practice Management Issue

Quick! There’s a fire in the trash can in your dental office. What do you do?

You could move the trash can to another room even as it sprouts flames and then go back to business as usual. Out of sight, out of mind, you know.

But wait. Do I smell something burning? Of course! The fire is still in the trash can, and it’s spreading! Even though the trash can is in another room, the problem has not been solved, because the fire is not out. In fact, the situation poses a greater danger the longer it is ignored.

In many businesses, including dental practices, the short-term solution to many dental practice management problems is to, as it were, move the fire in the trash can to another room. Just pretend the problem doesn’t exist or hope it gets better without any intervention.

  • There is a problem brewing between two staff members in the office. Let’s change the subject and hope the problem goes away.
  • The number of new patients has been trending down. Let’s talk about that great case we had last week and put off grappling with the new patient issue.
  • One of the computers isn’t working properly. Let’s use the computer in the back while we hope miraculously that the main computer will get better with some rest.

One of the hallmarks of good dental practice management is to face problems squarely and solve them in a timely way while they are still controllable.

You may have gone to dental school and you may not see yourself as a firefighter, but one of your main jobs is putting out fires.   Follow all the rules: prevent dental practice management fires when possible, respond immediately when there is a problem, and put the fire out once and for all so that problems in the dental office do not smolder and reignite.

David Schwab, Ph.D.

www.davidschwab.com

Dental Marketing Lessons from Caesar’s

The last place one might expect to learn about dental marketing is at a casino in Las Vegas, but during my recent visit to Caesar’s Palace, I noticed some savvy marketing that every dentist can use.

I was in Las Vegas for the American Academy of Implant Dentistry meeting, which I enjoyed very much. I had dinner in the hotel at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. The restaurant was crowded so I opted to eat the bar. I watched a football game on television and ordered from the regular restaurant menu.

The bartenders were interesting to watch. They served food and drinks, kept up a friendly banter to engage the patrons, and they provided an exceptional level of service. With their peripheral vision, the bartenders could see someone signaling at the far end of the bar. They served quickly, cleared plates, and made eye contact with customers often.

I noticed that the bartenders took pride in their work and exhibited a high degree of professionalism. They anticipated their customers’ needs and provided prompt service without hovering over anyone or being pushy. The bar patrons could sit back and relax, because the pros were taking good care of them while exhibiting a great attitude, high energy, and a commitment to their profession.

The ability to scan the room and anticipate needs is also important in dental marketing. Having a laser focus on patients and letting them know that their needs will be met and their questions answered will help engender trust and respect in patients.

Many patients have told me that their have respect for their dentist and they have also often commented on the team. People notice when the staff exudes competence and a can-do attitude.

If you want to show your patients great attitude and not just talk about it, take the team to a busy restaurant and bar where the waiters and bartenders give it their all. It will be motivational and educational for the entire team and important lesson in dental marketing.

David Schwab Ph.D.

davidschwab.com