Sally McKenzie is CEO of McKenzie Management, which offers educational and management products available at www.mckenziemgmt.com. Contact Ms. McKenzie directly at (877) 777-6151 or at sallymck@mckenziemgmt.com.

Sally McKenzie

	You do your best to hire the right people. You know how important a strong team is to your success, after all. Sometimes, though, it just doesn’t work out and certain employees end up doing the practice more harm than good - which is a situation you can’t afford to ignore.  

Team members who aren’t performing as they should can cause a lot of problems. They lead to extra stress, cost you money, hurt the practice image and jeopardize your marketing efforts. Trust me, patients can tell when team members are struggling with their role or just aren’t very motivated. It shows in how they interact with them and with other team members.

	As difficult is it can be, you have to know when it’s time to fire an employee - and take the appropriate action. Here are a few signs an employee is actually damaging your practice, rather than helping move it toward success and profitability:

		The employee refuses to follow established office policies

		The employee is dishonest, argumentative or difficult to get along with

		The employee fails to carry out responsibilities and is not a team player

		The employee gossips about patients, the doctors or other team members

		The employee has a bad habit of rolling his or her eyes during meetings or delivering snide comments

		The employee doesn’t show up to work on time and is just about always late coming back from lunch

	Of course this list isn’t all-inclusive, but you get the idea. How do you handle difficult employees? I suggest you establish a progressive discipline system. That means penalties become stronger if misconduct or poor performance is repeated. Discipline might begin with a verbal reprimand, proceed to a written reprimand, then suspension, and ultimately termination.

	This should play out over a 60-90 day period, unless the behavior is so bad you need to terminate employment right away. This gives employees the opportunity to make changes and improve their performance.

	Explain to these team members, both verbally and in writing, the specific issues you want addressed, and document exactly what needs to change. For each case, put together an agreement that you and the employee sign, and provide continual feedback (that you also document) throughout the 60-90 day period.

Related article: How do you know when to let an employee go?

	Ideally, employees who go through this process will make the necessary changes. Unfortunately, that usually doesn’t happen, which means you’ll likely have to dismiss these team members. Just remember it’s important to consult with your attorney before terminating any of your employees.

	Problem team members can damage your practice, cost you patients and even derail your marketing efforts. I know it isn’t easy, but it’s important to recognize when it’s time to fire an employee and to take appropriate action. Your practice will be much better off when you do.

Articles

How to recognize a staff member who is sinking your practice.

Know when it's time to fire an employee

	A potential new patient calls your practice. He has a few questions he’d like to ask before he makes an appointment, but he never gets the chance. Your office manager puts him on hold before he even says hello. When she comes back 15 minutes later, this once potential new patient is long gone.

	If this is how patients are treated when they call your practice, I can guarantee it’s costing you money. Patients don’t want to be put on indefinite hold, and they certainly don’t want to feel like their phone call is a nuisance. Unfortunately, that’s how many dental practice employees see patient calls. Picking up the phone takes them away from whatever important task they’re trying to complete, and they just don’t have time to be bothered.

More from the author: 6 ways to reduce cancellations and no-shows

	That attitude isn’t going to help grow your practice. Your team members should see these calls as an opportunity rather than an annoyance. They should try to schedule an appointment for every patient who calls, or solve the issue that prompted them to reach out. The problem is, many dental practice employees simply don’t have the telephone skills to make this happen.

	Do you want to improve telephone techniques in your practice? Here are seven of the most common mistakes practices make during patient calls and how to fix them.

	Your team members never know what to expect when they pick up the phone. The person on the other end could be a potential new patient who’s heard great things about the practice, or a current patient who is upset about a possible mistake on her bill. Team members should be prepared for any situation, which is why it’s important to develop well thought out scripts.

	These scripts should tell team members exactly what to say, helping to put them at ease when they answer the phone. Another benefit? Scripts also help keep your practice messaging consistent. Just remember patients don’t want to talk to robots, either. Train team members to follow the script while also keeping conversations natural.

More from the author: How to help your office manager succeed

	2. The person who answers the phone is clearly annoyed.

	Trust me, patients can tell when you see their phone call as a nuisance. They hear the sighs and can sense the eye rolls … and it makes them uncomfortable. Don’t make potential patients feel this way. Instead, train team members to answer the phone with a smile and a helpful attitude. Patients will be thankful for the warm welcome and much more likely to make an appointment.

	This is a good way to send patients to the practice down the street. No one likes to be put on hold. If the team member who answers is too busy to take the call, he should ask if he can call the patient back in 10 minutes … and then actually call the patient back in 10 minutes.

	4. The team member can’t answer questions about practice services or products.

	This is a huge red flag to potential new patients. Make sure all team members are trained to answer questions about the practice and the services you provide. Put together a FAQ team members can refer to so they never feel like they’re put on the spot. This will help ensure all patients receive the same message, and will make them more comfortable entrusting your practice with their care.

More from the author: 4 ways to improve recall

	When a patient calls, you want to be as accommodating and as helpful as possible. Never use words like “no” or “we can’t.” Offer solutions instead. Let’s say Mr. Taylor would like to set up an appointment on a Saturday, but your practice doesn’t offer weekend hours. Instead of saying you can’t help and hanging up the phone, let Mr. Taylor know about the early morning and evening hours you offer throughout the week.

	Take the time to talk with patients when they call and find out how you can help. Don’t try to rush them off the phone or finish their sentences to get through the call faster. Start building relationships with patients from the moment they call and your practice will reap the rewards.

	You might not realize this, but speaking traits barely noticeable in person are pronounced over the phone. Make sure team members are trained to speak clearly, professionally, and enthusiastically. Encourage them to greet patients over the phone the same way they would in person … with a smile.

More from the author: 4 reasons patients don't go forward with treatment

	It’s time to stop viewing patient phone calls as a nuisance. Look at them as the opportunity for growth that they are and train your team members on the proper techniques. Need more guidance? Feel free to contact me and consider taking my 

 to find out your practice’s strengths and weaknesses. 

Do you want to improve telephone techniques in your dental practice? Here are seven of the most common mistakes practices make during patient calls and how to fix them.

The top 7 mistakes dental practices make during patient phone calls

	When patients cancel their appointments at the last minute or just don’t show up at all, it leads to chaos and undue stress in your practice.

	Your scheduling coordinator must scramble to find someone to take the slot, and if he or she doesn’t, not only will you not meet that day’s production goals, you’ll also lose money.

	Yes, this is frustrating, but there are steps you can take to reduce broken appointments and grow practice production in 2016. Ready to get started? Here are six tips I’ve put together that are designed to help ensure patients don’t flake out when it’s time for their appointment:

More from Sally McKenzie: How to help your office manager succeed

1. Stop relying solely on pre-appointing.

 While this is a popular practice, it’s also outdated. Patients have no idea what they’ll be doing at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday six months from now so if they schedule an appointment with your office there’s a good chance something more important will come up or that they’ll simply forget.

	Not ready to give up pre-appointing? I suggest implementing a hybrid system. Only pre-appoint reliable patients, and flag any patients who have at least two no-shows as unreliable. Call these patients as appointment times become available rather than putting them on the schedule six months in advance.

	What do you do if a flagged patient asks to schedule an appointment? Politely tell the patient you’ll be in contact once there’s an opening. Here’s an example of what to say: “Mrs. Evans, we seem to be having trouble coordinating a time that works for your schedule and ours. I don’t have any appointments available at this time. However, I do have your information and will contact you when there’s an opening.”

2. Educate patients about the value of dentistry.

 If patients understand how important it is to maintain their oral health, they’ll be much more likely to show up for their scheduled appointments. Educate patients about the oral-systemic link and the possible consequences of not going forward with recommended treatment. Look at every patient interaction as an opportunity to educate. Offer patients educational brochures and show them videos. Use an intraoral camera and hand mirrors to show them what’s happening in their mouths.

	It’s also important to talk with patients about the value of the services you offer and help them understand exactly what happens during their hygiene appointment. How? After every visit, give patients a summary of the services provided and any free products they received. This will help patients see the importance of the visit, and that means they’ll be less likely to blow off their next appointment.

Also from Sally McKenzie: 4 ways to improve recall

 When scheduling patients, be sure to go over every appointment detail before they leave. Let me give you an example: “Mr. Jones, your one-hour appointment is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 7. If you can’t keep this appointment, please call our office at least 48 hours in advance to allow another patient the opportunity to see the doctor at that time.”

 Often times, patients don’t show up for an appointment simply because they forgot they had one. That’s why it’s so important to confirm every appointment. Train your scheduling coordinator to find out if patients prefer to confirm appointments via email, text or phone, and then contact patients by their preferred method two days in advance.

	Remember, leaving a voicemail isn’t enough when you call a patient. Your scheduling coordinator actually has to talk to the patient to confirm the appointment.

	Another tip? Schedule time after hours to confirm appointments. This helps ensure you reach patients who aren’t able to talk during the day.

Interesting read: Four simple systems to get your office in tip-top shape

. Your patients are busy people and might find it difficult to fit in a dental appointment during the work day, which is why they cancel at the last minute or don’t show up at all.

	Consider staying open late a few days a week or offering early morning appointments. You might even want to open your practice for a few hours on Saturday mornings. This flexibility sets you apart from other practices that are only open during the week and makes it easier for patients to find a time that fits their schedule. That, of course, makes them much more likely to show up.

Also by Sally McKenzie: 4 reasons why you never see emergency patients again

 If patients know you have a broken appointment policy, they’ll be less likely to flake out. Establish a policy then communicate that policy to new patients. Remember to politely remind existing patients of the policy every time they make an appointment.

	Broken appointments bring nothing but stress and chaos to your practice-not to mention lost revenue. Follow these tips and you’ll find yourself dealing with fewer broken appointments in 2016, leading to increased production and a more robust bottom line.

Sally McKenzie is CEO of McKenzie Management, which offers educational and management products available at 

. Contact her directly at 877-777-6151 or at 

More from Sally McKenzie: 3 ways staff conflict is costing you patients

When patients cancel their appointments at the last minute or just don’t show up at all, it leads to chaos and undue stress in your practice.

6 ways to reduce cancellations and no-shows in 2016

	You finally decided to hire an office manager to run the business side of your practice.

	You knew it was time, and thought your star front office employee was ready to take over the position. You had visions of marketing finally getting done, personnel issues magically going away, and the schedule running like a well-oiled machine-but none of that has happened. In fact, it’s been a bit of a train wreck, and you have no idea what to do about it.

	Unfortunately, this is a common scenario. Instead of searching for and hiring the right person for the job, many dentists promote their best front office employee to the office manager position. The problem is, these employees often don’t have the skill set or level of competency needed to excel as an office manager.

Related reading: Cover yourself and your dental practice: What you need in a good emplyee handbook

	This isn’t an easy role, and it involves far more than just preparing financial arrangements, answering phones and scheduling. The office manager must be good with numbers, understand practice reports and be comfortable managing human resources. Essentially, if you’re the CEO of your practice, think of your office manager as the Chief Operating Officer.

	When hiring an office manager, you have to take the time to find the right person for the position. If you don’t, it will lead to nothing but frustration-not to mention costing you thousands of dollars in lost revenue. Your office manager will become overwhelmed and won’t be able to meet your expectations, meaning you’ll either need to transition her/him to another role or let her/him go.

	Once you find the right candidate with the proper skill set and temperament to be an effective office manager, you have to provide this vital team member with the skills and tools needed to succeed. Not sure what that means? Here are three things you can do to help your office manager excel, ultimately making your practice more efficient and growing your bottom line.

Think of your office manager as a partner.

	When you do, you’ll both get more out of the position. While this might be difficult at first, you have to empower your office manager to make decisions. Be ready to give up some control of the business, and let your office manager know you trust her/him to do what’s best for the practice.

	This will give your office manager the confidence needed to take ownership of the role, enabling you to focus on what you love most: the dentistry. Once this happens, you’ll reap the benefits of a more efficient practice, including increased production and a more robust bottom line.

	You can’t expect your office manager to read your mind. That’s why you have to create a detailed job description that outlines the role’s responsibilities, necessary skill set, performance measurements and your expectations.

	Remember the office manager role means different things to different dentists, and a job description detailing exactly what it means to you is key to your office manager’s success.

For more information on hiring: Top 5 mistakes dentists make when hiring employees 

	No matter how well suited the person you hire is for the role, you still have to provide the proper training. Now this can be difficult, because most dentists have no idea what it means to be a good office manager. All they know is they need someone to take over the business side so they can focus on diagnosing and treating patients.

Office Manager Training Course through McKenzie Management.

This course is designed to help office managers excel. After taking this class, office managers have the skills and confidence they need to realize success-and that means increased production and revenues for your practice.

	The office manager role involves a lot more than most dentists realize and isn’t a job that just anyone can handle. This team member runs the business side of your practice so you don’t have to, and simply must have a certain temperament and skill set to excel.

	Once you find the right person for the role, and provide that person with the proper training and guidance, you’ll notice a huge difference in your practice. Your office will run more smoothly and you’ll have more time to spend treating patients. Production numbers and revenues will rise, and your practice will finally be on its way to true success and profitability.

 is CEO of McKenzie Management, which offers educational and management products available at www.mckenziemgmt.com. Contact her directly at 877-777-6151 or at sallymck@mckenziemgmt.com.

You finally decided to hire an office manager to run the business side of your practice. You knew it was time, and thought your star front office employee was ready to take over the position.

How to help your office manager succeed

	You likely haven’t put much thought into improving your recall system. You rely on sending generic postcards to remind recall patients they’re due for an appointment, and you know your hygienist makes phone calls when she can.

	If this is how you approach recall, I can pretty much guarantee your practice struggles with patient retention. Cheap postcard reminders aren’t going to encourage patients to schedule an appointment, and asking your hygienist to squeeze in calls when she can, which won’t be very often, isn’t going to do much to improve patient retention and grow your bottom line.

	The truth is, recall is the most ignored practice system yet it’s the system that has the most potential to increase practice revenues. Just think about all that unscheduled treatment and how actually getting these patients on the schedule would improve your production numbers.

More on practice management: What $10,000 could do for your practice

	But these patients aren’t just going to magically show up. For that to happen, you have to start investing time and money in your recall system. Ignoring this system isn’t doing you any good; it’s only keeping you from reaching your full potential.

	Investing in recall will help you grow your production numbers and increase your patient base, putting you on the road toward true success and profitability. Not sure how to get started? No worries. I’m here to help. Here are four ways to revamp your recall system and grow your bottom line.

		I know what you’re thinking. Hiring a new team member can be time-consuming and costly, and you’re not sure it’s an expense you can afford right now. But hiring a patient coordinator who is accountable for the recall system will help you grow your practice, making it well worth the time and expense of bringing on this important new team member.

4 ways that dental marketing software can help grow any practice

		Beyond that, hiring a patient coordinator is more affordable than you think. A good patient coordinator can handle a patient base of 500 to 1,000 in about 15 hours a week at a rate of $15-$18 an hour. This is a small price to pay for turning inactive patients into active patients who schedule treatment and boosting your production numbers.

		Once you find the right person to take on this role, provide him or her with the training and tools needed to succeed. Develop a well-thought-out telephone script, and give your patient coordinator access to the most up-to-date patient information. Create a detailed job description that includes specific performance goals, such as making a certain number of patient contacts a day, scheduling a certain number of patients each day and ensuring the hygienist is scheduled to produce three times her daily wage.

		 Recall patients will be more likely to return to your practice if they understand the value of maintaining their oral health and the services you provide. Your hygienist should educate patients during every recall appointment. This includes giving patients brochures and then going over the information in those brochures together, playing educational videos and using an intraoral camera and hand mirror to show patients what’s going on in their mouths.

		Your hygienist should also answer any questions patients have about their condition and treatment options, and make sure they understand your practice is there to help them reach their oral health goals.

Related reading: 5 ways to front-office excellence in your dental practice

		Touch base with your hygienist before you examine patients to make sure you know what he or she found. Don’t tell patients everything looks OK and then run off to the next treatment room; that will pretty much guarantee they won’t return for their recall visit.

		Talk with patients about trouble spots the hygienist found, and let them know how important it is to re-visit these areas during their next appointment. Once they understand the importance of maintaining their oral health, they’ll be much more likely to come back.

More on practice management: Is your dental practice completely HIPAA compliant?

		Generic recall reminders, whether by text or email, are not going to get you the results you’re after.

		Instead, send your patients professional educational recall reminders that give them information about any conditions they have and the importance of maintaining their oral health. The No. 1 reason patients don’t go to the dentist is because they don’t think they need to, making education key to getting patients back in the chair. Educational reminders also go a long way toward creating connections with your patients that will keep patients loyal to your practice and happy to come back for their next recall appointment.

Related reading: How to focus website and SEO efforts for success

		For patients who prefer to be contacted by mail, I suggest sending a professionally printed recall notice that fits into a business envelope. Have patients handwrite their name and address on the envelope, and be sure to let them know to call your practice to schedule their appointment once they receive the reminder in the mail.

		Remember it costs five times as much to get one new patient as it does to keep the ones you currently have, which is why investing in your recall system is so vital to your practice’s success. You can’t ignore it any longer. And once you invest in recall, you’ll soon notice your practice reaping the benefits, which include a stronger patient base, increased production numbers and a more robust bottom line.

Sally McKenzie is CEO of McKenzie Management, which offers educational and management products available at www.mckenziemgmt.com. Contact her directly at 877-777-6151 or at sallymck@mckenziemgmt.com.

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You likely haven’t put much thought into improving your recall system. You rely on sending generic postcards to remind recall patients they’re due for an appointment, and you know your hygienist makes phone calls when she can.

4 ways to improve recall

	Your case acceptance rates are abysmal, and you have no idea why. You and your team members talk with your patients about the importance of going forward with treatment, yet most never do-even when you think they’re ready to schedule.

	Not only is all this rejection frustrating, it’s costing your practice. In fact, if your case acceptance rate is below the 85 percent benchmark, you’re losing thousands of dollars every year. That isn’t exactly the best way to build a successful, profitable practice.

	Many practices struggle with case acceptance, but there are steps you can take to get more patients to give that all-important yes. Before you can make the necessary changes, however, you have to understand why patients aren’t going forward with treatment.

	To help get you started, I put together four common reasons patients say no, and how you can change their minds, ensuring they not only get the treatment they need, but that you grow your production numbers and your bottom line.

More from Sally McKenzie: 4 reasons why you never see emergency patients again

	1. They don’t trust you. If patients don’t trust you, there’s no way they’re going to accept your treatment recommendations. That’s why it’s so important to build trust with your patients, and establish a connection.

	How? Take the time to educate them. Make sure they understand why you’re  recommending treatment and the importance of maintaining their oral health. Show them educational videos and give them educational brochures. Help them understand the value of dentistry and the services you provide. Ask them about their concerns and their health goals, and answer any questions they have. Find out what motivates them, and show them you care. Bottom line, if you do your best to put them at ease, they’ll be much more likely to accept treatment.

	I also suggest taking the time to get to know your patients. Ask them about their families and their jobs. Build a rapport, and not only will patients trust you with their oral health care needs, they’ll be more likely to become loyal patients who refer you to family andfriends.

	2. You don’t have a treatment coordinator. As much as you might like handling case presentations, spending five or 10 minutes talking with patients about their options just isn’t enough. They’ll know you’re in a hurry and won’t want to waste your time with what they might think are silly questions.

	Consider hiring a treatment coordinator to handle case presentations for all producers in the practice. This person will take patients to a quiet, comfortable place to go over treatment details, from how long it will take to how much it will cost. This gives patients the opportunity to ask questions about treatment without feeling rushed, and to bring up any perceived barriers.

	Remember most patients won’t commit to treatment right away. They’ll want to think about their options and talk it over with their family. Before patients leave, your treatment coordinator should schedule a time to follow up. If they can’t find a specific time, I recommend following up within two days so the presentation is still fresh in the patient’s mind. During this sales call, the treatment coordinator should emphasize the benefits of treatment and be prepared to address concerns brought up during the initial presentation. Taking the time to call patients to talk about treatment again will make them much more comfortable with the process, and more likely to schedule that appointment.

More from Sally McKenzie: 3 ways ignoring patient complaints is costing you money

	3. You put too much focus on money. If your treatment coordinator starts by telling patients how much the recommended procedure will cost, that’s all patients will think about during the case presentation-especially if it’s a big number. They also might think all you care about is collecting the money, not providing them with the best care possible. That isn’t how you get patients to accept treatment. Instead of starting off with the price tag, focus on the benefits of treatment. When it’s time to talk about money, tell patients about the financing options your practice offers. The cost of treatment is often a perceived barrier, but if patients know they can make small monthly payments through a third-party financing company like CareCredit, they’ll feel much more comfortable saying yes. This is also the time to explain how ignoring the problem now could lead to more complicated, costly problems later.

	You don’t listen. Sometimes dentists and their team members get so wrapped up in presenting treatment, they forget to listen to their patients. When patients say no, don’t just leave it at that. Ask them why and take the opportunity to address their concerns and any misconceptions they might have. Tailor your patient education to answer their questions and put their minds at ease.

	Case acceptance is vital to your practice’s success. Your practice will never reach true success and profitability if patients don’t move forward with treatment. Making these changes will help turn it around, but if you need more guidance, I’m happy to help. For more advice designed to help you boost your case acceptance numbers, consider taking my one-day treatment presentation training.

	You don’t listen. Sometimes dentists and their team members get so wrapped up in presenting treatment, they forget to listen to their patients. When patients say no, don’t just leave it at that. Ask them why and take the opportunity to address their concerns and any misconceptions they might have. Tailor your patient education to answer their questions and put their minds at ease. Case acceptance is vital to your practice’s success. Your practice will never reach true success and profitability if patients don’t move forward with treatment. Making these changes will help turn it around, but if you need more guidance, I’m happy to help. For more advice designed to help you boost your case acceptance numbers, consider taking my one-day treatment presentation training. More from Sally McKenzie: 3 ways staff conflict is costing you patients">More from Sally McKenzie: 3 ways staff conflict is costing you patients

Your case acceptance rates are abysmal, and you have no idea why. You and your team
members talk with your patients about the importance of going forward with treatment, yet
most never do-even when you think they’re ready to schedule.

4 reasons patients don’t go forward with  treatment

Most dental practices see emergency patients as a nuisance. Not only do they bring chaos to your day, you typically never hear from them again. You do your best to get them out of pain as quickly as possible, but the extra stress they cause doesn’t do much to grow your production numbers or your bottom line.

If that’s how your practice views emergency patients, it’s no wonder they never come back. Emergency patients can tell when they’re not wanted, and they’ll notice the negative vibe from the moment they call your office.

The truth is, you should look at emergency patients as an opportunity for growth. Emergency patients who have a positive experience at your practice are much more likely to book a comprehensive exam before they leave. In fact, according to the industry standard, 80% of all emergency patients you see should be converted into comprehensive exams. Is this not happening at your practice? You’re missing out on a huge opportunity to grow production numbers and your bottom line.

If you want to start converting emergency patients into loyal patients, you’re going to need to make some changes. Here are four reasons emergency patients don’t come back and how you can convince them to make your practice their dental home.

Your team members should put emergency patients at ease from the time they call until they leave the practice. Remember these patients are likely panicked and in pain, and just want to know your practice can help.

If the team member who answers the phone sighs and tells the patient that although the doctor is very busy, she’ll see if she can find an opening in the schedule, it makes that patient feel like an unwanted disruption. And if the team member ends the call by reminding the patient that payment is expected upfront, she’s basically saying your practice cares more about collecting payment than getting the patient out of pain.

Instead of making these scared patients feel like a nuisance, greet them with a warm welcome. Let them know your practice can help. Develop a script so team members know exactly what to say to emergency patients, and the importance of maintaining a caring tone and collecting the necessary information before they hang up.

Continue to make these patients feel welcome when they arrive. Train team members to greet them with a smile and to do what they can to put them at ease. Help them fill out forms if necessary, and take them to a quiet room to wait for the doctor. Let them know how long it will be before they can see the dentist, and then reassure them they’re in great hands.

Most practices don’t spend a lot of time with emergency patients. They want to get them in and out as quickly as possible so they can go about the rest of their day. Not exactly a great way to connect with these patients, or make them want to continue to turn to your practice for their dental care.

Take the time to educate these patients about their condition, and the importance of maintaining their oral health. Talk to them about their oral health goals and concerns, and find out why they haven’t been going to the dentist. Let them know about the services you offer, and how you can help them meet their goals. Once they understand the value of dentistry and the services you provide, they’ll be much more likely to schedule a comprehensive exam before they leave.

3. You don’t plan for emergency patients.

If an emergency patient calls your practice and there’s no room in the schedule, it’s not going to be easy for your Scheduling Coordinator to find an open slot. That makes these calls stressful and frustrating.

I suggest leaving openings in your schedule based on historical need for emergency patients. When you identify where these patients should be placed in the schedule, it makes it much easier to fit them in. It also reduces the stress and chaos your team members associate with emergency patients.

Remember to also block out time for emergency patients who want to schedule comprehensive exams. Make sure your Scheduling Coordinator knows to schedule them within a week of their emergency visit.

Even if they’ve already scheduled a comprehensive exam, follow up with every emergency patient. Call them to see how they’re doing and if they have any more questions you can answer. I also suggest mailing them a packet of information about the practice. To add a personalized touch, include a handwritten note. Tell them you’re looking forward to their next visit, and to call or visit the practice website if they have any questions.

Emergency patients represent a great opportunity for growth, and should never be viewed as a disruption. Make sure your team members understand the importance of emergency patients, and how creating an exceptional experience can help turn them into loyal patients - growing your patient base and your bottom line.

4 reasons why you never see emergency patients again

Staff conflict isn’t something most dentists want to think about.

In fact, even if they know there’s tension between team members, most dentists ignore it and hope it will just magically go away. The way they see it, their team members are grown adults who should be able to work out their problems on their own, whatever they may be. So they go about their days like nothing is wrong, as their team members focus on gossiping and bickering instead of doing their part to help the practice grow.

More from the author: 3 ways ignoring patient complaints is costing you money

The fact is, ignoring staff conflict will only make it worse. Negative feelings will continue to fester until they finally blow up-causing significant damage to your practice in the process. And I’m talking about thousands of dollars in lost revenue. As the practice CEO you have to step in and help your employees find a solution to their problems, before they boil out of control.

The longer you put off addressing staff conflict, the more it will hurt your practice. Not only will your production numbers decline, you’ll soon realize you’re losing patients-even loyal patients who have been with your practice for years. Trust me, once they notice something isn’t right, they’ll start looking for a new practice to call their dental home. All the work you put in to earn these patients will have gone to waste, and with all the negativity swirling through your practice it won’t be easy to find new patients to replace them.

Still not convinced you need to start taking staff conflict seriously? Here are three ways staff conflict is costing you patients and ultimately hurting your bottom line.

 Every interaction your team has with patients is an opportunity to provide exceptional customer service, whether that means offering a friendly greeting as soon as they walk through the door or making sure they’re comfortable while they wait to see the doctor.

When team members are wrapped up in petty arguments or are unhappy with their work environment, it shows in the way they interact with patients. They’re too distracted by the office drama to give patients the attention and service that they not only deserve, but that they also expect. And when that happens, I can guarantee you patients will start looking for a new dental home.

Sticky situations: how to handle team members who have a verbal confrotantion

 If you’ve noticed the tension among your staff members, your patients have too-and they don’t like it. Your patients don’t want to hear your hygienist complaining about the Scheduling Coordinator not doing her job properly, or how the dental assistant never sets the room up the way it should be. Patients want to go to a friendly, upbeat practice that puts their needs first.

Most patients are nervous enough about going to the dentist, and they certainly don’t need to walk into a negative environment. This just makes their appointment more stressful, and leaves them wondering how the dental team gets along at the practice down the street.

3. The quality of care you provide suffers

. Your team should be focused on delivering the best care possible, and that includes providing patients with top-notch education about their condition and stressing the benefits of going forward with any treatment you recommend.

But when team members are wrapped up in conflict, it affects the quality of care they provide. Chances are, they’re not focused on connecting with patients or delivering the best care possible. Instead they’re just going through the motions as they think about how unhappy they are, or how much they need to find a new job. They don’t care to talk up the services you provide or try to help patients remove any perceived barriers to treatment. This not only means your patients don’t get the treatment they need, your production numbers suffer.

When you notice staff conflict in your practice, you simply can’t ignore it. Instead, work with everyone involved to find a solution, and use it as a way to create positive change in your practice. If you don’t, I can guarantee your patient retention rate will take a dive, eating into your production numbers and your bottom line.

I know dealing with staff conflict isn’t easy for most dentists, and if there’s a problem in your practice you likely don’t know where start. If you need some guidance, consider contacting me and taking my Conflict Competency training. This assessment instrument deals with conflict behaviors in the workplace and can help you and your team members improve the way you respond to conflict.

And the effort you put in to improve conflict resolution will be well worth it. When you work together to resolve problems before they boil over, you’ll have a happier, more productive team that is focused on providing top-notch patient care and helping your practice reach its full potential. 

3 ways staff conflict is costing you patients

You take pride in delivering the best patient care possible. You invest in the latest technology, have top-notch dental skills, and a team that boasts years of experience. While that’s all great, and important to the success of any dental practice, none of it really matters if you don’t have any patients.

If you want your dental practice to thrive, you need to develop a strong patient base. You need loyal patients who wouldn’t dream of going to another practice for treatment. Now you’re probably thinking you have plenty of these loyal patients, and you may even be able to name a few off the top of your head but I can guarantee you don’t have as many as you think.

Take a look at your patient retention numbers and you’ll soon realize you need to do more to turn new patients into loyal patients. Don’t believe me? Think about this. I recently did a survey that covered dental practices in business for an average of 22 years. The survey revealed a patient retention ratio of 31 percent. So for every 10 new patients who visit your office, seven will never come back. To break that down even further, if you have 1,000 patient records on file, you, dear doctor, only have 300 active patients.

If that didn’t get your attention, I hope this will: While these numbers are a little depressing, they don’t have to be 

practice numbers. With a few changes, you can increase patient retention to 85, even 95 percent. Think about what that type of growth could do for your bottom line.

But before you can realize such growth, you have to figure out why patients aren’t coming back. Here are five common reasons patients start looking for a new dental home, and what you can do to make them stay.


When patients walk into your dental practice, they want to feel welcome. They’re likely a little nervous, especially if they’re visiting for the first time, and a warm greeting or a friendly smile can go a long way in helping them relax. If your front office is too busy answering phones to offer patients a proper greeting, it sets a negative tone for the rest of the visit.

Make sure one person is responsible for greeting every patient and making them feel welcome. Provide a comfortable waiting area, and think about offering water or coffee to patients as they wait. Make the experience as positive as possible from the beginning, and they’ll be more likely to come back.

2. It seems like you don’t have time for them.


When patients call your office to make an appointment, they don’t want to be put on hold as soon as someone on the other end picks up. Make sure your front office knows how to handle telephone calls, and to offer patients a friendly greeting before asking them to hold. This, combined with telling patients why they’re being put on hold and how long they should expect to wait, will help keep them from getting irritated, hanging up the phone, and calling another practice.

3. You don’t make patient concerns a priority

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Most patients don’t tell you why they’re unhappy with your practice. Typically, they find another practice and you never hear from them again. So when a patient does tell you about a problem, and gives you the opportunity to fix that problem, you better listen. In fact, consider it a gift.

I know it’s easy to ignore complaints and even blame the patient, but resist the temptation. If one patient is annoyed because he always has to wait 30 minutes or more to see the doctor, or because you stopped offering evening and weekend hours, chances are other patients feel the same way. Don’t just shrug these complaints off. Use them to make positive changes, and you’ll reap the benefits of a stronger patient base and a better practice.

4. It takes months to get an appointment.


If you pre-appoint six months out, your schedule looks fuller than it actually is. Many pre-appointed patients will cancel or not show up at all, because while they didn’t have any work commitments or family obligations at 10 a.m. on January 8 six months ago, they do by the time that appointment rolls around.

Not only does this leave your scheduling coordinator scrambling to fill the holes left by these broken appointments, this system makes it difficult to schedule patients who actually want treatment. They understand the treatment plan, are ready to go forward, but are told they’ll have to wait four, five, or even six weeks to see the doctor.

This is a great way to lose otherwise loyal patients. They feel like they’re not important to you and that you don’t value their business. While the most loyal of patients may put up with this once or twice, eventually they’ll start looking for a dentist with a more flexible schedule.

5. You don’t take the time to develop relationships.


If you want loyal patients, you have to build relationships with them. While you might prefer to just get lost in your work and let the dentistry speak for itself, most patients want more. They want to feel like they know you, and that they can trust you with their dental care. If you just rush in and rush out of the operatory with a few passing words about the weather, that isn’t going to happen.

If patients don’t feel a connection with your practice, they’re probably not going to come back. Sadly, I’ve seen it happen to the best dentists. The doctor performs superior dentistry, yet patient retention rates are abysmal - I’m talking 20 percent and lower. A big part of the problem is these doctors just don’t see the value in building patient relationships.

This is something you can easily change. Take the time to talk with patients about their families and their jobs. Ask them about their dental health goals. Not only will your patients enjoy the appointments more, you will too. Another bonus? Patients will trust you more, and you’ll see a rise in case acceptance.

You can’t expect patients to come back to your practice just because you offer great dentistry. So does the practice down the street. But if you make every patient feel welcome and let him or her know you care, you’ll create loyal patients who will help you build the successful dental practice you’ve always dreamed of owning.

If you want to know how your practice is doing, 

click here to take my free Patient Retention Assessment

5 reasons your patients are looking for a new dental practice

Your loyal hygienist of 10 years just asked for a raise. She tells you she’s struggling to make ends meet, and if you could just bump her pay a little, it would be a huge help. Without hesitating, you agree. You’re happy to reward her for her dedication to your practice, and you’re sure you can spare an extra $2 an hour.

The problem is, you have no idea what this pay increase will do to your bottom line. A few bucks an hour might not seem like a lot, but every time you give an employee a raise it directly impacts your overhead. That’s why you can’t just give raises out because a team member asks for one, or because it’s been a year since the last bump in pay.

Related reading: How dental team members should ask for a raise

Unless you want to send your overhead costs soaring, employee salaries must not exceed 22 percent of average monthly collections. If they do, it’s time to change how you think about raises. Here are three questions to ask yourself before giving out raises, and how to motivate your team to earn pay increases rather than just expecting them.

. It only takes 10 minutes, and will tell you exactly how much more money you’ll need to bring in to cover pay increases. This clear, simple mathematical tool can save you a lot of heartache, and will help ensure you keep your total salary overhead in line with the industry.

Let me give you an example to show you why this is so important. If your current monthly collections are $48,325 and your existing salaries are $9,353, then a $2 hourly raise from $15 to $17 for your assistant, who works a 36 hour week, will increase existing salaries to $9,665. This is within the 20% industry benchmark.

But, if your current monthly collections are $39,000 and existing salaries are $9,353, that small $2 pay bump puts salaries at 24% of gross production. That’s well above the industry standard, and will leave you struggling to make ends meet.

4 ways to make it easier for your dental patients to pay for treatment