Sarah Anwar

Our lives now revolve around our mobile devices. Why not make that an advantage in your dental practice?

On Saturday, March 25, 2017, in a session at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting, Martin Jablow, D.M.D., discussed how you can use human addiction to technology for your practice’s benefit.

According to a study assessing “year-over-year increase in app sessions by categories,” Health and Fitness apps were among the fastest-growing app categories in 2015, at a 52 percent increase compared to 2014, Jablow said. Other categories included Personalization, News and Magazines, and Entertainment.

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So how can dentists use apps to increase productivity and make their patients “

” about their next dental appointment? Jablow recommends keeping one or two tablets in the waiting room, filled with some entertainment-category apps.

“Want to watch Netflix? Want to watch Amazon Video Prime? And if they don’t have an account, I’ll use one of mine. It’s not a big deal, I pay for them anyway,” Jablow said.

You don’t need the most expensive iPad to keep the patients entertained while they wait. There are so many tablets that you can order for less than $100, Jablow said.

But tablets and apps aren’t just for entertainment, they can be used for dentistry too. Jablow broke down the apps into categories. Here are some of the ones he mentioned.

As an aside, neither Jablow nor Dentist’s Money Digest® is endorsing these products. This is meant to be for informational purposes. All apps are available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play, unless otherwise specified.

Several companies now provide free apps that can be used alongside their electronic toothbrushes to monitor brushing technique.

The Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected Electric toothbrush, and the Oral B 5000 with Bluetooth allow the user to track which teeth were brushed and for how long. You can set daily goals and even send your progress to your dentist straight from the app. The Oral B toothbrush even lets you monitor pressure and recommends whether you should reduce or apply more.

As in many fields, there is jargon specific to dentistry that those outside the field or those fresh into dentistry may not be aware of.

Jablow recommends the Dental Dictionary — Terms and Definitions to help train new staff or assistants. This and other apps don’t just give definitions, they also have photos to illustrate meaning or identify the different teeth. Other apps specific to dentistry include Oxford Dentistry, Dental Anatomy, and Dental Instruments (DI is available only in Google Play).

While not all dentists also diagnose sleep apnea, those who do can benefit from some apps that are available to monitor sleep, snore levels, and more. Sometimes when a doctor asks a patient if their snoring has gotten better, they don’t give a definite answer, which is what’s needed from a clinical standpoint. One of the more helpful apps that Jablow mentioned is called Snore Lab. This app records and tracks your snoring levels, monitors your sleep, and recommends solutions.

Aside from sleep apnea, apps can also help with other diagnoses. VELscope Photo System can be used with the VELscope instrument to diagnose oral cancer and send images to a specialist (available only in Apple App Store). The Kardia app can also be used in conjunction with the Kardia instrument to “create a personal heart profile” for each patient.

But dental apps aren’t just for the seasoned dentist. Dentistry ProConsult can be a dental student’s best friend. Not only does the app provide step-by step instructions for dental procedures, it also has videos to demonstrate technique.

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At the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting, Martin Jablow, D.M.D., gave a brief overview of different apps that can be used in the dental office. Whether for patient entertainment while in the waiting room, or for diagnostics or staff training, there seems to be an app for everything.

Hinman Dental Meeting: Mobile Apps for the Modern Dentist

Dentistry is a referral-based business. Few things can mess up your flow of referrals more than a negative online review. Rita Zamora gave 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting attendees a plan for dealing with bad reviews.

 opened her session titled, “Word of Mouth: The Secrets of Generating Referrals from Existing Patients and Through Online Reviews,” with a simple question: “Imagine shopping for something exciting,” she said, “what’s your process?”

Zamora said that there’s a typical method most people use to narrow their options before they make a final decision on a new car, phone, or healthcare provider. This method includes: First, asking trusted friends and family members for feedback; next, going online and reading reviews; and finally, checking out the business’ website.

According to recent studies, 83 percent of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, while 66 percent trust online reviews, Zamora said. Some of the information a potential new patient may expect to find on a practice’s website includes background on the practicing dentist(s), treatment options offered at the practice, payment options and accepted insurance

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However, it is more lucrative for your business to 

 than to acquire new ones. Zamora said it’s approximately five times more profitable to treat existing patients than to acquire new ones. The most successful way to do this, according to Zamora, is to “fine tune the practice’s internal marketing skills.”

A strong patient engagement system encourages referrals and reviews. During her presentation, Zamora shared a video by Rachel Wall, R.D.H, B.S. According to Wall, patients are either vulnerable, static, or ecstatic. Vulnerable patients are the patients who are not interested in your practice and are just waiting for the next “deal” to dump you for another dentist. Static patients “just exist.” They’re indifferent about the practice, neither excited nor upset over their next dental appointment. Ecstatic patients are the ones who are your patient cheerleaders. They’re always referring their friends, family, or even that guy they see at the coffee shop every morning.

While most patients are static, getting them off of the middle ground is not very difficult. Zamora recommended 

 to check how they’re doing, and surprise them when they have big life events, such as birthdays or weddings. A simple balloon and birthday song can go a long way.

However, Zamora said that you won’t be able to appeal to everyone, no matter how hard you try. Some people just like giving negative reviews. The most important thing is knowing 

 and turn a disgruntled patient into a happy camper.

Zamora recommends having a Crisis Plan for negative reviews. Some things to consider include:

· Which team member is responsible for handling these reviews?

· Do you need to call someone for advice? A risk management advisor, a lawyer?

· Always keep your response brief, whether it’s for a positive or negative review.

· Draft a standard and succinct response to keep on hand.

Your response should start off with an apology for the bad experience. Next, mention that you will reach out to the patient privately to discuss the matter. End the response with gratitude for the feedback.

After, call the patient and work everything out, you can kindly ask them to update (not delete) the negative review.

Zamora stressed that having a plan of action will instill the confidence you need to avert a Google or social media review crisis.

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On Friday, March 24 at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting, Rita Zamora explained that selecting a dentist is no different than shopping around for your next vacation. The same research and effort go into both. Thatâ€™s why online reviews, whether on Google or your social media pages, are important. Understanding how to deal with negative reviews can make or break your practiceâ€™s reputation.

Hinman Dental Meeting: How to Deal with Negative Reviews

Jamison Spencer, D.M.D., M.S., explained how dentists should be a part of the care continuum for sleep apnea at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting.

Do you have trouble sleeping on your back? Do you snore? Have you ever been told that you stop breathing in your sleep? Do you have jaw pain?

These are just some of the questions you should ask a patient whose throat you can’t see into, during a dental exam. Chances are, they may have sleep apnea.

, gave a lecture titled, “Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Looking Beyond the Teeth and Saving Lives!”

Sleep apnea is defined as the “cessation of ventilation for 10 seconds or more,” while hypoapnea is when a patient exhibits 30 percent to 50 percent “reduction in airflow for 10 seconds or more.” An apnea-hypoapnea index is the “average number of apneas plus hypoapneas per hour of sleep.” An AHI of five events (breathing cessation during sleep) per hour is considered normal.

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However, Spencer stressed that this designation does not mean that an individual does not have sleep apnea, rather, that an insurance company will not consider it to be sleep apnea. Having anywhere between five and 15 events an hour is designated as mild, and having 16 to 30 events per hour is moderate. Those with a severe AHI experience 30 events per hour.

“I want to make this super personal, because I hope I inspire all of you to do something after you walk out of here today.”

During his lecture, Spencer talked about his late father’s struggles with sleep apnea. He was “a sleep apnea denier,” he said. At a sleep lab, Spencer’s father was observed while sleeping on his back, something his father did no usually do since it made sleeping more difficult, and exhibited 81 events per hour. Citing a 2008 study titled, “Sleep Disorder Breathing and Mortality: Eighteen-Year Follow-up of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort,” Dr. Spencer illustrated that sleep apnea can lead to death.

Spencer is also a strong believer in “second-hand sleep apnea,” and believes it may have led to a decline in his mother’s health.

During his presentation he cited a 1999 study from the Mayo Clinic titled, “The Effect of Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea on the Sleep Quality of Bed Partners.” The study researchers analyzed sleep partners of 10 married couples where one partner was being evaluated for suspected OSA.

Of the 10 couples, all patients were male and had an average AHI of 26, ranging between three and 75. During the study period (which lasted only one night), patients “received nasal continuous positive airway pressure,” which eliminated “snoring and obstructive breathing events.” After CPAP administration, AHI fell to an average of seven, ranging between zero and 34 (P < .05). Similarly, whereas the bed partners started out with an average AHI of 21, ranging between 14 and 34, after CPAP administration, AHI had gone down to 12, ranging between four and 27 (P < .07). Thus, the authors concluded that when patients with OSA received proper treatment for their disruptive sleeping patterns, both partners saw a 13 percent improvement in their respective AHI levels.

Although there is not yet any hard evidence of what Spencer referred to as “second-hand sleep apnea,” he believes that these researchers were “on to something.”

Nevertheless, anyone can have sleep apnea, said Spencer. It’s not just the stereotypical middle-aged, overweight man that physicians are wired to suspect sleep apnea in. This is where the dentist’s role in sleep apnea comes in. If a patient is sitting in your chair with mouth wide open and you can’t see down her or his throat, that’s when you have to start asking questions, said Spencer. 

The number one sign of sleep apnea is jaw pain, as a cause of temporomandibular joint disorders. Recent studies have shown individuals with sleep apnea often present with TMJ. In children, two major signs of sleep apnea are bruxism, or grinding of the teeth, and snoring or heavy breathing.

Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart failure, anxiety, memory problems, sudden death, insulin resistance, among other complications.

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Dentists have the opportunity to seek out those who are not the typical sleep apnea patients due to the nature of dentistry. After observing the visual symptoms that are typical in a patient with sleep apnea, it only takes a few questions to get to the bottom of a patientâ€™s sleep patterns. At the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting, Jamison Spencer, D.M.D., M.S., outlined the importance of diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea.

Hinman Dental Meeting: What You Need to Know about Sleep Apnea

Mark E. Hyman, D.D.S., M.A.G.D., lectured on becoming a game changer in dentistry at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting.

Real success in the business of dentistry boils down to changing the game of dentistry itself.

 attendees were tuned into that message at the continuing education session titled, “Become a Game Changer,” hosted by 

In order to do so, Hyman told his audicence on Thursday, March 23, you must let go of limiting beliefs. You shouldn’t wait for things to go wrong before you make a change. Instead, the time for change is “when things are going really well,” because you never know when disaster is headed your way. “You either change or you die.”

During the session, Hyman outlined 20 topics to put you on the fast track to success in your private practice. Here are just some of those topics.

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In order to have an agile team, each member needs to do quality and efficient work. Hyman stressed that if each employee gives just one percent or one degree more, your practice’s productivity will increase exponentially. The self-professed lover of analogies explained that at 211 degrees, water is hot, but at 212 degrees water boils.

The difference between good and great is just one degree.

“There’s always just a little bit more,” he said.

Everyone must be willing to work and go the extra mile. He suggested that team members be X-ray certified. This would help a practice run more smoothly and faster.

“Do what you have to, to get the numbers,” he said

However, you can’t just ask for more without giving back. Although he encouraged incentives, Hyman uses a method that exemplifies the value of each team member and shows appreciation. He does this by encouraging the staff to recognize the work and efforts of others. At the end of the day, rather than ask “how did you put in that extra one percent,” he will ask a team member how another member put in that extra percent.

Patient retention is an essential characteristic of a successful dental practice. Offering free consultations where the dentist has a one-on-one conversation with a new patient, where they get your complete undivided attention, can be a game-changer.

One of the most important things to ask a new patient is, “Why did you leave your last dentist?” This will help you determine what you can do differently in order to not just gain the new patient, but keep them coming back. You need to know why they “fired your colleague.”

It’s also very important to pay attention to the patient’s language. A patient may say they fired a dentist because that dentist kept trying to sell them on treatment. However, if that same patient explicitly says that they are not happy with their smile, don’t follow that up with, “You don’t have to fix it if you don’t want to.” You should follow this up with, “What was your last treatment plan?” and work from there.

Once the patient is satisfied with the consultation and the new treatment plan, keep the ball rolling. Hyman suggested that the easiest way to book a new patient appointment is to make them feel that they have an opportunity.

He gave the example, “We just had a change in our schedule, let’s start!”

Consultations aren’t only for new patients. Hynman believes each dentist’s patient files are filled with “millions of dollars of undone dentistry.”

To avoid lawsuits, it is important to provide each patient with a free cancer screening test. “You don’t want someone to come back and say you had the technology and you didn’t use it,” he said. If you’re used to providing $10 cancer screening, just raise the exam fee by that amount and provide everyone with the screening. That way your patient won’t see it as an extra fee to be paid.

 is the digital dental camera. There was a time when dentists could say, “You need four crowns,” and expect to not be questioned. However, now it’s important to “create that sense of urgency.” And what better way than to show the patient the actual condition of their teeth?

Each exam room needs one camera and all the practice’s staff need to use it on every single patient and every single tooth, said Hyman. Using digital photography, Hyman was able to convince a skeptical patient to undergo necessary procedures that the patient had been putting off. The work ended up netting thousands of dollars.

The pictures won’t only convince your patient to get the extra work, they will also convince the insurance company that the patient actually needs the work. It will be the end of filing pre-denials.

According to Hyman, “a dead last finish is better than a did not finish, which is better than a didn’t even start.”

It’s never too late to make some changes that will increase employee morale, raise productivity rates, and keep your patients happy with the quality your practice delivers.

By “under-promising and over-delivering,” you will always exceed your patients’ expectations, he said.

There is no one road that leads to the success of your dental practice. However, there are several areas where focus can increase productivity and profit. At a continuing education session at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting, on Thursday, March 23, 2017, Mark E. Hyman, D.D.S., M.A.G.D, gave a presentation on how to become a top tier dental practice.

Hinman Dental Meeting: How to 'Become a Game-Changer' in Dentistry

In a session on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the 2017 

, discussed the types of insurance policies to consider as a dentist.

As someone who is expected to have a relatively high income, you will be a target for lawsuits, Fine said. That’s why he suggested establishing a foundation of asset protection before you acquire those assets.

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Fine said that dentists should have insurance policies across the spectrum whether or not they run their own practices.

Disability insurance is also very important, and not just that you get it, but that you tailor the terms to cover your specialty, he said. According to Fine, 25 percent of individuals become disabled before their death. Disability doesn’t have to be physically visible. He defined a disability as an injury that would render you incapable of working.

For example, damage to fine motor skills could hinder future dental production and would affect your income. He gave the example of a client whose hand was injured to such a degree that it was no longer steady enough to perform procedures. This dentist was able to collect disability insurance and simultaneously teach dentistry because of how the terms were defined.

Extra liability insurance can protect your future, Fine said. He referred to this as an umbrella policy, which should cover your assets and total net worth so that you do not lose any properties or savings if you are sued, whether or not you’re at fault. He said that since the umbrella policy should figuratively stand above you and shield you from lawsuits, its coverage size should be larger than your assets. Therefore, as you continue to add to your savings and acquire more assets, your umbrella policy should be adjusted to reflect your increasing net worth.

To further protect yourself and your family, Fine suggested setting up wills and life insurance. Although you may not want to think about it, you don’t want your family to worry about paying off your loans when you die.

According to Fine, it is important to ensure that all of your investments and savings are protected, whether it be from taxes, inflation, disability, death, divorce, obsolescence, or market volatility.

At the 2017 Yankee Dental Congress, Randy Fine, LUTCF, cautioned dentists that as high-income individuals, they will be targets for lawsuits. Fine suggested taking a proactive approach by establishing a baseline level of asset protection before your assets are acquired.

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There are several challenges that come with owning and managing a dental practice that can be amplified when the practice owner has little to no business background. This is the unfortunate case for many dentists today.

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On Saturday, Jan. 28, Alicia Owens, a Dentrix profitability coach at 

, discussed how to overcome challenges in a dental practice.

According to Owens, two of the biggest challenges that dental practice owners face include production and collection. As the leader of the practice, it is your job to ensure these issues are being addressed. However, in order to tackle these challenges, your whole team needs to participate. One way to ensure participation is with a daily huddle.

Daily huddles, Owens said, should be a casual and motivational start to the workday. There should be open communication between the leader — the dentist – and the staff. It’s important to steer the conversation away from negative issues and complaints, and toward organization and strategizing, Owens said.

First, the team should come up with a list of long-term and short-term goals. Getting the staff involved in setting goals will keep them motivated, while ensuring the necessary funds and resources needed to reach each goal are available can help keep goals realistic.

Six considerations to keep in mind when setting goals include:

2. Why do we want to accomplish these goals?

3. Are there requirements or constraints?

One of the most important goals for any dental practice is setting daily revenue goals optimizing the schedule to achieve them.

For example, if your daily goal is $5,000, and you previously scheduled your day to reflect that goal but you had two cancellations, make sure your team devises a plan to make up for the loss. One solution Owens suggested is to have a waiting list that can be used to fill the schedule holes.

· Reminding patients of their outstanding balance while they’re in the office.

· Reaching out to patients due for a hygiene appointment.

· Reminding a patient if their family member is due for an appointment.

· Identifying loyal patients and asking them to reflect on their experiences through online reviews.

· Maximizing production to increase the daily revenue.

To ensure that your long-term goals are met, Owens suggested reviewing them monthly and quarterly. Studies have shown that written goals are more likely to be achieved than spoken ones. Whatever the goals may be, Owens stressed the importance of celebrating the small wins and acknowledging progress. 

Alicia Owens, a Dentrix profitability coach at Henry Schein Practice solutions, discussed how the morning huddle can put a dental practice on better path to profitability at the Yankee Dental Congress in Boston, Mass.

Harness the Power of the Daily Huddle

At the 2017 Yankee Dental Congress session titled 

, several speakers explained the importance of having a well-rounded team of experts come together to help aspiring practice owners plan and buy a new dental practice.

When considering becoming practice owner, before you decide whether to buy an existing practice or open a start-up, you must first get your finances in order. At the session on Saturday, Jan. 28, Greg Whitmer, Bank of America’s New England regional business development officer for the dental division, discussed key considerations a lender would base his or her decision on.

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First, does the individual in question have good credit? What is the individual’s debt load, and what kind of debt is it? Whitmer explained that debt from student loans does not count against an individual, unless they have missed payments. However, if the individual is leading a lavish lifestyle, this may incite reservations.

Next, how much is this person worth? What liquid finances does the person have at hand? Typically, there isn’t a lot of business in the first 12 to 18 months, and so having a backup fund is a responsible and preferable means of sustainability. Ultimately, the lender wants to know that the money you borrow will be put toward the practice, rather than living expenses.

Whitmer said that while a new dentist might make more money associating at an established practice than he or she would overall in the first year in your own practice, it will be better to be the business owner in the long run. Even if you are procuring an established practice, it’s important to keep in mind that the existing patient base visits a practice for the doctor, not the building, Whitmer said. As a result, one cannot rely on the existing patient base for revenue. To offset a lack of constant revenue, he suggested associating in conjunction with working at your own practice for that first year.

In addition, Whitmer warned against choosing a loan solely based on interest rates. One must also consider the following questions:

Are the interest rates fixed or variable?

What fees must you pay? Advanced payments, administration fees, closing costs

Are there penalties for paying off early?

Are there collateral requirements in addition to your practice?

Can you lock the rate you were approved for? For how long?

Does the loan foster future growth, or is it restricted?

After getting the loan and creating a budget, you will want to look for the perfect space, said Dave Miller, a commercial real estate broker from Carr Healthcare Realty in Boston, MA and Harford.

It is important to first have an idea of the type of space you’re looking for. Do you prefer your practice to be in an office space, or a retail space? With retail spaces, there will be a lot of visibility in terms of the established customer base of the surrounding businesses. However, if your practice will be in an office space, there may not be a lot of foot traffic.

Miller said that what looks good on paper doesn’t always look good in person. He suggested that before considering a space, visit it and try to see it from the patient’s perspective: Would I want to be a patient here?

Next, is there parking access that meets the permit requirements established by the city? Sometimes when you are repurposing a space that wasn’t previously an office space, parking — especially handicapped parking – may be an issue.

In finding a space, it is important to know whether your budget will allow you to lease or buy the practice space. If you plan to lease a space, it is important to discuss renovations with the landlord. If you will be adding lighting or tiles, you should let him or her know that you will increase the value of the property, and that they should be sharing some of the expenses. Since the default rate for dentists is less than one percent, remember that you are a desired tenant, Miller said.

Especially if you are going to be doing construction, Miller noted that it is important to try to negotiate rent to start as soon as you move into the space, rather than when you start building. He concluded, “Everything is negotiable.”

One main point that both speakers made during the session was warning that each offer should be taken on a case by case basis. For example, if you have two loan offers, one may give you a lower interest rate, but would not allow you to pay it off at once. To determine what is best for you, it is important to consider what your long term goals are. On the other hand, you may think you are getting a good deal on an office space because your neighbor is paying more; however, you can never be sure that the other space doesn’t have more perks.

Several experts reviewed important considerations for new dentists who are thinking about owning their own practice at the Yankee Dental Congress in Boston, Mass., on Saturday, Jan. 28.

The “first encounter” a patient has with your office starts outside of your practice doors and on your telephone line.

 in Boston, Mass., on Saturday, Jan. 28, Alicia Owens, a Dentrix profitability coach at 

, discussed how to get new patients and keep them coming back.

In this age of technology, in order to beat the competition, it is important to make yourself accessible, she said. An updated website can help a patient not only discover who you are and where you are located, but it can also help the patient know what procedures you offer. Owens suggested having a “patient resources” section on your website so that patients understand the procedures they will be undergoing.

After a patient is satisfied with what they see online, they likely will call your office to make an appointment. According to Owens, it doesn’t take face-to-face contact for a patient to be put off. Ensuring your entire staff — not just those working the front desk – is well-equipped to answer any patient questions over the phone is recommended. If your staff doesn’t plant that seed of trust with the patient, they might not choose your practice.

Once that new patient makes their first visit, there are two goals that need to be achieved: high-quality customer service and timeliness. Owens recommended that if a patient walks through your doors and immediately sits down without signing in, have your front desk staff approach that patient and acknowledge their presence, rather than wait for the patient to come to them. Next, it is important not to keep the patient waiting for too long. She advised that dentists should measure the average amount of time it takes to perform a procedure and schedule all appointments accordingly.

Most importantly, it is your job as the dentist to ensure that the patient has confidence in your abilities and feels that you genuinely care about their wellbeing. You can do this by listening, responding to their fears, and addressing their misconceptions.

Finally, when you’ve successfully gained that new patient, reach out to them and ask how they are doing after their first procedure. Remember to use their most preferred mode of communication—whether it be email, text, or call–not the one that is most convenient to you.

Owens said that the average number of active patients — those who have visited your practice in the last 18 to 24 months – should be between 80 to 85 percent of your total patient base. To keep patients active, have your staff continuously reach out to them. If, for example, 100 patients are due to come in for continued care, but only 80 have scheduled appointments, make those calls to remind your patients to schedule an appointment, and try to get them on the books during that phone call.

Furthermore, try to make it a habit to schedule a patient’s next appointment at the end of each appointment. In addition, follow-up with your patients a few days before their appointment so that they make it into your office.

It is important to know how these new patients are coming to your practice. If, for example, most of your new patients are referrals from your existing base, take the time to appreciate your patients. Owens stressed the importance of not wasting marketing resources on where they aren’t needed. For example, if you rarely get new patients through Facebook, there is no need to expense a Facebook ad campaign.

According to Owens, an educated patient is an active patient. Take the time to explain the importance of oral health and its effects on overall wellbeing to your patients. You may know that keeping up your oral hygiene may help prevent further damage, but you shouldn’t assume that all patients do.

You can find more of our coverage from the Yankee Dental Congress 

Key factors to getting new patients through your practiceâ€™s door and keeping them coming back include making sure your website is structured appropriately, and training your entire staff to handle phone calls.

“There’s a human being connected to the tooth.”

That was the main takeaway from a session given by Chris Salierno, DDS, at the 2017 Yankee Dental Congress on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Boston, Mass.

In his continuing education session, titled “How Not to Fail Miserably at Private Practice,” Salierno said that no matter how good you are as a dentist, it won’t matter if the patient had a bad experience. It is important for not only you as the dentist to be welcoming, but for all staff to be warm, as well. According to Salierno, the patient’s experience starts with their first phone call to inquire about service.

He believes that each patient should be treated as though they were a celebrity. If a patient walks through your office doors and your front desk staff member is talking on the phone, the employee’s full attention should be brought to the patient at hand. They should kindly ask the person on the phone to hold for a moment while they welcome the patient, greeting them warmly and with enthusiasm. This sets the tone of the whole experience. After all, the best form of advertising is a patient who had a good experience, Salierno said.

One initiative that Salierno has been implementing in his practice is taking the time to speak with each patient outside of the dental chair. He has been providing a free half hour consultation that has allowed him to not only catch up on the patient’s dental health and care goals, but has also helped him forge a connection. Salierno has also been encouraging patients to bring a friend or family member along to the consultation. He said that this is a great way to show off your practice to a potential patient while letting the initial patient feel that they have a familiar person as a sounding board.

In dealing with patients who seem hesitant about a necessary procedure, Salierno recommended a four-step approach:

Thanking the patient lets them know that you were listening and you’ve heard their concerns. Next, say what you will do and present your argument as to why you feel the procedure is important. Finally, summarize the situation. One thing he advised against is introducing hurdles that do not exist. For example, if a patient is concerned about the expense of a procedure, don’t reassure them that it will be painless.

“It sounds like you’re concerned about expenses. But this is something we should tackle sooner rather than later. The procedure now may cost you $X. However, if you wait and let the problem fester, in the long run, it may end up costing $XX. Dealing with this problem now will save on cost and further damage to your dental health.”

Sometimes, though, patients can be difficult. As a result, Salierno is a firm believer in firing patients. However, he does it with subtlety and without allowing the situation to escalate. He suggests the following approach: “I want you to be happy, because you deserve it. I don’t think I’ll be able to make you happy, but I’d be glad to send your file to another dentist.”

No matter the situation, Salierno said to approach it with level-headedness so as to avoid negative reviews and problems down the road. Always remember that your patients are your employers, as well as your strongest marketing tool.

According to Chris Salierno, DDS, dentists need to be mindful that theyâ€™re treating a human, not just a tooth. This was his main message on the importance of communication in his continuing education session at the Yankee Dental Congress in Boston, Mass.

Dealing with the 'Human Being Connected to the Tooth'

Why do you do what you do? Why did you want to become a dentist?

Those were some of the questions Tom Clark asked at his 2017 Yankee Dental Congress session on Friday, Jan.  27. Clark, founder of Banyan, a social media company for dentists, said that communicating who you are and why you do what you do is as important a marketing strategy as any. Most importantly, keeping a practice’s social media page true to the practice’s identity and aligned with the practice’s vision will help create an aura of authenticity.

However, before you spend money to drive traffic to your website or Facebook page, it’s important to have content with substance, Clark said.

Clark likened being a dental patient to online dating. First, a patient will find a practice’s name. Then they will “stalk” that practice, going through their photos or videos. Finally, they will decide whether or not they trust that practice.

That’s why he said it’s important to stay away from stock photos. When a patient visits your site or Facebook page and feels like the content is not authentic, they won’t be inclined to trust you with their smile. Instead, try posting real photos of your practice or staff, or take it a step further by getting your patients engaged through posting photos of them at your office. Just don’t forget to have patients sign official consent and privacy forms, written by a certified attorney.

Once the patient sees their photos on your site or Facebook page, they will like them, allowing others in the patients’ social networks to see that your practice is personable, Clark said. Perhaps these patients will even be inclined to write reviews.

According to Clark, 88 percent of people feel that reviews — especially Google reviews – influence their decisions as much as word-of-mouth recommendations from a friend or family member.

Appearing among the top three Google search results, which are often displayed on a map with the establishment’s rating, is highly coveted. But how do you get to the top three? There are four things that Google considers in the ranking:

Instead of sending automated review requests to your patients (only 3 to 8 percent of patients actually comply), try asking patients to write reviews while face-to-face. If you don’t know how to approach a patient, Clark recommended leading with gratitude and then asking for the review.

He said that it’s been proven that an average rating of 4.2 stars or higher is considered trusted and can drive anywhere between 20 and 50 percent more calls to your practice.

But what do you do when a patient leaves a bad review?

The most active reviewers are those leaving negative comments and ratings. First, call the patient. Apologize for the patient’s poor experience and emphasize that it was unintentional, Clark said. Remind the patient how much you respect them and care about their wellbeing. Finally, ask what it would take to make it right. When all is done, ask them to change — not delete – the review.

If during the call the patient lashes out, Clark recommended leaving a comment saying how nice it was to speak with them on the phone, and how much you appreciate them as a patient. If the patient decides to come back with another angry comment, at least other potential patients will see that you did not leave the bad review unattended.

Whether the reviews are good or bad, it’s important to reply and show that there is some engagement on your end, Clark said. The most important part of any social marketing strategy is ensuring that the patient knows that you are present, and you care about their wellbeing.  

Tom Clark, founder of Banyan, a social media company for dentists, said that communicating who you are and why you do what you do is as important a marketing strategy as any for dentists at his continuing education session at the Yankee Dental Congress on Friday, Jan. 27.