Top Dental Practice Management Articles of 2023

What Patients Want: Understanding Your Patient Base and Adapting to Meet Their Needs

by Stan Goff

There have always been obstacles preventing some patients from visiting a dentist. But as times change, so do patient expectations and so do some of the obstacles. Sure, some individuals are still afraid of a possibly painful dental procedure, and many are worried about costs. But today’s patients have other areas of concern. Some of these deal with newer demands in terms of office hours, communication and appointment methods, practice appearance, cleanliness, and even whether the latest technology is in use.

Naomi Cooper Hochman, president of Minoa Marketing and dental industry expert at Genly, says clinicians need to be aware of what their current and potential patients expect from a dental practice. Yes, the dental care they receive is important. But just as important to many is the overall experience.

Working Outside the Operatory
by Kellie Nock

Taking the first steps into the world of dentistry can be daunting and overwhelming. Between private practice, dental support organizations (DSOs), and different types of dental practices, there are a plethora of choices that dental professionals must reckon with.

But to some dental professionals, the best path for them might not be in the operatory at all. The best path forward might just be outside the operatory, even if that may be a challenging transition for dental professionals who were expecting to be chairside all day, every day.

This article takes a look at some of the options available to dental professionals when it comes to their dental career path.

Framing It: Different Ways to Present Treatment Plans to Patients

by Terri Lively

When you present your restorative treatment plan to patients, you only have a 34% chance of patients accepting it, per findings by Jarvis Analytics, a data analysis platform by Henry Schein One.¹ However, leveraging the Framing Effect may boost your percentage rating.

This article explains how the way you present information, AKA Framing, affects what patients do with that information. Reframing the treatment plan from your usual delivery might make a difference. Moreover, ensuring you have flexible financing options like in-house financing and frictionless payments also reframe the financial conversation, which can help move patients forward with care.

Staffing Problems? Here are 3 tips and tricks to help you find quality team members

by Melissa Turner, BASDH, RDHEP, EFDA, Chief Hygiene Officer Cellerant Consulting Group

Are you struggling to find staff? Take it from me, one bright-eyed millennial who’s held positions in many dental practices across the country: you’re probably doing it all wrong. At a time when the pandemic shifted our ecosystem and quality team members —or even warm bodies—are very difficult to find, it’s more important than ever to understand that the methods you use to fill vacancies on your team can quite literally make or break your business.

Working Smarter When the Team Is Short-staffed

by Bete Johnson

Having worked in a successful practice, I know how important time is. If you’re understaffed, time management becomes one of the most critical challenges your team has. Today, we’re talking about ways your team can work smarter—not harder.

According to a recent Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry study¹ by the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, one-third of dentists continue to report that they are actively recruiting dental hygienists and assistants, and 24% are looking for administrative staff. Even if you are fully staffed, last-minute sick days can throw a curve ball into practice operations.

The Inexorability of Artificial Intelligence: Where, Why, and How AI Is Being Embraced By the Dental Industry

By Laura Dorr

Every practice wants to streamline processes, be it in the operatory or the front office. Over the past few decades, the advent of digital imaging and electronic health records has pushed the industry forward in terms of optimizing workflows. But the progress doesn’t stop there. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the dental practice workflow is making current digital technology look like old news, and the implications for the future are staggering.

Building Relationships Is Key to Keeping a Practice’s Product Pipeline Moving

By Robert Elsenpeter

Product procurement is neither the flashiest nor the sexiest part of any industry, dentistry included. It is a detail that seemingly occurs in the background. However, recent events—like the COVID-19 pandemic and global shipping disruptions—have shown us how critical and fragile the supply chain is. Ensuring a practice has all necessary supplies, consumables, and personal protective equipment (PPE) should not be challenging. With the right precautions, it will not be.

What I Wish I Knew Before I Opened My Own Practice

By Renee Knight

Whether you decide to build a practice from scratch or buy an existing office, there’s a lot that goes into opening a dental office. Although it is an exciting time in a dentist’s career, it also can be pretty stressful.

In this article, Drs Sarah Jebreil, Jennifer Sanders, John Flucke, Ankur Gupta, and Chad Duplantis talk about their journeys, what they wish they knew before they opened their practices, and what advice they have for dentists who are ready to take that leap and become practice owners.

How to Connect with Patients from Different Generations When Presenting Treatment Plans

By Robert Elsenpeter

It’s not hard to imagine an old caveman watching a younger caveman hunting with a spear and thinking to himself, “Kids these days don’t know how good they have it! Back in my day, we had to throw a rock at our prey, and we are grateful to have those rocks!”

Generation gaps are nothing new. While that distance between generations can be frustrating at times, it can be especially difficult when a doctor of one generation tries convincing a patient of a different generation to accept a treatment plan. Luckily, it’s not impossible.