Excuses Don't Solve The Issue

    We're in a recession, right? That's why our schedule is open, right? Or maybe that's what your telling yourself or your staff is using as an excuse for a light schedule. Look around, people are still driving SUV's, they're still filling the restaurants in the evening rather than eating home. Jason and Jennifer are still being bought the latest video game and attending dance, karate and getting private one on one skills coaching for soccer. Yes, we're in a recession, but that only makes people re-evaluate their priorities.

    Make sure that they see dental care as the priority that it is. People tend to see a problem and look for an excuse, rather than a solution. If the schedule is light and you ask your staff what they think can be done, wait a few minutes. They'll come up with some impressive excuses, but rarely a solution. The reason is that people tend to react to a discussion of a problem defensively, rather than seeing that this is an opportunity to dive in and come up with solutions. Even if we can define the reason that a problem exists, without a solution we still have a problem.

    Many times you'll see holes in the hygiene schedule 6 months after a week of vacation. The hygienists weren't seeing patients that week so the corresponding 6 month recall didn't happen. We recognized that and our solution was to spread appointments out more the week before and to double up on new patients in the two weeks prior to vacation. Then when scheduling their 6 month recall, we scheduled them 6 months and a week.

     Now, we are having a recession, I'll admit that. I won't use it as an excuse though. It is more important now, more than ever to educate patients about the importance of their oral health. Let them know that prevention now can prevent expensive treatment later. Placing a crown on a compromised molar may prevent the need for a root canal or extraction a year from now. Don't invent treatment, meet the patient where they are, and recognize their ability to pay a fair fee and work with them. Dental care doesn't have to be expensive if care is accepted and provided before small concerns become big issues.