Exceptional Dental Practice Management

Take Care of Yourself

We've all heard the saying, "If you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else."  That hit home for me today.  I looked at the front page of our newspaper and saw that a favorite patient had died at age 60 of an enlarged heart.  He was a wonderful man who appeared to be the picture of health and a beacon of happiness.  He was the patient that made you smile when you saw his name on the schedule.  He was always pleasant, always kind, and always patient.  We were running a little late for his last appointment.  I went to the reception area to tell him and he smiled and said, "Oh, don't worry about it, I'm fine."  I hate to think I won't have the pleasure of seeing or speaking to him again.

Rob paid attention to fitness, but sometimes that's not enough.  An enlarged heart can be caused by a variety of factors, one of them being high blood pressure.  It can be detected at a physical exam or through x-ray.  Some symptoms are shortness of breath, dizziness, and fainting.  Don't wave these symptoms away, or try to fool yourself into thinking it's nothing.  Get regular check-ups, exercise and eat right.

I'll be honest with you.  My doctor told me I had high blood pressure a few years ago and put me on medication.  I told myself it was just white coat syndrome, but I still take my medication.  Recently he told me my cholesterol is high and that he wanted me to exercise and lose weight.  He was serious.  It took me 3 more months to get serious, too.  We had a patient come in who had high blood pressure and diabetes.  When I took her blood pressure it was 215/125.  We told her we couldn't work on her that day and urged her to see her physician.  She was slightly annoyed that we wouldn't just "get it over with."  As I watched and listened to her I found myself realizing that we all come to a crossroad in our lives.  I was at one in mine.  If I kept brushing off my doctor's concerns, I would be very likely to end up on cholesterol medication and possibly diabetes, myself.  Someday I might be the one thinking my dentist was over-reacting because he was concerned I'd have a stroke in his chair.  Or,  I could get real and take a turn in a healthier direction.  I started a mostly vegan diet 5 weeks ago.  I say mostly vegan because I use creamer in my coffee and tea and eat eggs about once a month.  I don't eat any meat and I surprisingly, don't miss it. I've already lost 13 lbs. I exercise 6 days a week and ran a 5K with my daughter, Kim, last week.  I cut my time from my previous 5K by 11 minutes.  I'm still at the back of the pack, but I'm in the race.  I started Tony Horton's Power 90 workout today and will go on to P90X when I'm done. 

I am the expert of finding every excuse in the book on why I shouldn't exercise today.  I mean it when I say, "If I can do it, you can do it."  If you're squirming a little while you read this, then maybe you need to join me.  What's your story?  What do you need to change?  What will help you get started?  I'm here to help motivate you if you need it.  You can help keep me honest.  Losing someone like Rob shakes me up.  It makes me realize that this happens out of nowhere.  He had no idea this was going to happen to him.  His wonderful wife and kids are left to miss and mourn him, as are his friends.  I'll remember him for all his attributes, but the memory of the sadness I feel at his passing will push me to stay true to improving my health.  I am reminded that this moment and this day is all I can be sure of, so I'm going to be sure to treat it with respect.

Perk Up Your Practice, There's Still Time

I hope you've entered Keurig's Perk Up Your Practice contest.  If you haven't gotten around to it yet, there's still time.  Here's the link:

http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/

Keurig was nice enough to send us a brewer for our practice so I can give you my honest opinion on it.  I'm pleasantly surprised by how much our patients like it.  We've had patients thank us for having it for them, and some even ask if they can have a to-go cup to take with them.  You can buy to-go cups with lids at Sam's Club or the grocery store, it's a nice, thoughtful gesture that patients appreciate. 

I was initially concerned that it would be a big, monster machine that would be an eye-sore in the reception area.  It's actually nicely compact with an attractive screen that gives the user directions.  It came with a huge selection of coffees and teas.  I've tried a few of them and they're very good.  I bought a small microwave cart at Target and set up a nice little serving area.  So far the patients have been very considerate with their empty cups and trash, so it's been great having it.

I've seen practices waste a lot of money of give-aways that no one wants or uses.  Be realistic, the t-shirt from the orthodontist is cute, but who really wears it anywhere that it's marketing value would be of any use?  I wear mine to workout or sleep in.  It's the same with coffee mugs and beer cozies.  If you want great advertising, make your patients feel happy and a little spoiled.  They'll do the marketing for you.  Get a Keurig, or win one, order some great magazines, have comfy chairs for them to sit in, you'll have telling everyone how great their dental office is.

The Characteristics of Success

"...You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down...You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by... doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves." Abraham Lincoln

A dentist that I know posted this quote on Facebook.  Reading it I realized that there are certain characteristics that define those who will succeed.  Leaders tend to be strong, even to the point of toughness.  When I read the words, "you cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong", they hit home.  In my time as a manager, and even before that, I have realized that my strength, or even toughness has at times been a cause for concern for others who don't realize that it's the secret to most of the success I've had as a manager.

The problem for most people is that toughness is seen as meanness by weaker people.  I believe that we in dentistry tend to play to weakness.  We try to motivate the uncaring with promises of bonuses if only they'll do what they agreed to do when hired; work as hard as they can to make the practice succeed.  We don't push too hard because we don't want to upset an employee to the point that she quits because the fact that she doesn't have what it takes, or won't develop herself enough, to do the job becomes obvious. We loathe change so much that we'll accept mediocrity and apathy. Instead, we push more responsibility on to our star performers and hope that they can withstand more pressure.  Then, while the weak, but unchallenged employee whistles through her day, we are perplexed to see our star begin to burnout.  Now we can see that the weak employee stayed the same or became weaker, but our strong employee is buckling under the added weight.  So, we lose all the way around. 

Successful leaders are willing to deal with change, and all it's accompanying discomfort to get to a better place.  They are also willing to be judged harshly, absorb criticism, tolerate resentment, and overcome scorn in order to develop strength, efficiency and ability in their staff.  They can talk about character issues without worrying that they are offending those who lack the traits needed for a practice based on integrity.  They understand that the discomfort that is felt will either inspire those lacking to develop themselves or leave.  Either way, that's a positive thing.

There are young dentists, who may be just starting out in this challenging economy, wondering how to incentivize an unmotivated staff.  They develop complicated bonus systems that often they don't even understand, only to find advantageous staff members trying to find a way to work an angle to their advantage.  The dentist who was hoping to find a way to build his practice, now finds that his staff is not looking at his point of view, but only at their own bottom line.  So, the wage earner may be temporarily lifted, but in the long run if the practice suffers, it all comes crashing down.  In contrast, smart, considerate staff understand that by working together to build the practice, they also build relationships that create a team that is cohesive, supportive and successful.  That is when rewards make sense and everyone wins.

When we make excuses for poor behavior or bad attitudes, we take away initiative.  After all, why should anyone attempt to control themselves, or leave their problems and issues at the door when they can let it all hang out and receive sympathy and coddling?  Why would they use their common sense and make good decisions based on the instruction they've been given when they can avoid responsibility by dumping it in someone else's lap?  Successful people look outside themselves and see that everyone struggles in some way.  They find the positive and remember that they have a purpose to fulfill.  They exercise self-control and exhibit self-respect.  They don't count on the pity of others, rather they are a source of inspiration.

Dedicated managers hate to see things go wrong.  We are driven to get results.  Sometimes we need to stand back and let people experience the consequence of their mistakes, behavior, or irresponsibility.  It is our impulse to keep everything on track that can keep lessons from being learned.  In my post about herding yesterday,I talked about my friend Diane, who set up the operatories because her new roving assistant came in late and proceeded to spend 10 minutes in the bathroom doing her hair.  Sure, the employee felt Diane's annoyance when she confronted her, but what if Diane had not set up the operatories?  What if the new employee had to stand in the harsh light of everyone's realization that she had not come prepared to start the day correctly and then had to rush to get things back on track?  Painful for the manager, but a lesson learned for the employee.  The lesson?  This will not be tolerated or covered up.  I am expected to be on time and efficient.  In the end, it was short-sighted of my friend to set up those rooms.  She expanded her problem rather than suffering in the short term.  

We, as managers and leaders, have the opportunity to help our staff grow.  We have a responsibility to be good role models, to do first what we ask others to do so they can see our intention in action.  We must be firm, but fair.  We have to set aside our desire to be liked, or admired and do what it takes to help others succeed.  We have to stand up to anger, tears, and complaints and do the right thing.  We must possess the characteristics of success, maintain them and protect them from weariness or disillusionment, and believe in ourselves so we can be lead our teams through whatever trails and derailments we face.  These challenges are all a part of the normal course of life when you manage a dental practice.  Your strength must overcome any difficulty set before you, so that your staff can see the result of perseverance.

Sheep Herding?

I'm noticing a disturbing trend in people lately.  They don't seem to think for themselves anymore.  Being in a leadership position makes me feel a strong responsibility to empower the people I manage.  I have found that many people seem to be apathetic about assuming responsibility.  It's like throwing a beach ball to a person who refuses to lift their arms and catch it.  It just bounces off their chest and dribbles to a stop.  It's disappointing to try to give an employee an opportunity for autonomy in an area of responsibility and watch them ignore that empowerment.

It's not just added responsibility that people don't seem to want to accept, it's personal responsibility in very small things, as well, and that might be the most worrisome.  A friend, let's call her Diane, told me she hired a new office assistant who seemed very excited to get the job.  On the second day, she came to work 5 minutes late and proceeded to spend the next ten minutes in the bathroom fixing her hair.  Meanwhile, Diane had been waiting to show her how to open the operatories in the morning since that would be her responsibility.  Since staff meeting in their office starts at 7:45 the employees have 15 minutes to do this.  The new employee had used all the time by being late and doing her hair.  Diane opened the ops herself and then went to the new employee who had finally emerged from the bathroom.  She said, "You need to be here at 7:30 ready to begin work.  I was waiting to teach you how to open the ops, and had to finally do it myself."  The reply?  "You need to tell me that."  Diane couldn't believe her ears since she had verbally told her that at hiring and given her an office manual that also stated the start time. She said she felt her great hope that she'd finally found an employee who would have some self-motivation, crashing and burning.

I told her that if she plans to keep this employee she will have to herd her.  She will need to make very specific training sheets and follow them to the letter.  She will have to hold her accountable for everything and keep insisting on getting it right.  In other words, she will have to be strict and she may need to be stern, and she will not be able to worry about whether this employee thinks she's nice.  She will need to give instant feedback as well as weekly reviews.  She will have to be relentless and it will be exhausting and stressful but in the end, she may develop this person into a good assistant. 

Sometimes with more seasoned staff, you need to herd, as well.  I have noticed that people become complacent if you let them.  After a certain amount of time, many people feel like they've reached the stage of "good enough" and they're satisfied with that.  Now, if you feel the same way about your practice, then you can all go along being good enough for as long as you can stand it.  The problem is, good enough becomes monotonous for you and your patients. Before long, good enough isn't cutting it anymore, and the practice down the street who is dedicated to continual growth is welcoming the patients that used to think you were "good enough."  People talk, and when they find something great, they tell their friends and it's intriguing.  They think, "Why not see what this new practice is all about?  After all, my dentist and his staff don't seem to care anymore." 

Now you're stuck with herding these employees who thought everything was good enough into action.  It's not going to be easy.  I remember hiking with my family when my son was about 5.  He stepped into some mud and it sucked the shoe right off his foot.  Pulling that shoe out of the mud took some strength and determination.  It's going to take the same to pull those employees out of their complacency.  Better never to let it happen at all. 

You can be righteous or you can be realistic.  You can say, "They're adults, they shouldn't have to be told everything", or you can realize you're going to have to ride herd over them to get them where you want them to be.  If you've ever watched a herding competition, you've seen that the herding dog never takes his eyes off the sheep, and he never lets up.  He gets that sheep where she needs to be.  That's his job.  He doesn't complain, he doesn't give up, he doesn't feel sorry for himself. He doesn't resent the sheep, either. Without her, he'd just be a dog with nothing to do. He keeps on going till he gets the result he wants.

Now, lucky for us, human beings have a lot more going for them than sheep.  Yes, you may need to ride herd diligently for a while, but at some point you will see that your employees will start to do things without your constant guidance.  That doesn't mean you can forget the herding though, you just don't have to be constantly herding.  You will need to nudge from time to time, and now and then you'll get a good herding workout, but in the end, you'll be the practice that is accepting patients from the good enough practice down the street.

Pure-hearted Leadership

Sometimes when we are in a leadership role for a long time, we can forget the great responsibility we assume.  At some point, we did something that impressed others enough to make them want to through their lot in with us and follow us.  We must always remember that they are looking to us for their inspiration and guidance.  It's not enough to be happy that others want to follow us, we must respect their decision and not make them question, or regret it.  In other words, our actions, motives and intentions must be pure.  We must be in it for the greater good of the practice, the patients and the staff.  We will get our own satisfaction from serving that end.

My boss is a great example of pure-hearted leadership.  He's a young dentist and new to practice ownership, but he has the right instincts and a good character.  The other day he was interacting with a patient who hadn't been into the office for quite a few years.  She is a patient who fears dentistry and is embarrassed about the condition of her teeth.  In the past, her fear made her tense and somewhat unpleasant, so I can't say I was happy to see her name on the schedule.  Being the eye-roller that I unfortunately seem to be, I'm sure I even let them roll when I heard she'd be in.  I was in the next room while Dr. Morgan was speaking to her and examining her.  As usual, he was pleasant and welcoming.  To my surprise, she was responding equally pleasantly and even seemed to be enjoying the visit.  She was not acting the way I remembered from the past, and I realized that I was seeing a different side of her.  It was the side that responds to kindness and acceptance.  It was Dr. Morgan's pure-hearted approach to this patient that allowed that aspect of her personality to emerge.  Once again, I found myself learning something from this new guy who happens to be 15 years younger than me.

I realized, age doesn't make you smart, it just makes you older.  Choosing your behavior is what makes the difference.  My boss chooses to be kind and accepting.  We all have that choice, we just have to give up whatever reasons we have for judging others and assuming we can define other people's intentions and just decide to try something else.

What's in it for you?  You will have the pleasure of making others happy.  It's that simple.  When you make others happy, they want to be around you.  They probably go out and make other people happy, too, so you have some responsibility, either way for that, too.  It makes people like you.  Everyone loves my boss, kids, seniors and in-betweeners.  His staff feels lucky to work with him, and I think I've got the best job I could ever want.  People will go to any length to please a person like that, because you know he'll help you when you need it. 

Pure-hearted leadership is simple.  It means doing what you say you'll do, doing it in a way that you don't mind letting the whole world see, and being the example of what you are asking for in others.  Can you imagine what it would be like if we all chose that?

Perk Up Your Practice

Have you heard?  Penwell Dental Community and Keurig are having a contest.  If you have been paying attention to enhancing your staff's morale and giving your patients a great experience you might find that one good turn deserves another. 

Ten great practices will receive a Keurig Brewing system and free registration for the dentist and 3 staff members for a 2010 Levin Group Total Practice Seminar of their choice.  The grand prize office will also receive the in-office 1 Day New Patient Experience seminar.  Read more below and go to the link below to enter the contest.  Good Luck!

http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/

Keurig’s “Perk Up Your Practice” Contest

Understanding that positive staff morale and a pleasant patient experience are key to any successful dental practice, Keurig, a leader in gourmet coffee brewing both at home and at the office asks, could your practice use a perk up?

Enter today for the “Perk Up Your Practice” Contest! Just share in 200 words or less how your practice currently boosts staff morale and the patient experience and why you could benefit from a “perk up.” You can also submit up to two photos with your entry. The entry period is from now until March 31, 2010.  The 10 finalists will be announced on April 5^th, and the Dentistry IQ Community will have the chance to vote on the grand prize winner, who will be announced the week of May 3, 2010.

Ten lucky finalists will receive the NEW Keurig B155 Commercial Brewing System for their practice.  The Keurig B155 is specially designed for use in dental offices and includes a new one-of-a-kind, interactive touchscreen interface that allows users to walk through a variety of functions, and an easy to fill, removable water reservoir - our largest at 90 ounces – can make up to 18 cups of coffee before needing a refill. Now, you, your staff and your patients can enjoy fresh, gourmet coffee at the touch of a button.

In addition, the ten finalists will receive free registrations for the dentist and three guests for a 2010 Levin Group Total Practice™ Seminar of their choice.* The seminars are presented by Dr. Roger Levin, CEO and Chairman of Levin Group, the leading international dental consulting company with 25 years of experience.

Like all Keurig brewers, the B155 uses Keurig’s patented K-Cup® portion packs that eliminate the hassle of grinding beans, measuring coffee, handling filters and messy clean-up while brewing a gourmet cup of coffee or tea in less than one minute. With over 200 different coffee, tea and hot cocoa options to choose from, everyone in the office can find something they love!  For more information on Keurig, visit www.keurig.comor the Keurig for Healthcare page on Facebook.

The DentistryIQ community will vote for the Grand Prize Winner, who in addition to receiving the NEW Keurig B155 Commercial Brewer for their practice will receive a one day in-office workshop from Levin Group. The 1Day New Patient Experience™ workshop is conducted at your practice by an experienced Levin Group Trainer and will show you how to roll out the “red carpet” for every new patient. Now your team can create and deliver the outstanding customer service your patients want at every visit.  Your staff will also receive 6 CE credits from this training. For more information on Levin Group, visit: http://www.levingroup.com.

* Travel, accommodations and other related expenses to and from the seminar are the dentist’s responsibility.