Catalyst Magazine
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Patient-Centric Practice Dr. Chris Hammond & Dr. Chad Ellis
Technology Digital Radiography — Quick, Easy and Highly Visual
Practice Management How to Keep $114,816 from Slipping Through the Cracks Burkhart Dental — Issue 42010 —Issue Dental Burkhart ™™ SpectraSpectra GXS-700 Digital Intraoral Sensors: isis YourYour The Vision To Advance Your Quality Of Care DopplerDoppler NEW from Gendex! RadarRadar forfor CariesCaries DetectionDetection Direct USB
Enhance your treatment forecast with Spectra ™ Caries Detection aid. The only handheld imaging device on the market that provides numerical and color readings to precisely indicate the extent of decay.
Using fluorescent technology, Spectra emits high-energy LED light onto the tooth surface As the eighth generation digital Cone Beam 3D Imaging Systems causing cariogenic bacteria to fluoresce red and healthy enamel green – providing a view sensor from Gendex, the GXS-700 Panoramic X-ray Systems system comes from a strong lineage similar to how you see weather on a Doppler radar. Intraoral X-ray Systems Introducing the new GXS-700, of imaging excellence, raising the P Digital Intraoral Sensors designed to make migrating from performance bar for other digital &RORUVDQGQXPEHUVSUHFLVHO\PHDVXUHGHFD\WRJXLGHH[FDYDWLRQ film, or upgrading a digital system, sensors. From ease-of-use and Digital X-ray Phosphor Plates easier than ever. portability, to enhanced acuity and Intraoral Cameras sustainability, these new direct USB Imaging Software $OORZVTXDQWLWDWLYHWUDFNLQJRIFRQGLWLRQSURJUHVVYLDVRIWZDUH sensors underscore our desire and commitment to help advance your $ELOLW\WRGHWHFWSRWHQWLDOFDOFXOXV SODTXH practice with innovative and affordable solutions. 0RUHRSSRUWXQLWLHVDQGKLJKHUFDVHDFFHSWDQFHPHDQV PRUHUHYHQXHSHUSDWLHQW For more information, ask your Burkhart Account Manager Gendex Dental Systems 7RRUGHURUIRUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQ or call us at 1-800-562-8176 www.gendex.com Imaging Excellence Since 1893 YLVLWZZZDLUWHFKQLTXHVFRP ZZZDLUWHFKQLTXHVFRP Contents In This Issue:
Patient Centric Practice Business of Dentistry Hammond & Ellis ...... 26 Here Come the Taxes ...... 46 Contributing Writer: Holly Kean, Marketing Manager Contributing Writer: Bob Creamer, CPA Contributing Photographer: Mark Bowers Wealth Management Practice Management Major Tax Hikes in the Offing? Top Performing Dental Practices: Start Preparing Now...... 51 What’s Their Secret? ...... 4 Contributing Writer: Sam Martin, CPA, CFP® Contributing Writer: Margaret Boyce-Cooley, MS Director, Practice Leadership, Burkhart Consulting How To Keep $114,816 From Slipping Index of Advertisers: Through The Cracks! ...... 7 A-dec: Access ...... 11 Contributing Writer: Practice Leadership, Burkhart Consulting A-dec: Proven ...... 17 Burkhart Office Manager Superstar...... 10 Accutron: Put your Patients at Ease ...... 34 Acteon: Technology Innovations from the Industry Leader .....42
™ Office Design Air Techniques, Inc.: Spectra ...... Inside Front Cover Belmont®: Bel-Cypher ...... 35 Plan Ahead, Execute and Customize ...... 12 Brewer: Ergonomic Seating ...... 50 Contributing Writer: Andy Hutson, Branch Manager, Burkhart Eugene Bosworth Company: Super Values ...... 21 Contributing Photographer: Randy Taylor Creamer & Associates: Powerful Tax & Business Solutions ...... 49 Assistant Success Coltene Whaledent: Coltolux® LED ...... 39 DentalEZ: everlight™ ...... 50 Supply Savings Guarantee: Worksheet ...... 18 DentalGroup LLC: Is Your CPA a Dental Specialist? ...... 53 Burkhart Assistant Superstar ...... 19 Dentsply Professional: Midwest® Stylus™ ATC ...... 22 Gendex: GXS-700™ ...... Inside Back Cover Clinical EMS: Air-Flow® Handy Perio ...... 33 Instrumentarium: Orthopantomograph® OP30 ...... 43 Creating Real Value for Aesthetics When It Is at the Bottom of The List ...... 23 Kerr: Vertise Flow, Herculite Ultra and Premise ...... 45 Contributing Writer: Rhys Spoor, DDS, FAGD, FADIA, L&R Ultrasonics: Because Clean Matters ...... 20 Midmark: Elevance™ ...... Back Cover Technology Pelton & Crane: Embrace your Surroundings...... 37 Practice Leadership, Burkhart Consulting: PracticeView ...... 6 Digital Radiography — Quick, Easy, and Highly Visual ....38 SciCan: Great Savings! ...... 44 Cloud Computing: What is it and Sunstar: GUM™ Soft-Picks® in “PINK”! ...... 9 What Does it Mean for Dentistry? ...... 40 Summit Dental Study Group ...... 36 Contributing Writer: Dawn Christodoulou, President, PEB/XLDent Wells Fargo Practice Finance ...... 41 XLDent™: Bringing Your Whole Practice Together ...... 2
Cover Photo: Doctors Chris Hammond and Chad Ellis at their office in Utah. Photo by Mark Bowers.
CATALYST MAGAZINE Issue 4 2010 1. ™
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;dXjh^c\dcYZci^hignÉh]^\]iZX]cdad\ncZZYhh^cXZ&.,8dbeVi^WaZl^i]L^cYdlh,+)7^i Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. 1.800.328.2925 or visit www.xldent.com Serving the Dental InTouch Profession since 1888... MISCONCEPTION #1: BURKHART IS NOT PRICE COMPETITIVE. More Information: Sometimes when people are getting great service they think that it must cost a lot more. The truth is that great service is a mind set and an expectation and At Burkhart we realize that isn’t necessarily tied to higher cost. It is actually our clients are both dental our great service of focusing on getting our professionals and business customers more for less that allows us to cost owners. It is our goal to help less. If we were not competitive we would not them be successful at both GREG BIERSACK, Burkhart Vice President of Operations succeed with our Supply Savings Guarantee aspects of their careers. program more than 96% of the time. We prove Catalyst is fully dedicated that you can get great service and lower costs. to that success. The articles couple of years ago, I attended a in this publication vary from leadership training program that MISCONCEPTION #2: BURKHART IS TOO product use and selection to A focused on the power of feedback. business management topics During this training, I learned that the people SMALL TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE YOUR OFFICE. th and provide information and in my group had developed perceptions More information: Burkhart is the 4 guidance that can lead to of me early on that did not match my intent largest dental supply company in the US. We a more successful practice. nor the reality of people that worked with me represent over 400 manufacturers and more of Throughout the publication on a regular basis. I heard from them that I was the major brands than the other large full service are stories of Burkhart clients overly intense and it made them uncomfortable. companies. We have 3 large distribution centers who have succeeded in the Those around me at the training had gathered and employ more than 350 associates. We are areas that are highlighted. some bits of data at the start of the program to plenty big enough to take care of your needs. We hope that you enjoy. develop this perception. Maybe it was the way I greeted them or how I sat that morning. In MISCONCEPTION #3: BURKHART DOES any case, I appreciated the feedback because NOT HAVE A STRONG SOFTWARE OR If you have a request for a topic that you TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION. would like for us to cover in Catalyst, it gave me insight into how others may have please contact Holly Kean at: been thinking. The only thing that I could do More information: Burkhart represents the [email protected] was to thank them and allow them to gain most technologically advanced and progressive more data points. By the end of the training software on the market, XLDent. It was built I was able to use their feedback and built for today’s systems’ architecture not the 1980’s CATALYST MAGAZINE is published with an attempt to convert to today’s needs. by Burkhart Dental Supply friendships with my group members. It was a 2502 South 78th Street wonderful learning experience. We sell and service the best technology Tacoma, WA 98409 from Planmeca, Gendex, Instrumentarium, TEL. 253.474.7761 Recently, we contracted with a marketing Sirona, 3M, Cadent, Air Techniques, and FAX 253.472.4773 group to survey a number of our clients and Progeny among others. Most importantly, our possible clients and learn what they think salespeople have received more training in about our company. It was great to hear the technology than the other full service companies. Publisher We have what you need. Greg Biersack accolades from our existing clients. It was also extremely valuable to hear from doctors Principal Editor and staff who are not working with us. They Perceptions are based on the information that Holly Kean shared some of their perceptions that may people have. We are thankful of the feedback we have received on how we are perceived. It is Graphic Designers result in our businesses not working together. Brittany Staten Some of these perceptions were not necessarily certainly our hope that through this additional Sara Wisely accurate and were tough to hear. But, like my information and the everyday efforts of our Burkhart team that we can create the positive Advertising leadership training, the only thing we can do Jamie Bragazzi is give thanks for the feedback and provide perceptions that will allow us the opportunity information or experiences that might change to serve more and more dental offices. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part of this publication without written permission from the a person’s perception. Publisher is strictly forbidden. Images are not Sincerely, necessarily to scale. Below is a list of some of the perceptions from those not working with Burkhart and some Customer Service: additional information regarding these areas. Greg Biersack, VP of Operations 800.562.8176 CATALYST MAGAZINE Issue 4 2010 3. By Margaret Boyce-Cooley, MS Director, Practice Leadership, Burkhart Consulting Top Performing Dental Practices What’s Their Secret?
roduction is up, few openings in the schedule can be in house. “Adding surgical procedures to my repertoire really found, a strong short-call list is in place to fill those helped maintain our schedule, gave me the opportunity to P last minute opportunities and the number of non-PPO expand my skills, and serve a need for our patients. It was a new patients are on the rise. The team synergy is palpable and win-win for everyone. It also gave my clinical team members a an additional hygienist may need to be added to accommodate renewed sense of purpose; they traveled to some of the courses, patient flow. Does this sound like your practice? If not, read on… had hands-on training, and were very excited to share their knowledge and skills with our patients,” reports Dr. Santiago. We polled dentists in top producing practices to find out their The additional training affords her the confidence to provide “secrets” to not just surviving in this unique economic window, some treatment that was previously referred out. but actually thriving in it. They are by no means ignoring the challenges that loom around us, yet their numbers certainly FOCUS ON INTERNAL MARKETING don’t reflect the economy most of us are reading about in the Everyone knows the best way to grow any business is through papers everyday. These are the practices that still produce a internal marketing. However, you can’t expect patients to healthy financial statement, committed patients, a harmonious refer family and friends if they didn’t have an experience staff and a delighted dentist. The leaders that met or exceeded their expectations. of the practice have taken steps to be We polled dentists Nor can you expect them to refer if you proactive and, even more importantly, don’t ask them to! Coach your staff are willing to share their thoughts on the in top producing to target patient bases you’d like to see why they are continuing to be successful. practices to find out expanded and gently and sincerely ask Here’s what we found out: them for a referral. Asking for a referral their “secrets” to not just should never sound like a desperate plea LEARN TO BE MORE CURIOUS surviving in this unique for new patients. At the completion of This may be the time to break out of economic window, but a successful appointment, the hygienist that routine commentary that can be or assistant can simply add, “It’s always heard in operatories every day. Become actually thriving in it. a pleasure to see you and we would be more curious about what is going on in honored to take care of your family and your patients’ lives in order to facilitate friends, please take one of my cards to planning to best utilize available resources. Dr. Eric Ellingsen, pass on” to the usual, “thanks for coming in today!” routine in Spokane, Washington has found that more patients than many of us fall into. A great lead-in to a referral request from ever may be in the process of or are considering changing jobs, the administrative area is to ask for the referral on the heels of moving or retiring. So change up the conversations to include a compliment. Asking the patient, “How did the appointment something like, “In this economy we’ve learned not to make go today?” can set you up nicely. Once the patient shares any assumptions. Let us know if you are anticipating a change their great experience let them know that you appreciate their in employment, insurance benefits, retirement or moving so comments and that, of course, the highest compliment you that we can help you plan for dental treatment.” The patient can receive is a referral from terrific patients like themselves! will appreciate knowing that you are there not only to provide Make sure your patients know that you are not just accepting care but are also available to help them best utilize their time new patients, but that your practice loves new patients! The and insurance benefits as well. bottom line: the patient experience must be top notch to further internal referrals. EXPAND YOUR SKILL SET Dr. Kimberly Santiago, in Issaquah, Washington reports that DEVELOP HIGH-QUALITY TRANSITIONS she has taken advantage of the downturn in the economy to Transitioning information regarding patient wants, needs expand her skill set in order to keep previously referred treatment and desires to the dentist is critical. For many successful
4. Issue 4 2010 CATALYST MAGAZINE Practice Management
practices the dentist is only afforded 5–10 minutes to complete neglect a single business system in your practice and enjoy a hygiene exam. The hygienist often times is better able profitability. Exhibit financial prudence by setting benchmarks to uncover patient desires and possible barriers to treatment that are easily tracked allowing greater accountability of your through an interview process that occurs throughout the staff and a heightened financial awareness for yourself. appointment. With a proper interview and transfer of information Review your Accounts Receivable to make sure you don’t to the dentist in front of the patient, all three become have more than 5% in the over 90-day column, and if you part of the solution process, ultimately increasing case do, make a plan to reduce it. Check your total A/R and acceptance. Successful transitions should include information monthly production numbers to make sure they are in sync. about their periodontal condition, current state of existing Staffing needs to be adequate for demand and evaluated restorative treatment and esthetic desires the patient may periodically to make sure it is still sufficient without being have. Transferring the information in front of the patient over staffed. A system for recare is one of the key elements to keep will allow the patient to add any additional information and your hygienists busy and the hygiene department successful. sense that they are part of a team in treatment planning. PROFESSIONAL COACHING CHECK THE HEALTH OF YOUR PERIODONTAL PROGRAM A single area of your practice rarely stands alone nor can it In this day and age the “buff and polish” hygienist is a thing be successful without a motivated staff. Many of the doctors we of the past, replaced by more comprehensive clinicians that polled pointed to professional coaching as one of the most integrate overall health and periodontal health. Patients that valuable investments they made in their career. Gaining the understand their gum condition and consider you a partner tools to monitor and evaluate every aspect of their practices in their efforts to maintain a healthy oral environment also as well as developing their leadership skills and creating an appreciate the value of your care, are more committed to environment that promotes energetic teams is a life-long treatment and less likely to no show for their future hygiene skill that will prove successful long after this glitch in the appointment. Take a temperature check of your program. Add economy is over. up the number of 1110, 4910, 4341 and 4342 that have been completed over the last 12-month period. Divide the number Lastly, keep in mind that successful dentists prevent emergencies completed for each code by the total to get a percentage of each by being proactive in their practices. A good leader monitors service. A healthy program that is less likely to face supervised and reflects on data and trends in their practice whereas a great neglect lawsuits and more likely to have a loyal following of leader uses monitors and trends as a blue-print for change. dedicated patients will find 50% or less in the 1110 category, Practice Leadership, Burkhart Consulting is an excellent 30–40% in the 4910 category and 10–20% involved in active resource to develop leadership skills, evaluate systems and therapy (4341+4342). motivate teams, especially in this economic downturn.
TEAM SYNERGY Dr. Jenny Thornton, in Poulsbo, Washington can’t say enough about her team. “Our team is enthusiastic, upbeat and positive. We are excited to work with our patients and to help them get the best dental care possible. We enjoy each other’s company. When we are not burdened down by interpersonal conflict or negativity, our personalities shine and patients know that we are excited to be with them. They know that we are happy and giving them 100%, not giving them the minimum.” Create an environment that nurtures your staff and motivates Practice Leadership, Burkhart Consulting, is a full-service consulting team specializing in developing leaders and teams in dentistry. For them to continue providing the patient experience that is more than a decade, Practice Leadership has helped hundreds worthy of referrals. Look into professional coaching if your of practices achieve new levels of success. Contact your Burkhart staff hasn’t become a true team partnering for the best care Account Manager or Practice Leadership directly at 800.665.5323 possible for each patient. for more information.
BUSINESS SYSTEMS A good economy can mask a lack of systems or poor leadership. In this economic downturn you certainly can’t expect to
CATALYST MAGAZINE Issue 4 2010 5. Burkhart and Practice Leadership’s team of experts can help you assess your current practice by: