YOUR HEALTHY PRACTICE
Unexpectedly Exceed Expectations
A positive patient experience can contain an element of surprise and delight. "Business as usual" is unremarkable and nobody thinks twice about the"ordinary." A truly memorable experience includes something pleasantly shocking and leaves a positive impression with the patient.
Tips to Control Broken Appointments
The majority of broken appointments occur due to the lack of financial policies and patient education from a practice. By following a few simple tips such as confirming appointments early in the day, removing the word 'cancel' from your vocabulary, and confirming treatment and financial plans can decrease the chances of no shows.
Tackle the Issues of Opening a New Practice Head-on
Thinking about starting your own practice? Make sure you have everything you need to ensure your practice's success and demonstrate your commitment to the highest-quality care you can give. As a benefit to new dentists, the American Dental Association offers resources and practice tools to those just starting their practice and career. Check out the ADA's Practice Management for New Dentists page to download checklists for starting a practice, practice management resources, and a plethora of other tools to help you kick off your practice on the right foot.
Be a Leader
A successful dental practice is one with a leader who will take the reins and give direction to the entire office. Most people want to be led and to have someone who will step forward and give focus to a shared vision of the practice. Having consistent team meetings is a simple way to faciliatate communication and create opportunities to establish yourself as a leader in the practice. Being a good leader is more of a process than an event. Good leaders develop because they want to become a good leader.
Think Ahead and Implement a Business Recovery Plan
Thinking ahead is an important part of managing a crisis if one does occur. Studies indicate that almost half of the businesses that are forced to close because of a disaster never open again. This is because most of them did not have a plan in place or failed to implement when needed. Proactive planning can mitigate loss, save lives, and assure your practice continues to function when it may be needed most. To create a plan for your needs, visit the ADA's website and read the Five Steps to Business Recovery Planning to customize your plan today.
Web Design Mistakes
A well constructed website plays a pivotal part of your marketing and is the central hub of your company. Potential patients visit the site specifically for its content, meaning its appearance and usability are critical to its successes and how those users view your company. Getting your web design wrong can have a negative impact on your business.
Start with the Right Team
Looking for new staff members for your office? If so, while searching for new employees keep in mind that excellent teamwork and communication are the foundations for a successful workplace. Great communication equals great production. In a survey of more than 3,000 dental professionals, 'team challenges' was the number one source of stress. Hiring the right people can increase your office's potential for success.
Take a holistic approach to workplace health
To keep employees healthy and performing at their best, psychologists are recommending employers to think more holistically about how workplace practices affect physical and mental health. Research suggests there is a strong link between healthy workplace practices and organizational improvement. Five categories of employer practice that foster both employee well-being and organizational performance include: employee involvement, work-life balance, employee growth and development, health and safety, and employee recognition.
Create a positive work environment
"The number one reason a team member quits is because they feel unappreciated and that they didn't matter. The number one reason a dentist doesn't feel appreciated is because they are overwhelmed with the responsibilities of the business of running a practice and when the team comes to them with concerns and doesn't offer potential solution, it adds layers of feeling unappreciated." Create a positive work environment, appreciate your employees, and when overwhelmed, ask your team to assist you. That's what they are there for!