“Let’s all get on the same page” and “let’s work smarter, not harder” are ubiquitous rallying cries for team building these days, but what exactly do they mean?

Join Ginny Hegarty for “Planning on Purpose” and learn how the most successful dental teams are tapping into the power of strategic planning to drive their success.

Talent isn’t enough. Systems alone don’t achieve great results. Learn how to bring exceptional individuals together to form a world-class team that embraces leadership and accountability to achieve sustainable success.

On this call, Ginny will share:

• what strategic planning is and how it is different than a traditional team meeting
• how every person on your team can contribute to the strategy
• what items you should include in your strategic plan and how to use it to improve/grow your practice

Date: Thursday, May 17

Time: 1:00pm Eastern

Rachel Interviews: Ginny Hegarty, SPHR

With over 25 years of experience, certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and an extensive background as a speaker, writer and consultant, Ginny Hegarty, owner and President of Dental Practice Development, Inc. is best known as a turnaround expert specializing in practice leadership, accountability and employee engagement. Her expertise in human resource development will enable you to cut through the drama and build a solid team that will support sustainable, bottom-line success.

If you’re not a Hygiene Profits Mastermind member, click here to sign up for our free trial.

“Trust emerges when we sense that a person or organization is driven by things other than their own self-gain.”

Many re-posted it and many commented. There’s a reason. We all want to trust and we all want to be trusted. I wish I knew who originally said this so I could give them credit, or more importantly talk with them or read their work to learn more about their beliefs about trust.

It’s obvious that this applies to all areas of our life but my question for you today is this:

Do your patients trust you?

Do your team members trust you?

Do you trust them?

For some unfortunate and often unknown reasons, it seems there is some mistrust between consumers and healthcare professionals. Dentists used to be among the most trusted of health professionals and I hope that remains the case.

When you are driven by things other than your own self-gain, it comes through loud and clear. So how does this show up on a day-to-day basis in your dental world?

Here are a few things to practice:

• Before you pick up the phone to make a reactivation call, clear your mind of the notion of ‘filling the schedule’. Instead focus on expressing care and concern for the patient on the other end. Prepare yourself with knowledge of the patient. Get reacquainted with them by reviewing their chart. This will create more success with getting patients back in to recare then making them feel bad because it’s been so long.

  ‘We haven’t seen you in awhile, are you ok?’

  ‘How is that crown feeling that we placed last time we saw you?’

  ‘I know your mother was ill and you were taking care of her, how is she doing?

• Do something for a patient and a teammate even if it makes NO impact on your own schedule, paycheck and especially if it’s not your ‘job’.

  Even though your room may not be fully stocked, seat someone else’s patient.

  Scrub and pack everyone’s instruments that are in the ultrasonic, not just yours.

  If there are patients in the reception area, go out and greet them, thank them for being there, even if you have a pile of emails waiting for you.

• Instead of jamming it all in and moving at the speed of light to stay on time, schedule time to really listen to that new patient and what they hope to achieve today during their time with you.

  ‘I am going to do a very thorough exam and tell me, what would you like us to focus on today?

  ”Is there anything that concerns you that you want to be sure we address?’

  And then do it. This creates trust. When it’s all about the patient, trust emerges.

Stay Inspired,
Rachel

Let’s look at a few other tips for truly utilizing your technology.

1 – Accessibility This is number one for a reason!  I’ve been in offices where team members don’t even KNOW they have certain technology.  Or, more often, the tools are all located in one central location…that back closet again. The theory is that if they are kept there, everyone will know where to find them.  But let’s face it, if you have to walk down the hall to get the intra-oral camera, you’ve just lost 3-5 minutes of valuable appointment time. It’s just not going to happen.  That camera is going to sit back in the closet feeling very lonely.

A better solution is to store the tool in the operatory.  Let’s say there are two hygiene ops side by side. If your hygienists are using a digital camera for intra-oral photos, it too can be placed at the edge of the operatory.  Another great idea that I learned from my Doctor is to buy a digital photo card for each team member.  This way if you use a digital SLR camera, one hygienist can take photos, eject her card and then pass the camera on to the other hygienist without having to worry about lost or deleted photos.

2 – Accountability I hear it all the time…we’ve talked ’til we’re blue in the face about using the intra-oral camera and my team is just not doing it.  Get everyone’s agreement that at least one photo will be taken on EVERY patient with needed treatment.  And this goes for the entire team! Hold everyone to the same standard and it’s easy to remember your policy.

And then be a leader.  If the photo isn’t up when you go to do your hygiene exam or step in to see an emergency patient, politely ask for it to be taken and then come back when it’s done.  The photo should ideally be taken BEFORE scaling so the hygienist and patient have time to review it and discuss before the doctor exam.

3 - Allowing enough time This is a piece of the puzzle often overlooked. You’ve heard me say this before…I have never coached a team that didn’t increase production when they increased their adult hygiene appointment time to 60 minutes – if they have clear systems and accountability for taking care to the next level.

It takes time to take quality intra-oral photos, put them up on the monitor and then share the information with the patient.  This is a huge practice builder in the hands of a well-trained, motivated hygienist.  It can add tens of thousands of dollars to the practice production each month.  Adding 5-10 minutes to the hygiene appointment time is a small investment that pays you back, big time. So, pull that technology out of the closet, dust it off and get it into the operatory where it will work to increase patient care and productivity.

Stay Inspired,
Rachel

So, they all just continue to tolerate her behavior ….for almost 2 decades!

“Jane” exhibited these types of queen bee behaviors:

• unwilling to try new ideas

• a negative attitude

• only willing to do what benefited her directly; she read magazines or clocked out when she had open time

Have you been tolerating a queen bee? It not only negatively impacts the Dr. and team but it also has a direct effect on patients.  “Jane” was perceived as being selfish and unwilling to help others in the office.  This is certainly not good for team morale.

What does your hygienist do during open time?  Come up with a list of activities that your team members can do if they have open time. Post this list in a common area, such as the sterilization area.  Open time should always be prioritized these three ways:

• First Priority = PATIENT
  • What can I do with my open time that will support the patients that are in the office right now?
    • Taking a quick PA on the emergency patient, giving anesthetic if you finish early so the Dr. can begin restorative on his 10:00 patient right away, etc.
• Second Priority = TEAM
  • What can I do with my open time that will support my team members?
    • Pouring up the models for the assistant when you see impressions sitting in the lab, helping the front desk with recare cards, processing instruments if you see the assistant running behind, etc.
• Third Priority = SELF
  • What can I do with my open time that will support my SELF?
    • Restock room, sharpen instruments, review charts for tomorrow, etc.

Thankfully, for my client, “Jane” responded well once the Dr. developed a written plan for utilization of open time.  The Dr. and the team members have all commented that “Jane” is being a much better team player.  It was a pretty simple fix to “Jane’s” queen bee ways.

Here’s your takeaway message: Don’t assume people know how to be a team player.   Clearly map out your expectations for the team and set up (and stick to!) consequences if they are not met.  The stress will be reduced and the team will work together much better.

Doctors and office managers – What will you implement this week that will help bring the teamwork up a notch?

Stay Inspired,
Stacy

Have you ever noticed that when you hover or micromanage your team, even less gets done? You’re all busy tripping over each other and it becomes a power struggle between you and your team.

I recently worked with a young dentist in Florida who was having this exact problem. He just couldn’t understand why his hygiene team wasn’t excited about their potential to create a powerful, productive, service-oriented department. He has tried and tried to tell them how to do it. They knew he was in control and he wasn’t ready to let go of the reins long enough to give them room to “step up”.

Well, with the help of his Productive Dentist Academy practice coach he realized it was time for him to step up as a strong leader and then step aside. I coached him to set up very clear performance and service expectations for his hygiene team. He created a system for them to create their own pay increase as related to the growth of the department and told them he would support them with whatever they need. Now he’s done “telling” them what to do and what they’re doing wrong.

Guess what? His hygienists are really excited. They’re determined to grow hygiene and they have some skin in the game as motivation.

I’ve just re-read a great book called “You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader“ by Mark Sanborn. It’s a quick read and has some very practical tips for growing leaders within your team.

In the book, he quotes Erwin McManus, a community leader working with kids in LA. “We spend so much time worrying about our kids (team) being good…that we often forget to invite them to be great“.

Sanborn goes on to define true leadership as “an invitaiton to greatness that we extend to others.” There is a catch, though, he says. “We can’t give what we don’t have. We can’t extend an invitation we haven’t already accepted”.

That’ll give us something to think about…

Stay Inspired,
Rachel

Trait #12 – Rock Star Hygienists Are Willing to Get Out of Their Comfort Zone

As we wrap up this series, so many quotes come to mind that speak to challenges of change.

“If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing”

-     Ali Brown

“Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone”

-     Neale Donald Walsch

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”

-     Albert Einstein

Stacy and I use these a lot in our speaking coaching programs because any time you are trying to get to the next level in your life or career, you must be willing to get out of our comfort zone.

The fact is…change is uncomfortable.  And it makes me feel better knowing that my initial reaction to change is normal.  It’s what I do next that counts.

If you are a Rock Star Hygienist then you’ve come to welcome change and you know that when you feel that familiar uncomfortable feeling, it means what you’ve always known is being challenged and you are about to grow.

Here are a few strategies to keep moving forward through change rather than letting your fear keep you from getting to the next level:

1-Look at all the reasons this could be good- So if you’re a hygienist and your doctor is offering you a new compensation plan, look at the upside.  You now have more control over your income and you’re being rewarded for deliver outstanding care and helping build the practice.

2-Look at the things that are frustrating you in the way you are currently doing things- If you’re frustrated with the fact that every hygienist in your practice does things differently and there are no consistent systems, setting up a new protocol and getting everyone to agree may be hard at first, but in the long run it’s going to make your days less stressful.

3-Look at how your life could actually improve- So your boss has now decided to have a morning huddle every day at 7:30, much earlier than you’d like.  But think about how planning your day might mean less stress and more chances for you to help your team and for them to help you during those crazy times of the day.

4-Look at how the lives of others could improve because of the change- I worked with a team recently that had 4 hygienists seeing patients every 30-40 minutes.  Slowing down and learning a new way to work was tough for them but they realized when they were able to give their patients more time and education on their own health, their patients were enormously receptive and thankful and they were getting a much higher level of care.

And here’s a secret…the more you get out of your comfort zone, the easier it is.  It’s just like any other ’skill’. The more you practice, the better you are.  AND, there are some great rewards on the other side.

Stay Inspired,
Rachel

Trait #11 – Rock Star Hygienists Start on Time and Stay on Time

You’ve probably heard before that a 60 minute hygiene visit can be broken down into 3 equal parts… 20-20-20.  If you’re fortunate enough to have 60 minutes for your adult prophy and perio maintenance appointments, here’s the break down.

The first 20 minutes is for the Hygiene Exam.  This includes your perio charting, x-rays, photos, oral cancer exam, medical history review, etc.

The next 20 minutes is for scaling and polishing.

And the final 20 minutes is for the Doctor Exam, scheduling the next appointment, hand-off to the front desk and room cleanup.

In my experience the #1 reason for running behind is too much scaling!

Recently, I heard about Parkinson’s Law (Google it).  Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion.  In other words, if you allow 45 minutes for scaling, it’s likely to take that long.  If you allow 20 minutes, it will take you that long. I’ve tested it!  And if you’re routinely spending more than 20-25 minutes on scale and polish, this patient probably needs something other than a prophy.

If you have 60 minutes and you spend 20 on medical history review, x-rays, perio charting and then 35 on scaling and polishing and another 15 on the doc exam, all of a sudden you’re 10 minutes behind and you haven’t even turned over your room.

Here are a few tips to STAY on time MOST of the time:

#1 – Properly identify perio - If you watched the previous video, I spoke about this.  Be sure to dedicate time in each appointment to do a thorough perio exam and charting-specific bleeding points, pocket depths and at least once/year chart recession, mobility, furcation, etc.

I worked with a client once and we timed how long it took from the time the patient was seated to when scaling began.  THREE minutes. And every patient was dismissed about 10 min early. Invest in the time you need for a thorough exam to identify health or disease.  And remember, if you don’t use the time…you’ll lose it.

#2 – Call doctor early - don’t want to wait for doc exam when you only have 10 min until your next patient is due?  Call your doc as soon as you have completed ALL parts of your exam (remember, before you start scaling) and then you can work while you wait.

#3 – Talk while you work - If you’ve highlighted a restorative need, leave the photo up on the monitor and talk about it through the prophy.  Or talk about areas that need attention with better homecare.  Use this valuable time when you have a captive audience to educate and enroll! Yes, there are critical moments when the patients should be upright to present treatment plans but once you’ve presented your recommendations and really listened to your patient, you can elaborate while you’re working.

#4 – Set a realistic expectation of what you can accomplish – Dr. Bruce Baird teaches that you must ‘handle the objection before it becomes an objection’.  If your patient shows up with Black Tea stain on the lingual of every tooth, before you even start, take a photo and tell the patient that you’ll do the best you can in the time you have and that they can either come back for another visit or be happy with the progress you’ve made.

Early in my career in worked in a small town that was literally built by textiles and tobacco and I made the mistake SO many times to try to get every speck of stain and make my next patient wait and it is just not necessary. Especially when I saw the patient lighting up as they walked to their car-every time.

I know we all run behind from time to time but if you step back and take a hard look at the things that hold you back, I promise there’s a solution.

Stay Inspired,
Rachel

Trait #10 – Rock Star Hygienists Keep up With Current Dental Trends

We work with clients from a wide range of practice settings and various levels of experience. Some of the rock stars we have the opportunity to work with are in small town one-doctor practices while others practice in fast-paced, multi-doctor, big city practices. The practice setting aside, the real rock stars shine through very brightly due to their commitment to staying current.

I think one myth that is very common is that if your hygienist was on top of their game when they graduated from hygiene school, then they’ll always be on top of their game. The fact is, SO MANY THINGS CHANGE in dentistry, without a commitment to the latest trends, we lose a key piece to our clinical edge.

Doctors, would you like to know some key questions to ask of an interview candidate for that open hygiene position currently available in your practice? Here are some questions that will uncover if he or she possesses some of the big rock star traits of staying current.

1.    Tell me what your annual CE requirements are for your license.  From there, ask how many of CE credits they typically earn each year?  Rock stars are committed to CE.  They want to stay CURRENT and strive to keep up with the latest science, technology and trends.

2.    What types of new technology do you currently consider as “must-haves” for delivering a high standard of care?

a.   You might be looking for someone who is consistently using ultrasonics.  Rock stars know the science behind their use and incorporate them fully.

b.   They consistently incorporate intraoral cameras, bacterial testing, or caries detecting technology such as Diagnodent.  How they answer your question about technology can be a sure sign that he or she will be your biggest asset when it comes to restorative co-diagnosis.

Another scenario might look at how you can bring out the inner rock star in your existing hygiene team members.

1.    Sit down with your team and set goals for CE.  Rock stars commit to taking high-level CE; not just what’s close and convenient.  Hands-on courses are an excellent way to assure your hygiene team stays current with the new technologies and techniques. Do you have a CE compensation protocol written in your SOP manual?  If you’re going to require your team attend a big national meeting, what does their compensation look like for their time?

2.     Devise some sort of “bonus bucks” plan so they could purchase a rock star adjunct such as loupes.   Using magnification is one of the best ways to help elevate their rock star skills in co-diagnosis.

Experts agree that close to 60% of the doctor’s restorative schedule gets diagnosed directly from the hygiene operatory.  So, consider looking at ways to bring out the rock star in your hygiene team.  It not only helps them grow but it is ultimately the lifeline for the entire practice’ sustainability and success.

If you are interested in learning more about some of the current trends in dental hygiene, consider joining our Inspired Hygiene High Profits Mastermind group.  In addition to cutting edge content, your practice is eligible for private phone coaching each month.  Visit Hygiene Profits Mastermind to learn more about the benefits of membership.

Stay Inspired,
Stacy

Trait #9 – Rock Star Hygienists Start Treatment Early

One of the keys to being an effective, efficient, productive, high-level hygienist is to take a proactive approach with your patients. If you’re a hygienist, so many pieces of your day-to-day work hinge on your ability and willingness to start perio treatment early.

This one piece often determines your level of profitability, whether or not you run on time and also if you’re fulfilled in your career! This is a BIG deal. If you’re frustrated with doing too many bloody prophies and lots of scaling during your prophy appointment, it may be time to revise your perio protocols.

Here are a couple things to think about that I hope will encourage you to be more proactive and recommending perio treatment earlier: