Your patients need to understand, for real, what can happen if they do not follow through with your recommended treatment. If you accomplish that, then you have done your job educating the patient. From that point forward, it’s on the patient and the front desk. The following education techniques will help you get there:   TRIGGER WORDS & “YET Trigger words initiate a process or course of action. The term “trigger word” derives from the use of an explosive gun in days gone by to start a race. “Yet” is a trigger word. Patients may not notice gum disease yet. The patient hasn’t lost...

The industry standard for periodontal procedures is between 30-35% of hygiene production. Periodontal maintenance (D4910), of course, follows SRPs. It is not preventive. It is after-care.  However sometimes patients are billed for a prophy (D1110) when in fact what they got was a D4910 or some other after-care treatment. If this is happening in your practice there is likely a significant loss of production. Sometimes this occurs as that’s the “way it’s always been done” or because the hygienist and/or front desk person do not know how to comfortably explain the differences in the treatments so they opt for the path of...

Here is a quick formula I use in my dental consulting to determine how efficient your hygienists are: 1. Take active patients and multiply by two (go back 1.5 to 2 years for active patient count).  Example: 2000 active patients x 2 = 4000 possible hygiene visits. 2. Run the code in the software for number of cleanings done in the last year.  Example Result: 2000 3. Run a report on the code for comprehensive exams in the last 12 months. This gives a true number of new dental patients as it eliminates limited exams that are emergency exams.  Example: 200...

In the realm of hiring a dental hygienist, the journey from thought to action holds immense power. It's a journey that begins with a simple question: What kind of dental hygienist do I envision for my practice? The answer to this question sets the stage for the hiring process and ultimately determines the success of your team. While it's essential to hold firm to your standards and envision your ideal candidate, it's also crucial to recognize the challenges and realities of today's dental industry. As one client candidly shared, the landscape has changed significantly, with a staggering 76% of dental offices...