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...

MAILING LIST Create a mailing list of patients who have not been in for at least twelve months. Also include patients who have pending unscheduled treatment from the previous twelve months. Go back at least five years.  Run your list against the National Change of Address (NCOA) database     REACTIVATION POSTCARDS Letters often go unread and postcards can get tossed, but detachable (rip) gift cards tend to get held onto.  Detachable (rip) gift cards can be printed on normal paper stock or on high quality plastic (costs 3.5X more). The higher the quality the better. Many practices get a 10%-20%...

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...

1. By survey, the overwhelming number of new patients expect a cleaning as part of their first new patient appointment.

2. Unless the new patient is an emergency, has a broken tooth or toothache assume all new patients will get a prophy but, do not guarantee a prophy when scheduling.