Recently Dr. Williams interviewed Dr. Howard Farran of Dentaltown on our podcast for practice owners The Practice X-Factor. Here are a few highlights we’ve paraphrased from Howard’s input on the topic of what practice owners need to be successful in the turbulent environment of dentistry today:
- There are 168 hours in a week but most dentists are available only for 32 of them! What if a person feels pain in their molar tooth and the dentist is not available because it is the weekend or their appointment time is over? What if a person gets hit on a car or falls off their bicycle and immediately needs dental help due to severe toothache? You need to find a way to offer emergency hours or have someone at your office on call after hours to help these patients while creating great opportunities for trust and growth in your practice.
- There are 4000 endodontists in the U.S.A. They work five days a week, they work 50 weeks a year, and they’re doing about six and a half, or seven molars a day. That’s 19% of their week. Instead of spending their profit and earnings to make their practices better and keep their services updated, they are mostly spending it on vacations, buying a huge house, new cars, or Jet Skis. Is this the true essence of professionalism?
- Dentistry isn’t primarily about making money, it’s about helping others – which is the real job of any dentist or doctor. Even if you are the wealthiest or best doctor in your area, you should not let your practice stagnate or decline. You need to continually implement new techniques, advanced technology and provide more options to help your patients.
- If a patient can benefit from just a minor treatment such as a composite filling in one tooth, or possibly it can be treated with simply a routine cleaning or changing their routine of brushing, is this still being offered? Instead, many patients are being told to buy expensive “packages” such as removing their teeth or implants just to make an extra buck. Is this in the best interest of your patients?
- Dentists should focus on better treatment of patients (the person more than the teeth) and build a strong relationship with them. This is of critical importance for a successful career and long term practice growth. Building a strong relationship with your patient is the real measure of success and your unique advantage in dentistry.
- If you treat your patients well, you will gain the trust of these patients and their families, and you watch them grow up, and then their friends will come to you too. If you’re truly there for them, to fix their root canal pain or broken teeth, it will go a long way.
We’d love to know your thoughts about this topic, post your comments below on our blog or email us at twilliams@yourpracticegrowth.com
P.S. Are you looking for the latest proven techniques to make your practice membership or savings plans attract well qualified patients so you don’t have to rely on insurance? Join the G.R.O.W. Your Practice Monthly Implementation program for just $147/month. ($100 savings this month only). Apply today by emailing us at twilliams@yourpracticegrowth.com with “GROW” in the subject line.