The best things in life are FREE- like love, laughter and hugs... but it takes money to make money in dentistry!
Even as a child working the crowd on the school bus selling Now and Laters and Air Heads to my peers, I understood very well that you had to spend money in order to make money. I would ride my bike a couple miles to the corner store over the weekend, spend $5 or $10 from my weed pulling earnings and load up on these delicious treats in preparation for the sugar addicted middle school peeps come Monday morning. Most items only cost me a quarter and I would charge 50 cents. I always sold out by the end of the week and was able to keep it going for quite a while....
(The principal eventually shut it down after someone tried to buy from me at the lunch line in plain view of our teacher!)
Anyway, what I'm getting to is that we all know how important it is to invest into business yet I have witnessed an incredible number of dentists over the years that don't want to put money back into their practices. Patient chairs with cracks and holes, sterilizers that are rusted, dental hygiene scalers that lost their edge years ago, paper X-rays, unhappy staff that never get the training they need.... I could go on for days but instead, here are a few areas I suggest all practices should plan on investing in on a regular basis. In the end, the result is a clean and efficient practice that works smart and stays happy... and ahead of the competition.
Patients notice everything
- Get that light fixed
- Keep the paint fresh
- Update that tv from 1982
Computer and software malfunctions can shut you down for days
- Pay for tech support, cloud storage, program updates and training
- Make sure you have a great networking and security "geek" who is trained to work with medical practices
- Stay super organized and keep those phone numbers, passwords and logins all in one spot
Times are changing and almost everyone has a phone
- Find a software that will give text message appointment reminders
- Take advantage of online marketing with someone who understand the dental realm
- Chair side dental education systems are amazing (ask me how I know)
You need your staff.... and they just want to feel appreciated
- Pay them well
- Pick up the tab on uniforms
- Random lunches and fun stuff makes all the difference
- Make sure they have the tools they need to succeed
One stop shopping is what patients WANT
- Same day crowns increase patient satisfaction and production IF EVERYONE IS TRAINED WELL
- Implants are high value cases and often times THE BEST OPTION. Don't forget it.
- Invisalign can become it's own department in your practice - well worth looking into
There are ways to save money and still keep your office in tip top shape:
Become a Nifty Thrifty Dentist! Buy Discounted Items on a cool new marketplace!
Join the Facebook Group! Become a Dental Hub 360 member
Placing implants but not getting the traffic you would like? I can help!
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