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Professional Courtesy Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

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Open Mind, Insert New Experiences
– by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

I practice dentistry full time and I am fortunate to get many offers to “try” new things. Sometimes it is difficult to work a new material or instrument into my existing comfort zone, but I have learned over the years to endure inconvenience in order to make progress.

Connecting the Dots Between Phone Calls and New Patients
I recently had the opportunity to experience first hand the in-office training experience provided by Jay Geier’s Scheduling Institute. We scheduled the training on a day when the office would be closed and all staff who answer the phone were invited to attend. Lynette, our trainer, arrived bright and early, ready to start training. We had very few preconceived notions and we believed that as an office we did a good job answering the phones. Lynette started the morning by introducing us to some of the basic parts of a five-star call. Then we established a baseline for our current performance by listening to recordings of our own staff on the phone with a mystery shopper. This exercise was a tremendous eye opener because we could immediately see the areas we missed in the Scheduling Institute’s Five Star System criteria. Then we made some calls to other dental offices at random and the results were similar, or in some cases worse. Now, we have a good understanding of the anatomy of a five-star call and we are in the process of completing our certification through the Scheduling Institute. The magic to these calls is to make a smooth transition to getting the caller scheduled in the office for an appointment. You cannot solve every problem or answer every question on the phone; the caller needs to visit your office in person. If you would like to learn more about this program, visit www.schedulinginstitute.com. They offer a free mystery call to your practice and provide a free evaluation. Give it a try and I promise you will be surprised.

Try Before You Buy
Many companies offer free samples and free trials because it is widely known that once you get someone to try your product, they have taken the biggest step toward becoming a customer. Food samples in the grocery store are a simple process, dental equipment is a bit more challenging. First, the equipment is expensive and due to that cost, it is not something that can be given away. Second, loaning equipment must be managed to be sure it is returned in a timely manner. I mentioned in a previous column the unique trial program launched by KaVo that is available through this unique Web site: www.trykavo.com. When you visit the Web site, you will find a very simple process where you can select air driven and electric handpieces or the KaVo DIAGNOdent, a must-have piece of equipment. I finished the ordering process in less than five minutes and my KaVo SUPERtorque 659B arrived in just two business days. I was up and running in just a few minutes, and I enjoyed using this handpiece for five days before I returned it in the postage paid box that was provided. I must confess, the trial worked on me because I am now in the process of switching out the handpieces in my office. I never knew there could be such a difference.

Do you need help with a problem in your office? Do you have a suggestion for a product or service that I should try? Send me a message: tom@dentaltown.com. Please remember to vote in the 2010 Townie Choice Awards; this is your opportunity to vote for the products that you love to use.
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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