Anita Jupp Dental Practice Management Articles


Your Business Team can Make or Break Your Practice
Written by: Anita Jupp
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The more organized your business systems are, the more productive the clinical team can be. Take the schedule for example, it controls both the stress level in the office and the production levels. Yet dentists are often too busy, too over booked or not busy enough with unfilled schedule times.

Part of the problem is that some business team members have little idea about clinical procedures, the times required for specific treatments and defining a real emergency. It is vital that your business team knows clinical terminology and procedures to be able to schedule accurately and answer patients questions related to their appointments.

Unfortunately, there is a serious shortage of trained dental professionals in a lot of locations. I've found that dentists are often hiring people for their business administration skills with no dental experience. And of course, that can work really well if the person has excellent communication and organization skills. When hiring outside of dentistry, it is very important that your team members are properly trained. In many practices, clinical training is a weak link - specifically training business staff in regard to clinical terms and procedures. Other under trained areas include the financial areas and dealing with patients' insurance concerns.

Often dentists tell me that their collections are great because their business person told them they are when in fact they have a high percentage over 90 days. A high percentage of accounts over 90 days is unacceptable. Dentists may not be aware that an untrained person may sympathize with the patients dental benefit concerns and tell the patient, "Wait until next year. Your treatment may be covered 100%." Are they kidding?

If you have an untrained person or a business team member with no organization skills or motivation it can cost your practice thousands and thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

Lost revenue if the business team is not trained:
The list is long. Dentists are sometimes not aware what is going on in their own practices. They often assume that all is well because that is what they are told. Train your team from day one so they are confident. Encourage professional growth and personal development because your team will be excited and inspired to do a great job.

When I look at a successful practice, it's successful because the dentist has made sure the team is well trained and the practice has tight systems and protocols.