When you join a practice as an associate, don’t be surprised to find the supervising doctor placing limits on the types of clinical procedures you can perform early on. This is a sensible move and you would be wise to embrace it. The fact is, the hiring doctor has not seen your clinical skills in action. S/he needs to assess your clinical abilities, particularly if you are a recent graduate from dental school. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn and grow as a practicing dentist.

It’s understandable that the hiring doctor wants to ensure that a new doctor treating his patient base is well prepared. After all, the hiring doctor likely has a long and valuable history with his/her patients. Understandably, s/he wants to ensure that they will be cared for in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed.

Additionally, it will serve you well as a new hire to work with an experienced dental assistant. In addition to her/his clinical background, an experienced assistant likely has worked within the practice for some time, and knows the patients. S/he can be an excellent resource in helping you quickly build rapport with patients. Moreover, experienced assistants can be a wellspring of information with regard to proper record keeping ensuring and that you follow the established protocols in your new office.

Before considering an associate, make sure you have enough patients. Measure the number of truly “active” patients. Start with key computer reports, including the past due recall report, the missed appointments report, and the unscheduled treatment report.

1. Generate a report of patients due for recall from today’s date to one year from today. Indicate that you are seeking to identify all patients with and without appointments on the report.

2. Tally the number of patient records in the computer system and divide that by the number of patients in the recall system. For example, if there are 4,759 patient records on file and 1,737 patients in the recall system, patient retention would be at 36%.

3. Now subtract the number of active patients from the number of total patient records in the system. Using the example above that number would be 3,022.

4. Divide that number by the number of months the records represent. For example, if you believe that active charts represent the period from 11/09 through 2/13 that would be 39 months. In this scenario, the practice is losing 78 patients per month.

Obviously the patient base is shrinking. Now what? For starters, don’t hire a full-time associate. Instead, implement a patient retention program and look carefully at clinical efficiencies. When it comes to clinical efficiency it can never be compromised, but it can almost always be enhanced.

Great “potential” won’t guarantee employee success. Give staff the tools and training they need to thrive, and you’ll virtually ensure that your rising stars will, indeed, become superstars. Consider your office manager. Is s/he prepared to handle the responsibilities outlined below?

- Evaluating practice numbers vs. industry standards
- Managing practice overhead (personnel, rental/maintenance of office space, administrative expenses, equipment/ furnishings, clinical supplies/lab, office supplies, marketing)
- Determining hygiene availability
- Assessing new business vs. lost business

Staff Management
- Drafting specific job descriptions
- Overseeing employee policies: vacation, jury duty, sick leave, etc.
- Managing team planning meetings
- Implementing employee warning systems

Systems Management: Watching the Numbers
- Calculating patient retention
- Monitoring cash flow management, accounts receivable, over counter collections, delinquent accounts, financial arrangements
- Ensuring effective recall
- Using computer reports effectively
- Implementing new patient protocols

Too many “office managers” are tossed into the position and never given the tools and training to succeed, costing the doctor and the practice thousands in untapped potential. If your office manager is not prepared to handle the responsibilities outlined above, get them the training they need to take your practice to the next level.

If you’ve found that production numbers for 2012 left you with little joy to your world, consider what you can do throughout the next 12 months to ensure that production in 2013 has you singing the Hallelujah Chorus next Holiday Season.

Take a few practical steps to improve the bottom line and put the dental team on a high performance track they can stay on. Prescribe treatment plans for patients that include everything that needs to be done – appointments necessary, the cost of treatment, an estimated length of treatment time, and any treatment options. Implement an interceptive periodontal therapy program. Designate a treatment coordinator who is responsible for presenting treatment plans to patients and is expected to secure at least 85% case acceptance. Hold the scheduling coordinator accountable for daily monitoring and following up with patients that have unscheduled treatment.

Market your services to existing patients. Provide superior customer service that will encourage patients to refer friends and family. Implement a recall system that ensures full schedules and minimizes no shows and cancellations.

Each month run the year-to-date Practice Analysis Report and compare it to the same period last year. Do that every, single month. Do not wait until the bell tolls midnight on December 31 to find out how your practice has done for the year.

What will you do to show appreciation to your staff in 2013? Consider these 12 simple ways to thank and recognize staff throughout the coming year:

1. Say “Thank you.” Those two words said with sincerity mean a great deal, yet it costs nothing.

2. Make it a point to recognize at least one employee every day for something s/he did that you considered exceptional and share that accomplishment with the entire team during the daily huddle.

3. Encourage all staff to catch each other going above and beyond. Share those “acts of excellence” among the team.

4. Write a note recognizing someone for a work-related accomplishment and attach it to their paycheck.

5. Send a handwritten letter to the employee’s home regarding his accomplishments and value to the practice.

6. Treat the team to a movie and snacks.

7. Pay dues to auxiliary professional organizations for the employee.

8. Send staff to a dental meeting, such as Chicago Midwinter.

9. Schedule planning meetings off site at the zoo or a museum and allow time for the team to enjoy the excursion.

10. Provide rewards based on employee interests, tickets to the theatre for a Broadway fan, enrollment in a cross fit class for a fitness buff.

11. Give extra paid vacation time between Christmas and New Year’s.

12. Send the employee for a “day of relaxation” at a full-service salon.