How transformative can employee training be for your practice? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy delve into the critical role of structured training programs and their immense benefits on profitability, employee satisfaction, and patient care. Sandy illuminates the stark contrast between trained and untrained employees, revealing how targeted investments in specialized programs can significantly enhance your practice’s performance and efficiency.

The duo also shares a wealth of practical advice on implementing effective training within your  office, covering everything from verbal skills and role-playing exercises to comprehensive onboarding protocols. Sandy makes a compelling case for the necessity of consistent training, emphasizing how it leads to predictable outcomes, boosts employee retention, and propels overall practice success. They remind practice owners that despite budget challenges, investing in training is pivotal and suggest starting with free resources like podcasts to begin the journey toward excellence.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How structured training programs boost profitability and employee satisfaction.
• The significant differences between trained and untrained employees.
• Practical steps for effective employee training within a dental office.
• The long-term benefits of consistent training and its impact on practice success.
• How to utilize free resources like podcasts for initial training investments.

Ready to elevate your dental practice through strategic training? Don’t miss out on this episode of Dental Drill Bits!

Sponsors:

Underperforming team members in your practice? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the intricacies of practice management, starting from upcoming seminars to managing underperforming team members without rocking the boat. Sandy shares her wealth of experience on the art of effective communication, setting realistic goals, seeking constructive feedback, and the crucial follow-up processes needed to help your team excel. Her emphasis on thorough training, meticulous documentation, and structured management will leave you equipped with practical tools to ensure your practice runs smoothly.

Moreover, this episode tackles one of the most daunting aspects of practice management: dealing with the potential need to fire staff. Sandy uncovers common concerns doctors face and provides thoughtful, methodical steps to navigate this challenging terrain.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How to communicate effectively with underperforming team members.
• Steps to setting realistic and achievable goals for your team.
• Techniques for seeking and using employee feedback to improve practice performance.
• The importance of training and documentation in maintaining a high-functioning team.
• Structured management strategies to optimize your practice.
• Approaches to handling the difficult decision of firing staff.

Tune in to harness these insights and elevate your dental practice management skills today!

Sponsors:

Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/

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How can your front desk team transform every call into a positive patient experience? In this episode, Sandy draws from her recent speaking engagements at the Delivering WOW Summit to uncover key strategies for top-notch front office communication. She also previews her upcoming seminar, Front Desk Pro, set to take place in Boston on August 23rd, revealing the secrets to boosting front office performance. Michael and Sandy tackle real-world phone interactions, from handling insurance queries to managing cancellations, ensuring that your front desk makes a lasting impression.

But it’s not just about what you say; it's also about how you say it. This episode underscores the critical role of tone, verbal skills, and intuitive call handling. Sandy shares practical advice on avoiding the pitfalls of sounding robotic and burdening patients with unnecessary tasks. With actionable tips and relatable scenarios, this episode is a must-listen for any practice aiming to elevate their front desk etiquette and foster a welcoming, efficient environment for every caller.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How to handle common phone interactions effectively in your practice.
• Techniques for making a positive first impression over the phone.
• The do's and don'ts of discussing insurance with patients.
• Strategies for dealing with appointment cancellations smoothly.
• The importance of tone and verbal skills in patient communication.
• How to implement a call-handling system to avoid common pitfalls.
• Ways to promote your practice during phone calls.

Ready to transform your front desk team's phone skills and enhance your dental practice's first impressions? Tune in to today's episode!

Sponsors:

Dental membership plans are only for low-income patients, right? Join Michael and Sandy in this episode of Dental Drill Bits as they sit down with Megan Lohman to debunk common myths surrounding dental membership plans. Megan dives into the core advantages of Plan Forward, a tool designed to streamline the creation and management of dental membership plans. She reveals how these plans are not just exclusive to low-income regions but can be effectively tailored to a wide range of demographics, including affluent areas and retirees without dental insurance.

Megan busts myths and shares eye-opening statistics about the significant portion of Americans lacking dental insurance, shedding light on how transparent pricing through membership plans can promote better dental care. Addressing concerns about potential revenue reduction, Megan explains how offering discounts can actually lead to increased patient visits and higher treatment acceptance rates, ultimately boosting overall revenue. She provides actionable strategies to add substantial value to your membership plans, such as including emergency visits and fluoride treatments, and emphasizes the role of Plan Forward in enhancing efficiency. By the end of the episode, you'll understand why simplifying and tracking membership plans is crucial for your practice's success.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why dental membership plans are not just for low-income patients
• How to tailor membership plans for various demographics
• The significant number of Americans without dental insurance
• Strategies for making dental pricing transparent and manageable
• Debunking concerns about reduced revenue from membership plans
• How offering discounts can boost patient visits and treatment acceptance
• Value-added elements to include in membership plans
• Strategies for tracking performance and gaining team support

Don’t miss out on this game-changing conversation! Tune in now to uncover the full potential of dental membership plans for your practice.

Sponsors:

Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/