Pennsylvania ’ s Dental Meeting 2018
1 . Targets Every practice needs to know where it ’ s headed . As the old saying goes , if you don ’ t know where you ’ re going , any road will take you there . Targets are specific objectives that drive practice performance . There are at least 25 targets that every practice should establish , including :
• The number of active patients currently scheduled
• Overhead
• Production
• Profitability
• Number of monthly patient referrals
• No-show and last-minute cancelation rate
• Hygiene recall rate
• Production per doctor
• Production per hygienist
• Average production per patient
• Average production per new patient
These targets propel the practice forward . It ’ s no different than having a target weight and weighing yourself every week to track your progress . You quickly find out if you are moving in the right direction . Likewise , by constantly monitoring targets , you can make the necessary adjustments to reach your goals .
2 . Documented Systems Once the targets have been established , implement step-bystep systems to achieve the desired outcomes . With documented systems in places , staff members know exactly what they should do every day . This enables dentists to be more productive , spending more time on patient care rather than focusing on practice management . Gradually , the staff will run the practice by following high-performance systems based on specific targets . Many dentists measure accountability via the staff ’ s attitude . However , a better way is to manage by targets , which are by their nature objective rather than subjective .
3 . Scripting For 33 years , I have promoted the power of scripting to transform the inner workings of a practice . Scripting is more pertinent today than it has ever been . Without the benefit of scripts , staff members will never reach their potential nor will the practice be able to achieve its targets . Why ? Because scripting enables practices to take control of the patient experience . In most practices , patients are running the show . Don ’ t believe me ? Answer these questions :
• Who decides if a new patient calls your office ?
• Who decides if that new patient schedules to come in while he or she is on the call ?
• Who decides if the new patient shows up for the appointment ?
• Who decides if the new patient accepts recommended treatment ?
• Who decides if the new patient pays for that treatment as required ?
When I ask front desk staff members these questions , they say they are the ones who decide . In nearly every practice , the answer to the above questions is that patients are the ultimate deciders . The Levin Group Method™ is designed to create practices that take control through value-based scripting , which team members use to motivate patients to make the right decisions regarding their oral health . This ultimately benefits both parties . The best scripting includes positive language that results in a high level of customer service . Without scripts , the staff has little chance of being in control . If you wonder why your practice isn ’ t functioning more efficiently , a lack of powerful scripting is probably one of the reasons .
CONCLUSION We are facing a new game with new rules and need a new playbook . Doing things the way they ’ ve always been done will no longer get you what you ’ ve always gotten . In fact , if you keep doing what you ’ ve always done , you ’ ll now get less and less . The world is changing . Just look at what the online world is doing to brick-and-mortar stores . Practices that use a new playbook — based on targets , systems and scripting — will be able to thrive in this new game .
Don ’ t miss the opportunity to learn more at Dr . Levin ’ s session on April 28 , 2018 , at Pennsylvania ’ s Dental Meeting in Hershey .
22 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL