Are you a Jedi, or Are you Causing a Disturbance in the Force?

Unless you’ve lived under a rock—and not one on the planet Tatooine—you know the cinematographic tales of the Jedi and their quest to preserve peace in the universe. The success of their mission, like the success of implant treatments, hinges on balance in the Force. A Jedi harnesses the Force for knowledge and defense, but never for attack. Unfortunately, when factors affecting implant success aren’t properly considered, the Dark Side could basically destroy the overall treatment. Put another way, the Dark Side is the potential for Force imbalances to cause peri-implant bone loss and implant prosthesis failure.

So what is the Force we’re talking about? According to Merriam-Webster, force can be defined as (1) strength or energy exerted or brought to bear that causes motion or change; (2) an agent or influence that, if applied to something, leads to its acceleration or deformation; or (3) any natural influence that exists that determines the structure of the universe. There are nine forces that influence implant success or failure and that dentists must consider during treatment planning. These include apical, lingual, distal, mesio-distal, occlusal, facial, facio-lingual, mesial, and vertical axis forces. If there is a disturbance in any of these, the dental implants could be prone to occlusal overload.

It is also critical that the Jedi understand forces even during sleep. As a matter fact, the dark side uses even more deceptive and tricky means to cause implant failure. In REM sleep, our brain is being recharged. Long and short-term memories are being consolidated and organized. Just like a cell phone needs to be recharged, so do our brains. However, in REM sleep our bodies are paralyzed and all muscles are atonic. Then, gravity like that on Earth, or even on a Death Star becomes our biggest enemy. If we are sleeping supine on our back, then the emperor uses spells on our tongues to fall back and block the airway. Next, our oxygen saturation levels decline to life threatening levels and our bodies shift from being In parasympathetic to sympathetic (fight or flight). Then, the movement disorder known as sleep bruxism can be executed by the emperor’s hands. During this horrible process, the mandible can be forced to move in so many different dimensions, creating torque, class 1-4 interferences and premature contacts, similar to “force lightning“ that the dark side emperor uses. Thus, it is critical to screen for airway issues and breathing disorders in all patients who come in your door.

The good news is that you can be a Jedi and apply your knowledge of these forces, to defend your treatments against the consequences of the Dark Side. Implant force disturbances can occur due to problems with large cantilevers, patients with 3 para-functional habits/ bruxism, occlusal interferences, and/or poor-quality bone. Limited contacts result in poor force distribution, and steep cusp inclines and increased cusp height equate to bone loss. Just like a Jedi must exercise control to better harness the power of the Force, so too must dentists take into consideration and control variables like these that affect implant occlusion in order to ensure long-term treatment success.

This means managing Force in the best ways possible; in other words, establishing protected implant occlusion, and much of that depends on implant placement and prosthetic design. Among the recommendations for achieving the best protected implant occlusion are ensuring straight and centered axial occlusal force load; a narrow occlusal table; and reduced cusp inclination, which concentrates forces over the central fossa. The Jedi implant dentist keeps in mind that ideal occlusal centric contacts are loaded as much as possible on the central fossa, avoiding the marginal ridge.

And remember, too, that the balance you’re seeking is all about how everything in the implant-restoration complex works together—like ideal occlusal timing and an increased implant surface area, which decreases stress (also known as the Dark Side of the Force). Depending on the case, you may need to create long contact areas by using wider implants and/or splinting implants, which also helps to decrease marginal bone loss, abutment screw loosening, and porcelain and component fracture. Or, you might need to reduce the length of cantilevers or the crown-implant ratio, or decrease 4 anterior guidance, especially since a 10-degree increase causes a 30% increase in loading of the prosthesis and/or implant. If you don’t prevent disturbances in these forces, the stress will impact the abutment and implant neck, causing screw loosening, fatigue fracture, and destruction.

The bottom line: Balance in the Force is never by chance. When everything works together, that’s when peace and balance in the universe of your implant treatment occurs. And that’s why it’s essential to communicate with your MicroDental Laboratory technician throughout the implant treatment planning process. Through collaboration, components of the implant-restoration complex can be properly designed to ensure protected occlusion, an ideal crown-implant ratio, and that lateral and sheer forces are avoided.

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About the author:

Dr. Jerry Hu
Founder, Smiles of Alaska

Jerry Hu, DDS, is triple board-certified in dental sleep medicine and holds masterships, fellowships, and accreditations in implant and cosmetic dentistry. He also has published numerous clinical studies in peer-reviewed, highly respected journals such as AACD's Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry and AADSM's Journal of Dental Sleep Medicine. Dr. Hu also teaches for Modern Dental Group both nationally and internationally and for Sleep Group Solutions, VIVOS growth guidance appliance group, and Prosomnus Sleep Technologies. He also has won numerous awards in cosmetic and implant dentistry from Macstudio Model Search by MicroDental, and the IAPA Aesthetic Eye competition. He is currently working on a patent for dental sleep medicine and looking to help the US military out in dental sleep medicine.

Rekindling your Passion for Cosmetic Dentistry

Passion, both personal and professional, is a fuel that when paired with desire and hunger, can and will bring about the greatest results, achievements, and fulfillment in life. It’s not far-fetched for a dentist to feel burnt out, detached, or lose passion over time in their careers. I once lost the passion I carried for dentistry in my career, and it took a deep dive into my interests and the fundamentals to rekindle the fire that has driven my thirst to learn at every opportunity. If you feel as if you’ve begun to lose the spark that ignited your career in dentistry, let’s look at steps one can take to reignite that fire, and maintain it for years to come.

My passion for drawing is a trait that will never leave my soul. I still carry small sketchbooks around with me, so I can draw when the mood strikes. Being creative is what drew me to focus my career on the cosmetic aspect of dentistry for over 3 decades. This passion started when I realized I needed to learn the fundamentals of cosmetic dentistry.

If you believe that you know cosmetic dentistry fundamentals, and believe that you’re ready to graduate to more advanced topics, it may do you good to go back and review the fundamentals again. In the article “Gaining A Basic Understanding of the Subject” by Theall, Wager, and Svinicki on Idea.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving student learning in higher education, they say that the “acquisition of basic information upon which more complex learning relies” is key before moving on to advanced studies. If the fundamentals are ingrained in us, we understand what is truly important and how to prioritize the advanced intricacies of our craft. A famous quote from one of my former art teachers is very applicable. He said, “One of the things masters have in common is they never tire of re-engaging the fundamentals.”

What lengths would you go to achieve your highest potential in cosmetic dentistry? I used to practice with a very famous and talented cosmetic dentist on the East Coast. One day we were talking (I always listened to hear any pearl of wisdom), and he told me in his younger years that he took a make-up class to learn facial form and aesthetics to achieve the desired appearance. He then applied this to tooth form and smile development. This taught me to never stop looking for ways to improve, especially outside of the infrastructure of traditional dental education.

As mentioned previously, drawing is one of my first loves. But did switching from analog (pencil and paper) and getting a digital tablet and stylus (iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil) make me a better artist? No, and it’s the same with dentistry. There are no shortcuts to true comprehension of a subject. No digital tool or app is going to make you better unless you grasp the fundamentals entirely. Having a digital scanner doesn’t result in better impressions if you can’t create smooth margins and manage soft tissue properly. The digital design of restoration doesn’t make it better if you don’t know the fundamentals of occlusion and functional movements. One of the first continuing education classes I attended in the early ’90s spoke to this idea of analog dentistry. The presenter said that if you really want to know how good or bad you are, you should pour your own impressions of your crown and bridge work for six months. Well, I did, and it was a humbling experience. Today, that is not necessary because of digital scanners that can provide us instant feedback on our preps and soft tissue retraction. This is an invaluable source for us to improve our skills because we can then correct our mistakes and take another scan within minutes.

Regarding skills, an often overlooked, yet imperative skill set, or fundamental for practitioners is the art of listening. I say art because you have to be able to keenly listen and read between the lines a lot of the time when trying to understand your patient. There is a reason why the words “listen” and “silent” are spelled using the same letters. Think about it, listening shows you care, and that develops trust with your patient. In Dr. Steffany Mohan’s article “ 5 Ways a Dentist Can Increase Patient Referrals'', she states that “referrals from existing patients account for two-thirds of dental practices’ new patients.” With that in mind, the rapport that you and your staff build with existing patients is a foundation of your practice. Gaining new patients means that you and your practice are consistently creating new smiles in your community. Impacting the lives of others is one of the most rewarding feelings we can experience as dentists, and we do it every day.

Passion exists when we are doing something meaningful for others and for ourselves. Cosmetic Dentistry can provide patients with passion, the fuel to smile again and change their overall personality and perspective, introducing them to the confidence they have so longed for. For the practitioners, it’s what we were made for, to serve others. That is our purpose and we should feel nothing but gratitude and an overflow of passion that we get to do this for a living.

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About the Author:

Dr. Christopher Pescatore is a national and international lecturer who has written articles for numerous publications, including Practical Periodontics and Aesthetic Dentistry, Profiles, Dentistry Today, Compendium, Dental Economics, and Inside Dentistry. He lectures on state-of-the-art aesthetic procedures, CAD/CAM techniques, and materials and holds a U.S. patent for a non-metallic post system to restore endodontically-treated teeth. Dr. Pescatore is a past member of the Board of Directors and the editorial team member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), former Clinical Co-Director, and former featured lecturer at Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. He is also the past instructor of the Advanced Aesthetic Program at New York University - College of Dentistry, the Aesthetic Continuum at Baylor College of Dentistry, and the Aesthetic Program at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Pescatore is a graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Dental School.

The Dentist vs. Implant Tissue Showdown: Just How Lucky Do You Feel?

You've got an implant patient in your chair, and the first thing you're thinking, "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do you, implant dentist? Does the patient present with all the required soft tissue health characteristics for successful implant treatment, or don't they? Considering that the patient's prior periodontal history and willingness to maintain superb oral hygiene habits are the most powerful determinants of success—or could blow your case out of the water—you make a bet and hope your pick lands on the wheel of luck.

In any case, you surrender to the fact that thorough soft tissue risk assessment and evaluation are significant to implant success and must be addressed before spinning the wheel and undertaking any procedures. If patients have or had advanced periodontitis, that—combined with poor hygiene—makes it a sure bet that they are not good candidates for implant treatment. And if patients express a desire to modify their poor oral hygiene habits, the smart wager is waiting some time to allow them to demonstrate a serious commitment because those habits absolutely correlate to long-term implant success.

Of course, there are other tells—such as smoking and uncontrolled diabetes—that could suggest the deck is stacked against long-term implant success. However, those are actually indicators, as opposed to direct causes, of implant periodontal problems. So to up the odds in you and your patient's favor, consider what makes for a safer bet (meaning, low risk) and one where the stakes are higher (meaning, high risk).

Low-risk implant patients have a healthy medical status, low esthetic expectations, and are non-smokers. They present with a low lip line, low scallop/thick biotype, and rectangular shape. The treatment site has no history of prior infection, intact soft tissue anatomy, and no deficient bone. The bone level of adjacent teeth is less than 5 mm to contact; adjacent restorative status is virgin, and; the width of the span is ≥ 7 mm.

Note that a thick tissue phenotype is found in more than two-thirds of patients. They are predominantly men with quadratic tooth anatomy, a broad zone of keratinized gingiva, and flat gingival contours.

High-risk implant patients, on the other hand, have a reduced immune competence, high esthetic expectations, and are heavy smokers (i.e., more than 10 per day). They present with a high lip line, high scalloped/thin biotype, and triangular shape. The treatment site has acute infection, soft tissue defects, and vertical bone deficiency. Additionally, adjacent teeth are restored, with a bone level of 7 mm to contact, and the width of the span is two or more teeth.

Here, bear in mind that less than one-third of patients—predominately women with slender tooth anatomy and a narrow zone of keratinized tissue with high scalloping—present with a thin phenotype. Also, an estimated 11% of bicuspids, 24% of cuspids, 23% of lateral incisors, and 7% of central incisors are surrounded by thin phenotype tissue. Remember, too, that patients can have a thin phenotype but still have substantial bone (i.e., quantity and quality) underneath.

Not assessing periodontal tissues and a patient's risk factors are essentially testing their luck and your chances for achieving predictable outcomes. Fortunately, when tissue augmentation is necessary, current trends in soft tissue management demonstrate that subepithelial connective tissue grafts are the gold standard when a coronally advanced flap is created, and acellular dermal graft, enamel matrix derivative, or collagen matrix is placed. The riskier proposition is placing a free gingival graft, which has been shown to disappear from the esthetic zone and is very limited, even in esthetically irrelevant applications, unless the graft is de-epithelialized.

Another way to hedge your bet? Use healing abutments with the proper size, shape, and handling characteristics. Anatomic healing abutments protect soft and hard tissues and reduce crestal-bone resorption compared to concave/straight healing abutments. The expert technicians at MicroDental Laboratories can assist with the design and use of these essential implant treatment components.

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About the author

Dr. Jerry Hu
Founder, Smiles of Alaska

Jerry Hu, DDS, is triple board-certified in dental sleep medicine and holds masterships, fellowships, and accreditations in implant and cosmetic dentistry. He also has published numerous clinical studies in peer-reviewed, highly respected journals such as AACD's Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry and AADSM's Journal of Dental Sleep Medicine. Dr. Hu also teaches for Modern Dental Group both nationally and internationally and for Sleep Group Solutions, VIVOS growth guidance appliance group, and Prosomnus Sleep Technologies. He also has won numerous awards in cosmetic and implant dentistry from Macstudio Model Search by MicroDental, and the IAPA Aesthetic Eye competition. He is currently working on a patent for dental sleep medicine and looking to help the US military out in dental sleep medicine.

12 Most Effective Digital Marketing Strategies for Dentists in 2021

Digital Marketing has Limitless Potential.

Like most dentists, you primarily focus on fulfilling dental services and may not have the time to explore new marketing strategies. But in the era of digitalization, all dental offices must realize the importance of digital marketing. Your dental office should not be limited by just word of mouth; instead, try using proven techniques that will help you maximize incoming patients to your office.

You have to be aware of the new and current ways of reaching out to your target audience. Give your practice a fighting chance by carrying out these strategies and techniques. In this guide, we’ll review the 12 Most Effective Dental Marketing Strategies to Maximize Your Practice’s Growth In 2021.

1. BRANDING

Branding sets your practice apart from the competition and creates a unique experience that your patients recognize as soon as they interact with you. No matter which channels they choose to interact with your office, your brand – your website, blog, email, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever tomorrow’s technology may bring – they should all demonstrate the unique experience that your brand represents. 

A brand is a person’s perception of a product, service, experience,
or organization.

A brand strategy is a long-term plan for developing a successful brand presence to achieve specific results. First, let’s clarify that your brand is not your product, logo, website, or name. Your brand is far more encompassing — your brand makes a more profound, emotional connection with your patients. A well-thought-out and defined brand identity should be the backbone of any successful practice, so distinguish yourself from those around you.

2. PHOTOGRAPHY ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Photo credit: # smileonnashville

Social media works wonders for marketing. But to do so, you need to upload high-quality photographs with eye-catching captions. Poor quality pictures, such as low pixel, blurry, or even wrong edited photos, do not catch people’s attention. They only bring down the quality of your work. You must understand that using quality photos and taking your time to edit them says a lot about your persona and how you carry out yourself with your work. If you start posting pictures with a low-quality resolution or posting temporary crowns/veneers (which are not as great as the final results of a delivered case, people tend to feel your work is low-quality. Dentists must understand that perception is reality.

It will be beneficial to invest in a dental photography class and a good camera. This way, you can attract cosmetic cases. The algorithm keeps changing, but sometimes it takes only one great photo or video to go viral. This will open up doors to new patients ready to commit to your work and maybe even A-list or celebrity clientele.

It is also important to upload photos regularly. Going cold on social media will negatively impact your image and business. So, be regular with the photographs and uploads. Keep it relevant and also make it fun.

One of our favorite tips is to create your own hashtags for your specific treatments. In a way, you can build your smile digital album for veneers, crowns, dentures, implants, etc.

Example: You just finished delivering a few veneer cases, so you start posting the before/after pictures on your social media platforms to create your digital album for those specific cases. You hashtag the posts #VeneersbyDrJAlbum (this is a custom hashtag of your own). Try using more hashtags obviously to get more presence, but this one is a must for all your veneer cases. *make sure no one else is using this same hashtag* That way, when you search for the hashtags, only your veneer cases pop up and not some random case from a different doctor.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA

Posting amazing photos on social media is not enough. You need to build a relationship with your patients via social media. Be as responsive as you can. Have frequent interactions. Maintain transparency to gain the trust of your patients. Your social media should focus on what your brand is. Maintain the consistency of your brand, and you will have a steady in-flow of patients. In simpler words, let your patients know who you are as a dentist and a person.

Make it about them, not you.

Having a presence on social media can also boost your reputation and give you a variety of clientele. It is a very effective way of attracting the a-list patients that you want. You could also draw celebrities and even big-time influencers with millions of followers. As mentioned before, perception is everything, so if you serve celebrities, others will follow.

See, back in the day, trust used to be something that would take time to build, but this generation acts differently. People with thousands or even millions of followers are called influencers because they influence people to come to your office. Even if they don’t know each other, one shoots the message, and others follow.

How do you know who an influencer is? When a patient comes to your office, try looking them up on social media, most people have their profiles “public,” so you can ask them to take a picture with you. Make it about them, not you.

5. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

By now, we all know that content is the new currency of this age. Displaying the right content gets your target audience’s attention and engagement with your business. Great content rich with SEO-friendly words will boost your practice when people search for services or specific keywords. It will help your website come out on top of search engine results; Search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. Search Engine Optimization helps you attract the right audience; in your case, patients ready to commit to treatment. You must understand these are patients searching for treatment or services and not patients interested in dentistry like Facebook targeted ads. Articles enriched with SEO-friendly words are not everyone’s forte. It is best to hire a content writing company or a freelancer. They specialize in creating the perfect targeted content for your practice. They will provide the content and help develop a blog system that will be read locally and not worldwide because when it comes to search engines, you want to keep your presence locally to avoid spammers.

In a nutshell, SEO refers to improving your website on the unpaid results, and ultimately, ranking you on the first page of organic search engines. A great way to see SEO strategies is as an investment for your practice. SEO helps search engines navigate your website more structurally. Creating a website and not performing SEO is like having business cards and keeping them in your storage room. No one will know you have them. It is important to distribute your content across the web. This type of strategy can take time, but it is a great investment in the long run. Because in a year or so, you can stop SEO, and all the ranking will stay up there until another office starts climbing up; unlike Google Adwords, once you stop paying, you disappear from the map.

Local Listings are also part of SEO, so make sure you have claimed your Google MyBusiness (GMB) profile and you are keeping your patients up to date with current information about your practice. After all, your GMB is seen 3x more than your actual website, so ensure you have accurate contact information, great pictures, specials, and hours of operations listed. Your Google MyBusiness profile is a hub for all the information about your practice.

Tip: you can claim your free business profile at http://www.google.com/business/

5. REVIEWS: “THE NEW DIGITAL WORLD OF THE MOUTH.”

If you ask where your patients found you, most of their answers will be, ”I found you online... You had great google reviews... or someone recommended me to you.” Reviews have become the new word of mouth. Most people read reviews before going somewhere; I’m sure this includes you, searching for the best Italian restaurant in your area. What makes dentistry any different? People search for the best service, and great reviews translate into the best services. The best part is that it is not limited to one geographic area. Maintaining a good, steady service with a focus on patient satisfaction will lead to good reviews. Great reviews will separate you from other dental offices.

A bad review can negatively impact your work to a great extent. Always provide the best service and stay up-to-date with what reviews you receive. The saying “Ask and you shall receive” must be applied to this strategy. Most of the time, doctors are afraid of asking for a review, but if you know you provided excellent service, make sure you ask for a Google review. By asking, you keep the person accountable to leave a great review; moreover, when you say, “I can’t wait to read your feedback.”

If you feel asking is too much for you, there are programs such as RepBoost from Geek Dental Marketing that allow your staff to send text messages with an invitation to leave a review. This will make the review process smooth, and if patients happen to text back to that text, your staff will be able to answer right away via the two-way (SMS) text feature. Programs like this will help you boost your reviews in no time. We have seen offices getting 10-15 reviews per day. Keep in mind; “The best advertising is done by satisfied customers.” - Philip Kotler.

Reviews influence purchase decisions, so consider setting a goal to get 5-10 reviews monthly and watch your office phones ring a little more than usual.

6. GOOGLE ADS (PPC)

PPC stands for Pay Per Click. Google Ads is a Google-based advertising platform that uses a bidding system to promote a business to users searching online. So, why use Google Ads? Google is the biggest search engine on the internet. Most people even refer to Google as being the internet; that’s how big it is. With Google Ads, you can create online advertisements to promote your practice to your specific target audience. The best thing about PPC is that you only pay when someone clicks the Ad to get to your website or contact you. There are different strategies to use within Google Ads, but it is essential to keep track of your budget and your office’s KPIs to have a healthy campaign. Conversions are not always the best KPIs. You see, there is a massive gap between the digital world and the physical world, so it is wise also to have physical KPIs such as incoming patients to the office, not just online leads, to keep track of your real return.

So what’s the difference between Google Ads and SEO? Your PPC Ads are placed on top of the search engines so users can see your Ads faster. If your Ad is compelling and catches the person’s attention searching for a specific keyword or treatment, they will most likely turn into a patient.

When creating a Google Ads account, you must ensure that you or the company helping you optimize your campaigns keeps in mind hours of operations, landing pages, link extensions, location attachments, devices, offers, and more. There are many ways to optimize campaigns, but the biggest of all is the negative keywords! These are your best friends when it comes to Google Ads.

7. YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Youtube is a great medium to reach out to your target audience. Make simple educational videos as if you are talking to your patients to build trust. It helps you showcase your knowledge to assure patients that they should come to you for specific procedures. Visitors can get to know you before they even come to your office, so they’ll feel more at ease when finally talking to you in person. Using suitable titles, descriptions, and tags can help your channel grow and bring you great results.

In addition, you can create testimonial videos from your patients. New visitors will start trusting more when they see other patients talking about your service and work quality. Eventually, with time, if your videos get a lot of traffic, you can even monetize the channel and earn additional income from Youtube, which can help you boost your marketing strategies without taking from your overhead. Still, these are doctors that can commit their time and become influencers.

Never compromise with the quality of content
you upload. It will affect your reputation...

In addition, you can create testimonial videos from your patients. New visitors will start trusting more when they see other patients talking about your service and work quality. Eventually, with time, if your videos get a lot of traffic, you can even monetize them and earn additional income from Youtube, which can help you boost your marketing strategies without taking from your overhead.

Adobe Premiere Pro is a program used by video producers to edit videos. It can turn regular videos into magic! You can add transitions, cut scenes, or color-grade your videos so they can look professional. 

Lastly, Youtube videos will help boost your website’s SEO. If you are already investing in Search Engine Optimization, this is a great way to grow it and get organic local traffic.

Adobe premier video editing software: You can check prices and plans here:
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html?filter=video-audio&plan=individual

8. EMAIL MARKETING

Creating “Use it or Lose it” campaigns can help your end-of-the-year collection, but creating an email marketing campaign is not just to send promotions to your current patients. You can also build automated campaigns. An automated email campaign is a series of emails sent automatically, triggered by your subscribers’ actions or staff members. The cool part about automation is that 69% of offices said automation could help reduce wasted time.

There are many ways to get the most out of email marketing campaigns.

For example: when a new patient is scheduled for an appointment, the automated email campaign will send directions, welcome forms, etc., as an email. One week later, the patient will receive an email asking for reviews linking them to your Google reviews. Lastly, they can probably get a personalized letter asking for a referral of friends & family.

9. EXTENDED SERVICES (ALLIED MARKETING)

One way to make your business bloom is to offer extended services related to dentistry by making allies with other businesses. If you provide a package, it will be way more attractive. It will also be affordable for people. You can collaborate with trustworthy companies of your choice that offer services like plastic surgery, eyebrow microblading, medspas, dermatology, etc. (primarily related to the face to complement your services.

Connecting with other health aesthetic professionals will be beneficial for you. Services like dermatology and plastic surgery are related to the face, just like dentistry. Sometimes, a package service sells more than a single service. For example, suppose you are branding yourself as the cosmetic dentist in your area. You are using high-quality products such as Hermanson Lemke Veneers. Extended services can be an excellent idea for your practice; this will make you look apart from any other dental office around the block.

The best part about extended services is that all the patients from the other company will know about you right away, and vice-versa. It is a win/win situation. If you promote your services, you go 50/50 and not kill your marketing budget; it is an excellent way to save some money.

Case study: Dr. Jeff Trembley partnered with country music star, Jessie James Decker as an extended service. Patients can enter to win a smile and wardrobe makeover from two Nashville-based businesses.

10. WRITING A BOOK

Take some time to plan and write a book and see your credibility as a dentist grow higher.

Writing a book on dentistry and publishing it will add to your reputation and authority. We hold authors on a pedestal, so this will increase your credibility towards your services. Being a published author makes a difference and will separate you from other dentists. You can easily self-publish your book on Amazon.

Do not get distracted from your primary goal, and stick to writing about dentistry. There are also a lot of ghostwriters who can be hired. They will write according to what you want, and it will be credited to you. So, take some time to plan and write a book and see your credibility as a dentist grow higher.

This book is not about making a quick buck or getting people to buy your book. It is about building your reputation and growing your business. See it as a business card that holds experience within.

11. PODCASTING

Like writing and publishing a book, starting your podcast will enhance your reputation and increase your credibility. Focus on topics related to dentistry. Do not worry about attracting a massive audience. Instead, focus on putting out good quality content and polishing your reputation. This is a wonderful way to stand out and get noticed by your target audience. Do not give up and stay consistent.

Podcasts can tend to be more engaging than books because not everyone reads. Also, many people do not have enough free time. But a podcast can be listened to while traveling or even cleaning.

You may also invite other healthcare providers to join you on specific episodes; this will make your show more diverse! But, again, this is not to get you thousands of listeners or followers but to build your reputation and stand out from the rest.

Don’t want to spend money on Podcasting? We recommend https://anchor.fm.

12. CONVERSION-DRIVEN WEBSITE

Finally, we can’t leave this behind. Optimize your website to have a conversion-driven design. Conversion is the ratio of people visiting your website and taking action, such as buying, calling, or filling out a form. In this case, getting people to schedule appointments or calling would be the conversion you need. You can increase your website conversion rate by doing a few simple but necessary things. Instead of using hyperlinks to help the audience to book an appointment, use buttons. Make them prominent, visible, and attractive; that way, your visitors won’t miss them. Second, the loading time of your website is a big deal. Because the attention span and patience have decreased with time, people will not wait for your website to load.

Your website should be easy to navigate — make sure that the information is not presented chaotically. It is a big turn-off and eventually leads to low conversion rates. Adding real images also attracts more people to the website. Keep in mind that a picture speaks a thousand words, but a video gives your patients a specific message. A video is a high-conversion tool, so consider doing it. Make sure to add the relevant keywords that people will use to search when looking for a dentist. If you are doing a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign, these will also help drastically. Lastly, make sure your website is mobile optimized and has a “call” button on the first-page load— so that patients can call right away! Do not make it hard to find your number. Consider age in this matter; while some younger generations will be able to identify a button with a simple phone icon, older generations may want to see a clickable phone number. Always account for everything and think outside the box.

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These were twelve of the most effective online dental marketing strategies to maximize your practice in 2021. If you need any help creating specific campaigns, feel free to reach out! It’s never too late to start growing.

We will be giving a complimentary assessment of your digital presence for all Hermanson Lemke Dental partners, in which you’ll learn what can help you the most in your particular case. Remember that not all offices are the same.

For your complimentary assessment:
(954) 681-5824
info@geekdentalmarketing.com
GeekDentalMarketing.com

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About the author

Cesar Navarro
Geek Dental Marketing

Cesar Navarro, MS, is presently the Marketing Director & CEO of Geek Dental Marketing®, a marketing, development, and technology company for dental offices. With the vision to grow practices, improve management and visibility online, Cesar launched a full marketing company that focuses solely on dentistry to help dentists stand out from the crowd. Cesar holds over ten years of experience in the dental marketing field. He has also served as a group practice administrator and treatment coordinator, where he began his journey and passion for dentistry. Before dentistry, Cesar served as an NCO in the United States Army for several years, where he gathered many skills that most marketers lack. Combining all his skills like attention to detail and experiences, he has presented several CE courses to help dentists globally, such as “Leadership in a Dental Office,” “Branding Mastery Course,” “The How Much Patient? Converting & Selling”, “A New Era: Social Media Marketing,” and many more, and with it thousands of hours as a practice marketing consultant.

His strategy includes the GeekBoost™ program, which allows clients’ business information, including addresses and phone numbers, and online web presence to be distributed across multiple channels, such as landing pages, listings, and social media platforms from one single source – securing the accuracy of dental office information online.

Starting Out in the Digital Dental World

When should I Invest in an intraoral scanning technology? this is the most common question I am asked when I speak at conferences on digital dentistry. If you’ve spent any time practicing dentistry in the last ten years, you have probably been wondering about this yourself. When should you invest in an intraoral scanner? Unfortunately, my answer to that question is you should have invested five years ago. Don’t worry if you don’t like that answer, because, in the end, you are asking the wrong question.

Digital dentistry and impressions began in the early 1970s and have rapidly evolved since then to encompass all areas of a practice’s everyday workflow. There are piles of data showing that intraoral scans are more accurate, easier to use, and are more efficient. They are also great internal marketing tools and easily pay for themselves. The question you should be asking yourself is which scanner should you choose for your practice?

Nothing will replace the value of doing your research on intraoral scanners. However, there are multiple brands in the marketplace right now, and it is easy to get overwhelmed and confused by all the information coming at you. I’ll give you the benefit of my own experiences. I hope this helps you decide to get started with this remarkable technology, as I have seen firsthand the excellent benefits that come with this investment.

I currently have a CEREC® Primescan and a Medit i500 scanner at my practice (Medit just released the i700 last month). Both work great but are very different. Of these two scanners, which should you choose? There are two additional questions you should ask yourself to help you decide.

#1 Do You Want to Start Small & Simple with Intraoral Scanning?

If you are the kind of dentist that likes to dip your foot in the water instead of jumping right in, then the Medit i500 scanner is an excellent choice for you. The Medit i500 scanner is very easy to use and has a simple user interface for you to navigate with minimal or no training. This scanner is also a great first scanner as it is very affordable when compared to alternative scanners. It has an MSRP of around $18,000, making it easier for you to incorporate it into your budget. The Medit i500 also has an online portal to share scan images with your patient or a specialist.

The CEREC® Primescan, on the other hand, comes with a steeper learning curve than the Medit i500. It offers improved scanning that can handle steep angles, hard-to-reach areas, and shiny surfaces. These added scanning features also lend themselves to a scanner that requires more training and time to get comfortable using it in your practice. The CEREC® Primescan is currently considered one of the best scanners available in its class. If you want to get started at the top right away and are comfortable paying around $30,000 more than you would for the Medit i500, then the CEREC® Primescan would be a great option for you.

#2 What Do You Want from Your Scanner?

Do you want a scanner that provides an open .STL file for you to do what you want with, and that’s it? If so, then the Medit i500 is a great choice. It has an open scanner file output that you can use to view files and send cases to your dental laboratory.

Do you want to do the most with your scanner? The CEREC® Primescan offers the most applications of any other scanner. With this scanner, you can do aligner therapy, design implant surgical guides, send regular cases directly to your lab, and mill some of your own crowns. You can add a mill to your practice that will allow you to mill single-unit crowns and surgical guides. You can also connect it to a CBCT with implant scanning software, use it with SureSmile for aligner therapy, and send cases directly to your lab using the Connect Case Center.  

Are you still unsure about which scanner to choose? Ultimately, you may find that you’re like me and use both scanners. The Medit i500 is easy to bring from room to room, and I use it when sending right to MicroDental Lab for my larger implant guide cases. I also use my CEREC® Primescan for everyday single implant planning and guides that I mill in-house at my practice.

The most important thing is to know yourself and your practice. This knowledge will help you pick the best scanner for you, whether that be the Medit i500, the CEREC® Primescan, or one of the many other options out there on the market. No matter what you decide, you can be absolutely sure that it is time for you to invest and finally join the rest of us on the digital dental journey.

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About the Author:
Dr. Douglas Smail, DDS is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon located in New York State. He has over 27 years of experience in the dental industry. Dr. Smail uses digital dentistry every day in his work and is a proud advocate for incorporating the latest technological innovations into every practice. You can find Dr. Smail on his practice’s website, or through his LinkedIn page.

Newest Digital Solutions from MicroDental

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ROBERT KREYER, CDT

Workflow efficiency and precision are the core advantages of a prosthetic digital workflow.  Streamlined digital acquisition of clinical and technical data eliminates the variables inherent in an analog process and ensures the production of a predictable prosthetic outcome. MicroDental’s two newest digital products, Digital Orthotics and Digital Dentures offer patients precision solutions to complex treatment modalities. Digital Orthotics provides a range of solutions from high strength devices for patients with TMD, severe parafunctional problems, and bruxism to soft and flexible splits that offer comfort and durability. Digital Dentures offers the fully edentulous patient the precision fit of digitally fabricated removable prosthetics combined with the artistry of personalized lifelike esthetics. 

Digital Orthotics

The traditional or analog workflow for orthotic devices relies on clinical impressions taken with a relationship record followed by fabrication of a gypsum master cast and mounted on a dental articulator. The master cast for splints is duplicated, then waxed and processed on the duplicate cast with the final device seated on the master cast to check occlusion, followed by finishing and polishing. All are processes where human error and material inconsistencies can impede precision. 

Using MicroDental's Digital Orthotics digital workflow, the process is not only simplified, but all the variables inherent in the analog workflow are also eliminated. The dentist provides three scans—one each of the maxillary and mandibular arches (Figures 1 and 2) along with a bite scan—and uploads the scans to the laboratory. The laboratory imports the scans for the device's CAD design then exports the design to a 3D printer for printing the final prosthetic. The digital workflow eliminates all the analog variables so critical to achieving consistency and predictability. It creates a digital record that enables the clinician and technician to replicate another orthotic or prosthetic device from the last archived file instead of starting all over, thus eliminating substantial clinical chair time.

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Figure 1

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Figure 2

Three device options are available with MicroDental’s Digital Orthotics: static devices with flat plane occlusion (Figure 3); functional occlusal devices with canine guidance (Figure 4); or anterior guidance devices (Figure 5). The digital CAD design software allows adjustments in device thickness, occlusal mapping, and even eliminating interferences in excursive movements on a virtual articulator. The 3D printed finished, and the polished occlusal splint is fabricated using Keysplint Soft, a thermoplastic material that is both comfortable and durable. The final product (Figure 6) is a clear splint with even thicknesses and contours throughout.

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Figure 3

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Figure 4

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Figure 5

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Figure 6 - Final Product

Digital Dentures

MicroDental Digital Dentures offer fully edentulous patients the latest in next-generation technology for precision fit removable prosthetics with truly personalized lifelike esthetics. The digitally-designed denture base is 3D printed from Dentsply Sirona’s premium high-impact Lucitone Digital Print 3D denture resin and combined with IPN 3D Digital denture teeth using Carbon3D’s breakthrough 3D printing technology. Lucitone Digital Print denture resin features next-generation 4D smart polymer technology that permits the finished denture to immediately respond to body temperature while being worn to amplify its fracture-resistant properties. This material actually becomes stronger at 36 degrees Celsius, surpassing the strength of conventional high impact acrylic resins, in the oral environment. 

The improved fit, functional occlusion, and stabilization of digitally designed dentures are well documented in the literature. Virtual analysis of the ridge relationships and occlusal vector forces improves stability and function for supporting edentulous arches. The lip support position (Figure 7) shown in brown shades in the anterior and posterior areas indicates the stopping point on an inclined plane of 22.5 degrees. The ability to virtually analyze tooth-to-ridge relationships from a facial, buccal and lingual perspective, which is impossible in an analog denture design process, is the key contributor to creating a better denture for your edentulous patients.

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Figure 7

The state-of-the-art 3D printed MicroDental Digital Dentures (Figure 8) offer patients a highly esthetic and functional set of maxillary and mandibular complete removable prosthetics. Equally critical is the digital record that now enables the clinician and technician to exactly replicate another orthotic or prosthetic device from the last archived file instead of starting all over, thus eliminating substantial clinical chair time.

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Figure 8

For more information on MicroDental’s Digital Denture Solution please watch the webinar on our YouTube channel where Dr. Stephen Wagner and Robert Kreyer discuss and provide Clinical and Technical on how you can provide this type of digital denture solution to your edentulous patients.

Are you patients ACTUALLY sleeping well?

Why dentists should embrace Dental Sleep Medicine & what are the first steps to getting started?

BY DAVID WALTON
CEO & CO-FOUNDER OF RESPIRE, A WHOLE YOU LAB

The new hot topic of dentistry…Dental Sleep Medicine! What does this conjure up in your mind? A new profit center, a new way to diversify your patient offering, and a way to work less and make more money? I urge you to consider a more moral reason.  Simply put, you are about to affect patients lives in ways you never imagined.

You can give patients more energy to play with their children.  You will be able to reduce the chances of heart attacks and strokes. You may even save a marriage and bring bed partners back into the same room for the first time in years...maybe. 

Now, like anything worth doing, it must be done right and there is a lot to learn. To quote Dr John Tucker, “it’s not difficult, it’s just different!”

“It’s not difficult, it’s just different!”

— Dr. John Tucker

Like any business venture there needs to be a plan but the good news is that there is a support network explained below to help you navigate this new era.  Education is always paramount but this is a team driven project, so your staff need to be trained too. Take a look at OSA University as a first step to getting everyone geared up https://osauniversity.org/. Dentists can take a look at Tucker Educational Excellence https://www.tuckereducationalexcellence.com/ for an introductory course to get you started on your journey. You should also attend the national conference organized by the AADSM https://aadsm.org/.

On this new endeavor, there is one thing to remember: you are now in a medical model. This means working with medical doctors, dealing with a medical condition and ultimately, working with medical insurance.  The team at Pristine Medical Billing https://www.pristinemedicalbilling.com/ will be able to walk you through the how’s and why’s of this arena. 

Next up: testing and diagnosis. There are a few options here including working directly with a local ENT, hospital, or sleep lab. Another option is working with a company like SleepTest.com https://sleeptest.com/. Please remember that making a sleep device cannot be done under the guise of a snoring device to avoid the medical aspect. You need a diagnosis and the team at Sleep Test will be able to walk you through this. 

Oral appliances…the exciting part! The team at Microdental provide the full range of Whole You devices to meet specific patients’ needs, whether that is a bruxing patient, someone with a small mouth or someone with a new set of veneers that they are looking to protect. 

There is a lineup of upcoming podcasts and webinars by Microdental to help you on your journey into this new world of Dental Sleep Medicine.

Preventing Cross-Contamination with Clinical Procedures

BY ROBERT KREYER, CDT

With “Returning-to-Work” presented to us, the primary concern has turned towards the implementation of infection control protocols to prevent cross-contamination. Cross-contamination is two-fold, both between dental health care personnel and between operatory and laboratory personnel. We must understand CDC Universal Precautions in our unique dental settings, along with updated OSHA and CDC COVID-19 guidelines that were established in May of 2020.

The objective of this article is to discuss preventing cross-contamination with clinical procedures, such as impressions and prosthetic procedures between the dental office and laboratory.

Read ahead for helpful links and resources for each topic.

History of Infection Control in Dental Settings
In 1986, the CDC published guidelines in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for Recommended Infection Control Practices for Dentistry. This weekly report published on April 18, 1986, changed dentistry by creating mandatory Universal Precaution Guidelines for Dental Health Care Personnel (DHCP) within the dental setting. These Infection Control Guidelines have been a part of clinical and technical dental care for the last 34 years. Link to 1986 CDC MMWR:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00033634.htm
 
Updated CDC Guidance in Dental Settings
On May 19, 2020, the CDC provided guidance to prevent cross-contamination in dental settings of suspected COVID-19 patients and how to limit exposure:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/dental-settings.html
 
Updated OSHA Guidance for COVID-19
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its guidance for DHCP with a COVID-19 Risk Chart:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/dentistry.html
 
Tip for Oral Rinse Before Taking Impressions or Working on Prosthetics
The use of a bactericidal mouthwash or rinse can significantly reduce the oral flora and number of microorganisms in dental aerosols. Mouth rinses have been shown to reduce oral flora by 76% to 96% and the number of bacteria in aerosols by 89%. One new mouth rinse formulated for the Coronavirus or COVID-19 using Molecular Iodine is called ioRinse RTU Ready to Use Mouth Rinse:
https://www.iotechinternational.com/products
 
Disinfection Recommendations for Different Impression Materials
Preventing cross-contamination of pathogenic bacteria between dental operatories and laboratories with dental impressions is an essential part of infection control procedures.
Impressions for dental prosthetics should be double-checked during the disinfection procedure for any blood on the surface or around any implant component. If blood is present on the impression, it must be removed then disinfected before pouring, scanning, or sending it to the dental laboratory. To better understand proper disinfection with different impression materials, click on the link:
https://www.dentaleconomics.com/macro-op-ed/article/16393662/impression-disinfection
 
Tip for Pumicing and Polishing Old Dentures and Appliances in the Dental Office
When prosthetic appliances are removed directly from the mouth and pumiced or polished in the dental office without disinfection protocols, pumice can quickly become contaminated. To avoid this–after the denture or appliance is disinfected–use a small amount of fresh pumice for each procedure. Pumice can be set up in advance in the stretch to fit plastic bags that can be fitted around pumice pan. Click on the link for an example of a stretch to fit bags: Elastic Closure Plastic Bag Example.
 
After each use, the pumice must be discarded then replaced with fresh pumice from a plastic fitted bag set-up. The rag wheels and brushes should be disinfected or sterilized after they are used on a denture or appliance that has been in the mouth. The buff wheels and brushes used for pumicing should be stored in a sterilized bag or pouch until needed. After pumicing and polishing the denture or appliance, the prosthesis is then disinfected again before being inserted into the mouth. Any tools used to repair an old denture need to be cleaned and disinfected. Also, if a pressure pot is used, it needs to be disinfected unless the appliance is placed in a sealed bag to isolate it from the pot.
 
Glossary of Infection Control Terms
To improve communication and collaboration with infection control practices, it’s essential that we understand the proper terminology for infection control practices in the dental setting. Link to CDC infection control glossary:
https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/glossary.htm

As the practice of dentistry enters this new era of infection control, we are prepared with 34 years of experience and knowledge in preventing cross-contamination of pathogenic bacteria. With the updated 2020 guidance from CDC and OSHA, dental offices and laboratories will be providing optimal infection control care for patients seeking prosthetic treatment.

Weekly Update

We are pleased to inform you that where the “shelter-in-place orders” have been lifted, our labs are ready to accept all of your dental laboratory cases. Our team wants to remind you that we are here to support you and your patients' restorative needs. We are prepared and excited to collaborate with you and look forward to connecting with your team soon. 

Our commitment to you remains the same; to deliver restorative based solutions at the highest functional and aesthetic requirements, fabricated with your specifications and your patient's satisfaction top of mind. In addition, we have enhanced our safety and disinfection guidelines within our lab and during pick-up and delivery trips—adjusting to new safety, health, and compliance standards. Our goal is to be abreast and adhere to new industry regulations continually. More than ever, we are devoted to the well-being of our customers, employees, and the community as we focus on supporting your success.

As an additional safety measure, we ask that you continue to disinfect all impressions and place them in biohazard bags before sending them to our lab. We would also ask that the RX's are placed in a separate biohazard bag to avoid cross-contamination. 

We understand that our dental community is adapting to our "new normal" and are optimistic about the opportunities ahead of us. Please feel free to contact us to discuss case planning, material recommendation, digital files, or shipping supplies. We miss you and look forward to connecting with you soon! 

Introducing the Smiles Matter® Podcast

JUST RELEASED!

Smiles Matter™, a new podcast from MicroDental Laboratories, brings you our first series, COMEBACK STRATEGIES. Interviewed by Laura Kelly, MicroDental and Modern Dental USA CEO, some of the most accomplished dentists shared their insight on how they are facing current challenges, and what they are planning to do to succeed as their practice reopens. Now available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pocket Cast and Pandora.

Navigating Tough Times

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS FAGD

The Navy Seals have a unique way of surviving the most difficult situations, conditions, and experiences. They train at the highest level, prepare for contingencies and have the best equipment known to mankind. At this time in our history, dentistry is faced with so many challenges that would have been impossible to predict; incredible educational debt, reimbursement declines, manpower shortages and now, COVID-19. Nonetheless, we must persevere, survive and then rise from the abyss and grow our practices again. Dentists and their teams are like entrepreneurial small business navy seals. We are well trained, tough and we will survive this evolution. COVID-19 presents challenges that grow each day; offices are sheltered, teams are temporarily unemployed, revenues curtailed, expenses amplified, and we face the risk of a pandemic affecting ourselves and our families. Give up? No way!

Think like a Navy Seal. Work the problem. Ask for and openly take help when offered. Communicate well. Don’t panic, but don’t bury your head in the sand either. Embrace the challenges. Our government and the ADA will help, but they will not solve all our issues. Our teams, families, and patients will suffer alongside us. They will look for us to lead. Hold our head up high, always look to the future and inspire others to see the way forward. This too shall pass. We may not know when, but if we take it One Day at a Time and move forward together, we will thrive.

Navy Seals often share quotes that inspire and explain. Here are 7 that inspire me right now.

1. The only easy day was yesterday.
2. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
3. Don't run to your death.
4. Have a shared sense of purpose.
5. No plan survives first contact with the enemy.
6. Have a plan B, C, D and maybe even a plan E.
7. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

I hope this analogy helps you gather the strength to carry on. Many of us live through the great recession of 2008-2009. It was tough for sure. The media made it sound like the end was near. Until a few weeks ago, the market was up over 300% and we were enjoying the longest bull market in history. Let’s all get together in 6 months and share our war stories. We will all have plenty!

Weekly Update

While current challenges continue to evolve, the health and safety of our employees, customers, and your patients remain our primary focus. Our teams meet daily to assess how to comply with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We are also taking additional and necessary measures to support everyone's well-being responsibly as we support our customers and their practice. Furthermore, we want to inform you that our MicroDental laboratories remain operational for your emergency and essential needs throughout the US. 

To maintain essential services and the ability to stay connected to your dental practice, you may reach us 24/7. Please contact us at 800.229.0936, and one of our Customer Experience Specialists will be ready to provide technical and service support.

Stay healthy, safe, and connected.

Update & Response to COVID-19

Dear Dental Community,

Our highest priority at this time is the health and safety of our teams, our valued customers, and your patients. As the global challenges continue to evolve, we would like to share some information regarding  steps we are taking to minimize the risk of exposure to our employees, our customers, and the community.

The challenges we are currently facing are real, and we can assure you that our laboratories are operating to support your immediate and essential restorative needs. As a precaution, we have invoked a mandatory work from home rule for our Customer Experience and Solutions Teams, restricted all business travel, CE Events, and all scheduled face to face meetings. These additional steps are precautionary and a necessary measure given the evolving circumstances.

We are paying close attention to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and our internal teams meet daily to stay abreast of the situation and adjust as needed with any new information. While we carefully review and navigate the daily challenges faced by our communities, we will continue to support you to the best of our abilities. Here you have a brief list of measures we are taking to support everyone's health and safety:

• All of our laboratories follow strict OSHA disinfecting protocols to ensure that our facilities are clean and sanitized at all times, and we have increased the frequency of our sanitation efforts.

• As a precautionary measure, all delivery personnel wears masks and gloves.

• Visitor access to our facilities is temporarily restricted to employees only.

• Our upcoming CE Events are being rescheduled, and several will soon be delivered via webinars. We are notifying registered attendees via email or phone and are looking forward to connecting with you soon. 

• Our Technical, Customer Experience, and Customer Solutions Teams are available to communicate with you via phone, email, and video conferencing.

• A 24/7 live answering phone service is in place to provide you with an immediate point of contact, and extended hours of services to meet your needs.

As we continue to navigate through this situation, we will keep you informed as to any developments and important updates. If you have any questions, concerns, or immediate needs, we invite you to contact us at any time. Our technical and service teams will continue to be available and are looking forward to hearing from you. We appreciate your support, friendship, and loyalty. 

Stay healthy, stay connected, and together we will get through these challenging times. If I can be of any assistance please feel free to contact me directly. (laurakelly@microdental.com).

Laura Kelly, AAACD
Chief Executive Officer

Another Great Conversation Tip; Framing Periodontitis

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

We had so many positive responses and requests for more of last month’s tip, so here is another one.

According to a CDC report*, 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Also, periodontal disease increases with age, 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease.

When talking about periodontitis with patients, it is important to create a sense of curiosity and self-discovery for them.  Although it is easier to tell them what you see in your exam, it is far better for them to figure it out themselves.  They will be more likely to own the problem and want the solution.

Here is the key. Talk about perio on a model, using pictures or slides. Before you ever look in their mouth, create a scorecard for them:

·       Not bleeding is good

·       That first line on the probe means healthy

·       Pink colored gums are good

·       Red gums and bleeding are bad

·       Deeper probe depths means bad

·       Even deeper means bone loss

·       Bone loss is painless like heart disease or cancer…it does not hurt until it is too late

·       Bone loss is irreversible, we can arrest the disease, but cannot grow the bone back

Let’s have a look together and see how healthy your gums are…use a large face mirror in their hand to follow along. Show them some healthy areas first, then begin your exam. They will be curious, discover for themselves areas of concern, and be more likely to accept your treatment recommendations. Not always, just more often.

*Eke PI, Dye B, Wei L, Thornton-Evans G, Genco R. Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010. J Dent Res. Published online 30 August 2012:1–7. View full text.

The Best Tip I Ever Got On Starting Esthetic Conversations

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

As many of you know, I no longer practice traditional dentistry. I teach and lecture in the Practice Management and Dental Sleep Medicine arena and still act as a consultant for some practices with leadership issues. However, when I DID do restorative dentistry, I often struggled to start the conversation with patients about how their teeth looked. I tried the common question, “If you could snap you fingers and change one thing about your smile…what would it be?” That always seemed a bit forward or pseudo-manipulative. It also assumed that they wanted to or would change something, or that I was implying that their teeth needed improvement. So, if they loved their smile, I was being intrusive. Then one day, I was teaching a shade taking course and I was gifted an accidental "aha" moment.

After explaining all of the advantages of digital shade taking, 3D Master, Classic Shades and the Vita Linear Guide, one of the participants (who already owned a digital shade taking device) said his best use of the technology was to start a conversation about esthetics with patients. My head spun around, I looked him in the eye and said, “How do you do that?” Simple, he explained….

As part of every new patient comprehensive exam, I do all the usual things; periodontal charting, TMD evaluation, dental exam, muscle palpation, joint auscultation…you know the drill. Then at the appropriate time during the dental charting portion, I advise the patient that we are going to take a baseline shade of their teeth. He used the digital shade device (but you could simply use a shade guide), and quietly and thoroughly held up and matched several tabs. Then he called out the values, and the assistant wrote them down on to the next step of the exam (whatever your sequence would be). But wait! Patients who are interested in their esthetics, shade, or what may be possible to improve their smile, always stopped him and asked, “What shade was I?”. There had been no comparisons, patient inputs, or judgment about their smile or the appearance of their teeth. Simply, they had quietly taken and recorded the shade. He told me, and I agree, there are only two kinds of patients in the world when you do that. The ones who ask their shade, and those who don’t.

The patients who ask are opening a dialogue on their terms about their teeth, smile, or esthetics. No tricky questions or ‘in their face’ assumptions, just open and honest curiosity about what may be possible. I liked it and used it many times over the years. It worked close to 100% of the time. It gave the patient a way to start a conversation that they likely wanted to have, and that you were already thinking about. I would suggest organizing your shade guide by value from the brightest (highest), to the darkest (lowest), so that when you show the patient their shade, they can see the possibilities. Sometimes their shade was already great, and the discussion slid into shape, contour, position, or gumminess. All good. Be prepared, be open, and consider letting your patient start this conversation. It is very likely to go somewhere productive.

The ONE Number You Need to Know

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

For several years now I have been talking about customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, and now customer engagement. The Pankey Institute, (with whom I have been associated with for more than 30 years) taught us very much about surveying our customers and understanding the role of employee loyalty and engagement.

In 2004, I read an article in the Harvard Business Review by Fred Reichheld that really took a look at survey data gathered over a long period of time and summed it up in a single, focused question.“How likely are you to refer your friends of colleagues to do business with us?”

That question is scored on a 0 to 10 scale with 9 and 10 being the true promoters of your business model. Scores of 7 and 8 turn out to be passive promoters and are completely dropped from any of the calculations. And then the 0 to 6 scores are considered negative and called detractors. Although they may be doing business with you, these are people whose lack of encouragement (in fact even discouragement) of other people from using your services acts to detract away from your growth development and good profitability of your business.

This ultimate question yielded three types of client customer interactions and relationships. It can be used to define what is called a net promoters' score. That is to say, that we take the percentage of promoters of your business subtract the detractors and we get a result that represents our net promoter score. Across all businesses the data that has been gathered form thousands of company’s net scores, stands just below 10 percent promoters as an average. 

When you first ask this kind of question in a brief 5 to 10 question survey, whatever score you get is a starting point. This starting point then can be used so that you can define, design, and execute strategic plans and initiatives to improve the likelihood that your clients and customers will become raving fans. People who enjoy doing business with you so much would feel comfortable leveraging their relationships and recommend a friend to you. That is a true and significant measure of satisfaction loyalty - trust really. 

One of the interesting discussions that Reichheld has in his book besides net promoters' score is that concept of good profits and bad profits. Reichheld talks about companies not being able to tell the difference between good and bad profits and as a result, often become hooked on bad profits. These kinds of profits can choke true growth and prevent the company from reaching the greatness of which it is capable. Examples include when a customer feels mislead, mistreated or ignored. Bad profits don’t really show up on the books in terms of being recognized as a different type of income, but they are the profits that are made at the expense of customer relationships. Bad profits often produce detractors. These are people who are still doing business with us, but cost the company far more that other liabilities on the balance sheet.

The alternative would be developing good profits. Good profits are earned when a company delights its customers such that they are willing to come back for more and tell their friends and colleagues. Amazon.com, for example, could easily afford to advertise more than it does. Instead, it channels its investments into free shipping, lower prices and service enhancements. Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has said if you build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Southwest Airlines doesn’t charge for luggage or flight changes, instead they offer passengers a credit that can be used any time in the next 12 months. Also, they have replaced the industry's segmented pricing structure with a transparent two tier pricing policy. Not to mention when you fly Southwest you always seem to have fun.

We mentioned earlier that net promoters' scores across the United States hovered just under 10 percent, but here are some net promoters' score stars: Home Bank, Harley Davidson, Costco, Amazon, Chick-Fil-A, Ebay, Vanguard, SAS, Apple, Cisco, FedEx, American Express, Dell, and Electronic Arts are all example of companies with net promoter score above 50 percent. That is an incredible feat. 

I think in our businesses, the dental laboratory service and manufacturing industry, we have an opportunity to use net promoter scores to help us identify the right kinds of customers and the right kinds of business policies that enhance customer experience. If we build a great experience for our clients, customers, and doctors, I believe they will tell their friends and we will grow. In fact, in every article I have ever read, the number one source for new customers in the dental laboratory profession has always been existing customer referrals.

Let's develop strategic plans and initiatives that support and enhance the customer experience and create more promoters. 

Fasting and Feasting this Holiday

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

Soon the holidays will be upon us — the speed at which the season's whirl pass is blinding. Our profession is stressful, exacting, challenging, and very demanding. You get the idea. Try to take time this season to stop, smell the roses, and give thanks. Not just on Thanksgiving, but throughout the holidays. Our profession blesses us with so many reasons to be grateful. Maybe writing in a journal would help us admit and celebrate the good things about dentistry and look past the imperfections. We don’t have to find BIG things to demonstrate our gratitude; they can be small, yet powerful. Helping someone chew again. Restoring a smile. A child that didn’t feel the pinch of the needle. You get the idea. There is a smile for every story and gratitude for all involved. See if you can Feast on things that matter more and Fast from things you do not enjoy. Embrace optimism and shun indifference.

As the New Year approaches fitness, weight loss, and other healthy resolutions come to mind. This year we are focusing outward on our growth and actualization. We hope to be more grateful for the things we have and share our excesses. “When we have more than we need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence.” The meditation below helps us pause and reflect on how many ways we can enjoy gratitude, work on self-improvement, and improve the lives of those around us in the New Year. Post this in the staff lounge and talk about it at team meetings. Journal more. Fast and Feast. You will have a GREAT 2020!

Mark T. Murphy, DDS, FAGD

How Can Halloween Help Our Practice?

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

It is not what you think! My wife and I would usually be scrambling to find a costume when we were invited to a Halloween party. Upper and Lower GI (fatigue shirt for her, pants for me), The Blues Brothers (she is short, I am tall) or Raggedy Ann and Andy come to mind. These costumes allowed us to take on a different persona, even, if only for a night. What persona would you want to project if you were dressing up as a dentist in your practice? Although there is no ‘wrong’ answer, I would suggest there are some attributes we would want to channel if we could.

Dentistry is a challenging profession. We examine, diagnose and plan treatment for folks so they can keep their teeth the rest of their lifetime in comfort, function and esthetics. That is a tall task indeed. We need to be awesome listeners so we can come to understand their issues and help guide them towards health. If we can exhibit empathy and care, patients may come to trust us and ask us for our advice on what they need to do. These are not skills or costumes we learned in dental school, but are so very important to our practice success.

How do we get there? It is not easy. Perhaps, this Halloween season, we should think about what ‘costume’ we should wear to help us engage our patients at this level. The Listener? A Caregiver? Your Trusted Friend? All worthy personas to take on if we want our patients to better accept our treatment recommendations. By taking time to listen and care for our patients, they may come to trust us a little more. We all ask people we trust for advice. What better way to help folks make better health care decisions than to invite them to ask us what to do.

Listening shows we care.

We trust people who care.

We ask caring people for advice.

Mark T. Murphy, DDS, FAGD

What is Your Office Culture?

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

I recently sat in a presentation by the CEO of Smile Source, Trevor Mauer. He was talking about their 700+ member’s culture (which had already been on clear display at the meeting). He said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast, operational excellence for lunch and everything else for dinner.” I paused and though, maybe so. If our patients don’t know who we are, what we do or why we do it, how can we have the kind of impact that we want. If we want to help more patients have better dental health and experiences, what better way than to lure them to the table with attractions. Our intentional identity, team members investment and brand recognition are cornerstones to a successful practice. I struggled to think of a successful happy dentist or practice that did not have these attributes.

Forbes Magazine says there are three main advantages of having a well-defined and positive ‘dental practice’ culture.

Identity that is consistent with your values. How and why you do what you do will resonate with the ‘Right’ patients. That makes dentistry more fun and profitable.

Retention. When the culture is fun, meaningful, AND productive, people stay in the jobs longer. Turnover often occurs when teams do not feel connected to each other, a sense of purpose or the practice leader’s vision and values.

Image. It is nearly impossible to be all things to all people. So, what is your focus? How would you describe your practice and what makes it different/special/unique to others viewing it?

Strategic planning and execution are where we thrive as leader-dentists in business. We are used to treatment planning (think parallels to strategic planning) and delivery dental care (think operational excellence). Where are we and our practice when culture is discussed. Do we have one? How would we define it? How would out team describe it? And perhaps, most important, how do our patients experience it? Answering these questions will drive predictable fulfillment and success in an ever-changing dental world.

Mark T. Murphy, DDS, FAGD

“Word Search” Team Meeting Idea

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

Sometimes we speak or answer quickly without thinking about the WORDS we are choosing or the impact they will have. When we say, “Root Canal,” it invokes a different emotion than “Saving the Tooth.” A great Team exercise we have used in the past is to make a substitution list. It provides choices of HOW to say something in a way that may feel or fit better than what we are currently using. Pass out the list below to your team at a meeting and give then 10 or 15 minutes to thoughtfully think up alternative words. Share the list and develop an armamentarium of Word Search answers you can consciously choose to use in different situations.

·       Full Mouth

·       Recall

·       Cleaning

·       Waiting Room

·       Operatory

·       Dental Work

·       Grind

·       Price

·       Bill

·       Cost

·       Discount

·       Policy

·       Simple Extraction

·       Root Canal

·       Running late

·       Cancellation

·       Any Questions?

·       Hurt or Pain

·       Crown

·       Filling

·       Scaling and Root Planing

·       Make up your own!

Have fun with this kind of an exercise. It is meant to be positive and growth oriented. There is no ONE right answer and sometimes, different situations or people require alternatives. It is about building your verbal skill set and library with options. Let your team shine and embrace their ideas, after-all, as dentists, we are not usually described as Great Communicators! Enjoy!

Mark T. Murphy, DDS, FAGD