Management Lessons from the Underground Railroad
So you think you have management headaches. Imagine trying to orchestrate the transfer of slaves to freedom prior to the Civil War. Men, women, and children, most of who were frightened out… Continue On +
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
How do you handle situations where dental patients refuse x-rays? Do you see the patients anyway? How about when patients need treatment for gum disease, yet they insist on having a basic… Continue On +
Tools for Deterring Embezzlement
Since fraud and embezzlement are major problems in dental practices, it’s nice to know you have a tool to potentially identify check fraud. Positive Pay is an automated fraud detection service offered… Continue On +
How to Permanently Plan for Temporary Disability (Part I)
Some of the most important planning in business relates to making preparations for the unexpected. The businesses that have protections and safeguards in place to weather unforeseen circumstances are more often than… Continue On +
How Does Your Team Want to Receive Feedback
Someone once posted the following, “What is the shortest word in the English language that contains the letters: abcdef? The answer is feedback. Don’t forget that feedback is one of the essential… Continue On +
Dealing With the Rising Cost of Health Care
As we continue to see the cost of health care increase and outpace inflation, it is important for employers to make sure they have a health plan that is best for them. … Continue On +
How to Handle a Clash of New Patient Expectations
One of the worst-case scenarios for a dentist is to find significant decay on a new patient who expects everything is fine. How do you break the bad news without making the… Continue On +
Win Your Patients Over With Prompt Follow-Up
We have all experienced situations where we expected a healthcare provider or a vendor to follow-up on our questions; however they never called. What kind of impression did that make? In many… Continue On +
Curbing Last-Minute Cancellations
Few things are more irritating to a dentist and team than patients who cancel at the last-minute, leaving big gaps in the schedule. And it’s normal for dentists and teams to want… Continue On +
Sharing Praise
Do you enjoy receiving praise? You’re not alone. Most of us appreciate sincere positive feedback, and when we receive it we immediately perk up. At a recent meeting with a dentist, I… Continue On +
Getting the Most Out of Feedback
Management guru Ken Blanchard once said, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” But what if the feedback is tough to swallow? The current issue of Inc. magazine has an excellent article about… Continue On +
Speaking the Patient’s Language
Imagine if an exterminator informed you, after inspecting your house, that you had isopterans. What would you ask next? Let’s assume the exterminator noticed a puzzled look on your face, so he… Continue On +