Alpha Omegan Journal of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity Volume 107 • Number 3 | Fall 2014
New Patients How to Find Them and How to Keep Them
Also Inside: • Fraternity News • Stress Management
De d i c at e d t o t h e s pa n i s h a n d P o rt u g e s e H o r s e
Alpha Omegan Journal of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity Volume 107 • Number 3
FALL 2014
10
18
Image © Tyler Olson | 123rf.com
features 8 More Than Just a Pretty Face: What You
Website Should Do to Attract New Patients By Rusty Curtis
On the Cover:
This edition of the Alpha Omegan takes an in depth look at how dental practices can acquire new patients through marketing strategies. Articles also examine how to determine the value of new patients and how to keep them filling your chairs long term.
A dental practice’s website is so much more than digital signage. An effective website answers patient questions, inspire confidence in the dental providers, and offers an excellent first impression.
10 How to Attract New Patients with Internet
Search Now
By Lane Anderson Today, potential new dental patients are finding dental office search results using their smartphones and tablet devices. Is your dental practice keeping up? Three Internet search fundamentals will help make sure your practice remains visible.
12 Marketing to the Patients Next Door departments 4 International President’s Message
6 From the Desk of the International Editor
7 From the Desk of the Scientific Editor
22 Fraternity News
By Chris Toconis This article shares 21 strategies your dental practice can implement today to begin marketing to the new patients right outside your office doors.
16 The Zero Cost Marketing Proposition By Steven J. Anderson A marketing expert shares his top five common sense steps for reaching new patients at no cost.
18 Stress Management in Dentistry By Mark Grossman Dentists face challenges every day in their practices, but helpful strategies can keep them from falling into “stress inducing traps.”
2
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
www.ao.org
Alpha Omegan
2014 Alpha Omegan Publication Staff
Journal of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity
International Editor-In-Chief
Alpha Omegan (ISSN 0002-6417) is owned by Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity. 50 West Edmonston Drive, Suite 303, Rockville, MD 20852 USA; Tel.: 301738-6400; Fax: 301-738-6403; E-mail: headquarters@ao.org; Website: www.ao.org
Steven Spitz, DMD
While the editorial staff of the Alpha Omegan exercises great care to ensure accuracy, we strongly suggest that the reader consult the manufacturer’s instructions before using any products mentioned within the publication. The views contained in the Alpha Omegan are those of the respective authors and not necessarily those of the publisher, the Fraternity, the advertisers, or our affiliates.
Scientific Editor Steven Anderson
AO Contributors
Subscriptions
Lane Anderson Steve Anderson Rusty Curtis Mark Grossman, DMD Chris Toconis
Contact: Heidi Weber Executive Director hweber@ao.org Phone: 877.368.6328 or 301.738.6400
Domestic U.S.:
Canadian and International:
$75.00 $100.00
Alpha Omegan PUBLISHING OFFICE Lionheart Publishing, Inc. 506 Roswell Street, Suite 220 , Marietta, GA 30060
Editorial Board Steve Braunstein, DDS Barry Chapnick, DDS Ronald Feinman, DDS Arnold Feldman, DDS
Ronald Goldstein, DDS Steve Kahan, DDS Fred Margolis, DDS Morton Rosenbluth, DDS
Roger Spott, DDS Michael Stern, DDS Sidney Tourial, DDS Daniel Uditsky, DDS
President
David Schneider, DMD International Treasurer
Adam Stabholz, DMD International President Elect
Steven Spitz, DMD International Editor
John Llewellyn E-mail: llewellyn@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 209
Publishing Editor Brooke Schmidt E-mail: brooke@lionhrtpub.com 770.704.5189
2014 International OFFICErs
Avi Wurman, DDS International President
Tel: 770.431.0867 Toll Free: 888.303.5639 Fax: 770.432.6969 Web: www.lionhrtpub.com
Gary Scharoff, DDS International Secretary
Art Director
Alan Brubaker E-mail: albrubaker@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 218
Assistant Art Director
Leslie Proctor E-mail: leslie@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 228
nline Projects/FTP Manager O
Patton McGinley E-mail: patton@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 214
Assitstant Online Projects/ FTP Manager
Leslie Proctor E-mail: leslie@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 228
Display Advertising Sales
Marvin Diamond E-mail: marvin@lionhrtpub.com Office: 770.431.0867, ext. 208
Art Shaeffer E-mail: art@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 227
Reprints
Kelly Millwood E-mail: kelly@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 215
Non-Member Subscriptions
Amy Halvorsen E-mail: amyh@lionhrtpub.com 770.431.0867, ext. 205
Postmaster: Send address changes to: 50 West Edmonston Drive, Suite 303, Rockville, MD 20852. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2014 Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity.
Marcy Schwartzman, DMD Immediate Past International President
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
3
International President’s Message
Alpha Omega – Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program Launches
Avi Wurman, DDS International President
awurman@ao.org
A recent front page headline in the weekly Canadian Jewish News stated, “One in seven Canadian Jews lives below the poverty line – What are we doing about it?” Usually statistics about poverty in Canada mirror those in the United States, so it would not surprise anyone to learn that 15% of all Jews living in the United States live below the poverty line. This is a shocking truth that all of us who deeply care about our communities must face and take action to help resolve. After all, ‘tikkun olam’ is central to everything we do as Alpha Omegans. While the 15% is a shocking number to many of us, the fact that one quarter of Holocaust Survivors residing in the United States live in poverty is even more upsetting. As a child of Holocaust survivors, I am acutely aware of the many challenges my parents and their survivor friends and relatives faced after the war. They were alone, in a new land, learning a new language, with very little learned skills or higher education. Many survivors faced debilitating health issues from years of nutritional deprivation and Nazi brutality, not to mention the emotional and psychological scars that resulted from appalling personal experiences and witnessing the suffering of their loved ones. Thankfully, most received some help, began to work in factories or started small shops and businesses, and were able to start a new life establishing a loving home for their family. Many survivors, however, were not as fortunate and are still suffering today.
In December 2013, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced a White House initiative to support the needs of Holocaust survivors living in the United States. As part of this initiative, a new position at the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services was created to assist victims of Nazi persecution living in the United States. Earlier this year, Aviva Sufian was named as the first Special Envoy for U.S. Holocaust Survivor Services. Ms. Sufian’s focus will be on survivors living in poverty and to advance programs that will help Holocaust survivors. She was directed to collaborate with non-profit organizations and the private sector to raise awareness about the needs of this vulnerable population and explore public-private partnerships that could provide additional support. Aviva Sufian is a very close friend of Allison (Allie) Neale, manager of corporate communications at the Henry Schein Corporation. As such, when Aviva told Allie about her new appointment as the White House Special Envoy for Holocaust Survivor Services, Allie spoke to Steve Kess, president of Henry Schein
Cares and a long time Alpha Omega Board member, who contacted the leadership of Alpha Omega. Several months later, together Alpha Omega and Henry Schein have answered the White House’s call to develop a public/private partnership solution to enhance the quality of life for Holocaust Survivors in need through the creation of the Alpha Omega – Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program. Here are some of the unique oral care issues that many Holocaust survivors face: • Many were young children during World War II and experienced prolonged nutritional deprivation which impacted their oral health. • A lack of adequate nutrition during the formative years that is required for proper bone formation • Many received little or no dental care throughout their childhoods. • As a result, many have lost the majority of their teeth, and their remaining teeth require significant care. The pilot program is set to begin in January 2015 in nine North American cities and will have a focus on providing oral healthcare for the financially neediest individuals who are served by the Holocaust Survivor Assistance Programs administered by the network of Jewish Family and Children’s Service agencies and other entities. These agencies will prioritize patients based on the urgent need to eliminate pain and restore function and the lack of dental coverage or private financial resources. President’s Message, continued on p.25
4
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
www.ao.org
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
5
From the Desk of the International Editor
The New Dentistry Patient’s Experience The business of dentistry has become more important than ever. Rising costs and a decrease in insurance benefits means that it is more important than ever to maximize the care we give to our patients in order for our practices to succeed. With these thoughts in mind, I am dedicating this journal to the New Patient Experience. How do we find new patients? How do we attract them to our practice? How do we retain them once we have them? And, the big question: What is a new patient worth to the practice? The value of a new patient has been discussed in many dental journals over the years. Deciding a new patient’s value is a simple process but not necessarily utilized correctly. Do we value a new patient based only on his first visit, or do we look at the spending history over a longer period of time? If dentistry were a one-time purchase, this would be an easy answer. However, as we all know, dentistry is a longterm relationship. Patients look for a provider with whom they feel comfortable and typically stay with that provider long-term because change is difficult. Therefore, value of a new patient needs to be applied
Steven Spitz, DMD International Editor drspitz@smileboston.com
“Patients look for a provider with whom they feel comfortable and typically stay with that provider long-term because change is difficult. ” in two ways: one as a short-term acquisition and the other as a longterm relationship. The short-term value is accessible as you track all new patients who walk in the door. This includes the new patient you invited for a free consult, as well as those you are meeting for the first time, perhaps referred to you for a dental implant crown. Figure what these patients have spent over the last 18 months, add up the total and divide by the number of new patients on your list. For simplicity’s sake, if you had three new patients in the last 18 months, one being seen for a free consultation and collecting $0; a second for hygiene, x-rays and fillings spending $1,300; and the third for five crowns at $1,500 each plus hygiene at $200, totaling $7,700. Take this total ($9,000) and divide by the number of patients
seen, which in this example is three. The value of a new patient in this case is $3,000. This number is important to know when deciding how much to invest when you are marketing your practice. The long-term value is figured as you follow these patients for the next 10 years. You can also add the dollar value from referrals who were directly referred to you by these patients. I hope you enjoy this issue of Alpha Omegan and that it gives you ideas from website design to new patient creation and new patient retention. As always, you will find information about our members and the amazing things they are involved in. I hope to see you in Tel Aviv in December for our annual convention, as this will be a great time to network with our European fraters as well as our American and Israeli friends. AO
Call for News
The Alpha Omegan needs your help! Please send any news items about events or members to AO Executive Director Heidi Weber at hweber@ao.org.
6
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
www.ao.org
From the Desk of the Scientific Editor
Growing Your Practice with New Patients If you don’t need new patients, don’t read this issue! Over the last few years as a member of the AO International Board and as an Honorary Member, I have talked to, worked with, and lectured to AO members from around the world. If you are like most AO members I have met, you are always looking for ways to grow your practice. Growing a practice comes from three areas: 1. New patients.
Steven J. Anderson Scientific Editor
steve@stevenjanderson.com
for new patients that is right around your corner. • Secrets of getting your share of patients who are looking for a dentist online today! And much, much more.
2. Getting more of your existing patients to come in more often. 3. Getting more of your existing patients to accept more needed treatment. In this issue, we focus on No. 1 in this list: New patients. In this issue, you will discover: • The biggest mistake practices make that creates huge new patient loss. • How to double your new patient flow at no cost. • The most overlooked opportunity
Dig deep in this issue. Share it with your team. Keep it on-hand for reference in the future. But most of all enjoy the journey of discovering new ways to grow your practice and then act on those! Make it happen! AO
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
7
••• MARKETING •••
More Than Just a Pretty Face: What Your Website Should Do to Attract New Patients By Rusty Curtis
Author Profile
Rusty Curtis is the managing director for DentalCMO (dentalcmo.com). He and his team provide strategic, top-quality branding and marketing services to numerous dental practices across the United States and Canada.
At our company, we have the great privilege of working closely with dentists from Alaska to Florida and San Diego to Ontario, Canada, on their marketing and branding ideas. Over the years I’ve grown sure of one thing — dentists are a remarkable group no matter where they’re located! Intelligence and kindness are common characteristics of the dentists we are fortunate enough to work with, and we love helping them help others through quality dentistry. Though dentists don’t go to school for marketing, they sure pick things up quickly when provided the proper context for their marketing decisions. I’ve seen more than a couple dentists become intensely energized when they catch the marketing vision for their practice. In this article, we’ll try to help you catch this vision for your practice, with a focus on the hub of your digital marketing wheel — your website. Understanding What Your Website Is Your website is an incredible tool. Many dentists think of their website as nothing more than digital
8
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
signage. It is so much more! One simple thought may open your eyes to your website’s potential: Your website is your digital front office. Consider that for a moment. • How important is your front office to your patients and their perception of your practice? • How much thought and resources have you invested in making the best first impression possible when people enter your doors? • How much training have you provided your team for answering calls, welcoming new patients, and helping visitors feel comfortable? A well put together website answers patient questions, inspires confidence in you (the dentist), and gives a great first impression perfectly — every time. How would your new patient flow respond if you could make a digital version of your best team member, on their best day, with your best front office environment? We’ve had a client tell us their cosmetic cases went up substantially and their inbound contacts increased roughly 50% just from having us redesign their website. www.ao.org
Successful Websites | MARKETING
Now put your consumer hat on for a minute. If you were looking for a product or service online, what assumptions would you form of a business if their website looked dated and incomplete? Would this convey quality to you? Would you feel confident in their abilities? Probably not. Think of your website as a canvas on which you can paint any portrait of yourself and your practice you would like. A website allows you to tell your patients what YOU want to tell them and convince them to visit your practice for treatment. Convey the quality of care you provide, your attention to detail, and your eye for aesthetics. With this understanding of what your website is and can be, let’s discuss how to make it the most effective new patient generating tool possible. Meeting Marketplace Trends to Attract New Patients Optimized Content | Depending on the statistics one goes by, nearly 90% of people looking for a local business search online first. As a result, ranking on top in search engines has become a veritable “king-of-themountain” game, with those ranking the highest often taking the lion’s share of ideal, fee-for-service patients. Nostalgic history are the days when a dentist could pay a little bit more to Yellow Pages and have their practice be the most visible listing. How to succeed in the market: Here’s a simple way to think about it: You can’t get found by potential patients in search engines when you haven’t told the search engines what services you provide and to which potential patients your provide them. Having unique, well-written and well-targeted content is critical to ranking well in the search engines and convincing a new patient to call when they do find your site. For more details on content creation, Google provides a list of best practices you can reference when developing your optimized content . 1 Mobile and Tablet Compatibility | Pew Research reports that as of January 2014, 58% of all American adults own a smartphone, and 74% of this group use their phones to get directions or other information based on their current location. Also, 42% of adults own a tablet computer and regularly use them for online shopping and research.2 How to succeed in the market: Make sure your website is built in what is called “responsive design.” Having a separate mobile website or app was the old solution, and Google has specifically recommended using responsive design.3 A responsive site will automatically reformat your website to display correctly on any device (desktop, tablet or phone). This means visitors to your site will be able to quickly find information they are looking for and find it easy to contact you. Rich Design | The prevalence of broadband internet
allows internet users to quickly view graphics and video that would take far too long to load on older modem internet connections. Large graphics and video would take minutes to display where now they take seconds (or less). How to succeed in the market: Engage your potential patients with beautiful graphics and high quality video. Your website enables you to personally introduce yourself and your practice to every visitor. Make a great first impression and convince your visitors that you are the dentist they want to see. Savvy Shoppers | The internet, as we now know it, instigated a gigantic power-shift from businesses to consumers. Consumers no longer have to take a dentist’s word for it that they are the best in town. Fellow consumers verify or refute the claim for them. In other words, consumers now have the increased power to elevate or decimate a business. How to succeed in the market: BE THE ANSWER. Though consumers may be more cynical on the whole, they want you to be the best solution when they visit your site. They don’t want to waste time slogging through a list of undesirable options. Give potential patients what they’re looking for. Differentiate yourself. Be liberal with your patient testimonials and reviews on your website to establish your “street cred.” Help them see they don’t need to waste any more time looking at other dentists. Immediate Action | Instant gratification is the world’s modus operandi. One-click payment options are becoming the norm. When a consumer is ready to buy, a business better make it easy or they may lose an impatient customer. How to succeed in the market: No matter where a potential patient is on your website, make it easy for them to contact you now. Provide a phone number link they can click to call you and a contact form allowing them to immediately send you a quick email (if they don’t want to call) on every page. The second a potential patient decides to contact you, the way for them to do it should be available. Start attracting ideal new patients now by building a website that can be found on search engines and browsed on mobile devices. Engage visitors, convince them you’re “the one” and make it easy for them to contact you. AO References 1. Retrieved from: https://support.google.com/webmasters/ answer/35769?hl=en 2. Retrieved from: http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/ mobile-technology-fact-sheet/ 3. Retrieved from: https://developers.google.com/webmasters/ smartphone-sites/details
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
9
••• marketing •••
How to Attract New Patients with Internet Search Now By Lane Andersen
Author Profile
Lane Anderson is founder and CEO of ProspectaMarketing. He graduated from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and has been marketing to consumers for the past 30 years. He founded ProspectaMarketing in 2003. Specializing in sourcing new patients for dental practices online, ProspectaMarketing has developed a unique and thorough approach to sourcing and converting new patients from the Internet that provides visibility, financial accountability, and ongoing refinement and improvement.
10
Many dentists we talk to find that systems they have relied on in the past just isn’t generating the new patient flow they previously experienced. Additionally, there have been significant changes in Internet marketing during just the last 18 to 24 months. Keeping up with all the changes necessary to attract new patients from Internet search is a challenge. What Hasn’t Changed As always, your practice still needs to maintain a well-structured website. This means that your practice website is full of relevant information, is easy to navigate, and has convenient ways for prospective patients to contact the office without having to search through the website pages. The second constant is the need for strong, effective search engine optimization (SEO). This gives your website visibility for location-based service search phrases such as “Dallas cosmetic dentist,” “dental implants Boston,” or “dentist in San Francisco.” Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC) is a third fundamental element in maintaining a competitive edge online. PPC helps extend visibility for core service keywords like “cosmetic dentist” or “dental implants.” Since you can control the geography
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
where these ads are shown, it allows your practice to be listed high in the search results for the geography around your practice from which you can reasonably expect to draw patients. There are other tools to create search visibility such as optimized videos and newsworthy press releases. However, these three fundamentals create a critical foundation. Hopefully you have these fundamentals in place. What Has Changed In the past 18 to 24 months, we have seen smartphone usage to access our dental clients’ sites more than double to around 25% or more. Now instead of just patient use to find your address or phone, new prospect leads are also being generated through smartphones and tablets. Usage is expected to continue growing. In March of this year, Marin Software forecasted that by December 2015, mobile devices will constitute 50% of paid search clicks on Google.1 With such a jump in mobile search, practices need to ensure that their sites are easy to use on desktop and mobile devices alike. Responsive design allows your website to transition easily from a large layout for desktop users, to an easy to navigate mobile-friendly layout for smartphones www.ao.org
Internet Search | marketing
and other mobile devices. Targeting specific ads to reach mobile users is another way to capitalize on this jump in mobile search, creating a more personalized and targeted search experience. Internet success is also heavily dependent on local listings. These include all the online directories including Google+ (Google My Business), Yahoo Local, Bing Places, Yelp, and others. Claim these key listings and make sure your practice name, address and phone number are correct and uniform across the Internet. Optimize each listing to include services offered, office information, photos, and website links. Don’t forget the need for appealing visual material. Blame the Millenials if you want, but as mobile use increases, attention spans seem to be getting shorter. If you want to attract patients to your practice, it is important to have lots of great photos and also some videos for your website and listings. Not only do these catch the viewer’s eye, they also help prospects visualize the benefit you can bring to them, especially with before and after photos. Online reviews are another aspect of Internet search that has exploded in the past months. Reviews are a huge component of your online reputation. This can be frustrating at times when the way your practice is perceived online is largely in the hands of your patients. A major consumer shift has occurred. We are accustomed to checking online reviews of books and electronics and more recently, movies and restaurants. Now consumers also seek reviews for professional services and search them to select a practice. If you don’t proactively manage your reputation, you are at the mercy of those who choose to review your practice. Bright Local recently conducted a consumer review survey to find out the number of people who use online reviews. Take notice: 72% of consumers said that positive reviews make them trust a local business more, while only 10% said they didn’t pay any attention to reviews. 88% of people surveyed have read reviews to determine the quality of a local business.2 People are watching and making decisions based on your online reviews. It is important to make sure you have a wide collection of reviews and that they paint an accurate picture of the customer experience that will appeal to prospective patients. Our doctors frequently mention that they have new patients who chose their practice just based on the strong reviews they saw online. The unfortunate flipside is that negative reviews can cost you patients if not handled correctly. My daughter recently received the recommendation of a new doctor from a friend. The first thing
she did was check the doctor’s online reviews. They were so bad that she ignored her friend’s recommendation and found another office. This experience mirrors the finding in the Bright Local study that states 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, which is up from 79% in 2013.3 That number is likely to continue increasing. As the famous saying goes, “You can’t please all the people all the time.” Even the best practices occasionally get a negative review. There are a number of ways to handle it, but as long as you are monitoring, responding, and interacting with your patients through reviews, prospects will see that you are invested and involved in giving patients great care. You may think that only patients who have a bad experience leave reviews, but a recent study by PeopleClaim showed that 75% of reviews posted on review websites are positive.4 People want to talk about great experiences even more than they want to share the negative ones. So, give your patients an experience to talk about. Go above and beyond. Personal touch matters, and professionals who are willing to go the extra mile for their patients will reap the benefits. Finally, make sure you track your results to know what is working for your practice. It isn’t rankings for random keywords that matter, but it is the rankings for the right keywords that bring in traffic and productive new leads that become paying patients. A great test of a prospective Internet marketing agency is to ask them how much revenue they bring in annually for a typical practice. It’s hard to predict what new developments will shape Internet marketing in the months ahead. However, remember this: You can’t remain stagnant with your online presence. There are more ways to engage current and future prospects than ever before. By ensuring your website is mobile friendly, developing your local listings and online reviews, and tracking your results to evaluate your success, you will be a step ahead and enjoying the benefits that come from being a leader online in your market. AO References 1. Retrieved from: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ mobile-on-pace-to-surpass-desktop-paid-search-ongoogle-by-end-of-2015-2014-03-19 2. Retrieved from: http://www.brightlocal.com/2014/07/01/ local-consumer-review-survey-2014/ 3. Retrieved from: http://www.brightlocal.com/2014/07/01/ local-consumer-review-survey-2014/ 4. Retrieved on September 24, 2014, from: http://www. viralblog.com/user-created-content/reviewing-theinfluence-of-online-reviews-infographic/
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
11
12
••• MARKETING •••
Marketing to the
Patients Next Door Taking a quick step out the front door of your practice to market in your community can open a window of opportunity By Chris Toconis
Author
Chris Toconis
Recently I stepped into a dental practice. The moment I walked into the reception area I was impressed by the beautiful décor and bright smiles at the front desk to greet me. Venturing down the hallway, I quickly noticed the treatment rooms decked out with the most advanced technology as well as high-end products for home care. As I passed each room, team members dressed in impeccable scrubs waved with gloved hands and whispered warm hellos beneath the shield of a mask. I eyed each wall adorned with various certificates of achievements from endeavors in the dental field. I thought to myself, “What an amazing place! Every patient should want to come here!” Like a human GPS I steadily made my way down another hallway to find the doctors “cave” to which a number of lab coats in swivel chairs whipped around to greet me, and almost as if on cue, the doctors cried out, “Chris, we need more new patients!” Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
The question over how to attract more new patients steadily is one I hear so often that I would have to rank it in my “Top-10-Biggest–QuestionsDentists-Ask-Their-Practice-Advisors.” The doctor doing the asking is always engaged in the question. And the answer is pretty easy. Sometimes when I explain, the doctor is in disbelief that anything so simple can have such a huge impact or rather, work. But it’s true. It’s going back to the days of thinking like a rookie—what it felt like to be totally and completely responsible for your first practice and its success. Dental school loans hovering, one team member assisting while running to the front desk to answer the phone, and you hoping she has more experience in all other areas of the practice than you would care to admit you don’t know. Those were the days the doctor would do whatever it takes to step out of the box and meet new patients in the community, talk about the new practice and location, and hunt down potential new patients at every social opportunity. www.ao.org
Patients Next Door | MARKETING
Why is it that once a practice has been established in one location and the doctor has been out of school for five years or more, he or she would rather stay off the field and forget what it was like to be that excited, hungry rookie trying out for the team every year? They would rather spend hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars, sending out cards that get lost in the local grocery newspapers or jammed in the magazines the mail lady folds in half to fit in the mailbox. Remember the days when you had to rely on building relationships in the community and how you interacted with people because you were building your reputation? The answer to finding and attracting new patients into your practice lies with you – and what you are willing to do outside of the box and the practice – to get there. I thought it would make sense that you have an opportunity to take that first step outside your practice with what I consider our Top 21 ideas on How to Market to the Patient Next Door: 1. Become THE Chamber Dentist in Your Area Get membership for you and at least one key team member to attend Chamber luncheons monthly, to promote your practice. You have 15 seconds to describe your business so seat everyone at different tables to have more than one opportunity to talk about your practice. 2. Offer Member-to-Member Benefits Every Chamber has a Member-to-Member Benefits program. Offer 15% off any initial treatment diagnosed during a New Patient Visit, for every Chamber Member! 3. Honor First Chamber Patient Award your first Chamber Member patient officially at the monthly Chamber luncheon with an award and short speech of gratitude. 4. Improve Team Image What does your team image say? Make sure that when the team is representing what you do, their image says exactly that. Smiles on your team and what they are wearing speak volumes about what you do and are your biggest marketing tool. The entire team should look like the type of dentistry and care you provide! 5. Door-to-Door Marketing Map out the community and canvas the area to meet other business owners in their place of business. Take whitening certificates with you to offer something as an invitation to come see the team and practice. You can decide with your team on the goal of the visits: “Making appointments for whitening at every stop!” The key is to make the introduction and share that you are out meeting with other business owners to get more familiar with your community.
6. Choose Your Top 20 Patients Call your top 20 patients to ask if you can stop by their place of business to show your appreciation for them. Bring snacks, practice goodies that are branded with your logo, and offer the opportunity for their colleagues to find a happy dental home with you. Create a relationship and make appointments on the spot. Offer a drawing for a fun basket of goodies that is filled with items branded with your logo. 7. Sponsor a Lunch n’ Learn For a minimal fee, you can sponsor a Lunch n’ Learn for the Chamber or other various community organizations with decision makers. This allows you to do a short presentation on how dentistry can impact their health and lives in a positive way. Why not cover “How to Make the Best First Impression” with a group of business people who are looking to make the best first impression with clients by way of a healthy and attractive smile? 8. The Freshly Baked Cookie Effect Ever walk into the mall and instantly your nose finds the store baking fresh cookies? Have a fresh baked plate of cookies waiting for the patient when they walk through the door, or to give to them as they walk out. Choose a Top 20 New Patient that you enjoy having in your practice and bake a dozen, place in a gift bag, with a thank you note and deliver personally to their place of business. Note in the thank you that they can expect freshly baked cookies waiting for them when they walk into the practice, every time. Include whitening certificates for that person and their colleagues! 9. Order Fresh Flowers Fresh flowers in the practice make a statement. Every Thursday, choose a team member with the best relationship with your favorite patient who is coming in that day for an appointment. Simply state, “Our team voted you our favorite patient of the day so we wanted to gift you with these flowers to take home and enjoy.” 10. Just ASK Novel idea? Simply get in the habit of identifying at least two patients on your schedule at the Morning Opportunity Meeting to ASK for a referral. These patients should be in your Top 20% and referrals should be based on their most recent positive experience in your practice. Identify who on the team has the best relationship with those patients to ASK – and get a commitment!
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
13
MARKETING | Patients Next Door
14
11. Acknowledge Patient Referrals Sending flowers to a patient at work with a great note from the dentist, or a large pizza right before lunch hour can certainly make a statement. Why not have their car washed during business hours in the parking lot as a thank you? Include business cards so the impressed colleagues will call you for their first appointment! 12. Offer Whiter Teeth to Wine Enthusiasts Why not connect with local wineries in your area or wine enthusiast clubs to give them whitening certificates for their members? 13. Deliver a Baked Pie Nothing says comfort and home like a freshly baked pie. Personally deliver a fresh pie to an outstanding patient at work with enough plates and forks to share. Let them know how much you appreciate them! Remember to brand the box with the practice logo! 14. Find a Way to Connect With Your Local Retired Community Get in connection with the director of your local retired living community and offer a session with their residents on “How to Find a Good Dentist the Smart Way.” Offer tips on what they should be looking for from quality of care, comfort, budget, to outstanding customer service. These are the people that when treated well, they share with their community how much they love seeing you at your practice! 15. Pay It Forward Seat yourself in your local coffee house and give the manager $100 to buy one coffee for each patron that walks through the door until it is gone. Ask that they share you are seated at the back table reading Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
your newspaper (however, be approachable!) and have business cards ready. 16. Hold a Candy Buy Back Organize a “Candy Buy Back” for kids the day after Halloween to encourage healthier smiles and open doors for families to become patients. Have games, various activities, and plan to schedule appointments. Trade a pound of candy for a dollar and send the candy to the troops overseas with notes from the kids. 17. Welcome New Move Ins Anyone who just moved into the community will tell you it’s a challenge to get established with a doctor. Be the first to offer a New Move In Special by placing invites in all welcome packets at apartment complexes in the area. 18. Participate in a Local Health Fair Take part in a local health fair and offer complimentary Oral Cancer Screenings while you are there! Include drawings at the booth for various dental products. 19. Impress the Team Know a local high school coach? Get permission to have the team “impressed” with mouth guards! Become the team dentist! Take impressions of the coaches and cheerleaders for whitening. Call the local newspaper to get pictures taken. 20. Have an OPEN HOUSE and Ribbon Cutting Organize an “Open House” for the practice to invite patients of record and potential new patients to the practice for horsdeuvres, door prizes, and whitening giveaways. Invite the Chamber to do the Ribbon Cutting of your practice that same night while getting photos taken and placed in the local paper. Invite all Chamber Members as well as your patients and people in the community. Ask for donations from local businesses for door prizes by letting them know they will be able to advertise their product for free to a number of your patients. 21. ASK When Patients Are on the Phone When making the first New Patient appointment, why not get your team to simply ASK if the patient knows of any family member or colleague they would like to help get scheduled as a new patient as well, while it’s convenient for them during the phone call? You would be surprised at what a simple thing like ASKing does for your practice schedule and new patient flow! AO www.ao.org
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
15
••• MARKETING •••
The Zero Cost Marketing Proposition More New Patients at No Cost By Steve Anderson
Author Profile
Steven J. Anderson is a founder of several dental organizations including the Total Patient Service Institute (www.TotalPatientService.com), Crown Council (www.CrownCouncil.com), and Smiles for Life Foundation (www. SmilesForLife.org). Over the last 25 years he has worked with thousands of dental teams, conducted hundreds of seminars, and spoken at every major dental meeting in North America, the UK, and Australia. For a free copy of his latest Special Report “What Patients Really Want,” call 1-877-399-6877.
16
If you are like most dentists, you wouldn’t mind a few extra new patients every month. You might even like a lot more! The brightest marketing experts look first for the biggest results at the lowest cost. As the marketing leader in your practice, do the same. You can dramatically boost your new patient flow or your return on your marketing investment by following these five common sense steps that are uncommonly followed: 1. Have a written system for handling prospective new patient calls. Unless you are standing right next to the phone and you listen to how every call is handled in your office, you really don’t have any idea of the effectiveness of the effort. If you are spending any money at all on external marketing, your total return is based on how every call is handled when it comes in. We have actually told some dentists to stop all investment in external marketing all together until
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
they can get the system fixed for properly answering the phone. That system should be in writing with a specific sequence of questions and directives that will ensure a scheduled appointment by the time the call ends. 2. Track the number of new patients scheduled every day. If you wait until the end of the month to see the total number of new patients who have scheduled, it is too late. Track it daily. 3. Track potential new patient calls. The most productive practices we know track this essential number. How many potential patients called the office today? And who is a potential new patient? Anyone who is not a patient! Every marketing executive wants to know what kind of interest there is in the marketplace for the product he or she has. For example, if a major department store knew that there were thousands of potential customers walking through the door every day, but www.ao.org
Zero Cost
only a few hundred bought anything, they would know they needed to work on their merchandising so that more people would find more things that were attractive to buy. If, however, there were only a few hundred people walking through the door they would know that the external marketing effort needed some work to attract more potential customers. Unless you know your potential new patient number, or the total number of people who are walking through your figurative “door” (or telephone in this case) you really don’t have a grasp on your new patient efforts. 4. If you track #2 and #3 above, then you can calculate your calls to scheduled new patients ratio. It is an essential number for success. What would you consider to be a reasonable ratio? If you have #1 above in place, would you consider an 80% calls to scheduled appointments successful? Clearly you are not going to be everyone’s dentist. Not everyone is going to be a good fit. But 80% is probably a reasonable target. So far, if you have checked 1 through 4 off the list, you will increase your marketing results by simply putting a system in place and carefully tracking results. It has cost you nothing. It is a zero marketing cost proposition. But what if you could increase those results by 50% or even 100% at no additional cost. Would it be possible? How much would it be worth to you if you did not have to spend any extra money to get those results? Consider what we call the “marketing multiplier” in number 5: 5. After each new patient schedules an appointment, make sure to ask the following:
| MARKETING
“Who else should we go ahead and schedule today while it is convenient and I have you on the phone?” Make sure to ask the question in this exact way. Don’t ask “if ” there is anyone else they would like to schedule. Ask, “Who else” they would like to schedule. It is a minor change in wording that makes a major difference in results. Our experience has been that adding that one additional question at the end of a new patient call can increase the calls to scheduled new patients ratio from 80% to upward of 200%. That is potentially twice the number of new patients at no extra marketing cost. None! All it takes is someone being on the ball and asking the right questions. We have an ongoing contest with dental practices all over the world in the following two areas: 1. Who can have the highest calls to new patients scheduled ratio? 2. Who can schedule the greatest number of new patients from one phone call? The record to beat right now is 189%. In that particular case, the office had 25 prospective new patient calls in one month and scheduled 47 new patients from those same calls. The other record to beat is nine new patients scheduled from one phone call! These five key marketing areas cost nothing to implement, but their return could be the best results you get for your marketing money. Get started today. You never know how many new patients you are missing until you see how many you can get with the right systems in place. AO
Tribute Cards Show that you care by contacting the Alpha Omega Canadian Foundation or U.S. Foundation to purchase tribute cards. Contact: Jackie Levitan – AO Canadian Foundation aotoronto@rogers.com
Ellen Taranto – AO U.S. Foundation ellen.taranto@aofus.org
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
17
18
••• stress management •••
Stress Management in Dentistry By Mark Grossman
Author
Mark Grossman
introduction Dentistry, while having the capacity to be a very rewarding profession, has also been characterized as being highly stressful. While stress is part of everyday life, it can, when chronic, lead to various physical and psychological ailments, severely affecting a dentist’s overall performance and quality of life. In this article, general dentist Dr. Mark Grossman discusses some of the challenges facing dentists in their everyday practice while presenting strategies to help avoid stress-inducing “traps” into which many fall.
Two dentists arrive at work one morning only to be told that both their first patients had just cancelled. One dentist feels his blood pressure rise, starts berating the patient, and accuses the receptionist of not doing her job properly. He spends the day irritated and causes tension amongst the staff. The other dentist, while not pleased to have a last minute cancelation, decides to take a relaxing walk, returning to work feeling calm. Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
As this example illustrates, while some stressful situations are inevitable, a dentist’s response to them can vary greatly. Much of the stress experienced by dentists during their careers can be self induced if they lack the tools to properly manage it. Today more than ever, studies report how stress, especially when frequent or chronic, can be a trigger or important factor in a variety of physical symptoms and disease processes. For example, stress can: www.ao.org
Stress Management | business
• l ower immunity, making people more susceptible to infections. • increase blood pressure and heart disease. • cause gastro-intestinal problems • cause insomnia/chronic fatigue • stimulate or suppress appetite leading to weight gain or loss • lead to substance abuse Stress that is not well managed can also negatively affect a dentist’s inter-personal or psychological functioning. While statistical studies have shown that as a group dentists are more physically healthy and live longer than the general population, others indicate that they are at higher risk of developing stress related psychological disorders when compared to other professions. Most commonly: –dysthymia – –general – anxiety disorder –major – depression Burnout vs. Dysthymia The dental profession has become more acutely aware of two disorders of particular concern to its members. “Professional burn-out syndrome” is an ambiguous and sanitized term that removes some of the stigma of using clinical diagnoses. Its use can range from describing a feeling of being tired from overwork – something that may require no more than a few days off – to a complete breakdown of the individual, rendering the person incapable of functioning. The danger of labeling the latter as simply burnout is that it may undermine the severity of the problem, leading a person to not seek professional intervention. Dysthymic disorder is a chronic, low-grade depression that can develop slowly over time. Among the characteristics of dysthymia as described in the DSM-IV are: depressed mood lasting at least two years, poor appetite, chronic fatigue, low self-esteem, sleep problems, social withdrawal, and trouble making decisions. Despite suffering from this disorder, a dentist may outwardly appear normal and continue to function at an adequate level. Like periodontal disease, this insidious condition may go undetected and untreated for years, eventually leading to more serious clinical disorders such as major depression. Thus it is important for those who find themselves feeling “burned-out” to recognize they may be actually suffering from dysthymia and seek professional guidance. Stress Management Strategies Dentistry is a highly demanding and technical profession with great responsibilities that can be both physically and mentally taxing. It requires a high level of self-confidence and is not for the faint of heart.
A dentist’s good physical and mental health is the most essential factor in the successful operation of a dental practice, a fact often overlooked when caught up in the busy day-to-day activities of running one. Stress begins in dental school, where students become conditioned to it, carrying it forward into their professional careers. Upon graduation, many young dentists are ill equipped with the proper tools to cope with the everyday stressors of running a dental practice and fall into unhealthy working habits or “traps,” that once entrenched, are difficult to get out of. While some traps are procedural in nature and resolvable by making small changes to the way one practices, others are more cognitive and require philosophical changes by readjusting some deeprooted attitudes about a dentist’s work/life balance. Procedural Traps 1. Super-Dentist a. Many dentists report treatment failures, patient dissatisfaction, and threat of lawsuits as being the most stressful part of running a practice. In order to minimize these occurrences, dentists must avoid thinking of themselves as “Super-Dentist.” They must learn to treatment plan according to their capabilities and practice within their comfort zone. They must know their limitations and refer to specialists when necessary. Not only is this in the patient’s best interest but that of the dentist as well. Do not allow patients to push you into treatments of which you are not capable. It is simply not worth the risk of failure or of doing harm – to the patient or to the dentist’s mental health. b. You do not have to be “Every-Dentist” to every patient. Dentists have the right to choose who makes up their practice. For example, if not comfortable treating children, do not do pediatric dentistry. Again, refer! Chances are that if you don’t like doing something, you probably won’t do it very well. c. Difficult patients: Despite dentist’s best efforts, some patients are more trouble than they are worth. If a patient proves to be unreasonable and impossible to satisfy, it is better to weed them out of your practice. (Perhaps refer them to a teacher who gave you a hard time in dental school!) 2. Dr. Crammer Poor schedule management is a common problem affecting dentists who try to maximizing income by cramming too many patients into their daily bookings. By not allotting enough time for procedures, dentists can frequently fall behind schedule, not only creating unnecessary stress for themselves, their staff, and patients but potentially leading to a decrease in quality
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
19
business | Stress Management
20
of care as they rush treatments in an attempt to catch up. This problem is easily correctable by simply scheduling an extra 10 minutes to most operative and surgical procedures. Not only will you rarely fall behind schedule, the day will be more relaxed as you allow yourself time to breathe between patients. 3. Monotony and Isolation Dentistry can be very repetitive and routine which can lead to boredom, disillusionment, and frustration. Taking continuing education courses and perhaps developing a sub-specialty that can expand one’s envelope can help alleviate some of the monotony of everyday practice. Social isolation can also be a factor for many solopractitioners. Studies show that getting involved in organized dentistry groups, such as professional associations, study clubs, or a dental faculty can lead to feeling more content and less isolated. 4. Staff Infections The practice of dentistry can be stressful enough, without having to worry about a disruptive and difficult employee. Dentists have the right to work in a pleasant and peaceful environment and must deal swiftly and decisively with a toxic staff member. By poisoning the atmosphere in the office, a single employee can have serious detrimental effects on the harmonious operation of a dental practice. Not only can such an individual cause strife among both dentists and their staff, they can greatly erode the confidence of patients who can easily observe dysfunctional interrelationships between the dental personnel. In addition to contributing to stress, this highly disruptive circumstance can negatively impact a dentist’s income. The dentist, in his/her role as leader of the practice must not allow this situation to fester, as these type of “Staff Infections” can easily spread to other members of the team. Should a troublesome employee prove resistant to modifying their disruptive behaviours following written and documented notification, they should be immediately relieved of their duties with proper notice in the form of the required severance as well as any accumulated holiday pay owed to them. A dentist should not use comfort level and familiarity as an excuse not to dismiss a harmful staff member. Allowing them endless “second chances” only serves to weaken the dentist’s credibility among other valued employees. Fear of bringing in new personnel is counterproductive, as there are many capable and eager candidates willing to take up the position. Not only can a new employee be a breath of fresh air, they can help revitalize what can become a stale and complacent work environment. Do not let fear of change dictate your decision making on such an important matter. Remember, you Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
“Topping the list of personality traits often attributed to dentists is perfectionism, which entails having unrealistically high expectations of performance by oneself or others while paying compulsive attention to detail.” have worked hard to build a successful practice and deserve no less. 5. Dr. Pain There is no easier way to lose a patient than by causing them pain. Providing good anaesthesia is an essential part of being a good dentist. Being healthcare professionals dedicated to alleviating pain, causing it can be highly distressing. While some patients may tolerate a moderate amount of discomfort if properly forewarned, failing to adequately anaesthetize can be highly frustrating and time consuming. Never ignore patient signs and plough through treatment encouraging them to “hang in there.” Patients must feel confident that dentists are attentive to their needs during procedures and will stop at the first indication that they are experiencing discomfort. Practitioners must master proper technique when administrating local anaesthesia, particularly the mandibular block which can be very challenging and easy to miss. Telling someone they are “hard to freeze” only serves to increase their anxiety level and make them fear going to the dentist. If unable to achieve adequate anaesthesia, better to stop and try again another day, as it is not worth the risk of causing harm to the patient or to the dentist’s mental health. Remember, a pain free patient is a happy one! Cognitive Traps 1. Perfectionism Topping the list of personality traits often attributed to dentists is perfectionism, which entails having unrealistically high expectations of performance by www.ao.org
Stress Management | business
oneself or others while paying compulsive attention to detail. While a good thing from a patient’s perspective, it can be maladaptive for the dentist, predisposing them to stress-related physical and psychological disorders. Since constant perfection is impossible, this can lead to repeated disappointment and frustration. Dentists must appreciate that despite their best efforts and intentions, not all treatments will be successful. Nobody bats 1,000. Dentists must accept that some failures are part of every dentist’s experience. So long as you have tried your best and are honest and kind with patients, most of them will be forgiving and understanding. It is important to be kind to yourself and accept that you are human. 2. Slave to Practice Rather than viewing vacations as a time to relax and recharge, some dentists consider time away from work as lost income and increased overhead. “Workaholism” can become a problem for some practitioners who lose sight of the importance of quality time off. Although what constitutes a healthy work schedule varies among individuals, should one often feel exhausted and like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill day after day, chances are that the schedule is too demanding and out of harmony with one’s life rhythm. Make sure to pace yourself properly and take adequate vacation time. After all, very few people say at the end of the road; “I wish I would have spent more time at work.” 3. The Money Trap Dentists are very fortunate in that so long as they don’t jump on every hot stock tip or real estate deal thrown their way, they most likely will earn plenty of money over the course of their career. Too often, people define success in life by how much money they accumulate. While money can be a significant tool to happiness, it does not define it. Dentists must find the proper balance between overall well being and income. One should not sacrifice health in making money, only to later use that money in trying to regain health! 4. The Retirement Trap As in the well-known fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, some dentists, like the hare, choose to view their career as a sprint to the finish line, working long hours, taking minimal time off, while trying to amass as much money in as short a time possible in order to retire early. Conversely, like the tortoise, some look at their career as a comfortably paced journey, with adequate vacations while emphasizing quality time with loved ones. While some planning ahead is prudent, it is important to focus more on
the here and now, and not to set sights on the too distant future. Dentists are very fortunate in that the profession provides them with many retirement options. They can choose when and how to retire. A good strategy can be to “retire into the practice,” by gradually cutting back on the schedule, while allowing an associate to take on more of the patient load. This can provide a smoother transition into the retirement stage of life with which so many struggle. Many dentists find that retiring cold turkey is not all that it’s cracked up to be and become more vulnerable to depression. Do not put off doing the things you love until retirement. If you do not pace yourself properly during your career, you may be in no shape to do them later on. Enjoy the ride now. If you want to take an extra two weeks’ vacation this year but are concerned about lost income, do it and retire two weeks later! 5. The “Bored-Out” Trap While an overly demanding practice can lead to burn-out, a highly monotonous and low demanding one can lead to “bored-out,” which can cause significant stress for many dentists. While there are various procedural options to combat this, dentists must learn to accept that some amount of tedium is a normal part of most professions. If you are not fortunate to always feel passionate about dentistry, do not despair, you are not alone. Look at your career as a means to an end, and take satisfaction in all the good things it has brought you. Fill your life with things you are passionate about, and appreciate that dentistry can afford you all the time and resources needed to pursue them. 6. The “I can handle it myself” Trap Unfortunately, healthcare professionals are among the most reluctant group to seek professional help when suffering from mental health related issues, often feeling they can handle it by themselves. Embarrassment and fear of social stigma can contribute to this. Many suffer in silence and needlessly when proper treatment is available. Struggling dentists owe it to themselves and their loved ones to seek out the help they need when dealing with stress related disorders. Talking to a trusted colleague is often a good first step, as many dentists find comfort in knowing they are not alone, and that no man is an island. Regardless of age, dentists can enjoy a very rewarding and satisfying career, providing they are willing to incorporate healthy stress management strategies and philosophies into their practice. In doing so, dentists may not only improve their performance at work but can greatly enhance their overall quality of life. AO
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
21
22
Fraternity News
New The Inspiring Story of Coordinator Robert Levine Appointed to Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program By Dr. Dov Almog, DMD
Chief, Dental Service, VA New Jersey Health Care System
Bernice Edelstein is the new program coordinator for the AO/Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program. Bernice previously worked for the AO U.S. Foundation, so it was a natural fit for her to return to Alpha Omega and provide support to the program ambassadors, volunteers, and the Jewish social service partners. Bernice will report to the AO Headquarters office and will be an employee of the Fraternity. The Holocaust Survivors Program is truly a priority for Alpha Omega, not only for the nine pilot cities but for all members worldwide. It is wonderful to have Bernice on the team to help us move forward with the program. AO Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
One of our VA patients, a World War II Veteran, related his personal story to me, which I found to be very inspiring. The veteran’s name is Robert Levine, and he agreed to let me explore the opportunity to tell his story. Robert was injured landing in Normandy on, after which he was captured by the Germans and transferred to a mobile army surgical hospital (MASH). Due to his injury, a German surgeon by the name of Edgar Woll had to amputate one of his legs below the knee. The surgeon also removed his military dog tag. As Robert described in his story, the dog tag had an “H” impressed on it, which stood for Hebrew (Jewish), the religious classification that was assigned to Jewish servicemen at that time. Until 1952, the following letters were used to describe the religious affiliation of a U.S. serviceman1: P = Protestant; C = Catholic; H = Hebrew (Jewish) Additionally, Dr. Woll left a signed note in Robert Levine’s pocket explaining why he had to amputate his leg. Robert gathered that the German surgeon removed his dog tag to protect him and save his life. Because of that note, following a long search, in 1982, Robert was able to contact the German surgeon’s family. Unfortunately, the surgeon had passed away in 1954. However, to date, both families, spouses, children and grandchildren have become close friends and are visiting each other to this day.
In 2010, 66 years after they landed on distant shores to help liberate France, Robert Levine, who lives in River Edge, N.J., was among the World War II heroes honored at the French Consulate on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on the 65th anniversary of V-E Day — the day Germany surrendered to the Allies. Robert Levine was officially appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, one of the highest honors bestowed by the French.2 Please share this story with your colleagues and friends, and hopefully someone will consider producing a respective documentary film that would show that there are many good people in our world even in very difficult and challenging circumstances. As Daniela Maerker, Dr. Edgar Woll’s grandchild wrote in one of her notes after she met with Robert and his family: “It is probably one of the rare war stories that is sad and reassuring at the same time. Sad because Bob was badly wounded and reassuring because although it was war, my grandfather regarded the young American soldier as a human being needing help and not as an enemy.” AO
References 1. Rabbi Akiva Males. Jewish GIs and their Dog-Tags by Hakirah, the Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought 2010; 271-287. 2. Virginia Rohan. North Jersey veterans get France’s highest honors. The Record, Community News - NorthJersey.com 2010.
www.ao.org
AO Frater Maxine Feinberg Installed as ADA President Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity is proud to have one its fraters, Dr. Maxine Feinberg, installed as the new American Dental Association president. Dr. Feinberg was installed as the 151st ADA president at its annual convention, which took place in San Antonio on October 14. A native of New Jersey, Dr. Feinberg came from a family that included uncles, cousins and a brother who were lawyers. Being raised in a Jewish family established the foundation for her values at a very early age. A sense of community, education, social responsibility and involvement were very important in Dr. Feinberg’s family. Around the dinner table, the family had many conversations about politics. She learned that if she wanted to be included in the conversation, she had to formulate a cogent argument and defend herself. Social advocacy became ingrained in her at an early age. Dr. Feinberg was affected with baby-bottle syndrome at an early age. It was the compassion and encouragement of her childhood dentist that led her into the profession. She attended New York University College of Dentistry, graduating in 1980. Ultimately, she became fascinated with the specialty of periodontics and returned for specialty training at NYU. After working for others for a few years, she started her own practice in Elizabeth and then finally settled in Cranford, N.J. Dr. Feinberg is a strong supporter of organized dentistry. Her advice is, “Get involved and stay involved. Your diploma and dental license are valuable assets. Don’t expect others to
safeguard them for you. You need to know what is going on in this rapidly changing environment to stay relevant as a professional today. Dentistry can be a solitary profession; active participation in organized dentistry is a certain path to a fulfilling career.” Her involvement in the American Dental Association completes part of what she gains from organized dentistry; another comes from her membership in the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity. Dr. Feinberg relates with the fraternity’s concept of Tikkun Olam, healing the world by doing charitable works as well as the work that the fraternity does in support of students and community. She would like to see the ADA and AO collaborate more to provide needed dental healthcare in our communities in order to improve the public’s oral health. The welfare of students is a big concern for Dr. Feinberg. She, along with the ADA, has been focusing on student indebtedness and high
interest student loan rates. The ADA has additional programs for students, and, when they graduate, these ADA programs help them transition into practice through the Center for Professional Success. The ADA provides students with evidence-based information that is an invaluable tool for those wishing to start a private practice or pursue a career in academia. ADA members can also access an Ethics Hotline if they are faced with a dilemma in the workplace. Working in tandem, Dr. Feinberg believes that Alpha Omega provides support through camaraderie and fellowship. The personal mentoring that students and young alumni receive is invaluable to them, both on a personal level and as a dentist. Alpha Omega helps to personalize and verify the valuable information that students and new dentists receive from the ADA. Alpha Omega provides opportunities to make the world a better place by providing varied volunteer opportunities through its Global Oral Health Initiative program. And most importantly, since 1907, Alpha Omega provides a sense of warmth and family that is unique, a tradition that is worthy of passing on. Dr. Feinberg is excited to have the opportunity as ADA president to face the opportunities and challenges with membership, collaboration between the three levels of the ADA structure and the expansion of the ADA’s Action for Dental Health initiatives, identifying and acting on those opportunities that ensue a bright future for the next generation of dentists. AO
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
23
24
Fraternity News
Birth Announcements • Itamar, son of Vladi and Merav Meron-Dvoyris (Tel Aviv) • Jonathan Gabriel, son of David and Margarit Dano (Boston) • Tristan Eli, grandson of Charlene Berkman and Richard Brody (Queens-Nassau) • Dean, son of Michael Alfandari and his wife Adi (San Fernando Valley) • Zachary Myles, son of Andrew and Jennifer YarmusSteinman (Toronto)
Mergers and Acquisitions • Amy Miller and David Zeman, daughter of Murray and Barbara Miller • Melissa Knudsen and David Tavan
In Memoriam arlene Tenenbaum Z”l M Morton Amsterdam, Philadelphia Alvin Atlas, Illinois Jonathan Cabot, Detroit Allen Feldman, Toronto Howard Goldberg, Baltimore Melvyn Heft, Montreal Mitch Honig, San Fernando Valley
Scott Jacks, Los Angeles Philip Katz, Manitoba Neil Kendal, Toronto Herbert Keningsberg, Brooklyn Morton Lang, Montreal Harold Levin, San Fernando Valley Irwin Lightman, Toronto Calvin Mass, Hartford
Leonard Miller, IAL but lapsed Abe Pearlman, Detroit Michael Perry, IAL Harvey Phillips, Rochester-Gilead Aaron Schaeffer, Baltimore Fred Stulberg, Toronto
The essence of Alpha Omega: Fraters from three countries, spanning several generations, gather to celebrate the simcha of the marriage of frater Murray Miller’s daughter, Amy, to David Zeman on August 31.
Call for News
The Alpha Omegan needs your help! Please send any news items about events or members to AO Executive Director Heidi Weber at hweber@ao.org.
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
www.ao.org
Alpha Omegan Journal of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity
International President’s Message continued from p. 5 During the first year of the program, Alpha Omega dentists will strive to serve a total of 250300 patients in the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, New York City, NY/NJ Metro Area, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Toronto. We are hoping to expand the program in 2016 and 2017 to more U.S. cities and possibly to Israel where we know that there is a critical need to help Holocaust survivors. At every participating city, an Alpha Omegan Ambassador has already been named and has already started to recruit volunteers from their chapter to participate. Furthermore, a program coordinator will be hired to facilitate the program in a centralized way and to help our ambassadors make the linkages between volunteer local dentists and patients, including referrals of JFCS identified patients to the volunteer dentists, as well as working with the agencies to work out logistical issues. Oral care products, such as restorative materials, will be secured through donations from Henry Schein Cares and its industry partners. We are working to recruit laboratory partners who would be willing to donate their services for the fabrication of oral prosthetic devices such as crowns and dentures, but wherever possible we are hoping that the volunteer dentist’s own lab will be enthusiastic about donating one or two cases and become a partner in this wonderful cause. Alpha Omega U.S. Foundation Vice Chair and past AO Meritorious Service Award recipient Allen Finkelstein has helped create ‘Scope of Care Guidelines,’ which details the dental procedures that will be provided within the program.
Advertiser’s Index
Procedures beyond the scope of care will be reviewed on a case-bycase basis and may be approved. All the information including patient records, supplies for treatment, and the value of care will be recorded in a central registry through Bedford Healthcare under the leadership of Allen Finkelstein. Although Alpha Omegans will provide dental services at no charge, realistically, in order to sustain a program of this magnitude a budget is required to fund patient transportation, translation services, care for treatment outside the scope of care and other administrative costs. We plan to secure and announce major funding for this program shortly, but donations for the program are always welcome from our members through our U.S. and Canadian Foundations. As Alpha Omegans, we now have an important opportunity to enhance Holocaust Survivors’ access to oral care. We know that this initiative will have an exponentially positive impact on the lives of this very deserving population. Greater access to oral care will significantly enhance survivor’s overall health and quality of life. Moreover, our program will enable the limited emergency assistance funds that are available to the patients served by this program to be used to support their other basic unmet needs. This is the last generation of survivors; their needs are urgent and our collective response as Alpha Omegans must be as well. A famous phrase in Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of our Fathers states: , which translates to “if not now – when?” When indeed?
1 Advanced Dental Technologies 800.243.2235 www.ADT-US.com/IZIR
15 DentSim Lab NYC 718.753.0427 www.dentsimlab.com
5 Keystone Dental 866.902.9272 www.keystonedental.com
C2 Tuttnauer USA Co., Ltd 800.624.5836 www.tuttnauerusa.com.com
26 Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity 301.738.6400 www.AO.org
AO
Alpha Omegan | Fall 2014
25