New Dentist Fall 2015 by The New Dentist

THE #1 JOURNAL FOR NEW DENTISTS

PROTECT YOUR

REPUTATION PLUS Ultimate Doctor-Hygiene Patient Exam Associate Compensation Up Your Marketing Game FALL 2015

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FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

Dear Readers,

Advisory Board

Welcome to the Fall issue of The New Dentist™ magazine.

hen it comes to hiring new employees, most dentists want to get it over with as quickly as possible. So instead of taking the time to find the best person for the job, they hire the first candidate who seems qualified and hope it all works out. Unfortunately it usually doesn’t, leaving these dentists with a bad hire that costs their practice thousands of dollars. I’ve put together a few tips to help you avoid making a bad hire—and to build a team that will help your young practice grow. Read resumes carefully. The resume is a sales tool, and many candidates exaggerate or even lie in the hopes of landing an interview. Be leery of applicants whose resumes focus on skills, responsibilities and accomplishments but have no chronological record of employment or details of the jobs they’ve held. It’s also important to know what you’re looking for as you review resumes. Use the job description as your guide. Conduct phone screenings. During this screening, ask applicants any pressing questions you have, and find out their expectations. You might discover the seemingly perfect candidate isn’t willing to work the evening hours required, or wants a much higher salary than you’re able to pay. Interview with purpose. Use a specific set of open-ended questions for each candidate so you can compare answers later. This is your chance to really get to know candidates, so take detailed notes and ask follow-up questions. Do your research. Confirm applicant work histories and references before extending an offer. Test them. Once you’ve come up with your short list, use real data to determine who is best for the position. McKenzie Management, in cooperation with the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing, provides a statistically valid and scientifically based hiring assessment tool for dental practices. Visit mckenziemgmt.com/employeetesting.htm to learn more. In this issue, find out how the right marketing strategy can help a new practice flourish on page 18. Mike Shoun, President and CEO of Affordable Image and Gene St. Louis, Executive VP of Consulting and Business Development at McKenzie Management, share their advice on everything from naming your practice to developing your website. Want to improve your leadership skills? Leadership Coach Jonathan Gale, Ph.D., offers his tips on page 6. If you’ve ever thought about becoming an associate, you’ll want to read Dr. Tom Snyder’s piece on how associates are compensated on page 12. Dr. Snyder is the Director of Transition Services at Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions. Ready to start your own practice? You might find the associate model is a great way to offer a variety of services while you focus on the areas of dentistry you love most. Dr. Steffany Mohan offers advice on how to develop your practice model on page 36. As a new dentist, it’s important to protect your practice and your reputation. On page 34, David S. Cohen, Esq. of Cohen Law Firm, PLLC, outlines the benefits of non-compete agreements, while Dr. Joe Blaes tells the story of a doctor who was burnt by disgruntled employees and how he fought back on page 26. Also in this issue, Karen Davis, RDH, offers tips on how to create the ultimate hygiene exam on page 10, I tell you how to streamline your schedule on page 30, and Dr. Eddie Morales tells us why he loves being a periodontist, and what you can do if you’re thinking of specializing. You can find that article on page 22.

2 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

Christopher Banks, DDS Inwood, WV WVU, 2011

Bryan Basom, DDS Columbus, OH Ohio State, 2007

Rebecca Berry, DMD Oakland, ME Tufts, 2011

Julie Boerger, DMD Patchogue, NY University of Montreal, 2010

Hal Cohen, DMD Haverford, PA Temple University, 2010

Larry Dougherty, DMD San Antonio, TX Nova Southeastern, 2008

Dennis Frazee, DDS Mooresville, IN Indiana University, 2012

Lindsay M. Goss, DMD, MPH Chandler, AZ ASDOH, 2010

Erica Haskett, DDS New York, NY NYU, 2008

Robert Klein, DDS Kansas City, MO UMKC, 2006

Aaron Layton, DDS Fort Collins, CO Indiana University, 2010

Leah Massoud, DMD Morgan Hill, CA Tufts, 2009

Katie Montgomery, DDS Marysville, OH Ohio State, 2006

Michael Potter, DDS Quincy, WA University of Minnesota, 2014

Kevin Rhodes, DDS, PA Round Rock, TX UT San Antonio, 2005

Tyler Scott, DDS Loudonville, OH Ohio State, 2009

Mary Shields, DMD, MPH Louisville, KY University of Louisville, 2011

Matthew Silverstein, DMD, MPH West Hartford, CT University of Pittsburgh, 2012

Jared Simpson, DDS Bakersfield, CA UT San Antonio, 2005

Nicole Smith, DDS Newport Beach, CA NYU, 2009

Gregory Snevel, DDS Cleveland, OH Ohio State, 2011

Here to help,

Sally McKenzie, Publisher

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FALL 2015 FA L L 2 0 15 PUBLISHER

Sally McKenzie Sally@thenewdentist.net DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Picante Creative www.picantecreative.com EDITOR

Renee Knight renee@thenewdentist.net SALES AND MARKETING

Crystal Sierra, National Sales Manager crystal@thenewdentist.net For display advertising information, contact ads@thenewdentist.net or 877-777-6151. Visit our digital media book at www.thenewdentist.net/ mediabook.htm

The New Dentist™ magazine is published quarterly by The McKenzie Company (3252 Holiday Court, Suite 110, La Jolla, CA 92037) on a controlled/complimentary basis to dentists in the first 10 years of practice in the United States. Single copies may be purchased for $8 U.S., $12 international (prepaid U.S. dollars only).

FEAT U R ES Starting out as a Leader

Copyright ©2015 The McKenzie Company. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by The McKenzie Company for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center.

Jonathan Gale, Ph.D., CEAP

Creating the Ultimate 10 Doctor-Hygiene Patient Exam Karen Davis, RDH, BSDH

What can you Expect 12 to be Paid as an Associate? Dr. Thomas L. Snyder

Marketing Strategies for Startups

Renee Knight, Editor TND

A Lesson in Perio

D E PARTMENTS

Dr. Eddie Morales

Saving your Reputation

Dr. Joe Blaes

Scheduling Patients

2 Publisher’s Message 40 Skinny on the Street

Sally McKenzie, CEO of McKenzie Management

Protecting your Practice

40 Index of Advertisers

Contact Us — Questions, comments, and letters to the editor should be sent to renee@thenewdentist.net. For advertising information, contact ads@thenewdentist.net or 877.777.6151. Visit our website at www. thenewdentist.net to download a media kit.

David S. Cohen, Esq.

Dr. Steffany Mohan on 36 Developing your Practice Model

40 4 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

Disclaimer — The New Dentist™ does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication and cannot take responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers’ reliance on such content. The New Dentist™ cannot be held responsible for the safekeeping or return of solicited or unsolicited articles, manuscripts, photographs, illustrations, or other materials. The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and contributors in this magazine or on the companion website, www.thenewdentist.net, do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of The New Dentist™ magazine or The McKenzie Company.

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Starting out as a Leader: TIPS FOR SUCCESS BY JONATHAN GALE, Ph.D., CEAP

Don’t think of yourself as a leader? You will soon… All dentists are leaders, and the sooner you incorporate this reality into your self-concept and into your practice, the more effective you will be. Dental practices today are more dependent on staff than ever before. As the leader, it is your primary task to draw upon and leverage your team members’ individual strengths. Your team must feel committed and engaged, and connected to the service you all deliver. The more responsible they feel, the better they will perform. Leadership is an important business skill. It comes more naturally for some, but like any skill, you can develop it. I’ve compiled the following tips and suggestions from seasoned leaders to help you develop your skills, earn your team’s respect and grow your practice. 1. Deliver results through others. Remember, your job is to achieve results through others; not do the work for them. As the leader, there will always be some tasks only you can do, but think critically about what those tasks are. Leaders often struggle with feeling ‘not busy enough’ and therefore busy themselves with unnecessary tasks. Outline your essential functions. Think about what your patients want. Think about skills or techniques you would like to develop so 6 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

you are even better at what you do, or so you can carve your niche. Once you take away the unnecessary elements of your job, you will be free to look forward, keep up with emerging trends, get ahead, set your practice vision, and much more. The more you specialize and shine, the more your staff will respect you and want to stay loyal. 2. Trust your people. Your team is your greatest resource and asset. Lead them by example. If you want your staff to trust you, put trust in them. Let them know you trust them, and the consequences of violating that trust. Remind team members you hired them (and in some cases trained them) for a specific purpose, and expect them to perform accordingly. Make sure they know you’ll provide extra assistance if they miss the mark, but if they continue to miss the mark, you might need to coach them into a different role or out of the practice. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 >>

Dr. Jonathan Gale is the Leadership Coach at McKenzie Management. He holds a Dual Ph.D. in Clinical and Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. Dr. Gale has provided executive coaching and leadership development support for many years in professional contexts such as health care organizations, independent medical practices and law firms.

Leadership

continued from page 6 Setting up a structure like this communicates a few important messages: a) I am not responsible for your job; you are; b) I will trust you to do the job and I will provide the resources you need; c) I want the practice to be run well and I do not make exceptions. These messages go a long way in establishing a culture of excellence, creating a self-reliant staff, and building trust and credibility in you as a leader. Too often, team members do not know where they stand in their jobs, and they begin to act out, either by stealing, lying, or under-performing. If they understand the recipe for doing well upfront, they’ll be more successful. 3. Be authentic. There’s no need to read a biography on an important historical leader and then try to imitate him or her. You’ll be more successful if you lead as yourself. If your team knows who you are—your strengths, and yes, your weaknesses—they’ll feel like they’re working for and with a real person. They will identify with you, making them more likely to stay loyal. You’ll earn their trust and become a more effective leader. Team members will likely emulate you, so exhibit the kind of behavior you want to see. Being a leader is not about

separating yourself from the followers; quite the contrary! Being an effective leader involves connecting with your people, establishing and maintaining a rapport, asking for help, input or advice when you need it, and being stoic when required. You’ve made it, you’re a dentist! No need to put on airs. Just be yourself and do the work you were trained to do, and the rest will follow. 4. Take responsibility for the practice’s decisions and actions. Provided you have established a clear direction and set of objectives, take responsibility if something goes awry. This ties back to trust and building credibility. If you “throw” one of your office staff “under the bus” when there’s a negative outcome or an unhappy patient, you’ll lose your team’s loyalty. Be the face of your business. Speak directly with unhappy patients. Accept responsibility. Take ownership. You may need to talk with your team after the event and relook at how tasks are getting done, but at least you’re doing it as a team—with you leading the way. Holding yourself accountable will make your staff want to do great things for you and the practice. For further discussion, or for professional guidance on how to develop your leadership skills and abilities, consider professional leadership coaching. The payoff will be well worth the investment.

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Creating the Ultimate Doctor-Hygiene Patient Exam

By Karen Davis, RDH, BSDH

he examination portion of the hygiene visit often lends itself to increased stress, but it doesn’t have to. Remind your hygienists their time is precious, so they should prioritize and individualize procedures for every patients’ needs. Dentists, remember your words are “magical” to patients, so be certain to make a clear diagnosis. Creating the ultimate doctor-hygiene patient exam is possible—you just need to know how. Implementing these five tips, from using more visuals to changing the way you communicate with patients, will not only help you make these exams less stressful, it will also make them more effective.

1. Let go of the idea that a prophylaxis appointment is all the patient needs. In practice after practice, dental hygienists desperately attempt to educate patients, change behavior, scale all calculus, remove all stain and plaque, perform and record periodontal evaluations, update radiographs, apply fluoride, identify restorative concerns, and so on, all in ONE appointment that lasts 45 – 60 minutes—if the hygienist gets started on time. Sound impossible? It is. The American Dental Association has done a great job defining the difference between a prophylaxis, scaling and root planing, and periodontal maintenance. Bloody prophys are counterproductive and do not arrest disease. If data your hygienist collects early in the appointment reveals a periodontal diagnosis, you know there’s a need for additional therapy. Use clear communication to inform patients of the need for nonsurgical treatment to arrest the disease. Here’s an example of what to say: “We now know bleeding tissue is an indication of an inflammatory response that can be destructive in your mouth 10 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

and can adversely affect your overall health. The good news is, with early diagnosis, periodontal disease can be successfully treated. Let’s discuss how.”

2. Use visuals to replace wordy descriptions. Patients understand and retain information significantly better when audible and visual learning takes place together. Let “pictures speak a thousand words,” and use intraoral pictures, before and after pictures, educational pamphlets, radiographic pictures, periodontal records, and educational videos to assist in the co-discovery process. This process is necessary if you want patients to really understand and desire treatment recommendations. To generate interest and create ownership, talk with your patients about what you see as you use a hand mirror or intraoral camera. Try phrases such as, “Do you see how this area bleeds easily compared to other areas?” or “Do you see the crack and worn enamel on this tooth?” Patients tend to wait until conditions become worse before proceeding with treatment, even though we know waiting almost guarantees they’ll need more extensive, more expensive treatment. Using visuals can help patients value and desire treatment before they have symptoms.

3. Sit the patient upright for communication. When you are willing to pause, sit patients upright to describe conditions, use visuals and discuss possible treatment, you actually have to say less, because their ability to hear and retain information is significantly greater when there’s good eye contact and body positioning. When you sit patients upright, they feel more comfortable and are more likely to ask questions—enabling you to become the listener. To determine possible barriers to treatment, ask patients open-ended question such as, “What

“USE CLEAR

COMMUNICATION TO INFORM PATIENTS OF THE NEED FOR NONSURGICAL TREATMENT TO ARREST THE DISEASE.

”

concerns do you have about proceeding with this treatment?” Most patients won’t proceed with treatment until their questions are answered.

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potential treatment, and response from the patient (DDR). This enables you to perform a thorough and efficient examination.

4. Don’t wait until the last five 5. Ask for a commitment to minutes of the appointment to have the exam. Waiting until the end of the appointment to notify the doctor it’s time for an exam is a great way to put the practice behind schedule. Your hygienist should notify you of the exam once he or she has collected data and discussed potential treatment with the patient. This enables you to look for a natural break in a procedure and interrupt the hygienist to perform the exam. Consider using a computer messaging system or light system that enables your hygienist to notify you it’s time for the exam, without abandoning the patient to find you. Ideally, the doctor’s exam should happen approximately half way through the hygiene appointment, not at the end. Patients should hear you ask your hygienist for a synopsis of findings, which should be a summary of: data collected, discussion related to

treatment. Before handing patients off to an administrator, ask them a closing question such as, “So, James are you ready to get started?” Even when the product you’re “selling” is optimal oral health, asking patients to make a commitment fosters ownership. If you implement these five tips into your protocol, your practice’s hygiene exams will become less stressful and more effective—and more efficient hygiene exams will help grow your production numbers and your bottom line. Karen Davis, RDH, BSDH, is founder of Cutting Edge Concepts. She is an international speaker and practices dental hygiene in Dallas. Karen is an accomplished author and serves on the Corporate Council of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene.

That’s the same concentration as a merlot.

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THENEWDENTIST.NET

What Can You Expect to Be Paid As An Associate? By Thomas L. Snyder, DMD, MBA, Director Transition Services, Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions

There are several ways you can be compensated as an associate. Compensation, however, does vary across the country. In markets where there is an abundance of associates, you may earn less. In areas where there is a shortage of associates, you may earn more. It’s all about supply and demand. Also, whether you are employed as a full-time or part-time associate may affect how you are compensated. Let’s look at both.

Compensation options for full-time associates 1. Salary. Some practices pay a guaranteed commissionable initial salary for the first several months, and then convert to a commissionable draw based on clinical performance. This guaranteed salary usually spans three to six months. Many solo practitioners don’t like paying a guaranteed salary for an extended period because it’s a cash flow drain, especially for smaller practices. That’s why most doctors prefer commission-based compensation. Salary ranges vary based on geographic area, and are 12 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

anywhere between $90,000 and $120,000. For specialists, starting salaries range between $200,000 and $350,000, and are based on specialty and location. It’s easier for corporate groups or large practices to offer a good base salary in the beginning, as cash flow typically isn’t an issue. Some practices may offer you a combination of a lower base salary accompanied with a commission. 2. Commission Payment. This is the most common associate compensation method. A draw is defined as compensation in advance of future performance. Your draw is predicted based on a percentage of collections or net production. Net production is defined as gross production less any adjustments. The majority of adjustments are attributed to insurance adjustments. These commission ratios vary greatly around the country. Typically, commission ratios are lower for production based compensation versus collections. Here’s an overview of various commission-based payment methods: •

Commission Payment Based On Collections. This form of compensation is based on the income your employer’s staff collected on your behalf. Commission rates vary between 25 to 37% of collections. If your

As a dentist, performance counts. Most associate compensation methods assume you must be productive to earn the income you desire. employer pays 100 percent of your lab expenses, you can expect commission ratios to be lower. As an associate, compensation based on collections is a less desirable form of payment, especially at the beginning of your employment. If you are paid on collections, it makes sense to earn a guaranteed salary at the outset. This allows you time to build up your accounts receivable, which will be your source of income. Many employers prefer this method because you only get paid if the patient or insurance companies pay. •

Commission Payment Based On Production. Most practices don’t pay on gross production because insurance adjustments force them to adjust their production. Practices that do pay on production typically compensate based on net production. Net production commission ratios are lower than collection ratios, and vary from 23 to 33% of net production. Some doctors still compensate associates on gross production, but these practices usually have few adjustments. Commission rates for specialists are higher in all instances, ranging anywhere from 37 to 45% of net production or collections. Again, geographic differences dictate whether these ratios are higher or lower.

•

Lab Expense Adjustments. Many practices expect you to pay a portion of your lab expenses and/or implant supplies. For example, if you are paid at a ratio of 33%, then 33% of your lab bill will be charged against your compensation. So if the practice pays 100% of your lab bills, you can expect to receive a lower commission percentage.

•

Commission Reconciliation. If you are paid a draw, there is usually a monthly or quarterly reconciliation (See Draw Reconciliation illustration page 16). If your draw is less than what you earned for the reconciliation period, you are owed the difference between the draw paid to you and what you earned. Conversely, if your draw exceeds your performance for that period, your employer may reduce your monthly draw for the next period.

3. Fringe Benefits. If you are employed on a full-time basis, you can expect to receive fringe benefits. Here are the most common: •

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Health Insurance. Typically, if the practice offers full-time staff health insurance benefits, the associate is entitled to health insurance benefits CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 >>

Dr. Tom Snyder is Director of Professional Practice Transitions for Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions. He is a nationally recognized speaker, author and consultant. He received his DMD from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine and his MBA from The Wharton School of Business. Dr. Snyder also serves on the faculty at Penn Dental and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine.

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Compensation

At Aspen, owners aren’t on their own.

continued from page 13

as well. It’s usually “single person coverage.” If the practice has a cost-sharing element for staff to pay a portion of their premium, you can expect to follow that policy. •

Continuing Education Allowance. We recommend your employer offer an annual continuing education allowance between $1,000 and $1,500. Your employer, however, should have final approval of the courses you take.

•

Malpractice Insurance. Because malpractice insurance rates for general dentists are typically low, many practices pay the premium. Many specialty practices offer this as a fringe benefit, especially if the compensation is an annual salary. However, the insurance thresholds for the employer and associate should be identical.

•

Employer Retirement Plans. This is usually offered to full-time associates if it’s offered to staff. If the practice has a 401(k), SEP-IRA, for example, you can receive retirement benefits after a short waiting period.

•

Vacation and Sick Days. In many instances, these days are uncompensated, especially if your salary is commission based. However, many corporate practices and larger groups offer paid vacation and sick days. Again, it goes back to the relative size of the business. Solo practitioners often find themselves at a distinct disadvantage here.

Aspen Dental gives you all the rewards of owning a practice, and you can become an owner in as little as six months. • Guidance to enhance your clinical and leadership skills • Easier access to capital and a lower initial investment • High earning potential and the chance to own multiple practices Ready to take the next step? Call 866.748.4299.

Compensation options for part-time associates If you’re not a full-time employee, your compensation method may vary. Part-time employees work less than 1,000 hours per year. In cases where part-time associates work irregular hours per week, for example, six hours one day versus eight hours another day, hourly compensation may work best. Hourly rates range from $50 to $100 per hour, based on the doctor’s experience. Conversely, if you work a standard number of hours each day, a day rate may be a better alternative. Day rates vary between $500 and $600 to start. Specialty hourly rates as well as day rates are considerably higher.

Dr. Paul Pimentel and Dr. Jere Gillan

AspenDentalJobs.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 >>

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7/31/15 11:56 AM

Compensation

continued from page 14

How much you need to produce If you’re thinking about becoming an associate, you probably want to know how much you need to produce to generate a decent income. Here’s an example. Let’s assume you’ll be paid a commission of 33% of collections with no lab deductions. Your employer historically writes off about 25% of gross production because the practice participates with many PPOs. After the gross production adjustment, the practice collects 98% of that adjusted production (net production).

Performance matters As a dentist, performance counts. Most associate compensation methods assume you must be productive to earn the income you desire.

Draw Reconciliation Example Step 1) Determine what was earned Collections for Quarter Commission rate Amount

$ 100,000 33% $ 33,000

Production

Collections

Annual Comp

$360,000

$265,000

$87,320

$400,000

$294,000

$97,020

Step 2) Determine if additional salary is due

$460,000

$338,100

$111,573

Amount Earned

$ 33,000

$520,000

$382,200

$126,126

Less draw paid

$ 30,000

($10,000/month) So, for example, to earn an annual salary of $126,000, you have to produce $520,000.

Amount Due

$ 3,000

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A 42-year-old male patient presented with multiple teeth requiring extraction and complaints that he found it very difficult to chew. The patient was not a candidate for a full set of dentures due to a strong gag reflex. Because the patient has dental anxiety, a minimally-invasive treatment plan with little chair time was essential. We discussed treatment options and the patient chose to do a full fixed dentition using implants and maintaining teeth that were in good condition. We planned to proceed quadrant-by-quadrant, starting with the lower right quadrant. The treatment plan fit within the patient's budget due to the cost efficiencies gained with using minimally-invasive implant techniques and equipment.

Patient’s “before” radiograph.

Teeth #28 through #31 were extracted. I used the No-Drill Implant Procedure and OsteoConverter™™ implants size 5.0 mm x 13.0 mm in sites #29 and the distal root of #31. The healing caps were removed after six weeks. OsteoReady prepable abutments were placed after three months of healing and final impressions were taken. The final bridge placement was completed. A cantilever was used on site #28 due to buccal bone defect (a cantilever up to 12 mm may be used with two or more implants).

Patient’s “after” radiograph.

The patient will return for the next quadrant in the coming months. Treating cases like this one, in which I am able to offer my patients implants that fit their budgets with minimal chair time, is what I enjoy most about using the OsteoReady system and procedures in my practice.

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Marketing Strategies

For Startups

PHOTO COURTESY OF AFFORDABLE IMAGE

Ready To Open A New Practice? Follow These Marketing Tips To Attract Patients And Start Growing Your Business. By Renee Knight, Editor TND

hile most dentists would rather not think about marketing, it’s an essential part of growing your practice—and doing it right from the beginning will help you create the successful, profitable practice you’ve always wanted.

to develop a vision and mission statement, said Gene St. Louis, Executive VP of Consulting at McKenzie Management. Working with startup practices throughout the U.S., McKenzie Management helps new dentists really think about the type of practice they’d like to have and what their target market might look like. For example, if you’re targeting families, you don’t want to create a spa-like practice that isn’t child friendly. Name your practice. When choosing a practice name, pick something that is credible and easy for potential patients to recognize, St. Louis said. Remember the practice name doesn’t have to be linked to your name. Instead it could include the name of the town where your practice is located or the name of a specific area, such as the West Loop or Midtown. As you come up with potential names, check to make sure the ones you like best aren’t taken. It’s also important to make sure the URL for your new practice website is available as a .com—not .org. Once you settle on a name, purchase the URL right away. You can do that through services like Godaddy.com or another Web hosting company. Create a logo. Your logo should help potential patients identify your practice, St. Louis said, and is an important part of creating your brand. “Make sure your logo and brand speak directly to your target market,” Shoun said. “Don’t just create a random logo because it looks good. While it’s important for you to like it, it also has to make a connection with your target market, which could be based on age, race or income.”

If you’re ready to open your own practice, it’s time to start developing a marketing plan that will attract the type of patients you want to treat. Look at marketing as an investment rather than an expense, and you’ll soon have a strong base of loyal patients who entrust you and your team with their care. “Marketing is the lifeblood of the practice,” said Mike Shoun, President and CEO of Affordable Image. “It drives those new patient visits, which is going to help your practice grow, especially if you’re a startup practice. If the only patients you have coming in are family and friends, at some point those are going to dry up. You have to have other sources of new patients from all different places. You also need a plan in place so you’re not in a situation where in 3 months, 6 months or a year you’re losing money and trying to figure out how to attract new patients.” Ready to get started? Follow these strategies and you’ll have a steady stream of new patients from the moment you open your practice doors. Develop a vision. Before you can PHOTO COURTESY OF AFFORDABLE IMAGE start marketing your new practice you need

18 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

Start building your website.

Develop a website that is user friendly and includes testimonials, FAQs, and videos, St. Louis said. Create and update social media accounts to CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 >>

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Marketing Strategies continued from page 18 help generate more traffic, and make sure your website follows best practices for Search Engine Optimization. Many dentists try to save money by enlisting a family member or friend to create their website, or by turning to a free service, Shoun said. Avoid this temptation. It will only hurt your practice in the end. “You should look at your logo, brand and website as the foundation for your marketing,” Shoun said. “When you start your ad campaign, most people are going to visit your website, which can make or break the opportunity to have those patients call your practice to schedule an appointment.” Keep it consistent. Your letterhead, business cards, appointment cards, practice brochure, website—basically every piece of marketing—should all have the same branding and feel. “You want to continue the color scheme from your collateral material to inside your office. If your logo and brand are a dark grey or blue, you want to make sure the color scheme in your office mirrors or complements that,” St. Louis said. Send postcards. Mail marketing materials two weeks before your practice opens. She suggests sending your direct mail piece to about 10,000 households in a targeted zip code.

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If you’re targeting more than one market, develop different campaigns, Shoun said. All too often doctors create one piece of marketing and think they’re done, but if you’re targeting young families as well as seniors, for example, you’ll need different types of postcards to get their attention. Research your area and target your marketing efforts. Remember marketing isn’t one size fits all. Track the calls. When potential patients call, it’s important to know what prompted them to do so. Instead of relying on team members to ask, put call tracking numbers on your campaigns, Shoun said. This tells you what prompted the calls, giving you a feel for which promotions are working and which ones aren’t. Through call tracking, companies like Affordable Image can give you specific information about how your team members handle calls, including how long patients are left on hold, how long it takes for someone to answer the phone and how many calls go unanswered. “Your postcard campaign could be doing really well, but the person answering the phone is blocking potential patients from making appointments,” Shoun said. “When doctors say their marketing isn’t working, we ask them if they looked at call tracking. It might show them they received 15 calls, and 10 of those calls were lost for various reasons.” Create a referral program. This is one of the best ways for startups to attract new patients, Shoun said. Create an exceptional experience that makes patients want to refer your practice, and ask for referrals at the end of each visit. You’ll be amazed by how quickly this helps your practice grow. Continue marketing. Marketing isn’t a one-time event. It needs to be consistent. Shoun recommends continuing a targeted postcard mailing for a minimum of six months, though a year is ideal. Think about how many patients you need to be successful, determine where those patients are in your community and then target your marketing to reach them. Remember patients are customers

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As soon as you sign a lease or buy a building, start developing a marketing plan and determining how your brand is going to flow from your printed materials to your website to your office. Think of your patients as customers, and invest in marketing that will attract them to your practice. Keep your marketing consistent and targeted, and you’ll soon have a healthy patient base. “When doctors treat patients like customers from the business perspective of what they do, their whole practice changes,” Shoun said. “Dentists have to embrace the business side of their practice just like they embrace the clinical side. You wouldn’t open your practice without a clinical plan, so why would you open your practice without business and marketing plans?”

A Lesson in PERIO BY DR. EDDIE MORALES, Premier Periodontics, Milwaukee

eing a periodontist is incredibly rewarding. I get to do what I love, which is treating periodontal disease. I love seeing the long-term results that come with regular maintenance, and building a rapport with patients who have invested time and resources into bettering themselves. I enrolled in dental school partly because of my great relationship with my dentist growing up, partly because I knew I wanted to do something in health care, and partly because I wanted to have a good work-life balance. In my second and third years of dental school I learned more about periodontics and loved every aspect of it. I was fortunate to have great mentors at Marquette who helped me appreciate the specialty. I love surgeries and enjoy building relationships with my patients—periodontics afforded me the ability to do both, while also enabling me to save and replace teeth. When I finished dental school and started my residency, I realized I had so much more to learn. Although my residency at Mayo Clinic prepared me for private practice, I experienced quite a learning curve as I adjusted to real world dentistry. Both dental school and my residency helped to lay a great foundation on which I continue to grow. I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned during my career with you, including treating the disease, knowing when to refer and what steps you need to take if you decide becoming a periodontist is the right career path for you as well.

Treating perio As a periodontist, it’s important to know and understand restorative, orthodontic, endodontic, and oral surgery concepts to adequately treatment plan interdisciplinary care. Likewise, it is within the scope of a general dentist and/or hygienist to perform non-surgical periodontal treat22 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

ment as part of this comprehensive approach. Detecting and treating periodontal disease is of the utmost importance. While patients may be comfortable “watching” or monitoring deeper periodontal pockets, early detection and definitive treatment is more conservative and cost-effective in the long run. Additionally, scaling and root planing should be performed with local anesthetic to allow for adequate debridement and scaling. If residual pockets remain, it’s best to refer the case to a periodontist. Generally, regular maintenance intervals and proper oral hygiene make it possible to attain periodontal stability. Because periodontal disease is episodic, you should see CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 >>

Dr. Eddie Morales received his dental degree from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 2010 and his certificate in Periodontics at Mayo Clinic in 2013. In 2014, he was recognized as a BoardCertified Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, one of the highest recognitions of achievement afforded by the specialty. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Milwaukee Dental Association and Smiles for a Lifetime. He has lectured to regional dental groups including the Wisconsin Dental Association In-Session Annual meeting. In addition to private practice, Dr. Morales serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Periodontics at Marquette University School of Dentistry.

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Making the referral When you come across a case that’s beyond your scope, make sure you talk with patients about the case and why they should see a specialist. Patients who understand why they’re being referred are often more receptive to treatment. So, take the time to answer your patients’ questions and explain periodontal disease in lay terminology. Review oral hygiene instructions and establish home care routines. Patients often don’t realize their current habits may be ineffec-

best possible care. Don’t let proximity dictate where you refer your patients. It’s more important to refer to a clinician who has similar philosophies and values, and who will treat your patients as you would.

Steps to take if you want to specialize in periodontics Clinicians interested in periodontics should look into periodontal externships or residency program visits. Most programs are very accommodating to those who show a strong interest. Shadowing or observing at a periodontal office is another way to get exposure. Joint periodontal-restorative seminars and conferences are also incredibly beneficial and help to strengthen your

“The most important piece of advice I can offer a new graduate is to join a study club.”

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tive. I never blame their oral hygiene, unless it’s grossly negligent; I tend to “modify” their habits. It’s important for patients to understand favorable outcomes are largely dependent on exceptional oral hygiene. Become familiar with your periodontist and the procedures he or she provides. By understanding your periodontist’s capabilities, you’ll be able to have well-informed discussions with your patients regarding treatments you advise. For example, remember Miller Class I and II recession defects can be covered completely most of the time, whereas we don’t anticipate Class III and IV defects to obtain complete root coverage. It’s important to have a periodontal evaluation before restoring Class V lesions where recession is involved. Remember, you’re not losing patients when you refer them to a periodontist; in fact, your patients will respect you for understanding your limitations. Handing off to the periodontist should be seamless and make patients feel they are receiving the

relationship with your periodontist. The most important piece of advice I can offer a new graduate is to join a study club. Through various societies, I have met some great clinicians with whom I work very closely. In fact, a few have become great mentors. Don’t feel intimidated to join an established study club as a young clinician. By joining an organization, you’ll learn from others’ clinical and practice management mistakes. Surrounding yourself with clinicians who challenge you will help you grow. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help; if you’ve surrounded yourself with the right people, they’ll gladly offer guidance. Treating periodontal disease in your office or jointly with a specialist can be a very rewarding experience. As you well know, patients don’t always heed our advice, but it’s our responsibility to inform and educate. Oftentimes, we feel we’re badgering patients to accept periodontal treatment on teeth that “don’t hurt.” A well-informed patient will appreciate your concern and become your biggest advocate.

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SAVING YOUR

REPUTATION

How do you save your reputation when you’re falsely accused? Here’s one doctor’s story, and how you can prevent it from happening to you. By Dr. Joe Blaes Publisher’s Message: If you’re thinking about acquiring an existing practice, please take heed of this true story. In addition to being Publisher of The New Dentist™, I own McKenzie Management, a dental practice management consulting company. I have worked with numerous practice acquisitions over my career, and have found many new buyers think they will receive instant respect from the employees. That couldn’t be further from the truth. These employees don’t know if you will keep them or fire them. They don’t know if they can trust you. When buying a practice, it’s best to seek guidance and increase your knowledge of running a business, including how to handle human resource matters and communicate with the team. If things don’t seem right, put performance parameters and protocols into place before firing or cutting salaries and benefits. Learn from the story below, and take steps to protect your reputation. — Sally McKenzie, Publisher

uring my career, I have talked to many dentists who were falsely accused and sued by patients. Many settled out of court because of the high cost of fighting these suits. Most malpractice insurance companies will settle rather than litigate, even though they know the accusations are false. 26 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

After all the dust settles, where do these dentists go to get their reputation back? While lecturing at the ADA meeting a few years ago, I met Dr. Brady Frank. He graduated from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 2001. He grew up in Wisconsin, and developed a love of fishing. He yearned to

move to Montana where he could enjoy the scenery and outdoor sports, and found a dentist in Great Falls who wanted to sell his practice. Dr. Frank bought the practice and the building. He settled in and began to grow his new practice.

The problems begin When a young dentist buys an older dentist’s practice and the staff stays, it often leads to problems—especially when the selling doctor stays on, as he did in this case. The team members start to complain about new materials and techniques that are foreign to them. Dr. Frank began to experience this first hand. Dr. Frank turned to a well-known and respected dental consulting firm and asked them to take a look at his practice. The consulting firm found some irregularities at the front desk. After looking at all the practice records, the consultants advised him to reduce his staff and to bring in someone he could trust. He followed their advice and laid off the person at the front desk and another employee. He brought in his wife as the front desk replacement. A damaged reputation The two former employees were disgruntled and set a plan into place to ruin Dr. Frank’s reputation. They enlisted a staff member still working in the practice to get a list of Dr. Frank’s patients, along with their contact information. That employee was the selling doctor’s chairside assistant, and had been for 22 years. She not only supplied the names, she also created a template the patients could use to file complaints with the dental board. They called these patients and tried to convince them to make formal complaints to the Montana State Board of Dentistry. One of the women knew a local newspaper reporter. She contacted the newspaper about the complaints and was interviewed. What followed was a scathing article that completely condemned Dr. Frank. His reputation had been trashed without a judge or jury. When this happened, the selling dentist left and began practicing with another dentist in Great Falls. As an aside, the newspaper terminated the reporter who wrote the article shortly after it ran. Dr. Frank’s career was overwhelmed by rumors and innuendo. I have searched and searched for the motivation here. People don’t like change and sometimes they feel they can reclaim the past. Sadly, that is what happened to near tragic consequences.

No one is immune to the jealousy of others, whether it’s inside your practice or your community.

The newspaper article that smeared Dr. Frank appeared on September 10. With this barrage of misinformation, patients immediately began to cancel their appointments. By the end of the month, 80% of patients had canceled. The practice began to collapse. The cash flow would not support the overhead. Dr. Frank had to do something; he could not stay in Great Falls no matter how great the fishing.

Fighting back Dr. Frank hired an attorney to help him regain his reputation. The Montana State Board of Dentistry filed a formal complaint against Dr. Frank. In the complaint they asked for all kinds of information. Then the dental board began to investigate. Accused dentists like Dr. Frank must prove their innocence, and produce the records for all the patients who have made complaints against them—and hope the records are complete. They must produce written answers to all the dental board’s questions. These investigations move very slowly, yet accused dentists may never have a formal hearing to protect their reputation. At the same time as the investigation, the two former employees filed a wrongful firing lawsuit against Dr. Frank. A small Montana town had rushed to judgment. His reputation was trashed and his peaceful life was in shambles. What was Dr. Frank to do? How do you get your reputation back after this? CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 >>

Dr. Joe Blaes was the featured columnist for Dental Economics, “Pearls for Your Practice.” He lectures around the country and is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, a past President of the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration and a Founding Member of the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health. You can reach him at DrJoe@drjoeblaes.com or 636-343-6808.

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THENEWDENTIST.NET

Reputation

continued from page 27

Many Montana moons later, the Montana State Board of Dentistry (a Division of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry) found in favor of Dr. Frank; 100% in favor of Dr. Frank. The Screening Panel of the Montana Board of Dentistry reviewed the final complaint, and based on the information presented, closed the complaint without

Building a loyal team with excellent communication skills is the first step to diligently protecting your reputation.

Don’t be complacent. Dr. Frank’s only mistake was he thought this could never happen to him. action and denied the complainant the opportunity to refile based on the absence of evidence. The Screening Panel concluded there was no reasonable cause to believe Dr. Frank had engaged in conduct that would constitute a basis for disciplinary action against his license. The Montana State Board of Dentistry dismissed all complaints. Dr. Frank now had legal confirmation he had done nothing wrong, yet his reputation in Montana was destroyed. He had no choice but to leave Great Falls and move to another state where he opened a new practice. Since then, his practice has flourished. Hundreds of published testimonials praise the high quality of his work.

Why you should care So, what is the moral of this story? This can happen to you. This can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Does this mean every time an employee asks for a raise, you should be concerned, or that you shouldn’t trust your employees? Does this mean you need to be a better business person, and check the numbers every night? Does this mean you need to build your leadership skills? Does this mean you need to build a team of people who are loyal to you and your vision? What this means is you need to be thoughtful, careful and actively involved in your practice. Don’t be complacent. Dr. Frank’s only mistake was he thought this could never happen to him. No one is immune to the jealousy of others, whether it’s inside your practice or your community. Building a loyal team with excellent communication skills is the first step to diligently protecting your reputation.

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Scheduling Patients:

How to Maximize your Production Follow this checklist to streamline your schedule, increase production numbers and grow your bottom line. By Sally McKenzie, CEO of McKenzie Management

As a new dentist, you want to keep busy—and most days you do. In fact, you run from patient to patient as fast as you can, with no time for lunch or even much of a break. Sure it’s stressful, but you tell yourself it’s all part of growing your practice. After all, a busy practice is a profitable practice.

he problem is, that simply isn’t true. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re productive, and it certainly doesn’t mean your practice is meeting its full potential. If you want to create a truly profitable dental practice, you need a streamlined schedule that keeps you on track to meet daily production goals. Many dentists struggle with managing the schedule, leaving them burnt out and wondering why they’re not bringing in more revenue. If this describes you, it’s time to take back your schedule. To help get you started, I’ve put together a checklist. Follow these tips and not only will your days be less stressful, you’ll grow your production numbers and your bottom line.

of the schedule, no one will take ownership, leading to confusion and frustration.

30 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

Train your Scheduling Coordinator to schedule all producers to meet production goals, not just to keep busy. If your days are busy yet you have no plan in

place to meet production goals, you’re not doing much to move your practice forward and grow revenues.

Schedule the proper amount of time for each procedure. Communicate with your Scheduling

Coordinator so she doesn’t have to guess how long procedures will take, or depend on default times set up in the software program to schedule your day.

Sit down with your team and develop a clear picture of your financial demands and dreams. Define

your goals, objectives and priorities, and consider the fundamentals. For example, how many hours per day and per week do you want to work? How much do you want to pay your team members? How much vacation would you like to take each year? How much will it cost for equipment upgrades and continuing education? This all plays a part in determining your practice’s revenue and daily production goals.

Task one team member, ideally a Scheduling Coordinator, with managing the schedule and hold that person accountable. If you put two people in charge

Understand doctor procedures versus assistant procedures. Most dental software programs allow you to

indicate whether each unit of time is doctor or assistant time. Set up your procedures with the accurate assistant/doctor/assistant time to make it easier for your Scheduling Coordinator to properly use both doctor columns of the schedule.

3 Get patients on the schedule as quickly as possible.

Schedule appointments on the computer in 10-minute increments.

Make sure you’re scheduled to work out of 2-3 treatment rooms. Delegate all tasks to assistants that they

appointment to confirm it. Ask patients how they’d like to be reached, and be sure to get their preferred phone number or email address.

can legally perform.

save the date in the electronic calendar on their computer or cell phone. This also enables patients to easily confirm their appointments or to reschedule—no matter what time it is, day or night.

Create one column in the computer schedule for each treatment room you have. You don’t, however, need

one clinical assistant for every room you work out of.

During the morning huddle, discuss that day’s schedule as well as the next two days. Look for the

Offer patients appointment cards and/or appointment email reminders before they leave. Each

reminder should include the date and time of their next appointment. It’s also a good idea to tell patients how long the appointment will last. After completing an appointment card, place it on the counter and say, “Mr. Jones, if you would verify your appointment card, it should say you have an appointment on Tuesday, October 8. You can expect to be here for an hour.”

Confirm appointments two business days in advance. As patients make an appointment, tell them

they will receive a confirmation two days before the

Get patients on the schedule as quickly as possible.

When patients call in, don’t tell them they’ll have to wait weeks or even months to see the doctor. If they have to wait more than three weeks to see you, chances are, even if they schedule, they’ll keep looking for another practice that can fit them in sooner.

best place to schedule emergency patients.

Send patients electronic appointment cards that detail their appointment time. This allows them to

Don’t keep patients waiting. If patients are left waiting

longer than 10 minutes to see the doctor when they do come in for their appointment, give them the option to reschedule. Remember they’re busy too, and don’t have an extra hour to spend in your reception area.

Follow up with no-shows. When patients are late

for an appointment, call within 10 minutes of their scheduled time. Show concern, and then work with the patient to reschedule. continued on page 32 FA L L 2 0 1 5

THENEWDENTIST.NET

Scheduling continued from page 31

Keep track of broken appointments. If you don’t,

you’re losing tens of thousands of dollars. Call these patients to schedule postponed treatment.

Reach out to patients with unscheduled treatment.

Task your Scheduling Coordinator with making five “sales” calls to patients with unscheduled treatment every day. Arm your Scheduling Coordinator with the necessary information and tools needed to get these patients on the schedule.

Make filling holes left by cancellations or no-shows your Scheduling Coordinator’s top priority. Try to

move the next patient appointment up to give your coordinator more time to fill the open slot, and train this team member to contact patients who aren’t already scheduled for treatment.

instead, and don’t pre-appoint patients who are known for flaking out.

Don’t rely on pre-appointing alone. Most patients

don’t know what they’re doing at 10 a.m. on a Thursday six months from now. If you’re scheduling appointments that far out, chances are many of these patients won’t show up. Consider developing a hybrid system

Don’t schedule dream days. Instead, use practice data

to determine how much time you should block out for specific procedures.

Limit the number of non-productive appointments per day. For example, determine how many crown

seats you’re willing to do in a day, as well as other nonproductive appointments. Remember all these procedures eat up your time, yet create no production. If you schedule too many, you might keep busy, but you certainly won’t meet daily production goals.

If you want a successful, profitable dental practice, keeping busy simply isn’t enough. You need to define your practice’s financial goals, and then schedule your days to meet those goals. If you follow the tips on this checklist, you’ll notice your days are a lot less stressful, and your team members are much more efficient. And this, of course, will help you grow your production numbers and your bottom line.

Website for

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Protecting Your Practice

How a non-compete agreement can keep your practice from losing patients and profits.

ompetition in the dental industry is getting tougher every day. Between large, low-cost dental chains that pry clients away from smaller boutique practices, and spas and salons that offer cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening, it can be difficult for some dentists to remain profitable.

BY DAVID S. COHEN, ESQ.

To stay successful, dental offices not only need to take in new patients, they also need to keep the loyalty of their existing patients, associates and staff. One of the best ways to protect your office’s goodwill is to create a strong non-compete agreement for every dentist in your practice.

A non-compete can also prohibit the dentist from soliciting patients from the existing practice’s client list, as well as referral sources, and can prevent a dentist who leaves the practice from stealing current staff. These agreements are especially helpful in specialized dental practices because they prevent a specialist from joining an office, working for a year, and then leaving to open a new, competing office using techniques learned at the original practice. Likewise, including a non-compete agreement in a contract for the purchase of an existing specialty practice keeps the selling dentist from opening a new office nearby and taking back his or her former patients.

The Basics of a Non-Compete Agreement

Don’t Go Overboard

A covenant not to compete, also known as a non-compete agreement, or restrictive covenant, is a clause in a contract that prohibits the restricted party from engaging in services similar to those of the non-restricted party. These clauses are commonly found in employment agreements, but are also useful in contracts to purchase an existing dental practice. A non-compete agreement may restrict a dentist’s actions by time, location and clients. For example, a non-compete agreement may prevent a selling dentist from opening up a new practice within five miles of the existing practice and for two years after the date the dentist sells his or her practice.

Non-compete agreements are necessary to keep your business and your patient list intact, but before you have every

34 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 >>

Attorney David Cohen represents both individual dentists and dental offices throughout the United States. The Cohen Law Firm, PLLC, focuses on helping dentists manage their practices by creating incorporation documents, partnership agreements, employment contracts, and dental practice purchasing agreements. For more information on how David Cohen, Esq. can assist you with your dental practice needs, visit cohenlawfirmpllc.com.

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Dental practice financing from Bank of America Practice Solutions When you need financing* for your practice, you want to work with someone who understands your business needs. At Bank of America Practice Solutions, we’ve helped healthcare practices across the nation reach their goals through smart financial solutions and guidance. And we’re ready to do the same for you.

Let’s talk Michael Pakula Area Manager 619.876.0423 | michael.pakula@bankofamerica.com To learn more, visit bankofamerica.com/practicesolutions

All programs subject to credit approval and loan amounts are subject to creditworthiness. Some restrictions may apply. The term, amount, interest rate and repayment schedule for your loan, and any product features, including interest rate locks, may vary depending on your creditworthiness and on the type, amount and collateral for your loan. † Bank of America Practice Solutions may prohibit use of an account to pay off or pay down another Bank of America account. Bank of America is a registered trademark of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America Practice Solutions is a division of Bank of America, N.A. ©2015 Bank of America Corporation | Rev. 07/15 *

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BEEN THERE, Done That

Key Opinion Leader Dr. Steffany Mohan discusses developing your practice model.

hen new dentists decide to open their own practice, they have plenty of options—options Dr. Steffany Mohan didn’t have when she graduated from dental school nearly 20 years ago. Back then, you either started a solo practice or joined a group. Dr. Mohan worked for other dentists for a while, but eventually opened her own practice. The dentist she bought the practice from stayed on as an associate for seven years, alleviating some of the pressure for her to always be in the office. She didn’t want to be the only person in the practice preforming dentistry and bringing in revenue. “It’s better to build a business that doesn’t require you to be involved all the time, whether that’s through an associate model, a partnership or another arrangement,” says Dr. Mohan, who owns Plaza Dental Group in West Des Moines, Iowa. “I’ve always had an associate model. I’ve added more associates as the years have gone by and now have four associate doctors.” This not only frees up more time in Dr. Mohan’s personal life, it also enables her to offer services she otherwise couldn’t. She prefers implant work and orthodontics, but has associates who specialize in sleep apnea, sedation dentistry and large restorative cases. So she’s able to focus on areas she really loves, while also offering her patients a variety of services. If you’re a dentist who wants to focus on large cosmetic cases, for example, Dr. Mohan recommends combining your services with a clinician who likes to take on endo or perio cases, and then marketing those services. This helps make your practice unique, and gives new and current patients more reasons to schedule an appointment. While the associateship model works well for her, Dr. Mohan says it isn’t for everybody. Many dentists prefer the stability that comes with partnerships, or would rather go solo. Determine what works best for the type of lifestyle and practice you want to have. If you’re leaning toward the associate model, keep in mind associates usually only stay for two to five years as they hone their skills.

36 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

“There are so many ways you can practice dentistry today. When I came out of school there was no such thing as corporate dentistry and there weren’t people with multiple locations,” Dr. Mohan says. “There were just people with small and big offices. I know people who still want to practice solo, but that’s getting harder and harder to do.” If you decide to go with the associate model, Dr. Mohan says it’s important to make expectations clear in the agreement. Talk about the types of services your associates will provide, but realize their interests and skills will develop as they grow. And if one of your associates has plans to develop a longer-term relationship as your partner, determine what that transition looks like. No matter what type of practice model you develop, Dr. Mohan stresses the importance of not only embracing the business side of your practice, but also the marketing. Start dedicating five hours to learning about the business of dentistry each week, and you’ll be amazed how much it helps your practice grow. Take time outside your office hours to read books, blogs and articles written for small business owners, take classes on marketing and find CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 >>

Dr. Steffany Mohan completed her undergraduate work in agricultural biochemistry before earning her Doctorate of Dental Surgery at the University of Iowa. She’s been practicing dentistry for 18 years and placing implants for more than a decade. As the Associate Clinical Director, Dr. Mohan adds a unique element to the OsteoReady™ courses—combining both technical expertise and business know-how. Dr. Mohan is also a 6 Month Smiles Clinical Instructor and teaches OsteoReady™ 2-Day Mini-Residencies out of her 14-operatory office.

Non-Compete continued from page 34 employee sign a covenant not to compete, keep in mind these agreements may not be enforceable if they are overbroad or unnecessary—or prohibited in the state your practice is domiciled. Non-compete requirements are always subject to the law in the state(s) where your practice does business. Most states require covenants not to compete to be reasonable in both time and location, and the court decisions interpreting these covenants usually take the specific circumstances into account. For example, a 20-mile non-compete parameter in New York City likely wouldn’t be deemed enforceable; however, the same parameter in rural Texas may. Also, keep in mind that in many states, non-compete agreements usually only restrict employees with specialized training, like dentists. Such states deem it unreasonable to, say, place a non-compete on your receptionist when that employee is not likely to adversely affect your business. A confidentiality agreement is more appropriate for such employees.

The rules governing non-compete agreements are complicated, and using a skilled attorney to create your agreement is the best way to ensure your practice is protected. Your attorney can draft your practice’s partnership agreements, employment contracts, and purchase agreements to make sure you are protected to the fullest extent of the law. In today’s economy, it is more important than ever to safeguard the goodwill your office has created with your patients. You worked hard to build your business—make sure you protect it by working with a knowledgeable dental attorney to create a non-compete agreement that will defend your practice for years to come.

Practice Model continued from page 36

Staying on the Right Side of the Law Covenants not to compete are often the best way to protect your business from unfair competition, but many state courts do not look upon them favorably. The average individual has a right to receive health care from his or her provider of choice, and all dentists have a right to earn a living in their chosen career. When a non-compete agreement goes too far, everyone suffers, and most states strongly discourage restraints on trade. How restrictive your non-compete agreement can be depends heavily on your state. For example, California and Colorado are notoriously hostile to non-compete agreements. Most California and Colorado non-compete agreements are automatically invalid, except for certain limited circumstances. In contrast, other states are more accepting of covenants not to compete, and courts in these states will simply modify the contract to make it legal if there is a lawsuit.

New Dentist

Blog

www.thenewdentist.net/Blog

38 THENEWDENTIST.NET FA L L 2 0 1 5

mentors who can offer you guidance. “We’re told we have to focus on the dentistry right out of school. You can do that and still learn about the business,” Dr. Mohan says. “The best thing you can do is learn about the business side right away. Learn about how a business operates at the same time you’re building your clinical skills.” As a dentist, it’s important to always keep learning— whether you’re talking about the clinical or business side of owning a practice. But before you invest in CE or new technology, Dr. Mohan says to make sure you’re dedicated to applying it. One of the areas Dr. Mohan is committed to is implant dentistry, and she recommends OsteoReady for any dentist who wants to start placing implants. Her Orascoptic loupes, 6 Month Smiles, a company she teaches for, and KaVo electric handpieces are other items she wouldn’t want to practice without. Because she understands the importance of the business side, she also uses GMR Webteam and does Google Adwords with Web Marketing for Dentists. “It’s really important for dentists to stay smart about business and marketing,” she says. “And the most important thing is to just keep learning. Really take an interest in what you’re doing. It’s easy to go to work and then never think about it outside those hours, but honestly that’s where the real growth happens. That’s where people get really, really smart.”

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The policy of the IHS is to provide absolute preference to qualified Indian applicants and employees who are suitable for federal employment in filling vacancies within the IHS. IHS is an equal opportunity employer.

SKINNY

on the Street

The latest news on products and services for new dentists and their practices Anutra Local Anesthetic Delivery System

Zipwhip Dental offices can use their existing phone numbers to field inquiries, schedule appointments and invite patients to text them through Zipwhip, a company that adds texting to landlines. Through the service, offices can replace phone calls with texting. Dr. Michael Kitsis of Supertooth Dentistry in Seattle said Zipwhip’s service transformed his phone number into a powerful scheduling tool, streamlining the appointment process for his patients. His hygienists encourage patients to text questions post-appointment. For information, call or text 206-582-3733 or visit zipwhip.com. 9:00 AM

New Message

The Anutra Local Anesthetic Delivery System reduces patient pain, increases numbing predictability and improves overall efficiency. Leveraging the power of buffering, the anesthetic’s acidity level is brought down closer to the body’s natural ph. As a result, buffered anesthetic crosses the nerve membrane easily, allowing patients to become more profoundly numb within minutes of injection. This also simultaneously reduces injection pain caused by the acidic anesthetic. The Anutra Cassette® is designed for use with the Anutra Dispenser®. Drugs attached to the cassette have a four-day shelf life. For more information call 1-844-Anutra-1 or visit anutramedical.com PHOTO COURTESY OF ANUTRA MEDICAL

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Q W E R T Y U I O P A S D F G H J K L

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INDEX O F A D V E R T I S E R S Advertisers in this issue of The New Dentist™ have made it possible for you to receive this publication free of charge. Please support these companies. Contact information can be found below, or visit The New Dentist™ Resources at www.thenewdentist.net to receive information from more than one company.

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