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| Issue #41-3.18.08 |  Forward This Newsletter To A Colleague |
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Tablet PCs an Answer for Small Operatories
In a previous article for The Dentist’s Network, I discussed the benefits of traditional desktop-style computers over laptops, focusing on the better price/performance ratio, larger screens and expandability. However, there is a relatively newer class of laptops that has become increasingly popular: Tablet PCs. Though I still believe that a desktop is the better choice in most situations, there are certainly some situations where this type of system just isn’t possible. Many offices have very small operatories where the placement of a traditional computer along with the cabling issues to connect a monitor to the computer makes this a challenging task. Some dentists prefer to have one computer that they can carry from room to room and in these scenarios, a Tablet PC is a viable option.
There are lists of features that make Tablets unique. All Tablets have handwriting recognition, and are able to convert handwriting (yes, even dentists’ handwriting!) into text. This feature was quite erratic in the initial software that was released when Tablets came out, but has been greatly improved in the latest version of the software. They all have digital ink, which allows you to annotate and draw on the screen. While most practice management charting programs have yet to take advantage of this feature, a few now support drawing and notes directly on the patient chart. From a design standpoint, they were created to replace paper-and-pen; think of a Tablet as a PDA on steroids. Tablets have built-in wireless networking so that you can connect to your practice management software or digital images, and most also have an Ethernet port should you prefer to connect them to a wired network.
The Tablets come in two varieties: slate and convertible. The slate design is a plain tablet with touchscreen and no attached peripherals. If you want to use a keyboard or mouse, you must use external ones that connect to USB ports. These are more difficult to move from room to room because the keyboard must also be moved, the slate is lighter than the convertible model. The convertible is basically a traditional laptop with a swivel screen. The screen is spun 180 degrees on its axis and is then folded back over the keyboard, thus mimicking the design of the slate. The decision of which style to use will depend on how the office is planning to use the Tablet in the operatory. In most cases, the convertible design is the better option; the office may be entering treatment notes that require a significant amount of typing. If the dentist plans to use the Tablet at home as a laptop computer, then the convertible format might be the best system in that situation.
The Tablet introduces many new options for the dentist. It can be used as the computer interface for a completely portable digital radiography system, which would consist of the Tablet, USB box and sensor; some companies sell these integrated systems. With a Tablet, a dentist can easily highlight and “draw” on an image to show pathology to a patient. And, with its portability, a Tablet can be placed behind the patient to enter management data such as charting, treatment plans and scheduling.
Of course, no system is perfect, and tablets are certainly not an exception. Most tablets are more expensive than laptops with similar system configuration, although this is hard to achieve because most Tablets are a few generations behind laptops when it comes to processor speed. The screens are typically 10-12”; a few companies have recently come out with 14” screens, but these are still considerably smaller than modern monitors. In many systems, they are packing many components into a small case, which creates heat. My own experience with Tablets is that after a few hours of use, the bottom can become extremely warm. Finally, because to their small size, they have relatively short battery life, and need to be constantly recharged.
Althogh a desktop system is still the ideal computer for the vast majority of offices, Tablet PCs present another choice that dentists can consider when they are designing their practices” technology systems. Whether as an additional to their existing network or in lieu of desktop systems, Tablets eliminate some of the limitations of laptop computers and they do have a place in the modern dental practice.
Lorne Lavine, DMD is the Founder and President of Dental Technology Consultants. Dr. Lavine holds two prestigious certifications, the A+ Certified Technician designation and the Network+ Certified Professional. These designations demonstrate proficiency in computer repair, operating systems, network design and installation. Dental Technology Consultants provide dentists a full range of services relating to the implementation of technology.
Dr. Lavine can be reached directly at 1.866.204.339 or drlavine@thedentistsnetwork.net.
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The Most Important Team Member
Every article you read today in dental practice management talks about building and creating a great team. Dentists, you may be leaders of the team, but nothing gets done in your office unless you have a team, which includes your dental hygienists, dental assistants and front office staff. You need to take care of your team. Take your team with you to continuing education so that they are as knowledgeable as you are in the services you provide to patients. Your hygiene staff is very important, your dental assistants are crucial to your success and your front office people are the gatekeepers looking out for your best interest.
But wait, there is another important member of the dental team. When I hear some practice management speakers talk about the team, I believe that we have previously left out who I consider to be the most important person of the dental office team. Every dentist reading this article needs to add this person immediately to his or her team with the respect and honor deserved. One of the best things about this team member is that he or she pays you. The most important person on your dental office team is the patient!
Some dental offices are so worried about their own in-office team that they almost forget about the patient. Many times in dental practice management, you almost get the feeling that there is an “us vs. them” mentality. We have to try to manipulate the patient to do what we want, and that is when our team wins. If the patient doesn’t do what we want, then they win. I have news for you – you can’t force people to do anything they don’t want to do. And if somehow you are able to force them to do it, it will always come back to bite you.
Once we get our patient into the office, we let these patient team members tell us where they want to go, what kind of treatment they want and how they want to be treated. We work with the patients as valuable members of the dental team. They want the treatment, we want to provide the treatment and then we all work together to make it happen. That’s what team work really is. It is not “us against them”; it is us and them together so that everyone wins.
It’s not just in treatment planning arena where the team approach with the patient works well, but also in the financial planning. Using patient financing plans, such as Care Credit, is one way we have been able to forge this bond with the patients and make them valued team members. By helping them work through the financial aspect, we get paid. They are able to finance their dental treatment and affordably make payments. Working with patients in terms of their financing and treatment plans is crucial – if they get a little less financing, we can break up the treatment plan until they can afford the rest. In many cases, a company like Care Credit will give us more financing than we asked for if a patient has a good credit history and all of a sudden the treatment plan grows beyond what we initially talked about.
Yes, there are unreasonable patients with ridiculous demands like, “Pull out all of my teeth and give me dentures.” When the patient, as a team member, is unreasonable or can’t be dealt with, we vote him or her off the island and are off the team. The truth is that most patients are reasonable and wonderful people who we are proud to have as members of our dental team.
People come to us because they are looking for changes in their lives, big or small. Like any good team, we all make suggestions, work through alternatives if possible and come up with the best action plan. But that must happen with the most important team member, the patient; it does not happen without him or her.
When you start treating patients as an integral part of your dental team, amazing things can happen for you. Certainly it’s nice to have a team member that pays you, instead of the reverse. When you get paid, this is a win-win situation for everyone in the office. Start treating your patients as the most important team members watch your practice grow.
Dr. Louis Malcmacher is a practicing general dentist in Bay Village, Ohio and an internationally known lecturer, dental consultant and author and consultant to the Council on Dental Practice of the ADA. Interested in knowing more about how to truly enjoy dentistry? Click here
Interested in having Dr. Malcmacher speak to your dental society or study club? Click Here.
To reach Dr. Malcmacher email him at DrMalcmacher@thedentistsnetwork.net or 800-952-0521.
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Bonuses Have You Backed into a Corner?
In certain parts of the country, this winter has become one of the longest and wettest on record. The snows, rains and gray clouds seem utterly uncompromising, refusing to give way to spring. The expectation for many is that by this time of year they should be enjoying warmer days and more sunshine. You deserve it. After all, haven’t you suffered enough this long winter?
But that’s the problem with expectations. When we don’t get what we expect, when people don’t behave as we expect, when situations don’t turn out as we expect, we become frustrated and resentful. Take practice bonus plans, for example. The dentist wants to motivate the employees to be more productive, to put their creative problem-solving skills to work, to address shortcomings in systems so that the practice can grow. The doctor decides it would be a good idea to institute a bonus plan contingent upon increases in production.
Within a few months, employees are excited to see a few extra bucks coming their way. Yep, they definitely like this new approach to compensation. Meanwhile, the doctor is thinking What have I done and how can I undo this? The doctor expected employees to be more productive and to focus on problem-solving and improving key systems. That hasn’t happened. The money wasn’t a motivator.
Yes, the practice has produced more. But that’s because the doctor has expanded services and is selling more cases. However, it’s costing more to provide those services and collections aren’t making up for it, largely because the individual responsible for that system isn’t stepping up to the plate.
And that is the classic example of a bonus system that simply doesn’t work. Bonuses do not guarantee that employees will improve performance. In fact, oftentimes in practices in which bonuses have become a routine part of the compensation package, employees don’t see them as a reward for going the extra mile. Rather they become an entitlement. Then when the economy takes a hit, as we are seeing now, many doctors feel trapped. They instituted this bonus system when the practice was riding the economic wave and now they are drowning beneath it. But how do they take the money away?
If you are set on establishing or maintaining a bonus system in your practice, you must spell out the criteria for giving and suspending bonuses. Under no circumstances can your practice hand over more money unless you are bringing in more. It’s that simple and it must be clear to staff.
That being said, I do not recommend bonuses. Instead, create a fair compensation package that gives raises annually, provided that two criteria are met: 1. The employee’s performance warrants a salary hike. 2. The increase will not tip staff wages beyond 19% to 22% of collections, not including taxes and benefits, which account for an additional 3% to 5%.
Spell out exactly how increases in compensation are achieved. Employees should understand from day one that salary increases are performance-based and according to specific criteria, which the employees are fully aware of. Compensation should be increased based on measurable goals and tasks employees perform to improve overall production, collections and reductions in overhead, to name a few. And just because Mary decided to stick around another year doesn’t mean she can expect more money.
Develop practice goals and individual objectives that support those goals. If the practice aims to increase treatment acceptance of implant cases by 15%, discuss how the entire team can contribute to that goal, from improving patient education, to ensuring that front desk staff understand the benefits of the procedure and can reiterate that information in casual conversations with patients, and to follow up with those who have unscheduled treatment in their records. The staff must understand that the success of the practice is dependent upon everyone’s contribution and commitment not just the doctor’s.
Educate your team on the real costs of running a dental practice. In many offices, most employees have absolutely no concept of the multitude of financial obligations facing the doctor. All they see is money coming in and think that they’re not getting enough of it. However, if they understand how their responsibilities directly impact the bottom-line, they are far more likely to take responsibility and ownership of their systems. Only then can they begin to understand the importance of continuously looking for ways to improve those systems. And you, in turn, can expect a sunnier financial outlook in the days ahead.
Sally McKenzie is CEO of McKenzie Management. A nationwide dental management, practice development and educational consulting firm. Working “on-site” with dentists since 1980, McKenzie Management provides knowledge, guidance and personalized systems that have propelled thousands of general and specialty practices to realize their potential. Sally can be reached directly at 1.877.777.6151
Interested in speaking to Sally McKenzie about your management concerns? Email her at Sally@thedentistsnetwork.net
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