Dentist vs. Front Office in Collecting Money and Setting Fees

While the dentist often owns the business during the day they are just an employee with specific job descriptions. If you want your front office staff to be able to collect money from patients then you as the dentist can NOT enter into negotiations over fees or payment plans – NEVER!

If the patients know that the dentist will enter into a financial conversation with them, they will go to them when they are not getting the answers they want from the front office staff. If the dentist overrides the fees and arrangements made by the staff then your staff no longer has any real authority. The patients will simply go to you when they want to lower the price or change arrangements – you render your staff impotent.

Dentist should direct the patients to the front office staff in ALL matters related to money, fees and insurance. Simply tell the patient that you would just screw up their arrangements if you got involved and tell them the staff is much better at this then you are. Make the patient interface with the front office staff in ALL matters financial.

Show your staff respect and confidence – entrust them to do their jobs and you stick to doing great dentistry!

Dr. Corey Gold
President
Advanced Continuing Education Systems
www.aces4ce.com

Make Changes Today

I like to think that January is more than just the first month of the year but rather a reset button.

A lot of times veteran offices seem to run on autopilot. Some months are stronger, some are slower but it is all pretty much running on its own. The staff does their thing, we do our thing and it just continues to run along in the same rut as yesterday. We can change our offices and personal patterns at any time but typically we do not – but at New Year’s many of us are open to making changes and to re-examining our patterns.

If you feel you are in a rut or that what you are doing is not making you fulfilled – then now is the time to make changes. Change your office, change your diet, change your weight, volunteer, become more spiritual – do things differently – be brave and make personal changes.

It is your life – reclaim it – change patterns that are not working for you and find ones that make you happy. Do it today!

Dr. Corey Gold
President - ACES
www.aces4ce.com

How will 2013 be different for you?

When you made your New Year resolutions this year, were any of them about your practice? Did you resolve to learn new techniques, to grow your practice size, to be a better leader, to enjoy your office more? I know that I have made those resolutions. I think you should take your New Year practice resolutions very seriously and ACT on them right away. Don’t find reasons not to grow as a practitioner, leader and business owner. Growing and learning is fun and worth the investment. A recent survey of small business owners said that once they engaged in personal growth activities that their businesses grew one average 7 -10%. The business growth came from both the news skills being implemented but also from the increased attention and energy of the owner. What would a 10% increase in your practice sales and a happier practice feel like? Invest in yourself. Take courses in dental techniques, practice management or personal skills. Just because you graduated dental school does not mean that your active learning is over. Why not get geeked up and become better each year - a better dentist, a better leader and better business person. You might find that becoming the better you is also a happier and more fulfilled you! Dr. Corey Gold www.aces4ce.com