Convenient Hours for You or Your Patients

There has always been a tough decision for dentists to make (especially non-group offices), should they be open at hours that are convenient for their patients or hours that are convenient for their lifestyle. Patients like early morning hours, after work hours and weekends. These are also the same hours that dentist and staff like to have away from the office for their own family’s needs.

The choice to offer non-traditional office hours affects not only the dentist but the entire staff. A large number of staff members are working women with children which makes office hour decisions even more complicated.

For new offices, starting with non-traditional hours is not complicated as the staff that they hire understands the hours being offered. Switching from traditional operating hours to expanded hours is often difficult for an established practice because it upsets the life of the staff. This often means losing staff members and replacing them with new personnel.

Younger and more aggressive dental offices tend to have expanded hours as a means of attracting new patients. This means that offices that operate under the Monday – Thursday 9-5 model put the traditional dentist at a competitive disadvantage.

There are few decisions more crucial to your practice’s success than when you are available to your patients. People shop for offices with patient friendly hours. On the flip side, having a work schedule that allows you time with your family is also important. You will have to decide how to walk this balance beam.

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

Drug Addicted Dentists

Dentists are just like other people and they can sometimes wander down paths that lead them into dangerous addictions. No dentist ever went out and intentionally became addicted – it is always a series of unfortunate events and decisions that spiraled into an addiction. For dentists it can often start from legal use of prescription pain killers.

If you know an addicted dentist, urge them to seek help. Most dentists don’t seek help because they are afraid of losing their license, their practice and their income source. Most states have special anonymous treatment program for dentists just for this reason –the dentist can seek treatment without the loss of their license or public embarrassment.

Knowing an addicted dentist puts us in a difficult position – what do you do when a colleague you know is addicted. Your friend says they will take care of the problem but they don’t. What do you do? I was confronted with this situation and had to threaten to turn the doctor in to authorities unless they voluntarily sought treatment. Luckily for me – that dentist sought treatment and was successful in their therapy.

It is an awful position for you if you know an addicted dentist but it is very important for patient safety and for the long-term health and safety of your addicted dentist friend for you to make sure they get proper treatment. You must act! Go to your state’s dental board website and look up their addiction or diversion program. Most states have set up mechanisms for addicted professionals to safely seek the treatment they need.

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