I Love My Dentist

“I Love My Dentist!”

The Secret to Providing an Exceptional
Patient Experience!

BY CARY H. GANZ DDS

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COPYRIGHT © 2008 BY CARY GANZ

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

REPRODUCTION OR TRANSLATION OF ANY PART OF THIS WORK BEYOND
THAT PERMITTED BY SECTION 107 AND 10-8 OF THE 1976 UNITED STATE
COPYRIGHT ACT WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER IS
UNLAWFUL. REQUEST FOR PERMISSION OR FURTHER INFORMATION
SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE INNOTEC GROUP LTD.

THIS PUBLICATION IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE AND

AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION IN REGARD TO THE SUBJECT MATTER

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF LEGAL ADVICE OR OTHER EXPERT ASSISTANCE IS
REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF THE APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE
OBTAINED.

ISBN 978-0-615-23530-1

1.BUSINESS 2.HEALTH

This book provides information only. In the event you use any of
the information provided within this book for your practice or
business the author assumes no responsibility for your actionbs
or the results obtained.

Cover Design by PhotoSmith, LLC photosmith.elance.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Ganz graduated from N.Y.U. College of Dentistry in 1970
and received his Prosthodontic credentials from Kingsbrook
Jewish Medical Center in 1973. Until recently he was Co-Chief of
Implant Dentistry and the Implant Fellowship Program at North
Shore University Hospital – Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

From 1998 - 2001 Dr. Ganz was an owner and
Vice President of Dexistm Digital Radiography
and has been involved in this technology for
over 15 years. He has been a consultant for
dental implant companies, laser manufacturers,
digital x-ray manufacturers and distributors of
dental products and supplies.
Cary Ganz DDS
Dr. Ganz has written numerous articles and has
lectured nationally and internationally on a variety of topics
including Cosmetic Dentistry, Implant Prosthodontics, lasers,
advanced dental technologies and the Internet.

He is on the advisory board and consultant to several dental
manufacturers and is Vice President of Clinical Affairs for
PlanetDDS, manufacturer and distributor of Denticontm Practice
Management Software, DentiGramtm Communications and
DentiRaytm, digital x-ray system.

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Dr. Ganz is President of Dental Spa Cosmetics, a manufacturer and
distributor of cosmetic, stress management and practice
enhancement products for the dental profession.

Dr. Ganz maintains an active private Prosthodontic practice with
special emphasis on Implants and Cosmetic Dentistry in Garden
City, N.Y.

Dr. Ganz is married to his wonderful wife Barbara and has four
children Jason, Stephanie, Jacqueline and Seth. He has three
grandchildren, Annabel, Juliet and Zachary.

He can be reached at:

300 Garden City Plaza Garden City NY 11530

Email: [email protected]

Dental Spa at Garden City

The Prosthodontic Practice of Cary H. Ganz DDS

Tel. 516 741.1230 Fax 516 741.2257

To Order Additional Copies from Dental Spa Cosmetics you can
call:
Tel. 1 800 897.4019
Or go online to
http://www.dentalspacosmetics.com/ilovemydentist.htm

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Dedication:

This book is dedicated to my wife Barbara and my kids, both
big and small, without whom my life would have no meaning.
Without them, all that is written on the following pages would
just be ink on a page. For I’ve learned that without family nothing
at all matters.

Family is the glue that binds us together. It is the bubble that
makes us laugh and the strength that allows us to survive when
laughing is just not happening.

I dedicate this book to my family who has always thought of me
as being “respected” even when I sometimes doubted myself.
Through the tireless hours and the tasks that sometimes seemed
daunting, I could always turn around to see the support behind
me. Never doubting, never worried and relentless in their praise.

Dedication doesn’t come close to expressing my love for my wife
Barb, my sons Jason and Seth and my daughters Stephanie (aka
Nini) and Jackie. To my son-in-law Ari and my future son-in-law
Brian and to my daughter-in-law Jen. And to the future
generations of my family; my granddaughters Annabel and Juliet
and the latest addition to our family, my grandson Zachary.

I would also be remiss in not thanking the woman who brought
me into this world and who has always supported me from

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infancy to now, my mother Shari. I also want to make sure to
thank my Dad, who unfortunately is not with us today, for his
DNA.
I also want to thank my staff, especially my best friend for over 34
years Joanne, for tolerating my craziness, standing by me during
the challenging times and for making OUR practice what it is
today.
Finally I want to thank my dearest and oldest friend Fred without
whom I may not have made it through some of those tough times.
No one could have a better friend or brother….
This book is also dedicated to all of those dentists trying to be the
best they can be in a profession that demands perfection; a
superhuman task that is repeated every day in dental offices
throughout the country.
To each and every one of you, thank you for being who you are
and for what you have all given to me.

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What Others Have Said

“I’ve worked with dentists, and Dr. Ganz just gets it — he knows how to
use marketing, communication with the patient and new technology to
build a successful office. Not only does this make a better practice
healthier, it also helps the grateful patients. I can see why his patients
truly love him.”

Laura Geisking, CEO The Creative Company

"Dr Ganz's business acumen is a force to be reckoned with. He has been
a mentor of mine for 30+ years, and I can assure you by following his
simple direct concepts and principles as outlined in "I Love My Dentist",
you too can retire, as i did, at an early age.

His creativity in evaluating a situation and problem solving, demonstrate
that multiple solutions to any situation exist. He is a leader and a visionary
who has strong ethics down to his core values. This book is truly inspiring.
It will get your juices flowing."

Fred Danziger DDS... Long Beach, NY

If you are looking for a feel good book about dentistry, this is it.
Dr. Cary Ganz delivers a high tech, high touch, book to get you back on
track. His practical ideas will improve your bottom line and create a
positive experience in your office. I wish the American Dental Association
would make this required reading!

Dr. Steven Boral, Clinical Professor of Orthodontics, New York
University College of Dentistry

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Contents

ABOUT THE AUTHOR........................................................................... 3
Dedication: ..................................................................................... 5
What Others Have Said .................................................................. 7
Introduction.................................................................................. 15
Chapter 1: 13 Rules of the Road 101- My Little Bit of Philosophy
(Otherwise Known as Fluff) .......................................................... 25

Rule 1: The Golden Rule: .........................................................26
Rule 2: The Tomorrow Rule .....................................................28
Rule 3: The Impossible Rule.....................................................29
Rule 4: The Like Refers Like Rule .............................................31
Rule 5: The Multiple Options Rule ...........................................33
Rule 6: The Leave Your Ego at the Door Rule ..........................35
Rule 7: The KISS Formula .........................................................37
Rule 8: The “Momentum Is Contagious” Rule .........................40
Rule 9: The Never Be a Naysayer’s Rule .................................42
Rule 10: The Fear Stinks Rule...................................................44
Rule 11: The Good is Not Good Enough Rule..........................46
Rule 12: The ‘Be the Ball’ Rule .................................................48
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Rule 13: The ‘Buy Low, Sell High’ Rule .....................................49
Chapter 2: You Need to Think Ahead to Stay Ahead In Any
Economic Climate…..Good or Bad!...............................................50

Never Listen To Gurus…They’re No Smarter Than You! ..........50
Learning to Prosper .................................................................53
Fees..........................................................................................56

If I Raise My Fees My Patients Will Leave ...........................57
How Do We as Dentists Determine Our Fees? ...................58
What is a Fair Fee?..............................................................59
How Much is Too Much? ....................................................62
Chapter 3 – Marketing 101...........................................................63
First Steps First ........................................................................63
Creating Your Own Patient Avatar...........................................66
Talk to Me Marketing (TMM) ..................................................68
Some Additional Points to Remember When Developing a
Marketing Plan or Program: ....................................................70
Repetition Counts ....................................................................70
The AIDA Principal ...................................................................71
The PAS Formula......................................................................75

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Marketing In General.......................................................... 76
It’s All About the Experience ...................................................77
Niche Marketing ......................................................................82
Chapter 4: Where Does It All Start (Otherwise Known as “Before
the Call”)....................................................................................... 86
Chapter 5: The First Call and the Minutes Immediately Thereafter90
After the First Call....................................................................92
Chapter 6: The New Patient Experience....................................... 95
Who Are Your New Patients? ..................................................95

Referred – Non-Professional .............................................. 97
Referred – Professional ...................................................... 99
Walk Ins, Shoppers and Searchers and more…................... 99
Companions...................................................................... 101
First Impressions Do Count....................................................101
Chapter 7: The Welcome – Here Comes the Patient .................. 103
The Initial Encounter .............................................................104
Sense 1 – Sight.......................................................................104
Sense 2 – Touch .....................................................................108
Sense 3 – Sound.....................................................................111
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Sense 4 – Smell .................................................................113
Sense 5 – Taste .................................................................115
Chapter 8: Patient Communication ............................................118
Why?......................................................................................120
When .....................................................................................121
How........................................................................................122
Online – Websites and Blogs ............................................122
Email .................................................................................125
Direct Mail ........................................................................129
Chapter 9: New Patient Acquisition............................................131
Some Things I’ve Learned Over the Past Thirty-five (35) Years
...............................................................................................132
Chapter 10: Patient Re-Activation ..............................................141
Step by Step Instructions for Patient Re-activation ...............142
Chapter 11: Patient Maintenance and Stability..........................145
Stability - Patient ...................................................................148
Stability – Practice .................................................................150
Chapter 12: Out of the Box Internal Marketing..........................152
Internal Marketing Tools and Tricks ......................................152
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Voice Shot......................................................................... 152
Written Testimonials ........................................................ 156
Voice Testimonials............................................................ 156
Using Email ....................................................................... 158
Chapter 13: Out of the Box External Marketing Tools and Tricks in
General ....................................................................................... 163
External Marketing Tools and Tricks......................................163
Podcasts............................................................................ 163
Web Sites.......................................................................... 170
Chapter 14: Blogs ....................................................................... 182
What Are Blogs ................................................................. 182
Why Does a Dentist Need One?........................................ 183
Creation ............................................................................ 183
Promotion......................................................................... 185
Chapter 15: Creating the Overwhelming Patient Experience..... 187
Creating the WOW Experience ..............................................191
Stress the Uniqueness of Your Practice Rather Than Pain, Drill
and Fill: ..................................................................................196
Let’s Start the Souriretm Experience! .....................................198

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Step 1. Dentistry Needs A Change – An Attitude Change .....199
Starting Something New ...................................................203

Step 2: An Environment Change ............................................204
Starting with your reception area.....................................205
Treatment Room Decor ....................................................206

Step 3: Introduction of Spa Services ......................................207
Avant Traitment (Before Treatment)................................207
Traitment - During Treatment ..........................................211
Après Traitment - Post Treatment ....................................211

Step 4: Practice Benefits ........................................................213
Chapter 16: Websites You May Want to Visit.............................215

Dental Spa Cosmetics ............................................................215
OfficeLive ...............................................................................215
Blogger...................................................................................216
WordPress .............................................................................216
PC Magazine ..........................................................................216
PlanetDDS ..............................................................................216
Picaboo ..................................................................................216

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You Send It.............................................................................217
Free Conference Calls ............................................................217
Chapter 17: Free Software ......................................................... 218
Open Office............................................................................218
CamStudio .............................................................................218
Free Anti-Virus Software .......................................................219
Chapter 18: Conclusion .............................................................. 220
Chapter 19: Other Resources ..................................................... 224
Links Mentioned in this Book ................................................224
Dental Spa Cosmetics ............................................................224
The Dental Spa at Garden City...............................................224
Other Links:............................................................................224

Email Marketing................................................................ 224
Broadcast Email Programs................................................ 224
Elance ............................................................................... 224
Lulu ................................................................................... 225
Index........................................................................................... 226
Table of Figures .......................................................................... 234

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Introduction

OK. The title may be a bit hokey but it tries to make a point.
Do our patients really love going to the dentist? If your
answer is no, and it likely is, is that something we can or need to
change? Is it time that we as a profession do it differently than
dentists of the past?

Then again is it really necessary for our patients to love us at all or
do they just have to keep their appointments, open wide and pay
their bills? This is a tough question to answer but I would suggest
that if we are going to ask them to spend their mostly
discretionary dollars with us, are we doing enough in today’s
climate to provide them with a reason to do so?

Now I realize that many of you are saying that ‘love’ is a pretty
strong word to use when it comes to a dental visit. You Doubting
Thomas’s out there are saying that patients will never love their
dental visits. But as you’ll see in the coming pages I honestly
believe we have to strive for 100% or more in order to prosper
during the coming years. Why not love a dental visit? Is that really
impossible? Personally, I don’t think so and I’ll try to prove it to
you over the coming chapters. It takes hard work, but what
worthwhile event in life comes easy? Remember the first day you
had to carve a piece of chalk……

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What would it take to have patients love, or OK really like their
dental visits? What would it take to get patients to look forward
to going to the dentist? What would it take to get them out there
singing the praises of modern dentistry rather than the moaning
and groaning occurring at every diner table during lunchtime?

I would also suggest that it takes more than just good skills and a
good dental practice. Most of us already have pretty good
practices but could we be doing better? Today we are not only
competing with other dentists but more importantly with
vacations, mortgage payments and college tuition.

Well, after over thirty years I have to tell you that I can’t
remember ever meeting a dentist that had it just the way he/she
wanted. We are working harder, earning less income and facing
more stress than ever before trying to provide a service that our
patients will truly appreciate in an ever challenging economic
climate.

NOTE: Throughout this book
we will use the following
symbol whenever we think we
have something real
important to offer. You’ll be the
judge….

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NOTE: Additionally, if you’re not a
dentist and just happen to get your
hands on this book, you’ll find that
most if not all of the material contained
within will fit your businesses as well.
Just change the word PATIENT to
CUSTOMER or CONSUMER etc.

When I was one of the owners of a major digital x-ray company I
traveled throughout the U.S., Europe and even Asia training
dentists on the use of digital x-ray. It was truly remarkable how
dental offices throughout the world face similar issues. Many
dentists were totally satisfied where they were but a whole bunch
of others were not. Now, I have never really believed in that old
suicide statistic about dentists but I do believe that most dentists
are looking for something better but have never been provided
with the real down and dirty information they need to reach their
own individual goals.

I also learned that most dental
practices are good. By good I mean that
they treat patients in a professional
manner, have a nice looking office, a
caring and concerned staff etc. Some
patients will even tell you that they

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love their dentist but if you ask if they
love going to the dentist they’ll look
at you as if you have two heads….

There is, however, a major difference
between being good and being GREAT!
Today, good is no longer good enough.
We need to be great in order to
differentiate our office from the one
down the street or across town.

You need to ask yourself what makes Oprah a household word.
What launched Rachel Ray to the top of her profession? Why do
you go back, again and again, to the same restaurants, clothing
stores and hair salons?

I would suggest that in each of these examples that the difference
is that these varied people, places and things have established a
deep relationship with you by providing you with far more than
you ever expected to receive. You just love going to the
restaurant, you love listening to Oprah and you can’t wait to turn
on the TV to see what Rachel is cooking next. It’s the experience
that counts even more than the people themselves. We need to
emulate these professionals as we introduce a new way of
providing dental care.

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Just think about it for a moment. Oprah’s audience returns each
and every day to be inspired by the host’s wisdom, honesty and
concern for their well being (even though they will never meet
her or be in her actual presence). They come back again and again
to watch Rachel Ray because they have established a relationship
with her due to her visible and tireless efforts on their behalf. She
just makes their day better! She makes them feel better! We can,
and must do the same.

You frequent the same restaurants; clothing stores and even gas
stations because of the great service and the way they make you
feel. Most of the time, you feel like you are getting more than you
paid for! We can and must do the same.

Each of these examples has transcended good and has become
great, at least in your eyes. And that is what is so important. The
perception of excellence! We can and must do the same.

But much, more on this later on…..

For years, I personally have read and listened to a wide range of
gurus who told me to write my goals down, keep them in my
pocket so I could read them aloud each morning when I shave and
as often as possible during my day. I’ve been told to change the
colors of my appointment book, slim down my accounts

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receivable, raise or lower my fees, add or subtract staff members
and even change my office décor.

Most of these gurus, although not all, have never even been in a
dental office during a busy working day other than standing
behind a door observing and taking notes. They have never
personally had to deal with our issues or face the repercussions
when things go contrary to what they have advised the day after
they leave our office. The other group, the dentist gurus, have
mostly left practice either recently or in the past and no longer
deal with the dentistry of today. They still look at the practice of
dentists as if it was identical to the way they practiced ten, twenty
or even thirty years ago.

In reality, the dental profession has been very good to me in a
number of ways. I have been privileged to treat some terrific
people and help them keep their oral health for over thirty years.
I have been able to take care of my family and enjoy many if not
most of the good things life has to offer. All of this due mainly to
my day job; being a dentist. And I continue to be a dentist even
today; learning the lesson the “you never give up your day job”!

But, and there always is a but, over the years I have also had to
treat a whole bunch of annoying, anxious, whining and
unappreciative patients as well. I have had months that I didn’t
know where the next dollar was coming from and how I was going

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to pay my rather huge lab bill. There were times that I just shook
my head and said, “How did I ever get myself involved in this?”
This is true of most practices where the 80 – 20 Rule applies. 20%
of our patients cause 80% of our problems. Wouldn’t it be great if
we didn’t have to treat that unruly 20%? Wouldn’t it be great if
our patients loved going to the dentist? A pipedream, maybe not.
You need to read on……

During those tough times I always looked for answers. I searched
the magazines, the journals, the Internet (at least since the
Internet was born) and even resorted to speaking with colleagues
hoping that maybe they had the answer. Sadly, these calls always
turned into “moaning and groaning” sessions which helped no
one. Well, sometimes hearing that others were suffering really did
make me feel a bit better but at the end of the call, nothing had
changed.

Being proactive, I decided to do my own research and spent a ton
of time reviewing the marketing literature, taking courses and
turning ideas that work in other businesses into ideas that can
work in dentistry. I’ve dedicated myself to finding unique and
unusual tools that can be used right away, with little or no
training, with little or no expense and with results that can be
easily measured. No fluff, no philosophy and no pie in the sky.

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This book is designed to pass on some of the knowledge I have
learned the hard way; either in my office or spending hours and
hours reading what other have said and then after digesting it,
trying it on my very own patients and then making adjustments so
that I can predictably pass this on to you, the reader.

Now, there is no question that you too can do the very same by
trial and error; spending large sums of money and incredible
amounts of time doing the very same thing and you might even
end up with the same results or maybe even better. Somehow, I
doubt that you will do that not because you’re lazy or that I’m any
smarter than you but because it takes an obsessive compulsive
with pretty much of a death wish to do what I’ve done. Just ask
my first wife…..

I also want to make sure to mention
the fact that this book applies to
you whether you are a General
Practitioner, an Endodontist,
Orthodontist, Oral Surgeon,
Periodontist or even a
Prosthodontist like me.

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Each type of dental practice or specialty may have its own unique
issues and problems but the tools, tricks, concepts and techniques
I discuss in the book are generic in nature and will apply equally as
well to any type of practice.

The key to success is a desire to
change, because without change
nothing happens.

So, here’s to Change, with a capital C. In my own office we follow

one simple rule, “We will do almost anything to make the dental
experience one to remember as long as it is ethical, moral, legal
and a whole bunch of fun!”

As I sit and write, I am trying to put my ideas down in such a way
as they are experienced in a typical office. I start with a tiny bit of
philosophy; with some rules of the road. I then continue with
what I believe to be the true patient experience; starting with
what occurs before the patient calls your office and continuing all
the way until the end of treatment and beyond.

Each and every stop along the way will be replete with ideas,
concepts and down and dirty tricks of the trade. Each of these
hopefully new and unique ideas, or even the rehashing of old
ideas with a slightly different slant, will be geared to providing

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you with the tools to not only prosper during these tough
economic times but to prosper during any economic time, good
or bad.

This book is not intended to be a total encyclopedia of practice
management or marketing for dentists. It is just a spreading of
ideas I’ve learning through experience. It is my hope to add to the
knowledge you already have at hand.

I also want to make sure that as you read this book you
understand that its true purpose is to change our patient’s
perception of dentistry. Towards the end of this book (Ch. 15) I
will let you know what we have done in our office to create the
kind of environment that is referred to several times throughout
this book. We have chosen to use products and services created
by our company Dental Spa Cosmetics. In order to demonstrate
the total experience I will make reference to many of these
products. Selfishly, I hope you will join us and become a member
of our company. In reality, you can go to your local stores and
purchase many if not all of these products yourself. This book is
all about the Experience and not about the products!

What is important is that you understand the methods and
motives behind the Experience and then implement those parts
that you feel will impact your office now and in the future. How
you do it is obviously up to you. As Nike says, “Just Do It”.

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Chapter 1: 13 Rules of the Road 101- My
Little Bit of Philosophy (Otherwise
Known as Fluff)

I know I’m breaking my promise not to talk philosophically but I
wanted to pass on some of the things I’ve learned over the last
number of years that just don’t fall into the categories of tricks
and tools. Now, you can just look at the table of contents and
pass by this chapter altogether. You can go right to the chapter
that you think will make the most sense for your particular
practice.

But, I would suggest that you take a moment, possibly when you
have absolutely nothing else to do, to review this chapter. There
are bits and pieces that just may make a difference to you in a
real way. The following thirteen (13) rules are just common sense
observations I’ve been fortunate enough to either learn first hand
or glean from the experts. I pass them onto you to save you time
and to provide you with some of the ammunition you will need to
face the challenges ahead.

I would also suggest that you use this book as a reference tool
when you get around to trying the different ideas discussed in
future chapters. I’ve tried to make them easy to understand and
simple to implement.

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Rule 1: The Golden Rule:

No, this isn’t the traditional Golden Rule but rather the New
Golden Rule for Successful Dentists.

“Give Your Patients 100 % each
day and 1% more each and every
day.”

What does this mean? Well, Charles Farrell, the well known
entrepreneur and owner of the Farrell Ice Cream Parlors talks
about “Giving Them a Pickle”. His belief was that customers at his
stores deserved the best and if they wanted another pickle, if that
is what would make them happy, give it to them. Whether it’s a
pickle or 101%, we need to provide our patients with a whole lot
more today in order to get them to become true dental
missionaries.

Using the analogy of a religious missionary in the Congo, these
purveyors of religion go into the deepest, darkest parts of the
world with the only goal of reaching the natives and converting
them to one religion or another. They are true missionaries. We
need to be able to create our own version of these missionaries
who will go out into the jungles of the small towns and big cities
spreading the gospel of Dr. Jones. We need to be able to instill in
our patients the deep seated need to go out and tell others about

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“their wonderful dentist”. Getting this done, today, is a somewhat
daunting task…but not impossible.
One of the ways to create these types of dental missionaries is
with incredible, outstanding, overwhelming, extraordinary
customer service. Not just your grandma’s old “good” customer
service but something so unusual, so different that your patient
will need to tell everyone they meet about the experience.
We need to provide our patients with the ammunition they need
so that when the topic of dentistry comes up during a lunch with
friends, at a business meeting or over dinner at home, they have
only wonderful things to say rather than the typical complaints of
drooling and numb lips.

"Pessimism never won any battle."

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Rule 2: The Tomorrow Rule

You need to create an office environment that looks to change
as a positive event; something to cherish and almost worship.
You need to have a staff that welcomes change so that each and
every day is just a bit different.

“That Today is Better Than
Yesterday but Not Quite as Good as
Tomorrow

Without a staff that is onboard for such change, practices cannot
grow. The dentist of today needs to understand that the practice
just isn’t about him or her. It really needs to be about “us”. This
sounds a bit fluffy I know, but there just isn’t anyway that one
person can do it all. It takes a team of dedicated, well trained,
inspired and motivated people to make this work. This is
important during good times as well as challenging times.

Now the next rule may be the toughest rule of all because it really
transcends all of the rules preceding it. This rule is affectionately
known as the:

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Rule 3: The Impossible Rule

Simply stated, this rule states:
“You Need to Do the
Impossible because the
Possible can be Done by Anybody”.

When I talk about the possible, I mean all of the things that years
ago people would have said couldn’t be done but hey, today they
are accepted as normal. For examples in dentistry we now have
implants that work and we can bond all kinds of stuff to teeth and
that stuff really sticks. We look at planes that fly in the sky,
missions to the stars and fast food. We take these things all for
granted yet years ago they were thought of as impossible.

Taking this to another level, we believed that creating a truly
comfortable dental environment was not possible. That patient’s
had to go through a typical office visit much like their parents did
years before. They had to grab onto the chair for dear life, press
their feet against the chair and hang on for dear life. They needed
to go through the same rights of passage as their parents.

OK, maybe we always thought we could or actually did provide a
better experience but our patients really don’t believe it! They
still believe it is impossible to have a dental visit that is not akin to

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something seen in The Little Shop of Horrors with Steve Martin
portraying the sadistic dentist. Patients still look at the dental visit
with dread or even worse, horror.

Would female patients really prefer to have a child than have a
simple filling treated? After watching the birth of my five year old,
I somehow doubt it but this is what I’ve heard for over thirty
years.

We believe that it is possible to do the impossible and create a
dental visit that is not feared by patients but one that is at least
accepted and well, almost enjoyed. (Emphasis added by the
author) This is discussed further in the entitled Creating the
Exceptional Patient Experience but deserved mention here as
well.

This is really what it is all about….”creating an experience that
transcends the dentistry that is actually being done”. A visit that
is so incredible that patients can’t wait to become raving fans.
When the patient leaves our office after this type of visit what
they remember and recount to others is the way they were
treated rather than the treatment provided.

"I am always doing things I can't do,
that's how I get to do them."
Pablo Picasso

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Rule 4: The Like Refers Like Rule

Now this rule is just something that I’ve observed over the
years treating a wide variety of patients. It just seems that
people of one vocation, economic bracket, social strata,
geographic location, business type etc refer similar people to
themselves. For example, CEOs refer CEOs and plumbers refer
plumbers. This is neither a good or bad thing but rather just a
reality.

To know this can be very powerful since it provides insight into
how and who to market. It is commonly known that targeting is a
strategic part of any marketing program whether it is internal or
external. It is a rather simple task to survey your practice to
determine who you are currently treating and then gear up to
spend your marketing dollars to attracting more of the same.

Now, before you get your panties in an uproar I am not saying
that 1) one group is better than another or 2) that one group
should get better service than another. What I am saying is that
you need to know a) who you want to treat, b) if you are currently
treating that demographic and 3) in either case dedicate your
marketing dollars appropriately.

It might mean that marketing to a CEO of a Top 500 company is
slightly different than marketing to a local electrician. You might
find that your demographics are wide spread and that there is no

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specific group to target. I would suggest that you then need to dig
a bit deeper. Every practice has its own flavor and branding. Every
dentist attracts a specific patient demographic that is attracted to
him/her because of a wide variety of things. It could be your
office location, your office décor, your staff, your “type” of
dentistry, your personality etc. Each of these attributes will attract
a certain type of individual and each of these groups creates their
own demographic.

What is important is that each of these groups because of their
own affinity for each other will tend to refer their friends and
business associates. The electrician will most likely refer people in
the building trades, their families and friends. The CEO will tend
to refer his/her business associates, maybe their employees or
their vendors etc.

Case presentation will definitely be affected by the type of
demographic you want, need and attract. Your level of case
acceptance will also be determined by how you handle each of
these individuals; understanding that each of these individuals
requires a slightly different approach. Knowing this provides the
ammunition necessary for success.

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Rule 5: The Multiple Options Rule

This rule states that there are always different ways of doing
the same thing. One not necessarily better than another, just
different. As stated before, all practices are slightly different.
Some practices are dramatically different. What works in one
office does not necessarily work in another….well, at least not
necessarily in exactly the same way. Most of the tools we discuss
in this book will work in any practice, anywhere, anytime but they
may need to be tweaked slightly to suit a particular set of
circumstances.

You just can’t take every one of these tools and use them without
thinking about how they may fit into your kind of practice.
However, with just a bit of thought, you can make these tools
works and work really well. It’s well worth the effort!

I have tried to provide you with multiple options to choose from
when it comes to creating a unique dental experience. One that
your patients will learn to at least welcome and enjoy. One that
will not be feared and dreaded as they unfortunately have come
to expect in the past.

Since there are so many options to select from, you can feel
comfortable in just selecting one or two to start and then grow
from there. No need to try everything at one time creating
unnecessary stress and anxiety. The goal of this book is not only

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to reduce the anxiety and stresses of patients but, equally as
important, to create a better day for you, your staff and your
family.

"The first thing I do in the morning is to
make my bed and while I am making up
my bed I am making up my mind as to
what kind of a day I am going to have."
Robert Frost

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Rule 6: The Leave Your Ego at the Door Rule

Now this may be a bit tough to swallow
but doctor, your practice is not all
about you. It is first about your
patients and then about your staff;
you need to know that you come in
at best third!

In everything you do and say: in everything you change or don’t
change; you need to think about what is good for your patients
and your staff first and then, and only then, think about yourself.
For, in reality, if it works for your patients and your staff, it will
work for you!

This rule applies to you in as much as you cannot assume that
what you have done in the past will work in these current
challenging times or in the future. You cannot allow your ego to
keep you stuck in the mud while other drive on dry roads. You’ve
got to look outside your own ego and realize that today there just
might be a better way.

Now this rule applies to a whole bunch of events in your office as
well as in your internal and external marketing efforts. The Leave
Your Ego Rule applies to how you greet your patients, how you

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present your treatment plans and even how you provide
treatment. Think about it….if you were a patient would you want
to be ushered into a treatment room right from the front door or
reception room, greeted with a quick howdy do and then get
stuck with a needle? I don’t think so…

If you were a patient, you would want to be greeted like you were
a guest at your home; you would then want to be allowed time to
get used to your treatment surroundings, possibly listen to some
music, watch something comforting and then be gradually
introduced to treatment. Does this sound like a dream….not in
some offices that treat patients like they were in a spa rather than
in a typical dental office?

Think like a patient rather than like a dentist…allow your staff to
think like a patient as well. This rule will help you gain the respect
and loyalty of those that you treat which will inevitably lead to
increased case acceptance at higher case value as well as a many
more new patients walking through your front door.

"Some of us will do our jobs well and
some will not, but we will be judged by
only one thing - the result."

Vince Lombardi

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Rule 7: The KISS Formula

This is not the typical Keep It Simple Stupid rule that you’ve
heard of before. I’ve changed it so that it is more pertinent to

K I Sthe dental office of today… eep nformation traightforward
and Sincere.

There is nothing more annoying than being talked down to
especially when your health is at risk. Anyone that has been at a
typical physician’s office, read an insurance contract or even had
to stop at a car repair shop knows what it’s like to be talked to like
you were a blooming idiot. The only difference between us
(dental professionals) and them (patients) is that we went to
dental school and they didn’t. Other than that, we are no better
than they are and owe them a sincere and straight forward
explanation of their treatment options and alternatives.

We need to remember that it is all about Communication and
Relationships. C and R is the backbone of any dental practice and
without it no practice can really prosper in either good or bad
economic times.

Communication occurs throughout the treatment process and
should start at the Pre-Treatment Interview where it should be
the goal of the practice to understand the patient’s wants and
needs. This is a great time to establish a strong foundation for
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future treatment. This is a great time to LISTEN! This is not a time
for the dentist or staff member to lecture the patient about oral
hygiene, dental implants or the benefits of composites over
amalgam. This process should also be done in a non-threatening
environment where the patient will feel comfortable discussing
their most intimate needs. Remember, there is probably nothing
more intimate that he four inch circle we call the mouth!

This interview time should be extended, whenever possible, until
the patient is finished. Some people require more time than
others and setting a hard and fast rule for this very strategic
appointment is just not a great idea. Additionally, if you’re rushed
the patient will know it and subconsciously feel short changed.
Schedule these appointments, where possible, before lunch or as
your last appointment of the day. In that way, if the patient needs
more time it won’t interfere with the next patient’s time and
won’t cause you additional stress as you try to end the
conversation.

Communication continues and is incredibly important during the
clinical examination. Just imagine how you would feel if you were
in the same position. MOD, CL III, five mm pockets, bleeding
points, open margins, small raised lesion etc. are terms we take
for granted but send huge red flags to our patients ears. Take the
time to explain what you’re doing, how it may affect their
treatment and further explain that you will certainly answer any

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and all questions at the end of the exam or at consultation. Leave
nothing hanging in the air because you can count on the fact that
the minute the patient leaves your office they will turn to Google
for the answer or even worse, a friend.
Not to beat this to death, but communication should not stop
here or at the consultation appointment either. It should continue
throughout treatment and even after. When patients are asked
what there chief complaint is about dealing with professional, a
typical answer is that the physician, dentist, attorney, accountant
etc just never listens.
Take the time to LISTEN! Enough said.
Note: There are tons of books written on the topic of
communication. Probably even more books written on effective
listening. Might be a good idea to pick one up and LISTEN to what
they have to say.

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Rule 8: The “Momentum Is Contagious” Rule

Simply put when you start creating
momentum in your practice; or your
life, it tends to create movement in
others that goes on and on…...

You start a project; you get others involved in your excitement,
they get excited and the momentum continues. It’s like the
old commercial, I told two people and they told two people and
so on and so on. Momentum is an extremely powerful tool to use
and never to be ignored. Without momentum nothing actually
happens. In order for momentum to begin, there has to be
Action.

My personal belief is that there should never be a time in any
practice that something new is not on the agenda. This does not
have to be something huge and complex. It does not have to be
costly. It can be simple and subtle but there must be something
new going on in order to maintain momentum. Just doing the
same thing every day, day in and day out will result in stagnation
and boredom. This can be the death knoll to even the most
prosperous practice.

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One of the toughest lessons to learn is that nothing happens
without Action. Just think about it, you can talk the talk but
nothing happens until you walk the walk.

It is real easy to sit back and complain, moan and groan about
how tough things are instead of taking action. By taking action,
there is always the chance of failure. As I see it, this fear of failure
is probably what stops most dentists from taking chances on new
things. We as a profession just aren’t built for failure. We have
been taught from the first day of school that margins have to be
“perfect”, denture borders on the money and let’s not even talk
about occlusion.

We are not allowed to be anything but perfect. Failing is just not
in our persona. So, when it comes to taking action on something
new, we tend to step back into dental mode and wait for others
to take action first. Then, after watching the results, we
sometimes jump in but often this is just a bit late. Others have
already taken advantage of “first in” and “second in” just isn’t the
same.

Just think about it for a moment, Edison failed hundreds if not
thousands of times before developing the light bulb. “Without
failure, success just can never happen!” Besides, when you think
about it, what fun is there in doing the same thing each and every
day?

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Rule 9: The Never Be a Naysayer’s Rule

Does this sound familiar? The phone rings. It’s your buddy
down the street and he sounds terrible. He asks, “How are
things?”

You now know the reason for the call; he’s having a tough time at
the office and is looking for someone to commiserate with and
you are on his speed dial. You respond by telling him how tough
things are at your office. He counters with stories of patients that
are ruining his day, or possibly a staff member that is driving him
nuts. The call continues and depression starts to set in. You finally
get off of the phone holding your head in your hands……

There is absolutely no value gained by
complaining about how tough things
are on the phone with your buddies.
It only sets the stage for failure. Stop
being a complainer and start being
an optimist about the future.

Start thinking positively especially when times are tough and
promise yourself that you’ll never initiate one of those calls. IF
you receive one of these calls, be positive. Your mental attitude
may just cross the telephone wires and help your friend over
his/her slump a lot better than joining in on their depression.

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Use the time to do something, anything. Use the time to put into
action any or all of the items mentioned in this book. When
you’ve finished with these tools, techniques and services find
something else to integrate into your bag of tricks.

Doing something, almost anything, has an amazing effect on
depression. Even if what you are doing doesn’t bear fruit, the
excitement and satisfaction of just doing anything, of being
aggressive and proactive can do wonders in creating positive
momentum.

This philosophy applies not only to your practice but I guess to life
in general. I think back on all of the times my older kids have
called me with one problem or another, asking for my advice or
help. Invariably my answer is to be proactive. May the call,
answer the email, speak with their boss, make the doctor’s
appointment now etc. Sitting back and just wading in your own
fears and concerns really does nothing to help the situation no
matter what it is.

This really takes us back to the Momentum rule and Action.
When problems arise, doing something; just taking action can do
wonders for you, your family, your staff and your practice.

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Rule 10: The Fear Stinks Rule

Now, this rule is real important because you just can’t be
afraid to be successful if you are going to prosper in either
good or bad economies.

You need to be fearless and approach
the new challenges with almost
reckless abandonment. Now, I
don’t really mean to suggest that
you throw all caution to the wind,
quite the contrary. Being smart is
also kind of important.

However, you cannot move forward without taking chances. As it
has often been said, many of the people we now look at as “self-
made millionaires” have themselves faced bankruptcy. They had
to get past that fear to be successful time and time again. Need I
say more than Donald Trump?

If you are afraid to try new techniques because they are a bit
difficult to learn; if you are afraid to bring new technologies into
your practice because they require staff training and your staff
has a big “not me” on their foreheads; if you are afraid to spend
the money necessary to grow than I would suggest that you need

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to get past those fears if you are truly going to jump ahead in any
economy.

Besides, fear does have a smell, even if we personally do not
sense it. Our patients can sense that fear when we present an
expensive treatment plan that is a bit above and beyond our own
comfort zone. They can tell that our confidence level just is not
there by that tiniest bit of hesitation in our voice when we say,
“$70,000”.

If you truly believe that the service you are rendering is what
they want, what they need and what is appropriate for their
dental problem, have no fear for you are standing on real firm
ground.

As was mentioned in Rule 8, fear of failure must be overcome in
order to move up the ladder of success. If every time you stepped
on the first rung of a ladder you felt it was going to break, you’d
never reach the top. The same concept applies to life in general.
Take a chance, in reality, you have very little to lose. By the way,
sorry for the somewhat silly analogy. Just wanted to make a point.

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Rule 11: The Good is Not Good Enough Rule

Over the years most dentists learned to run pretty good
practices. They call their patients at night after a tough
procedure, they have their phones answered properly, they take a
reasonable impression and insert a decent crown and they charge
a fair fee for a fair service etc.

These very same offices have nice reception rooms and probably
serve coffee, tea and some kind of baked goods. They have
relatively new magazines and may even have flowers delivered
weekly. Their furniture is neat and clean and may even be
considered “luxurious”.

If this sounds familiar, then you too probably have a “good”
dental office.

But, what distinguishes your practice
from the GREAT practice down the
street or in the adjacent town?
What do they do that you don’t
and what would you need to do to
take your practice from Good to
Great?

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Do you really or honestly need to be
great to prosper during these crazy
economic times or any period in the
future?

I would suggest that there are many things that can be done,
most inexpensively, that can make a huge difference in the way
your practice is “perceived” by your patients. I also believe that
whether it’s this economy or any other economy, certain
practices will just survive and others will truly prosper. Those
practices that prosper will have found a way to become GREAT;
leaving the Good way behind.

We don’t have to be in a recession or depression or any other
economy in order to take our practices to the next level. We need
to constantly stay on top of our game in order to stay ahead in
the success game. It’s much like great ball players or great golfers.
The really great ones never stop practicing and are constantly
trying to improve their game. Good just isn’t enough for them
and really should not be good enough for us either.

It’s also important to remember that GREAT is an ever changing
concept. What’s great today will only be good tomorrow.

It is one of the hopes of this book that we can provide you with
some of the tools that will take your practice from Good to Great.
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Rule 12: The ‘Be the Ball’ Rule

Ok, you have to hang in with me on this one. This rule came
about after revisiting one of my favorite movies, Caddie
Shack, with Chevy Chase. In this movie Chase plays a sort of goofy
country club golfer who realizes that the only way to be great as a
golfer is to “Be the Ball”. You need to think like the ball, feel like
the ball, see like the ball etc. In doing so he sinks puts from 100
feet, with the club behind his back and with his eyes closed.

We can learn a lesson from this movie.
No, not on how to be a better golfer
but on the need to “be” our
practice. Dental practices, like
any other businesses, are living
things. If you ignore them, they
will act up. If pay attention to
them, they will reward you.

You need to be your practice; pay attention, feel its pulse and
watch it closely. Then you too will be able to succeed in much the
way that Chevy Chase does at golf.

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Rule 13: The ‘Buy Low, Sell High’ Rule

Simply stated this rule makes the point that you need to think
like a businessman or woman when running any business.
Whenever you sign a check or reach into your wallet there needs
to be an understanding that this expenditure has a purpose; that
it increases your bottom line; that it has a return on investment
thought process involved in it.

If you want to buy a toy, buy a toy. If you want to be a
philanthropist, be a philanthropist. But don’t think that either of
these were a business investment. The old adage, “He who dies
with the most toys wins” has no place in running a business.

Make a decision that you will
never sign another check unless
that expenditure has a profit
attached to it.

Most patients do not understand the huge overheads we as
dentists face each day in order to provide them with the finest in
dental care. Sometimes I think dentists don’t even know it
themselves. In my opinion, dentists work real hard for their
money and should keep as much of it as possible. So, when buying
(overhead), buy low and when you sell (fees) sell high! You
deserve it.

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Chapter 2: You Need to Think Ahead to
Stay Ahead In Any Economic
Climate…..Good or Bad!

Like you, I am getting real tired of listening to the gurus and
fortune tellers on TV telling me how bad things are going to be
and that we’d better be prepared for the worst. Not only is this
kind of talk setting us up for a fall but it creates an atmosphere of
fear. Patients hear this and they think the worst; they start
hunkering down, afraid to spend even the smallest amount on
one of their most important assets, their dental health.

Never Listen To Gurus…They’re No Smarter
Than You!

And the chances are they are not even as smart!

What’s worse is that these
gurus, unlike you, are almost
never right. Unlike you, they
are permitted to be wrong.

They have the stage and they make their living by using their
mouths but the words they speak are almost always misguided.
It’s like the weatherman, they are almost never right but they still
get in front of the camera day in and day out telling us how to
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