Hygiene Residual Book Updated

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ABC FAMILY DENTAL
Patients Lost
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Leveraging Your Patients for Referrals
85% of Dental Office
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ONE name


8 New Patient Word of Mouth Referrals
Databases have per Address
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How to Achieve a Residual Based Practice
ar Income
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T ear income is “one-shot” compensation or payment in
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efinition:
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SAFE
Strategy
The Residual Based Practice


Statement of Purpose
Align all staff to 2 products
Full Responsibility Assigned
Execute Database Mailings
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AStrategy
The retention of patients begins with the "Mission Statement" of the office. The keynote, most important F factor in achieving the strategy for a residual based practice is to drive home a continuous strong mission statement. Your mission statement is the focal point of all activities in the office...as this is the goal being
achieved.
E The Mission Statement is an education step for every patient and is repeated many times. The Mission Statement is posted in reception, every operatory, the hygiene operatories, the hallway and even the bath- room. It is handed to them in printed form on your stationery with the end result of every patient leaving the office with a goal to share with family and friends.
Statement of Purpose
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Changing Patient Behavior
Patient retention is brought about through an educational system put in place in the office. Cancellations and no shows in both the operative and hygiene department are manifestations of a weak internal office structure.
In other words, there is no structured "system" or "established pattern" that every patient goes through when they enter and exit the practice.
A structured "system" or "pattern of operation" is put in place that every employee follows and every patient follows. It is a non-optional "pattern," the same routine, day in and day out.
Viva puts this "pattern of operation" in place through training of the Office Manager and Retention Coordinator.
= Mission Statement Hung on the Wall
Pano
Operative #1
Reception
Operative #2
Hygiene #1
Finance Coordinator Dr. Office
Hygiene #2
Over-flow
Hygiene #3
Staff Lounge
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Bath Room
Sterilization, Instrument Preps, Supplies


Strategy
AF lign all staff to 2 products
E
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Completions Retention
Education to the Level of Never Needing Dentistry in the Future


A Focused Team Fully Aligned
All Staff Work On Precise Goals
Goals
All Staff Work on Precise Goals
With an established Mission Statement for the office it becomes extremely clear and focused—for all staff are now aligned to two specific objectives in the office:
Completions: This means completions of treatment after diagnosis by the doctor. Once a diagnosis has been performed, the objective for all staff, the office manager, finance coordinator, receptionist, the dental hygienist and the chair-side assistant do their part as a team to accomplish the goal of a completed treatment for every patient.
Retention: Retention is the primary focus of the entire office as a returning patient becomes a "Well Patient." The retention program is a hygiene education center who establishes a bond and relationship with each patient with the goal of eliminating future dental care....this is in fact a "Dental Wellness Program."
The product or goal of retention is stellar and is devoted to the patient. A "Dental Wellness Program" results in:
• Elimination of gum disease • No future extractions • No Implants • No root canals
Most importantly, the office has eliminated or dramatically reduced costly dental services! office has achieved the product of a patient who is "Well" for a lifetime.
In conclusion, the
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AStrategy
EFull Responsibility Assigned
OM
information & education
FCOMH RDA D
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• Knows and provides patient funding information for patient (care credit, lending club, etc.)
cards that express the doctor’s community Hygiene Education Pgm.
• Sets upHauytog-tieextingeremRinedetres fnor talil ohyngiene visits. Wellness Pgm
• Reviews every hygiene patient chart for incomplete
• Rtresaptmonesnibt alenfdorePiantfioerncteRs ectoemntpiolentiofnt.he o ce.
op rocceeWduerlensestos Pingcmre.ase their understanding and improve case acceptance..
• Pulls patient charts
Finance Coordinator
Submits insurance claims and collects
co-pays.
RDA
Assistants Doctor
Reception: Call Conversion
Hygiene Retention
• Informs Assist/Dr patient is ready
•
Wellness Pgm
OWNER
OM
R FC H D
Reception: Call Conversion
Finance Coordinator Hygiene Retention Assistants Doctor Wellness Pgm
• Call Conversion
• Patients alwR
OWNER
• Interviews patient and provides treatment • Responsible for Patient Retention of the o ce.
• Responsible for all patient care to obtain
• Educates patient on dental needs, services and procedures to increase their understanding and
ays appointed before leafving • Greets new patients
• Appoints all patients 6 months in advance for next • Coordinates with Dr & Assist/Hygienist on hygiene visit or earlier if perio patient.
needed treatment for patient
• Knows and provides patient funding cards that express the doctor’s community Hygiene
completions of all patient dental work and to educate the patient to eliminate their future dental work..
• Gives mission statement to patient
• Fills out new patient form & enters new patient information into system
information lending club, etc.)
• Responsible for patient referrals using Viva referral nt (care credit, Education Pgm.
ceptance..
• Improvement of dental skills through continuing
OWNER
• Uses diagrams, images and x-rays to educate patient to accept treatment.
• Sets up auto-texting reminders for all hygiene visits. • Reviews every hygiene patient chart for incomplete
education.
for patie
OM
improve case ac
R FC H D
• Call Conversion • Interviews patient and provides treatment • Responsible for Patient Retention of the o ce. • Responsible for all patient care to obtain
• Cleans waiting room & reception area to bring about a “Wellness Program” to elimi • Instills purpose and pride for the group and its
• Greets new patients needed treatment for patient
o ce Welness Pgm.
• Gives mission statement to patient
• Fills out new patient form & enters
• Responsible for patient referrals using Viva referral • Educates patient on dental needs, services and
new patiRenet incfoermpatioinointo:system Call Conversion
Finance Coordinator
• Sets upHauytog-tieextingeremRinedetres fnor talil ohyngiene visits. Wellness Pgm
• Reviews every hygiene patient chart for incomplete
RDA Assistantseducation.
• Pulls patient charts
• Call Conversion •
• Informs Assist/Dr patient is ready •
• Patients always appointed before leafving
• Cleans waiting room & reception area •
• Knows and provides patient funding information for patient (care credit, lending club, etc.)
cards that express the doctor’s community Hygiene Education Pgm.
procedures to increase their understanding and improve case acceptance..
R FC H D
• Greets new patients • nReespdoendstirbeleatfmorenaltlfcoorllpeactieonts & gives nate future dental work for all patients. accomplishment of patient care to educate each
• Gives mission statement to patient
• Fills out new patient form & enters
weekly collection reports to doctor. • Responsible for patient referrals using Viva referral • Epdatuiecantetsopealitmienintaoten fduetunrtaeldnenetdasl,csaerervtichersouagnhdthe
new patiRenet incfoermpatioinointo:system Call Conversion
Finance Coordinator
RDA Assistantseducation.
• Pulls patient charts
• Call Conversion
• Uses diagrams, images and x-rays to educate patient to accept treatment.
• Interviews patient and provides treatment
• Improvement oDf doenctatl oskirlls through continuing
• LReasdpeornsshibipleofosrta ll apnadtieon t caertehtrouogbhtaoinrganization
OWNER
treatment and reinforces completion.
• Leadership of sta and o ce through organization and issuance of policy.
• Responsible for adding additional hygiene days
information & education completions of all patient dental work and to
• Responsible for all collections & gives nate future dental work for all patients. accomplishment of patient care to educate each
• Patients always appointed before leafving • Appoints all patients 6 months in advance for next educate the patient to eliminate their future dental
weekly collection reports to doctor. patient to eliminate future dental care through the
• Coordinates with Dr & Assist/Hygienist on hygiene visit or earlier if perio patient. work..
• Improvement oDf doenctatl oskirlls through continuing
• Uses diagrams, images and x-rays to
educate patient to accept treatment.
Interviews patient and provides treatment • Rtresaptmonesnibt alenfdorePiantfioerncteRs ectoemntpiolentiofnt.he o ce. • LReasdpeornsshibipleofosrta ll apnadtieon t caertehtrouogbhtaoinrganization iSnufbormitastionnsu&raendcueccaltaioimns and collects acnodmipssleutaionnces of aplol lpicayt.ient dental work and to co-pays. • ARpesppoointsibalel pfoartieandtdsin6gmaodndtihtisoninalahdyvgainecnefdoar ynsext educate the patient to eliminate their future dental Coordinates with Dr & Assist/Hygienist on htoygbireineg vaibsoituotrae“aWrlielrlnifepsserPiroogpratmie”nto. elimi • Iwnsotrilkls.. purpose and pride for the group and its


Assign Responsibility or
Remain Frustrated
The primary reason there is no retention occurring in the dental profession is due to fact there is no one individual in the practice that is held fully responsible for the retention of the patients that enter the practice. The position is simply missing within the industry.
You will find an office manager, a finance coordinator, a scheduler or receptionist or both and you will also find a dental hygienist and a dentist with a chair-side assistant. But try to find the person in your office or any dental office who is utterly in charge and responsible for the retention of the patient?
This position is called the Retention Coordinator.
The Viva System & “The Retention Coordinator”
The most vital element of the “Viva System” is mentoring and educating the Retention Coordinator and Office Manager of the practice.
What is a “Retention Coordinator?”
A Retention Coordinator is the lead Hygienist who is trained and assigned as the single person in the practice held fully responsible for the retention of all patients.
The Retention Coordinator has the responsibility to increase the number of hygiene recall visits per quarter and annually.
The functions and duties of the Retention Coordinator were researched and developed to bring about a revolutionary and new business model in the dental industry—it is called:
“The Scalable Practice Model”
Definition of scalable: the characteristic of a system or model that describes the capability to perform an expanding workload while increasing its services with a minimum increase in overhead. The scal- able practice model is explained in the section called, "The Safe Strategy."
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AStrategy EFxecute Database Mailings
e Database Mailings Quarterly Mailings to Patients in Database: Loyalty Retention Law
rly ay
Birthday Mailings to Patients each month
January
March
April
February
June
July
May
August
September
November
December
October
2017
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ut
e d


Creating a Continuous Loyalty
Execution of your database mailings is a vital component of your overall retention and residual strategy. Loyalty is created based on a constant contact to your database on a routine basis. Viva developed the retention loyalty mailer to make it fully automated due to its critical component of keeping consumers loyal through a highly aesthetic and warm communication.
Branded Quarterly Database Mailer Mailed in Clear Envelope
• Happy Birthday
• Happy Holiday
• Happy New Year • Summer Occasion
This is a sample branded database mailer. Every office is branded for their own iconic look and message.
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The Most Important Number—
Active Patient Count: Why is there a Wrong Definition?
For educational purposes, an excerpt from an article published by Henry Schein, is quoted below. The statement however, is throughout the industry, which has left this subject in a confusion. Here is the excerpt:
“...there is variation between different consultants as to what period this active patient count should be—twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four months.
“We prefer eighteen months.
“Part of this variation is caused by limitations of various dental software programs. Many pro?grams can only provide twelve or twenty-four month reports.” 1
”Less than 5%of all practicing general dentists know what their “active patient count” is.”
1 Henry Schein Article, entitled, “ e Most Important Number— e Active Patient Count (see full article at end of this booklet)
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The Active Patient Count
The CORRECT Definition
The correct definition of active patient count is a direct index of the total number of annual hygiene recall visits. This number eliminates all incorrect definitions and supplies you with the reality of a hard number.
This definition is exclusively measures the Residual Income component of your business. Single appointments, such as emergencies, operative procedures and new patient procedures are the Linear Income component of your business.
A new patient for exam, x-rays and cleaning or operative or emergency do not count as a “active patient” and cannot be included in the active patient count. An "active patient" is a retention patient...a patient that is returning for a hygiene recare or recall visit. Once a patient has returned for their first recare visit, they enter into the retention category and now included in the "active patient count" calculation.
Active Patient Count Definition:
The number of annual hygiene recall visits divided by 2.
This definition was chosen for simplicity of calculating.
If a patient is seen 1, 2, 3 or more times per year in the hygiene department, the number is still divided by 2. While this number is not “perfect,” patients with 3 or 4 appointments (perio patients), and patients with only 1 appointment, will average out to give an very close active patient count. The Active Patient Count does not include new patient hygiene visits. New patients are not a recall visit and have not yet entered the retention category of the practice. These patient count upon their first recall visit.
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Market Research Article
Database Mailers: Building Residual
Unfortunately most business owners focus on finding and paying for new customers and easily forget about the ones they already have in their database.
These patients are the Successful businesses understand that to remain successful they must grow. Un- fortunately, many business owners get so focused on finding new customers that they forget about the ones they already have. Focusing solely on acquiring new customers can be a costly mistake. Why?
According to Marketing Metrics, selling to existing customers is about 50% easier than selling to brand new prospects. Therefore, reaching out to customers who have purchased from you in the past and encouraging them to buy from you again is a more cost effective way to grow. And, database mailers are the perfect way to reach them.
What is a Database Mailer?
Simply put, a database mailer is a mail piece that is sent to your existing customer base, including current and past customers. A database mailer has a softer selling approach than mail pieces that target prospects, and relies more on familiarity and customer appreciation.
Why Send Database Mailers?
Database mailers present a the only opportunity to cross-sell or promote reoccurring purchases and more importantly, obtain referrals.
What Should Database Mailers Include?
Let your customers know that you appreciate their business and offer them a special discount that is only available to current/past customers. It provides your customers with an incentive to complete or purchase additional services.
More importantly, your database is your largest source to leverage referrals to obtain family members and close friends. Be sure to personalize your database mailers with the information you know about them to create familiarity and interest.


Which Customers Should You Target?
Database mailers are always sent to your entire list. Do not violate the “Gross Income Senior Datum” covered earlier in this course.
How Often Should You Send a Database Mailer?
It is important to set the right frequency of mailings. Sending a database mail piece once every two months is a good rule of thumb. A minimum of 4 planned mailings, plus a warm birthday mailing (done monthly to patients in your database) is needed to achieve a sound retention campaign to build the residual income component of your business.
Rules for Database Mailers
Repetition: Usable Offer: Transferable:
Minimum of 4 campaigns/year
To complete service or use it for an elective service
The incentive offered is always transferable to capture referrals of a family member or close friend
If you want to lose your patients in your database, simply stop mailing to them?
Most practitioners have never mailed to their database for the entire time they have been in practice. While some "recall" cards were sent or a newsletter here and there, the lack of communication and constant contact with your patients is a primary reason why nearly 90% of every patient that walks in the door is lost out the back door!
Put a system in place and keep it in. You're spending pennies on the dollar to build a residual based practice!
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Profitable Hygiene:
Inside and Outside the Realm
Article by Deborah Dopson-Hartley, RDH, Source: www.rdhmag.com
There are two goals hygiene is held accountable for - daily production and re-care. The scheduled daily goal for production and the next hygiene visit should no longer be the only considerations in a hygiene day.
Today’s progressive hygiene departments should have daily sales presentations and sales acceptance goals. What are these, and how do we track them?
Here’s an example. My daily hygiene production goal is $1,500 per day according to my office, but my personal goal is $1,800. I exceed that on most days because I am paid on a 33.3 percentage basis.
My sales presentation goal (aesthetics, implants, quadrant, or comprehensive dentistry presented from my hygiene chair) is $6,500 per day, and my sales acceptance goal (financial accepted, secured, and scheduled) is $5,000 per day.
Because there is no definitive way to account for accuracy of these numbers, I made up a way to both establish and track them. These goals are obtained by simply adding my hygiene daily production goals to my doctor’s daily production goals ($1,500 + $5,000 = $6,500).
Sales acceptance goals from the hygiene chair are more difficult to track because patients must consider and organize their priorities, which are their financial and time restraints.
But sales presentations are not difficult to monitor if we chart audit prior to an appointment, ask patients leading questions and really listen to their answers, and then document what is discussed.
To track your sales presentation and the treatment plan that you discussed with your patient, simply write a brief description next to the patient’s name on the day sheet. For example, you discussed restoring the LR (lower right), which consists of No. 31 MOD (on-lay, $1,100), No. 30 MOD (porcelain crown, $1,100) No. 29 MO (inlay, $1,100), and No. 28 DO (two-surface direct, $250), for an estimated total of $3,500.
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You can make it less confusing for the patient by calling everything a restoration. You then say,


“We will be restoring the lower right side on the next visit. Your old restorations have outlived their usefulness.
I know we’ve been preparing you for this for a while now, and it’s time. Nothing lasts forever, but you did get a very long life out of your old dentistry. With the proper care, you should get the same life expectancy from your new dentistry.
Now, if we could have a moment of your time, we’d like to help you with the fee for your treatment and the payment options we have available. Let’s see what’s most convenient for you.” Then you escort the patient into the private consultation room where the financial coordinator is waiting to complete the process.
Something else of great importance is the daily retention rate for both the doctor and hygienist. Did the patient schedule his or her next visit? I consider any patient not scheduled for an appointment inactive, so tracking these numbers is critical to the health of the business.
Your goal should be to have all patients walk out with at least their two next appointments scheduled, either doctor and hygiene or two hygiene visits.
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