In the second part of this insightful series, Dr. Brett Beckman, a board-certified veterinary dentist, continues his conversation with Annie Mills, LVT, VTS (Dentistry). They discuss actionable steps for building or improving a dental service in general veterinary practices, even when resources and equipment are still in development. The focus remains on education, team building, and fostering a quality-over-quantity approach for exceptional patient care.

 

 

Guest Information:

• Host: Dr. Brett Beckman, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC, DAAPM

• Guest: Annie Mills, LVT, VTS (Dentistry)

• Veterinary Technician Specialist with extensive expertise in dental care.

• Educator offering live, virtual, and on-demand courses tailored for veterinarians and technicians.

 

 

Main Talking Points: 1. Building a Dental Practice Without Full Resources:

• Education First: Encourage staff to attend seminars (live, virtual, and online) to build a strong foundation of knowledge.

• Form a Dedicated Dental Team:

• Identify passionate team members (ideally 2-3 technicians and 2 veterinarians).

• Invest in continuing education for this small, focused team.

• Prepare for Equipment Integration:

• Train on key skills like dental x-rays, pathology recognition, and nerve blocks in advance.

2. Recruiting and Retaining Skilled Staff:

• Utilize the VTS Network:

• Leverage the growing community of Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS) in Dentistry.

• Access resources through the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (ABDT.us) to find qualified candidates.

• Promote Specialized Credentials:

• Highlight VTS expertise in marketing to demonstrate advanced care.

3. Learning from Experience:

• Key Lesson: Dental x-rays are indispensable for comprehensive care. Early pathology detection prevents unnecessary suffering and improves outcomes.

• Cautionary Tale: Practices operating without dental x-rays often miss critical issues, resulting in poor patient quality of life.

4. Overcoming Challenges in Dentistry Services:

• Quality Over Quantity: Start with no more than 2-3 patients per day to ensure thorough assessment and treatment.

• Patient Scheduling Tips:

• Avoid scheduling multiple periodontal cases in one day.

• Gradually scale up as team efficiency improves.

• Practice-wide Buy-In:

• Have conversations with managers and owners to ensure proper time allocation and support for dentistry cases.

5. Encouragement for General Practices:

• Take the pressure off by focusing on providing quality care.

• Recognize that building a successful dentistry service is a gradual process that requires dedication and teamwork.

 

 

Key Quotes:

1. "Dentistry is one of those services that just can't be rushed." – Annie Mills

2. "It’s about quality, not quantity. Three patients a day is a great starting point." – Annie Mills

3. "Without dental x-rays, we’re leaving patients to suffer in silence." – Annie Mills

 

 

Episode Timeline:

• 00:00-04:00: Preparing for dentistry services with limited resources.

• 04:00-08:00: Identifying and training the dental team.

• 08:00-12:00: Recruiting VTS-trained technicians and their impact.

• 12:00-18:00: Lessons learned and the value of dental x-rays.

• 18:00-22:00: Addressing challenges and adopting a quality-first mindset.

• 22:00-28:00: Encouragement and actionable advice for general practices.

 

 

Key Takeaways:

• Education: Prioritize staff training before investing in equipment.

• Team Focus: Build a small, passionate dental team for maximum efficiency.

• X-Ray Integration: Use dental x-rays to detect early pathology and improve care.

• Gradual Scaling: Start with a manageable caseload and grow as skills improve.

• Practice Support: Secure management and owner buy-in for proper time allocation.

 

 

Learn More:

Explore the Veterinary Dental Practitioners Program: https://ivdi.org/inv

Keywords: Veterinary dentistry education, Building a dental team, Veterinary x-ray importance, VTS dental technicians, Quality dental care tips.