The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

Was the money worth it? Did you see a return on your investment? Curtis Marshall spends some time with Kirk explaining how to see more new patients without spending your hard earned money!

Our guest on this episode of The Best Practices show is Xana Williams, Founder and CEO of Golden Proportions Marketing. Xana coaches Kirk and the ACT Dental team often on their marketing plan and strategies, continually encouraging them to adjust and improve their systems and goals.

Xana joins us on this episode to discuss how to avoid the upcoming production plummet and end 2020 strong. She explains that many people inside and outside of the dental industry are viewing the current crisis as COVID, but that the real crisis is actually the recession caused by COVID, which could impact the economy for years to come. She walks viewers and listeners through the 6 stages of every crisis, identifying the manifestations of each of these stages as they are appearing right now. The 6 stages are: warning, risk assessment, react, revise, resolve, recover.

Many dental practices have been riding high this summer with packed schedules and waiting rooms, but they are unprepared for the production plummet that will likely take place during the remainder of 2020 because of their inconsistent marketing efforts. Xana discusses ways for dental practices to get back to where they need to be during a recession in order to differentiate themselves from competitors. In addition to updating your vision and goals based on the current economic landscape, it is crucial to make sure that you have the right systems in place to effectively push through the ups and downs of business while providing excellent customer service.

Xana encourages listeners to resolve to not get stuck again and to be prepared for the impacts of this recession by staying vigilant about tracking your KPIs and getting your name out there. Finally, she emphasizes the importance of having a good group of advisors around you who can help you identify blind spots and opportunities while you have your head down in the day-to-day.

5 Main Takeaways:

How to avoid the production plummet (6:21)

6 stages of this crisis (7:50)

COVID is not the crisis - the recession caused by COVID is the crisis (9:48)

When you stop marketing, you will fall off the cliff (29:52)

Differentiate yourself through brand awareness campaigns and superior service (35:36)

Key Quotes:

"Everybody has this Idea that we just need to get back to normal, but I'm gonna tell you that normal is gone."

"Everybody is thinking of the crisis as if it is just COVID."

"A little bit of slowdown leads to a complete flattening out."

"COVID is having a long-term effect on the decisions we are making."

"We are making our decisions based on where we are stuck right now."

"Always be marketing."

"If you don't know where you're going, you don't know how to get there."

"Have a system for everything or that's where you'll run into your service problems."

"Whenever there is a failure in any business, it is inevitably based in the system."

Snippets:

4:22-4:55 – Why it is important to pay attention to avoiding the production plummet

7:42-7:50 – Most practices are not prepared for the remainder of 2020 or 2021

20:11-20:42 – The coming financial fallout

24:21-24:41 – Trying to push the train

39:50-40:08 – Having the right systems in place

46:46-47:59 – Looking at your cash flow

52:40-52:55 – Running a business overall during the recession

Bio of guest:

Xana Winans has been in the business of dental practice marketing for 25 years and she is married to a dentist, so she has ridden the highs and lows of the economy through the lens of the dental industry plenty of times. Xana has learned that two of the keys to effective leadership during crisis and peace-times are to always be marketing and to make fast decisions, and she coaches Golden Proportions Marketing's clients with these keys in mind.

Contact:

https://www.goldenproportions.com/

https://www.goldenproportions.com/septemberslump

BPS231 The Life of a Biomaterial Researcher with Dr. Nate Lawson

Today’s Episode:

Dr. Nate Lawson is here. Nate is the Director of the Division of Biomaterials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. He’s published over 150 articles, abstracts, book chapters, and periodicals related to dental materials. He is a researcher, teacher, and a dentist who practices part time. Nate is passionate about biomaterials and research. He also loves teaching and speaking in front of groups. He is always willing to share his knowledge and takes what some might consider boring and make it exciting.

Nate shares his background and how he always knew he’d be a dentist. He went to college for engineering, but ended up on a research project with Dr. John Burgess. This project sparked his love for research and rekindled his love of dentistry. He shares how his journey began and how he ended up in Alabama. Nate also talks about some of the exciting projects he’s been a part of and the progress made in dental materials over the last five years. We also get to learn exactly what biomaterials are and why they have so much potential. Nate has a special gift of appealing to younger dentists and making the science of his work exciting.

Show Notes

[03:10] Dr. Nate Lawson is the director of biomaterials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. He's originally from Chicago. His days are filled with research and testing different properties of materials. He also teaches and has an active practice where he sees patients.

[05:10] He loves teaching and doing research.

[06:16] He went to college for engineering, but it was always his plan to become a dentist. In college, he lucked out and started doing research with Dr. John Burgess.

[13:19] Nate talks about the importance of biomaterials and how the latest trends are always changing. There's always something new coming out to stay on top of.

[15:15] Nate also works with dental manufacturers to make the products better.

[18:14] Nate talks about the future of research and the health of funding.

[20:43] Currently there have been some effective online components of teaching dentistry. Although, students do miss the feedback of the in-person classroom.

[22:53] Nate is 36 and has done a remarkable job connecting with the younger generation.

[27:13] Nate thinks Facebook groups are a great opportunity for mentoring and loves the quick visuals of Instagram. Social media serves a purpose of being cheap and accessible.

[32:38] The Practice-Based Research Network collects data and publishes it, so that clinicians will have access to the information. Clinicians can enroll for free.

[36:21] Nate talks about bioactive materials. He's been doing research on testing the bioactivity of different dental materials and the clinical effects.

Links and Resources:

https://www.drnatelawson.com/ (Dr. Nate Lawson)

https://www.instagram.com/dentinaltube/?hl=en (Dentinaltube on Instagram)

http://www.drjohnburgess.com/index.html (Dr. John Burgess)

https://www.marcusdblackdds.com/ (Dr. Marcus Black)

https://pbrn.ahrq.gov/ (Practice-Based Research Networks )

Episode #230: Dr. William “Bo” Bruce - Occlusion and TMD -- Keeping it Simple. Occlusion is one of the key building blocks of a great dental practice. We must know the fundamentals. In addition, 95+% of TMD patients can be helped in a very conservative way if we understand basic joint function.

You can save a seat for Dr. William Bo' Bruce’s ACT Dental U Friday Master Class - July 24th 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM EST: Occlusion and TMD Fundamentals. Course Objectives: Learn which of the three only ways to build an occlusion is most predictable. Understand the “must know” principles of TMJ function and occlusion. Learn how to treat a majority of your TMD patients easy and with confidence. https://www.actdental.com/offers/T29an5rX/checkout

Dr. William “Bo” Bruce’s website: https://www.upstatesmiles.com/

Dr. William “Bo” Bruce received his D.M.D. degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1998. Subsequently, he completed a one year residency training in St. Petersburg, Florida where he studied with The Dawson Center for Advanced Dental Studies. After completing his training, Dr. Bruce opened a private practice in Simpsonville, South Carolina. His practice is geared towards solving complex restorative and aesthetic problems. He was encouraged by Dr. Dawson to practice in a way that would not compromise excellence, thereby rendering success. Recently, Excellence in Dentistry honored Dr. Bruce as the recipient of the Woody Oakes Award. From all the applicants, this award gave Dr. Bruce the title of The Most Outstanding Young Dentist in North America. Dr. Bruce is a nationally recognized speaker on esthetics with predictability. He has been a featured lecturer for The Chicago Mid Winter, American Equilibration Society, American Dental Association, and AACD just to name a few.

He has authored and published numerous articles and is a consultant for several dental manufacturers. Dr. Bruce is also co-founder of Upstate Smiles Seminars. https://www.upstatesmiles.com/courses/ultimate-esthetic-and-function-connection/

Dr. Bruce and his wife Lisa have 3 children, Preston (20); Zachary (18); Megan (16). His favorite hobbies are teaching other dentists and spending time with his family.

To see all of the LIVE shows of The Best Practices Show you can subscribe on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thebestpracticesshow/ .

You can also view them live on the ACT Dental Website: https://www.actdental.com/live

To see the upcoming schedule and stay up to date on everything subscribe here: https://www.actdental.com/blog-subscribe

For more great courses for you and your team Join ACT Dental U - Never Stop Learning. Click here to become a member: https://www.actdental.com/actdentalu

Join our private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442589266173928/

Episode #229: The Red Flag Warnings of Heart Attack and Stroke with Drs. Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen

Today’s Episode:

Drs. Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen are the doctors behind the BaleDoneen Method. This is a method practiced by healthcare practitioners to detect and treat cardiovascular disease to halt, stabilize, and even reverse cardiovascular disease and help people avoid large life events like heart attacks and strokes. Through their research, they have discovered that treating inflammation can also prevent damage to the small vessels which leads to many of the diseases caused by aging.

Dentists play a huge role in the process, because periodontal disease or endonitic disease are inflammation factors. They believe in an integrative approach where all of the healthcare providers work together to fight inflammation and be on the lookout for markers that can indicate inflammation. Today, they share some red flags that dental providers can look out for and ultimately save their patient’s health. Dr. Bale and Dr. Doneen are the authors of https://www.amazon.com/Beat-Heart-Attack-Gene-Revolutionary/dp/1681620227 (The Heart Attack Gene), a valuable read for cutting edge dental professionals.

Show Notes

[02:45] Dr. Doneen and Dr. Bale have been working together for the last 20 years. They look at arterial disease through the lens of inflammation and early disease detection.

[03:42] The BaleDoneen method also has an impact on protecting the small vessels that cause diseases of aging.

[04:04] Dental colleagues are key in fighting inflammation.

[04:43] Inflammation drives the formation of arterial disease and triggers events like heart attack and stroke. High-risk periodontal pathogens will drive that inflammation.

[08:07] Dr. Doneen shares why fighting inflammation is so important now during the pandemic. They have research that demonstrates causality with high-risk pathogens.

[10:42] The common denominator of people who perish with COVID-19 is micro vascular disease in the pulmonary tract. It's all due to inflammation.

[14:08] Dr. Doneen shares red flags such as a diagonal earlobe crease Frank's sign. Male pattern baldness is another sign. White coat hypertension also places people at risk.

[16:57] Dr. Bale talks about fordyce granules and how that can be a marker of hyperlipidemia which can increase risk of arterial disease.

[18:18] Anybody with a blood pressure of 120/80 is at risk and should monitor their blood pressure.

[21:09] It's critical to go to the dentist and maintain periodontal health.

[24:18] Beat the Heart Attack Gene was written to help the public learn how to look for inflammatory markers and fight inflammation.

[25:48] Dr. Doneen and Dr. Bale are excited about the future of preventing microvascular disease. That's what their new book will be about.

[28:34] Dr. Doneen shares a special offer on their 16-hour preceptorship program on the BaleDoneen Method. They have an online program. You can learn more on https://baledoneen.com/ (BaleDoneen.com).

[30:29] Incorporating information from The Heart Attack Gene is cutting-edge dental science. Hygienists who are taking care of periodontal disease are saving lives.

Links and Resources:

https://baledoneen.com/ (BaleDoneen Method)

http://theheartattackandstrokepreventioncenter.com/ (The Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center)

https://www.amazon.com/Beat-Heart-Attack-Gene-Revolutionary/dp/1681620227 (Beat the Heart Attack Gene: The Revolutionary Plan to Prevent Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes)

Episode #228: The Hidden Ingredient to Doing More Dentistry with Dr. Mark Hyman

Today’s Episode:

Dr. Mark Hyman is here to talk about the secret of getting more dentistry into your practice. There is so much education about the science of dentistry. Today, we are going to focus on the soft skills that don’t often get talked about. Mark now teaches at the UNC School of Dentistry. The same school that he once quit. Until a wise advisor told him to give it another chance because being a dentist is nothing like being a dental student.

He ended up graduating in three years and volunteering in Israel where he met his wife. He bought and revived a stalled practice, and now he spends his time speaking and lecturing to share his vast years of knowledge and lessons learned. Today, we talk about the hidden ingredient of relationships with your team and patients. The important secret ingredient that really makes a practice work. We also talk about the limitless joy of owning your own practice and building your own dream team.

Show Notes

[02:37] Dr. Mark Hyman was born and raised in North Carolina, he now teaches at the UNC School of Dentistry the same school that he once quit.

[03:45] He ended up graduating dental school in 3 years. He volunteered in Israel and that's where he met his wife. He revived a stalling practice with some help from inspirational speakers. When he left the practice it had 17 employees.

[04:38] He now teaches and lectures. He's earned that right, because he's made every mistake in the book.

[06:51] There is still unlimited opportunity for private practice dentist relationships. It's not easy, but it's important.

[08:26] You're actually not competing against other dentists. You're competing against flat screen TVs and trips to Disneyland. If you slow down and use some of the great Innovations in dentistry, you will have more work than you know what to do with.

[10:10] You can pay for anything if you cut it up into small pieces.

[11:09] You can break it down into how many Starbucks a family is willing to forgo to be healthy.

[12:15] You need to communicate and slow down and get into a relationship with your patient and actually find out what they want for their teeth and their smile. Do this instead of running around from room to room.

[12:28] Everything changes when you stop telling people what they need and instead listen to what they want.

[14:42] Hire bright men and women and get out of their way. Shine up those diamonds in the rough.

[18:47] Get your team personally invested in your potential new hires.

[24:23] Making an impact in people's lives is the most important thing.

[25:28] Morning huddles, planning, and the process are so important. Life happens, and you have to learn to flex.

[28:00] Profit sharing is important for team members. People who stick with you and work hard get rewarded.

[29:18] The answer is yes what's your question? That's the type of team to have.

[30:02] Be a caring citizen in your community. Be a prominent citizen not the cheapest dentist. Don't join in the race to the bottom. Have an immaculate office and have relationship time.

[32:23] Mark loves meeting new patients and wants to figure out how to help them. He also wants the team to be like a family.

[33:48] On Friday, Mark is having a master class on how to get a patient to say yes. The ultimate patient experience. This starts from the first call and all of the steps that get to yes.

[37:16] Work through the 10 questions and listen.

[38:32] Mark has spent 32 years improving his practice experience.

[40:05] Mark shares his advice for young dentists.

Links and Resources:

https://drmarkspeaks.com/ (Dr. Mark Hyman)

https://www.actdental.com/actdentalu (ACT Dental U)

Episode #227: Secrets to More New Patients by Removing Friction with Dr. Eric Rindler

Today’s Episode:

Dr. Eric Rindler is here to talk about his tool Schedule Widget that removes resistance for potential patients and makes it easier for dentists to be found and contacted. Dr. Rindler is a periodontist in San Antonio, Texas. After being in practice for 20 years, he decided to get his MBA. He then started looking at the practice of dentistry from a different lens. We are both enthusiastic about education, dentistry, and the great people we meet along the way.

In this conversation, you get a glimpse into the enthusiasm of Dr. Rindler and how his tool Schedule Widget can improve your practice and conversions in the easiest way possible. We also talk about ACT Dental U and our love for education, and above all else the great people and connections that we get to make all while improving our love of dentistry and dental practices.

Show Notes

[01:45] Dr. Eric Rindler was in private practice for over 20 years. Then he went back to school and got his MBA. This gave him a new lens to look at everything Dental. He started studying the dental ecosystem and looking at each stakeholder.

[03:20] He came up with a tool called Schedule Widget to increase engagement in practices.

[05:57] There's no shortage of patients out there. Less than 18% of patients go to dentists. Online scheduling needs to be available to help make it easier for patients to go.

[07:02] 75% of the calls during working hours are missed. We need to do a better job. Online scheduling will increase lead conversion.

[07:53] The weakness is lead conversion. Once the patient shows up, they need to become part of the practice.

[09:22] You pick and choose which spot to put the patients in and they are still triaged by the staff members. It's not just people in the public signing up online.

[11:08] There needs to be training and skilled methods for screening initial phone calls.

[13:51] Schedule widget helped Dr. Bob Margeas get hundreds of new patients. It removes friction and makes things easy for new patients.

[16:23] Schedule Widget is on different websites. If someone goes to a dental website, they will get a list of local available dentists and specialists. They can schedule directly right there. Friction removed!

[19:19] Schedule Widget is free, but there is a premium model which includes customization features.

[20:44] Sign up now. It's free, and it only takes about 90 seconds.

[21:47] The goal is to grow dentistry by having the easiest possible user interface.

[28:08] ACT has a great team of coaches and intern ninjas. It's all about having a better practice and a better life.

[32:13] Kirk could be in CE all day. He loves learning and the people he gets to meet and interact with.

[34:43] Lagniappe is a Cajun word that means a little more and that is what we are trying to give through our services and tools.

[37:43] Sign up to Schedule Widget and use the code ACT dental. ACT Dental U attendees get the premium version for free.

Links and Resources:

http://rindlerdds.com/ (Dr. Eric Rindler)

https://www.oldwellsolutions.com/ (Schedule Widget)

https://www.iowadentalgroup.com/our-dentists/dr-bob-margeas/ (Dr. Bob Margeas)

https://www.actdental.com/actdentalu (ACT Dental U)

Dr. Bradley Bale has been on the cutting edge of heart health for decades. I’m excited to talk with him because this is such an important topic for new and established dentists. There is evidence that oral health, heart health, and overall health are not only related, but can be used as tools for diagnosis and treatment. Dentists are in a unique position to be at the front lines of patient health, and Dr. Bradley Bale is here to break it down for us. Dr. Bale is a medical doctor and he and Dr. Amy Doneen are the founders of The BaleDoneen Method. They are also co-authors of Beat the Heart Attack Gene. 

What is so exciting is that there is solid scientific evidence that shows that oral health is a sign of heart health, brain health, and more. This information can also be used to educate your patients and team about the important work you are doing by saving lives through early detection of disease. Treatment can prevent the occurence of heart attack, stroke and more. Dr. Bale shares how he got involved in this field and how important it is for him to help his patients by saving lives. He also shares an exciting new program that he’s introduced to help all of us assess our arterial health, because heart attacks and strokes are preventable. 

Show Notes

[02:20] Dr. Bradley Bale is a medical doctor. When he was in family practice, he would see his patients have strokes and heart attacks.

[03:10] Dr. Bale knew Dr. Paul Shields who had one of the first pieces of equipment that could identify coronary calcification. It was called electron beam tomography. 

[03:39] Dr. Bale used CT scans to look for signs of disease in his patients. Dr. Shields recommended treating calcification before a heart attack.

[04:01] The patients who took the test and received the treatment didn't have heart attacks and strokes. The thought of inflammation being the cause of heart attacks was just beginning to evolve in the early 1990s.

[04:51] He started working with Dr. Amy Doneen around the year 2000. Dr. Doneen did her thesis paper on Dr. Bale's coronary data.

[05:37] Dr. Bale and Dr. Doneen wrote the book Beat the Heart Attack Gene. 

[05:57] The book has become a national bestseller. It's focuses on the heart attack and stroke prevention care that Dr. Bale and Dr. Doneen give. It also has a section that focuses on oral health. 

[06:23] They have a new book coming out at the end of this year. It's about how their care reaches way beyond preventing heart attacks and strokes. Their patients also have an extremely low risk of dementia, Alzheimer's, heart failure, kidney failure, and ED.

[08:15] There is a recent correlation with Alzheimers and gingivitis. If you want to have good health, it starts with a healthy mouth.

[09:18] Dr. Bale's grandfather was a dentist and his oldest son is an oral surgeon. There's a ton of evidence between the health of gums and teeth and risk for heart attack and stroke.

[10:17] They now have evidence that show that high-risk periodontal pathogens are actually a cause of heart disease.

[11:23] Living at a low altitude was one of the number one ranked reasons for being at risk for heart disease. Number two is oral health. 

[12:41] Number three was skipping breakfast, and number four was having more than two to three drinks a day. 

[14:04] Dr. Bale shares a story about a patient who had disease in his arteries and high inflammatory markers. Without seeing the patient, Dr. Bale knew he had an infected tooth. It turned out Dr. Bale was right. After dental treatment, his markers dropped down to almost normal.

[19:10] Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death and disability. It's also occurring in younger people. It's critical to maintain the wellness of the gums and teeth.

[19:56] Dentists need to educate their entire team, so that they realize that they are actually saving lives. This is a valuable service that requires reaching beyond the standard of care.

[22:48] People see dentists much more frequently than...

Dr. Ashton Prince is here to talk about the three fears that patients have and how to overcome them, and the three fears that dentists have and how to overcome those. Dr. Prince has a restorative and cosmetic practice in St George Utah where he lives with his family. He also comes from a family of dentists. We talk about patient fears such as anxiety, pain, and embarrassment along with solutions for dealing with these issues. If you want a hint, most of these solutions revolve around communication and honing this extremely important skill. 

 

Then we move on to the fears that dentists have. We talk about how nothing great is ever accomplished without failure. Along with the importance of overcoming fears whether they revolve around money, business, your practice, or your reputation. We also talk about making time for your family. If your work doesn’t work for your family, what’s the point? We also talk about having a financial plan and security. Then we circle back to the all important communication aspect of running a great practice. 

Show Notes

[02:38] Dr. Ashton Prince has a private practice in St George Utah. He's been in practice for 12 years and specializes in restorative care and cosmetics.

[04:10] He got into dentistry to help people and improve lives. It's more about communication and relationships.

[05:20] 20% of dental patients have at least a minor fear or anxiety as to what they are getting themselves into. 

[06:23] The first thing is the fear of the unknown. His office Works off of word-of-mouth referrals, so new patients have already had a conversation with an existing patient.

[07:07] Try to make the patient as comfortable as possible. Ask them what is making them nervous. These include cost, procedure, and pain.

[08:16] Dr. Prince starts a conversation and asks the patient how they expect things to go. The patients fears will ease if they feel a little more in control. 

[10:56] Fear of embarrassment is fear number 2. People have low confidence about their teeth and smile and also worry about the financial aspect. 

[14:19] A lot of times it's the front office staff who's trying to calm the patients down instead of the dentist.

[15:13] It's good to ask if this is relational or transactional.

[15:43] One out of three people in the ages of 50 to 65 are embarrassed about their teeth.

[16:00] Fear number 3 is pain. 

[17:45] Dentist's number one fear is criticism. Dentists want to be looked at as experts.

[21:05] You can't do anything great without being criticized.

[24:00] Fear number two for dentists is a fear of financial crisis. They have worries about student loan debt and then fears about retirement. 

[27:17] Making money is a byproduct but you still need to know how to run a business.

[28:12] Set goals and find out what's most important to you.

[29:32] Make sure that you are maximizing your opportunities. Get a Roth or IRA. 

[30:20] Hire a financial adviser and/or educate yourself. 

[33:00] Fear number three of dentists is fear of business failure. A great coach can guide you.

[35:33] Another fear is fear of failing your family. Change your hours to make things work with your family. 

[37:02] Try changing your hours from 7 to 3. 

[40:47] When dealing with fears it needs to be communication based. It's time to start perfecting those skills.

 

Links and Resources:

Dr. Ashton Prince

The Totally Money Makeover

How to Retire with Enough Money: And How to Know What Enough Is

If you're a private care fee-for-service dentist, and you're wondering how you can sustain your practice for the long term, this show’s for you. Dentistry changed in 2013 when people started losing their employer covered dental plans. 33% of adults in the US don’t have dental insurance. Having an in-house membership plan can help these patients, increase patient loyalty, and create revenue. Megan Lohman is a worldwide expert on dental membership plans, and she’s here to break it all down for us. 

Megan is the Co-Founder & CEO at Plan Forward. Megan started out working for a practice that started a membership plan. It was not only a huge success, but they had surprising benefits that they didn’t expect. The plan was going great, but the administration was getting to be too much. That’s when she founded Plan Forward which helps run and administer the plan. Megan shares the surprising and unexpected benefits of having a plan. She talks about how it increases revenue, and she shares best practices to keep things running smoothly. 

Show Notes

[02:03] Plan Forward creates and powers in-house membership plans.

[02:19] Megan was friends with her co-founders wife. She worked for him at his practice. 

[03:01] Healthcare changed in 2013. A lot of patients were asking for guidance when their employers no longer offered insurance.

[03:56] The membership plan grew organically. Patients understood what to expect. 

[04:30] The plan grew so much that it was a headache to manage. That started the market research behind a platform to manage dental membership plans.

[05:00] It's hard to find a business that doesn't have a plan or a subscription service.

[05:32] Recurring revenue was an unexpected benefit of having a membership or subscription model. 

[06:09] When you look at the number of uninsured patients and people who don't use their benefits, there are so many encouraging things. 

[07:09] Not all dental plans are created equal. A robust membership plan can create retention and patient loyalty.

[07:37] It might look like you're reducing your fees, but you're getting an entire patient population to come in more. Plus, they're paying regularly.

[08:34] Patients on subscription plans always spend more.

[08:57] The most resistant people are the doctors and the teams. It's the dentist's plan, and they can create it the way they want. They can do fee balancing at the end of the year or whatever they need to do.

[11:01] Your plan needs a monthly payment office and your team needs to talk to patients about it. Megan can share best practices to make your plan a success.

[12:18] 1500 patients on the plan are your patients. Every practice has a member base already. This is a simple value add for uninsured patients. 

[13:55] To make this work you have to have auto renewals. You must offer a monthly payment option to cover preventive care.

[18:26] People are comfortable paying for something that they find value in. 

[21:33] Don't cherry-pick, offer the plan to everyone. Also, post it somewhere in the office.

[22:49] The membership plan is for uninsured patients. 33% of adults in the US don't have dental insurance.

[24:23] If you're looking for an edge, a membership plan can turn your uninsured base into a loyal base. 

[25:18] Create the plan on a per person basis, not for the entire family. 

[26:40] It's surprising that not every practice sees the value in this. 

[28:11] This is an added value for any practice of any of any size. It's a tool to treat every patient that you can. 

 

Links and Resources:

Plan Foreword

Megan Lohman on LinkedIn

Plan Forward on Facebook

Plan Forward on Twitter

Plan Forward on Instagram