Hello colleague, The decision to stay open or close down has or is being mulled around in the mind of every business owner and entrepreneur in Canada. This has marked a historical event where the dental community is being asked to do their part in stopping spread of this virus by being told to cease … Continue reading Statement on COVID-19 →

The spread of the COVID-19 has been the dominating the news and it is important for practice owners and teams to prepare to respond as it continues to develop both in Canada and globally. Here are ways you can take steps to protect your team, your patients and your community. How you can protect your … Continue reading Are you prepared for COVID-19? →

Job descriptions are extremely useful, yet frequently overlooked employment documents. They provide value in many situations face, including hiring, team member training and performance management, setting and achieving practice goals, and determining appropriate compensation for team members. Avoid hiring mistakes The hiring process is a great time to update your existing job descriptions, or in … Continue reading Benefits of maintaining up to date Job Descriptions →

Want to get a tangible idea of your practice’s performance-and what you could be doing better? It all starts with keeping score. The desire to compare one product or service against another has probably always been a part of human nature. In recent years, abetted by the spread of social media and comment sites online, … Continue reading Score Your Practice →

Guest column brought to you by: Nadder Jomha, GH Construction Ltd. Calvin Carpenter, MNP LLP Angela Porteous, RBC Bronko Kornhauzer, LPB Investing into your existing space can be a cost-friendly way of increasing your bottom-line/profits, as well as presenting your clinic’s saleability. Part of our project management and construction business is helping our clients determine … Continue reading WHEN SHOULD YOU INVEST IN YOUR CLINIC AND WHY? →

People don’t get promoted for doing their job really well; they get promoted by demonstrating their potential to do more – Tara Jaye Frank When considering internal promotions, often the person most skilled at their current job is selected for the new job. But is this really the best way to decide who would be … Continue reading Best Person, Wrong Role? →

Choosing the right person to be your Treatment Coordinator role is the key to your success. The core characteristics of a successful Treatment Coordinator are confidence in themselves, strong relationship and communication skills, optimistic attitude and a genuine curiosity for people. They have a high level of emotional intelligence and empathy, and are motivated by … Continue reading Role of a Treatment Coordinator →

There is a simple “magic bullet” to success in every dental practice for patient loyalty and retention is based on their patient’s level of satisfaction. A patient’s satisfaction is based on their perceptions of a great dental practice and their service expectations being met with their dental experience. The patient’s perception of a good dental … Continue reading Patient Satisfaction – Confidence is Key →

Right use of Power- “Leaders obligation”   Achievement drive is comprised of multiple kinds of drive and power for results. It is important to be aware of personal power that leads to accomplishments. Team centered leader demonstrates the right use of our own personal power. It is important not to overuse power as you go … Continue reading The Right Use of Power →

Think first of the other fellow. This is THE foundation — the first requisite — for getting along with others. And it is the one truly difficult accomplishment you must make. Gaining this, the rest will be “a breeze.” Check first impressions. We are especially prone to dislike some people on first sight because of … Continue reading 7 Key Management Behaviors →

Guest Column Kris Grover BA, CHRP, CHRL, TGNA Team and Human Resources Coach   Kris will be presenting our new Human Resources One Day – 3 part workshop Series Protect Your Team and Your Business – January 31, 2020 Hire Right & Set them up for Success – June 5, 2020 Performance Management, Keep Team … Continue reading Where to Start when Developing an Employee Handbook →

Guest Column: Lori Irvine, B.Sc. TGNA Team & Leadership Coach What are SMART Goals? As we reflect back on the commitments that we made as we launched into a fresh new year / decade, we may discover that we have not yet accomplished all that we intended and feel defeated. This is not the best … Continue reading What are SMART Goals? →

Listening is a skill, an art. The more I coach, either in a team setting or one on one, the more I realize how important it is to develop our ability to listen. The key to communication and influencing people is to listen first and talk second and very little. Seek first to understand and … Continue reading Is anyone listening? →

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Tis the season for holiday events and year end celebrations. For team members these can be a great way to close of the year and unwind. However, when you’re the manager in charge of planning and executing the celebration the extra work required can make it seem more like the most “stressful” time of the … Continue reading Office Holiday Parties – Don’t let the planning stress you out! →

Scheduling How you engineer the schedule is of paramount importance for emergency management. Your history of the number of emergencies will determine the amount of pre- blocking you will need to do in your schedule. If you do not record your history of emergencies, pre-block your schedule for two emergency blocks a day. Pre-blocking for … Continue reading Scheduling & Treating Emergencies →

  Today, there is an abundance of opportunity to learn with endless avenues to get information. Workshops are one of the best educational venues for dental teams, as they promote interaction through facilitation, active participation and peer networking. Different than lecture-style, training through workshops provide like-minded individuals with the opportunity to learn in group setting … Continue reading The Wonders of Workshop Learning →

Once your patient has accepted their recommended treatment and have signed a financial agreement, the scheduling of their treatment may begin. One of the biggest challenges that we see practices dealing with on a daily basis is how to effectively schedule to maximize the time and efficiency of procedures, while decreasing operator fatigue and enhancing … Continue reading How Efficient is Your Schedule? →

Studies show that interpersonal communication is received just 10 percent through words and 30 percent tone of voice. The balance, a startling 60 percent, comes through body language. That means making a good first impression with a new or prospective patient is more critical than ever. Those same studies have shown that within three to … Continue reading How to Make a Good First Impression →

I recently attended the Power of Success in Toronto, a great day of hearing from many successful people; Dr. John Grey, Rachel Hollis, Molly Bloom and the giant transformational leader in unleashing power and maximizing energy, Tony Robbins My greatest learnings from their presentations: Stay away from negative people – they have a problem for … Continue reading Learning from Successful People →

With most dental practices, the client experience ends at the reception area once they have paid for their service. They don’t hear from anyone again until it is time to confirm their next pre booked visit. Patient loyalty is solidified by going above and beyond their expectations in order to show you care. One way … Continue reading Showing you care: The After Appointment Touch Point →

Case presentation begins with a diagnostic philosophy based on creating lifetime strategies for the patient’s oral health. If dentistry is not diagnosed, it cannot be planned, presented, accepted and most importantly made affordable. Every patient is entitled to know all that dentistry has to offer them, and have the necessary information provided to allow them … Continue reading 5 Steps to Successful Case Presentation →

Effective communication skills are the key to establishing positive and productive relationships with both the patient and the dental team. Incorporating excellent communication skills starts with the dental team. Start by creating a practice vision and mission statement together that you and your team will follow. A supportive dental team creates a greater level of … Continue reading Effective Communication Improves Your Dental Practice’s Health →

Guest Column Tracy Poirier, Trainer/Master Coach Winterra Global Technologies tpoi[email protected] The Dental Hygiene Process of Care Most of us have heard the letters before—if you haven’t, you know what they’re communicating. I’m talking about ADPIE—Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation. “Best practice indicates that The Dental Hygiene Process of Care (ADPIE) is the framework within … Continue reading Don’t Let ADPIE Get Away From You →

“Self-reflection is the school of wisdom” Baltasar Gracian   Leadership is not simply something you do with a set of tools of the trade; it is an expression of who we are as a person. Our influence arises from your intrinsic character traits, beliefs and behaviors that make us who we are and how we … Continue reading DENTAL LEADERSHIP – FOUNDATION VALUES →

Consistently, studies have shown that patients rate their service satisfaction based on the depth of their emotional connection through personal and proactive communication and rate this as “very important” on the scale of what they expect from a dental practice. Visiting the dentist can often cause the emotions to run high in anxiety, dread, fear, … Continue reading How to Exceed Your Patient’s Expectations →

While it is always great to attract new patients to our practice, keeping these patients must also be on the forefront of our mind if we plan to keep a thriving and growing practice. We place a higher importance on our senses than we give them credit. Sight, smell, hearing and touch play a major … Continue reading New Patient Experience: What they see →

Choosing the right person to be your Treatment Coordinator role is the key to your success. The core characteristics of a successful Treatment Coordinator are confidence in themselves, strong relationship and communication skills, optimistic attitude and a genuine curiosity for people. They have high level of emotional intelligence and empathy, and are motivated by a … Continue reading Role of a Treatment Coordinator →

Your practice has worked hard to have a cutting-edge image. You have the most up-to-date equipment, a highly skilled dentist. Your office is beautiful, with modern décor and patient conveniences. The business team is professionally dressed with style. Every little detail has been considered to ensure that your practice attracts new patients and builds their … Continue reading New Patient Experience: What they feel  →

‘If we don’t know where we are going…… any road will get us there and we won’t know when we’ve arrived or not”   The dentist leader is challenged with many demands and they must wear many different “hats”, the Owner, the team leader, operational director, technical service provider and the key revenue generator. How … Continue reading How to build a Team of Leaders →

Leadership requires Tolerance Tolerance – ability to handle stress, disappointment and roadblocks and manage frustrations for the good of the goals. One of the key skills of leading teams is our level of Tolerance. “Team Members make mistakes” Team Members sometimes make mistakes. Everyone does. Even you! Stay calm if Team Members mess up occasionally; … Continue reading Leadership requires Tolerance →

If I were to ask you how healthy is your practice, what would your answer be? Has your growth plateaued, is your team motivated and committed, is your patient base truly attached to your practice? When was the last time you had a “check-up” done on the systems that run your practice? To understand the … Continue reading Uncover the possibilities of your Dental Practice →

Guest Column Lori Vogel Business Systems Coach How to reach your monthly Case Acceptance Goal I was recently in an office and had the dentist ask me why they weren’t reaching their monthly Case Acceptance GOAL? “Lori, I have a Treatment Coordinator and a separate consult room which is absolutely beautiful, so why is my … Continue reading How to reach your monthly Case Acceptance Goal →

Leadership = Results We create our own results as a leader through demonstrating respect for all things, communicating the truth from a place of contribution, setting limits and boundaries, being proactive and responsible for ourselves   Communicating the truth from a place of Contribution: A leader is consistent in words and action. There are two … Continue reading Leadership = Results →

Effective Ways to Motivate Others One of the top questions our coaches receive in the area of dental practice management is; “How can I motivate my team members?” All leaders agree and believe that motivation is critical to increasing employee performance and productivity. The assumption that only some employees are motivated is false.  Research indicates … Continue reading Effective Ways to Motivate Others →

Basic dental knowledge. Understanding of dental jargon, dentistry’s role in health care, the patient experience, technology, services, scheduling and production.   Loyalty to the company and practice. Advocate and supporter of the company vision and mission, focused on the business needs first as opposed to seeking approval or to being liked. Understands that wanting to … Continue reading SEVEN characteristics of Dental Practice Managers →

The Patient Satisfaction Magic Ratio, Part 2 Patient communication is more likely to succeed when there are more positive interactions than negative interactions. Luckily, we as humans have a unique ability to turn negative thoughts and emotions into positive ones. Here are a few more ways to hit the magic ratio and positively enhance patient … Continue reading The Patient Satisfaction Magic Ratio, Part 2 →

The Patient Satisfaction Magic Ratio, Part 1 People are porous. They tend to absorb and reflect the atmosphere and emotions around them. According to Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman, we experience approximately 20,000 individual moments in a waking day. Each moment may only last a few seconds but each is important. Dr. John Gottman’s pioneer … Continue reading The Patient Satisfaction Magic Ratio, Part 1 →

Transitions Group North America is committed to providing dental professionals with communication and education tools. We are excited to announce, TU Digital Patient Education Videos, a patient educational channel that can be utilized in the waiting room and treatment operatory screens to inspire patients to learn, inquire, and invest in optimal dentistry. Traditionally, dental practices have … Continue reading Newsletter | Silently Educate Your Patients While They Wait →

Asking for a Decision—THE CLOSE – Part 2 To continue from last week, additional close methods, The Choice Close involves offering choices to the patient. Many people suffer from “decision-paralysis” – a strong aversion to making any or all decisions. People, perhaps because they don’t want to be caught in a bad decision, will often … Continue reading Newsletter | Asking for a Decision—THE CLOSE – Part 2 →

Asking for a Decision—THE CLOSE – Part 1 Surprisingly, many offices present cases but fail to ask for closure. Whether it’s from fear of rejection, fear of confrontation or just fear of offending someone, they just don’t ask! To be effective you need a great closing question and this is a perfect example where a … Continue reading Newsletter | Asking for a Decision—THE CLOSE – Part 1 →

Stretch for Success – Proactive Stress Guest Column Lori Irvine TGNA Team & Leadership Coach   Success involves risk taking. Stepping away from complacency into unknown territory is scary, but it is an essential element for professional growth. “University?” “My school days are over!,” “A supervisory position?” “But I’ve never led a team before,” “I’m … Continue reading Newsletter | Stretch for Success – Proactive Stress →

Maximize and Manage Laziness to increase Productivity “Laziness is a human tendency …  and when managed can lead to useful shortcuts and inventions, so find the thing you really want to be lazy about and then come up with a working way to make it easier. Suddenly your laziness is actually productive.”  The following strategies … Continue reading Maximize and Manage Laziness to increase Productivity →

One of the most common downfalls of many dental practices is the lack of roles and responsibilities. Often, team members know what needs to be done but there is quite a bit of confusion as to who is accountable for systems within the practice. What ends up happening is that the workloads among team members … Continue reading Maximizing Team Performance – Roles and Responsibilities →

Consider the following questions to determine if your hygiene department is meeting or exceeding the current standards of care: Do your patients value the hygiene visit or do they view it as “just a cleaning? Does the entire dental team understand how oral health fits into overall wellness? Is the practice performing documented comprehensive oral … Continue reading Is your Hygiene Department up to Current Standards? →

Diffuse the Spread of Stress in Your Office Does simply being near, or watching, stressful situations make you uncomfortable? A team at Saint Louis University recently created “secondhand stress” to study whether it could be as contagious as a cold. They had strangers observing a man nearby who was defending himself against a false accusation. … Continue reading Newsletter | Diffuse the Spread of Stress in Your Office →

The greatest dental marketing tool of your practice is to RUN ON TIME.  Patients expect to be seen on time in order to stay loyal, accept treatment plans and refer their friends.  If your practice runs behind consistently, see below what we have discovered from our experience as dental practice consultants, are the main obstacles … Continue reading Newsletter | Does your practice RUN ON TIME? →

Leadership isn’t just what leaders do; it is instead innate to who they are. Genuine leadership encompasses honesty, integrity and trust; trust built on truth-telling, keeping one’s word, getting feedback on one’s personal behavior and ensuring consistency with one’s stated values. That’s how you get others to follow the course you chart.   What are … Continue reading Newsletter | Profile of an Excellent Dental Team Leader →

Lori Vogel Business Systems Coach I recently had a dentist ask me if a Treatment Coordinator really makes a difference in a dental practice. I understood exactly where they were coming from because, I too, had asked myself that very same question many years ago when I started working in a brand new dental office … Continue reading Archive | Can a Treatment Coordinator Really Make a Difference? →

The statistics show that workplace bullying is more common than you think. In a 2016 a survey conducted by the General Social Survey on Canadians at Work and Home (GSS) came out with the follow statistics: 19% of women and 13% of men reported that they had experienced harassment in their workplace in the past … Continue reading Newsletter | Establishing a Workplace Anti-Bullying Policy and Culture →

Guest Column Karina Bapoo-Mohamed TGNA Clinical Coach – Hygiene The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma & melanoma[i]. In North America one person dies every 52 minutes of melanoma[ii]. 1 in 73 women and 1 in 59 men will develop melanoma[iii] If caught early 95% of skin cancers … Continue reading Newsletter | Sooner than Later – Dentistry does save LIVES! Part 2 →

A reminder about the importance of Head and Neck exams as part of a routine Hygiene Appointment “Sooner than Later” – Dentistry does save LIVES! Part 1 Guest Column Karina Bapoo-Mohamed TGNA Clinical Coach – Hygiene Note from Dauna to her hygienist.  “Last time I saw you, you said to me to go ‘sooner than … Continue reading Newsletter | April is Oral Health Month →

One of your patients has just said great things about you, your office and your team. This is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of one of the most successful dental marketing strategies; asking for a referral. Your patient won’t think to give you a referral unless you ask them. When you receive a referral, … Continue reading Newsletter | Patient Referrals & Reviews →

Periodontics has the greatest immediate potential for growth due to the amount of periodontal disease amongst our existing patients. Research shows that 60-80% of adults will have some level of periodontal disease, which leaves a tremendous service opportunity and growth center within your practice. The answers to applying and standardizing the hygiene department in following … Continue reading Newsletter | Periodontal program is not an OPTION; it is a requirement! →

Assertiveness is often considered to be one of the required traits for a successful personal and professional life. So, just how do you go about being more assertive? Following are a few simple communication techniques that you can practice … starting today. Use “I” messages and “feeling” verbs. Assertive communicators personalize their comments by starting … Continue reading Newsletter | 7 Tips to Become More Assertive   →

Today’s dental economy and environment is more challenging and more competitive than ever before. Hard work, technical ability, and quality patient care no longer guarantee a healthy practice. The need to assess your current operations in regards to leadership vision and team performance, patient services you offer, revenue potential, the capacity of your facility and … Continue reading Newsletter | Create Your Future Success →

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder has revealed that just over 50% of all job candidates admit to bending the truth during the hiring process. So, if one out of every two candidates might be less than honest when sharing their past experience, or altering some or all of their entire resume, what are things you … Continue reading Liar, Liar – How to Detect Resume Misrepresentation →

For decades, motivating teams was focused on promotions, raises and bonuses. With the changing demographics, today’s workforce teams are looking for a greater reason to stay engaged and committed to their place of work. Teams are searching for workplaces that give an emotional impact more so than a financial one. Here are some ways to … Continue reading Incentives – How Best to Engage Your Team →

How would it be if all our patients accepted our treatment recommendations without having to be pressured, without stress or rejection? Why do dental patients reject appropriate treatment? Why do they nod their heads in agreement clinically, yet somehow never get around to proceeding with treatment?  The success of a dental practice is completely dependent … Continue reading Case Presentation: Help Your Patients Say “Yes!” →

Case presentation begins with setting the stage for success – build an atmosphere with the dental team of learning, how to show patients we care, and to take all negativity out of communication about dentistry and overall health.  Some people view the patient-dentist relationship as adversarial. To counter this mindset, every aspect of your case … Continue reading Case Presentation – Build Rapport →

Now is the time of year to ask the following questions about your year over year status. Are you on a decline that won’t seem to stop? Is the practice surviving with a flat-line plateau or did you have at least 10-15% growth over last year? Decline means DO SOMETHING. Plateau means it is time … Continue reading Newsletter | Top 10 Ways to Ensure Your Practice Thrives →

The level of success in your practice is directly related to the protocols you set in place with your team. Putting a protocol in place will give your team a clear view of how the practice should be run and a detailed system for each team member in the office. A recent article from the … Continue reading Newsletter | Using Protocols to Empower Your Team →

Basic dental knowledge– Know and understand dental jargon, dentistry role in health care, patient experience, technology, services, scheduling and production. Loyalty to the company and practice– Advocate and supporter of the vision and mission and looking out for the business first as opposed to a desire to be liked or approved. Wanting to be “one … Continue reading Newsletter | The Seven Characteristics of Dental Practice Manager/Leaders →

January is the ideal time to determine what success means for you. This means gathering the knowledge to prepare for change(if needed) adopting proven, real-life strategies and tools that manage energy, enhance awareness, encourage self-discovery and how to build a team of leaders. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to be a successful manager? … Continue reading Newsletter | What Does it Take to Be The Ideal Manager? →

Lori Irvine Team and Leadership Coach Have you finished your Christmas shopping?  Where does YOUR name fall on your list? The top? The bottom? Did it make the list at all? Put your name at the top of the list. You work hard to please others; your family, friends, clients, colleagues …what about you? The … Continue reading Newsletter | All I want for Christmas is GROWTH! →

Helpful Tips to exceed your patient’s expectations   Connecting with your patient is crucial to patient satisfaction. In fact, the most successful internal marketing plan should be primarily focused on a sincere concern for your patient’s experience while they are in your practice. EMPATHY:  The ability to listen without judgment, to identify with and understand … Continue reading Newsletter | 4 Key Components for Patient Retention & Referrals →

Guest Column Lori Irvine Team and Leadership Coach   Lori Irvine received this message from her coaching client in Lacombe, AB as a story about how to keep personal or workplace baggage out of the way and leave it somewhere to revisit, when needed: “I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, … Continue reading Newsletter | The Trouble Tree; We All Could Use One →

Guest Column: Kris Grover; B.A., CHRP, CHRL Coach; Human Resources   After years of debate and discussion, the Canadian government has officially passed the legalization of cannabis for recreational use. This change came into effect October 17, 2018. Legalization has raised new questions and challenges for dental practices and the dental industry. It is important … Continue reading Cannabis Legalization, What Does it Mean for Your Practice? →

Exceed Patient Expectations Patient retention is achieved by exceeding expectations. It’s not only what you do — it’s also how you do it. It’s all the “little things” that add up to big returns. When a patient’s reasonable expectations are not exceeded by reality, disappointment often results, when reality exceeds expectations, patients are delighted and much … Continue reading Newsletter | Five Ways to Positively Impact Practice Revenue →

Appreciation comes from the entire team and is not something that comes from the leader alone. The entire team can show appreciation for each other and acknowledge their colleagues when they use the tools of giving and receiving feedback. The key to feedback is that it is accurate, genuine and specific to a behavior. Feedback in … Continue reading Newsletter | Appreciation – How to Give and Receive →

Empowerment is a multi-dimensional process that involves every member’s unique talents and gifts. Dental practices are aware of the importance of developing team members who have a healthy self-esteem so they will speak and act with personal and professional confidence. Self -confidence comes from an internal healthy view of how we see ourselves, and determines … Continue reading Newsletter | Empowering Your Team →

A crucial element to having an outstanding dental practice is outstanding team members. Many applicants may look great on paper, but will that translate to someone who will adhere to the practice vision and excellent job performance? An ideal way to get a true sense if an applicant is suitable for the position,  focus on … Continue reading Newsletter | Hiring Outstanding Team Members →

Sometimes this most obvious patient retention tool is often overlooked; showing through our words and actions that we are glad they are here and are grateful to have them as a client. When we put people first by establishing rapport, building relationships and a sincere interest in understanding their needs before our own, we create … Continue reading How to Win Every Time – Treat the Patient →

Guest Column Lyndsy, Lakeshore Dental Care, North Bay http://www.lakeshoredentalcare.ca/ Albert Einstein said, “the world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” My name is Lyndsy and I am a Dental Office Coordinator in North Bay, Ontario. In … Continue reading Child Abuse Prevention, We Can Make a Difference! →

One of the top questions our coaches receive in the area of dental practice management is; “How can I motivate my team members?”  All leaders agree and believe that motivation is critical to increasing employee performance and productivity. The assumption that only some employees are motivated is false.  Research indicates that all behavior is motivated. … Continue reading Newsletter | Effective Ways to Motivate Others TGNA →

Transitions Group North America is committed to providing dental professionals with communication and education tools. We are excited to announce, TU Digital Patient Education Videos, a patient educational channel that can be utilized in waiting room and treatment operatory screens to inspire patients to learn, inquire, and invest in optimal dentistry. Instead of hanging that old … Continue reading Newsletter | Engage, Entertain, Educate Your Patients →

Facial expressions involve a good smile that will brighten a room and lift spirits of all in its path. People who smile more often have a more positive effect on their environment and are better received by others. Feeling “in place” with your surroundings may be essential to physical and emotional well-being. People who frequently … Continue reading Newsletter | The Power of a Smile →

 “1% of leadership is what happens to us…99% is how we choose to respond” A leader must understand and be aware of the causes and effects of actions taken or not taken. This capacity of attention is called responsibility, “the ability to respond”. The Chinese Book of Changes, the I Ching tells us that, “It … Continue reading Newsletter | DENTAL LEADERSHIP – “I am Responsible” →

Transitions Group North America is committed to providing dental professionals with communication and education tools. We are excited to announce, TU Digital Patient Education Videos, a patient educational channel that can be utilized in the reception room and treatment operatory screens to inspire patients to learn, inquire, and invest in optimal dentistry. Traditionally, dental practices have … Continue reading Archive | Silently Educate Your Patients While They Wait →

We are in a human capital profession that requires relationships with our patients to achieve success. Relationships are built using communication techniques that are comprised of 10% words, 30% tone of voice and 60% body language. Your body language position, posture and facial expressions reveal to another person your inner character, respect, emotions, fear, nervousness, … Continue reading Newsletter | Power of Your Body Language →

Picture a journey together through a dark cave with the Trusted Advisor illuminating the path with a flashlight. The fear of the unknown dissipates when a friendly guide brings it to light.  When we illuminate the path for our patients, we help them answer the following questions… How does dentistry fit into my overall health? … Continue reading Newsletter | Are you a TRUSTED ADVISOR? →

Guest Column Lori Irvine TGNA Team & Leadership Coach Investing in Team Synergy can improve the bottom line Team training carries the potential to maximize human capital by promoting engagement, improving communication and building trust within teams. Although at times it is perceived as “fluff,” building a synergistic team can produce a significant return on … Continue reading Investing in Team Synergy Can Improve The Bottom Line →

Guest Column Karina Bapoo-Mohamed TGNA Clinical Coach – Hygiene The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma & melanoma[i]. In North America one person dies every 52 minutes of melanoma[ii]. 1 in 73 women and 1 in 59 men will develop melanoma[iii] If caught early 95% of skin cancers … Continue reading Newsletter | “Sooner than Later” – Dentistry does save LIVES! Part 2 →

Guest Column Karina Bapoo-Mohamed TGNA Clinical Coach – Hygiene “Last time I saw you, you said to me to go ‘sooner than later’. Those words kept haunting me, in January I went to my family doctor, who referred me to another doctor…He did a biopsy and within 2 days he called to say it was … Continue reading Newsletter | “Sooner than Later” – Dentistry does save LIVES! Part 1 →

Case acceptance is the practice currency in allowing us to doing the dentistry we love to do for patients who value it. Know what your case acceptance success is every month and set goals appropriately.  Once you have hit your goal for three months, raise the goal in 5% intervals. Knowing the number of cases, … Continue reading Newsletter | What Is Your Case Acceptance Success? →

Case presentation begins with a diagnostic philosophy based on creating lifetime strategies for the patient’s oral health. If dentistry is not diagnosed, it cannot be planned, presented, accepted and most importantly made affordable. Every patient is entitled to know all that dentistry has to offer them, and have the necessary information provided to allow them … Continue reading Newsletter | Effective Case Presentation Creates Lifetime Strategies for Patient’s Oral Health →

Job descriptions are extremely useful, yet frequently overlooked employment documents. They provide value in many situations face, including hiring, team member training and performance management, setting and achieving practice goals, and determining appropriate compensation for team members. Avoid hiring mistakes The hiring process is a great time to update your existing job descriptions, or in … Continue reading Benefits of Maintaining Up to Date Job Descriptions →

The first impression of your practice is one that can last a lifetime. A patient makes a decision whether or not he or she wants to continue coming to your practice based on their first impression. Your front desk / receptionist will be the first team member all your patients interact with, and the person … Continue reading Newsletter | Does Your Front Desk Project Your Ideal First Impression? →

Want to get a tangible idea of your practice’s performance-and what you could be doing better? It all starts with keeping score. The desire to compare one product or service against another has probably always been a part of human nature. In recent years, abetted by the spread of social media and comment sites online, … Continue reading Newsletter | Score Your Practice →

1. Think first of the other fellow. This is THE foundation — the first requisite — for getting along with others. And it is the one truly difficult accomplishment you must make. Gaining this, the rest will be “a breeze.”  Check first impressions. We are especially prone to dislike some people on first sight because of some … Continue reading Newsletter | 7 Key Management Behaviors →

Last week, we discussed the importance of transforming the hygiene department into a patient education center for oral health beginning with the process of care beginning with screening. Today, we continue with the SAPIE model of care beginning with Assessment The Assessment phase of the model consists of a Comprehensive Oral Evaluation that includes the … Continue reading Newsletter | Dental Hygiene is the heartbeat of the dental practice. →

The evolution of research with respect to periodontal disease has created a major change in preventive and periodontal care. As such, the hygiene department must transform to an education center, requiring the hygienist to possess more than the technical skills required to perform deposit removal. They also need to have the ability to be critical … Continue reading Newsletter | Why Transformation of the Dental Hygiene Department is required →

A resounding yes! While providing performance evaluations can sometimes make employees or teams feel anxious, it is an essential part of achieving practice objectives, increasing team engagement and ultimately attaining business goals. Most of the time, positive and healthy feedback generated from a performance evaluation leads to better individual performance, which leads to better team … Continue reading Newsletter | Should individual performance evaluation be part of your dental practice? →

Are your vacations TRULY vacations? If you are bringing work with you on vacation, you are missing out. Research consistently shows that people who take their vacation time are both less stressed and receive health benefits, including a lower risk of dying from heart disease. If you bring work with you on your vacation, you … Continue reading Newsletter | Avoid Overload – Take the time to truly recharge →

This is an amazing world we live in today. Look what has happened over the last 20 years; from the internet being established to cell phones being a part of our everyday lives. We are connected more and more to what we hear and see every day. Where have you come along in dentistry? Dentistry … Continue reading Newsletter | Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy →

I recently had a dentist ask me if a Treatment Coordinator really makes a difference in a dental practice. I understood exactly where they were coming from because, I too, had asked myself that very same question many years ago when I started working in a brand new dental office which had opened up in … Continue reading Newsletter | Can a Treatment Coordinator Really Make a Difference? →

Come see Lisa Philp speak at the Vancouver Dental Education Centre’s 10thannual Team Development Event. This is a high-energy, interactive experience designed exclusively for dental professionals and their teams.   Includes: 8 hours of CE (Continuing Education Credits) |Breakfast | Lunch | Exciting Door Prizes (such as a FREE session with Lisa Philp and her … Continue reading Newsletter | Vancouver Dental Education Centre Event →

Guest Column By Grant Gooley, Patient News Yes, I’m blogging about blogging. Why? Blogs on a dental website are important to the success of your digital footprint; they keep patients engaged and drive new patients to your site. Here are 3 reasons why you should have a blog on your dental website: Rank higher on … Continue reading Newsletter | Why Blog? The Benefits of A Blog On A Dental Website →

Research shows that 10-15% of employees report they are NOT deeply involved or engaged in their job, work and career. This is very alarming considering we spend the majority of our waking hours at our jobs. When asked about their workplace and key reasons for not being engaged the common answer that comes up is … Continue reading Newsletter | Employee Engagement – The Search for Meaning →

The Vancouver Dental Education Centre’s 10thannual Team Development Event is designed exclusively for dental professionals. This high-energy day provides dentists and their teams an opportunity to network within our community, learn about new innovations and have some fun. There will be five guest speakers, including industry leader, author, consultant and Practice Management Guru, Lisa Philp. … Continue reading Newsletter | Vancouver Dental Education Centre →

The latest Canadian Dental Association Patient Survey shows that a patients #1 influence for their perception of how good a dental practice and/or dental provider is how they see and experience the practice/doctor’s CONFIDENCE. Overall patient’s service expectations of their dental experience are: Confidence Clear Communication Time Management Friendliness Empathy Operational Efficiency Generally, people are … Continue reading Newsletter | PATIENT SATISFACTION – ALL ABOUT CONFIDENCE →

In a recent United Nations report, Canada rates 7th (for the second straight year) on the list of happiest countries in the world John Helliwell, a professor at the University of BC states that countries that rated highest have “high levels of mutual trust, shared purpose, generosity and good governance” ***. An interesting aspect of … Continue reading Newsletter | The Power to Overcome All Obstacles Article →

DOES YOUR HEALTH CONSCIOUS PATIENT KNOW THAT THEIR MORNING ORANGE JUICE MAY BE WASHING AWAY THEIR ENAMEL? A recent study concluded that the acid in orange juice is so strong the tooth is literally washed away *1 Lemon juice, often used to detox, is one of the most acidic juices with a pH of 2.25 … Continue reading Is Your Healthy Drink Giving Your Enamel a Workout? →

As we reflect back on the commitments that we made as we launched into a fresh new year, we may discover that we have not yet accomplished all that we intended and feel defeated. This is not the best energy source for future goal setting! Rather than be “reactive” by wallowing in a mindset of … Continue reading Newsletter | What are SMART Goals? →

  This is an amazing world we live in today. Look what has happened over the last 20 years; from the internet being established to cell phones being a part of our everyday lives. We are connected more and more to what we hear and see every day. Where have you come along in dentistry? … Continue reading Archive | Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy →

  Dear Dr., Let your voice be heard by completing the Dental Industry of Canada professional survey below. The results are totally confidential and I am supporting as a member of the board encouraging Canadian dentists to express their views. Survey is supported by the Canadian Dental Association and didn’t want you to miss out. … Continue reading Newsletter | Attention All Canadian Dentists. Let Your Voice be Heard! →

An employee handbook can be a valuable communication resource for both the employer and the employee. It provides guidance and information related to the organization’s history, mission, values, policies, procedures and benefits in a written format. It is also viewed as a means of protecting the employer against discrimination or unfair treatment claims. It is … Continue reading Newsletter | Where to Start when Developing an Employee Handbook →

ENAMEL EROSION CAN NOW BE SEEN IN OVER 45% OF YOUR TEEN PATIENTS2 Dietary factors, especially consumption of acidic drinks, have been found to be the main etiological factor of dental erosion.1 The greater the amount of erosive products consumed per day, and the more often they are consumed, the greater the risk of Erosive … Continue reading Newsletter | YOUR TEEN PATIENT’S DIET HAS CHANGED →

Leadership isn’t just what leaders do; it is instead innate to who they are. Genuine leadership encompasses honesty, integrity and trust-trust built on truth-telling, keeping one’s word, getting feedback on one’s personal behavior and ensuring consistency with one’s states values. That’s how you get others to follow the course you chart. What are the traits … Continue reading Archive | Profile of an Excellent Dental Team Leader →

Money is often an uncomfortable topic of conversation for teams and patients. Dentists want to do what’s right for the patient and, most often, patients would prefer to say “yes” to the care they need. But, dentists should also be appropriately compensated for their services in a timely manner.   Miscommunication during the financial conversation … Continue reading Newsletter | Are Financial Conversations Uncomfortable? →

Effective communication skills are the key to establishing positive and productive relationships with both the patient and the dental team.   Incorporating excellent communication skills starts with the dental team. Start by creating a practice vision and mission statement together that you and your team will follow.   A supportive dental team creates a greater … Continue reading How Communication Improves Your Dental Practice’s Health →

DENTAL EROSION HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC LEVELS Recent research has shown that approximately 30% of dental patients aged 18–35 years had at least one tooth with advanced erosive tooth wear2 Current research shows that dental erosion in children can range from 10% to 80%3 Effective management of dental erosion is largely dependent on a thorough understanding … Continue reading Newsletter | THE EROSION EPIDEMIC: THE GROWING IMPACT ON PATIENTS’ ORAL HEALTH →

After decades of coaching thousands of dental practices in North America to be their best, via patient retention, new patient growth and case acceptance, I have created the following list of characteristics that patients value most, in order of importance, about their dental experience. These characteristics are essential for patient loyalty, attracting new patients and … Continue reading Newsletter | 14 Characteristics of Dental Patient Value; How do you Rank? →

In dentistry, we can no longer overlook, deny, or be complacent that we will sustain or survive these tough times. Respond by focusing on the things you can control, using these five key strategies:   Increase the longevity (loyalty) of your existing patients Sixty-eight percent of patients leave your practice because of “indifference.” Make sure … Continue reading Newsletter | Thriving in Financial Challenges →

It’s time to listen and hear your team. One of the most valuable assets a Doctor has is his or her team. Team members have a wealth of knowledge and when encouraged to share this knowledge, wonderful things can happen. Team meetings if organized properly can facilitate team ownership. When the team is empowered, the … Continue reading Newsletter | Effective Team Meetings →

Choosing the “right person” isn’t only about qualifications. That’s why we conduct job interviews – to get a sense of what a person is like. Some people are naturally outgoing and enthusiastic. Others are more measured in their approach to human contact. Yet both people might share the same basic qualifications in terms of schooling, … Continue reading Newsletter | Who is Right for the Job? →

Keeping your patients happy should be your number one priority as a dental practice. Spend your time giving your patients quality care will make their experience unforgettable! Here are a few helpful tips to keep them happy:   Remember your patients! This makes the experience personable when you remember their names and what is happening in … Continue reading Newsletter | 5 Tips for a Happy Dental Patient! →

One of the top questions our coaches receive in the area of dental practice management is; “How can I motivate my team members?” All leaders agree and believe that motivation is critical to increasing employee performance and productivity. The assumption that only some employees are motivated is false. Research indicates that all behavior is motivated. … Continue reading Newsletter | Effective Ways to Motivate Others →

Assertiveness is often considered to be one of the required traits for a successful personal and professional life. So, just how do you go about being more assertive? Following are a dozen simple communication techniques that you can practice … starting today.   Use “I” messages and “feeling” verbs. Assertive communicators personalize their comments by … Continue reading Newsletter | 7 Tips to Become More Assertive →

We all long for success but we often have to struggle for it. And while we think we fear failure, or at least don’t want it around us — we all face it in one form or another every day. Everyone fails. But, failure is relative. Its measurement is subjective. Mostly it occurs in your … Continue reading Newsletter | Overcoming Obstacles: Fear of Failure →

Logically, the key to improving patient satisfaction is to have the “magic ratio” of positive interactions between your team and patients. Communication should be thoughtful and purposeful. Here are a few ways to hit the magic ratio and positively enhance patient satisfaction and retention:   Pull, don’t push. Your team’s role is to be an … Continue reading How to POSITIVELY Increase Patient Satisfaction →

Dentistry is changing at an alarming rate in regards to providers, consolidation, influence of the dental team, patient retention/ loyalty changes, the power of the mother in health care and the national plateau of financial growth The role of insurance benefits and fee guides, combined with high competition in urban centers, drives dental services to … Continue reading Newsletter | So Many Choices.. Which one is Right for Your Dental Practice’s growth? →

An attitude of Gratitude Yesterday, Canada celebrated Thanksgiving. Often in the busyness of family gatherings and meal preparation, we forget the purpose of the holiday; reflecting, with thanks, on the blessings in our life. Gratitude. Sometimes this most obvious patient retention tool is often overlooked; showing through our words and actions that we are glad … Continue reading Newsletter | Putting Patients First →

Dental demographics are changing almost faster than we can keep up: the Baby Boomers are retiring, and the archaic system of employer-provided benefits is looking more long in the tooth than ever. As such, smart dentists are reconfiguring their practices around a choice-based, consumerist mentality. Think of it from a customer-relations standpoint: To an unprecedented … Continue reading Charm Offensive →

As we prepare for the grand opening of our new home office and training center, we are seeing the career-long dream of our Chief Visionary Officer, Lisa Philp, brought to fruition! This center is a result of her grit, determination, hard work and her great passion. Passion is the pulsating energy driven from the fire … Continue reading Newsletter | Are you living a life of Passion? →

Power is the ability to make change and exists for one reason only – transformation. Power is from the Latin word podere, meaning to be able. When the old has outgrown its purpose, it is time to transform into something new. Power is not a thing, but a way. It is a process of becoming … Continue reading Newsletter | THE RIGHT USE OF PERSONAL POWER →

In the dental practice, daily preparation to plan for the next day is critical for practice management, efficiency, productivity and team involvement in the patient experience. The practices who audit their charts each day and come together to communicate the findings have an INCREASE IN GROWTH OF 10% WITH NO CHANGE. Think of what a … Continue reading How Chart Audits Increase Your Dental Practice’s Growth →

 Periodontics has the greatest immediate potential for growth due to the amount of periodontal disease amongst our existing patients. The research shows that 60-80% of adults will have some level of periodontal disease. A tremendous service opportunity and growth center exists within your practice.   The answers to applying and standardizing the hygiene department to … Continue reading Newsletter | A Periodontal program is not an OPTION; it is a requirement! →

Having a social-media strategy for your practice is no longer a matter of “if,” it’s a matter of “right now.” Twitter, Facebook and the like can seem trivial, but they — along with a user-friendly Website — are vital for a modern dental practice. Here’s how to take advantage.   BUILD A BETTER WEBSITE: Professionals … Continue reading Newsletter | Social Media Skills →

The greatest dental marketing tool of your practice is to RUN ON TIME. Patients expect to be seen on time in order to stay loyal, accept treatment plans and refer their friends. If your practice runs behind consistently, see below what we have discovered, from our experience as dental practice consultants, are the main obstacles … Continue reading Archive | Does your practice RUN on TIME? →

Change is both inevitable and necessary to keep your practice productive and profitable. However, it is not uncommon for a change in policy, systems or responsibilities to be met with strong resistance from team members. When this happens, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that the resistance is due to obstinacy or laziness … Continue reading Newsletter | The Fear Factor of Productivity →

One of the most common downfalls of many dental practices is the lack of roles and responsibilities. Often, team members know what needs to be done but there is quite a bit of confusion as to who is accountable for systems within the practice. What ends up happening is that work loads among team members … Continue reading Maximizing Team Performance →

Alarm is being spread throughout the dental industry, due to the increasing number of practices being closed by Public Health due to improper sterilization and infection concerns. Just this summer, two practices have been temporarily closed in Ontario. In comparison with the number of practices, this is a low percentage, but, as members of the … Continue reading Newsletter | Sterilization in Dentistry: Get Compliant →

Treatment coordinators can help a practice increase its case acceptance by up to 20%. That’s a laudable figure, but what should a Treatment Coordinator ultimately be responsible for to help make it happen? Choosing the right one can make all the difference between a practice that’s moderately successful and one that’s extravagantly so. NEW PATIENT … Continue reading Newsletter | Most Valuable Players in a Dental Practice →

As dental professionals, we share a common goal of providing our patients with the very best. Maintaining a professional team image, with an up to date, stylish office will certainly impress your patients when they walk in the door. However, the one key element that determines both patient loyalty and referrals of family and friends … Continue reading Newsletter | The Power of Personal Connection →

Consistently, studies have shown that patients rate their service satisfaction based on the depth of their emotional connection through personal and proactive communication and rate this as “very important” on the scale of what they expect from a dental practice. Visiting the dentist can often cause the emotions to run high in anxiety, dread, fear, … Continue reading How to Exceed Your Patient’s Expectations →

Deciding to start your own practice can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. Your own practice provides you the opportunity to focus on your decided patient care philosophy and specialty. It also requires that you focus on all the business details that you didn’t learn in dental school. Decades of experience in dental practice management has … Continue reading Newsletter | Setting the Stage for Success: 4 Key Steps →

At TGNA, we have had the pleasure of working with Dentists in all stages of their career. Most of our clients come to us to grow, change, and enhance their current operation. Some come to “get their house in order” before retiring. And others are just looking to build the practice they have always dreamed … Continue reading Newsletter | Setting the Stage for Success: Starting a practice. →

Our up and coming employees in the work force are Millennials. It is the current executives and leaders (Gen X and Baby Boomers) responsibility to take the time to understand this generation. If we don’t take time to understand what drives them, what makes them want to get up every morning and come into work, … Continue reading Is The Millennial Generation Lacking Service Aptitude? →

Scheduling How you engineer the schedule is of paramount importance for emergency management. Your history of the number of emergencies will determine the amount of pre- blocking you will need to do in your schedule. If you do not record your history of emergencies, pre-block your schedule for two emergency blocks a day. Pre-blocking for … Continue reading Newsletter | Scheduling & Treating Emergencies →

As a coach for dental practices, one of the major areas of stress that we see in the daily operations is the way the team handles last minute emergencies. What usually happens is a patient calls with a concern and they are squeezed into the schedule between regularly scheduled clients. The result is serious time … Continue reading Newsletter | Handling Dental Emergencies →

We all have gone to school to learn how to prepare teeth and treat periodontal pockets in the best possible way. We all have followed what has been taught to us throughout the ages at the dental schools. Today we should ask ourselves if our schools are keeping up to the times and changing needs. … Continue reading Newsletter | High-Tech, High Touch Dental Practice →

Listening is a skill ~ an art. The more I coach, either in a team setting or one on one, the more I realize how important it is to develop our ability to listen. The key to communication and influencing people is to listen first and talk second and very little. Seek first to understand … Continue reading IS ANYONE LISTENING? →

A crucial element to having an outstanding dental practice is outstanding team members. Many applicants may look great on paper, but will that translate to someone who will adhere to the practice vision and excellent job performance? An ideal way to get a true sense if an applicant is suitable for the position, focus on … Continue reading HIRING OUTSTANDING TEAM MEMBERS →

The second thing we must do to decrease downtime is to educate our patients A lot of our patients have a very limited scope of what periodontal problems are and their effect on the entire body. We need to be able to show our patients the links between periodontal disease and heart disease. Let them know … Continue reading DECREASING DOWNTIME THROUGH PATIENT EDUCATION →

Continuing with our “I just want to be a dentist” series, downtime in the schedule is a burning issue for almost every practice. Addressing the issue of hygiene downtime is a high priority for everyone involved. An acceptable measurable percentage for non-productive time in hygiene is 5-8%. If the hygiene program is appropriately designed, the … Continue reading DECREASING HYGIENE DOWNTIME →

I have identified five specific conditions that must be created in order for successful and energizing change or transitions to take place. 1. A sense of urgent need and a plan of action that is clear and palpable to everyone on the team. A sense of urgency with an action plan is the first step. … Continue reading Newsletter | WHAT IT TAKES FOR A SUCCESSFUL & ENERGIZING TRANSITION →

“Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine” Change is everywhere; the economy, the technology, the procedures, products, patient service demands and management philosophies are just a few of the changes that we are seeing every day within the dental industry. Dentistry is not the only profession seeing huge paradigm shifts and being challenged to … Continue reading CHANGE IS INEVITABLE →

In a recent United Nations report , Canada rates 7th on the list of happiest countries in the world…

The Assessment phase of the model consists of a Comprehensive Oral Evaluation that includes the collection of data from a procedural perspective combined with behavioural discovery…

Fortunately for the profession of dental hygiene, we are no longer the “cleaning ladies” of the dental practice…

The Success of a modern dental practice is entirely dependent on how effective it is at influencing its patients to say yes to optimal dental health…

Dentistry is a human capital–people business and the patient’s loyalty, retention, case acceptance…

Today’s dental economy and environment is more challenging and more competitive than ever before…

To become a patient’s trusted advisor, our objective is to learn as much about the patient as you can in order to connect their dental treatment plan into their life…

The success of a dental practice is completely dependent on how effective the team is in influencing patients to say “yes” to recommended care…

Maintaining credibility when one’s practice or industry is under fire as described in our article last week, is much more difficult than simple mistakes…

What does it mean to be resilient? When you are resilient, you are able to bounce back from frustrations and setbacks, by adapting and moving forward…

While technology helps us work faster, access important information and stay in touch, it also has drawbacks, the most common is information overload…

Don’t be afraid of changing, be afraid of NOT changing. Continual growth and evolution is the way to success and fulfillment…

Email overload is a common stressor in the modern workplace. If you feel that email is impacting your productivity, the following tips may help…

Last week we reviewed the signs and symptoms of stress due to overload and below are some strategies to gain control and reduce overwhelm on the job…

Overload has a measurable and a significant impact on our physical, mental and emotional health, with 40% of the job turnover rate being directly related to job stress…

Overload is everywhere and more and more people are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, depressed and burned out with all that is coming at them in both their personal and work lives…

It is so hard to believe it is already the fourth quarter and the last couple of months for 2016. One of the greatest lessons for me in 2016 was how to overcome the stimulation, incoming messages, and scheduling while traveling…

Ransomware, a rapidly growing form of internet based cyber attack, a type of malicious software that encrypts a practice’s data and holds it for ransom. It can affect any computer device. A ransomware attack can come from web browsing…