CE Webinars for Dentists, Dental Professionals: August 2012

Gayle Christensen

Taking the upgrade. Rising to knew insights. Learning the slopes. However dentists may phase it in, these webinars provide various ways to get there.


Gayle Christensen, owner of Christensen Dental Consulting as well as a NDA member works with dental offices, staff members and dentists to improve management practices, HR systems and new patient development.

Both Gayle, and her colleague Lorraine Dudley, offer Webinars to dentists throughout the five state Minnesota region and all over the country. Below is the tally of webinars scheduled for next month, August.

Click for more about Dental Business Training Center.

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August - Dentistry Office Webinars

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17 August 2012: Webinar Topic

The Power of Documentation for the Dental Office Webinar
 12.30am until 1.30am (CST)

--- Presented by Lorraine Dudley

Reducing risk of exposing dentist, and dental practice to potential harm by using powerful documentation and dentistry insurance management tools.

• Visit Christensen Dental Consulting webinar page for more info.

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21 August 2012: Webinar Topic

New Dental Patients, Keep 'em Coming Webinar 
 9.00am until 10.00am (CST)

--- Presented by Gayle Christensen

Give your practice a key advantage when it comes to retaining new and existing patients. Learn easy and effective methods to improve your skills with this vital component to your practice's long-term success.

• Visit Christensen Dental Consulting webinar page for more info.

Financial Victory for Dentists Offices Webinar
 11.30am until 12.30pm (CST)

--- Presented by Gayle Christensen

 Increase your collections and smile all the way to a healthier bottom line!

• Visit Christensen Dental Consulting webinar page for more info.

Strategic Dental Office Scheduling Webinar

 2.00pm until 3.00pm (CST)

--- Presented by Gayle Christensen

Take (and keep) control of your dentistry office schedule and capture the "treasure" that is hidden in dental patient charts.

• Visit Christensen Dental Consulting webinar page for more info.

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23 August 2012: Webinar Topic

Customer Service for the Dental Practice Webinar
 3.00pm until 4.00pm (CST)

--- Presented by Lorraine Dudley

Give your dental practice a competitive edge with unparalleled customer service that comes from the heart.

• Visit Christensen Dental Consulting webinar page for more info.

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Gayle of Christensen Dental Consulting, Ham Lake MN

She is also a Northern Dental Alliance member

Also Posted on GayleChristensen.com

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RePosted by

Dick Chwalek, NicheDental.com

Dick's a Co-Founder and Member of the NorthernDentalAlliance.com

MN Lab, Renstrom Dental Studio's: The Benefits of Photography

> Article by Jeffrey L. Benson, DDS for Renstrom.com

Renstrom Dental Lab's Radiant Restorations - Spring 2012 Newsletter

Many of the doctors I consult with say that they would like to make dental photography an integral part of their dental practice, but many don’t have a dental camera, and many who do have one are using it only sporadically, if at all.

It's amazing to me that dental practices are investing tens or even hundreds of thousands on new dental technologies while ignoring the single most important practice building technology available, the dental camera.

The photo (side panel) was taken by Dr. Benson and submitted to The Journal of Dental Technology's annual photo Contest. It was one of the select few photos to be printed in the February 2012 Issue.


Digital technology has simplified dental photography to the point that even inexperienced photographers can take excellent dental photos.

Gone are the days of complex camera settings and waiting for the photos to return from the lab while wondering if the photos will even be of acceptable quality.

Today's dental camera systems make dental photography easy, and the benefits to the modern restorative practice are impossible to overestimate. Here are some of the benefits:

Patient Communication

Your patients are constantly bombarded by clever ads promoting the benefits of products and services which compete directly with your treatment recommendations for the discretionary spending of your patients. It's no accident that the most successful ads are highly visual. 


Today's consumer responds enthusiastically to vivid images that show how their life would be better with a particular product or service.


This response is emotional, not rational...a want, not a need. We need be aware of this as we present our treatment plans to our patients. Too often we focus solely on the technical details of treatment while providing the patient with little or no visual information about their problem and the benefits of our recommended treatment.

Most patients need to see their problem in order to "own" it, and see the benefit in order to "want" it. Dental photography is the perfect solution. Many highly successful restorative dentists use pre-op photos to engage the patient in co-diagnosis of treatment needs and follow up with before and after photos of similar cases to allow patients to imagine the benefits of the proposed treatment in their own mouths.

Laboratory Communication

Imagine, for a moment, a laboratory technician attempting to create beautiful and functional smile for your patient. Without photos, the technician never sees the patient, doesn't know where the facial midline is, doesn't know the smile line, skin color, lip support, incisal translucency, etc.

No amount of written instruction on the prescription could possibly communicate this information as well as photos could.

With just a few simple photos you can easily communicate all this information to the technician, greatly improving the function and esthetics of your treatment while reducing stress levels for both youand your technician.

Insurance Communication and Legal Documentation Dental photographs can be very helpful to communicate information about a patien's dental condition which x-rays can't. Cracks, leakage, bad margins, occlusal wear and cervical abrasion/abfraction are just some of the condi- tions that are best documented with photos.

For the same reasons, photos are of great value in showing the patient's pre-treatment condition should a complaint or malpractice suit be filed.

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If you are interested making photography an integral part of your practice, I'd love to help you get started in dental photography or simply improve your existing skills.

Also check out our next newsletter (Summer 2012) for my article about dental photographic technique and how to communicate with your lab using photography.

Read Entire: Renstrom Radiant Restorations Newsletter

Written by

Jeff Benson, DDS

Renstrom Technical Consultant

651-407-0491

HOURS: M & W 10AM -4PM

Renstrom Dental Studio (MN LAB) is a NDA Member.

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Story Posted by 

Dick Chwalek, NicheDental.com

Dick is also a member of NDA @ NorthernDentalAlliance.com

Dentists Visit Renstrom Dental - Lab - Studio in St. Paul MN at Star of the North 2012

We are excited to be attending the annual Star of the North Meeting this year!

This will make 44 years for Renstrom Dental Studio. You will find us at a different location this year, booth #427, right next to 3M ESPE.

The Northern Dental Alliance will be giving away an Apple iPad on the last day of the meeting.
You can enter the drawing at Renstrom’s booth or any of the other NDA four members who will also be exhibiting.

New to the meeting this year are product display cases that can be viewed on the meeting room level.

Renstrom will be displaying our Jet Pin System (video) so be sure to take a look as you attend your classes. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

Read Entire: Renstrom Radiant Restorations 2012 Newsletter

Also check out our Summer 2012 newsletter, and Jeff Benson’s article about dental photographic technique and how to communicate with your lab using photography.

Renstrom Dental Studio, Inc
Renstrom.com

Vadnais Heights, MN 

651-407-0491

Renstrom Dental Studio (MN LAB) is a NDA Member.

Also Posted at NorthernDentalAlliance.com

RSO Responsibilities, X-Ray Rule Training

Learn how to keep up with your annual OSHA and infection control requirements.

With so much focus on quality patient care, new products and technology keeping up with written infection control, MSDS, and radiation manuals can fall on the back burner. Know how your office is doing before an inspector calls. Then your team can focus on Treatment Planning, Marketing, Recall and Scheduling.

Get the Nuts and Bolts of

RSO Responsibilities & X-Ray Rule

Training Session.

Northern Dental Alliance member and Dental Consultant, Leanne M. Mathieu Kramer of Statements Plus Compliance Solutions will be conducting this seminar to keep dental offices on the right track with their safety responsibilities and rules. This two-hour course will provide two dentistry CE credits.

LOCATION

- Ramada Minneapolis (Mpls) NW
- 6900 Lakeland Ave North
- Brooklyn Park, Minnesota 55428

DATE
- Tuesday
- February 23, 2010

TIME
- 9:00 - 11:00 AM
- 2 Dental CE Credits

FEE
- $50.00

Download, PRINT, Complete, Fax Form

> Presented by Leanne M. Mathieu Kramer, LDA, CDA, CDPMA

Leanne is a Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA), Certified Dental Assistant, and Certified Dental Practice Management Administrator through the Dental Assistant National Board. She is authorized by the Department of Labor as an OSHA Outreach Trainer in General Industry.

Visit Leanne's Website

StatementsPlusComplianceSolutions.com

Other Northern Dental Alliance Members

Epple Financial Advisors

Heritage Construction Companies

US Bank Equipment Financing, Real Estate

Niche Dental Coaching, Consulting

Michael Haase - Practice Transitions

Weber Law Office

Do You Need Dental Practice Management With Scalable Flexibility?

My goal as a dental consultant is to find the right resources for my clients to achieve success. There are three basic elements that I see as important: flexibility, consistency and pragmatic implementation.

Recently, I was contacted by a person who fit those criteria as well as having the expertise to move forward efficiently for my dentist clients. Her name is Claudia Walters; her consultancy is focused on dental practice management...

Flexible, Scalable and Affordable Practice Management Consulting

Get the experience and flexibility your dental practice needs in this economic environment. Claudia Walters has over 20 years in dentistry and has the expertise to develop the systems required to help your dental office thrive.

Claudia has a flexible dental office program from a financial and logistical standpoint that is also comprehensive and efficient. She is very knowledgeable about dentistry and how dental offices work. She will move you in the right direction with specific objectives and instructions.

With her consultant services, you will end the frustration of an inactivity and low productivity. Improve every office system you have, generate more dentistry, and increase revenues very quickly.

Claudia is a Professional Dental Management Consultant. She has worked one on one with dentists for over 10 years. She was a chairside assistant while attending the University of Detroit Dental Hygiene School.

She practiced dental hygiene for 18 years. Claudia received her management and consulting training from The Goldman Group, Professional Management Consultants and Brokers. Paul Goldman, president of The Goldman Group, has been a consultant in the health care profession for over forty years, and has worked with over fifteen hundred practices in a consulting capacity.

According to Paul Goldman: "I have had the opportunity to know Claudia Walters for twenty years. We trained Claudia for a year before she saw her first doctor. For nine years she worked for me and consulted with over five hundred doctors. I have received a number of referrals from doctors she worked with. If she were interested in moving back to Michigan, I would rehire her!"

Goldman and his chief consultant Henry Bechek, worked with Claudia for one year, on the road in over 100 practices. Subsequently, Claudia traveled on her own as a consultant representing The Goldman Group, to dental practices all over Michigan and Canada. Claudia believes in working one on ore with her doctors, and a team concept with staff.

Her objective is to create a highly productive yet relaxed environment where everyone knows their job description, yet each staff member helps one another. The environment developed will be where the doctor can concentrate on dentistry and feel confident that his dental practice is running smoothly.

Claudia's areas of dental expertise include new patient experience, phone coordinator, appointment book control, case presentation, collections, internal marketing, motivation communication, staff meetings and huddles, scripts, hygiene quarterly reviews, interview process, tracking progress, and more.

Claudia has been published in Dental Management and RDH Magazine and has designed a 4200 square foot office from the ground up. She is also listed in Who's Who in the World.

While currently located in southern California, she consults with dentists, dental teams and dentistry practices coast to coast via Skype video or in person.

• Visit Claudia's Dental Consulting Website
• Email Claudia - Dental Practice Management Consultant

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For comprhensive dentistry communication consulting and dental marketing coaching, contact Dick Chwalek of Niche Dental.

866-453-1026 Ext 251

Effective Dental Patient Scheduling: Part 1 of 3

Getting the “most prepared patients” for cosmetic, restorative and implant dentistry in the door is the ultimate goal of the dental office scheduling process. Of course, identifying those patients can be difficult if certain criteria are not decided upon by the dentist and dental office team to differentiate who are the best-prepared patients.

The following information will make the dental patient selection process more effective; thereby increasing new patient numbers for high-end dentistry and improving smile makeover case acceptance.

Dental Care Visit Caller Discovery Process (Part 1 - below)

The "Fully Prepared" Prospective Dental Patient 

(Part 2 - 4/26/09)
The "Unprepared" Prospective Dental Patient 

(Part 2 - 4/26/09)
The "In Between" Prospective Dental Patient 

(Part 3 - 5/02/09)
Dental Patient Communication Conclusion 

(Part 3 - 5/02/09)

Dental Care Visit Caller Discovery Process

The dental team phone answerer must determine – by the questions asked and not asked where the person is at in their appreciation and understanding of high-end dentistry value. It will also be evident by the tone of the voice or by the urgency of the issue – how “far along” the caller is.

Another key element of the discovery process for the dental office phone answerer is listening attentively for what the prospective patient understands about Dr. Dentist Of Dentistry’s expertise and care philosophy (or his/her brand). Has the prospective dental patient build up any trust in the dentist (you) previous to their first dental visit? This is not easy to do, but neither should it be considered overwhelming to accomplish.

The dental office phone answerer must focus on increasing their proficiency and not dwell on individual situations or missed opportunities. Learning from each caller and new patient call situation, taking detailed notes, and asking key questions is more important at this juncture than interacting successfully on each call. Bear in mind that even a partial improvement in scheduling effectiveness can benefit your dental practice, so there is no reason to rush the process.

The caller will often have many inaccurate, under researched and/or naïve perceptions about dentistry. It isn’t efficient or productive for ALL of those questions to be answered during the phone call. The reality is few consumers can be transitioned unless they are prepared at many levels. The phone call is usually an early point in the preparing process especially if dental marketing has been absent from the prepping groundwork.

The scheduling qualifiers for prospective dental patients, noted below, are more important than the specific questions asked of each caller. The new dental patient, phone-answering concepts, discussed below, will help your front desk person understand the caller’s stage of case acceptance “readiness” and manage calls more effectively.

The caller should know they are not calling “a” dentist; they are calling the Dr. Expert Dentist Of Dentistry, YOU! The telephone answerer must understand AND value this distinction to effectively qualify these dental patients.

The caller (prospective dental patient) must be informed of this distinction, understand it and then "qualify themselves" before they are scheduled for a dental appointment. When they get to the dental practice, the new patient should be guided to the most efficient resource for moving up the “prepared” ladder.

Topics Covered in Part Two...

• The "Fully Prepared" Prospective Dental Patient
  
• The "Unprepared" Prospective Dental Patient 
  

Continued - in 4/26/09 • Niche Dental Marketing Blog Post