Hygiene: the lifeboat during economic storms

By John J. Meis, DDS

During the recent economic wallop our country has taken, the one thing that has held up has been hygiene. More importantly, the practices that have weathered the best and even GROWN are those whose hygiene departments have doubled and tripled through the use of same-day and restorative treatment.

Are you asking yourself, How do they do that? Here are a few pointers:

1. Use the appointment time effectively. This might seem easy but the order in which your hygienists scale, polish, prophy, and floss can make a big difference in how quickly patients are seen. Take a look at the process you currently use. Would a different order save you time? Ask around ... do some of your colleagues do things differently? If so, does it save them time?

2. Assess your hygiene compensation. How are your hygienists compensated? What percentage of hygiene salary is paid out of the hygiene production? Is there room for an increase in compensation? If you are below 30%, there is likely room to move. This can most certainly be a motivator for increased growth and productivity. Fire up your hygiene department with some new incentives and let them take it to the next level! It's a win-win situation.

3. Sell your services. Are your hygienists routinely offering the add-ons? This doesn't have to be an aggressive sales pitch, just a simple offer of fluoride or sealants. What about same-day services?

4. Reappoint. Make it a GOAL to reappoint 100% of your hygiene patients before they leave your building. If someone isn't reappointed, document why they chose not to schedule. This will help identify any internal barriers to reappointment that may exist. Reappointments automatically fill the schedule — six months ahead, three months ahead, and even for the next week. This can be a very powerful tool.

Your hygiene department can and should be a major asset within your practice. Take the time to look at how your hygiene team is doing things and bring them on board for finding ways to improve. Your team will thank you, your patients will appreciate it, and your practice will undoubtedly grow!

Author bio
Dr. John Meis is a practicing clinician as well as consultant and coach to the dental profession. His new event with partner Wendy Briggs, RDH, The Back Stage Pass, held at Dr. Meis’ practice, has helped dentists and their teams become more productive and profitable while achieving a higher level of peace of mind. You may contact Dr. Meis by email at [email protected].