By Roger P. Levin, DDS
Hygienists spend more time with patients than anyone else in your office. But are you and your team maximizing that time? Are your hygienists educating patients about all of your services? Does your hygiene department generate at least 25% of your production? Are they building value for all of the services your practice provides?
Levin Group developed the Hygiene Maximizer™ to take your hygiene department to the next level. They recommend these steps to get the most out of hygiene:
Step 1: Set hygiene goals
Improve the hygiene department’s performance by setting goals. Levin Group suggests reviewing the performance during the past 12 months to determine realistic performance goals. Ensure your hygienists are fully aware of the practice goals, and provide training so your hygiene department can reach those objectives.
Step 2: Master communication skills
Hygiene appointments provide the optimal opportunity to present patients with elective procedures and services. Precise and motivational communication from your hygienists must take place for a successful outcome. They must also successfully communicate clinical data to you prior to the exam. Training your hygienists with proper scripting ensures effective communication with every patient.
Step 3: Promote comprehensive dentistry
Train your hygiene department to educate and motivate patients about both need-based and esthetic treatments. Many patients aren’t aware of their treatment options, and how will they find out if your team doesn’t inform them? For instance, patients may want composite restorations rather than amalgams. Also, certain types of inlays and onlays provide higher production potential than in-office restoration.
Elective cosmetic procedures offer even more variety to the mix. In fact, some of the most popular cosmetic services today, such as whitening, can be performed directly by your hygienists. With proper training and scripting, they can promote these services to all patients.
Step 4: Implement power cell scheduling™
You can’t reach hygiene production goals without filling your schedule. One of the best ways to retain patients is to establish a more effective patient recare system. Schedule all your recare patients immediately to reduce patient attrition and significantly increase patient retention. Scripting for these appointments allows your front desk team to build value for these appointments and reduce cancellations.
Conclusion
Your hygiene department can deliver long-term practice growth for your entire practice! With the right training, you can maximize the opportunities in your hygiene department. Use these Hygiene Maximizer™ action steps to generate greater success for now and in the future. These steps are your foundation to Total Practice Success™!
Roger P. Levin, DDS, is founder and CEO of Levin Group Inc., one of the leading dental practice management firms. Levin Group provides Total Practice Success, a comprehensive consulting solution for lifetime success. Levin Group may be reached at (888) 973–0000, or at www.levingroup.com.
