Dental Aggregate

After scouring the internet for a couple of weeks in search of quality dental blogs that are not only informative for the general public, but are also interactive in the comment fields, I’m thrilled to have finally found a couple blogs in the dentistry field to subscribe to.

The Wealthy Dentist dental blog immediately caught my undivided attention with his controversial discussion about gender discrimination against women entering dental school. The responses Jim Du Molin received from his reader poll is quite interesting to say the least, and I’m sure you’ll find the discussion intriguing as well. To think that in this day and age, that women going into dentistry would experience the kind of obstacles described in Dr. Molin’s article is beyond me.

I’ve also spent some time in recent days diving into the archives of the Dental Insider Blog, but have yet to actually begin leaving any comments to posts I feel I can contribute to in some way. I did feel a pinch of regret when I came across the post talking about February being National Children’s Dental Health Month, because I completely dropped the ball by not remembering to write something about that, due to obsessing over searching online for dental blogs.

A big thank you goes to Life’s Context for pointing me towards the reactivated dental blog called Solitary Penguin, who had been absent from the blogging scene for awhile, and dealing with the various issues that sometimes go along with purchasing a surgery practice.

Going Dental is another new dental blog discovery that appears on the surface as being one that has promise of being a quality dental blog, IF the blogger changes the requirement for anyone wishing to participate in comments to have to “sign in”, which many bloggers just won’t do.

I’d really like to see these dental blogs do a bit of discovering themselves by taking a few minutes to discover the wonders of StumbleUpon and how being a SU user can greatly increase web traffic to their blogs, but also bring more subscribers and interactive comments on posts.

Tags: Business Relationships, Dental Internet Marketing, dental blogs, endodontics by D.A.
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Today I want to send a little linky love to a few blogs I’ve discovered that make me smile, with quality content that makes me stop and think, as well as being very personable and friendly.

Being in the dental field myself for so many years, I really value the hard work we put in to give our patients the best dental care possible, as well as finding ways to make treatments affordable for all patients, with various payment options and payment plans.

Many of the patients that come to our office have been with us since they were small children, and have continued treatment with us even after growing up, getting married and having families of their own. Isn’t it fun to watch these young people grow up before our very eyes? Of course, there is a downside when we experience the loss of longterm patients due to illness and death, visiting patients in the hospital and attending funerals of patients we’ve come to care about over the years. But overall, I feel truly blessed to be a dental assistant and office manager, where I am able to connect with patients as people and families that entrust us with caring for their dental needs.

These Dental Blogs make me smile and I feel proud to be amongst you as peers in our profession:

The Dental Implant Blog

Dental Insider

The Endo Blog

Life’s Context

Tags: Basic Dental Care, Business Relationships, Personal by D.A.
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There are times in everyone’s life where we must interact with people that are difficult to get along with, whether in personal relationships or in our professional lives. Dealing with difficult people in a way that not only displays self-confidence and respect for our own needs and personal boundaries, but also respects the wishes and rights of others is what assertiveness is all about.

Examples of Aggressive and Assertive Communication Styles

There are occasions in our office where a patient (usually a brand new patient), is rather gruff and rude in how they attempt to communicate with me at the front desk, not realizing or caring that I am the Office Manager in charge of the efficient running of the office, as well as the doctor‘s chair-side assistant.

Sometimes they will complain to me about the extensive health history forms they must fill out as a new patient, rudely asking if I “want their blood type and serial number too?“, along with complaints about the HIPAA consent forms that we must keep in each patients chart. Some patients call to respectfully ask about things to consider when choosing dental insurance, while others go so far as to call with demands that I find affordable dental insurance FOR them!

On other occasions, some patients will actually blame me for their missing an appointment, claiming that I did not call and remind them the day prior to their appointment. Being assertive, I respectfully request the patient go back and check their voice-mail messages where, low and behold….there is my reminder message.

Using assertive techniques, I explain to the patient that appointment reminder calls are provided as a courtesy for our patients (and are not a requirement), and that it is up to each patient to do whatever is necessary to remember and show up for their scheduled appointments, and on time. More often than not, these patients immediately begin to “back peddle” in their tone of voice, but rarely take the time to apologize for being so aggressive towards me.

It often amazes me just how rude some people are, aggressively demanding an appointment where there is no open time slot, and are none too happy when I kindly suggest another day and time. Other times patients will call asking to speak with the doctor about a question or problem they are having, and don’t appreciate my saying “the doctor is with a patient right now, perhaps I can help you?”, sometimes being so rude as to hang up the phone without saying another word.

How To Be Assertive Without Being Aggressive

Fortunately, the doctor does not take kindly to patients speaking and acting with rude and aggressive behavior towards him or his staff. Each and every time a patient behaves this way towards him or any member of his staff, we immediately take assertive action to rectify the situation in a manner that shows respect for the rights and self esteem of the patient, but also upholds our own personal right to be treated equally and with respect.

Sometimes he personally handles these situations, directly speaking with patients who are rude and abusive towards his staff, but more often than not I am entrusted with this responsibility as his Office Manager. On most occasions, using a variety of assertive techniques learned over the years has proven to be very effective in completely eliminating these problems.

On rare occasions, the doctor or I have found it necessary to dismiss a patient from the dental practice entirely, due to their continued abusive and rude behaviors, providing them a copy of their patient chart and x-rays while they try to find a dentist to care for their dental needs.

Have you experienced the difficulties that go with dealing with difficult people? Do you sometimes find it difficult to be assertive in your personal and professional roles? What steps have you taken in your office to ensure everyone is treated equally and with respect?

Tags: Business Relationships, Communication, Dental Assisting, Dental Insurance, Dental Practice Management, Office Manager, Productivity by D.A.
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When I received The Patterson eXperience magazine in our office mail for the very first time last week, my attention was immediately drawn to the feature article “Which Hats Do You Wear?” Even before opening to the page where the article began, I just knew it would discuss the many “hats” I wear as the Office Manager and Dental Assistant, and would be a very interesting read.

What I didn’t realize, at least not until after I had completed the entire interview with Certified Dental Practice Administrator Linda Zdanowicz, was that I would immediately have profound respect and admiration towards Linda, and become an instant fan and subscriber to her blog, as well as a new subscriber to The Patterson eXperience.

I searched online to try and find a website for The Patterson eXperience, but couldn’t find one. I was hoping to find an easy and effective way of ensuring I subscribed right away in order to make sure I didn’t miss any in coming months. I was not aware of the existence of any dental magazines for office managers, and am thrilled to have received this one. I will also be sure to check on the availability of previous editions, as I’m sure I would enjoy reading those as well.

I have already devoured read the entire magazine from cover to cover, and am now reading it again for the second time. The article “Crack the Dental Dress Code” is one I am especially interested in reading again. The statement “appearances matter”, in relation to the importance of presenting patients with a well-groomed dental staff, cannot be overemphasized. I will be discussing the topic of dental office dress codes in upcoming posts, so please stay tuned.

In the meantime, ask yourself if the dress code exhibited in your office displays the highest standard of professionalism possible, or is there still room for improvement?

Tags: Business Relationships, Continuing Ed, Dental Practice Management, Office Manager, Productivity by D.A.
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Many patients are afraid to go to the dentist and have treatment done due to fear of local anesthetics and getting numbed up, often foregoing needed dental treatment for many years until dental caries or severely broken teeth become virtually non-restorable.

Nearly every new patient coming to our dental office expresses fear and anxiety over getting numbed up, but once they have completed necessary treatment, they no longer are afraid. One of my favorite things as Office Manager and Dental Assistant is being able to help relax patients prior to treatment, helping them understand the need for a particular dental procedure, but also to find ways to help patients accept treatment with affordable options. I’ve also enjoyed being able to honestly tell patients that they will likely not even feel the injection due to the topical gel we now use, and other patients have commented on how well this numbing gel works.

Topical Anesthetic Gel-

Many dental offices apply some kind of topical anesthetic gel to the gums prior to giving the injection of local anesthetic, but after many years of searching for the best numbing gel on the market, we finally found one that works better than any other dental gel. Since we began using this topical anesthetic on patients, even new patients are no longer reluctant to have dental treatment completed.

The topical anesthetic gel we are now using in our office contains 100mg Lidocaine, 100mg Prilocaine and 40mg Tetracaine which comes already mixed by a Pharmacist and ready for use in a 30gm tube. Placing a small dab on the tip of a cotton swab applicator, and applying the numbing gel to the gum area for just a couple brief minutes, numbs the injection site so much that the patient often does not feel the injection at all.

It makes me incredibly happy to see patients who used to be very nervous and apprehensive prior to dental appointments, come in for treatment no longer fearing getting numbed up. When we first received the topical anesthetic gel in our office, both the doctor and I tested to see how well it worked on ourselves, and we were both shocked and amazed at how quickly the gel works to numb the gums. We of course had a little fun teasing each other while we talked about this gel, since it was obvious to both of us that it works so well and so fast, that it took awhile to wear off and we began speaking normally again.

I’m not even sure where the doctor heard about this numbing gel, but we have found it beats all the other anesthetic gel products on the market, and wouldn’t even consider using anything else. If your dental office is searching for the best topical gel available, please contact me for further information.

Tags: Anesthesia, Basic Dental Care, Communication, Dental Assisting, Dental Practice Management, Office Manager by D.A.
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I often wish there were a clearer, more defined explanation of what Dental Practice Management involves, especially when it comes to the duties and responsibilities of a Dental Office Manager. I have carried that title in our Dental Office for many years, and yet continue to find numerous examples of dental offices who have completely different definitions and duties associated with this title.

In our Dental Office, I often find myself feeling very much like a Professional Juggler, due to the wide variety of responsibilities I hold in my position. I’m not strictly the Dental Office Manager, but I juggle several different titles and duties during the course of each day, that even I don’t know what exactly my title should be. Jokingly, I sometimes refer to myself as “The everything, everywhere person”, because I’m usually “changing hats” several times a day and if I’m not there every day the office closes; literally. (More about that in coming posts)

Not only do I carry the title of Office Manager, but I’m also the Dental Assistant; X-ray Tech; Sterilization/OSHA Manager; Recall Coordinator; Receptionist; Dental Insurance Coordinator; Patient Advocate; Appointment Scheduler, Accounts Receivable Manager, and the Emergency On-Call person during weekends. I’m sure there are a few more “titles” I could throw in, but I think you get the idea. I manage the Front Desk and everything associated with it, Assist the Doctor with procedures, take and process X-rays, help our Part-time Hygienist with any number of things in order to keep the normal daily flow going. And somehow manage to keep the schedule full of patients for the Doctor and the Hygienist, all at the same time.

I guess it isn’t any wonder why I sometimes feel frustration when leaving at the end of the day, knowing there were return phone calls to patients that I didn’t have time to make, letters to other doctors still needing to be typed and mailed, phone calls to insurance companies to inquire why a claim was denied, and so much more. I simply cannot fully complete all the aspects of my responsibilities during the course of a day, or even a full week, because there is always so much I haven’t literally had time to get to.

I try not to allow myself to become frustrated, and even depressed at times, about the responsibilities I carry as a, well…you pick the title. But every time I’m assisting the doctor and the phone starts ringing at the front desk, I feel a twinge of guilt that patients are not able to reach me easily to schedule an appointment or ask a question about treatment. After completing treatment on a patient, and cleaning and sterilizing the room, taking payment from the patient or submitting the insurance claim, I then have barely a few minutes to check for voice-mails and return their calls because the doctor is waiting for me to assist him on the next patient.

If I could choose one title, one position with clearly defined duties and responsibilities, one job that I would want to have, it would be that as a REAL Dental Office Manager. Unfortunately, I don’t think the doctor really knows what a dental office manager does. Take away the Chair-side Assisting (unless needed in a pinch), as that position is not the one that really makes me tick. What really gets my juices flowing is the interaction with the patients; discussing treatment options with patients; helping them to understand the need for treatment; providing affordable payment plans and options; and helping patients to feel more at ease and comfortable the moment they walk through the door, and doing everything possible to take the best care of our patients, and continue to work together as a team for the benefit of our patients.

Tags: Basic Dental Care, Business Relationships, Communication, Dental Insurance, Dental Practice Management, Personal, Productivity by D.A.
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I feel fortunate that, in our dental office, there has rarely been a situation where office gossip has taken place, since the affect of gossip often destroys personal and business relationships and creates so much tension in the air, you could almost cut it with a knife. On the rare occasion that office gossip began to rear its ugly head, typically with new employees without much sense, the tendency was quickly nipped in the bud by having a private meeting with the culprit. More often than not this method worked well, but there have been a couple of occasions where the gossip had to be put to a stop by firing the repeat offender.

Our office is rather small, with only the Doctor, me and one part-time Hygienist, so the chances of in office gossip is now rather low. We also get along very well, and have established close friendships, so I can’t even imagine what it might be like for others working in offices where gossip runs rampant.

There have been a couple of occasions over the years where there has been a personality clash, or one employee trying to Lord-it-over another employee, but those are quickly resolved with assertive and frank discussion.

My co-worker is the Doctor’s sister, and there have been a couple of occasions over the years where she has attempted to play the role of “boss” over me, and tried to tell me how to do my job even though she has no concept of what all I do, since she’s only there two days a week.

If she were to sit down in front of the computer to schedule an appointment for a patient while I am busy assisting the doctor, she ultimately has to come and get me because she doesn’t know how to use the dental software program we use. It’s not that she hasn’t been shown repeatedly how to use the Easy Dental Program, it’s just that she works in three different offices and of course forgets after awhile of non-use.

It makes sense and is reasonable that she would not be able to remember such things, and I don’t get upset about it. She’s the Hygienist, there to clean patients teeth and take their x-rays etc, not handle my responsibilities as Front Office Manager and Dental Assistant to the doctor.

Negative Gossip Hurts Everyone-

I believe there is a difference between good-gossip vs. negative-gossip. To mention to someone else some good news about a co-workers upcoming Birthday, Anniversary or Promotion for example, although considered to be “gossip”, I believe is expressing positive communication that builds others up, is harmless and shows we care about the other person and want to share in their happy and joyous moments.

However, negative gossip, back-stabbing, hurtful comments amongst co-workers is detrimental to the entire office, not just the victim of gossip. The atmosphere within the office amongst co-workers and staff is disrupted, often causing arguments and hurt feelings that never forgotten.

Offices and employers should maintain Zero Tolerance for In-Office Gossip Policy, subsequently firing anyone who breaks the office policy. This is the policy we have in our office, and it has worked well for us as a whole and it can work well for yours too.

Tags: Business Relationships, Communication, Productivity by D.A.
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