OMS Blog

Practice Growth—There Are No Guarantees!

2010-09-08T15:27:00.001-04:00

Last week I spoke to several hundred doctors at one of my two-day seminars . Here’s something that probably won’t surprise you—they had many questions about the economy. In the course of speaking to dentists and specialists on a regular basis, I have sensed a general feeling in the dental community that everything will return to the way things used to be just by “waiting it out.” Unfortunately, I’m afraid that’s not going to happen.

With so much practice data at our fingertips, we are seeing new patterns play out across North America. This recession has reset not only American values, but how and why Americans buy services. For example, patients have an entirely new set of principles as to how they approach treatment and payment options. OMS practices taking steps to become excellent businesses will be the ones that emerge from this current economy stronger than ever before.

Those that choose to simply “wait it out” should not be surprised when they continue to experience flat or declining production even after economic conditions begin to improve. There has been a shift in patient and referral doctor behavior. OMS practices must implement new systems to accommodate this shift and return to a profitable growth path.

Keepin’ It All in Perspective

2010-08-09T16:11:00.002-04:00

Just finished reviewing the preliminary data for the 2010 Dental Economics / Levin Group Annual Practice Survey (which will be published in November DE) and one thing is very clear—dentistry as a profession is in really good shape.

Practice production and doctor income remained about the same as in 2009. “How is that good?” you might ask.

In spite of one of the worst economic crises ever, practices on average managed to stay the course. While it might not be time for marching bands and fireworks, I’m seeing the data as a very positive sign, especially when you consider how many other industries have been slumping for the last 12 months.

To move forward, you need both the right attitude and the right actions. The right attitude starts with keeping things in perspective. When you do that, you’re in the best position to seize opportunities to grow your practice.

The Solution For OMS Growth

2010-07-21T13:40:00.003-04:00

It’s true. On the subject of what grows OMS practices, my answer never changes—it’s systems, systems, systems!

Sure, systems may not seem exciting but what they accomplish for your practice is! Systems can maximize production and profitability while decreasing overhead and stress. In short, they make all the difference.

Levin Group OMS clients had an amazing year in 2009 and are off to another great year in 2010. In fact, their results aren’t typical in the profession. Need proof? Have a look at what doctors are saying about their production in ADA quarterly surveys for the last 16 months. Most reported declines in production.

How do Levin Group OMS clients do it? I think you know the answer—systems. Systems that deal with issues such as getting more third-molar and implant referrals from GPs, correcting scheduling problems, eliminating last-minute cancellations, reducing overdue payments, increasing collections and, of course, properly implementing patient financing.

Is there one magic bullet or pearl that makes all the difference? I would say, “no.” But revamping your systems is by far your best chance to increase production—period!

Learn more about systems...

“I’m making plenty of money. I’ll be able to retire when I want to.”*

2010-06-03T13:35:00.001-04:00

This sounds reasonable … but wait, there are a few pesky questions you have to ask yourself. Are you in debt? Are you saving enough money? What happens if you are suddenly faced with too many competitors in your region?

What happens to your revenue when the economy goes through a rough patch? What happens if your years of practice are cut short by some sort of debilitating injury?

No one likes to think of such things but they can and do happen. Something as simple as developing arthritis can end your career long before you expected. Sure, you can gamble on things like this not happening. Of course, if you are wrong, you are putting yourself and your family at great risk.

*Excerpted from the audio CD, 81 Obstacles To Practice Growth And How To Overcome Them.

Consulting—It’s More Than a Job to Us!

2010-05-05T11:06:00.001-04:00

Every day when I go to the office, I get excited… I mean really pumped up about helping oral surgeons grow their practices. Despite a tough economic environment out there, our clients are growing and it’s a great feeling to know Levin Group has helped them to do it!

When a consultant rushes into my office to relate how one of his or her clients just had the best month they’ve had since they opened their practice… well, I’ll tell you, it’s hard to put into words what a great feeling it is for us.

Part of what keeps us excited are the continuous improvements and enhancements we make to our consulting programs. For example, our Practice Production Generators™. These powerful tools have been designed to give clients the best and most productive consulting experience possible. They are part of our unending commitment to you!

If you want to know more about Practice Production Generators™, give us a call at 888-973-0000. We’d love to tell you all about them!

The Summer Crunch—Prepare Now!

2010-04-05T08:55:00.000-04:00

The harsh winter is finally over. The days are getting longer. The trees are starting to bud. And the birds are chirping (quite loudly on some mornings).

You know what this means?

It will only be another month before the college students start coming home. Soon after that, the high school students are dismissed. Then the craziness starts for OMS practices.

Now is the time to review the referral process for new patients. Make sure you and your referring dentists are on the same page. If you haven’t been in contact with some of your referring doctors since earlier in the year, give them a call or schedule a lunch. Good communication can help you and your referring partners provide the highest level of care and service to your mutual patients.

Something Has Changed!

2010-03-26T08:34:00.002-04:00

In 25 years of lecturing, I have never witnessed the level of excitement that my newest seminars are generating.

Oral surgeons are craving new models and ideas to help their practices grow despite the current economy. The philosophy of my newest seminar, Increase Production By Increasing Referrals, is this… what you did before is simply not good enough. Just imagine having 90% of all patients accepting recommended treatment, seeing GPs recommend more implant and third-molar cases, growing your referrals like never before and a host of other radically improved Key Practice Expanders™.

I think the reason this has been so exciting for oral surgeons is that they are finally ready to reach for their practice potential and not simply “get through” this year. This thinking will create a situation where more and more oral surgeons can improve the quality of their lives, save more for their long-term retirement and lower their stress along the way. My suggestion—join me on May 21-22 in Chicago and Increase Production By Increasing Referrals!

What Level Are You?

2010-02-15T15:14:00.000-05:00

Even if you are the best leader, being in charge isn’t easy. You have a lot of plate—providing patient care, dealing with clinical issues, managing a team of people with diverse personalities, interacting with patients and parents, communicating with colleagues, etc. And then of course there’s the critical issue of operating a successful healthcare business, which the current economy hasn’t made any easier.

Now, if your leadership skills are not where they should be, then you’re probably going to have more stress than you need to have. Even good leaders have room for improvement.

After many years of careful analysis, Levin Group has identified four distinct stages that can be achieved in a doctor’s career:

• Level I: The New Leader
• Level II: The Competent Leader
• Level III: The Overworked Leader
• Level IV: The Levin Leader™

Most oral surgeons progress rapidly through Level I and II, but Level III is where many get stuck and stay for too long. To reach Level IV, you need to work through your team… you need to give up administrative and other duties that have no bearing on what you do best—oral surgery.

It can be difficult to make that transition from Level III to Level IV, but once you do, you realize it’s the only way to lead. For more on Level IV, go here.

A Ringing Endorsement of Implants in the News

2010-01-04T13:53:00.001-05:00

Recently, there was a great article in the New York Times regarding the efficacy of implants. It was one of the best endorsements of implants in a non-dental publication that I have ever seen. Entitled “A Dental Shift: Implants Instead of Bridges,” this article depicts implants as the new standard of care for missing teeth, which should be the attitude of every oral surgeon as well.

The author pretty much runs down the entire list of implant benefits we wish every patient would understand—implants don’t decay, they don’t need to be replaced, adjacent healthy teeth don’t require crowns to support them, etc. It even makes a point that many implant doctors don’t stress often enough—in the long run, implants are more economical than bridges.

I highly recommend not only reading this article but also printing it out and making it readily available for patients to read in your office. However, don’t stop there! Think about sending an email about it (with a link, of course) to your referring doctors.

In addition to your case presentation, this is an excellent way to reinforce to patients the many benefits of implants.

An Incredible Weekend in Orlando

2009-11-29T11:43:00.002-05:00

I had the honor of teaching more than 60 doctors and their spouses at the First Annual Life Plan Summit earlier this month in beautiful Orlando. Life Plan is about turning professional success into lifelong personal success.

The energy and the passion that Life Plan participants brought to the seminars and workshops was just amazing. Seeing so many committed professionals focused on unleashing their true potential is what Life Plan is all about.

“Life Plan was great. It provides clarity beyond the office,” said one participant.

The Life Plan Summit was open to doctors who attended a previous Life Plan course. The next course will be offered June 25–26 in Chicago followed by the 2nd Annual Life Plan Summit, November 5–6, in Las Vegas. For more information, send an e-mail to customerservice@levingroup.com with “Life Plan” in the subject line.

Referral Programs—Valuable in Good Times and in Bad

2009-10-22T16:09:00.001-04:00

A report was recently put on my desk that shouted, “Industry net income is down!”

I began reading the study and, sure enough, the ADA’s findings confirmed that approximately 77% of OMS practices decreased or remained flat.

While this information was alarming, it meant 23% of practices are still growing! Among the 23% of growing practices, 100% are likely using a referral marketing program to promote their services.

Marketing is the driving force of almost every business. The same is true for oral surgery. During strong economic conditions, many practices found that marketing wasn’t necessary. More growth led to less outreach. Then, we transitioned into recession. Production changed. The climate for new patients went cold and practices began to flatten or decline. For the first time, many oral surgeons had to scramble for patients.

I expect production to increase as the economy begins to rebound. As we all get back on track, it is important to remember the value of referrals—in good times and in bad.

Simple, Effective Protection for Implant Patients

2009-09-30T14:10:00.000-04:00

When patients complete implant treatment, they are keenly aware of the sizable investment they have just made in their oral health. Consequently, they are very anxious to protect that investment.

One valuable tool you can suggest is the use of a Waterpik® dental water jet. There is some extraordinary data that strongly supports the use of a dental water jet by implant patients. For example, studies showed a dental water jet was an astronomical 350% more effective than a chlorhexidine rinse at reducing gingival inflammation for implant patients. For implant patients with gingival bleeding, a water jet was 87% more effective than a chlorhexidine rinse.

350% more effective... 87% more effective... those are big percentages. Remember that implants enjoy a very high success rate. Something like a Waterpik can help keep it that way!

To review the Waterpik study, click here.

What Happens When New People Join Your Team?

2009-08-21T11:51:00.001-04:00

Are you prepared for staff turnover? It’s inevitable. Your team may be brilliant... yes, they may really know everything. Trouble is—your OMS team isn’t likely to stay together forever.

When new people join the team, they could have a very difficult time learning “everything” if systems and procedures are poorly documented or worse, not documented at all! This happens all the time when teams that have been together for a long time. They don’t bother to document what everyone already knows. However, most long-term teams will split up eventually—that’s life.

Document your systems now—even if it seems a little silly. Later on, you’ll be very glad you did!

Are Your Meetings with Referring Doctors Productive?

2009-07-15T15:05:00.000-04:00

If you have to think about that statement, they probably aren’t. And that probably means you are frustrated with the results of these meetings. If they are unproductive, how do you think your referring doctors feel? If you harbor negative feelings about these meetings, isn’t it possible that this will be very obvious when you are with the referring doctor?

Consider your last meeting with a referring doctor—did you do everything possible to make it a good experience? Were you friendly and outgoing? Were you a good listener and not just a good talker? Did you pick the appropriate venue to meet? Were you too pushy about implants?

Meeting with referring doctors can be an enjoyable and productive experience. It’s up to you to make it that way. It’s all part of The Science of Referral Marketing™. Know your referrers. Have a plan. Get the results you’ve been looking for!

Rethink Customer Service

2009-06-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

I have noticed in dealing with all different dental specialties over the years that GPs have a tendency to pay more attention to customer service than specialists do. That’s not a good course of action!

Why do GPs concentrate so much on customer service? They are trying to preserve what they hope will be a relationship that lasts for many years. It can be tempting for oral surgeons to under-emphasize customer service based on a presumption that once a patient leaves, chances are good that person may not be back.

Here’s why you should be as concerned about customer service as your GPs... Suppose a patient, Mrs. Jones, does not have a good experience in your practice. She returns to her GP, Dr. Smith, and subsequently complains about you. Dr. Smith is embarrassed and worried that Mrs. Jones has lost trust in his practice for sending her to an oral surgery office for an experience that didn’t turn out well. Dr. Smith could very well begin steering referrals elsewhere.

Remember that superior customer service—Stage III Customer Service™—is vital to your practice growth!

Simple, Effective Protection for Implant Patients

2009-05-26T14:27:00.002-04:00

Oral Surgery... According to the Beatles?

2009-04-25T15:30:00.000-04:00

No, the Beatles never wrote a song lyric about oral & maxillofacial surgery (Sorry, Dr. Robert doesn’t count). So what can the Fab Four tell us about practice management? One of their song titles seems to say something about an important issue that OMS practices face:

“Eight Days A Week”

The Beatles wrote this song at a time when they were on grueling world tours with virtually no time to themselves. They moved endlessly from hotels to concert stages and back again. The four musicians pleaded with their manager for days off, which seldom happened. Within 18 months of releasing this hit song, the band would stop touring forever.

Surely, many oral surgeons can sympathize with the idea of being successful but feeling like a heavy price is being paid. With the pace of many OMS practices, it can feel like you’re working eight days a week, especially when college kids are off school and the third-molar cases hit you all at once.

There is life outside the practice. But if you’re too stressed and fatigued, you won’t be able to enjoy time away from the practice with your spouse, family and friends. The right systems can make an enormous difference by making the practice more efficient and productive.

No, the Beatles weren’t oral surgeons... but surely oral surgeons at the end of the day would like to be able to say “I Feel Fine”.

Jumpstart Your Own Economic Recovery!

2009-03-15T16:28:00.000-04:00

I recently presented a seminar to a group of oral surgeons in Las Vegas. They were intense, serious and competitive—traits found commonly in oral surgeons.

My message was simple. Despite the slow economy, many OMS practices are still doing well—including Levin Group clients.

I told them, “The secret is you should simply make up your mind that you are not going to be defeated by the economy.”

They asked me to elaborate. I explained by telling them:
“If you listen to all the bad news hour after hour, you simply start to think defensively about your practice. However, if you are focused on what the best practices are doing, you are on the offensive—and that’s where you need to be to thrive in this economy.”

Our OMS clients follow the principles of building A Levin Practice™, which include continually increasing production, profit and referrals. By focusing on what you can do in your practice, you will inevitably come up with strategies that help your practice grow. Remember, the only economy you have any control over is the one in your practice!

Over the two-day program, I was incredibly impressed with how quickly the doctors absorbed the information and how dedicated they were to going back and making it work for them. When you get a chance, you should come to one of my two-day seminars and discover how you can jumpstart your practice’s growth. The next seminar is in San Diego. Hope to see you there.

Do Implants Have to Wither on the Vine? Absolutely Not!

2009-02-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

While third-molar and single-tooth extractions have remained somewhat steady, implants are beginning to falter. This means OMS practices can expect a 5 to 15% decrease in 2009, unless the economy recovers quickly. Whether this is a one-year phenomenon or not, only time will tell.

To keep growing in the meantime, referral marketing is the most powerful solution. Those practices with strong referral marketing systems have fared well despite the economy, where others are beginning to see real declines in production.

Are you maximizing your referral marketing potential?

Systems Make All the Difference

2009-01-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

Over the past 24 years, Levin Group has improved the lives of thousands of oral surgeons. And the #1 factor in creating greater practice success is, without a doubt, systems.

Nothing else comes close to the power of systems. Documented, step-by-step systems allow oral surgeons to master the marketing and management of their practices. It’s really that simple.

Today, our clients count on Levin Group systems such as Power Cell Scheduling™, Greenlight Case Presentation™, Stage III Customer Service™, The Immediate Collection Process™ and a host of others to gain complete control of their practices while seeing consistent, significant growth.

Your most valuable investment is your practice. Documented systems can help you ensure your maximizing the value of your investment while securing a more lucrative and brighter future!

What Do Oral Surgeons and Astronauts Have in Common?

2008-12-19T13:00:00.000-05:00

What do oral surgeons and astronauts have in common? Surprisingly, a lot. You see, it occurred to me while watching one of my favorite films, Apollo 13, that astronauts and oral surgeons are quite similar.

In the movie, there are three strategies Tom Hanks uses to prepare his team for launch:

1) He and his team consistently practiced the procedures that would ensure a successful launch
2) He had his most valuable tools right at his fingertips
3) He stayed in constant communication with his team

The outcome? The astronauts were cleared for launch because they executed these vital methods each day, consistently.

Just like astronauts, you as an oral surgeon must implement procedures and strategies to ensure your practice’s successful growth. I call this process “frontloading”—the consistent execution of methods and strategies that position your practice for success.

Some of the 15-20 ways to frontload your practice are to:

Institute a patient referral program
Contact inactive patients and reschedule them
Promote comprehensive OMS to every patient
Establish flexible payment options for patients
Effectively communicate with your entire team about practice goals
Work closely with referral sources to increase referrals
Follow up with patients who have lost one or more teeth to continue implant education

I talk a lot about frontloading in my seminars… click on the link below to attend one in 2009!

www.levingroupoms.com/oms_seminar.html

It's the Economy, Stupid

2008-11-28T16:12:00.000-05:00

Some of you may remember when Bill Clinton was running for President he ran on the platform of, “it’s the economy, stupid.” In that case he meant that the election would be won or lost based on the economy.

Today it is not the same old “it’s the economy, stupid.” The economy is decimating portfolios and stifling practice production. Oral surgeons who get up every morning thinking about the economy get up to play defense. All of their decisions are filtered through defensive decisions that typically lead to paralysis. Why focus on the things you can’t control? Instead, direct your energy where it can have the greatest impact—and that’s your practice!

Here is a powerful solution: do not participate in economic defense. Instead, you should begin every day by saying, “I am not playing defense against the economy today.” I know this sounds illogical, but in fact, it is a very logical tool to assist you in pushing your practice forward.

If you follow football, you know that you cannot come back from a 30 point deficit by playing really good defense. At some point you have to play offense, which is often your best defense.

Move your practice forward by making positive decisions. Otherwise you will find that you are paralyzed and ultimately paralysis leads to no decisions, which are the same as bad decisions.

Training—The Key to OMS Success

2008-11-03T14:45:00.000-05:00

You can only be in one place at one time. That’s why it’s so critical to have a quality team in place. How do you create a strong team? You need two things—documented systems and training.

Establishing step-by-step guidelines for every practice system makes it easy to thoroughly train your staff. I personally recommend utilizing the following strategies to build your staff into a dynamic team:

Use structured morning meetings to reinforce procedures and protocols for scheduling, case presentation, and patient treatment.
Appoint an office manager or a senior staff member as your training point person.
Thoroughly train new employees on their positions before they interact with patients.
Implement scripting to enhance the team’s verbal skills and provide consistent messaging to patients.
Take your team to Continuing Education courses. The more knowledgeable your team is about advances in OMS care, the better they will be able to deliver the best care to your patients.

You want a better OMS practice? Implement documented systems and train your team on those systems. After all, your practice is your greatest investment. Employ these strategies and watch your investment grow exponentially!

Can You Grow Your OMS Practice in a Bad Economy? Yes!

2008-09-13T14:45:00.000-04:00

Think that providing excellent OMS care and hiring nice people ensures total practice success? Guess again! Your success isn’t guaranteed—far from it! A healthy number of patients this month could easily decline by the end of the year. Many oral surgeons tell us they are down 5%, even 10% because of the economy.

In today’s difficult economy, you have to plan for practice growth. You can’t simply “coast” and hope it happens because those days are history!

To get your OMS house in order, you need to look with a critical eye at your practice systems, including:

Referrals – GPs referrals are your lifeblood. However, are you devoting enough time to cultivating relationships with them? You better!
Collections – Bad times mean delayed payments, look out!
Overhead – If it’s high, it’s not good (in any economy).

Your OMS practice has huge potential. You just need to tap into it. Levin Group has consulted to many OMS practices that have grown exponentially in tough economic times. It can be done. In each case, we helped oral surgeons implement highly effective management and marketing systems that have translated into OMS practices growing 25%, 30% or more!

Remember, you can grow your practice—no matter what happens in the economy!

The High-Performance Team

2008-07-13T15:17:00.000-04:00

Team building is critical to the long-term health of the OMS practice. The oral surgeon — no matter how talented — cannot run the practice alone. To achieve a high-performance practice, oral surgeons need to build high-performance teams. The benefits of a strong team are numerous—less stress, increased productivity, and greater profitability.

Levin Group has guided thousands of oral surgeons in helping create superior OMS teams by implementing expert systems, training the team on those systems, and empowering staff members to fulfill their potential. Remember, training is an ongoing process — it should not stop once new staff members have passed their 90-day probationary period. The field of oral and maxillofacial surgery is constantly changing, and the best teams are able to adapt to those changes.

The Power of Goals

2008-06-07T14:45:00.000-04:00

Do you want to be more successful? Of course you do! To reach the highest levels of success, you need to set and achieve goals throughout the life of your OMS practice.

Identify What Is Most Important

Write down the 20 or 30 things you would like to accomplish during your life. Even if the goals may seem frivolous or unreachable at the time, write them down anyway. Levin Group has worked with many oral surgeons who presented us with goals thought to be unreachable. Yet, only a year later, these doctors had achieved many of the goals they set.

Move Forward

Once you have written down your goals, the next step is to classify them. Which of these are short-term goals, meaning you can achieve them within the next 12 months? Review your short-term goals daily. Doing so will not only keep your objectives clear but also allow you to stay motivated. Your long-term goals will usually take more than a year to accomplish. These goals should help define your Life Plan, both personally and professionally.

To achieve success, you should review your long-term goals on a weekly or monthly basis—keeping in mind that you will not achieve any of them overnight. It may be helpful to jot down notes about your progress toward each goal.

Every oral surgeon wants to be successful. Setting and achieving goals will get you there!