The Basics of Managing a Dental Practice

Managing a dental practice is based on a lot of factors.  How well these factors interconnect determine how well the practice does.  

Managing a Dental Practice Depends on More Than Just Dental Tools |
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Dental Practice Management:  Behind the Curtain

How you manage a dentist office depends entirely on factors both practical and compassionate.  First off, on the financial side of things,  if you do not have one already, make sure that your dental practice has a financial policy that's in writing.  Both your staff and your patients need to know this policy.  It should also be signed by your patients before you begin any work.


Does this mean you shouldn't arrange a way for patients to make payments on procedures?  Not at all.  However, your policy should be a compromise between being very hardline and being too soft.  Whatever your policy is, stick to it like glue, however.  The financial policy is an important part of the logistic side of running a dental practice.  You also want to make sure that you have thorough patient files as well as digital records, plus a system for managing it all.  Although logistics is important behind the scenes, you also need to make sure that your people have soft skills as well, and can work well with people. 

The Art of Greeting Patients

Patients know how to spot fake greetings.  A perfunctory smile is obvious as is a fake bright note in one's voice.  So, remember, greet your patients warmly and make them feel that they are welcome.  If they have children, make sure that they have toys, puzzles, and games to play with.  Make sure your adult patients have magazines to read, even in the age of tablets and smart phones.  A television also helps.  If you're doing your job as a practice right, however, the amount of time that your patients spend in the waiting room should be minimal.  Remember, people have a finite amount of patience.  Dental patients should be greeted within ten seconds of entering the lobby.  Even if your practice is busy, a simple acknowledgement of "We'll be with you in just one moment," acknowledges that you see them and are aware that they're there.  

So remember, a practice runs on a lot of components that work together, from logistics to customer service.  So treat your patients as more than a paycheck, and make sure that you welcome their business. Then you're on the right path to running your dental office successfully.



DentiMax, LLC
4115 E. Valley Auto Dr.
Suite 101
Mesa, AZ 85206
(800) 704-8494
(480) 396-1798
http://www.dentimax.com