I have the privilege of bringing Patti DiGangi to you. Patti is a hygienist of over 30 years, filled with vision and passion for our industry more than ever. She empowers hygienists all over the country with her courses and inspires me to be the best hygienist I can be for my patients. I refer to Patti as the Queen of Coding. I am always learning something new from Patti. And, I especially love her little book, DentalCodeology More than Pocket Change. She has made periodontal coding so simple to understand and easy to follow in this handy book.
Posts Taggedpatient care
Expanding the Perio-Focused Approach — Part II
Research is rapidly advancing our understanding of biofilm, the development of the disease along with nutritional factors and emerging concepts involving pharmacologic intervention — this is an exciting time to be at the forefront of periodontal health. We have an extraordinary opportunity to predict disease, tailor treatment and substantially improve the outcome for our patients and it’s only going to advance from here. If there is one thing you can do to set yourself apart it is to commit to consistently and voraciously seek education and training for the life of your career.
Expanding the Perio-Focused Approach – Part I
I know dentists who won’t even administer anesthetic without their assistant helping them. Okay, I won’t pick on you, but it’s true. My point is, as the doctor, you have the power to make sure your hygienist has the help s/he needs. I’m encouraging you to take the lead here. Yes, it helps the hygienist and, more importantly, it supports the practice as a whole by getting necessary periodontal therapy diagnosed early and providing excellence in patient care. To get the ball rolling, I recommend incorporating this as a component in every morning huddle.
3 Easy Ways to Step Up Your Game in Hygiene
While juggling the schedule, managing the business of the practice and leading the team, the hygiene department is one area that most dentists would agree they would love to have operating as co-pilot without having to micromanage the process. Here are just a few ways your hygienist can take the lead, increase practice revenue and enhance patient care…starting today!
What Can We Learn From the Oprah Incident?
I cannot help but relate this story to the opportunity we have every day with patients. Consider, in dentistry, how we impact the hearts and minds of our patients through their experiences — good and maybe, not so good (dare I say, bad). How could we ever know the true depth of how their experience can run in their social circles? And, how their experience may impact whether we lose or gain a patient? We don’t. Therefore, why would we ever risk creating a negative experience on our watch? This reminds me of a quote I love and happens to be painted on a wall in the office of one of my clients.
How Do You Say Ahhh?
It is not uncommon that a patient’s condition can be modified in a relatively short period of time — often due to systemic factors such as pregnancy, stress, diabetes, etc. In this case, the patient may require either a localized or full-mouth non-surgical periodontal therapy approach (SRP) in addition to or in lieu of a prophylaxis. This scenario often challenges hygienists because it becomes an appointment that can require more time educating and treating the patient appropriately. However, having a well-defined protocol in place will support a team in swiftly shifting gears from what is scheduled into what the patients’ needs are in a productive and fluid manner.
Proven Recipe for Happily Returning Patients
I know, we like to think we’re “doing our job” by “educating our patients” and making sure they “understand” how “important it is that they ______”. The blank can be filled-in with all kinds of things such as, floss, brush at least 2 times a day, rinse with our super galactic formula rinse, complete treatment…UGH!!! Do you know how completely uninspiring all of that is for our patients? Do you think they don’t know what they “should” be doing?
All Lit Up
Patients are always interested in new treatment options. Most patients have heard of lasers in dentistry, but not sure how they can be used. As with any new treatment options, there is the need to explain the treatment plan recommendations and the outcome of what to expect with a soft tissue laser. Especially when using visual aids, hygienists find it very easy to explain how laser therapy will enhance their treatment. This is where patient education is a must. By creating value for our patients, they understand and are willing to accept laser therapy for their dental care.
What’s in Your Bag?
I say, every area of your practice where you spend money (no matter how little you think it may be), it’s worth your time to be strategic and not casual about it.
Back to Basics
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore is not an act but a habit. – Aristotle Nearly every dentist wants new patients, recognizes the value of new patients and may even invest (sometimes heavily) in…