I know you have doubts this can work this smoothly…
…and I’ll be honest, sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s the exception, not the rule.
I think you will be surprised to find that when you train your team members, then let them work their magic, they have greater job satisfaction, they sing your praises, and they help people get the care they need.
Questions I often get when training doctors in the Total Care Dental Physical:
Question: How do you find team members that are capable of running this appointment?
Answer: They are probably right there under your nose. Often the problem is your training and then letting them do it without micromanaging them. If you really want more time, let them learn and trust them to do it! Living Well Professionals has team training along with every module if you need help with this as well.
Question: Will patients feel like they are rushed if they don’t have an hour or more with the doctor?
Answer: The patient will be in your office for 1 1/2-2 hours. They will feel very cared for, and recognize that you are different than other dentists. They get the best of your undistracted time and don’t want to be there longer than it takes to get the answers they are looking for!
Question: How do you get patients to say yes to this expensive care?
Answer: At the beginning of the exam I tell every patient, “My job is to show you everything I would want to know if this were my mouth. Then your job is to let us know what you want to do about it! You can do some of it, all of it or none of it. It’s totally up to you.” The patient visibly relaxes at this point and it’s no longer a sales conversation. If they ask me about money, I say things like “yes it’s a lot of money to fix this stuff.” I don’t avoid it but let my team take care of the details. If they want it they will figure out a way to make it happen.
Question: Why don’t you include a lot of health exams and tests in this exam?
Answer: I used to. I don’t anymore because I found patients were asking me questions about their diabetes or their cortisol levels, not their teeth. I’m their dentist. I talk about how their teeth affect their health, and make recommendations for health care providers that can expand on the care we provide, but I want most of the conversation to be about the things we will help with – and that’s their dental needs.
If you would like a copy of the Total Care Dental Physical Exam Sheet, along with all my other new patient paperwork, click below. Let me help shortcut your learning and time so you can help more people!