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Download Work Harder, Work Smarter…and Work Together As I begin this year
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WorkHarder,WorkSmarter…andWorkTogether AsIbeginthisyearaspresidentoftheGLAO,myfirsttaskistothankouroutgoing president,AronDellinger,forthegreatleadershipthatheprovidedasGLAO presidentoverthepastyear.IfyouhavehadtheprivilegeofknowingAron,you knowthatheisapassionateadvocateforourprofession.Heleadswith thoughtfulnessandenthusiasm.Hehassetthebarhigh,andIwillworkhardto showmyappreciationforwhatI’velearnedfromhimoverthepastyear. Severalinterestingchallengesfaceourprofessioncurrently: Thelinesareblurringonspecialtydesignation. IrecentlyattendedtheADAmeetinginDenver,wheretheADAPrinciplesofEthics andCodeofProfessionalConductwasamended.Twosignificantchangescameout oftheamendment.First,itallowsorthodontiststopracticeasgeneraldentistsif theysodesire.Whilemanyofuslovethepracticeoforthodonticsandwouldnever considerthisoption,newgraduatesfacingcripplingstudentdebtaresometimes forcedtosupplementtheirincomebypracticinggeneraldentistry.Thesecond outcomeoftheamendmentwastopermitdentiststoannounceasspecialists recognizedintheirjurisdictions,evenifit’snotoneoftheninedentalspecialties recognizedbytheADA.Thisistheresultofcourtcasesthathavechallengedthe abilityoftheADAtobethesolebodythatdesignateswhatisandisnotaspecialty fieldofdentistry.Allofthesechangeswillhavethepotentialeffectofcausingmore confusionforthegeneralpublic,astheytrytodecidewhoisthebestproviderfor theirdentalservices,includingorthodontictreatment. Thereisabusynessproblemindentistry.Inadditiontotherecentlegislative changes,asignificanttrendthathasbeenidentifiedbytheADAHealthPolicy Instituteisthedecreaseinutilizationofdentalservicessince2003.General dentistsaren’tasbusyastheyusedtobe,andemptychairsanddecliningincomes haveledsomegeneraldentiststoseekadditionalprocedurestoofferintheir practices.Newtechnologieshavesometimesgivengeneraldentiststheimpression thattheycanofferspecialtyservicesthatarecomparabletothoseprovidedbya specialist.Asspecialiststhatwentthroughyearsoftrainingtogaintheknowledge basethatwehave,andthathavehonedourskillsthroughpracticingourspecialty dayinanddayout,weknowthatnofancytechnologygadget,weekendcourse,or clevermarketingtrainingcanneverreplacewhatweknowandcandoasspecialists. Theproblem,however,isthatthegeneralpublicdoesn’tknowthis. SonowthatI’vetotallydepressedyou,let’stalkabouthowwecancombatthe challengesfacingourprofession… Theanswercanbefoundbyputtinganewtwistonthefamiliarsaying…“Work smarter,notharder”.Ibelievethatourmosteffectiveapproachisto“worksmarter ANDharder”,asweviewthechallengesthatwefaceasopportunitiestoreconnect withourprofessionalassociationsandchallengeourselvestobethebest practitionersthatwecanbe. WorkSmarter Withincreasingpressurebyinsurancecompaniestopaylesspercaseandtoput patientsintopreferredprovidernetworks,andincreasedcompetition,thenameof thegameinthefuturewillbetocutexpensesandincreaseefficiencyinour practices.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatwewanttolowerourstandards.Incontrast,our goalneedstobetoproducethebestresultspossiblewhileutilizingthemost efficientprocesstogetthere.Thiscanbestbeaccomplishedby: 1) Astutemanagementofourcases‐Throughcarefuldiagnosisandmonitoring oftreatmentprogress,wecanensurethatwehavedevelopedthebestplan forourpatients,andareidentifyingcomplianceissuesearlysothatwecan achieveagoodresultinareasonableamountoftime.Thisenhancedlevelof organizationbenefitsboththepatientandthepractice,aswedon’tjamour scheduleswithfrustratedpatientsthatarepasttheirexpectedcompletion date. 2) Utilizingtechnologywhereitmakessense‐Thereisneverashortageofnew, expensive,technologytoyswaitingtobesoldtoorthodontists,butitisonly throughthoroughcarefulevaluationandincorporationoftechnologythat improvementsinpatientoutcomesandthetreatmentprocessareseen.The AAOmidwintermeetingtakingplaceinFortLauderdaleonFebruary10‐11 isentitled“Technology:BalancingProfit,Lifestyle,andPatientCare”,and willservetoaddressthisveryissue.Considergoingtothismeetingtohelp navigatethetechnologytodecideifitwillhelpimprovetreatmentresults andefficiencyinyourpractice. 3) Bettermanagementofourteams‐Continuallytrainingandpushingourteams todeliverthebestcarepossibleforourpatients.Anabundanceofboth businessinformationandclinicaltraininginformationisavailableonthe AAOwebsite. WorkHarder Tohelppatientsandparentsdecideonthebestproviderfortheirorthodontic treatment,itimportanttogetourmessageouttothepublicthat“orthodontistshave thetrainingandexpertisetobetheproviderofchoicefororthodonticcare”.While wehaveanationalpublicawarenessprogramineffect,therealityisthatthis messagingismostimpactfulwhenitoccursatalocalgrassrootslevel.The cumulativeeffectofallmemberorthodontistsinitiatingagrassrootsefforttoget thismessageoutintheirindividualpracticeswouldbepowerful.Thereisawealth ofresourcesavailableontheAAOwebsitetohelpmakethishappeninyourpractice. Theseresourcesweredevelopedbyaprofessionalmarketingteam,andcanbe easilycustomizedforyourpractice. WorkTogether Throughmyvolunteereffortsonthelocal,state,regional,andnationallevels,Isee manydentistsandorthodontiststhatarestressedoutaboutchangesthattheyseein dentistry.Theyaresometimesdisillusionedwithourprofessionalassociations,and complainthattheassociationsaren’tdoingenoughtohelpthemintheirpractices. TherearetwocommonthemesthatIseeinthemostnervous,andcriticalones: theyarenotinvolved,andtheydon’tusetheresourcesavailablefromtheir associations.WhenIask,“Haveyoubeenonthewebsitelately?Doyouuseanyof theproductsorservices?Haveyoubeentoameeting?”…moreoftenthannot,the answeris“no”.Mypositionisthatitiswildlyunfairtocriticizesomethingthatyou don’treallyknowmuchabout,andthatwearestrongerasbothindividual practitionersandasaprofessionifweworktogethertotakeadvantageofour collectivewisdomandcreatethefuturethatwewantforourorthodontic profession. Insummary,Iwouldencourageyoutoviewthechallengesthatwefaceas opportunities,tousetheabundanceofresourcesavailablethroughtheGLAOand theAAOtoimproveyourtreatmentefficiencyandresultsandtogetthemessageout thatthebestorthodonticsisdonebytrainedorthodontists,andtoconnector reconnectwithYOURassociations,theGLAOandtheAAObyattendingameeting, volunteeringforaleadershipposition,andrecruitinganewmembertojoin. Connectingwithothermembersatmeetingsisagreatwaytogainknowledgeand buildrelationships.OurnextGLAOAnnualSessionisSeptember14‐17thinNew Orleans.ItwillbeacombinedsessionwiththeMidwesternandSouthwestern Societies,andwillfeaturespeakersDavidSarverandClarkColville,amongothers. IamdelightedandconfidenttotakeonthischallengeduetothefactthatIwillbe workingalongsidethewonderfulpeoplethatserveintheGLAO,andexcellent executivemanagementteamthatwehave.Iwouldencourageyoutoreachoutto metoshareanyconcernsoraskaboutvolunteeropportunities.Icanbereachedat [email protected]‐205‐8833.Pleasedon’thesitatetocontact me.
