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The Clinical Team’s Role in Practice Promotion
Lori Garland Parker, RDAEF, BS, MAOM
One of the greatest keys to a long-term successful orthodontic practice, or any
business for that matter, is quality customer service. One of the greatest
avenues to achieving this goal is to be aware of the impact customer service has
on your practice, then educating each team member on their role in promotion.
Next is to consistently “walk the talk”. We commonly hear lectures and read
articles focusing on the promotion responsibility of the New Patient Coordinator,
Marketing Coordinator and Scheduling Coordinator. This article focuses on the
Clinical Team’s role in practice promotion.
Once a year, four internationally known orthodontic consultants, Carol Eaton,
Rosemary Bray, Debbie Best and Lori Garland Parker, come together for a four
day fun and educational retreat for orthodontic teams called “Ortho Camp”. This
year the program was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where team members learned
about “Production, Precision, Performance and Promotion - the critical
components of a happy, healthy orthodontic practice and team”. The section on
promotion included how the patient/parent experience in the clinical area plays
an integral part of satisfaction with orthodontic treatment. To gain insight for this
article, each Ortho Camp leader was asked to share three pearls on the Clinical
Assistant’s role in effective practice promotion and share examples from Ortho
Camp participants.
Carol Eaton
“Actually, the clinical team has one of the most important responsibilities for
practice promotion. Clinical assistants work with patients on a day to day basis,
and although the New Patient Coordinators get the patient and parent excited
about the practice and orthodontic treatment, it is the clinical team who has the
responsibility of keeping the patients happy throughout treatment. Who keeps the
patients motivated? Who updates the parents on their child’s treatment? Who
can most effectively turn patients into referrals? In most cases, the answer is the
Clinical staff.”
Pearl #1: Connect with patients.
In addition to making sure that each clinician is giving the same message with
patient instructions, invest time in learning about teenage motivation and how to
encourage patient cooperation on an individual basis. Talking with teens can be
anywhere from an adventure to an agonizing effort. Learning more about them
and their interests (and vocabulary) can ultimately aid your ability to talk WTH
them not AT them.
Pearl #2: Update the parent on treatment progress.
After each appointment, be sure to inform the parent on what treatment was
performed that day, what is anticipated for the next visit and if treatment is on
schedule and why. Be sure to provide encouragement and support. “Today Mrs.
Jones, Dr. Straighteeth gave John elastics to wear. For his teeth to move
properly, John will need to wear them full time and change them at least twice a
day to get his bite in exactly the right position. Here are the written instructions
John received verbally today to help both of you to remember what we talked
about. Mrs. Jones, do you have any questions regarding John’s treatment? How
about you John? Okay, I know you will do a great job with your elastics! We look
forward to seeing you in about 6 weeks to show you your progress! Have fun on
vacation next week!” First time Ortho Camp participants, Dr. Shelley Lalani and
team in Ontario, Canada are committed to doing a mini progress report each
visit. “We have received such positive feedback from our families. They are
thrilled that we take the time to keep them informed.”
Pearl #3: Utilize positive and proactive verbal skills for encouraging a
sibling or parent to start treatment.
“Mrs. Smith, you have been coming here with Jon for several months now and
we have noticed the space between your front teeth. Dr Jones would be happy to
take a look today and chat with you about your options of closing that space
should that be something you are interested in doing. We do offer a fee courtesy
for family members when they begin treatment with us…”
Rosemary Bray
“The clinical team members have a great opportunity and an important
responsibility to promote the practice and make the difference in a patient’s life
with every encounter. It might be the Treatment Coordinator and Doctor who
together get them to YES, but it is the clinical team who KEEP them there. What
you say, how you say it, that look in the eye, the use of the patient’s name…all
combine to make people feel special – and when they feel that way, they are
inclined to come back for more of the same.”
Pearl #1: Promote the doctor, team and clinical technology at every
opportunity.
Talk about the orthodontist and team’s commitment to continuing education.
Make patients aware of the extensive clinical knowledge the clinicians have
which gives them permission to work in the mouth. This instills confidence in the
patient and parent in their choice of who will give them a smile for life. Let
patients know that you use wires with special metals which have their roots in the
space program. Educate them on how the latest designs of brackets and wires
speed treatment and make the process more comfortable.
Pearl #2: Implement an incentive program to encourage cooperation and be
consistent with it.
In Michael Lebouf’s book, How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life, he
talks about the Psych 1 Principle: “What gets rewarded gets repeated”. In other
words, reward the behavior you want to see repeated, such as keeping
appointments, brushing well, preventing breakage, etc. Tokens, a drawing, or the
like, helps to be an incentive for patients to be more compliant and follow
directions.
Pearl #3: Make it personal and fun.
The culmination of treatment is when patients not only get their braces off, but
are honored for this achievement. Giving them a ‘goodie bag’ with all the sticky
gooey candy they weren’t permitted to eat during treatment (with a new
toothbrush of course), a photo of their beautiful new smile, and debanding
diploma adds to their excitement. Mailing a personal congratulations card to the
patient, having the patient write a thank you to the parent(s), and having their
picture on the smile board all combine to let the patient and others know of the
graduation. Take the time to stomp your feet, clap your hands and sing! This has
nothing to do with talent and everything to do with enthusiasm! The first day after
returning from Ortho Camp, Dr Alan Irvin’s team in Greensboro, SC for the very
first time, sang a Rosemary Bray deband song for a patient getting her braces
removed that day. The response was overwhelmingly positive – even THEY had
fun doing it, and they intend to continue singing!
Debbie Best
“The Clinical Team spends more hours with patients than any other team
member in an orthodontic office. Take the time to remember personal facts about
your patients, celebrate their successes, give them a warm pat on the back when
they need an extra boost. Because of the one-on-one time the clinical team
spends with patients, they have the opportunity to make every patient feel
special. Patients who walk out of your office with a smile on their face and share
it with their friends and family will promote your practice.”
Pearl #1: Celebrate their banding day.
The day patients have their appliances placed is their first step towards a
beautiful smile that will last them a lifetime. Make the initial banding day a
celebration by giving the patient a T-shirt that they can wear to school. Consider
singing a “banding” song or give the patient a bag of ‘safe’ goodies that can be
enjoyed while wearing orthodontic appliances. Don’t wait until the deband day to
have fun with the patients; start at the initial appointment. The day the patients
get their braces on is the day they most need positive encouragement.
Pearl #2: Patient information forms that reflect your image.
The printed instructions you give your patients are a reflection of your practice.
Take the time to carefully read over all instructions to ensure that they are
accurate, easy to understand, free of typos and legible. All forms given to
patients must be an original copy, never a ‘copy of a copy’. Toner lines from a
copier, crooked copies and forms with incorrect information are not acceptable.
Remember your practice is judged on how you perform in the office as well as
what goes out of your office.
Pearl #3: Clinical Assistants schedule patients in the clinic.
With computerized treatment card and computers in the clinic, scheduling by the
Clinical Assistant has helped to streamline the flow of patients in the orthodontic
office. The Clinical Assistant is able to reinforce the importance and value of the
next appointment to the patient and parent since she assisted the orthodontist
directly. There is decreased chance of a break in communication because the
patient is not transferred between the clinic and the front office to schedule the
next appointment. The patient still picks up the appointment slip at the front desk
to allow contact to be made in the case that money is owed. Second time Ortho
Camp participants, Drs. Hicks and McMurphy’s team, have just started making
appointments from the clinic. Clinical Coordinator Mitzi said, “The process has
already proven to be much smoother for our patients, parents and front desk
team! And that translates to positive promotion.”
Lori Garland Parker
“Too frequently, new employee training focuses primarily on the ‘clinical tasks’
such as properly tying in an archwire, fitting bands promptly and correctly, and
taking impressions quickly and accurately. Many times, assistants are sent out to
the clinic without a clear understanding of what it takes to create happy patients
and parents who actively promote your practice. Granted, the vast majority of
clinical staff members are very polite and courteous, however effective practice
promotion goes beyond being gracious. It is also about embracing the
importance of customer service and effective promotion, learning the necessary
skills and being consistent.”
Pearl #1: Include customer service and communication training as a
specific part of new employee orientation and training.
Have all employees read customer service books such as “How to Win
Customers and Keep them for Life” by Michael Le Boeuf to instill a deep
appreciation for satisfied patients and parents. Hold team meetings to discuss
the relevancy to your orthodontic practice. The first thing that Dr. Chris
Wenderoth from Simpsonville, SC, asks a new employee to do is read, “Raving
Fans: A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service” by Ken Blanchard.
Employees get the message right away on the importance and priority of service
strategy in his office.
During monthly training sessions, include role play exercises where individuals
can practice appropriate responses to real life scenarios that occur in the
practice. For example, what is an appropriate way for a clinician in your office to
respond to a patient who presents with a loose bracket that “fell off when
brushing”? What about patients who have poor oral hygiene?
Pearl #2: Demonstrate your commitment to patient protection and
cleanliness.
Patients are parents are more aware than ever about sterilization and cross
contamination issues and want to be assured that treatment is safe in your
practice. Demonstrate your adherence to OSHA and CDC guidelines. Show off
your sterilization area and delivery systems. Avoid reaching into drawers after
beginning work on a patient and be sure to remove gloves prior to handling
charts or typing patient notes. Keep counters and all work areas clean and neat,
keep as much as possible out of site and regularly perform the “white glove test”.
Check for wires on the floor or ties baked on instruments. Are the carpets spot
free and windows/window treatments clean? Camp participants, Dr. Murphy and
team in Glen Ellyn, IL , regularly walk around their office with paper and pen and
write down their observations on office cleanliness, neatness and the ‘welcome
factor’ from a patient’s point of view. “This is one exercise of many which keeps
us focused on the patient experience,” Dr. Murphy said.
Pearl #3: Promote each other.
Patients and parents want to know that you have trust and respect for one
another. Ortho Camp participant Rachel Dodge with Dr. Donna Stenberg’s office
in Stillwater, MN believes it is important to promote each other, which in turn,
promotes the practice. “We have several team pictures around the office and
people notice. Seeing pictures of some or all of us joining in a community service
project, having fun at lunch, or attending a continuing education seminar seems
to makes them feel more comfortable and confident with their choice of our
orthodontic team. Our office is perceived more like a friend’s house, rather than
an orthodontic office. They know that this is about more than punching a time
card for us---we truly believe in what we do and the service we provide.”
“Also, if we are waiting a few minutes for the doctor, instead of idle chit chat or
giving the patient a magazine, we talk about upcoming activities in the office. It
might be the latest positive reinforcement contest or what we are doing in the
community such as donating time and essential items to the local women’s
shelter.”
A sound patient relations program blended with the delivery of high quality
orthodontic care is the foundation for an enjoyable and successful orthodontic
practice. These are just a few of the areas to consider when you develop your
practice promotion program for the clinical area. At your next team meeting,
consider evaluating your current development in the above areas; then see what
additional ideas you have to add to your plan. What Michael LeBoeuf said almost
20 years ago is still true: “A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of
them all.”
Ortho Camp Leaders
Rosemary Bray, Debbie Best, Carol Eaton & Lori Garland Parker