GP Blog

Keepin’ It All in Perspective

2010-08-09T16:12:00.001-04:00

Just finished reviewing the preliminary data for the 2010 Dental Economics / Levin Group Annual Practice Survey (which will be published in November DE) and one thing is very clear—dentistry as a profession is in really good shape.

Practice production and doctor income remained about the same as in 2009. “How is that good?” you might ask.

In spite of one of the worst economic crises ever, practices on average managed to stay the course. While it might not be time for marching bands and fireworks, I’m seeing the data as a very positive sign, especially when you consider how many other industries have been slumping for the last 12 months.

To move forward, you need both the right attitude and the right actions. The right attitude starts with keeping things in perspective. When you do that, you’re in the best position to seize opportunities to grow your practice.

Internal Marketing Program For Dentists — It’s Here!

2010-07-21T13:33:00.001-04:00

At Levin Group, we are very excited. For many years, dentists taking our Year 1 Management Program would ask us about an internal marketing program. We are proud to announce that the wait is over—our Internal Marketing Program for dentists is now available!

The truth is that we’ve been developing this program for a number of years, carefully making enhancements to ensure that this will be a great experience for dental practices. Here are just a few things that our Science of Internal Marketing™ enables dentists to do:

• Dramatically increase new patients
• Re-activate overdue patients
• Improve the patient experience
• Turn current patients into life-long referrers
• Create confidence in your team to build referrals

If these sound like things you would like to see in your practice, you might want to consider giving us a call at 888-973-0000 or email us and we’ll give you more information.

“Stress comes with the job. You just have to accept it and keep going.”*

2010-06-03T10:03:00.002-04:00

While every business professional experiences some stress, too much stress will eventually compromise the potential of your practice. Your goal should always be to minimize stress. Keep in mind that its effects are cumulative.

A great deal of stress can be tolerated—but only for a short time. Eventually, excessive stress will take a toll on your practice and you!

There are many possible sources of stress. It could be your schedule is wildly inefficient, your systems may be outdated, maybe you are hiring the wrong people, or perhaps your leadership skills need to be enhanced.

Once you can identify and address the sources of stress, your practice will be poised for explosive growth 81 Obstacles To Practice Growth And How To Overcome Them.

Consulting—It’s More Than a Job to Us!

2010-05-05T10:56:00.000-04:00

Every day when I go to the office, I get excited… I mean really pumped up about helping dentists grow their practices. Despite a tough economic environment out there, our clients are growing and it’s a great feeling to know Levin Group has helped them to do it!

When a consultant rushes into my office to relate how one of his or her clients just had the best month they’ve had since they opened their practice… well, I’ll tell you, it’s hard to put into words what a great feeling it is for us.

Part of what keeps us excited are the continuous improvements and enhancements we make to our consulting programs. For example, our Practice Production Generators™. These powerful tools have been designed to give clients the best and most productive consulting experience possible. They are part of our unending commitment to you!

If you want to know more about Practice Production Generators™, give us a call at 888-973-0000. We’d love to tell you all about them!

New Patients—Get More of Them Now!

2010-04-05T08:56:00.001-04:00

A growing practice requires new patients—usually lots of them.

One of the best ways to build the practice and increase production is The Top 200™—a concept pioneered by Levin Group. The Top 200™ are the approximately 200 patients that the practice believes have the best potential to refer friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. This strategy is used by Levin Practices to increase production and grow patient referrals.

These patients will receive monthly emails with updates about the practice or advances in dentistry. When they do refer, an entire thank-you program is put in place, including thank-you notes, phone calls from the doctor, small items as tokens of appreciation, and a series of in-office thank-you’s the next time these patients return to the practice.

The Top 200 has proven to be a highly effective method for practices that want to increase production. This is just one strategy in Levin Group’s Internal Marketing Program that helps practices increase production and take advantage of the economic turnaround.

Something Has Changed!

2010-03-25T15:08:00.003-04:00

In 25 years of lecturing, I have never witnessed the level of excitement that my newest seminars are generating.

Dentists are craving new models and ideas to help their practices grow despite the current economy. The philosophy of my newest seminar, Increase Your Production, Profit & New Patients, is this… what you did before is simply not good enough. Just imagine having 98% of all your patients scheduled at all times, 90% of all patients accepting recommended treatment, increasing the average production per patient and the average production per new patient, boosting patient referrals, growing hygiene production and a host of other radically improved Key Practice Expanders™.

I think the reason this has been so exciting for dentists is that they are finally ready to reach for their practice potential and not simply “get through” this year. This thinking will create a situation where more and more dentists can improve the quality of their lives, save more for their long-term retirement and lower their stress along the way. My suggestion—join me on July 23-24 in Chicago and Increase Your Production, Profit & New Patients!

Make Your Dreams Come True This Year

2010-02-15T15:08:00.003-05:00

Interested in increasing your production at zero-cost to you? Enter the Dream Practice sweepstakes sponsored by Procter & Gamble Professional Oral Health, and you could win a free year of dental consulting from Levin Group.

Don’t wait… contest ends in March.

Are you interested in increasing practice production, profitability and patient referrals? Do you want to enjoy a low-stress practice with high levels of professional satisfaction? Do you want to get on a path that leads to reaching financial independence sooner?

If you answered “yes,” then it sounds like you’re ready to turn your office into a Dream Practice.

Go here to enter: www.virtuallyplaquefree.com

A Ringing Endorsement of Implants in the News

2010-01-04T13:56:00.001-05:00

Recently, there was a great article in the New York Times regarding the efficacy of implants. It was one of the best endorsements of implants in a non-dental publication that I have ever seen. Entitled “A Dental Shift: Implants Instead of Bridges,” this article depicts implants as the new standard of care for missing teeth, which should be the attitude of every dentist working with implants as well.

The author pretty much runs down the entire list of implant benefits we wish every patient would understand—implants don’t decay, they don’t need to be replaced, adjacent healthy teeth don’t require crowns to support them, etc. It even makes a point that many implant doctors don’t stress often enough—in the long run, implants are more economical than bridges.

I highly recommend not only reading this article but also printing it out and making it readily available for patients to read in your office. In addition to your case presentation, this is an excellent way to reinforce to patients the many benefits of implants.

An Incredible Weekend in Orlando

2009-11-29T11:33:00.001-05:00

I had the honor of teaching more than 60 doctors and their spouses at the First Annual Life Plan Summit earlier this month in beautiful Orlando. Life Plan is about turning professional success into lifelong personal success.

The energy and the passion that Life Plan participants brought to the seminars and workshops was just amazing. Seeing so many committed professionals focused on unleashing their true potential is what Life Plan is all about.

“Life Plan was great. It provides clarity beyond the office,” said one participant.

The Life Plan Summit was open to doctors who attended a previous Life Plan course. The next course will be offered June 25–26 in Chicago followed by the 2nd Annual Life Plan Summit, November 5–6, in Las Vegas. For more information, send an e-mail to customerservice@levingroup.com with “Life Plan” in the subject line.

No Life Plan? Better Get One!

2009-10-22T16:04:00.000-04:00

What’s your plan? Where do you see your practice in 5…10…15 years? Where do you see your life in that same amount of time? These questions can be hard to answer, but necessary if you’re going to grow and achieve the practice and life you desire.

Ask yourself…

* Do you know how to get where you want to go?
* Is there balance between your practice and personal life?
* Do you have a vision statement?
* Do you know how to delegate?
* Do you have the right advisors?

We all get busy and often lose sight of professional and personal goals. I teach a course called Life Plan for dentists who want to get the most of their lives. The course covers all of these important questions. To learn more about my Life Plan course, e-mail me at: customerservice@levingroup.com with “Life Plan” in the subject line.

Growing During Adversity

2009-09-30T14:34:00.002-04:00

Good news—it seems the economy may be settling down a bit! More good news—we found some notable bright spots in the recently-completed Dental Economics / Levin Group 2009 Annual Practice Survey. Of the dentists surveyed, 44% said they expect to increase production this year. This point proves that dentists find a way—even in one of the most challenging economic times in our history—to be successful.

Another hopeful sign was that the number of average active patients increased from 1,897 in 2008 to 2,300 in 2009. This indicates in part that dentists are expanding their efforts to retain current patients and attract new patients. The more patients of record you have, the better positioned you will be to take advantage of the expected turnaround in 2010.

Please be sure to check out the October and November issues of Dental Economics to see the entire survey.

Success, Are We Reaching You?

2009-08-21T11:54:00.000-04:00

Recently, I was asked, “Roger, do you consider success a path or a destination?”

The answer is both, of course.

Each success should be looked upon as a new beginning. New goals should be set and a plan of achievement established. Success is never an end point but merely another level of personal and professional achievement. It is characterized by choice and should be fulfilling and rewarding. Set new goals today and reach for your next success.

Life After Dentistry

2009-07-15T11:07:00.001-04:00

It may be hard to imagine your life after dentistry…

Will you have enough saved to retire when you want to? How far away is financial independence? What are your personal goals following your dental career?

Whether retirement is imminent or still in the distant future, planning for that transition is critical to enjoying life after dentistry to the fullest.

That’s why Levin Group’s team of experts range beyond practice management and marketing consulting to include financial planning, retirement savings, succession planning, transitions services and even life coaching.

Eventually, your life will not involve your practice. But, setting and achieving new goals never has to cease. Part of The Levin Experience™ is making the transition from dentistry into retirement as pain-free and successfully as possible, while providing dentists new “road maps” specific to their personal wants and needs.

I’m a firm believer in lifelong learning. Our customized Life Plan program enables all dentists—no matter what stage of their career they’re in—to continue the journey toward achieving the practice and the life they truly want.

To learn more about our Life Plan program, contact us at:
customerservice@levingroup.com with “Life Plan” in the subject line.

How Third-Party Financing Builds Patient Trust

2009-06-15T15:00:00.002-04:00

Third-party patient financing is a great way to help more patients afford treatment, but it’s much more than just that…

According to a recent study by CareCredit and the Academy of Dental CPA’s (ADCPA), 73% of patients indicated that the availability of no-interest financing increased their sense that the dental office was looking out for their best interests.

When patients understand that your practice is looking out for their well-being, two things happen…

They gain trust for your practice
They are significantly more willing to accept treatment

Is your practice offering no-interest patient financing? If not, it’s a phenomenal tool to show patients that your practice cares about their well-being. It is also critical to increasing production in a tough economy.

To review this study, click here.

GPs… Keep Your Endodontists Close

2009-05-26T13:59:00.003-04:00

“A great deal of the success of my practice is due to endodontists with whom I’ve cultivated relationships,” says a GP in a recent article published by the American Association of Endodontists (AAE). This AAE article addresses a key issue—interdisciplinary care between GPs and endodontists.

A recent AAE study concluded that endodontists perform only about a quarter of all root canal treatments each year…while the majority are performed by GPs.

Many dentists can and will continue to perform successful root canals. Where some dentists get into trouble is not referring cases when they should. The AAE has a worksheet that can help you decide when you need to refer.

Complications can damage patient trust in you as a dentist. Don’t take that risk. Develop strong relationships with endodontists and seek out their advice when appropriate. By doing so, you will enhance your production and growth potential.

Remember, your patients deserve the best. They trust you as their primary dentist to put their needs first. Protect that trust by relying on your endodontist! The stronger your relationship, the better for both of your practices.

Click here to read the full article.

Your Assistance Required

2009-04-25T16:00:00.001-04:00

It’s almost here… it’s easier than ever… and it’s one of best sources for accurate dental practice information. It’s the Levin Group / Dental Economics Annual Practice Survey.

We want this year’s survey to be the best ever. That’s where you come in. Your participation will help ensure that the 2009 survey reflects the current state of dental practices… the successes… the pain points… and the opportunities.

Ever wonder how your practice measures up in the areas of production… overhead… new patients… and stress? Well, here’s your chance to find out.

I encourage every dentist to take the survey. It will only take a few minutes, and it’s potentially rewarding. All dentists who complete the survey will be eligible for a $100 gift card drawing. Not bad for a few minutes of your time!

Offer Your Patients a Dental Stimulus Package

2009-03-15T14:56:00.000-04:00

There are a number of ways to increase patient confidence in today’s economy. A creative method is by offering a “stimulus” package within your practice.

By that I mean…

Offer discounts on at-home products or teeth whitening

Host a “lunch-and-learn” at your practice with free food, educational materials and prizes for patients to win

Reward patients who have referred a friend with a gift certificate to a popular restaurant

No matter how you choose to offer a “stimulus package” to patients, your efforts will undoubtedly result in increased patient trust and ultimately lead to more patient referrals.

Dentistry and The E Street Band

2009-02-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

Dentistry According to “The Boss”

A highlight of this year’s Super Bowl was Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s performance. One thing stands clear when you watch them all play… They like one another. They work as a team. They’re having fun.

Each band member knows their roll without depending on “The Boss” for their success—they all have their specific talents outside of the group. Yet, they bring that talent together to create an outstanding band.

The E Street Band is exactly how an ideal practice’s team should operate. Well, maybe not dancing around the office with guitars and saxophones… but by working well together, having fun, and mastering specific job responsibilities—without depending on the boss (the dentist). They back up “The Boss” on stage, just like a dentist’s team backs him up in the office, creating happier patients, less cancellations, lower overhead, greater case acceptance and reduced stress.

Together, a dentist and his team should be Working on A Dream! OK, I may be stretching this Bruce Springsteen theme a bit far. But, this song title is exactly what you’re working towards… your dream practice! Your teammates will help you get there.

Maintaining positivity, practicing true teamwork and excelling in specific areas will allow your practice to continue working on a dream—the dream of reaching Total Practice Success™.

Got Scripting? You Can’t Leave Patient Communication to Chance!

2009-02-16T18:00:00.000-05:00

It may seem simple. Just a script… take it or leave it. Well, believe it or not, scripting is absolutely essential and vital to building your practice. If you aren’t using scripts today… you’re setting yourself up for continued decline in all areas of your practice. Here’s what I mean…

Just recently, I was having lunch with a dentist who just started using scripts after five years in practice. At first, it was a bit of a challenge to getting his staff to master the talking points. A small price to pay considering the outcome. Once his team practiced and learned the scripting… everything changed. He saw patients return after months of no shows. More patients said “yes” to treatments, while others were more willing to pay for treatments they thought they couldn’t afford before.

Scheduling improved. Patient satisfaction improved. All from something that seemed so arbitrary. Well, believe me, scripting is anything but arbitrary and will significantly boost your production levels if implemented properly.

Systems Make All the Difference

2009-01-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

Over the past 24 years, Levin Group has improved the lives of thousands of dentists. And the #1 factor in creating greater practice success is, without a doubt, systems.

Nothing else comes close to the power of systems. Documented, step-by-step systems allow dentists to master the marketing and management of their practices. It’s really that simple.

Today, our clients count on Levin Group systems such as Power Cell Scheduling™, Greenlight Case Presentation™, The Hygiene Maximizer™, Stage III Customer Service™, The Immediate Collection Process™ and a host of others to gain complete control of their practices while seeing consistent, significant growth.

Your most valuable investment is your practice. Documented systems can help you ensure your maximizing the value of your investment while securing a more lucrative and brighter future!

What Do Dentists and Astronauts Have in Common?

2008-12-19T16:00:00.001-05:00

What do dentists and astronauts have in common? Surprisingly, a lot. You see, it occurred to me while watching one of my favorite films, Apollo 13, that astronauts and dentists are quite similar.

In the movie, there are three strategies Tom Hanks uses to prepare his team for launch:

1) He and his team consistently practiced the procedures that would ensure a successful launch
2) He had his most valuable tools right at his fingertips
3) He stayed in constant communication with his team

The outcome? The astronauts were cleared for launch because they executed these vital methods each day, consistently.

The same goes for dentistry. Just like astronauts, you as a dentist must implement procedures and strategies to ensure your practice’s successful growth. I call this process “frontloading”—the consistent execution of methods and strategies that position your practice for success.

Some of the 15-20 ways to frontload your practice are to:

Institute a patient referral program
Effectively communicating with your entire team about practice goals
Contact inactive patients and reschedule them
Promote comprehensive dentistry to every patient
Establish flexible payment options for patients

I talk a lot about frontloading in my seminars… click on the link below to attend one in 2009!

http://www.levingroupgp.com/gp_seminars.html

It's the Economy, Stupid

2008-11-28T18:45:00.000-05:00

Some of you may remember when Bill Clinton was running for President he ran on the platform of, “it’s the economy, stupid.” In that case he meant that the election would be won or lost based on the economy.

Today it is not the same old “it’s the economy, stupid.” The economy is decimating portfolios and stifling practice production. Dentists who get up every morning thinking about the economy get up to play defense. All of their decisions are filtered through defensive decisions that typically lead to paralysis. Why focus on the things you can’t control? Instead, direct your energy where it can have the greatest impact—and that’s your practice!

Here is a powerful solution: do not participate in economic defense. Instead, you should begin every day by saying, “I am not playing defense against the economy today.” I know this sounds illogical, but in fact, it is a very logical tool to assist you in pushing your practice forward.

If you follow football, you know that you cannot come back from a 30 point deficit by playing really good defense. At some point you have to play offense, which is often your best defense.

Move your practice forward by making positive decisions. Otherwise you will find that you are paralyzed and ultimately paralysis leads to no decisions, which are the same as bad decisions.

It's All About Systems

2008-10-29T02:45:00.000-04:00

I was recently talking to a group of clients and consultants when the question came up about the #1 success principle for any business. Without hesitating, I said, “It is all about systems.”

Businesses succeed, grow or die based on systems. It is that simple. All good businesses establish and refine systems. This involves utilizing appropriate scripting and conducting extensive employee training. Establishing efficient and effective systems is the only way any business can grow beyond a very small size.

This is true for dental practices as well. Practices often reach plateaus simply because they have either outgrown their systems or they never really had any! Very few practices have up-to-date systems that operate at the highest levels of efficiency.

Neglecting systems will ultimately cause your practice to hit a plateau and possibly remain there for the rest of your career. The only way to succeed is to update your systems, which leads to increased efficiency, improved productivity and ultimately long-term growth.

This is serious stuff! Times Have Changed. Are You Prepared to Change With Them?

2008-09-24T02:45:00.000-04:00

You’ve read the news. You know what’s happening out there. The economy is weak, gas prices are nuts, prices for just about everything are going up and it’s not going to get better any time soon!

Think that providing excellent patient care and hiring nice people ensures practice success? Guess again! Your success isn’t guaranteed—far from it! A healthy number of new patients this month could easily drop off by the end of the year. Many dentists tell us they are down 5%, even 10% because of the economic downturn.

In today’s economy, you have to plan for practice growth. You can’t simply “coast” and hope for it to happen because those days are gone!

Grow, flatten out or decline—ultimately, it’s your choice. The practices that grow exponentially in an economic slowdown are those with highly effective management systems and strong leadership in place.

You can grow your practice—no matter what happens in the economy!

The High-Performance Team

2008-07-13T23:15:00.000-04:00

Team building is critical to the long-term health of the dental practice. The dentist — no matter how talented — cannot run the practice alone. To achieve a high-performance practice, dentists need to build high-performance teams. The benefits of a strong team are numerous—less stress, increased productivity, and greater profitability.

Levin Group has guided thousands of dentists in helping create superior teams by implementing expert systems, training the team on those systems, and empowering staff members to fulfill their potential. Remember, training is an ongoing process — it should not stop once new staff members have passed their 90-day probationary period. Dentistry is constantly changing, and the best teams are able to adapt to those changes.

The Power of Goals

2008-06-06T16:45:00.000-04:00

Do you want to be more successful? Of course you do! To reach the highest levels of success, you need to set and achieve goals throughout the life of your practice.

Identify What Is Most Important

Write down the 20 or 30 things you would like to accomplish during your life. Even if the goals may seem frivolous or unreachable at the time, write them down anyway. Levin Group has worked with many dentists who presented us with goals thought to be unreachable. Yet, only a year later, these dentists had achieved many of the goals they set.

Move Forward

Once you have written down your goals, the next step is to classify them. Which of these are short-term goals, meaning you can achieve them within the next 12 months? Review your short-term goals daily. Doing so will not only keep your objectives clear but also allow you to stay motivated. Your long-term goals will usually take more than a year to accomplish. These goals should help define your Life Plan, both personally and professionally.

To achieve success, you should review your long-term goals on a weekly or monthly basis—keeping in mind that you will not achieve any of them overnight. It may be helpful to jot down notes about your progress toward each goal.

Every dentist wants to be successful. Setting and achieving goals will get you there!