Dental Front Desk Management Conversations

Dental Office Monday Holidays Are Predictable Dental office Monday holidays are awesome!  Right?   The dental practice can extend the weekend a bit.  Spend a little more time with family and friends.  Travel if we desire to do so.   And maybe rest at home too!  It's a nice break in our usual weekly routine.  However, a long weekend presents challenges to our practice.  In fact,  a dentist I worked with used two phrases to describe these challenges.  Pre-vacation hell and post-vacation hell fit the bill perfectly for him. There were those late Thursday afternoon toothache phone calls.  And this wasn't a surprise.  Anyone who works in dentistry for a bit, knows this scenario.  "I used to be a patient.  But I lost my insurance.  And I haven't been in the office for some time.  But I've had this toothache for nearly 2 weeks now. And right now, it's killing me. I know it's a long weekend coming up.  That's why I'm calling now.  Because I really need to be seen before the weekend." So, how can we best manage this.   Listen in now and find out! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/07/04/dental-office-monday-holidays/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Front Office Multitasking is a cause for burnout.  Even the best of the best is prone to this.  But in a fast-paced dental practice, what do we do?   How can we prevent valuable team members from burnout?   And how can we rally to show support and promote emotional health and well-being?  Because we have busy lives and bustling dental practices!  The truth is, the busier we become, the more organization is required. https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/06/27/dental-front-office-multitasking/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Office Phone Basics With Team Training Dental office phone basics include team training.  Once everyone knows what the phone does and is no longer afraid of it, let's work on scripts.    Yes, our "hello" and "good-bye" are a must.   But there are several other conversations to review with the team.  Because we have many of the same phone conversations every day.   "Do you take my insurance?"   "I need to reschedule my appointment" and "Is it too late to cancel my appointment?" Discuss and review tone and "please hold" management.   Review and revisit phone scripts and management several times each year.  And again, team meetings that include a few moments of team training are best.  Openly ask questions about phone management within team meetings.  Questions such as, "how are things with the phones?" is a great start.  "Are there any patient calls or patient questions anyone is struggling with?" is another great conversation starter. Additional Coaching Would you like additional coaching or support for the team?   Because that is available for you here as well.  Please feel free to reach out to me today!  Let's chat about options and raise your team phone skills with just a little polish!  All our dental office patients call the practice.  This is our biggest influence and building stone for all future relationships and transactions.  Have you brought in a new team member or decided to train all team members?   We can do this as a one-on-one or team training.  And I'm just an email away! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/06/20/dental-office-phone-basics/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental front desk attentiveness is an essential in superior patient care.   So, as we continue to work our way through June, let's visit this topic a bit!  And perhaps begin with a definition.   What do I mean by the word "attentiveness"?  For me, this is a two step process.  Here's what I'm talking about today! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/06/13/dental-front-desk-attentiveness/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental front desk patience is the first step to better customer service.   And is a skill we can all improve on.  This month of June, 2021, my blog posts focus on customer service.  And that includes our dental office phone management.  So, let's take a look together at just how we can improve upon our personal interactions this month.  And this includes our dental office team relationships.  Because we must begin within.   And customer service management trickles down from the very top! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/06/06/dental-front-desk-patience-building/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental front desk Thursdays are hygiene reactivation days for me.  This is my time to call unscheduled hygiene patients.   And perhaps send a personalized email, text, or postcard.  Especially for those patients I have been unable to reach by phone.  But I customize my outreach patient by patient.  Because every patient has a preferred method of contact.  And every patient leads a different life. So, this is where it helps to really get to know each patient a bit.  And to develop a relationship with patients that encourages them to return my calls.   Or to respond to an email they have received from me.   Especially for those who are busy with work, family, and other social engagements!  I work to create a friendly, fun, and engaging relationship with every patient in the practice. https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/05/30/dental-front-desk-thursdays-outreach/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental front desk Wednesdays are my day to call on unpaid insurance claims.   And did you know, I work through my entire outstanding insurance aging each month?  No matter what size practice I work in!  Because there just isn't much in that report to do.  That doesn't happen by accident.  It comes through dedication, discipline, and systematically working them.   I'm on it!  And you can be too! Would you like to have absolutely no claims in the over 90 day category?  And perhaps just a handful in the over 60 days?  Let's do it!  And all you need to do is make some phone calls.  Call on every claim that is outstanding over 30 days to find out why.  Why is that claim not paid?  There are a couple of things that can go wrong! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/05/23/dental-front-desk-wednesdays/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental front desk Tuesdays allow us to work on some things.  The hustle and bustle of Monday is behind us.  However,  without a plan, we may fall victim to happenstance.   Whatever lands on our desk is our focus.  But, with a plan, we feel more accomplished!  And we see that tasks are completed.  Perhaps we find we even enjoy our dental office days a little more.  How does that sound? https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/05/16/dental-front-desk-tuesdays-outlined/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental office time management is a skill.   But a skill that many teams struggle with.  However, just one key team member can shift the day!    And other team members can learn from them.  Maybe your practice struggles with time management.  And just maybe you are that team key member to lead the way!   Listen in and let's see how you can create a better dental office day for yourself and your team!  https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/05/09/dental-office-time-management/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Fee for service scripts is a big conversation.  What do we say to our patients?  And how do we retrain our teams?  Especially when we want to make the switch?  And maybe consider a change from a PPO dental practice to fee for service? This is a question I recently received.  So, I think it's worth some discussion here with everyone. Let's listen in.. and please visit this article here: https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/05/02/fee-for-service-scripts-in-dentistry/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental patient billing statements can be difficult for patients to understand.  And part of our job is to make that easier.  So, how can we do this? Listen in and hear a bit about how to set up our dental patient billing statements within our software systems.  And here's the link to the blog post as well! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/04/25/dental-patient-billing-statements/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Infection Control in Dentistry is a guest post article shared with you today.  Our dental administrative team members spend more time talking with patients than anyone else in the practice!  So, we want to be sure everyone is dialed into our infection control practices.  Check out this blog post today! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/04/18/infection-control-in-dentistry/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Is your dental practice collections at 100%.. how about 98%.. ?  No!  Well, good news!   I've got just what you need to get there.  Listen in and let's get you started today:  https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/04/11/increase-dental-practice-collections/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Insurance Assignment of Benefits authorizes payment to the subscriber or to the dentist, depending on what we do with it.  How can we best manage this line item on our dental insurance claims?  Let's listen in and find out! https://asthedrillturns.com/2021/04/04/dental-insurance-assignment-of-benefits/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Boost dental office production with a plan!  Let's take the next 30 days, and transform your dental world.   That world you live in with your team.  Let's reduce stress and increase productivity.  And help you to enjoy a better dental office day.  Are you ready to take the first step?  Let's listen in and see just how you can begin? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Lab Case Management Systems are a crucial piece of our dental restorative schedules.   We want to know going into each and every day that all our cases are here and have been confirmed by the dentist.  What role does the dental front desk play in this?  Let's listen in now and see! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Restorative Scheduling Success happens when we reach our dental office production goals each month, each week, and each day!   But how do we begin to set a realistic goal?  And do we need to update our change our goal?  Let's listen in now! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Practice Scheduling Essentials include making the best use of our dentist and assistant times.    This comes through an accurate break down of time needed and solid block scheduling templates.  We also want to communicate the best times for hygiene exams during those hygiene appointments that require exams during our morning huddle.  Then, once we have a plan, we must stick to it!  Let's hear more about this now. Feel free to leave me a message if you have questions or comments:  https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental office merchant services are a necessity in the business of dentistry.  Dentists and dental practices need a way to process credit card transactions.  And did you know there are lots of options?  It can be truly overwhelming.  So, how do we know we have the best rates in town?  And how do we know how to analyze our monthly statements?  We have an expert in the field of credit card processing to help us. This article is the last in a series of three.  So, please be sure to follow the links back to read the first two!  And then be sure to take a closer look at your business credit card statement this month.  Perhaps with new insight and knowledge.  And I know these three articles will definitely be of help to you.  Now, let's jump in and hear what our friend, Kent Nanke has to share with us! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message

Dental Office Hygiene Terminology List Dental office hygiene terminology is important to teach and learn.  Let's remember this for all new team members.   Because we miss important details otherwise.  Especially if we assume someone knows something they don't.  And new team members want to impress others.  That's natural and normal.  But may also prevent them from asking questions.  Here's how we can best support our team and our patients! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/april-denean-thompson/message