Systems You Must Implement for a Successful Dental Practice

The absence of well-defined systems can transform any dental practice into a whirlwind of chaos, causing staff turnover and a less-than-ideal patient experience. After all, when a clinic lacks structure, appointments are missed, patient records are a jumbled mess, and team morale can hit rock bottom.

If you’re looking for a way to shape your dental practice into a healthy and profitable environment, you can start by incorporating six essential systems. From recare and reactivation strategies to a bonus system, this blog will describe how you can instill order and efficiency into your clinic, and how dental practice coaching in South Florida can help you toward achieving that goal.

Establish These Six Systems in Your Dental Practice

Recare and Reactivation

Recare

As the name suggests, recare refers to caring for your patients on a recurring basis. Having a proper recare system in place means scheduling and reminding people about regular check-ups, cleanings, and follow-up treatments at appropriate intervals.  

Recare helps maintain the continuity of care for your patients, encourages preventive dentistry, and reduces the chances of severe dental issues. Plus, you'll experience fewer last-minute cancellations and no-shows, providing more stability to your practice.

One key metric to measure the effectiveness of your recare system is the recare effectiveness rate, which tells you how well your practice is retaining patients in the recare program. You can calculate this percentage by dividing the number of periodic exams conducted in the last six months by your active patient base over the last 18 months.

Reactivation

When it comes to reactivation, you need to bring back patients who have fallen off your radar and haven’t scheduled visits in a while.

To get started, set a reactivation goal by deciding how many patients you want to bring back and by when. Then, create a systematic approach to contact them. Identify who will reach out, how they'll do it (by phone, by email, etc.), and keep a close eye on the results.

Financial Systems

Financial Policy

A financial policy is an internal document that spells out the step-by-step process of collecting payments from patients. Every staff member and patient needs to understand and follow this policy, so keep it simple, concise, and easily graspable by all.

A written financial policy fosters transparency among your team members, reducing the chances of misunderstandings and conflicts. Moreover, it builds trust with your patients, who appreciate the fairness and transparency in your financial procedures.

Accounts Receivables Percentages

Accounts receivable percentages show how much money is owed by patients and how long it's been outstanding, giving insight into your practice's financial situation.

For a stable financial situation, try to have at least 80 percent of the payments owed by patients in the "current category," which means payments that are up to date. Then, aim to have 10 percent or less in the 31 to 60-day range, and only 5 percent or less in both the 61 to 90-day and over 90-day categories.

Oral Wellness Membership Program

Many people who retire or lose their jobs still need dental work done, but no longer have their insurance benefits to cover for the expenses. That’s why a lot of successful dental practices have implemented Oral Wellness Membership Programs to help finance these people’s treatments and keep them as active patients.

An Oral Wellness Membership Program are designed to provide affordable dental services to patients who don’t have traditional insurance coverage. People can maintain their oral health without worrying about hefty bills.

For dental practices, an Oral Wellness Membership Program fosters patient loyalty. It encourages regular check-ups and treatments, leading to improved patient retention and a more predictable stream of revenue.

KPI Monitoring

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a set of measurable values or metrics that dental practices use to assess their overall performance and track specific aspects of their operations.

Thanks to these numbers, you can tell how effectively your clinic is meeting its goals and objectives. They also help you and your staff make informed decisions and improvements for future quarters.

Some common KPIs include the following:

• New patients by referral source: This tells you where your new patients are coming from, whether it's word of mouth, online searches, or other sources.
• Case acceptance percent: It shows how often patients accept treatment recommendations, helping you understand how well your team communicates treatment options.
• Pre-appointment rate: This indicator measures how many patients schedule their next appointment before leaving, ensuring a steady flow of future visits.
• Perio percentage: It indicates the percentage of patients receiving periodontal treatment, a key factor in overall oral health.
• Active patient count: It's the number of patients who have visited your practice in a certain period, reflecting your practice's patient base.
• Number of patients reactivated: This tells you how many patients who haven't been to your practice in a while are coming back for care.

By reviewing this information, you and a dental coach can spot patterns of success, areas that need improvement, and what strategies are working or need tweaking.

Team Meetings

An exceptional team meeting is one where everyone shows they’re committed to achieving results. It's a place where team members come prepared, engage and leave with specific objectives and actions they need to accomplish.

Here’re some tips for productive team meetings:

• Remind your team about the practice's vision and agreements to make sure everyone is on the same page.
• Recognize past accomplishments and analyze results.
• Set future goals.
• Brainstorm marketing strategies.
• Discuss team and training initiatives.
• Explore ongoing education opportunities.

With commitment and active participation, team meetings become the catalyst for your team's success and the continued success of your practice.

BAM Bonus System

The BAM Bonus System, which stands for "Basic Amount of Money" Bonus System, is a unique approach to incentivizing teamwork and collective success within a dental practice.  

In the BAM Bonus System, every department within the clinic joins forces to meet the collection goals established by the dental coach and the practice owner. Instead of every staff member striving on their own, they pool their efforts and resources to achieve shared objectives and get a bonus.

The BAM Bonus System promotes unity, boosts team morale, and creates a harmonious working environment. It inspires team members to work together toward common goals, creating a strong sense of camaraderie and support within the practice.

Consolidate Your Practice’s Structures with Dental Practice Coaching in South Florida

Don't miss out on the opportunity to unlock your practice's full potential and achieve lasting success. Contact Fortune Management South Florida for expert dental coaching and practice analysis. Reach out today!