How to Fill the $ 70,000 Hole in Your Practice When speaking with a Dentist to determine whether or not they’d be a good candidate for our GG12 Practice Transformation Program, we analyze several key areas of (often untapped) opportunity. One of the most common massive gaping revenue holes in many practices comes from the underdiagnosing of pit, fissure, and groove caries. KEY TO TRANSFORMING DIAGNODENT INTO A HIGHLY VALUABLE PRACTICE ASSET. As always, in addition to watching the video, be sure to open the “MORE FILES” folder for those Team Training modules that display the icon. By Tom Rich, MBA, GG12 Senior Practice Analyst
There are several “reasons” why many Hygienists don’t consistently use DIAGNOdent:
The reason is simple: They’re often invisible to the naked eye and typically aren’t detectable using traditional examination techniques, such as X-rays or explorers. In fact, studies suggest that when using only these methods, even the most thorough Dentists will miss 76 percent of pit, fissure, and groove caries. These simple, single-surface early carious lesions can often be quickly and easily identified through the use of a DIAGNOdent (CariVu, SoproLife, Canary, Spectra, etc.). More importantly, when given a choice between early detection and a simple drill-and-fill or unchecked decay leading to catastrophic failure of a tooth, patients genuinely appreciate the less painful option (both physically and financially). [NOTE: I’ll use the term DIAGNOdent throughout this article but am referring to DIAGNOdent, CariVu, Canary, Spectra, etc.] Helping your patients avoid pain is just the tip of the “benefit iceberg.” Not only are you catching the problem before it becomes more extensive (and more expensive for your patient), but you’re also driving additional revenue into the practice. It’s totally understandable why you may feel that way. We were taught to use an explorer and feel for “tugback” in order to identify the presence of caries in a pit, fissure, or groove. It’s natural to make the assumption that you are already finding all there is to find using your explorer. It’s natural … and dangerous to the patient’s health. According to a study cited in the Journal of Caries Research, “Only 24 percent of the carious lesions were discovered by probing for stickiness. Probing proved to be unreliable for the diagnosis of fissure caries.” During the FDA trials, due to my extensive lecture schedule, Kavo sent me a DIAGNOdent to try. I was floored by the number of lesions I’d been missing. Many were small (just into the dentin). Others were enormous. Yet I’d been missing three-fourths of the pit, fissure, and groove caries into dentin. The secret to unlocking this vault is simple … Your Hygienist must use DIAGNOdent on every patient. The only exceptions are those who have no remaining virgin pits, fissures, or grooves. Watch Dr. Orent’s video in order to understand why DIAGNOdent readings need only be done ONCE EVER for each adult patient: InsidersCircle.com SITE MAP GOLDMINE UNDERGROUND TEAM TRAINING TOOLKIT 033 THE BUT I DON’T NEED DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS TO IDENTIFY CARIOUS PITS, FISSURES, AND GROOVES.
3 InsidersCircle.com | 1-888-880-GEMS (4367) If you’d like more information, help, or guidance on how to maximize your DIAGNOdent, including the verbal skills and other presentation resources, call your Personal Gems Concierge or GG12 Coach right away! 3. They aren’t allowed to 'diagnose.' In terms of Hygienists diagnosing … they’re not. They’re identifying areas of concern. They’ll talk with the patient about what they’ve found and talk about how the Dentist normally treats a particular set of circumstances. The Dentist, as always, has final say regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan. BUT… it’s critical that the Hygienist routinely makes patients aware of problems, especially in the absence of symptoms … before the Dentist walks into the room. For more on how best to do this, go to InsidersCircle.com SITE MAP GOLDMINE UNDERGROUND TEAM TRAINING TOOLKIT 053 BOBBLE HEADED DOG ACHIEVES MAXIMUM CASE ACCEPTANCE. 4. They don’t know what to say. This is pretty easily solved by sharing training found in Goldmine Underground Team Training Toolkit 033 “The Key to Transforming Your DIAGNOdent into a Valuable Practice Asset.” There’s one other reason that is worth discussing … Hygienists don’t understand how it affects the practice if they don’t use a DIAGNOdent. Remember that terrifying statistic that 76 percent of pit, fissure, and groove caries are missed using traditional examination techniques? Well, it’s been found that the cost to the practice is staggering. The average cost for a one doc/one Hygienist practice not using a DIAGNOdent is $70,000 per year. 1. They don’t think they have time. If it’s a priority for the Dentist, it needs to be equally (if not more) important for the Hygienist. If you have a team member who does not believe that it is “mission critical” that patients receive the best possible care on every visit, you may want to explore finding team members who will. Time limitations are not a reason to provide substandard care. 2. They forget. If it’s part of the accepted routine — and an expectation — it gets done. If something is allowed to become an afterthought or permitted to be relegated to the back burner, it never happens. The only way to ensure 100 percent compliance is to measure it, report on it, reward for it, and make it happen.
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