... continued f rom page 4
Fumbling for an answer, they respond, “Uh, yeah. It’s great. You’ll love it.” The patient merely nods in response.
into the office. Your business team member is busy helping a patient on the phone and cannot put her on hold. So, what does the Dental Assistant, Hygienist, or anyone else whose regular duties don’t involve appointment setting and check-in do? This is just one (very real) example of a situation your team members can find themselves in, but there isn’t one definitive answer or situation you can train for when it comes to cross-training your employees. Obviously there are some limits, but every position has components your employees can learn about. So, even the business team members can respond to client questions using the same verbal skills and confidence the Hygienists would!
The next time that patient returns for a cleaning, the Hygienist recommends fluoride. But the patient's hesitancy was cemented during their last visit by the business team member’s minimal, off-tune response, and they refuse. The patient leaves without the protection of a fluoride treatment, revenue is lost, and the patient may even feel skeptical of additional care in the future. There is ONE simple way to avoid this erosion of patient trust and revenue: cross-training. Instead of stretching for an answer to a question they weren’t trained for, this team member could have confidently responded with the benefits of fluoride, matching the Hygienist’s voice and instilling confidence in the expertise of the team. Instead, the patient left feeling used and dumb for having fallen for a sales tactic, rather than feeling confident she accepted the appropriate recommendation for optimal oral health (which is how a patient should feel after accepting recommended care!)
MINIMAL CROSS-TRAINING FOR BUSINESS STAFF
• Take a bite-wing or PA radiograph (YES, get them X-ray certified!!!)
• Seat an emergency patient and put out a basic setup.
• Shoot an intraoral photograph of an emergency patient’s broken tooth and put it up on the screen prior to the Doctor entering the room.
OKAY, I’M CONVINCED. BUT HOW DO WE DO IT?
• Be able to place topical anesthetic in the appropriate place for various injections including a maxillary infiltration or a mandibular block.
You don’t want to present this training as yet another task your team must learn. Instead, be honest. Focus on the fact that your team members will be increasing their skill sets. This is especially empowering for them, as it adds value to the work they perform every day.
• Set up a 30-gauge short needle with a carpule of whatever the Doctor routinely uses and/or a 27-long if appropriate.
•
Tear down and disinfect a room.
The best time to cross-train is during your weekly 90-minute meeting. Try role playing various scenarios. In fact, try this one next …
• Sterilize instruments and restock rooms, trays, and setups as needed.
MINIMAL CROSS-TRAINING FOR CLINICAL TEAM MEMBERS
Scene: A patient calls your practice to inquire about Invisalign. Your business team member answers the phone and begins to talk the prospective patient through the process and schedule a consultation. Seconds later, a mom carting her three kids under the age of 6 walks
• Answer the phone and schedule a new patient appointment.
• Guesstimate insurance and thus patient copayment for up to a quadrant of best option dentistry (e.g., up to a $5,000 limited case).
• Work out financing for such a case, execute the financial options, and obtain the instrument of payment.
• Schedule subsequent restorative and/or recall visits.
Before Dr. Orent sold his two practices, he had 35 team members, and 90% of them were cross-trained to at least this extent. Many of them were fully cross-trained … meaning he never knew who would be assisting him, helping with impressions, making temporaries, etc. until the moment a team member sat down to assist. Sometimes it was the clinical team, though other times business team members jumped in (whoever was most available at the moment). Imagine how much more relaxed and productive your practice could be if most of your team members could handle anything you asked them to do. No longer would you suffer the level of stress many practices endure when one or more team members are sick or otherwise absent from work.
If you want more direction on implementing cross-training into your practice or guidance on training techniques, your GG12 Coach can help!
5
InsidersCircle.com | 1-888-880-GEMS (4367)
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog