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HOW TO PROFIT FROM… hygiene: Ten tips for creating a first-rate hygiene department
Dr. Al Ousborne
Here are 10 ideas to help you succeed:
•Attitude. It all begins with you and your team's attitude about the value of your hygiene department. It's mandatory that your other staff members support the hygienist. They must understand and appreciate the importance of everyone's role. If your staff is knowledgeable about periodontal disease and appreciates your hygienist's contributions both to your patients and to office prosperity, they will enthusiastically support your hygienist and her treatment. Educate your staff on periodontal disease. It will pay off! When treating a patient, it's impressive when your treatment room assistant discovers gingival inflammation and asks the patient when they last saw the hygienist. It's even more impressive when she mentions it before you notice the condition. Everyone on the team should be evaluating patients at every visit and checking the date of the patient's last re-care appointment. You will be amazed at how many patients have slipped between the cracks. With full team support, the recare schedule will get busier.
•Be proactive. Recognize periodontal disease and recommend treatment. We know, conservatively, that 70 percent of our patients have periodontal problems. Yet, we dentists tend not to be proactive in its treatment. Begin now to compare your patient's oral health to perfect tissue health. Support the hygienist in its attainment. In short, raise the bar to a higher level. Recommend therapy at the four-to- five mm pocket depth levels. Use clinical adjuncts, such as Atridox, Perio Chip, and Arrestin, as well as prescriptions such as PerioGard, Peridex, and Periostat. Doctors, your patients will take periodontal disease seriously when you do.
•Educate and motivate. Once patients have been informed, they need to be engaged emotionally. Intraoral camera and patient-education systems, such as CAESY, are your silent supporters, and they should be in all hygiene operatories. Every hygiene patient's mouth should be scanned with an intraoral camera. Problem areas should be left up on the screen, in full view, until the doctor arrives. Some doctors insist that a picture be there before they will check the patient. Once you have checked the patient and discussed the condition, the patient education system should automatically be the next step. This allows the patient to see and hear what dentistry can do for them throughout the remainder of the appointment. These adjuncts will create patient curiosity about their dental condition and promote questions on their part. Always remember, patient questions are windows of opportunity to facilitate treatment. Questions indicate an interested patient.
•Use a DIAGNOdent. This is a no-brainer. This remarkable instrument pays for itself in short order. In our practice, despite our skepticism at times, it is batting 1000 in accuracy. Your hygienist can use it quickly in place of the old, dull explorer and note her observations. You then can make your diagnosis upon examining the patient and reviewing the readings. Should there be any question, you can always quickly check again with this amazing tool. You will be shocked when you see teeth with decay that was previously undetectable.
•Balance your services. Patients feel better when their fees are relatively consistent. Patients can routinely receive a perio screening and oral cancer exam at every visit, but consider rotating fluoride, cavity-detecting radiographs, and full periodontal charting at each semi-annual visit. This will remove the recare fees that inhibit many patients from making regular visits. Redistributing these services removes resistance, and definitely can increase the number of recare visits.
•Evaluate every hygiene patient for whitening. Provide a shade guide in every hygiene room and then teach your hygienist how to use it. Ask the hygienist to casually hold the shade guide up and make a judgment on each patient. This can open the door to more questions and treatment possibilities.
Remember, the majority of your patients have never been shown that their teeth are yellow, brown, orange, or gray. Most are thrilled with the possibility of a brighter smile, and many agree to cosmetic treatment.
•The doctor transition. Practice a professional transition into the hygiene room. The hygienist to doctor "handoff" should be smooth, friendly, and, most of all, informative. After the doctor greets the patient, the hygienist should acknowledge the doctor and bring him into the discussion. "Doctor, I'm so glad you could stop in. Mrs. Jones and I have been discussing her condition and we would like you to make a diagnosis. My personal observations and thoughts are and Mrs. Jones feels about her condition. Please examine her and make any recommendations or comments you believe are necessary."
Hygienists clear the path and professionally present doctors with the opportunity to recommend needed or elective treatment. Use this concept to move patients along on their treatment plans, as well as to discover additional needed treatment.
•Appearances are everything. Recognize the importance of the hygiene room's equipment and appearance. Your patients, over time, see this room more than any other clinical room. It should be modern and clean. Doctors, it represents your image. For years, hygienists have been the recipients of hand-me-down equipment while dentists upgrade to new chairs, units, lights, and stools. These are the basic tools that we all need to deliver our services. Your hygienist needs to feel she is a highly-valued team member. Your patients need to feel you are keeping up with your profession. Seeing the same old shabby equipment year after year is not conducive to your hygienist's or your patient's enthusiasm for your practice. Re-evaluate the importance of this most frequented clinical space. Everyone is interested in hi-tech equipment, but your patients and hygienists need new, basic equipment, first and foremost.
•Offer the patients a survey. Create a survey brochure that asks questions such as: Was your visit reasonably on time? Did we answer all of your questions? Were there adequate and appropriate supplies in your patient-care take-home bag? Was everyone courteous? Could you recommend us to a friend? What could we have done to make your visit more pleasant? A survey shows your patients that you care and provides you with the opportunity to obtain feedback on the patient's experience at the recare visit. Periodically distribute them to determine overall how you are perceived. Then, show them to your entire staff and review for improvements — and celebrate when a job is well done. Your hygienist will be proud of the many positive comments.
•Show gratitude. There must be appreciation for the hygiene department's success. Hygiene can be a lonely profession. Most hygienists work alone, except for the patient. Hygienists have little time to feel appreciated or to be part of the team. Doctors, you can help. Show your gratitude for the major contribution your hygienist makes to your success. Sure, bonuses or gifts are always welcome, but there are other ways to express appreciation. Maybe a new cavitron, prophy jet, or Piezo would make their day and increase your profitability as well. An occasional "surprise" day off would be sincerely appreciated. Best of all, a simple pat on the back with a sincere "thank you" is always an effective way to show your gratitude.
Accountants list our staffs as liabilities. In my opinion, your team is the most important asset you possess. Within that team, your hygienist especially plays a major role in determining your practice's success — now, and in the future. Graciously give these licensed professionals the recognition they deserve. It will come back to you many times over.
These 10 tips can help strengthen your hygiene department, but only if you use them. Discuss them with your team. Invest the time in your staff to make the improvements. You've got to dream it, team it, scheme it, but, most important, deem it.
Dental Economics October, 2002 Author(s) : Albert Ousborne