Three Tips for the New Practitioner
A good friend of mine, Timothy Brown, CEO of the ROI Corporation (Toronto, Canada) recently asked me what three tips I’d share with someone just starting a practice, someone who’s growing a practice, and someone with a practice in peak productivity. Beginning this month is the first of my three answers. 1. Calculate your “break-even” point. If you don’t know how much must be produced and collected each day, there is no way to plan for sound cash-flow management or profitability. Examining each end-of-day report...
read moreInterrupted Hygiene
In his best-selling book, Becoming Remarkable, author and CEO Fred Joyal cites research by his company, Futuredontics, that seating patients on-time has an enormous impact on whether a patient returns to the practice. Why is it, then, that so few practices take the steps necessary to be on-time? I’ve previously shared the simple scheduling formula to facilitate on-time practice performance (time common procedures, use practice management software with ten-minute time units, allow an extra unit of time for difficult patients, and always...
read moreIn Honor Of. . .
My wife’s father was missing in action the day she was born. Lt. Col. Ray Davis and his Marines were busy rescuing Fox company from certain annihilation during the legendary battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean conflict. Happily, her dad not only rescued Fox company, survived, and came home, but was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman for his fearless leadership and heroic service. My father-in-law remained extremely active following his retirement from the Corps as a four-star general and Assistant Commandant....
read moreTrying Your Best
Recently I ran across an old decoupaged plaque I made in my youth. It was a meaningful commentary I’d torn from a magazine, glued to a painted board and sealed with a clear coat. Oddly, I’d never hung it up, but kept it all these years. In short, it was a father wishing his son well as he competed in his first sporting event. He said, “I hope you win, not for me, but for you, because winning is fun. But winning isn’t everything. Playing your best is everything.” Interestingly, as he continues his commentary to his son, he seamlessly moves...
read moreOn Building Wealth. . .
Some years ago, while presenting “Stuff Worth Knowin’ About Money, Practice, and Life” at a national meeting, I observed eight young ladies in matching uniforms walk out shortly after my introduction. I thought perhaps they discovered that they were in the wrong room, but they returned ten minutes before the end of my program toting bags filled with stuffed animals, tooth brushes, and other goodies from the exhibit hall. I remember thinking at the time, that, if they had just waited ten minutes, they’d have learned how to become financially...
read moreUnderstanding Capacity
A favorite story I tell young dentists is how – early in my career – I couldn’t find restorative time for two new patients in desperate need of attention because I was too busy being a hygienist. Yep! I was booked out for weeks! Clearly, I had no understanding of the issue of capacity. Simply stated, we are limited in our ability to provide services for additional patients by the number of operatories, staff members, or equipment on hand. Sometimes the issue is easily resolved, but often the solution requires a combination of...
read moreOvercoming Chaos
I’m always secretly amused when young practitioners view me as some incredibly successful businessman. It’s true that I built a million-dollar practice in a small town from a “cold” start without the aid of computers, websites, advertising, or social media, but it wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t always fun. In truth, my first office was a lot like the “Crisis Clinic” drawn by famed cartoonist, Gary Larson. Although previous part-time work through high school and college provided me with extensive experience in customer service, it became...
read moreGetting “Educated”
I grew up in central Florida in the fifties. Martin Marietta had just opened a major facility employing thousands, and new homes were under construction virtually everywhere. As a boy, it seemed there was always a sand pile to be played in. I remember building a fort with a buddy in a vacant lot near our home. It grew late, and my dad yelled for me to come inside and do my homework. I can’t remember my exact response, but I do recall spending two hours standing in the corner before bedtime. It seems that I told my father I didn’t...
read moreWhere Have All the Bag Boys Gone?
I’ll be the first to admit that it was far easier bagging groceries in strong paper bags that held their shape than it is to do so using today’s pleomorphic plastic, but the principles remain the same: double bag for heavy items, cans on the bottom with light items on top, pack cold things together, meat and bread always separately, and eggs get special attention. So why is it that no one working in my grocery store knows that? And when did cashiers forget how to make change? Not long ago, my grocery bill was $16.25. I gave the young lady...
read moreThe Little Things. . .
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that bring us joy; holding hands with a loved one (without even crossing the street), pausing to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us every day, or watching the colorful display as the sun slips behind the horizon. In the great game of life, however, we often miss these simple joys. Truth be told, we’re just too busy. As the days of December disappear before our very eyes, we’re busier than ever! End-of-year administrative responsibilities pile up for the practice owner while...
read more