What can we offer you, your team and Practice to allow you to provide exceptional customer service?

We customise our work with your Practice and team so that we can get to the issue quickly and we have found over the past 10 years that we have always been able to address the Practice needs.

The following case histories illustrate the range of services we offer.

Case 1 Converting and developing practices

A 35 year old dentist running a mainly NHS practice in Central London wanted to move to the private sector. An initial plan was devised and once agreed this was presented to the team who were very supportive as they already felt that patients were getting an excellent service.

A payment plan for maintenance was introduced and a letter sent to all patients explaining the changes that were to happen at a specified date. The team had training sessions so that they were able to explain the new payment structure.

The dentist had difficulty in charging the recommended £160 per hour so this was reduced to £130 per hour and the price structure was set at this level. Within 3 months the dentist wanted to increase the hourly rate as the patients had happily accepted the change. They were surprised that this had not happened earlier.

Having increased the profit by 70% the dentist decided that he would like to move into a Spa type practice to concentrate on cosmetics. We worked with him searching for premises in Central London with the planning for a dental practice. This took 18 months and the new practice opened and some patients transferred from the old practice that was only half a mile away.

Now 3 years later the dentist is happy doing the dentistry he enjoys in a practice he is proud of and making a profit in the last year was in excess of £150K.

Case 2 Resolving partnership issues and developing practice

Partners in a 4 surgery practice (2 partners, an associate, a VDP and 3 part time hygienists) needed to change the way they worked. This was complicated as the partners were equal owners and they had been married to each other and divorced 10 years previously. The ex husband was to buy out his ex wife but she wanted to stay working at the practice one day per week as the distance from home was longer than she wanted to travel.

Following constructive discussions involving all parties, a solution was agreed covering:

1. The agreed value of the practice
   
   
2. The ex wife worked one day a week (as an associate) with all the patients being seen under Denplan Care. Patients not wishing to join Denplan would be offered care from the husband or associate.
   
   
3. The ex husband would buy out his ex wife partner over 3 years.

Now 6 years later the practice runs smoothly now having 2 associates and full time hygienist cover. The practice needs more space and they are in the process of looking for new premises to expand.

Case 3 Recruitment advice and Team training

For a number of practices we have helped with the recruitment process by using psychometric tests. The process for the dental practice is to get the short listed candidates to complete a form (it takes 8 minutes). This is then sent to us by email or post and we analyse these and indicate which person is most suited for the role. We have fully trained consultants registered with Thomas International. We have helped practices decide which candidate is best for them and we know from our experience that when the practice has gone against the test result, extra training was needed or the individual was let go.

This same test can be used as the basis for a 1 day team training allowing the team to understand what drives each member of the team. These days are led by a qualified consultant and the tests are carried out before the day. Once individuals understand these behaviours the team can use them in communicating with patients.

Case 4 Making the Hygienist profitable

We were called in by a dentist who felt his hygienist who had worked with him for 17 years was not profitable. One of our hygienist trainers went into the practice and had separate meetings with the hygienist, receptionist and dentist. It became clear that each member of the team did not really understand each others role. Following discussion and some training Protocols were introduced so that the dentist “sold” the hygienist well and the receptionist understood that the hygienist treatment was an integral part of the dental care. Previously, the hygienist felt that she was not important. There had been no meetings of the team and the dentist even said to the trainer “ I suppose we should talk to each other”

This team started having monthly meetings and the hygienist appointment book was filled and the whole team were selling more oral hygiene products. Patients were also taking up 3 monthly hygienist treatments.