Well, here we are in a situation no one could have predicted. It’s funny how life happens. No one else knows this, but I am under contract to buy a house. They say timing is everything. Not to mention, in the last 60 days, I have coached 3 dental practice expansions and three start-up practices up for success.  As a dental practice clinical efficiency expert, I secure my livelihood by securing the livelihood of dental practice owners across North America. So, when you are forced to shut your doors, what are you going to do? I think now is the time to get caught up - caught up on things that have been put off for too long.

If you’re not freaking out, something is wrong with you. You’re not alone - your staff is equally scared - not about catching a virus, but rather how they are going to pay their bills. I don’t have the answer to that but I do have almost three decades of dental practice clinical experience and I want to give you some practical advice on what you can do during this time of uncertainty.

1. Post on social media, your website and any dental messaging application what you are doing during this time.  Remind your patients and your community that you are here for dental emergencies and define what a dental emergency is. Place the accountability on the patient. If a patient is in pain, the first call is to you. You will likely be able to triage over the phone. Keep hospital emergency rooms clear of dental emergencies. Emergency rooms and hospitals are inundated with medically compromised individuals. Don’t let a dental emergency bottleneck the ER.
2. Now is the best time to keep your patients not only informed, but educated. Start a blog on your website. Share something personal about you. Embrace this time to share something about you other than dentistry. Talk about family. What about your charitable contributions. Did you donate PPE?
3. In case you’ve forgotten, it is spring.  Do some spring cleaning.
4. Create your Standard Operating Procedures. We can develop this later, but for now, think about every process in your practice.  Write down every step in that process. If you can, take a video of it, upload it and make it available to your team.
5. Implement a bins and tubs system in your operatories.  I don’t care if you spent thousands on cabinetry. Get everything out and make it visual and organized. If you can’t see it, you can’t use it.
6. Police the inventory in your practice.This is a great time for you and your clinical teams to go through every drawer and storage area and check for expired materials and pitch them.Pilfer through your inventory sort what you use from what you don’t use.  Consider donating supplies you do not use. Recently, I worked with a practice who had a surplus of toothpaste. Once we got rid of the expired paste, we were able to donate the rest to a local homeless shelter. Word of caution, DO NOT DONATE EXPIRED TOOTHPASTE. It does not reflect well on your practice.
7. Go visual with your inventory, NOW! If you do not have a central location for all your inventory, create one. I don’t care how small the space is, I promise, you will be able to get everything in it. You would not believe how much space a box takes up.  This is a simple, inexpensive principle to implement. Remember, the best inventory management is one you can see. I’m not going to mention how simple the ordering process will become. You know that 8% supply cost?  Let’s get it to 3%. It is possible! Ask me how I know, PLEASE!

If you are in a position to keep your team in the office and earning a paycheck at this time, then I encourage you to take this opportunity to improve your clinical processes in your dental practice.  Involve your team. Lean teaches us to empower our employees. Give them a voice and see what they do with it.

The Task:

1. Start with a staff meeting.  Share with your team your vision and part of that vision is T-E-A-M.  Remind your team that staff meetings are a safe place.

2. Make sure your staff is up to date with OSHA, HIPAA and emergency protocols.

3. Ask your staff to write down 3-5 problem areas in the clinical department.

4. Collect the responses and ask someone to stand at a dry erase board and start writing out these opportunities.

The Challenge:

Don’t let your staff off easy.  The task is to not only come up with problem areas, but also come up with a solution.  In other words, no one can announce a problem without being prepared with a solution. This will take time and research.  Give them a deadline. If you involve your team in creating a better dental practice, it creates more pride and ownership in the work they do.

On April 13th, 1970, Apollo 13 suffered an explosion caused by accidental ignition of damaged wire insulation inside the oxygen tank which resulted in oxygen venting into the atmosphere. Without oxygen, needed to breath and provide power, the crew and all of NASA were faced with unimaginable challenges.  To quote a line from one of my favorite movies:

NASA Department Director: “This could be the worst disaster NASA’s ever experienced”

NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz: “With all do respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.” (https://youtu.be/eOkAyUmyQko)

You have a golden opportunity.  Instead of having an attitude of dread or doom and gloom, embrace the fortuity.

What else?  For the next few weeks, I’m grounded! Reach out to me...I’m happy to give you a head start by sharing The Guide To Maximizing Productivity - the “bible” to give you a leg up in becoming the most efficient, ergonomically sound dental practice.  The call/email is free! (813) 833-4645 or email at abachman@desergo.com