Solstice Provider Blog

My family mechanic can tell me anything about my car   ̶   what it needs or doesn’t need, and I will believe him and follow his advice every time. Why? Because I trust him. If I bring the car in and there’s nothing wrong with it, he will say so. If the problem is serious, he will say so and tell me what it will cost. That way I can figure out if my family can afford it. The key is that he is consistently like that. My trust in our mechanic perfectly illustrates how your office can communicate regarding dental bills. This will help avoid financial drama with patients.

Festive music dominates the airways. Hats and horns ushering in the New Year. The smell of pine trees and great food permeates the air. Bright-colored decorations and twinkling lights brighten the nights. And we just know…it’s that time of the year. It’s the holiday season!

Some experts state that no-show or last-minute cancellation per day can cost dentists up to $30,000 per year. That’s a decent chunk of change, regardless of your office’s yearly revenue. As a healthcare provider and business owner, it’s vital that you assess the causes of this, especially if it occurs often in your office, and come up with a plan to minimize it.

To say that obesity is a serious issue that’s impacting children across this nation is an understatement. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over the past 30 years, the incidence of childhood obesity among kids ages 6 to 11 years old has doubled; it has quadrupled in teens ages 12 to 19. In fact, per the CDC, one in six children and adolescents in the United States are obese.

Does your dental office still use amalgam fillings? There’s a new federal rule governing amalgam disposal that went into effect on July 14, 2017, with an expected compliance date of July 14, 2020. Is your dental office in compliance?   

The famous “word of mouth” business approach has been around for centuries. Whether you were a bread maker, dressmaker, tailor or a dentist, having satisfied customers who told others about your quality products and great service was the best way to get people in the door. As we fast forward to the present, we understand that a shift in the way we do business has taken place. The digital age is in full swing!

Opening your own dental practice is one of the hardest things you’ve ever done. Whether you took over an existing practice or you started from scratch, taking this leap took determination, grit, faith and a tenacity to succeed. And it requires that, because opening and maintaining a successful business is downright hard. Per the SBA Office of Advocacy, only 50 percent of businesses that are opened survive beyond five years. And after 10 years, the survival rate drops to one-third. But chances are, you already knew this before you started, and the fact that you opened your practice anyway is likely proof that you have what it takes to succeed.

"My work is my signature." It’s a phrase dental providers would say in a heartbeat because they understand that the quality and longevity of the work they do for patients reflects them as a professional. Bottom-line, great work is better than any business card. And this applies no matter your specialty. If you are a dental provider who does implants, you want to know the ones you install have a great success rate and your patients get the smiles they desire. Therefore, it’s important to be aware that certain medications can impact the success of these artificial tooth roots. An example is antidepressants. A recent study at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine shows a strong connection between failure of dental implants and taking this type of medication.