Think Like a Mechanic: It's Time to Change the Oil

A real-world look at the practice of dentistry from Dr. Clary's perspective...

If your practice is anything like mine, since the economic downturn you are seeing more people neglecting their dental health. They are postponing appointments, or sometimes just skipping them altogether and ditching even the most BASIC dental care.

As you know, this is a dangerous approach, not only from an oral health standpoint, but from a systemic health standpoint. Gum disease has been linked to a variety of physical illnesses including heart disease, low birth-weight babies, progression of Alzheimer's disease and increasing the difficultly of blood-sugar control in diabetics. Throw on top of that the fact that the incidence of oral cancer - which is only curable when caught early, most often during preventive exams - is on the increase and you have the perfect storm.

ALL of these conditions, from tooth decay to oral cancer, are much less expensive to treat when identified in the early stages. There are techniques for treating these conditions, when caught early, that don't even require anesthetic. But when neglected to save a buck, patients are setting themselves up for treatments like root canal therapy and tooth loss that can run into the thousands of dollars.

Our patients seem to be ignoring simple economics when it comes to dental health. The top argument for missing or putting off treatment is the expense. This is interesting, because we all know how reasonably priced preventive dentistry is. It is the root canal and the implants and the cancer that really rack up the big bills. Routine preventive care and addressing dental problems early SAVES thousands of dollars in the long run.

But as dentists we aren't doing enough to get this point across. So, for just a second, let's think like we're mechanics. Instead of working in the mouth, we're working under the hood. What advice would we be adamant in giving our customers?

Routine maintenance helps prevent the cost of more expensive repairs like engine failure or transmission failure. Spending $30 on an oil change every few thousand miles can help you prevent an engine failure that's going to sting the pocket book for thousands. And that message is so hard wired among car owners that there are quick lube shops everywhere. Many folks out there just don't want to risk engine failure.

But when it comes to their mouth, to their PERSONAL HEALTH, they are willing to cut corners.

It's time for us as dentists to be more aggressive in laying out the scenario for neglected preventive care. It's NOT okay to hope everything's alright and put off that routine screen another six months. And if a patient is experiencing trouble they need to be clear that putting off treatment isn't going to get LESS expensive the longer they wait.

As dentists we have bent over backwards in a quest to ensure the patient is catered to. We have implemented flexible payment terms, we have created detailed treatment plans, and we have allowed them to direct their care. And all of that is good. But we need to be sure they are directing and not neglecting.

We need to send the message that it's time to change the oil. If it's good for the mechanic, it should be good enough for us.

Welcome to a Different Way of Doing Things

You know the old saying: "If you always do what you've always done, you're always going to get what you've always gotten." When it comes to managing a dental practice, that's going to be just fine for a few. For the rest it means spending a considerable amount of time hoping new patients will find you in the yellow pages, or on the internet, or drive by your office, or hear your name come up in casual conversation.

If you are going to drive referrals, you need some help. While you may provide your patients with an experience that it is hard for other providers to duplicate, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you can't get a patient in the chair.

I know what you're thinking. "Here comes the pitch..." You know, the pitch from the practice management company or marketing firm pushing a high-priced contract for services that will firmly establish you in the market and make your practice burst at the seams. The pitch that is heavy on "lifetime value of a patient" and "referral-based marketing".

If you always do what you've always done... You could be spending too much.

SmashMouth is brand new and we take a different approach than anyone out there. Because dentistry is an entirely local business - you can't do a root canal by teleconference - the opportunity exists for us to design top notch marketing materials that can be used in an infinite number of markets. We can take a single design, modify the copy a bit with YOUR information and give you a look that is unique in your market. Which is really all that matters. If you're in Sheboygan, what does it matter if your brochures, direct mail pieces and newspaper ads look just like the practice in Seattle.

It doesn't matter. And it allows you to access materials at a FRACTION of the cost of doing it custom.

And here's the kicker. We're not just a fly-by-night, kid-in-the-basement-with-a-computer operation. Our team is comprised of a practicing dentist with years of experience in the day-to-day operation of a practice, and an award winning designer who has successfully launched a series of small businesses. We don't hire out our talent. We don't have to train our team to be what you need them to be. It's in us.

And we want to put that to good use for YOU.

This is just the beginning. Keep an eye on the blog for more information on our launch ... and in the meantime, if you need some work done now, give Andrew a call at 515.291.9497.