Action and Consequence

No pun here our parents always said we needed to think before we act.  In dentistry we gather data. The patients chief complaint the system used in all medical fields is SOAP.
Gather Subjective information, this is the patients chief complaint. Next gather Objective information this is the information gathered from looking at the patient clinically it is what the doctor sees. Visually and through what they find through radiographs and sometimes through stone models of the patients dentition. We then Assess all information and formulate a Prognosis based on a determined treatment plan. I have simplified it here but it is a general overview of what takes place in the mind of the clinician.
In life if we break the law there is a consequence. If we overinflate a bike tire there is a consequence of a getting a blowout. If we ask a girl out on a date. She can say yes or no. If we don't maintain our oral health we can get cavities loose teeth etc.
If we choose not to continue to learn and embrace newer technology. We are not offering the best treatment for our patients.
Why am I writing about Action and consequence. I see to often in todays world of people acting without giving consideration of what that action will yield. At a young age I was taught to think before I acted. Yes I tested the limits. I got in trouble. But I learned, I realized, that hey my parents were right. As a father of 2 teenagers I see that this is not an easy lesson to be learned. As teenagers we think in our own world. That our opinion is the only one that matters. That society does not have a clue as to what is going on.  I am seeing to many kids getting in trouble, thinking that they are infallible. Then I see kids who do what is expected go to school get good grades and move on to a successful career.
I ask why the disharmony. Our some of us just pre-programmed to push the envelope act with out thinking. I believe these individuals are the non-conformers. They are the ones looking to make a change. Maybe they are the Bill Gates or the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world.
If we do not push the envelope then all stays the same. Change can be good or bad. It should not hurt another or negatively impact ones future.
Teenagers and young twenty something's push this envelope regularly. They live in the moment. Something we all need to do. At the same time using our brains and asking ourselves what willbe the impact of this action.
If I do not provide the best clinical care. Then there is a consequence to that action. A failed restoration. A infection left untreated, a cancer not diagnosed, tooth loss and the list can go and on.
We all need to think before we act. Whether it is in the Medical field or in living life.
We can not live in the past. We can only learn from it. We need to live in the present and think of how those actions will in fact effect our future and those that we interact with.

Dentistry,Cycling and CBCT(Cone Beam Computerized Tomography)

At the age of 51 I took up cycling. What I didn't know at the time was how addicting this sport was. In 2 years I own a Road bike, Cyclocross bike and a Mountain bike. Not only is it addicting it is expensive. I live in the Midwest we don't have real hills or mountains. Hats off to the real cyclers of the world who compete and live in mountainous regions. So what does Cycling and Dentistry have in common. In order to excel at anything we have to put the time in. Sometimes that means hundreds or thousands of hours of practice or training.
Cycling is a constant ritual of getting on your bike and putting in the time. Going long distances,sprinting and easy days of lighter riding. What I enjoy is how the strength and endurance builds over time. I also enjoy the freedom of buzzing through the woods or empty streets in the early dawn.
The CBCT world I entered 4 years ago. I have never looked back at this decision. It's funny fellow dental lecturers told me I was crazy to make such an investment. Those same lectures are talking about how they now can't practice with out it.
To get good at reading these CBCT and have a working knowledge of the software you need to spend extra time nights and weekends working with it. It pays off in the long run. It definitely changes your career trajectory and sets you apart from other providers. The improvement in diagnostic ability radically changes. Here is an example I had a patient in 6 weeks ago who felt in pain in number 6 took PA no pathology present. Accept for the straight facial 6mm pocket. I had one of my assistants take a small Field Of View CBCT and I found a fracture present. I sent to the oral surgeon who was getting ready to place implants 2-5 area. He and the patient elected to watch. Yesterday I received a call from him that he was about to extract 6 because it had a huge pus pocket an mobility present. The point here is get good at your game. Attend courses on CBCT. Spend time reviewing your scans. Put in the extra miles it pays dividends.

Carpe Diem and NuCalm

If you know me personally or if you were my kid, which your not. You would know that the phrase Carpe Diem is part of me and its integral to my persona. That I don't like getting caught up in drama or BS. I believe in seizing the day, moving forward in life. Many of my generations parents served in WWII. My father was in the Air Force and trained bomber and fighter pilots how to survive compression and decompression in compression chambers. His generation didn't get caught up in the excuses of why something couldn't be done, they just did it. They figured out the how. Luckily for us as Dentists, patients and really the human race in general there is a proprietary clinical system to help us relax and regroup in minutes. A system that I personally use a few times a week. A system that I encourage readers of this blog to research and try. The system is called NuCalm. Go to www.nucalm.com and see for yourselves. What does all this have to do with Carpe Diem? Let's think about it, if we wait on the side lines and don't seize an opportunity to improve our own health which will enhance improve all levels of daily performance. Then we are not improving our condition. If we don't help our patients relax in the dental setting and reduce there anxiety, every time they come in their experience will be high anxiety. But if we begin to reduce anxiety and stress. Their experience becomes more enjoyable and relaxing. The dentist can perform on a higher level on a patient that is more relaxed. Engage now and seize the day! The good news is the how has been figured out for you. Now just do it!
Have an awesome day!
LK

Customer Service Builds The Brand

Having spent most of my life in the service industry the one key ingredient is providing top level customer service. How do we do it? How do we teach others to deliver it? Why do some big corporations provide it better than others?
The first question is the how. It is on going messaging which is internal and starts with how the management treats its employees. If we do not treat our team members well how can we expect them to treat our customers/patients well. No matter the size of the business or industry if we can not treat fellow team members, customers and patients well. We loose business. I would encourage anybody reading this to purchase the book "Fish" By Stephen C. Lundin, Ph.D., Harry Paul and John Christensen. It is a quick read. That should be read over and over and shared amongst all team members.
Customer service in big corporations. I look at the fashion retailer Nordstrom's and by far they are always at the top of their game in treating their team and customers extremely well.
Then I look at some of the companies that I deal with being a business owner. Some of these companies have great feet on the street. The sales people would do anything for their clientele. I have a friend who has held onto the top sales person slot for years with a dental supplier. They hold onto it because they always take care of the customer. I will not deal with anybody else in that company.
If she left the company then I would take my business elsewhere.
Recently a newer piece of technology has broken down in our practice. Only three and a half years old. For 2 weeks now we have been trying to get resolution on this issue. My IT company seems to be the only one who cares as much as we do about getting this resolved. The manufacturer wants us to spend more money on a new machine the dental supplier wants us to spend more money. Both of these companies did the original install. The sales person from the manufacturer barely returns calls or answers emails. The dental supplier we never hear from. This dental supplier is a major driving force in the industry. Here is the other part of the equation. I am getting ready to make major purchases in the next year. Obviously my business will not be directed to companies like these. Their branding and customer service is going down the toilet.
Until next time.
LK

Virtual employees

When I started practicing 20 years ago, it was easy to get applicants for the jobs we posted no matter the position we had tons of applications coming in. As I speak to colleagues in my demographic and surrounding areas, I have heard the same response or complaint in the difficulty in obtaining applicants and once found I here off appointments scheduled and the applicant does not show. 6 months I began looking into out sourcing my insurance processing to an outside company. That is when I found Dental Support Specialties. We love them. It costs less than we were paying a team member. This person has a dedicated team behind her. We all work in tandem at its been exceptional. Our insurance these days is running pretty smooth. It's not perfect but they show up every day for work  The resource I used to locate them was Dental Town. In my opinion if you are not a part of Dental Town you are loosing out on one of the best resources for being a small business owner/practicing dentist. There is no better tool out there. Where we can interact and learn from our colleagues. Give it a try. Have a safe holiday weekend.

Cut one measure twice

My dad taught me at the ripe age of 8 the skills of cutting wood. Always verify twice the measurement and cut it once. We have all heard this age old saying. This morning I was to place an implant surgically guided case of course. This was for a major dental supplier who wanted me to try their new company out and maybe place their implants. I liked the system and said I would do a few cases and give my feed back, incorporate into dental lectures. I was looking forward to this.
As we all do before any case large or small I review my protocols check my instruments etc. The manufacturer had sent the right tissue punch, drills, but the wrong size implant. The reps reply when I called him. "that not cool". I said "its more than not cool. We have just inconvenienced my patient who took a day off from her work to be here. My time has been wasted and now I am loosing money." He asked,"what my time is worth?" I gave him the figure. I told him don't you understand this is marketing, image, reputation etc. etc. Who is really at fault? In my opinion are the people who placed the order with the dental supplier. The outside rep told me he gave the order to the inside rep. Here is my question. Why is the outside rep having the inside rep place his order. Seems ridiculous and double the work. I guess these corporate giants don't care about payroll expense.
The inside rep should of closely reviewed their order and checked it twice.