Explore every episode of the podcast Dental Business RX
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep. 156: The Importance of Controlling Your Overhead | 09 Sep 2024 | 00:39:21 | |
Most Dentists have no idea what their overhead really is. And there are some specific overhead trouble spots that can throw off your overhead quickly if not monitored closely. So, what should your overhead percentage be? And how often should you be monitoring it? That’s what Jeff covers in this week’s episode, so you can take home more profit!
DDS Success (coupon code MGE269) - https://ddssuccess.com/ Overhead Worksheet - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-materials/ | |||
| Ep. 155: Dental Partnerships - The Do’s and Don’ts | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:31:49 | |
Dental partnerships are essentially a business “marriage.” They can be extremely beneficial in the right setting and when properly structured, but they can go very wrong if not handled correctly. So, this week Jeff dives into the subject and tells you how to do it right, and where it can go wrong.
ADA Statistics - https://mgeonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ADA-Statistics-EP-155.pdf Learn more about MGE - https://mgeonline.com/ | |||
| Ep. 146: Adding New Procedures to Your Practice | 01 Jul 2024 | 00:21:47 | |
Expanding your repertoire can be a great thing with the intention to better serve your patients and do more of the type of dentistry you’re passionate about. However, there are also some business considerations (and pitfalls) to keep in mind, especially if you’re counting on these procedures to be an immediate boost to your production or profitability.
The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/abc DDS Success (team training) - https://ddssuccess.com DDS Clinical Training (advanced clinical CE) - https://www.ddsclinical.com | |||
| Ep. 56: 12 Steps to Getting Out-of-Network & Creating a Fee for Service Practice! | 10 Oct 2022 | 00:52:29 | |
We’ve discussed the idea of getting out of insurance plans and creating a fee-for-service practice—but what are the actual steps you need to follow to do it? That’s what we cover today with special guest Sabri Blumberg.
:51 – What is your specific situation and level of insurance participation? 3:44 – Ensuring you have an adequate volume of patients 15:34 – Important steps to do BEFORE dropping a plan 30:16 – Starting to phase out of plans 38:58 – Informing your patients (and retaining a high percentage of them) 46:51 – Changes to make in your practice now that you’re fee-for-service
Free PPO Exit Strategy Session - https://www.mgeonline.com/ppo-exit-strategy The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Contact Sabri – sabrib@mgeonline.com The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/abc | |||
| Ep. 55: Recession-Proofing Your Dental Practice! Part 2 | 03 Oct 2022 | 00:43:09 | |
This week we wrap up our series on “recession-proofing” your practice, so you can not only survive a recession, but actually thrive and continue to see great profitability and growth.
1:05 – Strengthening your hygiene department 10:01 – Getting out of reduced-fee insurance plans 21:40 – Organizational systems and staff training 30:28 – Adjusting your case acceptance process 34:35 – Managing your overhead
Checklist for “Recession-Proofing” Your Practice - https://www.mgeonline.com/recession-proof/ Insurance Plan Analysis - https://www.mgeonline.com/fees-and-plans-analysis/ MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program | |||
| Ep. 54: Recession Proofing Your Dental Practice! Part 1 | 26 Sep 2022 | 00:30:38 | |
We may be heading into a recession (or are already in one, depending on who you ask). So, what can you do to prepare so that your practice isn’t negatively impacted? Special guest Sabri Blumberg comes on to share her “recession proofing checklist” to ensure your practice stays productive and profitable no matter what happens in the wider economy.
3:07 – Creating a practice that can pivot quickly 12:22 – Growing your patient base sustainably 17:07 – Don’t be dependent on this type of production to meet your overhead
Checklist for “Recession Proofing Your Practice” - https://www.mgeonline.com/recession-proof/ The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net/ Forbes article - https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/are-we-in-a-recession/ | |||
| Ep. 53: The Top 6 Profitability Killers in a Dental Practice, Part 2 | 19 Sep 2022 | 00:35:59 | |
This week we wrap up our series on “profitability killers” and the top changes you can make in your practice to have the greatest impact on reducing expenses and improving profitability. This episode focuses on staffing, payroll, labs/supplies, and a few other key tips for management overhead.
1:05 – Are your fees too low? 6:47 – Profitability Killer #4 16:14 – Profitability Killer #5 22:56 – Profitability Killer #6
Downloads for this episode - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-materials/ Coaching Session- https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-and-profitability-coaching-session/ Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com Learn more about DDS Success - https://ddssuccess.com/ | |||
| EP. 52 - The Top 6 Profitability Killers in a Dental Practice, Part 1 | 12 Sep 2022 | 00:35:53 | |
The ability to control the overhead and profit margin in your dental practice has always been important. During times of economic uncertainty, you could say it becomes urgent! The question is where to start! In this week’s (and next week’s) episode, Jeff focuses on the top changes you can make in your practice that can have the greatest impact on reducing expenses and improving profitability.
Topics: 2:23 – The biggest problem: Profitability Killer #1! 11:18 – How addressing this issue affects your overhead percentage. 12:42 – Profitability Killer #2 – and how to prevent it. 17:52 – Profitability Killer #3, how it happens, and what to do about it. 34:00 – How this affects your overall expenses and practice growth. 35:13 – The Overhead and Profitability Coaching Session
Links: Downloads for this episode - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-materials/ ABCs- https://www.mgeonline.com/mge-communication-and-sales-seminars/ Coaching Session- https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-and-profitability-coaching-session/ Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 51: Listener Q&A about Case Acceptance | 05 Sep 2022 | 00:42:43 | |
We have received a ton of great questions from listeners recently, and many are about universal topics that would be helpful for anyone. So in our first “listener Q&A” episode, Jeff answers questions about case acceptance.
1:44 – What to do when the patient says “I want to think about it”? 11:42 – What if the patient only wants to do what the insurance covers? 18:53 – When and how should I bring up the fee? 28:38 – Should I present some now and some later? 36:40 – When should I bring in the Treatment Coordinator? 39:49 – What if the patient needs to talk to their spouse before making a decision?
The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net/ The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/abc MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program | |||
| Ep. 50: Designing the Ideal Schedule for Your Dental Practice, Part 2 | 29 Aug 2022 | 00:36:54 | |
This week we wrap up our series on scheduling with the “how-tos” and important steps for implementing an efficient scheduling system.
2:15 – Double booking done right 15:17 – Maintaining flexibility for emergencies, exams, unexpected occurrences, etc. 22:55 – Building time in for case presentations and consults 30:33 – Implementation steps
Downloads for this episode - https://www.mgeonline.com/scheduling-downloads Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com The Scheduling for Production Seminar - https://www.mgeonline.com/the-scheduling-for-production-seminar Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 49: Designing the Ideal Schedule for Your Dental Practice, Part 1 | 22 Aug 2022 | 00:30:46 | |
Scheduling is important in any business, but in dentistry it is absolutely crucial. The office schedule is the heartbeat of the practice. It is no fun running hectically from room to room all day and working through lunch just to find out you only produced half of your daily production goal. So, in this episode, Jeff begins a series on how to structure and manage your schedule efficiently so you are consistently productive without being stressed or overworked.
:11 – Using a scheduling system that works for your practice 7:41 – Setting production goals 12:29 – Structuring and fine-tuning your schedule
Scheduling for Production Seminar - https://www.mgeonline.com/the-scheduling-for-production-seminar/ Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 48: Building the Perfect Dental Receptionist | 15 Aug 2022 | 00:36:09 | |
Reception is one of the most important positions in a dental practice. They are the first voice patients hear and the first face they see. And the skill of your receptionist has a major impact on the productivity and patient flow of your practice. So in this episode, Jeff describes the perfect receptionist and how you can hire and train them for your office.
:11 - Why the receptionist position is even more important than you realize 7:44 - Organizing the front desk intelligently 13:35 - Finding the right person and training them effectively 22:36 - Using a New Patient Intake Form
The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com New Patient Intake Form - https://www.mgeonline.com/np-intake-form Phone Scripts - https://www.mgeonline.com/the-mge-new-patient-phone-scripts-ebook
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| Ep. 47: Arvind Philomin, DDS – Building a 100% Fee-for-Service Practice | 08 Aug 2022 | 00:23:26 | |
Dr. Arvind Philomin is an MGE Power Program graduate and owns and operates one of the most productive dental practices in the U.S. Dr. Philomin started out almost completely reliant on low-reimbursement insurance plans, and since then has transitioned his practice to being completely fee-for-service—while seeing 3,000% revenue growth! We brought him on to share his experience and advice for dentists that want to get out of the managed care game.
Care to Share Program – https://www.mgeonline.com/care-enough-to-share-program/ The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/abc | |||
| Ep. 145: Do You Suffer from Being Too “Reasonable”? | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:26:20 | |
This week, we discuss an important part of being an effective practice owner or manager and how it will help you make the right decisions for your business.
Free Consultation - https://www.mgeonline.com/free-practice-analysis Learn more about MGE - https://mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 46: Getting Serious About Your Hygiene Department, Part 2 | 01 Aug 2022 | 00:40:25 | |
This week we wrap up our hygiene department series with specific steps you should take to build up the hygiene department and get productive!
:11 – Laying the foundations for a sustainable hygiene dept 8:18 – 9 steps for building a productive and efficient hygiene dept
Hygiene Formula spreadsheet - https://www.mgeonline.com/hygieneformula Reactivation Guidelines - https://www.mgeonline.com/mge-reactivation-program MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program | |||
| Ep. 45: Getting Serious About Your Hygiene Department, Part 1 | 25 Jul 2022 | 00:28:21 | |
The hygiene department is one of the biggest weaknesses for most dental practices. Even if you think you’re hygiene department is doing pretty well, you may be losing patients and underperforming more than you think. So in this week’s episode, Jeff lays out how to determine your actual performance and where you should be if you were truly maximizing hygiene production.
:11 – Evaluating your true hygiene performance 12:18 – What should your expected revenue be? 21:21 – How HMOs and PPOs affect this
Hygiene Formula spreadsheet - https://www.mgeonline.com/hygieneformula Compare fees - https://feelookup.com The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net | |||
| Ep. 44: How Well Do You Understand the Inner Workings of Your Business? | 18 Jul 2022 | 00:14:24 | |
How much do you need to know about the various functions and jobs within your dental practice? If you’re the doctor, does it really matter if you know exactly how to schedule patients, how to answer the phones, how to make financial arrangements with patients, how to estimate insurance, etc? In this episode, Jeff discusses why it is crucially important for you to understand all of your business processes, whether you’ve hired others to do them for you or not.
Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com Free consultation - https://www.mgeonline.com/free-practice-analysis | |||
| Ep. 43: Management Time: The Key to Practice Growth | 11 Jul 2022 | 00:23:36 | |
One of the most difficult parts of owning a dental practice is finding the time to manage it. And if you don’t put focus on management consistently, things just pile up or don’t get done. So, in this episode, Jeff discusses ways to organize your time and practice intelligently so you don’t have to try to squeeze things in between patients or stay late every night to catch up.
MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 42: Case Acceptance: The Financial Discussion | 04 Jul 2022 | 00:46:51 | |
Everyone’s least favorite part of the case acceptance process is when you have to bring up the fee and ask for the money—but it’s important you do it right because it will ultimately determine whether the patient gets the treatment they need. So this week, Jeff brings on special guest Sabri Blumberg to give some great tips on how to approach the financial discussion.
4:36 – When to begin the financial discussion 17:10 – When to do the “hand off” to the Financial or Treatment Coordinator 24:13 – Using third party financing intelligently 37:11 – Prepayment 41:21 – If the patient changes their mind after talking to the doctor
Treatment Coordinator Course - https://ddssuccess.com/p/treatment-coordinator-training-course Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 41: The 4 Elements of a Great Dental Practice Website | 27 Jun 2022 | 00:39:26 | |
Your dental practice’s website is the key to all your marketing efforts, so it’s crucial that your website immediately grabs visitors’ attention and gets them to pick up the phone to schedule an appointment. But how do you do that? What makes a dental website effective or ineffective at converting visitors into new patients? This week, Jeff brings on dental marketing expert Dan Brown to answer that question.
1:47 – What should go on your homepage? 19:00 – Why a “smile gallery” is a must 24:26 – How to make a good “about us” page 28:56 – Making your services appealing 33:11 – Putting it all together to get new patients
The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Sample release form - https://www.mgeonline.com/sample-hipaa-marketing-release-download | |||
| Ep 40: Dental Team Hiring Tips | 20 Jun 2022 | 00:27:12 | |
Hiring is still a major problem for many dentists right now, which we’ve discussed in prior episodes. This week, we’re focusing on solutions. Jeff is joined by special guest Ashley Fuegel to discuss tips for finding, interviewing, and hiring candidates in today’s environment. As the VP of Administration, Ashley has hired hundreds of employees personally and also consulted countless clients, so she has seen it all when it comes to hiring.
:40 – Finding qualified candidates 7:43 – What to look for in the interview process 19:34 – How things have changed since 2019
Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com The MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program | |||
| Ep. 39: Practice Sales & Transitions | 13 Jun 2022 | 00:27:49 | |
Whether you’re looking to sell your practice in the short or long-term future, there are some important factors to keep in mind to ensure it goes smoothly. So in this episode, Jeff discusses what options you have and some key “do’s and don’ts” for selling a dental practice.
1:10 – Should you sell? Or is there another option? 11:37 – Selling to a DSOs vs a private buyer 22:37 – Planning for a sale in the long-term future
Video on Associate Pay Plans - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rcmdiY3dN8 Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 38: Organizing Your Front Office to Maximize Efficiency | 06 Jun 2022 | 00:33:32 | |
Poor organization in your front office doesn’t just create stress—it also costs you a ton of lost revenue! And it’s extremely common in many dental practices. So in this episode, Sabri Blumberg joins Jeff to discuss front office structure and how to become more efficient.
1:58 – The three most common dental offices get it wrong 8:57 – Creating structure and division of duties 23:46 – Using statistics and tracking performance
Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 37: Update on Dental Staffing Issues & Labor Market Trends | 30 May 2022 | 00:35:37 | |
We discussed troubling labor market trends and staffing issues back in episode 2, and figured things would start to normalize over time. Well, it’s nine months later now and it has actually gotten worse! So in this episode, Jeff will try to make sense of it all and discuss solutions to help your practice thrive no matter what’s happening in the labor market.
1:24 – What are the current trends and how have things changed? 7:24 – What can you do to get a leg up? 17:15 – Onboarding and retaining new employees 25:29 – Maintaining a good company culture
Free consultation - https://www.mgeonline.com/free-practice-analysis Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com Unemployment Rates - https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE Job Openings - https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/JTSJOL # of Unemployed per Job Opening - https://www.bls.gov/charts/job-openings-and-labor-turnover/unemp-per-job-opening.htm NFIB Jobs Report - https://www.nfib.com/foundations/research-center/monthly-reports/jobs-report/ ADA Health Policy Institute Data - https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/may2022_hpi_economic_outlook_dentistry_slides.pdf?rev=2fdb49dfd3be4151955fc6d7a78ba7bd&hash=CF484A71D98F7D859B7BAB03DEA5AF59
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| Ep. 144: Are You Offering a Job or a Career? | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:24:47 | |
Having a hard time finding staff who really care and will go above and beyond to help your practice grow? Well, there’s only one way you’re going to attract (and keep) that type of person, which is what Jeff covers in this week’s episode!
MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program DDS Success (team training) - https://ddssuccess.com DDS Clinical Training (advanced clinical CE) - https://www.ddsclinical.com Free Consultation - https://www.mgeonline.com/free-practice-analysis | |||
| Ep. 36: Overlooked Growth Opportunities in Dentistry in the Coming Years | 23 May 2022 | 00:24:44 | |
The way the dental industry is trending over the next few years is creating incredible opportunities for smart private practice dentists. Many of our clients have taken advantage of this to see tremendous growth—often adding five, six, or even ten additional locations with great profitability. In this episode, Jeff will cover these industry trends and how you can take advantage.
1:03 – Eye-opening statistics about practice ownership and supply of dentists 9:51 – Easy opportunities for private dentists to expand 17:25 – Navigating partnerships for additional practices
ADA Survey – https://bit.ly/3ySPtie Inflation calculator –https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://newpatients.net Call us at (800) 640-1140 for a free consultation | |||
| Ep. 35: Four Big Mistakes Dentists Make with Finances | 16 May 2022 | 00:20:05 | |
With inflation and rising costs recently, being sharp with your finances is more crucial than ever. So in this week’s episode, Jeff discusses common financial mistakes dentists make that can be very costly in the long run—as well as some tips on how to tighten up your practice’s overhead.
4:07 – A Profit & Loss Statement is NOT a good representation of your overhead or budget 9:12 – Things you should never outsource 11:21 – Underutilizing the things you’re already paying for 16:02 – Failing to consider long-term impact before making financial decisions
The Keys to Practice Profitability Seminar - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-livestream/ Overhead Sheet - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-materials | |||
| Ep. 34: Making Your Morning Huddle More Productive | 09 May 2022 | 00:23:14 | |
Keeping your team in tight coordination is essential for running an efficient schedule and achieving your production goals. A morning huddle (or “production meeting” as we call it) is the most efficient way to get everyone coordinated at the start of the day, and can be a major boost to production. If this meeting isn’t managed well, though, it can be pointless drawn out affair. So in this episode, Jeff covers the blueprint for an effective morning production meeting.
Morning Production Meeting document - https://www.mgeonline.com/morning-production-meeting-download Learn more about MGE – https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 33: Four Steps for Reducing Office Drama | 02 May 2022 | 00:15:32 | |
We’ve all seen or experienced inter-office drama before. It’s tempting to just ignore it and hope it’ll “work itself out,” but letting it fester can destroy team morale and productivity. So in this episode, Jeff shares his tips for addressing office drama smoothly and quickly so the team can get back to working together productively and caring for patients.
2:26 – 4 steps to resolve and prevent drama between staff 11:47 – What do you do if a patient is creating drama?
Learn more about MGE – https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 32: Five Ways to Improve Customer Service | 25 Apr 2022 | 00:21:53 | |
Dentistry is ultimately a service business, and having great customer service will do more to make your practice stand out than having the most impressive hi-tech equipment or expensive marketing gimmick. So, in this episode, Jeff discusses five ways for your team to improve the quality of service and make your practice a place where patients want to stay and refer their friends and family to.
:12 – Why customer service has become even more important over the last few years 6:47 – Understanding the patients’ needs and wants 10:37 – Having procedures in place 13:26 – Building a service-oriented team 16:24 – Managing with the right focus
Learn more about MGE –https://www.mgeonline.com Forbes Article – | |||
| Ep. 31: Designing a Productive, Efficient Schedule that Works for You! | 18 Apr 2022 | 00:42:33 | |
Outside of dentistry, there are very few business where scheduling plays such an enormous role in the business’s profitability, efficiency, growth, and general stress levels. How you run your schedule can truly mean the difference between success and failure. So in this episode, Jeff brings on special guest Chris Menkhaus to cover some key points of the scheduling methodology we teach here at MGE.
:44 – What type of office do you want to be and how does that affect your scheduling protocol? 9:44 – Having enough time to present treatment 14:37 – Getting new patients in quickly 20:17 – Creating policy on how you schedule production 24:10 – Why you actually WANT some open time in your schedule 36:27 – What to do if you’re running behind
The Art of Scheduling Productively Seminar - https://www.mgeonline.com/scheduling-livestream Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 30: Creating a Bonus Plan for your Dental Practice | 11 Apr 2022 | 00:22:57 | |
A bonus plan is a great way to motivate your team and reward them for their hard work, but if you structure it the wrong way, it can create problems. So in this episode, Jeff discusses some “do’s and don’ts” and example bonus plan systems to make sure both the owner and the staff win with your bonus plan.
:47 – The “do’s and don’ts” of creating bonus plans 9:02 – Example of a workable bonus plan 14:23 – Ensuring the practice owner and the staff both win 20:08 – Adding special one-off bonus game like group trips or extra year-end bonuses
Overhead Sheet - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-materials Sample Bonus Plan Ideas - https://www.mgeonline.com/bonus-plan-ideas | |||
| Ep. 29: What to Do When an Employee is Underperforming | 04 Apr 2022 | 00:25:46 | |
Do you have any team members that you know just aren’t cutting it? Anyone you’re thinking you may need to replace at some point? Well, inaction isn’t helping anything, so in this episode, Jeff discusses what you should do about it, including steps to take to resolve the issue and when it’s time to go ahead and replace them.
1:12 – Current labor market trends that are aggravating these issues 7:48 – Can the issue be resolved? 12:10 – The steps to take when an employee isn’t performing 21:34 – When it’s time to let them go
Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 28: Improving Employee Initiative & Responsibility | 28 Mar 2022 | 00:33:33 | |
You may wish that your team members would care more about the practice, have more initiative, and take on more responsibility—but what can you actually do to improve these things? In this episode, Jeff Blumberg gives nine things you can do to improve employee initiative and responsibility in your dental practice.
1:38 – Communicating with your team members 3:19 – Proper division of labor is essential 6:07 – Using statistics to rate employee performance 10:28 – Should you share “the numbers” with your team? 11:40 – What is your mission statement and is your team really on board with it? 14:43 – Continued learning and training for your team 19:09 – Have you clearly communicated your expectations? 23:20 – It starts in the interview process 26:11 – Things that can create a toxic environment in your office
Download list of statistics to track - https://www.mgeonline.com/dental-office-statistics Team training video courses - https://ddssuccess.com Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 27: One Thing You Can Do Right Now to Increase Case Acceptance | 21 Mar 2022 | 00:18:19 | |
How you design your schedule is one of the biggest factors in determining your success or failure with case acceptance. By simply making a few adjustments to the way you schedule, you could see your case acceptance rate skyrocket—and that’s exactly what Jeff covers in this week’s episode!
The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/mge-communication-and-sales-seminars | |||
| Ep. 143: How to Make Your Marketing More Effective | 10 Jun 2024 | 00:50:18 | |
Have you spent money on marketing that felt like a big waste? There are a lot of reasons why marketing can fail, and this week we bring on Jeff Santone to help you isolate what went wrong and how you can get better results. We’ll discuss the main points we check to review to ensure a dental practice’s marketing and patient acquisition are on point.
24-Point Marketing Analysis - https://mgeonline.com/marketing-analysis Mystery Call - https://www.mgeonline.com/your-mystery-call The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Care-to-Share Program – https://www.mgeonline.com/care-enough-to-share-program/ DDS Clinical Training - https://www.ddsclinical.com | |||
| Ep. 26: Is It Time to Raise Your Fees? | 14 Mar 2022 | 00:16:19 | |
Reviewing your fee schedule each year has always been a good idea, but this year it’s mandatory. With the rising costs of doing business and soaring inflation, you need to raise your fees in order to stay profitable. So, in this episode, Jeff covers the various factors to consider and how to go about raising your fees.
1:59 – When you would typically raise your fees, and why things have changed now 4:08 – How should you go about raising your fees 11:25 – How do you account for PPOs, where you can’t raise your fees?
Free Fees & Plans Analysis – https://www.mgeonline.com/fees-and-plans Wasserman Guide – https://wasserman-medical.com/product-category/dental Learn more about MGE – https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 25: Getting & Staying Profitable in the 2020s | 07 Mar 2022 | 00:42:39 | |
With the rising costs of doing business, it’s going to be more important than ever to keep a sharp eye on profitability in the coming years. So in this week’s episode, Sabri Blumberg joins Jeff to discuss recent trends in the economic landscape of dentistry and ways to improve profitability going forward.
2:00 – Shifting the focus from total collections to the profit margin 12:35 – Assessing your practice’s overhead 22:58 – Taking a fresh look at your fee schedule and insurance participation 29:25 – Getting the most out of the things you’re already paying for 34:22 – Being smarter about how you spend money
Download the Overhead Worksheet - https://www.mgeonline.com/overhead-materials Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 24: Multiple Practices – The Do’s and Don’ts | 28 Feb 2022 | 00:22:54 | |
Adding a second (or third or fourth or fifth) practice can be a fantastic opportunity to expand…or it can be a complete nightmare. So, don’t end up doubling your stress and overhead with no profit to show for it. Follow these tips from Jeff on how to do it the right way.
1:57 – Are you really ready to add another practice? 6:10 – Time and distance matters with your new location 12:27 – Associate or partner? 15:07 – Scratch practice or existing office? 20:33 – Why now is a great time to expand into multiple practices
Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 23: The Top 5 Ways to Market Your Dental Practice | 21 Feb 2022 | 00:47:39 | |
Dentistry is a competitive business and marketing is a must, but where do you start? What types of marketing are actually getting results nowadays? In this episode, MGE’s Marketing Director Adam Mortimer joins Jeff to discuss the top five ways to market your dental practice.
1:31 – Why you don’t want to rely on just one source of new patients 5:56 – How a good word-of-mouth referral campaign drastically reduces your cost-per-new-patient 8:07 – Why online reviews and testimonials are even more important than you thought they are 15:15 – All about Google and your business 27:36 – How to use social media strategically to get results 34:28 – Does direct mail still work?
Download the Call Log - https://www.mgeonline.com/np-call-log The New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 22: When Should You Actually Deactivate a Patient? | 14 Feb 2022 | 00:25:57 | |
So a patient of yours hasn’t been in for a few years and isn’t answering your front desk’s calls—what should you do? Should you “deactivate” or “purge” their chart? And for that matter, what should you do about the thousands of inactive charts you may have sitting in your practice? Most dentists approach this wrong and it costs them a ton of potential production. So in this episode, Jeff discusses the right way to do it!
1:17 – How do you define an “active” patient? 6:55 – The four reasons why you would deactivate a chart 15:04 – How to reactivate all your “inactive” patients that should come back in
Download the MGE Reactivation Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/mge-reactivation-program Train your team to reactivate patients - https://ddssuccess.com The New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/abc | |||
| Ep. 21: Weekly Management Meetings | 07 Feb 2022 | 00:16:29 | |
When you get busy with patients, it’s hard to make time for keeping up with the “business side” of dentistry. So in this episode, Jeff covers how to quickly and effectively handle the important management matters each week and ensure your practice stays on track toward achieving your goals.
1:06 – Why it’s important to hold a weekly meeting with your OM 5:44 – The practice statistics you should review each week 12:13 – Other important points to cover when you meet
Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 20: No New Patients? Why Your Marketing Isn't Working | 31 Jan 2022 | 00:27:56 | |
What do you do if your new patient numbers fall off or if you’re paying for marketing that isn’t getting results? That’s what Jeff discusses in this week’s episode. Why you’re marketing isn’t working and how to fix it!
2:22 – Dealing with cancellations 6:56 – Scheduling new patients 15:30 – Determining what’s wrong with your marketing 24:45 – Keeping your marketing fresh
The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Download the call log - https://www.mgeonline.com/np-call-log Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 19: What an Office Manager Does and Why You Need One. | 24 Jan 2022 | 00:17:24 | |
In the dental industry at large, the term “Office Manager” can have a lot of meanings, ranging from a vague “front office person” to a true executive or Chief Operating Officer. So in this episode, Jeff Blumberg discusses the proper role of an Office Manager in a well-organized office and why every practice, no matter how large or small, needs a competent OM.
:55 – Why you absolutely need an Office Manager 4:23 – 10 qualities you should look for in an Office Manager candidate 7:07 – Where do you find an Office Manager? 10:54 – The Doctor - Office Manager dynamic: What are the Doctor’s responsibilities and what are the OM’s responsibilities?
The MGE Communication & Sales Seminars - https://www.mgeonline.com/abc Learn more about MGE – https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 18: Should You Share the Numbers with Your Team? | 17 Jan 2022 | 00:20:58 | |
Should your staff be aware of your practice’s numbers in terms of collections, production, etc? Or should you keep them in the dark? In this episode, Jeff Blumberg discusses which numbers you should share with your team and which you shouldn’t, as well as how to keep your team motivated and focused on what really matters: patient care.
:36 – What are the benefits of sharing the “numbers” with your whole team? 8:14 – Keeping the focus on patient care and not being money-motivated 15:20 – What numbers shouldn’t you share with your staff?
Bonus Plan Ideas – https://www.mgeonline.com/bonus-plan-ideas/ Learn more about MGE – https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 17: Finding a Hygienist in Today’s Market | 10 Jan 2022 | 00:23:07 | |
It’s been difficult to find good staff lately, and the hygienist position is probably the toughest to fill. This has left a lot of dentists “hygienist-less” recently. Why is this? And what can you do about it? That’s what Jeff discusses in this week’s episode.
:49 – Why the owner doctor doing their own hygiene is a bad solution 2:46 – The stats: why it’s so difficult to find a hygienist currently 8:25 – How should you go about finding a hygienist right now? 17:39 – When could it make more sense to hire an associate doctor than a hygienist?
Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey - https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291292.htm Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 142: Rethinking Hygiene as You Go Out-of-Network | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:42:08 | |
When you exit an insurance plan, the first thing patients notice is the change in their prophy fees. To retain as many patients as possible, you’ll want to make it a smooth transition. So this week, Sabri joins us to discuss doing this intelligently with an eye on overall practice profitability and maximizing patient retention.
Roadmap to a Fee-for-Service Practice Consultation - https://mgeonline.com/roadmap Wasserman Guide - https://wasserman-medical.com/shop/product/national-dental-advisory-service-2024-software-developers-version The MGE Power Program - https://www.mgeonline.com/power-program Free consultation - https://www.mgeonline.com/free-practice-analysis | |||
| Ep. 16: 6 Metrics for Practice Success, Pt 2 | 03 Jan 2022 | 00:28:07 | |
Special guest Jeff Santone is back to wrap up the six key metrics for assessing the health of your dental practice. In this episode, they focus on your measuring performance at acquiring and retaining patients.
0:44 – What is “call conversion rate” and how do you measure it? 16:52 – How many patients are you losing? Measuring your attrition rate
Download the New Patient Call Log - https://www.mgeonline.com/np-call-log Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 15: 6 Metrics for Practice Success, Pt 1 | 27 Dec 2021 | 00:28:55 | |
Special guest Jeff Santone comes on this week to discuss six important metrics for assessing the health of your dental practice and discovering areas where you can improve. In part one, we focus on case acceptance and how much potential production you may be leaving on the table.
0:11 – The 6 metrics you should focus on 2:55 – The best way to measure your case acceptance 6:10 – Value of treatment presented vs treatment produced 9:21 – Where the usual method of measuring case acceptance can be misleading 16:04 – How much potential production are you leaving on the table? 23:07 – What is the doctor’s responsibility and what it the staff’s responsibility when it comes to case acceptance?
Contact Jeff Santone at (800) 640-1140 or JeffS@mgeonline.com Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||
| Ep. 14: How Much Should a General Dentist Produce Per Day? | 20 Dec 2021 | 00:22:37 | |
Curious how you measure up in terms of daily production? Want to know if you have room for improvement? This week we bring on special guest Chris Menkhaus, Senior Consultant at MGE, to discuss how much a general dentist should produce daily and ways to maximize your personal production.
1:27 – How much should a GP produce with bread-and-butter dentistry? 3:30 – What if you’re doing high-dollar specialty procedures like full-mouth restorations? 5:00 – Reasons why you may be underproducing if you’re falling short of those numbers 8:56 – How many chairs should you be working out of? 12:44 – Utilizing your assistants properly 13:49 – How about associate doctors?
Learn more about MGE - https://www.mgeonline.com | |||