In 2011 we saw iPads, Androids, and iPhones generate billions of dollars in new sales. On December 24th and 25th alone, more than seven million mobile devices were activated in the United States. Mobile is ramping up faster than any other technology we have seen in the past – eight times faster than desktop and laptop sales in the 1990s. By the end of 2012, it is predicted that 50% of the US population will have smartphones.

If an ortho practice is not vigilant, the number of patients overdue for debonding can quickly get out of control. This creates scheduling bottlenecks, reduces the level of customer service for all patients and parents, and disrupts the practice’s revenue stream.

One of my favorite fairytales growing up was Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” It is a story about a gullible king who is approached by two swindlers posing as tailors. The crooks promise him a magical suit of clothing that is “invisible” to those who are incompetent. Not wanting to look stupid, he and all of his subjects rant and rave about his beautiful new suit as he parades down main street wearing nothing at all. Along the parade route the king is confronted by a small child who states the obvious; "He isn't wearing anything at all!” Sometimes I think we also just follow the crowd when it comes to practice promotion when what we really need is for someone to point out that the emperor is really naked! Today I want to be that someone.

What are Your Core Values?

Employers naturally value employees who are dependable and responsible; those who arrive on time, ready for work, and who take responsibility for their actions and behavior. If dependability and responsibility are core values for you, do you hold your current team members responsible for being on time? Do you hold them responsible for their actions and behavior?

by Lori Garland Parker
The ability to attract and retain talented employees is the most reliable predictor of overall excellence in business.  Observation in orthodontic offices has shown that two weeks isn’t enough to properly find, hire and fully train a new employee in today’s high quality orthodontic office.  When a valued employee gives notice, many orthodontists admit to "hiring by fire," hoping that this new person will magically work out perfectly in a very short period of time. Panic hiring frequently results in a poor choice, causing frustration and chaos within the team. Even if they were lucky enough to hire the right person, many new employees quit due to lack of quality training, not feeling like “one of the team”, or lack of feedback on job performance. How can a practice prepare to hire wisely and integrate a new team member properly and keep them a motivated member of the team?

Understanding and compliance with the CDC guidelines is a challenge for today’s busy practice.  The statement below should remind us all of how important this is and the impact non-compliance can have:

After this year’s Super Bowl, I ran across a recent post by Ron Ashkenas and Holly Newman on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network.  The topic was 3 ways that Super Bowl advertisers try to take advantage of very expensive 30 second spots to grab attention and impress viewers.

As patient referrals decline many practices are reaching beyond the standard professional relations approach to practice growth and promoting directly to the source…potential patients! I have outlined below several community projects that result in active referrals and a healthier practice outlook:

Observation patients represent future production. Now, more than ever, a well-run observation program is one of the best, most productive approaches to growing your practice in this post-recession economy.

The thriving orthodontic practices in today’s environment all share common elements in their practice growth plan: a vision of the desired patient flow (new starts and active patients), determining the target audience, a variety of selected strategies, and implementation of a task list and tracking of referral strategy efforts. In speaking with hundreds of doctors within the last year one point became very clear; the old way of creating growth is no longer working… business as usual no longer creates the desired results!