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Is your dental practice doing this? As a startup, my partner and CEO of OPA, Josh Gwinn, and I have thought a lot about the mission and vision of our organization. What value do we bring to the marketplace? Where do we want to take Optimize Practice Alliance? What is our unique selling proposition?
These are all valid questions. But there is one desire that has driven my ambition for OPA. In a rapidly changing 21st century, I want to see dentists remain as the driving center of dentistry. Why? Because it is dentists who know what is best for dental patients. Private equity investors and the ancillary industries that are quickly growing up around PE do not know what is best for patients. Dentists do. And Josh and I are dedicated to supporting dentists, their teams and their visions for growth.
Behind our mission of keeping dentists at the center of an evolving industry is our philosophy for why we’ve chosen this mission. Our philosophy is a simple, 3-pillared approach that I’m going to break down and share with you here. I want you to know why we do what we do.
What are the three pillars of success for a dental practice?
Pillar 1: Quality of Patient Care in Every Dental Practice Organization
The cornerstone of a successful dental practice is the quality of patient care it offers. This includes but also goes beyond clinical expertise and technical skill. Quality of care encompasses the entire patient journey; from the moment a patient calls your practice to the aftercare and follow-up that patient receives.
- Clinical Excellence: The first and foremost aspect of patient care is clinical excellence. It behooves dentists and their teams to stay updated with the latest advancements in dental technology and treatment modalities to offer the best possible care in a competitive market.
- Effective Communication: Clear and empathetic communication is vital. Patients should feel comfortable discussing their concerns, understanding treatment options, and being part of the decision-making process.
- Preventive Dentistry: Promoting preventive dentistry not only improves oral health but also fosters long-term relationships with patients. Regular check-ups, cleanings, and education on oral hygiene are key components.
- Patient Education: Educated patients are empowered patients. Providing patients with information about their oral health and treatment options helps them make informed decisions.
- Follow-Up and Aftercare: The care doesn’t end after the treatment. Regular follow-up and post-treatment care ensure that patients recover smoothly and maintain their oral health.
The beginning steps we take, at OPA, after on-boarding is bringing our partner practices in alignment with our philosophy, helping practices improve technology, team communication, and the entire patient journey. We support clinicians in delivering the highest quality care and optimizing the teams, systems and processes that deliver that care on a daily basis. We support you while you are supporting the patient.
Pillar 2: Quality of Patient Experience Throughout the Dental Patient Journey
A positive patient experience is the driving force behind patient retention and word-of-mouth referrals. It’s not just about what happens during the dental appointment but the entire journey. The three aspects we like to ensure are retention, referrals and reviews. Those three elements help us track and measure and optimize the patient experience. The other elements we focus on are the following:
- A Friendly and Welcoming Environment: Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the clinic sets the tone for a positive experience. From the receptionist’s smile to the ambiance, every detail matters. And the warmth of our team members goes along way. Many patients have anxiety around the dental experience either due to their own past experiences, stories from others or a general anxiety around healthcare. A warm smile can diminish and sometimes extinguish a patient’s fear and anxiety.
- Minimal Wait Times: Long waiting times can be frustrating for patients. Efficient scheduling and minimizing delays demonstrate respect for their time. This starts with optimizing scheduling operations and as well as improving team communication and cohesion.
- Pain Management: Managing pain and discomfort during procedures is crucial. Using the latest pain management techniques can make a significant difference in the patient’s experience.
- Transparency in Billing: Patients appreciate transparency in billing. Providing clear estimates and discussing payment options can reduce anxiety related to costs. A dental practice can even reduce costs and refine price lists after updating and optimizing systems and processes. OPA is dedicated to cost efficiency for everyone.
- Feedback and Improvement: Actively seeking feedback from patients and using it to make improvements shows a commitment to continuous enhancement of the patient experience. There is no growth without measurement. You can’t know what to improve if you don’t measure. Data is everything. And that data comes from surveys, feedback, and good old-fashioned listening to your patients.
We support teams in welcoming their patients with open arms, decreasing fear and anxiety around dental care and building lasting relationships.
“In God we trust, all others bring data.”
~W. Edwards Deming
Pillar 3: Access to Care for all within Your Community
Ensuring that dental care is accessible to all segments of the population in your community is the third pillar of our philosophy. It involves both physical accessibility and financial affordability. To achieve this, a dental practice needs to be optimized, nimble and efficient.
- Appointment Flexibility: Offering flexible appointment hours, including evenings and weekends, can accommodate patients with non-traditional schedules.
- Telehealth Options: In the digital age, telehealth options can bridge geographical gaps and provide consultations to patients who can’t always visit the clinic physically.
- Affordable Payment Plans: Collaborating with insurance providers and offering affordable payment plans can make dental care more financially accessible.
- Community Outreach: Engaging in community outreach programs, such as free dental camps and educational seminars, can promote oral health and greater access to care.
- Specialized Care: Collaborating with specialists or referral networks ensures that your dental practice has the resources and access to specialized care when needed.
Optimizing a dental practice means that we reach more people. And until we reach more people, we are not achieving our mission. At OPA we are serious about access to care for all. It’s not a sound bite to us, it is part of the philosophy that drives our mission.
Behind these three pillars lies the foundation of harmonious, cohesive teamwork within the dental practice. Team Dynamics play a crucial role in creating a positive work environment where team members respect and support each other, communication is paramount and trust is established and reinforced through transparency and integrity.
Training and Development are key to strong teams. Investing in ongoing training and development for the team ensures that everyone is aligned with the practice’s goals and up-to-date with industry standards and team members cultivate an ownership attitude.
Another essential aspect of cohesion is role clarity. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities eliminate confusion as we as redundancy and ensure that each team member knows their contribution to the practice’s success.
This is achieved through encouraging open communication within the team; and fostering idea-sharing and problem-solving, leads to innovation, collaboration and improvement.
When a dental practice takes a patient-centered approach, the entire team, from front desk staff to hygienists and dentists, is invested in successful patient outcomes, putting the patient’s well-being at the forefront of their endeavors. Our job at OPA is to make this approach easier and more accessible for dental practices by lending our leadership through the restructuring phase and supporting your teams every step of the way.
The success of a dental practice hinges on the three pillars of patient care, patient experience, and access to care, all built upon a solid foundation of harmonious teamwork. When these elements are incorporated and running optimally, the result is not just a thriving practice but also healthier, happier returning patients who are more likely to become advocates for your dental practice.