A Quick Tip to Increase Your Profit

This episode is all about the (sometimes surprising) benefits of comprehensive financing! Kristy breaks down why putting together a FULL plan for health will help patients and your practice in the long run.

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Transcript:

The Dental A Team (00:00)

Hello, Dental A Team listeners. Thank you so much for being here. I want you to know that the Dental A Team, we truly, truly love what we do. And I wanna start this out by just thanking all of you for allowing us to be here. I know we're with you in your car or while you're getting ready in the morning or while you're falling asleep at night, I don't know, maybe in your team meeting, but we're here with you somewhere or I wouldn't be able to say this and we value and appreciate that, the consulting team specifically.

 

We love what we do, we love helping clients, we love helping people, we love helping practices and practice owners build a business that works for them and not them always working for the business. So I'm just super excited to be here today. I wanted to just shout out you guys, massive thank you for the support that you give us, that you continue to bring to us and just know we're here. Dental A Team is here for all of your needs and just reach out, [e-mail] anytime you need us. And I have with me today,

 

Kristy, Miss Kristy, I adore you. Thank you so much for being here. I said on a different podcast we recorded that we have a slew of time together today and I'm just, I love it. It is the best way to end a call week. So thank you, Kristy, for being here with me today. How are you? And I'm excited because I think you're really excited about this topic. So how are you doing, Kristy?

 

The Dental A Team (01:17)

Yeah,

 

I'm doing well. I'm grateful to have time with you. We don't always get time during the week, so I'm getting some extra Tiff time and it feels good to end the week this way.

 

The Dental A Team (01:30)

I agree. I agree. I committed recently, just so everyone knows, to being more intentional about my one-on-one time with the consultants. it really made me not just podcasting, but like actual one-on-one time. But it made me think yesterday while I was going through the schedule, kind of figuring it out, it made me think of doctors too and practices. And this is not in alignment with our, get to it, we'll get to profit in a second, but it is kind of in alignment with profit because

 

We tend to forget, we just get in the machine of doing and in the machine of business and we forget that there's people and that you're not the only one who's busy or stressed or what have you and that the team is counting on you, the team needs you. So my leads and my doctors, it's just like a friendly nudge, a friendly reminder that if you're feeling stressed, you probably need to open up some time in your schedule to insert some team time. And while we push our clients to do one-on-ones, I do one-on-ones every month.

 

with our consultants, but sometimes you just need one-on-one time that's not a one-on-one. You know what I mean? You just need connection. And that's what I call it, is I call it our connection time. So we have our one-on-ones, and then we have our connection time. And I think in office, it's a little bit easier, because you guys are side-by-side and you're talking, but still, to just have that 10, 15 minutes, it's like, hey girl, tell me how your life is. What's new? What's going on? And really connect with people.

 

It's my strong nudge to remind you guys to give the kudos, give the connection, and make time for the people who are there doing this with you. So, Kristy, thank you. Thank you for bringing that up. And I am thoroughly enjoying this because I've had so much Kristy time and I get time tomorrow morning. So I am really enjoying this week and it really lights my life up. So thank you. Now.

 

The Dental A Team (03:17)

You're welcome.

 

I was going to tell you, I love that you say that and I truly do believe this does tie to profits. And I know in practice we're super, super busy. I like to call it, go break bread with your people. Like be intentional with the time, even if you have to combine it, go break bread, take them out, get the work done on reviewing what you need to review, but then connect as people. And I do think that that reaps rewards in your profits because

 

The Dental A Team (03:24)

I agree.

 

The Dental A Team (03:47)

The teams that do this are more connected and they jive together. So I do think it ties together.

 

The Dental A Team (03:53)

I agree, thank you, I agree.

 

Now tell me, Kristy, we've got quick tips to increase profit, and honestly, this is a quick tip to increase profit. We'll get you a couple more, but Kristy, tell me, because I agree, I think the connection does, but what about the connection do you think it is that does help the profit? It does help people really be on the same page and same team? What is that doing for the bottom line from a numbers standpoint? Because we can see it from an emotional standpoint and the relationship, but from a numbers standpoint, what do you see?

 

in those practices that do go break bread together.

 

The Dental A Team (04:26)

Yeah, I love that you say that because it's connecting as humans and also like letting us see each other in different ways. It again, we talk about this so much. We look through loops, the providers do looking for problems. So really good at being nitpicky and finding problems. And you know, maybe you have the teammate that was late three times this week. And when you actually sit down and find out

 

my gosh, their grandma's going through cancer and you didn't know. It just sheds things in a different light and it lets us serve each other versus when we're in that critical mindset, we pull apart. So it really does connect us together. And when we're connected together, even the person that's going through the trauma or turmoil, they feel safe in the environment and protected and lifted up by their team. So they can leave it at the door.

 

I know we talk about that all the time and as humans, it's almost a false thing to say, because when you're in turmoil, it just doesn't stop. But when you know people understand, it can be your freeing space for just a few minutes or a few hours while you're at work. So it creates a different understanding and it allows you to connect as a team.

 

The Dental A Team (05:42)

Yeah, and thank you. I agree. And that in itself, I think allows you all to be on the same ⁓ wavelength, like the same page we're connected where we're able, well, we're able to ask better questions and we're more comfortable, we're more vulnerable, and we're able to say when we need help. And I think that's massive because when we can be vulnerable with each other and say, hey, I'm not, I don't know what this means. I don't know how to credential a doctor.

 

tell me what do you suggest? Where can I learn it? Or we're just able to speak to problems that we're having or areas we need help in. Makes it easier to ensure that we are hitting those goals, because otherwise we're kind of faking it till we make it, thinking I'm the only one with an issue and I'm the only one who's stressed out and I'm the only one sitting in this space. But when you do have that alignment and connection, it's much easier for a team to be vulnerable with each other.

 

And then we actually can push KPIs and we can push goals and we can create profit because we're in alignment.

 

The Dental A Team (06:46)

Yeah, you know what's funny? I went through a HR course one time and I remember them saying the biggest thing that's going to determine a new employee staying is how well they feel received. And I like to say truly, like, that goes for all your team members. And sometimes when we get in the rut of our day to day and we see the same faces every day, we forget to take care of each other. And so taking

 

Like I said, it doesn't have to be fancy, but get out of your space and reconnect as a human. It's gonna reap rewards on how they serve your patients too. They're gonna show up differently for each other and patients.

 

The Dental A Team (07:23)

Yeah. Yeah.

 

⁓ that's a massive one. Yeah, you're right. You're right. I love it. Thank you, Kristy That was that was fun. I know that wasn't ⁓ what you had in mind yet, but I it. I liked it. So everyone, there's one quick tip. ⁓ I think it's quick. think it's it's easy, but it's intentional. So you have to be very intentional about your schedule and how you're going to accomplish it. So set your goal. Do the thing. Now, Kristy, I am really intrigued and excited to hear your

 

Quick tip on, what do we call it? Increasing profit is what we're calling this one. So your quick tip on increasing profit. What is your, what is it? I'm so excited. You guys, she just like lit up when I told her. She's like, I've got an idea. And I'm just as shocked as you all are to hear it here. We're all hearing it the first time together. Let's go, let's hear it.

 

The Dental A Team (08:15)

You think I'm going to say AR and I'm not.

 

The Dental A Team (08:18)

I did!

 

The Dental A Team (08:21)

Actually, it is part of it and we'll get to it. But the one that I'm thinking about right now is get to comprehensive financing. Everybody wants to just phase out phase one and you guys are tripping over dollars to make two. Like find a solution that gets people healthy. Then you can always back up to phase one if we can't find a solution. But so many times we dive into just the first phase.

 

The Dental A Team (08:29)

Mm.

 

The Dental A Team (08:48)

and we tap people out and then it's not till next year. So just try something different and get permission to share all you see clinically so your TC's can present comprehensive finances.

 

The Dental A Team (09:05)

my gosh, you did. You came in swinging with that one. Okay, thank you. That is brilliant and I love that. And it is a quick tip. Now explain, define, make definitions here. So what would comprehensive financing by that, what do you mean?

 

The Dental A Team (09:19)

What I mean is out of everything the doctor talked about, the total cost to get you healthy is, right? Presenting and finding a solution so they have a plan to get healthy. We're always gonna let the patient be in the driver's seat so we can do it in their timeframe or however their budget allows. But for the most part, give them a plan to be healthy, especially if that's what their goal is versus I don't wanna shock them. Literally the other day I had

 

a doc on and I was like, okay, so what you're telling me is if I come into you as a new patient and you're my doctor and you think I have cancer, you're not going to tell me that you're going to like just plant a little seed and then you're going to it come back and you're going to spring it on me. get permission. Well, number one, get in relationship with your patient and find out what their goals are and then get permission to share. And then also tell them we're going to

 

The Dental A Team (10:01)

haha

 

The Dental A Team (10:15)

we're gonna do this, they get to decide how fast or how slow we go. And so with that, then it can guide you because so many times I was telling, I remember back when I very first started, there was a doctor and he'd treatment plan crowns in all quadrants. And of course it was an elderly lady that had a budget, lived on a fixed budget. And I thought I was doing great, because I was just gonna get the first tooth done that was broken and obvious.

 

And one month later she called and was like, all I was doing was eating bread and that tooth broke. And I was like, so truly had I presented a solution that fit in her budget and she could get them all done at the same time, it would have been better for her and the practice. So I'm just challenging you to start with everything and then you can always go backward and you will capture more.

 

The Dental A Team (10:48)

no.

 

The Dental A Team (11:12)

doing that.

 

The Dental A Team (11:14)

I love that idea. how does, thank you for the definition, how does that improve the profit point for them?

 

The Dental A Team (11:22)

Yeah, you're doing more treatment on one person. It doesn't take as many patients and ⁓ I can schedule it all right now. And in fact, know, the same doctor that I was talking about, and I say this when I'm coaching my clients, I wish I was a brilliant person that thought about it, and I didn't even think about it at the time. It was years later when I learned better, but that doctor used to do wisdom teeth and practice.

 

And so I'd sit there and we'd diagnose people with fillings all over their mouth and he'd say, ⁓ you don't want to be numb on both sides. It's so uncomfortable. We'll do this side, then that side. And the next patient would come and they'd need wisdom teeth and he'd go, ⁓ you want them to do them all at the same time. You don't want to go through that again. Just we'll up everything. And I'm like, wait a minute. It was good for this person, but not that. How about we just let them decide? Do you want to do more, right? Versus, or do you want to do less and come more often?

 

The Dental A Team (12:13)

Yeah.

 

The Dental A Team (12:19)

So again, it doesn't take as many people and it slows down your day if we're doing getting people healthy.

 

The Dental A Team (12:19)

Yeah.

 

Yeah, I love that because it's building better blocks in your schedule. It's utilizing your time. Your dollar per hour is going to increase and you're not as busy. You're not running around from patient to patient and room to room quite as much because you've got bigger cases that you're working on at a time. Yeah.

 

The Dental A Team (12:49)

You got it. And naturally,

 

your overhead goes down. I used one instead of five bibs. I used one saliva ejector instead, you know.

 

The Dental A Team (12:53)

Yeah.

 

Mm

 

hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And time in the chair, marketing dollars spent. Yeah. And you're targeting a different demographic of patient avatar, because you're targeting a patient avatar that wants to get healthy and can figure out the finances with you rather than just new patients who might need things diagnosed. I love that. Well, you you shocked me. You did it. I love that. So

 

The Dental A Team (13:03)

Yeah.

 

You got it.

 

Yeah.

 

The Dental A Team (13:26)

And I think actually those really tie in together now that I was going to repeat them and really in order to comprehensively diagnose and finance, right, to get the dollars for that, the team has to be in alignment. Like those things just don't, they don't happen for teams that aren't on board with your dental philosophies. And in order to be on board with your dental philosophies, you got to be connected as humans.

 

or they do start, I'm hands down telling you the truth from experience. If you lose the connection, they start to doubt you and what they're doing and what you're doing. They start really looking with a fine tooth comb at the things and it's just not worth it. So the connection piece, I do believe, like you said, it helps the profit points in multiple ways. And I think that's how to spearhead the comprehensive diagnosis and financing.

 

The Dental A Team (14:00)

you

 

The Dental A Team (14:23)

Also because then I can see a hygiene department who's on board with getting people healthy, co-diagnosing more comprehensively and pushing doctors to remember to diagnose comprehensively, which also will help on all areas, obviously.

 

The Dental A Team (14:38)

Absolutely. I love that you say that. And I always use the saying Tiff, ⁓ happy team creates happy patients. You know, it happens by default. If you have a happy team, they serve the patients well and the money follows.

 

The Dental A Team (14:53)

Yeah.

 

Yeah, absolutely. I totally agree with you. think everything that we do in life, if we can come at it with the right mindset and the right energy, we're pouring out the right, if we're pouring out the energy we want to receive, we can only see that energy. And so we only receive that energy. And even when people come across with a different energy, we're like, ⁓ dang, but it doesn't hit, it doesn't penetrate. It doesn't shake our whole days. And I remember so many times having team members that are like,

 

this Tiff, this patient said this, this and this that ruined my whole day. And I'm like, well, why the, why are you giving them that power? Like, what do you mean? It's 11 a.m. Like we got, we got six more hours together, lady. Like, what are we doing here? So when you have that connection and I have had, know, when I was in office, I was office manager, I did all the things wrong and I did some things right. And I learned and I, and I failed and I stumbled and I got back up and

 

I know one of the hardest pieces of culture was towing that line of being the supportive, you can come vent, friend, manager, and being the accountability space of like, we're gonna find solutions and just building the culture and the energy. it's not easy, it's hard and it takes work and it really takes, think everyone, you said it earlier, just really being in alignment.

 

with where we're headed and being connected on a relationship level that isn't just, it's personal and we've got this tangible relationship in between us, but it's also here because of those goals, because of what we're after, because of what we're doing, if that makes sense, rather than it just being the friendship. Yeah.

 

The Dental A Team (16:45)

Yes, 100 %

 

I agree with you.

 

The Dental A Team (16:49)

⁓ I love that. So comprehensive diagnosis in general, I think helps profit points and then allowing your team the space and the ways to finance. What have you seen, Kristy, in your ⁓ experience, the best ways to do that? you said, within a budget, what are they doing? How are they doing this?

 

The Dental A Team (17:12)

Yeah, well, again, I think it's getting in relationship with the patient and finding out what they really want, what's bringing them in. I mean, we talk about you got to, I say patients buy what they want, not necessarily what they need, right? And in dentistry, again, I'm there with you, we do things backward. We all want to say they're buying implants. No, no, no, they're buying what the implant gives them. They're not buying implants, but we want to

 

focus on, look at this, you know? And so we have to get to their level and figure out what is it gonna give them and tie everything back to that. And when you achieve that and you can show them how to get what they want, you're gonna win, you're gonna win. And then it's just about making it fit in their budget. So.

 

The Dental A Team (17:43)

Yeah.

 

Yeah, to the patient drivers. Yeah. Yeah,

 

I remember I had ⁓ one of the first all on four cases that my doctor I worked for ever did. He, it was in the TC room and I remember hearing the treatment coordinator being like, what about that? Like, what do you miss eating? And the guy was like, I want a steak. I haven't had a steak in so long.

 

because he just had regular dentures. He's like, I want to chew a steak. And I remember, he wasn't buying an all-in-four denture. He was buying the steak. He was buying the lifestyle that he wanted to live. And I remember him coming back later and being like, I ate so much steak. He was just so happy. And the issues or the... ⁓

 

Like the rubbing, know, there's just so many, there's so many tweaks all in fours. They come with so many headaches, that's okay. He was like, I'm fine with it. I can still, I can eat my steak. Like let's fix it, let's keep going. But you're right. And anything we do in life in general, Brody used to say to me, we go to the store. He still does this, he's 17. But he's like, is it a want or a need? Mom, is it a want or a need? Yeah, my little four year old in the cart. I'm like, bro, we're here for me. So you don't need to ask me those questions.

 

But is it a want or a need? And I'd be like, well, it's a want that serves a need. And so we're buying, I'm buying it, right? But those are the spaces that we think people are buying for need, right? And that it's like, I'm buying an implant because I'm missing a tooth, but we're buying an implant because I want to be able to eat. We don't buy things just for need, we buy things typically.

 

I'll buy the expensive toilet paper because I want an expensive toilet paper lifestyle. I need the toilet paper, right? Like you're gonna, everything you do in life is based off of a want. So I love that you said that, Kristy, thank you. And you did, you came in with a shocker. I was so excited and my gosh, you nailed it. It was a home run. So I love it. I think we gave two quick tips on how to increase profit. I think they're very easily implemented. Again, easy versus intentional.

 

The Dental A Team (19:52)

Yeah.

 

The Dental A Team (20:15)

Be intentional and Kristy, thank you so much. I can go all day on action items, but if you had to serve them with two action items today, what would you tell them to do?

 

The Dental A Team (20:27)

Ooh, boy, get in relationship with your team and see them as humans first and foremost, and then choose to get out of your comfort zone and share with your patients everything. Get permission to share everything and ease them and tell them you're gonna be here for the journey and we're gonna do it in their timeframe. Let them choose, don't choose for

 

The Dental A Team (20:49)

nailed it. Yep, I love it. Thank you. Awesome. All right, listeners, I hope you loved this one as much as I loved this one. I had fun. Kristy, thank you for taking us down that journey. It was beautifully expansive. And if you guys can even just take a little glimpse into what it's like working with Kristy, today was your day. And Kristy, your phenomenal consultant, all of your years of experience and intuitiveness, if I might say.

 

Really provide you with some stellar services to give to our clients and the the Dental A Team listeners So thank you for being here Kristy and thank you for your knowledge everyone listening Drop her a five-star freaking review you guys. This is Kristy nailed it today and I want to see those five stars So drop us a five star below. Let us know that you enjoyed this topic Let us know what you're implementing right away and as always you can reach out to us at [e-mail] and

 

at TheDentalATeam.com website. You can sign up for a quick little consult with us, you guys. Our team is phenomenal. We're really great at keying in on some easy, implementable things that you can do right away, whether you start working with us or not. We will always give you some tools. go reach out and we cannot wait to hear from you all. Thanks.