Tuesday Tech Tip: 4 iPad Apps You Will Love under $20.00

It’s pretty well known that PDM loves the power of the iPad and the unlimited potential we see in its implementation in a dental office. We are of the firm belief that if you do not currently have an iPad that you are seriously missing out. There are many really neat things that the iPad can offer your office but learning about them can be challenging, as most dental offices do not have a social media expert on staff to dig through the clutter. So, we’ve found four apps for you that we think you’ll love to use in your office to make things more streamlined and tidy.

1.    ADA 2011-2012 CDT Code Check ($19.99)

From the Developer:

“The ADA’s CDT Code Check contains all the CDT codes, searchable by three categories: code number, keyword and category of service. A handy practice management tool for dentists and staff who travel between offices, it is also ideal for working on claim forms and looking up procedure codes when a CDT Manual isn’t handy. Features include a complete listing of CDT Codes as well as a list of new and revised codes with tracked changes.”

Why we like it:

The CDT Code Check App allows users to find the codes they need quickly and efficiently. It is compatible with iPad, iPhone, and Android making it virtually universally accessible from any device. The app is user friendly, offering three different search methods and has a clean, easy to read look. A definite time saver.

2.    BioHorizons, Inc. (Free)

From the developer:

The BioHorizons app was developed for our customers to have the most current literature and BioHorizons content available on the most widely used tablet on the market today. Some of the many features include: Instant updates of all literature each time the app is opened; Content separated into different product categories for easy access; View content without Wi-Fi connection.

Why we like it:

Even if you don’t use BioHorizons for your dental implants, the app gives a great overview of the dental implant procedure. The graphics are visually interesting with high-resolution photos of implants and videos that show the implant procedure. We love that you can use it without Wi-Fi as well, making this a truly versatile app for the office. The only drawbacks we see are that it is BioHorizons brand and that use is limited to those with the iOS 5.0 or later operating system.

3.    DentALL ($2.99)

From the Developer:

DentALL Prosthodontics is an application to assist the dentist in the day-by-day in his/her office. With over 60 pictures illustrating the most varied types of prostheses and the ability to draw directly “over” the figures, it becomes an instrument in promoting oral health in their patients.

Why we like it:

We love that you can draw directly on the images. This is a great tool for explaining procedures, treatments, or issues and engaging the patient in the conversation. We don’t like that the images are relatively low quality and are very simple. However, we doubt the quality of the images will detract from the usefulness of the app and the cheap price tag makes it worth it.

4.    Dental Aid Lite ($14.99)

From the Developer:

The Profesional Dental Treatment Introduction Tool. A picture is worth a thousand words. With HD pictures & text, dental Aid helps dentists to explain the treatment procedures to their patients easily. It also helps patients to understand what kind of treatment they will receive, not only by listening, but also by seeing.

Why we like it:

The app is really user friendly and clean. It’s easy to find what treatments you’re looking for and, once you do, it’s easy to use the pictures to describe and explain treatments at your own pace to your patients. We wish it included more periodontal procedures, including laser technology, however we do like that it provides descriptions of the most common dental procedures in most offices. 

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Tired and/or Distracted Patient

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Tired and/or Distracted Patient

As you know, not every patient you speak with is going to be responsive and excited about their dental care. Knowing how to handle these hard-to-talk to patients will help you succeed in communicating. We recommend picking up Robin Wright’s Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry. Here are some tips Wright recommends… This week’s patient is The Tired and/or Destracted Patient

The Tired and/or Distracted Patient

This patient has a million things going on. Not only does she have three kids and a full time job, she also has to deal with carpool and a sick father. She’s stressed, tired, and distracted. But, she still cares about her teeth (hey, she did make time for a cleaning!). She just may not care that much at the moment because she’s thinking about her grocery list…

The only tactic that will work with the Tired and/or Distracted patient is to plant seeds and wait for a decision later.

Do This:

• Speak animatedly and passionately
• Discuss key points
• Emphasize the key points you want the patient to remember
• Give the patient something to take home and refer back to later
• Set the expectation that you will ask for decisions at the next visit

Don’t Do This:

• Don’t mumble or speak softly
• Don’t overwhelm the patient with details
• Don’t be vague about expectations

We highly recommend picking up Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry by Robin Wright. In this book, Wright goes in depth into the best and most effective methods for handing customers and their questions. How to answer your patient’s questions is one of the most invaluable tools you and your staff can have. Tough Questions, Great Answers can be found on Amazon; Here is the link to purchase! http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Questions-Great-Answers-Responding/dp/0867153202

Tuesday Tech Tip: Don’t be tempted to write bogus reviews.

Tuesday Tech Tip: Don’t be tempted to write bogus reviews.

We know that it can be frustrating when you look at your Google Local page or your DemandForce page and see only a handful of reviews; even more frustrating when you’ve been reminding patients to write reviews on your pages to little effect. And we know it can be so tempting to go online and write a few little reviews to pump up your online image, thinking, “We’ve heard our patients say this to us in the office. What’s the harm of putting it online on their behalf?”.

But don’t be tempted to write bogus reviews.

Early last year the FTC fined a company called Legacy Learning Systems $250,000 for hiring affiliate marketers to write glowing reviews about their products without disclosing that the marketers were being paid for their reviews. And this is hardly a new concept; in fact, false reviews have been around nearly as long as the internet. But the FTC has begun taking major legal action against those who falsify testimonials or reviews online.

According to FTC issued guidelines issued in 2009 on reviews/testimonials, writing reviews of your business yourself or paying someone to write reviews online is deemed “unfair or deceptive advertising”. And let’s be honest, that’s exactly what writing false testimonials online is. Paying someone to write a review online, or writing them yourself to promote your practice, is unfair and deceptive advertising because you’re giving the impression that actual patients have taken the time to write kind things. Even if you’ve heard Mrs. Smith say how wonderful you are a 1000 times, if she didn’t write the review and post it herself online then it is false and deceptive advertising. It is black and white. And thanks to the FTC’s enforcement of these rules, it has never been more important to resist the urge to write a review yourself.

So keep in mind the following rule: If the reviewer can be connected back to your office or if the reviewer receives an incentive to write the review, the relationship must be disclosed or you are in violation of the FTC guidelines. This means that spouses, children, and other family members of yourself and your office staff cannot post something online without disclosing the relationship and if you offer any kind of incentive to write a review, this must also be disclosed.

What it all boils down to is this: Just be honest. If you’re 100% transparent online, you will be in the clear.

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Pleaser Patient

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Pleaser Patient

As you know, not every patient you speak with is going to be responsive and excited about their dental care. Knowing how to handle these hard-to-talk to patients will help you succeed in communicating. We recommend picking up Robin Wright’s Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry. Here are some tips Wright recommends… This week’s patient is The Pleaser Patient

The Pleaser Patient

This patient is afraid of offending you or saying no to you. Instead, they’ll tell you everything you want to hear. They want to please you. But inside, they may not be on the same page as you and will most likely not follow through with treatments.

The only tactic that will work with the Pleaser patient is to involve a decision maker in the process.

Do This:

• Have a decision maker present (family member, friend, spouse, etc.)
• Involve the decision maker in the decision process
• Ask only open-ended questions
• Ask laundry list questions

Don’t Do This:

• Ask the patient to make a decision without including a decision maker
• Put the patient on the spot if the decision maker is not present
• Don’t ask closed questions

We highly recommend picking up Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry by Robin Wright. In this book, Wright goes in depth into the best and most effective methods for handing customers and their questions. How to answer your patient’s questions is one of the most invaluable tools you and your staff can have. Tough Questions, Great Answers can be found on Amazon; Here is the link to purchase! http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Questions-Great-Answers-Responding/dp/0867153202

Tuesday Tech Tip: Yes, your office needs an iPad and here are 5 reasons why

Tuesday Tech Tip: Yes, your office needs an iPad and here are 5 reasons why

We never fail to find it amazing when a dental office does not use an iPad during patient consults. Our immediate reaction is always, “Well why not?!”. This is because we’ve seen the amazing power of visuals, video, and interaction that an iPad offers to a technology driven patient base. Rather than using just pamphlets and handouts, incorporating presentations and video is a fantastic way to capture the attention of your patients and influence their decision making process.

Here are 5 reasons why you should run to the Apple store and pick up an iPad.

1. The KeyNote app on the iPad allows you to incorporate a presentation in to your patient consultations about the procedure you’re discussing. Similar to a PowerPoint presentation, KeyNote keeps your patient consult on track. Information is laid out on slides that can be switched at the user’s command, keeping the presentation uniform and tidy. Presentations can be customized to your office and should include bright colors, graphics, and pictures. The iPad allows you to turn a boring consultation with just a brochure into an interesting presentation.
2. PDM clients have their own custom YouTube channel created for them when they sign on with us. On their YouTube channel, we like to incorporate videos about their practice, procedures, and technology that they can then use during a patient consultation. Do you have an amazing video about LANAP? The iPad will allow you to share it with your patients during your consultations, providing visuals instead of just words.
3. If you haven’t already set up a Facebook page for your office, you need to do that right now. You can get patients to “like” your page by having the iPad ready at the front desk for them to log in and press “like”. You can then keep in touch with your patients by updating your status, posting pictures, and offering special offers to your Facebook friends.
4. Do you do a monthly newsletter? Free sites like MailChip allow you to create mailing lists and newsletters to send out as often as you’d like. Have the iPad available at the front desk so that patients can add their email address to your mailing list. It’s a great way to keep track of them and send them discount offers.
5. Video testimonials have been proven to be far more influential than written testimonials on dental websites. It’s very important that you don’t miss out on any opportunity to capture a patient’s happy reaction or feelings about your office and their treatment. Capture a video testimonial using your iPad Camera App that’s usually found on your iPad’s home screen. Record a short, 30 second to 1 minute video and then upload the video to your custom YouTube channel to be shared on YouTube and on your website!

We understand that sometimes using new technology can be confusing and difficult to master. PDM offers technical support to all our clients and we are happy to help with any questions you may have! Simply call us at 727-286-6211!

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Defensive Patient

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Defensive Patient

As you know, not every patient you speak with is going to be responsive and excited about their dental care. Knowing how to handle these hard-to-talk to patients will help you succeed in communicating. We recommend picking up Robin Wright’s Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry. Here are some tips Wright recommends… This week’s patient is The Defensive Patient

The Defensive Patient

This patient is defensive. He or she is reluctant to hear what you have to say and may react to questions like they’re being attacked or judged. Often, this patient is afraid or confused.

The only tactic that will work with the Defensive patient is to build rapport.

Do This:

• Speak in layman’s terms
• Talk to them about anything other than dentistry for a bit. Converse about a topic that makes them comfortable.
• Relate to the patient
• Use open ended questions as much as possible
• Explain why certain questions are necessary before asking them

Don’t Do This:

• Don’t ask them questions loaded with technical jargon
• Don’t jump right into the consultation without relating to them first
• Don’t ask questions without explaining the reasoning first
• Don’t mirror any defensive body language
• Don’t hurry through the meeting or convey a sense of rushing

We highly recommend picking up Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry by Robin Wright. In this book, Wright goes in depth into the best and most effective methods for handing customers and their questions. How to answer your patient’s questions is one of the most invaluable tools you and your staff can have. Tough Questions, Great Answers can be found on Amazon; Here is the link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Questions-Great-Answers-Responding/dp/0867153202

Tuesday Tech Tip: Negative Social Media Comments Can Still be Good for Business!

Tuesday Tech Tip: Negative Social Media Comments Can Still be Good for Business!

We often hear the same objection when we discuss social media with our clients: “What if someone says something negative about our office?” And, while we can understand your fears, we do not necessarily agree with them. The fact is, patients who feel that they did not have a great experience at your office are going to find ways to share their frustration whether or not you have a social media page. But if you do have a social media page on which they can vent their frustrations, you actually have an opportunity to address these issues that you would not have otherwise had.

There are four simple tips that can be effectively used to help turn a negative comment into a positive. However, you must be committed to following through on each one!

1. DO NOT DELETE OR IGNORE THE COMMENT. On platforms like Facebook, you could actually go through and delete negative comments that are posted there. However, this could actually do more harm than good. Those patients who happen to see the comment before you had a chance to delete it will probably notice when it’s gone from your wall. Think about how guilty you would look if you were going through and deleting this feedback. They’d probably automatically assume the disgruntled patient had a legitimate complaint. That’s bad news for you! So resist the urge to delete it, and instead do the following…
2. OWN UP TO IT. Okay, this might be hard to do because it involves admitting that the patient may have a legitimate complaint. And while you know and we know that your office is awesome, this patient doesn’t seem to think so for whatever reason. Instead of getting defensive, acknowledge the issue. Say: “Mr. Jones, we are so sorry that this was your experience at our office. Our goal with each of our patients is to give them the most individualized care possible and we never want one of our customers to feel that their business is not appreciated…”
3. FIX THE ISSUE. After acknowledging the patients complaint, find a way to make the situation better. Say: “I have spoken with Susanne, our office manager, and she will be calling you today to discuss your complaint and to work with you towards a solution. If she should miss you today, please feel free to call her here at the office at (555) 555-5555.”
4. FOLLOW THROUGH. It’s not enough to say you’re going to fix the issue. You have to actually do it. If you say you’re going to do something, make sure it gets done or you run the risk of the disgruntled patient posting more negatives on your Facebook wall. And it would really look bad to have a trail of broken promises all over your social media page.

By addressing each negative comment with this strategy, you’re ensuring that patients concerns are being addressed quickly. And by doing so, you’re showing potential patients that you value them and their opinions about your office. Most people tend to respect companies that acknowledge when they’ve made a mistake and find a way to fix it. 

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Shy/Quiet Patient

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Shy/Quiet Patient

As you know, not every patient you speak with is going to be responsive and excited about their dental care. Knowing how to handle these hard-to-talk to patients will help you succeed in communicating. We recommend picking up Robin Wright’s Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry. Here are some tips Wright recommends… This week’s patient is The Shy or Quiet Patient.

The Shy or Quiet Patient

This patient is reluctant to speak with you candidly. They answer open-ended questions reluctantly and with as few words and details as possible. It can be hard to get a complete picture of their needs, wants, and questions.

The only tactic that will work with the Shy or Quiet patient is patience.

Do This:

• Patiently wait for answers. If you’re in too big of a hurry, you might cut them off or scare them away.
• Ask only open ended questions.
• Ask questions one a time.
• Give nonverbal signs of encouragement (nods, smiles, etc.)
• Compliment their contributions (ex: “Please go on.” Or “Thank you for telling me.”)

Don’t Do This:

• Don’t interrupt or cut the patient off.
• Don’t ask Yes or No questions.
• Don’t ask multiple questions at once or multi-parted questions.
• Don’t fidget, sigh, or give other signs of impatience.

We highly recommend picking up Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry by Robin Wright. In this book, Wright goes in depth into the best and most effective methods for handing customers and their questions. How to answer your patient’s questions is one of the most invaluable tools you and your staff can have. Tough Questions, Great Answers can be found on Amazon; Here is the Link to Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Questions-Great-Answers-Responding/dp/0867153202

Tuesday Tip: Just One Small Comment Can Make Their Day

Tuesday Tip: Just One Small Comment Can Make Their Day

Think about when you first meet someone. Are you worried about making them look good or are you focused on making yourself look good? Most people will say that they worry about themselves rather than the other person and one of the greatest keys to success, both inside and outside of work, is to reverse this thinking.

My mother always told me growing up, “When you first meet someone, only talk about him or her. Everyone’s favorite subject to talk about is himself or herself. So, when that person leaves the conversation, they will be thinking about how nice you are and how much they like you.” Well of course they like me, Mom, I just spent 30 minutes talking all about them!

But, my Mom is right (don’t tell her I said so!). Instead of focusing on yourself and what you’re going to say when it’s your turn to talk next, focus instead on the person right in front of you. Asking them questions about themselves, complimenting their outfit, or praising an accomplishment makes them feel good. And, when they feel good after talking to you, they’re going to feel good about you.

Taking the time to listen, ask questions, and compliment doesn’t have to take up a lot of time. Taking the time can be as simple as a compliment on their personality, praise for a job well done, or thanking them for something they’ve done for you.

This technique can be applied new patients, current patients, and even office staff. New patients will feel that you care about them, getting to know them, and keeping them as a patient. Current patients will feel that you value their patronage and that you genuinely care about what’s good for them. Office staff will feel motivated, respected, and appreciated.

Making the effort to make just one small comment each day can really change a person’s day for the better and will improve how they view you as a doctor, employer, or friend.

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Chatterbox

Monday Morning Meeting: How to Handle Hard-to-Talk to Patients – The Chatterbox

As you know, not every patient you speak with is going to be responsive and excited about their dental care. Knowing how to handle these hard-to-talk to patients will help you succeed in communicating. We recommend picking up Robin Wright’s Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry. Here are some tips she recommends… This week’s patient is The Chatterbox Patient.

 

The Chatterbox Patient

Ask this patient a question and he/she is sure to respond with every single detail they can remember. Yes or no questions, turn into 2-3 minute answers and after a while, you’re in danger of running over your allotted time to speak with them and disrupting the schedule.

The only tactic that will work with the Chatterbox is to gracefully, tactfully interrupt.

Do This:

• Summarize the patient’s point or answer.
• Ask focused, specific questions.
• Avoid asking open-ended questions.
• Try to ask laundry-list questions (ex: Please list your medications.) 

Don’t Do This:

• Don’t allow the patient to talk themselves out. They won’t.
• Don’t ask open ended questions.
• Don’t ask vague or general questions.

We highly recommend picking up Tough Questions, Great Answers: Responding to Patient Concerns About Today’s Dentistry by Robin Wright. In this book, Wright goes in depth into the best and most effective methods for handing customers and their questions. How to answer your patient’s questions is one of the most invaluable tools you and your staff can have. Tough Questions, Great Answers can be found on Amazon; Here is the Link to Purchase! http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Questions-Great-Answers-Responding/dp/0867153202