dentalblogs.com » Patient Service

Snoring & Sleep Apnea Therapy

Administrator — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:10:04 +0000

According to AADSM statistics, one in 15 people in the US suffers from sleep apnea. Those people are beginning to realize that they can find relief from snoring and sleep apnea symptoms, like drowsiness, irritability, memory problems, and even falling asleep while driving. Maybe it’s the new, obnoxious commercials for over-the-counter snore relieving mouthpieces that have their attention. For some time now, many products have been on the market to help people stop snoring. Sticky strips that you place across your nose, a shirt that makes you sleep on your side, herbal remedies, narcotics – there’s even a special bracelet that’s supposed to keep you from snoring. There is a market for these products, so if you’re not on the bandwagon, maybe you should be.

Some of the more popular dentist-distributed devices include and the TAP appliance. Many dental labs make oral appliances to hold the lower jaw forward so that the patient has free airflow while sleeping. Explore the links below to learn more about snoring and sleep apnea therapy.

Dentists Turn to PreViser for Comprehensive Risk Analysis

Administrator — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:07:32 +0000

You use technology – like digital X-rays, DIAGNodent, and ViziLite or VELscope – to aid in diagnoses of many oral conditions, but what about digital assessment for periodontal disease? PreViser, a worldwide leader in diagnostic and risk assessment software, can generate periodontal assessment reports while your patient is in the operatory. Simply input 23 bits of data that you’re already recording manually, and then an easy-to-understand printout will generate immediately. PreViser also produces information about caries, tooth fractures, and oral cancer risk.

As of September 2007, and updated version, PreViser 3.0, which is compatible with Windows and Mac, can be downloaded on the Internet. The PreViser website provides many reports, peer-reviews, samples, and information, including targeted revenue projections and pricing. Patient brochures are available for purchase, as well, with or without your practice name and contact info.

What’s the dental buzz about PreViser?

Dentist and blogger Lorne Levine wrote in his October 14^th blog that recapped the ADA show: "The PreViser system is one of the easiest and most comprehensive systems for evaluating a patient’s risk for periodontal disease, and they have made some exciting new changes to their software."

DentalCompare.com doesn’t have much to tell us because PreViser has no real competition. Read this 2005 article at DentalCompare.com for general info about PreViser.

Technorati’s two cents.

Importance of Your Website and It’s Optimazation

Corine Leech — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 15:14:01 +0000

By now all dental offices should have and see the value of a web site. A really nice, flashy web site is terrific BUT if no one ever finds it what good is it to the bottom dollar of your practice. You have to know how to drive the general public to your site so they know you, your Team and the terrific dental services you offer. Just this past Friday, while I was in the office working, I received an email from a client I had seen as a new patient in February of 2005. On her visit we had taken digital photos so she could see her dental needs and problems as we see them. She then talked with me about what she wanted to change in her mouth. Together we formulated a treatment plan to help her accomplish her goals. Did she schedule, no, she did not have the money. I had not heard from her until Friday. Her email stated she had been able to obtain financing at last, and was ready to schedule her $22,000 case. The link to the web is, she was originally referred to our practice through a link we have with About Cosmetic Dentistry.com, that directed her to our web site. From our web site she called to schedule her original appointment. And now, 2 years later that same web optimization, linked her back to our site where she found the link to financing through Enhance Patient Finance and emailed me to schedule her appointment. The Internet and your web site truly are the key to an untapped public who is now better educated and researching the type of dentist they want.

FYI there is a tremendous program being offered to help you better understand the Internet link for your practice. It is in Austin Texas at The Hyatt Lost Pines Resort on March 23 and 24th. It is being offered by ACE (The Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics).

Lecture & panel discussions will feature dental experts Dr. Tom Hedge, Dr. Marvin Berlin, Dr. Kent Smith, Dr. Peter Boulden, Dr. Curtis Westersund, Dr. Gerilyn Alfe, Dr. Anthony Vocaturo, Dr. Tim Hale & Dr. Peter Masci.

You’ll also have the opportunity to learn from industry experts Mr. Zach Hoffman of Dental SEO, Mr. Jim Higgins of Smile Reminder, Mr. Tim Kelley & Mr. Tim Healy of TNT Dental, Mr. Dan Scott of Roadside Multimedia, Mr. Howie Horrocks of New Patients, Inc., Dr. Bill Jackson of PlanetDDS, and Ms. Jennifer Poppers of ShopPR.

Do not miss this tremendous chance to get on board with the newest wave in attracting new clients to your practice and increasing your bottom dollar.

Sonos Music System for dental patients

Administrator — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 17:37:47 +0000

I just discovered the ultimate new system for delivering music throughout your dental office. It is the Sonos Digital Music System (www.Sonos.com). It wirelessly streams digital music, internet radio, and Rhapsody through out your office. There is no need to run wires. The best part is that each room can control their own music source and volumn level with a wireless handheld controller. The controller can acces your entire music collection from your computer. It displays information about the music and displays album art.

We connected a pair of wireless headphones to the Zone player and our patients can listen to whatever they want with “no strings attached”! If you want to fill a room with sound without headphones, just connect a set of speakers to the back of an amplified Zone player.

Set up couldn’t be simpler. Just connect one Zone player to your internet router. This unit then connects with all of the other Zone Players with their own wireless network. All you have to do is press two buttons on the front of a Zone player and the network set’s itself up.

In the process of learning about the Sonos system, I disscoered Rhapsody. Rhapsody is the #1 rated digital music service. For ten bucks a month, you get access to millions of song titles. Your patients can listen to whatever they want to, no matter how eclectic their taste.

Things Slow At Your Office;How About Making Housecalls???

Corine Leech — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 02:02:50 +0000

A New Approach….Way Out Of The Box Thinking

Hey you guys here is a new twist. I was reading in HEALTH magazine that there is a dentist in Boston who makes “tooth whitening house calls”. Right in your own home he will take impressions of your teeth, make whitening trays and leave you with all you need to brighten your smile without leaving your own kitchen. He even offers to come to your office on your lunch hour to get you on the way to a whiter smile. Pretty different approach, I wonder how many he converts to actual patients in his office or if he even has an office??? He only charges $300.00 for this custom service. Sure sounds like a terrific deal for those too busy to get to our offices.

New Patient Telephone Contact Sheet

Corine Leech — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:25:08 +0000

Here area few vital items that should be included in that Initial New Patient Telephone Contact:

Name
Referral Source
Practice Descriptive Statement
Reason For Appointment
Home Address
All Contact #’s for verification
Credit Card Number to Reserve Appointment Non Refundable if no show
Packet if Time
Web site Address to Fill Out Forms On Line
Info Must be at Office 48 Hrs in advance
Initial Feeling Regarding Client
Appointment Date & Time

This is valuable information to gather prior to scheduling a New Patient in your office. It will help you start to develop a relationship with them and help them see that you are different from the rest.

New Paging & Message Software

Corine Leech — Thu, 11 May 2006 03:19:49 +0000

Replace outdated light paging systems

Monitor patients in the office and where they are

communicate between Team members

Check this new system out looks pretty neat. We downloaded trial version and are playing with it. I have no vested interest in this just think it looks neat.

www.Patient-Tracker.com

Short An Assistant???

Corine Leech — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 03:32:42 +0000

In a dental practice there is sometimes too much to do for one assistant, even two assistant. Well if you have not checked this out you should: www.isolitesystems.com . It is like an extra set of hands, retracts the cheek, keeps the tongue out of the way, allows the patient the comfort of a bite block to rest on, lights you field of vision( light adjusts to prevent curing of materials permaturely) and has great suction in it. I have one practice I work with that lost a chairside assistant , got the Isolite and still have not hired back the second assistant. Just a thought for those of you who may need a little more help chairside. It works great in hygiene also if you are doing the sealants in your office.

Things Slow In Your Practice????

Corine Leech — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:11:14 +0000

It is time of the year when in some practices things slow down. I have never really figured out why; maybe because of tax time or maybe it is an after the Holiday lull. There have always been things you can do, chart audits, special discount offers, email reminders of unfinished treatment plans, etc. Well here is a new one. Every existing patient who is being seen in hygiene for re-care take a shade and talk about whitening. Explain to your existing patients on their re-care visit that the “standard of care” in dentistry is changing. That you are now taking a full series of digital photos on all new patients when they enter your office. Get them into an empty chair and get photos on them. These patients of record deserve to see their mouths the same way new patients are seeing their mouths. It opens their eyes to the need to get some the dentistry they having putting off for years done. Give them the opportunity to have their comprehensive exam brought up to “the new standard of care” in your office.

Client Thank You

Corine Leech — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 01:52:39 +0000

Recently on a dental forum a practice was asking about “thank you” gifts for their clients and reasons to give them. It made me stop and think how this little thing is such a great practice builder. Being able to show your appreciate to your clients/patients who have choose you to take care of their treatment. The reasons to give are many but I think some of the most important ones are after finishing a great case and after getting a great referral. Be creative in your choices. One of the nicest things you can do is to make the gift client/patient oriented, showing them you do pay attention to what they share in conversation with you about their personal lives. Some ideas:

A dozen long stem roses of various colors in a beautiful vase, to the client/patient who just got their smile make over. The note should be personally done. And have the gift delivered to their place of business.

Theater tickets & a gift certificate to dinner

We have done tickets and parking pass to The Cincinnati Bengals Games Or Cincinnati Reds, sports nuts love it

Movie passes (make great gifts for monthly recare card drawings)

Subscriptions to magazines you see them always pick up in the office

Gift certificates of all kinds always work well for families

Tiffany’s has a great gift catalog they will send to you

The Ritz Carlton also has a gift catalog

Something as simple as ordering cookies on line from one of the great gourmet cookie companies like www.christiecookies.com

It is the little things we do to show our appreciate that say we care. So in your busy practice assign someone the special job of the all important “Thank You” follow up.

Feel Free to Ask! Dental Blogs is about sharing ideas without confrontation.

soileau — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:44:40 +0000

We have all been on other forums where anyone can post anything about anyone. This often leads to angry and self-ritious grandstanding. In other words, confrontation for the sake of protecting ones turf, as opposed to simply sharing ideas for the simple sake of helping others. All the authors of this forum have the obligation and responsibility to maintain an environment where anyone feels comfortable asking a question or sharing a view without being ridiculed or interrogated. There are too many forums where this mentailty exist. The end result is that only a few meaningful post are presented which are then attacked and no one else post anything. That will not happen here. If you have any question or want to share an idea in a thoughtful way, please do so. That is what this forum is about. We have the best and brightest here and they truly want to help others achieve the same success that they have. They willingly share their ideas and experiances without any form of compensation other than the warm feeling of knowing they made a difference. So I personally invite all of you to ask or share whatever you wish because I bet you will have more to teach me as I have to teach you.

Tony

TEMPUR-PEDICÂ® INTRODUCES NEW DENTAL CHAIR OVERLAY

Administrator — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 16:33:47 +0000

We have purchased these overlays instead of reupholstering our dental chairs. Much more cost effective, we don’t lose the use of our chairs, and patients LOVE them. Tempur-pedic has a medical division and you get a discount as a dental office. SRP is $695, but you can get it for $320 plus $20 shipping. 1-888-881-9779

TEMPUR-PEDIC® INTRODUCES NEW DENTAL CHAIR OVERLAY

LEXINGTON, KY. (Sept.18, 2003) — Tempur-Pedic, known for its Swedish Mattresses and Neck Pillows™, recently introduced the newest addition to the company’s professional product line — the Dental Overlay. Made with the revolutionary TEMPUR® pressure-relieving material, the overlay, created specifically to fit most company dental chairs, has a bottom width of 69 x 19.5 inches and a mid-width of 16.5x 3 inches. The material, originally designed for NASA to relieve astronauts of the tremendous G-forces experienced during liftoff, provides patients with a unique, comfortable surface that can help ease the anxiety many associate with a trip to the dentist.

“Our Dental Overlay adds a new element to receiving dental treatments, and that’s comfort,” said Debi DeKrey, professional division manager. “Now that Tempur-Pedic has this product available, we make it easy for dentists to provide their patients with a more soothing and relieving experience. After all, a relaxed patient makes the dentist’s job much easier.”

The Dental Overlay comes with a 2-year warranty. The non-slip backing and PU wet-safe cover make it easy to use and clean. Along with the overlay, Tempur-Pedic markets a variety of products to those in the dental field. The Dental Chair Head Cushion, which is 7 x 7 x 4 inches, fits most standard size dental chair head rests. The Swedish Neck Pillows are also recommended for patients suffering from TMJ.

Tempur-Pedic® manufactures and distributes products made from TEMPUR® pressure-relieving material, a revolutionary, viscoelastic material that conforms to the body to provide support and help alleviate pressure points. World headquarters for Tempur-Pedic are on Jaggie Fox Way in Lexington, Kentucky. For more information, email professionals@tempurpedic.com or call 888-881-9779.

Future features for SmileReminder

Administrator — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 20:40:27 +0000

I got these from Jim Higgins, CEO of SmileReminder:

HTML Newsletter Creator – Create and deliver custom newsletters with only a few simple keystrokes. The purpose is to educate patients, drive traffic to the practice web site and promote new patient referrals. We have developed a creator that automatically builds the HTML code on the fly. Practices can choose templates, colors, insert pre-written articles, images, logos. Each newsletter is addressed to each patient by their first name – maintaining the one-to-one principle of communication. Practices can use this new tool for newsletter, educational pieces and more.

Video/Linkable Email – The video will be tied to our patient learning center and will focus on educating the patient about items ranging from the practice/doctor bio to products and services (whitening, cerec, etc.) available from the practice.

Surveys – Ability to create survey questions, survey patients and tabulate the data in one easily viewable "dashboard" report.

www.SmileReminder.com

Portrait/Marketing Instructional DVD now ready for release

soileau — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 15:14:18 +0000

I (or maybe I should say Kim) finally has the first in my series of instructional videos ready for release. This is a short clip from the video. This first one shows an actual photo shoot. I kept this one very simple. No scripts, no extra stuff. It is just Stephanie taking portrait/marketing photos of my patient Lindsey with me explaining exactly what she is doing. I cover location, backgrounds, simple lighting, and camera settings. You can give this DVD to your team and they can see and learn just how we do it.

The cost for the DVD is $370. Right now I am selling them through my office so all you have to do is call Stephanie 337/234.3551 or email us with at tony@tonysoileau.com . Our phones are still messed up from the hurricane so if you get a "all circuits are busy" or it just rings wait 5 minutes and call again. Or maybe just send me an email because the Internet seems to be working fine. Sorry about this. Bell South has most of their servers in New Orleans.

I plan on having the second DVD finished in a few weeks.

Tony File Attachment: Dr Soileau Training Demo Di.wmv (3768 KB)

New Patient Information

Corine Leech — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 03:19:18 +0000

Smilereminder users, when gathering information from the new patient on their initial phone call be sure to get their email address. That allows smilereminder to start adding to your “WOW” factor before their very first appointment. Because Smilereminder syncs with your appointment on a daily basis it gathers the information for next day appointments. We have ours set up to send out a digital text message two hours prior to the appointment. I had a new patient tell me today; “I knew this office was going to be different from the rest I have gone to over the years but boy you folks do it all”. She loved being reminded using text messaging.

CAESY Enterprise 5.5 Released

Administrator — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 04:44:18 +0000

Vancouver, Wash. (Aug. 10, 2005) Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. announces the release of CAESY Enterprise 5.5, the newest update of its server-based software program that is dentistry’s number one choice for patient education.

The release features new and updated multimedia presentations and an elegant new look and feel for ShowCase, the case presentation software included with CAESY Enterprise.

ShowCase enables dentists and their staff to create case presentations, present them chairside or send them home with the patient to reinforce case acceptance. Enhancements to ShowCase include: the addition of viewer themes, which provide sleek new designs that allow the appearance of the viewer to change; and, the Patient Message feature, which lets the dentist write a short note to the patient and have it displayed on the screen.

In addition, the new release features updated videos in the New Technologies, Hygiene, Orthodontics, Restorations, and TMD sections of CAESY.

CAESY Education Systems has been dentistry’s premier developer of leading-edge patient education technology and content since 1993. The award-winning multimedia information on preventive, restorative and esthetic treatment options helps dental practices nationwide educate their patients and grow their practices. The CAESY content is distributed via video and computer networks or DVD players throughout the clinical and reception areas of the dental practice. The family of products includes CAESY DVD, Smile Channel DVD, CAESY Printables, CAESY Pediatrics, CAESY Online, and CAESY Enterprise, which includes CAESY, Smile Channel, ShowCase, and Image Master. For more information, visit www.caesy.com or call 1-800-691-1980.

# # #

Patterson Dental Supply, Inc is a value-added distributor of a complete range of dental products, equipment and services for dentists, dental laboratories, institutions and other healthcare providers throughout North America. Patterson Dental has the largest direct sales force in the industry, totaling more than 1,200 sales representatives and equipment and software specialists serving the United States and Canada.

FROM CAESY Education Systems, A Patterson Company
1201 SE Tech Center Drive
Suite 110
Vancouver, WA 98683

Dentistrytogo Podcast with Dr. Gerilyn Alfe – The start up practice

Administrator — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 01:05:36 +0000

Dr. Tom Hedge interviews Dr. Gerilyn Alfe on her adventure of starting up a new "from scratch" practice in a new city. Gerilyn moved from Maine to Chicago and has developed a new practice eactly the way she wanted.

chicagosmilespa.com

Download The Podcast Interview

Portraits and Posing 2

soileau — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 12:18:28 +0000

For this photo shoot I am showing how an elevator door can make a very interesting background effect. With the voice attachment I explain how we positioned Brook and our camera settings. We had to go inside because it started raining so Stephanie decided to take some shots before it stopped. She is the one laying on the floor using a Canon 10D, 100mm Canon Macro lens, and Canon Ring Flash.

These first two photos shows Brook’s starting pose and Stephanie’s position on the floor. The next few shots show shots I took using the Canon 20D, Canon 24–70 macro lens, and a speed flash. I am standing up and shooting directly at Brook.

These last shots are the some of the shots Stephanie took. Notice how they are darker and richer than the ones I took. Even though she is using a flash her shots are richer. She is using a ring flash that just barely reaches Brook. The macro lens she is using is a 2.8 aperture lens but because it is a macro lens she had to be 6 feet away. I just love these shots they she captured and I am proud to have them displayed in my office.

I actually like the shots Stephanie took with a purely dental setup than the ones I took with my portrait setup.

Listen to Voice attachment

Portrait Posing and Lighting

soileau — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 12:00:40 +0000

This is a photoshoot we did this past week. With the voice attachment I explain how Stephanie and I positioned the model and used the natural lighting to create some very dynamic marketing shots.

These shots show how I have Brook posed on the cement post and my starting position. The voice attachment explains how I positioned her, my camera settings, etc.

Listen to Voice attachment

New Patient Follow Up

Corine Leech — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 02:42:20 +0000

A very effective thing I am now faithfully doing is writing thank notes to each new patient I do a consultation with. I include some points from there consultation, and remind them that if they have any further questions regarding their treatment plan options to please feel free to call me. I congratulate them on their treatment decisions and express my excitement regarding their case. A simple note, just let them know I care and truly appreciate them choosing our practice for their dental care. I include a my business card. For those who did not schedule it reminds them I am thinking about them and that at The Dental Health Center we really do care about them and want them to take care of their dental health. Simple… but effective… give it a try.