Well, when one of my best, most determined, ambitious doctors says that last week\u2019s Report was \u201crock solid,\u201d then I know I\u2019m striking a cord. \u00a0So get ready, because this one gets even better.<\/p>\n
As I often tell you, one of the biggest challenges in dentistry is the routine of it all. \u00a0For you, it becomes \u2018just what you do.\u2019 \u00a0Now, that doesn\u2019t have mean you are inattentive or haphazard. \u00a0It just means that it becomes habitual motion instead of purposeful action with everything you do and every patient you see.<\/p>\n
The real magic from last week can be found in one sentence, \u201cWhat are you doing to educate your patients before diagnosing them?\u201d \u00a0Regardless of your answer, the real answer is NOT ENOUGH.<\/p>\n
Here is the key to ensure that you are always deliberate and intentional with every conversation and every interaction with your patients\u2026<\/p>\n
You are there to accomplish something.<\/p>\n
And here is what so few really grab on to and understand: SO ARE THE PATIENTS!<\/p>\n
No one wakes up and goes to the dentist for fun. \u00a0If they are IN YOUR PRACTICE physically, then you have accomplished the hardest part of the game because they didn\u2019t come to waste their time. \u00a0They came to accomplish something.<\/p>\n
Now, obviously, physical presence isn\u2019t enough. \u00a0You need their mental and emotional presence. \u00a0Which is why the last one and this one \u2013 of my most important Daily Doctor Responsibilities \u2013 are so incredibly critical to your DAILY SUCCESS!<\/p>\n
We have arrived at what should be your favorite part (otherwise we got a big problem). \u00a0You have to fall in love with and be obsessed over Diagnosing. \u00a0\u2028If you aren\u2019t, then you aren\u2019t going to do a good job.<\/p>\n
A problem SOLVER loves a PROBLEM.<\/p>\n
A doer of Dentistry loves dentistry to do.<\/p>\n
In fact, some times Doctors love the diagnosing more than the actual dentistry. \u00a0However, to NOT be crazy about diving into the mouth and figuring out everything you can do to help your patients get healthy is a recipe for you to stagnate and plateau with diminishing opportunity day by day. \u00a0Eventually you will be doing nothing more than just accepting the dentistry you get instead of cultivating, creating, discovering, DIAGNOSING the dentistry you want and that your patients deserve.<\/p>\n
Rest assured, I don\u2019t dictate to my doctors what should or shouldn\u2019t be a crown or is good enough with composite. \u00a0I don\u2019t say which teeth should go and those that still deserve a chance. \u00a0I don\u2019t judge the millimeters of the pockets that you watch versus the ones you take action on. \u00a0All I want is for your patients to be well served, thoroughly educated and comprehensively diagnosed based on what is in the best interest of their long term health \u2013 based on your philosophy.<\/p>\n
I want your patients to have an opportunity (that only you can provide), to know what \u201cthe best\u201d looks like, to know what \u201coptimal\u201d is, to never be robbed of their health and to receive exactly what they deserve. \u00a0This requires the absence of bashfulness, fear, pre-judgment, lack of confidence or any other excuse.<\/p>\n
Before we even talk about the patient interaction, how to get them involved and the best way possible to get them to fully buy into your comprehensive diagnosis, we have to take a step back and ensure that you have actually developed your diagnostic standards of card and the principles you have around treatment planning.<\/p>\n
This is the entire point of private practice and of patients being able to \u201cchoose their doctor\u201d because they get to decide if they are aligned with you and you get to decide if you are aligned with them. \u00a0Anything less than that and you are giving up your practice independence.<\/p>\n
Understand this can evolve over time and it can be ever-changing based on your knowledge and experience. \u00a0Just remember, no one gets to tell you these things \u2013 you can have competing opinions with your colleagues but the only one that truly matters is yours.<\/p>\n
This definition and your standard of care becomes your guide for how you do everything diagnostically and in the responsibilities that follow.<\/p>\n
Once this is established, every aspect of your practice and patient experience should be set-up to create a diagnostic approach with your patients that is congruent with your principles.<\/p>\n
This doesn\u2019t mean that you treat all patients the same; it doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t modify your approach to help someone who can\u2019t afford the state of ideal; it doesn\u2019t mean that you can\u2019t get someone out of pain; it doesn\u2019t mean anything other than you are committing to a level of integrity in your diagnostic process.<\/p>\n
Your diagnostic principles are your diagnostic principles and everything is set-up to serve those preferences and bring them to life. \u00a0Everyone in your practice should be able to speak your language and know what these are.<\/p>\n
How you go about \u201cbuilding your case\u201d and interacting with your patients diagnostically is the foundation for everything else that will happen next…<\/p>\n
The yeses, the money, the schedule, and the dentistry.<\/p>\n
Everything tied to actual dentistry begins right here. \u00a0The origin of it all is diagnosis.<\/p>\n
What can you do better or more, what are you doing great but not every time, what or who needs work on this?<\/p>\n
Is there anything that brings more effectiveness and continuity to your practice than the consistency and integrity of your diagnosing and treatment planning with patients \u2013 I think not.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll carry on here into the actual tactics around diagnosing and bring the patient and team into this conversation as we work towards case acceptance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"