Laser assisted dentistry is an expensive practice not only for the provider but also for the end receiver. It makes all the sense when we do take the necessary steps to modify this practice for the mutual benefit of all.
Six sigma is the “Quality Assurance Strategy”, that helps reconstitute the existing business in the way that the final turnover improves not only in terms of finances but also in terms of business model.
Reconstituting the business involves few internal changes and works around the existing model and the team players. The idea is to “reinvent” the current performers and their performances.
Six Sigma initiatives in this manner can be broken down into following ways:
1. Restructuring the front desk:
Its important for the practice to have a well trained front desk staff. Complete knowledge on laser practice should be made available to the front desk team members.
They should be able to offer the alternate laser treatment when ever there is a patient’s query. Staff must use clinical terms in the most simple manner so that the lay-man can understand. This training is best provided by the laser dentist.
The hours when the dentist is not occupied by the patient can be utilised for staff trainings, shadowing so that the staff can actually see the laser in action , and correlate to what they have learnt to speak over the phone with patients.
Training can include following:
1. How are laser fillings done??
2. What is laser?
3. How is it better than conventional treatment?
4. Is it worth paying the extra cost?
5. Will my child be at ease?
6. Is there any time difference between laser and normal fillings appointment?
7. Will laser damage any teeth around?
8. Is laser safe for young kids?
9. Will insurance cover the procedure?
10. How can the practice help to get the procedure covered?
When the front desk is able to cover the above details while proposing the option of laser treatment, its pretty much likely that the patient will go in for the treatment. Also, to add to patients further understanding, a free of charge pre procedural appointment (PPA) can be arranged with parents alone, in order to discuss the queries at length.
Our front desk is the doorway to our practice, their strength determines the strength and outcomes of our practice to a big extent. Six Sigma acknowledges this fact in a broad way.
2. Utilising auxillary staff during the free hours:
The assisting and the sterilisation staff can be assigned duties apart from their routines. These duties can be comprised of the following:
1. Checking the broken appointments, listing them, making sure that these patients are called in at least three times before sending the final SMS reminder.
2. Listing all the “Did not attend” appointments and keep the front desk posted. The front desk can then make routine timely calls to these patients and try to rebook them.
3. The recalls or periodic recare appointment reminders can be self generated and can also be manually sent in by phone calls or by SMS.
4. Updating the practice in terms of improving on the information that is given to the patient, preparing the literature to be given out, preparing optimal standard of teaching models and videos for patients is another way of utilizing the existing assets in the practice.
3. Continuing education for the dentist and the auxillary staff:
“Train the trainer program” is the idea of the moment. Not only the laser dentist should conduct the trainings for other professionals from time to time, but also for the assisting staff.
Training the assisting staff regarding the machine, its functioning as well its maintenance can save the practice from long term expenses which may otherwise incur if the problems were not diagnosed in time.
These courses are generally given by the laser companies on periodic bases and can be pre checked and registered for.
4. Utilizing technical assistance in the practice:
The information and technology department can be utilized along with the media department to create working videos of lasers and these can then be used for the social media promotions. “What you see is what you believe in”, explains why people’s understanding of the lasers is clear when they have practically seen the performance.
5. Financial assistance:
What gets checked or measured is what gets improved. When the financial department is able to come up with the feedback on the cost of investment of lasers and the return on the same, we can get the numerical result and can plan better for future. Its important to get the numbers on periodic bases about the amount of costs that goes in the upkeep of laser, about the actual cost of investment, what is the breakeven period and/or percentage of profits expected.
Feedback from financial department can be the underlying foundation that helps us to foresee the possible returns of the laser investment.
In precise terms, re-inventing, restructuring the existing assets in the practice can itself turn the outcome manifold. The targets of successful practice is definitely to see the maximum outcomes, but it does not always have to be based on more inputs.
Six Sigma principles are basically DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.
Restructuring the existing system, giving standardized protocols of functioning to each level is indeed the core structure build up of six sigma based dental practice.
Once, the systems have been placed in order of performance, there needs to be a continual check, otherwise, the whole system can crash and revert back to the point of start.
These relapses can be avoided when there is an assigned member of the team at each level to check and report to the concerned person.
’Creating hierarchy’ was once obsolete, but as per six sigma, flow of activities can be best monitored when there is a check by the right people at all levels.
The final step towards practice management is to maintain the established model of performance at all levels, document the achieved success and strive for further progress during the next time of check.
