Modern Hygienist - February 2009 - (Page 8)

open | EDITOR’S LETTER I am not an avid reader of Forbes magazine. However, a tidbit on forbes.com caught my attention this week. Titled “Ten things we’re still buying,” the article offered snapshots at some categories which, in spite of the economic downturn, consumers haven’t cut out of their budgets. Some things, such as car maintenance and computers, were no surprise. Others seemed a little silly: smart phones, video games and consoles, and toy building sets. But in the end, three stood out. Personal care. According to the article, consumers are still spending “beyond the necessities” in the personal care category. As a dental hygienist, think of what this means for you and your role in the practice. Whether it’s toothpaste, mouthrinse or aids to help keep white teeth whiter longer, patients are most likely still interested and you are still the one with influence. If other profit centers in your practice are struggling, maybe now is the time to brainstorm the best ways to help patients find the items they need while building relationships—and, hopefully, revenue—for the practice. Gym memberships. Evidently, Americans want to stay healthy even if their pocketbook is anemic. Overall gym memberships are projected to increase by 4% in 2009, according to market researchers Stifel Nicolaus. This is more good news for dental hygienists. In the ongoing effort to educate patients about oral-systemic links and how healthy mouths can, in fact, lead to longer, healthier lives, this data suggests you’ll still have people in your practice open to receiving that message. If you can get that stubborn patient to see the connection between paying his membership to Bally’s and investing in better periodontal health, you’ve uncovered another potential income stream that works in the best interest of the patient and the practice. Restaurants. The National Restaurant Association forecasts that Americans will spend $566 billion at restaurants this year, a 2.5% increase over 2008. The author, asserting that finer dining probably isn’t making up the bulk of that figure, concludes that more people are looking for “convenient, cheap ways to eat, which often leads to fast food.” If this is the case, then dental hygienists share a responsibility for helping educate patients about the implications of that kind of diet. Most people don’t have a private nutritionist, but they should be seeing their hygienist at least a few times a year—so seize that opportunity! WISE INVESTMENTS With so much talk of Wall Street capsizing, pundits and professionals alike keep throwing around one phrase: consumer confidence. It’s difficult to figure out who to trust and where to invest when many of these people and companies got us here in the first place. So what do we do? I have no idea. I’m not an economist. When 401(k)s are frozen, the only thing that makes sense to me is to go back to the skills that got you where you are and work hard to keep the practice and your patients healthy. While I recognize that time is short and times are tough, I believe it’s also important to think about those who were suffering before the credit crisis and who only have more problems ahead because of it. February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and I would encourage each of us to think about how we can give a little bit more—time, money, whatever—to ensure that all children can receive the basic oral care they need. Uninsured, underinsured, unaware—regardless of the circumstance, there are children in your community who can use your help. Invest in them. mh tcarter@advanstar.com Do this! Write in and tell us what you want to see in the pages of MH. Just e-mail mh@advanstar.com. 8 modernhygienist.com | February 2009 http://www.forbes.com http://www.modernhygienist.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Modern Hygienist - February 2009

Modern Hygienist - February 2009 Contents Editor's Letter Letters News Modern Solutions Caring for Kids The DNA Difference A Healthy Perspective The Economic Impact on You How Single Moms Make it Work Ad Index Classified Economy 101

Modern Hygienist - February 2009

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