Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2012 - (Page 37)

NORTHERN REGION SUMMARIES DESTINATION SUCCESS Presented by Ms. LeeAnn Peniche, at the PCSO Northern Regional Meeting, February 24, 2012. Summarized by Dr. Bruce P. Hawley, PCSO Bulletin Northern Region Editor. peaking to PCSO’s Northern Regional Meeting, LeeAnn Peniche described “Destination Success,” a masterful blend of business, service, systems, and commitment that can be applied to orthodontic practices. For orthodontists, Destination Success is not just the favorable outcome of moving crooked teeth into alignment; we make a difference in patients’ lives, and while we are not necessarily saving lives, we certainly change them. Just because you pull together a group of All-Stars, you can’t assume you have a working team. Two examples: in the recent sinking of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, an experienced captain and crew did not follow basic standard operating systems and failed to communicate, resulting in lost lives. The Boeing Dreamliner was supposed to set the standard and become the jet that other companies could only aspire to match; however, in the wake of quality control errors, over-budget expenses, weakening of consumer confidence, late delivery orders and order cancellations, the competition was able to catch up. Success in orthodontic practices follows incremental successes that gradually hone the team’s effectiveness. S (including contests, special announcements), and asking whether anything will keep the group from giving 100% today. At the end of the day post a chart with columns of pertinent office statistics. Your monthly planning meeting will cover the numbers of new patients exams, pendings and observations, patients beyond estimate, number of missed or emergencies. This can tell you where to put your energies and funds. Ms. Peniche DEFINE CASE ACCEPTANCE Ms. Peniche reports a national case acceptance rate range of 53% to 58%, with the highest case acceptance levels from patient referrals. Of 30 new patient examinations, treatment is recommended for about 20, and 10 are placed into the recall system. The recall system in the orthodontic office has been undervalued and misunderstood. Recall patients tend to be neglected and forgotten. In reality, the recall system is the savings account for the future and a key to success in your practice. Of the 20 out of 30 patients for whom treatment is recommended, 12 generally will start treatment, and eight will go into a pending mode. At any given stage, five patients should be started from the eight pending, and of 10 recall patients, seven should be started. That adds up to 24 new starts (12 immediate starts, five starts from pending, and seven starts from recall) at each stage. Thus, these 24 new contracts are at an 80% case acceptance rate (out of the 30 examinations at that time). Don’t count the Phase II starts, as each patient only starts once. Phase IIs are the second most undervalued patient group, and patients between Phase I and Phase II can sometimes be lost. For every 100 Phase I patients started in a practice, 80 Phase II patients should be started as well. DEFINE A BUSINESS PLAN Who are you? Are you the practice that raises the bar in your community, and if not, why? What do you stand for and how can you differentiate your practice from the crowd? Ms. Peniche’s clients are required to support the community beyond the orthodontic office. Employees volunteer in the community, helping organizations such as Boy or Girl Scouts, sports teams, Special Olympics, women’s shelters, food banks, disaster relief, and/or Habitat for Humanity. However, community involvement should not be commercialized. Take three views of your practice: through a telescope from afar, through a wide-angle lens to see the whole landscape, and through a microscope to examine the fine details. Open your morning meeting with music or a phrase that relates to your work together. Next comes a clinical report, a scheduling report by assistants or appointment columns, a financial report (such as paperwork needing completion), a treatment coordinator’s report (including examinations and observation patients), highlights TEAM Ms. Peniche advocates that you “hire the smile, and train the skill” (since you cannot train the former but can SuMMeR 2012 • PCSO Bulletin 37

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2012

President's Message
Executive Director's Letter
Editorial
PCSO Business
AAOF Report
PCSO at a Glance
Practice Management Diary
Faculty Files
Correction to Faculty Files article, Spring 2012
Seasoned Practicioner's Corner
Case Report Pre-Treatment
Portrait of a Professional
From Good to Great in a Tough Economy
Three-Dimensional Volumetric Imaging: An Emerging Diagnostic Tool
Destination Success
Case Report Post-Treatment
Earl's Pearls

Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2012