Dentaltown December 2019 - 58

office
visit

TOP 5 PRODUCTS
1. ViscoStat Clear (Ultradent). I
wouldn't be able to take any
clean impressions without
this. I use it on both anterior
and posterior teeth, say a little
prayer to the patron saint of
dentistry, and voilà!
2. Harmony Posterior Dual
Arch Tray (Ho Dental). My lab
technician introduced me to
these. I love that they are
sturdy like the Clinician's Choice
trays and small enough to avoid
gag reflexes and maxillary
tuberosities. If it helps my lab
do better work, then so be it.
3. Durelon Carboxylate Cement
(3M). The fluoride release,
desensitizer and adhesive
properties make this "oldie but
goodie" a triple threat. I use
it to cement temporaries, for
direct and indirect pulp capping
and as an additional liner/
adhesive for deep Class V glass
ionomer restorations.
4. Dentrix Practice Management
Software (Henry Schein).
Specifically, the "Patient Report
By" filters. During school
vacations, I generate a list of
children who are overdue on
recare or treatment because
it's the perfect time to
schedule a dental appointment
for them. Toward the end of
the year, I inform patients with
pending treatment that they
still have remaining insurance
benefits, especially if they've
already met their deductible.
5. Yeoman Loupes (Designs for
Vision). These are built like
a tank, so no cracking of the
frames or popping of lenses.
My brother-in-law, who is a
vascular surgeon, also wears
them.

58

DECEMBER 2019 // dentaltown.com

When I was looking to purchase a
practice, I read many threads on practice
transitions. It helped me understand the
sequence and timeline of events, figure out
what numbers to look for when evaluating
a practice, and know the do's and don'ts
during the actual transition. I just recently
switched merchant processing services, and
one of the competing vendors I talked to
was completely taken aback by the level
of detail I got into with them-this is all
thanks to Dentaltown!
When my father-in-law broke his old
dentures, I used Dr. Cory Glenn's "Let's
make a denture..." steps with fantastic
results. I see my in-laws every week for family
dinner night, and my father-in-law is eating
and laughing with no issues. That makes
my heart smile. A great lab technician for
removables also helps, by the way.
I tried to follow some of the new dental
Facebook groups, and it's hard because
everyone wants to talk instead of just listen.
Often, it's difficult to shift through reliable
advice versus anecdotal thoughts or strong
opinions. I prefer Dentaltown because I know
who the experts are, and the search function
works much better when I'm researching a
particular question or issue.
You said that you like that the practice
has a "small-town feel." What helps
create such an atmosphere? And how
does that affect how you treat patients?
My practice has been here for 40 years.
Some of my patients, their kids, and now
grandkids have been coming here since the
beginning. My staff and I make it a point to
get to know all of our patients. Throughout
the year, they will bring in garden harvests,
souvenirs from their summer vacations
and holiday cards with homemade jams.
My patients have my number, they text
me pictures of their home renovations and
invite me to community events. And, yes,
once in a while, there is a fuzzy picture of a
chipped tooth. These connections cue us to

do certain things, like to pad the schedule
for certain patients. Some of our veterans
have PTSD and are extremely anxious.
Giving extra time during treatment goes
a long way in making them feel reassured
and comfortable.
Recently, my hygienist asked if she could
temporarily leave an hour early on Fridays
to pick up her kids; her family schedule
changed and there was no other way for
her to accommodate that change. I told
her it was no problem. It's important that
not only our patients but also our staff feels
comfortable and connected.
http://www.dentaltown.com
Dentaltown December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown December 2019
