DentaltownUK July 2018 - 19

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How Long Is Your Hygiene Appointment,
and What Does She Do?
What goes on during a hygiene appointment? Townies discuss what should happen ... and what actually does

So, I had this conversation with my RDH about appointment time. When I took over the
practice, I changed hygiene appointments from 50 minutes to 1 hour. The office was a mess and
now we have an ideal schedule (hygiene booked back-to-back). She is saying that she can't do
back-to-back appointments with BWs on both patients.
I want to set my staff up for success, but I don't want to give extra time just because they are
running behind or not willing to do what's needed. How long does it take them for setting up
the room, getting patients, talking, taking radiographs, cleaning, taking intraoral photos, going
over photos, getting doctor, doctor talking to patient about treatments, scheduling appointment
and walking the patient out to the front?
Does it make a difference if it's perio maintenance vs. FMX vs. BW? Do you have an assistant to help RDH set up the room? What is the expected norm here? I'm getting irritated about
this, especially when I gave her a $2.50 raise last month. I took over the practice last September.
She has been with the practice for 10 years, so I can't get rid of her easily. Do I need to have an
exit strategy?
P.S.: She has not been doing a perio chart because we are running behind. ■

Ridin'Shotgun
Member Since: 15/10/11
Post: 1 of 31

14/2/2018

It sucks. But in my experience, hygienists tend to get set in their ways. Sixty minutes is
plenty of time to set up, prophy or PMT, take X-rays and perio chart. A perio chart on a healthy
prophy patient with all 2 and 3 PD takes no more than a minute or two.
The problem is, many hygienists I have worked with-not all!-talk so much to the patients,
and spend way too much time scaling and scaling every spot. For some reason they think if they
aren't spending 50 minutes scaling, they aren't doing it correctly. Just do your best to remind
them to stay on schedule. You'll eventually have to bring on a younger hygienist who you will
train to work how you want. ■

Richy
Member Since: 30/03/10
Post: 2 of 31

14/2/2018

Tell her that any month her production exceeds three times her salary, she'll get a bonus of
¹/³ of the overage. Miraculously, her objections will disappear, and she'll let you know she's actually fine doing an FMX and prophy in one hour. Sealants also, fluoride varnish, charting ... ■

RubinsteinDDS
Member Since: 08/15/07
Post: 3 of 31

14/2/2018

eeznogood
You'd be surprised how untrue that is with some staff. ■
15/2/2018

I agree with the fact that sometimes hygienists can get set in their ways. But now that you
are the doctor/owner, you need to let her know what your expectations are. You may think this
seems obvious, but sitting down and having a one-on-one conversation will give you both the
chance to voice concerns.

Member Since: 02/23/06
Post: 5 of 31

frontofficerocks
Member Since: 11/04/15
Post: 7 of 31

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