The people say "they don't want trouble, they want a way"! We have already worked a lot so far as dentists. We are used to working a lot: to get a degree in dentistry, to finish our postgraduate studies, to open our dental practice. Perhaps from childhood we had learned that "good things come with hard work", that nothing gets done if we don't get tired, or even that everything has to be done the hard way! And our path was not paved with rose petals and colorful butterflies, nor perhaps for most of us with wads of money flowing down the road, for all our plans.
But nobody actually wants to work that hard, let's not laugh! Even if we do we always 'envy' those who can enjoy life by working less and getting more. Often we just don't want to work that much anymore! In all four walls of our practice there is only us and work! So what is this new way that does not require effort?
We would really like to walk the dog or drink coffee in the square with friends. Going out to play with our kids at the playground would still be a much better option. Maybe a bath, a massage or us and a good book, us and painting, us on a trip to the countryside or shopping in the shops that just opened after a year of quarantine.
And yet instead, we spend endless hours organizing our dental practice, our materials, our supplies, our associates, to serve others, most of the time without being paid what our work is worth. And why is this happening? Who is responsible for this? I'm sorry to disappoint you but only we are responsible for what happens to us!
There are our fears and guilts that hold us back from raising our bill when our expenses have increased! Who should suffer this increase? Only our pocket? or is it time to carry out a correct and fair repricing of our services for all our patients/customers so that finally some profit remains in our account? Do you know any business that is viable and not bankrupt, that works without profit? Why should our dental office be the exception?
Then we may guiltily think that times are hard and where will our patient find the money! He might even choose a "cheaper" colleague, since the dentists "stink" out there! So, does the increase in the prices of our services displease the patients who are used to them coming to our practice paying with "tefteria" in installments like in the good old days? How will we live with the guilt of having to ask them to pay for our services? Will they not choose us again? Is it unethical to ask for an increase in my prices due to the quarantine? Will patients end up choosing my competitors in the neighborhood if I reprice?
A bunch of phobias about events that may never happen! Which is maybe only inside our mind. But also in the mind of our patients/clients, maybe I should think about whether I should continue to work with people of this mentality as it is probably not in my interest to think of them as "ideal clients" of my dental practice.
Trust me all the people out there want the nice and renovated spaces, the luxurious service, the good dental materials, the perfect dental work in their mouth, but they are not willing to pay the price. And why? Unfortunately in Greece, dental patients are poorly educated. And their training had been done by the previous generations of dentists who had operated with magnificence, without financial rules in their business, because the times then allowed them. Today things have changed and we are the ones who educate our patients now. If we continue to operate by "loaning" the therapeutic work of our patients out of our own pocket, without giving due value to our services and to ourselves, then we will only reproduce complaints, misery and paperback in our dental office. And we will continue to attract people who are not willing to pay the price for our services.
The serious dental patient cares about his peace of mind, about the good quality of materials and dental practice in his mouth, and is willing to pay for them if properly asked. Therefore, the spotlight falls on us, on how we will show others the value of our work. If we ourselves do not believe in the value of our time and our service, how will we let our patient understand it?
Even if what we fear eventually happens and some patients do choose not to work with us again, what will be the final profit for us? We'll have gotten rid of people who don't respect our services and maybe won't even pay us for them, and we won't be wasting our time and emotional, physical, and mental health on people who don't respect us. So we can only profit from this clearing. In a strongly sustainable dental practice, it is important to work with our "ideal patients/customers", those we are happy to see and talk to, those who are able to positively evaluate our services and pay for them, those who will say the good reason for our clinic.
And what is the worst that can happen? Some "patients" may indeed temporarily choose to work with "cheaper" colleagues, but they will always appreciate the one who told them the truth. And the truth is not hidden in the "discounts" of quality, either in space and equipment, or in human resources and the final product of our work.
So let's ask ourselves: In the end, what is in my best interest: to have price value or customer value? A good dental patient who has understood the quality of my services do you think it is easy to go elsewhere even if I raise my bill? To do this I would definitely have to have discounts and quality reduction at various other points in his dental journey at my place!
This is why our time requires us to know information about the dental journey of our patients and why if we know it we will not be afraid to proceed with changes that add value to our place and our services. We as dentists determine the points of this journey and work to satisfy them in the best possible way. This is how my hard work turns into value. And eventually the value ends up not needing so much hard work! I work less and earn more!
Five months later you can see the product of the hard work you have done with marketing and quality improvement in your dental practice through fair interventions in its financial management and if you decide to shed your phobias and guilt. You may have more "ideal" patients coming to your practice. Even your reviews work for you. And so you have more money for shopping. More time for friends, dog walks, massages and excursions.
But most importantly, you have redefined your boundaries and how you want to work in your practice. You feel differently about yourself, your roles, and your emotions.
It then feels good to see your program differently, the possibilities and the new options of behavior towards your patients! You feel like sharing your potential and skills with the world without hiding!
Then you think about what you were doing six months ago, how hard it was for you to do some marketing steps for your dental practice, how you grumbled that your professor gave you so much work again!
But eventually you appreciate it.
You look forward to becoming even better at promoting your dental profile, your business, yourself.
This is the Timeboosters dentist trip!
It creates or helps you rediscover your value and goodwill as well as the goodwill of your dental office. And make money from it because you deserve it!
Dr. Maria Antoniadou
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, EKPA
ACSTH by ICF and AC Accredited Coach
PS: When you are ready to do the hard work and learn to operate with marketing rules in your dental practice and above the break-even point of your business, i.e. with a substantial profit, then it is time to meet Timebooster_dental. Join the waiting list now for the group that will run October 18-November 22 and for 5 weeks, because places are limited.
I will be with you all the way for the new view of the operation of your dental practice: me and other worthy colleagues, as it is now at Timebooster_2Dental. Click here to join Timebooster_3Dental.
