A Starting Point For Growing Your Practice

In most cases doctors seek out a practice consultant because they want a better or larger practice but they don't know where to begin.  I'd like to share a few thoughts on simply finding a starting point for growing your practice.  Take a moment and see which of these conditions most closely describes your current situation.

1.  I don't have enough new patients.  I'm standing around with nothing to do while the overhead clock is running at warp speed.  I can tell that several of the staff really don't mind having some slow time during the day so they can catch up on other work, but I, on the other hand am experiencing high anxiety when things are slow.

I'm convinced that if I could get more new patients through the door I could reach my goals, one of which is a sense of the fulfillment that comes from being fully utilized.  Sure there are some busy times here and there but for the most part, my schedule isn't really challenged.  I've tried marketing, asking for referrals and I've even joined some local civic groups.  Is this ever going to change?

2.  I have plenty of patients but I'm pretty sure that the cases are not being fully developed.  In other words, there's lots of new patients but they're not accepting the treatment they really need.  I feel very busy but not terribly productive, does that make any sense?  If it's not disruptive composite cases, it's full-on new patient exams that end up as NTs (No Treatment).  Oh I'm busy all right.

I'm also hounded by the thought that we're not being very efficient.  I've often thought that if my monthly new patient count were to go up by 20% that I'd probably make even less money than I do now.  The practice is starting to feel like an unprofitable hamster wheel and it's wearing me out.  I always thought that if I could just get more new patients that all would be well, I was wrong.

3.  I'm reaching all my production goals but the profit just isn't there.  I hear and read about national averages for the typical dental practice but it just doesn't seem to apply to my office.  I've repeatedly gone over all the numbers with my accountant and I'm pretty sure we're not being embezzled or wasteful, the net just isn't there.  I've checked to see that I'm not overpaying my staff, my rent is within the 8% (of gross) guideline and my Patterson Rep is careful not to let my office become a supply warehouse.

My patients get high quality dentistry and first class service from a dedicated team of seasoned veterans.  My staff are well compensated, my patients are fussed over but it feels like all of this value is coming at my expense. I'm starting to wonder if I should have become an associate doctor or a manager at Wal-Mart.  At least I wouldn't have to worry about making payroll.  I hate to sound so selfish but there it is. I'm doing the work and delivering a great experience for both patients and staff but I'm not getting the paycheck I hear other dentists are getting.

All I'm asking you to do at this point in the process is to identify yourself.  I realize there really could be other perspectives on practice blockages but most of the ones I run into in the consulting trade fall under these three headings.  In the upcoming blogs we'll look into each of these frustrating conditions.  Stay tuned, we'll take them one at a time and in order.  You're comments are welcomed.