StraightSmile Solutions®

1. You’ll save time and time is money.

Depending on the model you purchase and the skill set of your assistant, an arch can be scanned in as little as one minute. Compare that to how long it takes to mix and take a PVS impression–about 10 minutes? If there are retakes, which happens often, then double that time.

2. It’s an optimal patient experience.

If you’ve never had a PVS impression, it’s a disgusting experience. It tastes like a hybrid between a tennis ball and sweaty gym feet. It’s not a positive patient experience. Retakes are inevitable and this further frustrates the client. Happy patients refer other patients. Referral means more production.

3. You’ll save money, lots of money.

Yes, the scanner will cost money, but do the math; the production you’ll net is even more. The scanner can be used on all your fixed and removable restorative work, plus your orthodontics. Take a look at your PVS and impression tray lab bills plus your postage to the lab. Many offices find out that their scanner is fully paid-off in just a few months. The rest of the savings is just pure profit. There is also value-add in their saved chair time. A procedure can now be done in five minutes instead of 20; this means that the chair is now scheduled more productively and even more patients can be scheduled.

4. You’ll save time. Saving time saves money.

Cases can be turned around in days instead of months. This is a marketable value-add for patient experience, and quicker turn-around on cases leads to less temporary failures and dreaded OVNC.

5. You’ll save on storage. Eliminating storage saves money.

Storage of impression materials and supplies and old models is also expensive. This can be eliminated since the impression is stored in the cloud, virtually.

6. Your appliances and restorations will fit easier. Fewer remakes save time and money, and increases overall patient experience.

7. One unit is needed instead of multiple units. This saves money.

Now, many scanners are just “plug and go” with a USB cable. They are so small they can fit in your purse or briefcase! This is convenient for anyone on the go or with multiple offices.

StraightSmile Solutions is the future of orthodontic coaching. We are the first online portal to provide a doctor-to-doctor consulting service that will allow GP’s and their teams to access the knowledge and expertise of an industry expert, in order to enhance information sharing and efficiency in problem solving. I hope to revolutionize orthodontic coaching. As compared to other orthodontic coaching service providers, StraightSmile Solutions is a full-time business. We are independent and not run alongside a clinical practice. We commit our full energy to coaching, and YOU reap the benefits! We pride ourselves on lightning-fast service and responsiveness. StraightSmile Solutions is time and cost-efficient. Our services are available exclusively online. Of the over 128,000 general dentists in the U.S., most have little to no formal educational training in orthodontics. Those who do seek training often have to resort to expensive and time-consuming weekend services. You learn on the job through trial and error, but those errors can be expensive and unfortunate for both patients and doctors. We aim to fill the gap in the market for quality and efficient coaching to provide valuable solutions for doctors and their teams, and subsequent positive outcomes in the quality of patient care.

Your patients love aligners and so do you! Every day, someone asks me about cheaper alternatives to Invisalign ®. Yes, they do exist, but buyer-beware! The key to integrating these into your practice is simply case selection. With some of Invisalign’s ® patents approaching expiration, this market is exploding in the US and beyond. I believe you can be successful in selectively integrating these into your practice for select patients and cases.

Since the market changes weekly, I wouldn’t do this blog justice to compare pros and cons of products, but feel free to contact me via my website at http://www.StraightSmileSolutions.com for more information.

There are numerous reasons that a dentist may chose to select an alternative aligner company. In my experience, it comes down to three primary reasons:

1. Lower lab fee
2. Patient doesn’t want attachments
3. Doctor doesn’t have a current account with Invisalign® or their account isn’t in good standing.

Before you jump into the wild-wild west of alternative aligner companies, remember, that Invisalign® often runs specials on their Express 5® and Express 10® treatments. Check with your Territory Manager so that you are comparing apples to apples. Also, it is possible to have attachments omitted on your Invisalign ® cases, if biomechanically possible. Just ask your technician. Remember Invisalign ® has spent a considerable amount of research and development into their product. They are literally the “OG” of the aligner industry. If you need support or hand-holding, and don’t have a coach or consultant like StraightSmile Solutions ™, they are the way to go.

If you feel confident that you have a relatively easy case, then try Clear Correct ® or another simplified, alternative aligner company. I recommend sticking with easy, Class I cases with mild-moderate crowding and spacing. Make sure your periodontal condition is healthy and stable. These alternative products may, or may not include revisions/refinements, so be prepared for possible additional, unanticipated lab fees at the end if the result isn’t ideal.

One idea to consider is creating a “compliance contract” with your patient. You may want to clearly disclose your terms and conditions for aligner treatment in your practice. What is included? What isn’t included? Often, practices access a fee for additional aligners, revisions, refinements or retainers. This can be a point of frustration for patients nearing the end of aligner treatment. It’s good practice to disclose your fees upfront and have patients agree to them.

Most importantly, have fun! Creating beautiful smiles is the reason we all got into dentistry in the first place! When you pick your cases wisely and treatment plan effectively, you will create success for your patients.

StraightSmile Solutions is the future of orthodontic coaching. We are the first online portal to provide a doctor-to-doctor consulting service that will allow GP’s and their teams to access the knowledge and expertise of an industry expert, in order to enhance information sharing and efficiency in problem solving. I hope to revolutionize orthodontic coaching. As compared to other orthodontic coaching service providers, StraightSmile Solutions is a full-time business. We are independent and not run alongside a clinical practice. We commit our full energy to coaching, and YOU reap the benefits! We pride ourselves on lightning-fast service and responsiveness. StraightSmile Solutions is time and cost-efficient. Our services are available exclusively online. Of the over 128,000 general dentists in the U.S., most have little to no formal educational training in orthodontics. Those who do seek training often have to resort to expensive and time-consuming weekend services. You learn on the job through trial and error, but those errors can be expensive and unfortunate for both patients and doctors. We aim to fill the gap in the market for quality and efficient coaching to provide valuable solutions for doctors and their teams, and subsequent positive outcomes in the quality of patient care. About the author: Dr. Amanda Wilson is an Orthodontist and the founder of StraightSmile Solutions. For more information, visit www.StraightSmileSolutions.com.

Staffing issues are the number one frustration in dentistry. Face it: recruiting, hiring, training and maintaining staff is challenging. Occasionally, you find yourself a “Maria”: the ideal, perfect, educated, loyal, punctual dental assistant. I met my Maria twelve years ago on my first day of work, fresh out of residency. Nobody else has ever measured-up since.

When Maria was assisting me, everything managed to turn out ideal; she always had my back. Many dentists believe staff members can determine, to a great extent, our day-to-day stress levels, as well as the practice’s ultimate success. Like it or not, we depend on these staff to support us in nearly every aspect of our practice. But, why can’t we make every dental assistant a “Maria”?

You can! To answer this important question, you must first understand the motivating forces common to all of the potential candidates for employment within dental practices. What would make your office the ideal place of work for them? Is dental assisting just a stepping-stone for another career, or are they willing to make a long-term commitment to the profession? Surprisingly or not, sometimes the algorithm is much more then just simple financial compensation. I’ve had staff who are looking for, just to name a few: work-life balance, flexibility to care for their children when sick, educational challenges, a positive culture, leadership and advancement options and travel opportunities.

You also need to identify what qualities would make you an ideal “Maria”. For me, it’s: punctuality, speed, education, friendly and consistent upbeat attitude, ability to adapt, and an inherent, intrinsic skill-set. Once you find your Maria, you need to keep her! Dentists often give up a lot for themselves in order to retain the right staff members, initially.

StraightSmile Solutions is the future of orthodontic coaching. We are the first online portal to provide a doctor-to-doctor consulting service that will allow GP’s and their teams to access the knowledge and expertise of an industry expert, in order to enhance information sharing and efficiency in problem solving. I hope to revolutionize orthodontic coaching. As compared to other orthodontic coaching service providers, StraightSmile Solutions is a full-time business. We are independent and not run alongside a clinical practice. We commit our full energy to coaching, and YOU reap the benefits! We pride ourselves on lightning-fast service and responsiveness. StraightSmile Solutions is time and cost-efficient. Our services are available exclusively online. Of the over 128,000 general dentists in the U.S., most have little to no formal educational training in orthodontics. Those who do seek training often have to resort to expensive and time-consuming weekend services. You learn on the job through trial and error, but those errors can be expensive and unfortunate for both patients and doctors. We aim to fill the gap in the market for quality and efficient coaching to provide valuable solutions for doctors and their teams, and subsequent positive outcomes in the quality of patient care.

About the author: Dr. Amanda Wilson is an Orthodontist and the founder of StraightSmile Solutions. For more information, visit www.StraightSmileSolutions.com.

Nothing in dentistry creates more controversy than the notion of “selling” dentistry. Certainly, the most successful dental practices have teams that are adept in the skill of upselling. Face it, there’s more than one way to skin a cat! For any dental problem, there may be multiple solutions with a variety of price tags to boot. It’s an important concept in any dental office: How can you sell without feeling like you’re a used car salesman? To answer this question, we need to examine solid, ethical sales strategies and apply them to dentistry. We all like to buy, but nobody likes aggressive sales techniques.

The art of the classy sale is a learned skill. There’s a fine balance between boosting production with an upsell while keeping a standard of patient care. It’s a fact: As a clinician, you and your team must learn to sell your services or the practice will not be successful. Patients these days are educated, well informed consumers, and will continue to become more knowledgeable. There’s a plethora of information available online, some reliable and some not. Patients need an honest clinician to advise them on their options.

Face it; your patients don’t know if your crown margins are ideal or if you put that perfect bevel on the composite prep. What they DO know is that you run on time, have polite mannerisms, listen to their concerns and don’t cause them discomfort. Good selling means giving your patient just enough information to make his or her own informed decision. The right amount of information may vary from one patient to another, so possessing the innate ability to know how to adapt your sales pitch to each and every patient in your chair is the key to success. If you overshoot, your patients will feel confused and overwhelmed and will likely seek treatment elsewhere. If you undershoot, you’ll make no sale. My wise aunty used to tell us: “Don’t ask, don’t get!”

Unless you are a gifted psychic, you’ll likely need to spend some time getting to know your patient and ask open-ended questions to understand the patient’s values. You’ll have to learn to read body language and observe discreet cues. Usually most dental patients have one “hot button” value that you must target in order to successfully complete the upsell. For some patients this might be value, cost, aesthetics, time or discomfort. Unless you get to know your patient by asking open-ended questions, finding the hot button and subsequently successfully completing the sale is unlikely.

Often patients open up to staff before they’ll befriend the doctors. Your staff should be your trusted advocates in this process. Having a team-huddle in the mornings where you discuss each and ever patient on the schedule, is crucial. There should also be a designated location in the charting where your staff can document their observations. Lastly, staff selection is key. You must hire friendly staff, who feel confident enough to sell your products and services to patients. Often, the key to this is simply a profit sharing or comprehensive staff incentive plan.

In conclusion, enjoy the ride AND embrace the elephant! Never forget that dentistry is rapidly changing. There are so many fun and exciting options to offer your patients that fit your personal practice philosophy and brand.

StraightSmile Solutions is the future of orthodontic coaching. We are the first online portal to provide a doctor-to-doctor consulting service, that will allow GP’s and their teams, to access the knowledge and expertise of an industry expert. We pride ourselves on lightning-fast service and responsiveness. StraightSmile Solutions is time and cost-efficient. Our services are available exclusively online. Out of the over 128,000 general dentists in the U.S., most have little to no formal or educational training in orthodontics. Those who do seek training, often have to resort to expensive and time-consuming weekend services. You learn on the job, through trial and error, but those errors can be expensive and unfortunate for both patients and doctors. We aim to fill the gap in the market for quality and efficient coaching, by providing valuable solutions for doctors and teams and subsequent positive outcomes, in the quality of patient care.

About the author: Dr. Amanda Wilson is an Orthodontist and the founder of StraightSmile Solutions. For more information, visit http://www.StraightSmileSolutions.com.