Greg Winteregg DDS on Dental Associates
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Business -> subcategory Other.
Greg Winteregg, DDS, on Adding Dental Associates
As a dentist and consultant with over 13 years of experience, I've learned a crucial lesson: there are right and wrong ways to introduce a dental associate to your practice. Many dentists either feel the urgent need for an associate or plan to add one. Here are key considerations to guide your decision:
Key Considerations for Adding an Associate
1. Timing: When is the right moment?
2. Compensation Structure: How to set it up?
3. Finding the Right Candidate: Best practices for recruitment.
4. Interview Focus: Key points to discuss.
5. Integration: How to smoothly incorporate them into your practice.
Timing: When to Add an Associate
Determining the right time is vital and where many dentists go wrong. Consider this scenario: Your practice has some schedule openings, and you’re gaining about 10 new patients per month. You think expanding hours with an associate will boost productivity. But without enough patient influx, this move usually backfires. The associate may end up unproductive and dissatisfied, which can lead to reduced profits and the challenge of keeping them busy.
Ask Yourself:
- Is your practice growing?
- Are you operating efficiently?
- Is your business profitable?
- Is your schedule full?
If your answers are "Yes," it might be time for an associate. Imagine your practice has grown to a point where you can't accommodate more patients despite being efficient and profitable. Your schedule is full, and appointments are booking weeks in advance. Now's the time to consider hiring an associate to:
1. Enhance patient service efficiency.
2. Lighten your workload so you can focus on preferred tasks.
3. Boost overall practice productivity.
Start with an associate one to two days a week and adjust from there.
Practical Considerations
Review your patient charts. From experience, 1,000 charts well-managed can keep a doctor and hygienist busy. A one-to-one ratio of doctor to hygienist works well. If you already have two fully booked hygienists, you likely need an associate, provided other factors align.
Expansion and Survival
Business growth is essential. Even a well-managed practice will eventually need an associate as demand exceeds your capacity. How much production is necessary depends on your style, fees, and services. At MGE, we recommend getting an associate when patient appointments are too far out?"typically more than a couple of weeks.
Supporting Expansion
Evaluate your patient growth:
1. Count your active charts.
2. Multiply by 20%.
3. Divide by 12 to find your monthly new patient target.
For example, Dr. Smith has 1,200 active charts, meaning he should aim for at least 20 new patients per month to maintain health. This guide assumes patients are fee-for-service, and the doctor excels in treatment presentation, impacting production and collections.
Beyond the Basics
Exceed this 20% target for new patients if you want an associate. MGE's "New Patient Workshop" can help boost the influx of fee-for-service patients, facilitating practice expansion and readiness for an associate.
This comprehensive approach ensures you're well-prepared to make a sound decision when integrating a dental associate into your practice.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Greg Winteregg DDS on Dental Associates.
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