Saturday, April 10, 2010

Consultation fees!!!

What do you say when your patient asks you why should they pay you a consultation fees or better still what for should they pay you a consultation fees???

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Treatment plan acceptance

Dental implants, root canal treatment, ceramic crowns are the options that dentists find patients dilly dallying on! Why is it so? Is it because these are high value case plans? But we find people spending lacs of rupees on acquiring a desirable mobile number or a car number plate! So its not that patients do not have the funds to afford the treatment plans offered by dentists.
Then what is that missing link?
I think the answer lies beyond the usual training that is imparted to a graduate or even a post graduate in the dental colleges.
It has a lot to do with communication skills, marketing skills and learning to be a skilled sales person!
Yes I did mention the word 'SALES PERSON'. Dentists are selling a service and the sooner we accept this the better for everybody.
I read someplace long ago that everybody lives by selling something. Selling is not a four letter word! But we need to get trained in that art.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Is a dentist an entrepreneur?!

I often wonder in today's tough circumstances how does a dentist earn a livelihood? The answer seems quite simple- but of course by using his skills as a means!
Aren't we forgetting something vital here? I mean there are scores of continuing dental education programs out there to hone our clinical skills but NONE to help us get a patient on the chair. How on Earth are we going to use our excellent clinical skills when it is becoming harder by the day to get a patient. Still harder is to make them pay and stay with us as competition becomes fiercer day by day.
Any answers anyone?