Dr. Gupta shares the top 10 most profitable changes he made to his dental office.

1. the 10 most profitable changes I made to
my private office
Ankur A Gupta, DDS

2. Dr. G - Age 26

3. Dr. G - Age 26
Just finished GPR

4. Dr. G - Age 26
Just finished GPR
Very comfortable with endo and surgery

5. Dr. G - Age 26
Just finished GPR
Very comfortable with endo and surgery
I heard these great rumors

6. Dr. G - Age 26
Just finished GPR
Very comfortable with endo and surgery
I heard these great rumors

7. 4 years later
Unpredictable profits
Increased collections = more work and more stress
Increased work = more employees and more time at office
Fatigue and burnout was common

8. 4 years later
Why?
Whenever the team had an “issue,” we would have a “meeting”
I was apologetic about fees
I felt like I needed to “educate” patients about why they needed the
recommended treatment
We had all these great patients that liked us, but we still did not see a lot of
referrals of family and friends
Everyone on the team had a different idea of the characteristics of a great,
successful, lucrative office . . . but we all thought we were on the same page

9. 4 years later

10. 4 years later

11. 4 years later

12. 4 years later
What were these
dentists doing?

13. 4 years later
What were these
dentists doing?
Better dentists

14. 4 years later
What were these
dentists doing?
Better dentists
Better clinical skills

15. 4 years later
What were these
dentists doing?
Better dentists
Better clinical skills
Better patients

16. 4 years later
What were these
dentists doing?
Better dentists
Better clinical skills
Better patients
Practiced in communities in which patients had more disposable income
and were more interested in long term dental health

17. 4 years later
What were these
dentists doing?
Better dentists
Better clinical skills
Better patients
Practiced in communities in which patients had more disposable income
and were more interested in long term dental health
... and fewer dentists

18. Something had to change

19. Something had to change

20. Something had to change

21. Something had to change

22. Something had to change

23. Something had to change

24. Something had to change

25. Become a business -person
Marketing
Sales
Leadership
Interpersonal communication
Management
Motivation
Workplace efficiency

26. Bad words!
Sales
Money
Business

27. Bad words!
Sales
Money
Business

28. the 10 most profitable
changes
10. We, as a team, began reading books about business

29. Business books
People Buy You, by Jeb Blount
How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey
The Secrets of a Millionaire Mind, by T. Harv Eker
The E-Myth, by Michael Gerber
The Invisible Touch by Harry Beckwith
Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless, by Jeffrey
Gitomer

30. Business books
People Buy You, by Jeb Blount
How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey Table
322
The Secrets of a Millionaire Mind, by T. Harv Eker
The E-Myth, by Michael Gerber
The Invisible Touch by Harry Beckwith
Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless, by Jeffrey
Gitomer

31. What did we do with the
books?
Team responsibility
Book report
General summary
List of action steps
Implementation of 1 action plan

32. Sure doc, but I hate reading
Webinars
Heraeus
Books on CD
3M ESPE
Covey
DentalTown
Beckwith
Nobel BioCare
Lakhani
ADA
Gerber

33. The 10 most profitable
changes
9. We created an organized, structured, and incentivized
internal marketing program

34. Please do the following

35. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients

36. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients
Send a basket of goodies to a patient’s workplace

37. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients
Send a basket of goodies to a patient’s workplace
Hand out business cards or toothbrushes to local businesses

38. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients
Send a basket of goodies to a patient’s workplace
Hand out business cards or toothbrushes to local businesses
Ask 1 patient per day for a referral

39. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients
Make follow-up calls after long procedures
Send a basket of goodies to a patient’s workplace
Hand out business cards or toothbrushes to local businesses
Ask 1 patient per day for a referral

40. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients
Make follow-up calls after long procedures
Send a basket of goodies to a patient’s workplace
Organize a “dental health” lecture
Hand out business cards or toothbrushes to local businesses
Ask 1 patient per day for a referral

41. Please do the following
Give a gift card to all referring patients
Make follow-up calls after long procedures
Send a basket of goodies to a patient’s workplace
Organize a “dental health” lecture
Hand out business cards or toothbrushes to local businesses
Have a table at several health fairs
Ask 1 patient per day for a referral

43. Ok team, let’s start . . .

44. Ok team, let’s start . . .
We really should . . .

45. Do it right!

46. Do it right!
Structured

47. Do it right!
Structured
Written

48. Do it right!
Structured
Written
Incentivized

49. Do it right!
Structured Choose 3 marketing initiatives
Written
Incentivized

50. Do it right!
Structured Choose 3 marketing initiatives
Written Create a goal, a reward, a competition for each
Incentivized

51. Do it right!
Structured Choose 3 marketing initiatives
Written Create a goal, a reward, a competition for each
Incentivized Write it up on posterboard, and monitor daily

52. Written and Incentivized

53. Written and Incentivized
324

54. Written and Incentivized
324

55. The 10 most profitable
changes
8. We determined “The Number”

56. The Number
How much money must be collected per day that will satisfy:
all home expenses
all practice expenses
all desired savings
all desired extra payments toward loans
desired number of fun, meaningful vacations

57. The number
How much are you collecting on a daily basis, and is it
enough?

58. Bonus
What is it called when you collect enough money to pay for
all dental supplies, staff salary and benefits, office supplies,
rent, uniforms, advertising, and all other office expenses?

59. Bonus
What is it called when you collect enough money to pay for
all dental supplies, staff salary and benefits, office supplies,
rent, uniforms, advertising, and all other office expenses?

60. bonus
What is it called when you collect enough money to pay for
all practice expenses, home expenses, desired savings, and
desired loan paydown?

61. bonus
What is it called when you collect enough money to pay for
all practice expenses, home expenses, desired savings, and
desired loan paydown?
Profit

62. bonus
What is it called when you collect enough money to pay for
all practice expenses, home expenses, desired savings, and
desired loan paydown?
Profit
. . . and a portion of that profit could be shared with your team

63. The 10 most profitable
changes
7. We started offering a bonus that our team could
understand and monitor

64. bonus
So, determine “the number”
Tell everyone on the team what the number is
Determine a percentage of profit collected over that number
that can be shared by the team
Tell everyone on the team what that percentage is
Put it on a calendar

65. bonus

66. bonus
5000

67. bonus
5000 10,000

68. bonus
5000 10,000 15,000

69. bonus
5000 10,000 15,000
75000

70. bonus
4661
5000 10,000 15,000
75000

71. bonus
4661 9348
5000 10,000 15,000
75000

72. bonus
4661 9348 15,038
5000 10,000 15,000
75000

73. THE 10 MOST
PROFITABLE CHANGES
6. We bought a nice camera, and learned how to use it

74. a nice camera
Nikon or Canon digital SLR
Macro Lens
Retractors
Small and Large Mirror

75. Camera

76. Camera

77. camera

78. camera

79. camera

80. camera

81. camera

82. the 10 most profitable
changes
5. We changed the new patient experience completely

83. change New patient
experience
Our old NP protocol Our new NP protocol
go over medical history “wow” them when
ask about “chief they walk-in
complaint” take photos and
Take radiographs display in front of
patient
Tell patient what is
wrong with their mouth ask how they “feel”
about their teeth
ask, ask, and ask, and
keep mouth shut

84. change the new patient
experience
“wow” them when they walk in
call them by name
compliment them (somehow)
sit with them to go over paperwork
Learn something about them

85. change the new patient
experience
Put these photos in front of the patient before you start
talking about their teeth
So, tell me, how do you feel about your teeth?
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your teeth?

86. change the new patient
experience
Put these photos in front of the patient before you start
talking about their teeth
So, tell me, how do you feel about your teeth?
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your teeth?

87. Change the new patient
experience
Ask, ask, ask, and keep mouth shut

88. Change the new patient
experience
Ask, ask, ask, and keep mouth shut
Describe the ideal situation, in your opinion.

89. Change the new patient
experience
Ask, ask, ask, and keep mouth shut
Describe the ideal situation, in your opinion.
Why is that important to you?

90. Change the new patient
experience
Ask, ask, ask, and keep mouth shut
Describe the ideal situation, in your opinion.
Why is that important to you?
How could we fix that for you?

91. Change the new patient
experience
Ask, ask, ask, and keep mouth shut
Describe the ideal situation, in your opinion.
Why is that important to you?
How could we fix that for you?
How would you feel if this was perfect/ideal?

92. Change the new patient
experience
Ask, ask, ask, and keep mouth shut
Describe the ideal situation, in your opinion.
Why is that important to you?
How could we fix that for you?
How would you feel if this was perfect/ideal?
How would you like to get started?

93. the 10 most profitable
changes
4. We answered the phone Monday through Friday from
8am to 6pm, and on Saturday from 9-12. . .
and we answered it the right way. . .
and never missed a new patient phone call

94. the 10 most profitable
changes
4. We answered the phone Monday through Friday from
8am to 6pm, and on Saturday from 9-12. . .
... for new patients
and we answered it the right way. . .
and never missed a new patient phone call

95. we answered the phone

96. we answered the phone
The average office is open 3.5 days per week

97. we answered the phone
The average office is open 3.5 days per week
The average office takes an hour break for lunch

98. we answered the phone
The average office is open 3.5 days per week
The average office takes an hour break for lunch
So, they are answering the phone 28 hours per week

99. we answered the phone
The average office is open 3.5 days per week
The average office takes an hour break for lunch
So, they are answering the phone 28 hours per week
People are calling M-F from 8-6, and on Sat Morning - 53 hours

100. we answered the phone
The average office is open 3.5 days per week
The average office takes an hour break for lunch
So, they are answering the phone 28 hours per week
People are calling M-F from 8-6, and on Sat Morning - 53 hours
They are getting a voicemail message . . .

101. we answered the phone
The average office is open 3.5 days per week
The average office takes an hour break for lunch
So, they are answering the phone 28 hours per week
People are calling M-F from 8-6, and on Sat Morning - 53 hours
They are getting a voicemail message . . .
47% of the time

102. We answered the phone
Everyone in the office answered the same way
We rehearsed different phone call scenarios, mean patients,
rude patients, unusual questions, and the gamut of
“insurance questions”

103. We answered the phone
We never missed the New Patients!
Voice-over IP - a phone system that allows your callers to
use an automated menu, classifying the reason for their
call (billing question, general question, existing patient,
new patient, etc.)

104. the 10 most profitable
changes
3. We, as a team, came up with a long-term vision for the
ideal practice

105. Your ideal practice
What procedures are you doing, regularly? What procedures are you no longer
doing?
How many patients are you seeing in a day? How many for the hygienist?
What days are you open?
How many new patients are being seen per day?
How many patients, per day, are children?
How many vacations or extended time off is the office providing?
What does the office look like?
What kind of equipment is being used?

106. Your ideal practice
Come to an agreement
Write it all down
Make a time-line
Come up with one action step

107. the 10 most profitable
changes
2. We changed the role of the hygienist

108. change the role of your
hygienist
The prophy machine
The periodontal therapist
The treatment planner

109. change the role of your
hygienist
The prophy machine
Many prophies in a day. 30 - 45 minutes spent on each.
Periodontal probing is rare. Photographs and interview are rare.
The periodontal therapist
The treatment planner

110. change the role of your
hygienist
The prophy machine
Many prophies in a day. 30 - 45 minutes spent on each.
Periodontal probing is rare. Photographs and interview are rare.
The periodontal therapist
More time per appointment. Regular probing - more periodontal diagnosis and treatment.
The treatment planner

111. change the role of your
hygienist
The prophy machine
Many prophies in a day. 30 - 45 minutes spent on each.
Periodontal probing is rare. Photographs and interview are rare.
The periodontal therapist
More time per appointment. Regular probing - more periodontal diagnosis and treatment.
The treatment planner
Fewer appointments per day. Probing, photos, and interview on every adult patient.

112. change the role of your
hygienist
Consistent production
Potential for burnout
Makes office more money

113. change the role of your
hygienist
Consistent production
Prophy Machine
Potential for burnout
Makes office more money

114. change the role of your
hygienist
Consistent production
Prophy Machine
Potential for burnout
Prophy Machine
Makes office more money

115. change the role of your
hygienist
Consistent production
Prophy Machine
Potential for burnout
Prophy Machine
Makes office more money
Treatment Planner

116. the 10 most profitable
changes
I learned how to do an atypical procedure, and marketed it
heavily

117. Atypical procedure

118. Atypical procedure
Conscious Sedation

119. Atypical procedure
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

120. Atypical procedure
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

121. Atypical procedure
Simple Adult Ortho
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

122. Atypical procedure
Cosmetic “Smile” Dentistry
Simple Adult Ortho
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

123. Atypical procedure
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
Cosmetic “Smile” Dentistry
Simple Adult Ortho
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

124. Atypical procedure
“Holistic” Dentistry
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
Cosmetic “Smile” Dentistry
Simple Adult Ortho
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

125. Atypical procedure
Treatment of TMJ Disorder
“Holistic” Dentistry
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
Cosmetic “Smile” Dentistry
Simple Adult Ortho
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

126. Atypical procedure
Neuromuscular Dentistry
Treatment of TMJ Disorder
“Holistic” Dentistry
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
Cosmetic “Smile” Dentistry
Simple Adult Ortho
Dental Implants to Retain a Denture
IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation

127. Atypical procedure

128. So, what now

129. So, what now
You could inspire to make some changes when you return to
work on Monday

130. So, what now
You could inspire to make some changes when you return to
work on Monday
If you want to do it yourself, at least pick up the handout
from booth 322. It is full of the notes and highlights from
this lecture

131. So, what now
You could inspire to make some changes when you return to
work on Monday
If you want to do it yourself, at least pick up the handout
from booth 322. It is full of the notes and highlights from
this lecture
If you want the systems already drawn out, the action plans
already written up, and the training and implementation
already established, come to booth 322 and speak with us
about becoming a client.

132. So, what now
You could inspire to make some changes when you return to
work on Monday
If you want to do it yourself, at least pick up the handout
from booth 322. It is full of the notes and highlights from
this lecture
If you want the systems already drawn out, the action plans
already written up, and the training and implementation
already established, come to booth 322 and speak with us
about becoming a client.