The Nifty Thrifty Dentists

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Justin Puckett- MB2 Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Justin Puckett is a founder of MB2, a practicing attorney and accountant. With the government discussing mandates that use the verbiage of emergencies as “life-saving”, what does that mean for us as dentists? The aim is to keep people out of emergency rooms when possible.

If a staff member is uncomfortable with working, they should be able to stay home unpaid.

If a team member gets infected, can the sue us? Anyone can sue, but be mindful and make sure you are supplying safety equipment and being mindful. It is okay to also ask patients to sign a waiver for treatment.

What about unemployment? Everyone should apply, even if their hours are reduced without being terminated. Check with your state on their particular regulations. Salary employees can be furloughed or their salary reduced.

Do independent contractors get unemployment? It is a harder burden to prove but apply anyway.

As an owner, if you pay yourself anything outside of profits, can we also apply? Yes!

If we lay off employees, will we still be eligible for the tax breaks? Currently, they are giving a two week grace period on this as well as relieving the penalties of unemployment.

If you have an emergency, but your assistant is on unemployment, how does that work? Adjustments are made on a week by week basis. Their amount paid would be adjusted for the following week.

If you are doing things outside of the normal pay, keep track of receipts to use as business expenses.

What are our rights as a tenant? If you are behind on your rent, can the doors be locked? Check your contract first. Some advisors are saying not to pay rent to preserve cash. Do not say you will not pay or do not have the intention to pay, but many landlords are being understanding. Evictions are currently being suspended for now because peace officers are not working and courts are closed in many states.

If you are concerned about being unable to pay your rent, how do we approach it? Essentially our businesses are being asked to shut down. Can we have an extension of the rent to the end or other flexibility?

Would a team member being in the office for calls be a violation of mandates? We are still considered an essential business, so it does not apply to our offices at this time.

Are there any risks if your associate is seeing emergencies without proper PPE? There is nothing mandated but use common sense.

If a team member works for a corporation and is being forced to work, what can they do? It is ultimately your decision. As an owner, consider how this reflects on your business. As an employee, you can make the decision to go in or not.

As an associate, how does it adjust if you are on a per diem? Be flexible due to the circumstances. If not, you may not have a job to go back to.

If I pay the gym and medical for my employees, do I need to continue? If there is a layoff, you do not need to continue.

Kyle Wallace- Wallace Specialty Insurance Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Kyle Wallace is the founder of Wallace Specialty Insurance. He only works with dentists, and started originally with malpractice and has moved into other areas of insurance that apply to practice owners. The recommendation was that you could continue to practice for emergencies, but it is ultimately at the discretion of the dentists, not a mandate. With no mandate, be aware that there are no pandemic exclusions in a malpractice policy. Several states are mandated, so check your state policy.

What constitutes an emergency? Being in pain and needing treatment constitutes emergency care. The risk of refusing service as part of a practice carries a larger risk of a malpractice issue than treating under restrictions. Be careful of turning a patient away for treatment as a potential malpractice risk.

How does business overhead insurance work in this situation? Will the loss of business or business interruption policy apply? No, this covers natural disasters or damage to the specific building structure. The civil authority clause is not applicable because it is intended when another business becomes damaged affecting your property or access to your property. There is some legislation in New Jersey to remedy this coverage, but the loss to the insurance companies would be tremendous, and would possibly result in a surcharge similar to the changes that happened with 9/11.

If I am requiring my staff to come into work and they are exposed, how does that affect workman’s compensation? First of all, check that you have worker’s comp. This is a situation where exposure can be tracked directly to your office, so a claim may be applicable in this situation. Offering to staff to stay home without pay to prevent exposure is an option as well.

What about short-term disability, especially with no wait time? Short term disability will kick in if they are sick. Would it be a good idea to look into it now? If it is in your budget, look into it. At this time there is not a hold on new policies. Those policies only kick in if you are the one that gets sick. There is often a waiting period of 90 days. Short term can have a 7 or 14 day waiting period. If you are quarantined due to exposure, at least make a claim.

Most policies for disability will take at least 3-4 weeks to put in place.

Insurance companies are currently trying to work with people, so don’t go to canceling your policies to cut expenses.

Dr. Zak Allmand- Apex Payment Solutions Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Zak Allmand from Apex is in a special position amidst this unique health and economic crisis. How has it been as both as a business owner and a practicing dentist? He is dealing with the same struggles as you. He is keeping things running at his own office, but also want to keep Apex going. The goal of Apex is to support his colleagues.

Apex is doing a call savings analysis for new customers, but as a special promotional, they will not bill you for services or equipment until you have money coming into the office. This gives you a chance to analyze if this is a better deal for you.

Most companies have a monthly minimum amount for processing each month. The system is cloud-based, so you can even take payments virtually in a teledoc situation.

The virtual terminal is free, or other terminals start at $119. Clover terminals are several hundred each.

Not knowing the landscape of what is ahead, we are looking for opportunities to help. If you are a current client, they have options for things such as paying back a percentage as a merchant cash advance, lender deals or refinancing. They will come back to you with some options that may work for you. They are available to answer your questions, whether you are a client or not.

Lenders will look at the last 12 months to decide what kinds of lending and amounts they can offer. By acting now, you will not risk having a month showing no activity which will hurt your overall available credit. This program does not make a designated loan payment, it takes a percentage of your transactions later on so that it affects the future income less.

How fast can they find out if they qualify? It is shorter for current customers, but expect 2-4 weeks. If you are a startup, it will be very important to start working on funding right away since working capital may be gone.

If you have access to easy funds, great, but many people don’t. Some loans are immediately approved, whereas others may need SBA or other backed loans. If you wait now, many of the programs will be either shut down or overloaded with applicants. The interest rates for the loan can vary with the small amounts quickly paid out will be the most expensive, the purpose is to secure funds or have to close your business.

If you are interested in securing financing, contact ac@apexpaymentsolutions.com. For new clients for the merchant services contact zak@apexpaymentsolutions.com. Please take this time that we have to look at everything about your business and improve it so that you can come out the other side even stronger.

Ruben Kamp- Darkhorse Tech Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Ruben Kamp of Darkhorse Tech states that one of the biggest problems faced by offices right now is their server being onsite will need remote access. What are some of the security issues? Remote access is typically sporadic, but we are now dealing with lots of new devices and security levels, so it’s even more important right now. All setups need Antivirus, malware, ransomware, and firewalls as a minimum. A backup system with 2-factor authentication is also important. Make sure that all of your remote access is HIPPA compliant as well.

What are some IT things we need to be working on during the downtime? Use the day to upgrade your system or switch your practice platforms. It’s also a great time to learn more about your program’s offerings. Update or activate your patient list and purge patients.

Another suggestion is to plan out marketing for the rest of the year.

What should we do while cleaning computers? Turn off your computer first before cleaning as well as your server room or closet. Why should we clean them? You’re protecting your investment.

It’s a great time to mount your TVs or monitors or update your antivirus and spyware. If someone is working from home, you need to have secure devices and the device should be purchased by the office and only for work. Can you just take the work station from home? It may not be a great idea because the risk is that there is patient information on it that could be potentially accessed.

Jonathan Karren- Mango Voice Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Mango Voice has offered lots of online and web features with their service. Today he is going over how to use some of these features to help your practice during reduced or closed hours.

To forward calls, go to the switchboard and drag and drop the line connecting to the line you want. Click on external transfer. Click transfer and continue by entering your number you would like the calls to ring to. If the call is not picked up within a set time, keep the standard voicemail by selecting the "require one to connect" option is turned on.

The mobile app can be downloaded as well as a softphone option. Go to https://phone.mangovoice.com/sipjs2call_stun/ Login as usual to your account on your browser. Chrome is recommended. You will need a USB headset with a microphone and may need to adjust your router if your firewall blocks the traffic. Call or message Mango for help with this.

Mango Plus is the messaging option that allows you to send and receive HIPPA compliant faxes, check voicemails and send texts as well as chat texts from your business number.

Mango Voice Special Offer: In light of Covid-19 shutting down many offices, Mango Voice is offering the remote services for all current users for free for the next 30 days.

Dr. Raghunath Puttaiah- Covid-19 Safety protocols Mar 19, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Raghunath Puttaiah is a specialist in infection control, OSHA compliance trainer and epidemiologist. Do you recommend closing or only seeing emergencies? As trained dental professionals need to use common sense and use what we know. Use screening procedures and continue seeing emergencies with caution. Try not to do high splash procedures and post the protocol in your office and on social media. Use a skeleton crew, wash hands upon entering, and don’t touch things if possible, especially with dirty gloves. For an N95 to work properly, the seal has to be tight with a respirator attached. A regular mask keeps someone from coughing on you or vice versa. Masks are good for droplets, but aspirate gets through. Wearing a respirator mask for even a short time will make it difficult to breathe unless it is a negative pressure mask.

What precautions should we be taking and what procedures qualify as an emergency? What about the hygiene department who can’t work? Reduce procedures that include splashing, don’t polish or use a cavitron without a direct suction tip and preferably hand scale. If the patient is in pain, do a dry look first. If it needs antibiotics then do it, if it is a surgical extraction you need to wait because it uses a handpiece. If the tooth is bombed out and needs a root canal do it. To crown, you’ll still need to prep with a rubber dam, high suction, and 4 handed dentistry. Just avoid things with aerosols. UV suction air filters such as Surgically Clean air which is a centralized or portable system that reduces up to 95% of aerosols.

Is it true that hydrogen peroxide reduces the virus load? Do a preprocedural mouth rinse such as Listerine or Chlorhexidine. Life will move on, so be cautious but don’t freak out.

What do we do about lockdown areas if we have patients with temp crowns? Clean out by hand and reseal. To adjust anything, use chlorhexidine as an irrigant or a bur without coolant if done slowly. Can they use a cavitron with Peridex? Yes, but it is expensive and you will need to do assisted hygiene for suction.

Should facial hair be shaved? If you don’t, wash several times per day. You also can’t wear a respirator with one. In surgery, you should already use a beard net.

Is an isolite okay to use? Yes if it’s two-handed, but it’s also noisy.

Do you dilute the peridex or will it clog up the lines? Don’t dilute more than 0.12%, but either way, it doesn’t clog the lines.

Chlorhexidine stays for a longer period of time, but Listerine is sufficient or a short time. If you are using the painter's mask don’t use it longer than half a day. The biggest thing is that no matter the mask you use that you have a good fit.

When do you think things will get back to normal? The term novel means that we just don’t know. It could be several months. We should be used to infection control because of our jobs. Don’t expect the ADA to make sanctions on this.

What can we do to ease employee fears? You are the leaders in your office. You need

Dr. Justin Bhullar- Dental Business Mentor Mar 12, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Justin Bhullar is the founder of High Performance Practice. He started looking at joining the best practices in his fourth year of dental school. He ended up in Canada as an associate. He then purchased several rural practices that he managed remotely. After selling he tried other practice models including startups. Today he has six practices in Canada and manages them from Florida. He thinks that mistakes are where you learn the most. Partnering with a good business coach or dentist who is good with the business aspects.

Mistakes: Be clear on you why and whether it’s a good fit for you. Discover and learn from the mistakes of others. Not every dentist wants to be a business owner or spend the time to learn it.

What are the biggest issues practice owners have besides not investing the time? There are over 300 potential issues he has found in working with practices. Common ones deal with people and systems. He is very transparent and doesn’t want to waste people’s time. He also focuses on a few smaller problems to help get to the next step in your practice. It’s about more than collecting a check.

Trying to work on your practice between patients or after work means something suffers. You have to take time to work on the business and not just in the business. Their aim is to give you more time to grow your business while doing less chairside. While working five days may be necessary, you won’t know until you try it a different way. There is no magic pill, but trying new things and tracking results will show you what can work better. When your ego gets in the way, things were often made worse. Listening and learning from people who have found success in areas where you are wanting to learn is necessary. They can help you with compacting the time by heading off mistakes as well as encouraging you as a mentor.

His newest project Dental Business Mentor is a partnership with Dr. Paul Etchison. This focuses on looking at performance indicators. By making video modules of concepts he teaches, people are able to gain the knowledge to implement the changes they need in their practice. They offer a year of access for a low price to help more people. In his own practices, he is finding issues that come up to address to add to their offerings. This method can save you money and give access to your entire team. Another benefit is that you can submit questions and if it is something that is a shared concern by others, they will create a video. The modules also give you time to pause and reflect or pace yourself.

His newest book “High Performance Practice: Management, Marketing, and Leadership” is available for only shipping and handling. Go to www.highperformacepractice.com and follow the link.

On a personal level, it is also important to measure things. Breaking it into the fulfillment segments: Family, Physical, Finances, Freedom, Fun, and Friends are all areas to evaluate for life balance.

Kelly Schwartz and Minal Sampat- Dental Success Team Mar 08, 2020

Show notes

Kelly Schwartz FB Live Kelly Schwartz and Minal Sampat are joining forces Kelly and his wife Anna have been teaching dentists how to become CEOs of their businesses. The focus has been on systems and patient retention. Minal specializes in marketing and acquiring new patients. They are doing a May 2nd conference at Dentsply Sirona in Charlotte that is limited to 75 people. The focus is growing your practice. Dr. Len Tau will also be talking about online presence. Kelly has been a force for good in the Nifty group through volunteering his services to our Spirit of Giving event. One dentist who received his full consulting package was able to add a hygienist as a result of the growth. They added an operatory to increase production potential and are continuing to grow. A second office has increased $40k in production in only two months. Minal uses numbers and conversion to prove results. She doesn’t sell products, marketing, or SEO. Her book, “Why Your Marketing is Killing Your Business”. The number one thing nugget from her book is that no matter your marketing budget, you can get patients for your money. When trying to schedule patients, know that it is okay to “love someone right out of your practice.” If the patient is demanding, does not refer or get recommended treatment, it is okay to send them on to someone else. A person can be a nice patient, but not a good patient. It’s not to say we shouldn’t be accommodating or kind, but when you have a high demand for appointments because of your current patient load, it is okay to create that space for growth. In addition, offering ASAP options if there is a change in the schedule. Do not call them cancellations. For patients that never do treatment, discuss the difference in philosophy is not matching up. Minal requires each client to assign or hire someone who will specifically be assigned as the chief marketing officer so that the ideas are actually implemented. Kelly requires someone to be assigned to recall to enforce what is being learned. Pre-appointment is not as important as planning for new patients and creating appointments for patients that are wanting to take care of their health. What are a few things they will learn from Minal at the event? The event is priced so that the first registration is $497 through March 15th and the second is only $200 so that the person who will implement can attend. There will be a survey ahead of the conference to allow you to ask for specific scenarios and needs of the attendees. The workshop will gear itself towards the needs of the attendees. Kelly will be presenting several systems to help implement patients returning and getting treatment. Nifty Deal Alert: Signup and mention Nifty Thrifty for a $25 gift card and Minal’s book for free! Plus if you act fast you can take advantage of Early Bird Pricing end on March 15th. Send an email to info@MinalSampat.com that you heard of the Nifty Thrifty Deal and you will receive a $25 gift card and my book! https://dentalsuccessteam.com/ SUPER Nifty Deal: Attend the course in Charlotte and receive a $1000 credit towards tickets for you and your team for the Dentistry Live Summit. www.dentalsuccessteam.com Charlotte, NC May 2nd

Dentistry Live Summit- Speaker Introductions Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

The Dentistry Live Summit is aimed to bring together social media groups from all aspects of dentistry. We will have speakers on insurance, group practice ownership, marketing and more. Aaron Boone of MVP Mailhouse uses data to change the way you think about direct mail. By mapping out your current patients, you can target similar demographics. Look for a deal at the Summit. Kinzie Hess Broxson of PK Performance Solutions will be speaking about insurance and how to improve claims acceptance. She will be addressing specific questions and claims to learn together. Send the EOBs to kinzie@dentallogic.io. Carlos Rodriguez, RDH is the King of Dental Comedy. Hygienist by day, comedian by night. Sandy Lee of Lighthearted RDH is excited to bring the joy and connection to other hygienists who can sometimes feel isolated. Dr. Anissa Holmes of Delivering Wow will be at the Summit sharing framework for delegations in your practice. Heather Kirby of RDH Rant started the group because she wanted to find a group of real people who can share their struggles. The group has over 10,000 hygienists only. She feels that it’s important to network and break away from the keyboard warrior mentality. They also love to pursue charity work in destistry or helping children. Nathan Ho is from the Dental Win Win group. He is speaking at the event as well as hosting his own Summit in Dallas this spring. Dr. Len Tau of Birdeye will speak on reviews and improving your local image. His group and podcast, Raving Patients is designed to help you get great reviews and how to handle a negative review and turn it around. It’s important to educate your entire team if you want to implement what you learn at an event. Dr. Robert Pick will be showing the Purple Cow Wow way to the Dentistry Live Summit. Distinguishing yourself from your competition is the way to set yourself apart. Dr. Janice Doan is an entrepreneur panelist who runs her three dental practices. She is bringing her expertise and innovative ideas for growing your business as a team. Summit deal: Buy 1 get one free ticket Deal 2: Pay for 3 team members and the doctor goes free

Evan Lazarus- Simple Impact Media Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

Evan Lazarus of Simple Impact Media the start of website design begins with increasing visibility in your area and ramping up traffic to your website. It’s not necessary to overdo a website. Patients are looking for information and aren’t looking through the site for pleasure or to become more educated. The most important information should be “above the fold” or the part before they are required to scroll. Use your brand and invest in it, but that doesn’t have to mean you go overboard with your site. It doesn’t necessarily translate into patient conversion. You can use stock images or things that convey emotion that don’t have to have high production costs. Medicine and healthcare often are searched more often in a desktop format rather than mobile. One of the user funtions that is beneficial is that the important information follows the viewer in their experience. Offering information or online booking are things the majority of prospective viewers consider highly valuable. How often does a website need to be updated? Fresh content is based on need and preference. Simply swapping out images or adding content can be done periodically, or you can keep a well-designed website for years. How can you view a website on a desktop in its mobile format? Press F12 if you are on a windows unit. It offers several viewing experiences so you can look at what may not be visible in different formats. Your website should give the right impression of your practice. Look at other sites designed by the company you are looking to use. Steer clear of companies who have been “loaned” a website. Own your domain so that it cannot be deleted if you stop as a customer. When pricing out a website, learn what is included. Copy is a huge component of website design. It’s not just the images and layout. Pricing should include all of the components to prevent you from being blindsided by the costs. For a free consult with a screenshare, which lasts about an hour, follow the link to book a consult time. Nifty Deal: Book a consult and schedule a website design or redesign and receive 20% off. No page minimum or maximum! Link: Calendar link if you would like to schedule a consult with Evan Lazarus: https://calendly.com/simpleimpact/initial-consult

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