We’ve Got Spirit. Yes We Do. We’ve Got Spirit. How About You?

With football season in full swing, it is the perfect time to think about team spirit.

Have you ever really sat down and thought about your players, their positions, and if they are playing to the best of their ability?

Just like a quarterback needs his teammates, you need a good team to protect you and your business.  If your team falls short of giving their all, it can hurt your business outcome.

The Kicker

Let’s start with the front office manager and patient coordinator; let’s call him the kicker for your team. This is a very important player who is sometimes overlooked. He assists in so many ways, and the beginning of the game is the most important part. If you lose the kickoff, a patient might not come to the next game!

Your kicker, or patient coordinator, starts the game off with her friendly greeting, whether she answers the phone with a cheerleader’s enthusiasm or greets your patients at the front door. She should assist incoming callers and guide potential patients to your dental website, showing them the map and directions to your practice. Remind him to point out any new-patient forms online so your patients can fill them out in advance of their appointment, saving your team and patients valuable time. I also recommend that your front office personnel guide each caller to the team bio page, so the patient can put a face to the voice.

Once your patient shows up for her appointment, you’ll want the perfect player on your team to tackle any insurance and billing questions. The ability to guide a patient smoothly through financial and insurance situations will make your patients into raving fans. It is best to make your patients aware of all financial liabilities up front, so there are no perceived hidden costs. Doing these things will help build and develop great patient relationships right from the onset. Although your kicker isn’t directly on the field, their support on the sidelines is very valuable.

The Front Line

After kickoff, you rely on the front line: the hygienist. Not only do your hygienists maintain your patients’ oral health, they set up the play so your patients will accept treatment recommendations from the dentist. Be sure to keep the communication lines wide open between the hygienist, dentist, and patient. Hygienists must also be able to multitask in order to make all the different plays they are part of during the game. Oral health is a very important part of the Hygienists’ defense and, because of their dedication to what they do, they are a respected player on your team. They work hard to protect the patient from intercepting cavities or other problems before turning the patient over to the offense.

Teamwork!

Teamwork is the basis for any team to be successful.  The treatment coordinator/dental assistant of your office is the one the quarterback (you, the dentist!) looks to for assistance.  This position is always there to help her teammates complete their plays successfully. Let’s refer her as the wingman, the running back, the center for your team.

This player sees to the patients’ needs by offering comfort items like warm blankets, coffee, or entertainment options. Frequent check-ins with the patient during treatment are very important to build trust. The treatment coordinator works together with the quarterback to make sure all plays are touchdowns!

The Quarterback

Which brings us back to you, the quarterback of the team. To this point, everyone has been protecting you. You, of course, are the most important part of the team because your team looks to you for guidance, your ability to run, pass, and your ability to score. Your position is most popular and gets the most attention.

Even though you have a winning team, if you do not have the best dental marketing company, you will not get the fans you need. At GPM, we use dental advertising, patient referral strategies, websites, social media, and more to get the fans in your chairs! If your game feels a little off, and you don’t have enough fans, be sure to give us a call before the end of the season!