The hidden factor in case acceptance: Aligning Culture, People, and Systems in Your Specialist Dental Practice.

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The hidden factor in case acceptance: Aligning Culture, People, and Systems in Your Specialist Dental Practice.

Dental consultancy training to improve case acceptance in orthodontic practices

Every dental and orthodontic practice wants to increase patient case acceptance. Many look to technology, digital systems, or persuasive communication techniques to achieve it.
Yet the true driver of case acceptance doesn’t come from software, scripts, or brands. It comes from alignment — when your team, systems, and patient journey reflect the same culture, ethos, and objectives. At , https://linacraven.com/we help practices achieve that alignment through bespoke strategies and on-site training.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve partnered with orthodontic and multi-disciplinary dental practices worldwide. While every practice is unique, one consistent pattern always emerges: the practices that achieve the highest levels of case acceptance are the ones that build cohesion — not just competence.

The Patient Journey Often Overlooked

Too often, success is attributed to what’s said to patients, the technology showcased, or the brands behind appliances. These elements can help, but they’re not decisive.

What truly matters is how every touchpoint of the patient journey — from the first enquiry to post-treatment follow-up — reflects the practice’s values and objectives.
When your processes, systems, and people are aligned, the result is not just efficiency, but excellence.

And excellence rarely comes from giant leaps. It’s achieved by moving one degree higher, consistently, every time.

Common Obstacles to Practice growth

Almost every practice faces some resistance when it comes to change.
You might recognise these challenges:

  • A team member reluctant to adapt
  • No time in the diary to implement new ideas
  • A shortage of trained staff
  • Nervousness about altering established processes

I’ve seen these countless times. Yet the practices that persist — that make change a habit rather than an event — consistently achieve higher case acceptance, stronger team morale, and measurable growth.

Resistance to change is normal — but with structured team training and clear communication, practices can overcome these challenges and achieve consistent results.

Eight Key Insights to Improve Case Acceptance

Drawing on recent consultancy and training work with dental and orthodontic teams, here are the most impactful areas to focus on:

  1. Team buy-in is non-negotiable. Ideas only work when everyone is invested.
  2. First enquiries are gold. Calls, emails, and walk-ins are often underestimated opportunities.
  3. Consultations require skill. Questioning techniques by clinicians and treatment coordinators are vital.
  4. Features and benefits aren’t enough. Patients seek relevance, not jargon.
  5. Excitement matters. Ethically creating anticipation for treatment builds momentum.
  6. Payment discussions demand confidence. This is a skill that must be trained.
  7. Objection handling should be proactive. Every team member needs to feel equipped.
  8. Staff potential is wasted without development. Capability is rarely the issue — opportunity is.

When a team applies these principles consistently, case acceptance rises naturally because the practice feels more aligned, trustworthy, and patient-focused.

How Practice Alignment Drives Sustainable Case Acceptance

True performance improvement isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about building systems that work together — your people, your processes, and your culture — all pointing in the same direction.

Practices that master this alignment don’t just increase case acceptance; they create an environment of excellence, confidence, and professional pride.

Final Reflection: Building a Culture of Consistency

Improving case acceptance is not about scripts or gadgets — it’s about culture, systems, and alignment.
When these three elements connect, growth becomes inevitable.

At Lina Craven Consultancy, I work with orthodontic and dental practices worldwide to help them align their team, systems, and patient journey for measurable and sustainable success.

If you’d like to explore how to increase case acceptance in your practice, get in touch to schedule a consultation.

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A Treatment Coordinator is no longer a luxury but a necessity

In financially challenging times, it may seem counterintuitive to hire new staff. However, to thrive and prosper in such a climate, practices need to enhance their efficiency, competitiveness, and profitability. Introducing a Treatment Coordinator (TC) into your team is an effective strategy to achieve these goals.

The Treatment Coordinator’s role is pivotal in bridging the gap between the clinician and the patient. Their responsibility is to ensure a smooth, efficient, and pleasant journey for the patient, from the initial phone call through to the completion of treatment. By managing all non-clinical aspects of patient care, the TC enables orthodontists to focus exclusively on clinical matters.

The role of a Treatment Coordinator (TC) has become a central and valuable part of a specialist practice.  The TCs have significantly enhanced the patient experience, reduced time spent in the dental chair, and increased case acceptance ratios. Introducing a TC can transform your approach to new patient care, and also contribute to increased profitability.

The Treatment Coordinator (TC) takes on the responsibility for the new patient process, acting as a vital link between new patients, the practice, and its staff. They not only promote and represent the practice’s services but also highlight their true value to prospective patients. An effective TC oversees every aspect of the patient’s journey, from referral to case start. They ensure that communication at all levels of your practice is appropriately toned and positive.

A Treatment Coordinator (TC) establishes relationships with all new patients, serving as the initial point of contact. They welcome and interact with the patient, fostering a strong rapport. The success of converting new patients to active treatment cases heavily relies on the rapport and relationship built between the TC and the patient. This key member of the team was perceived as a luxury role to have for many specialist practices. However, in my opinion and having worked with hundreds of practices across the globe, I can tell you that this is no longer the case, it is a necessity!

lina craven-We can't direct the wind but we can adjust the sails

The role of a Treatment Coordinator (TC) has become a central and valuable part of a specialist practice.  The TCs have significantly enhanced the patient experience, reduced time spent in the dental chair, and increased case acceptance ratios.

How I Can Help

If you need support increasing your conversion rates or implementing any of my recommendations, please book a call for an informal chat. I offer in-house or virtual consultancy and training, which can be tailored to suit your needs. Together, we can review your new patient journey and make changes to boost your conversion rates at every step.

La consistencia es un hábito, no una habilidad

“Siempre digo que primero hay que culpar a los sistemas y procesos, y luego a las personas. Los sistemas y procesos bien pensados están ahí para garantizar la consistencia. Un hábito consiste en invertir en esfuerzos constantes para lograr avances incrementales”.

La misma aerolínea en ambos sentidos, mundos aparte en su prestación de servicios. ¿Por qué? ¿Por qué la tripulación que atendía nuestra cabina hizo que la experiencia fuera inolvidable? Y me refiero a una experiencia negativa para no olvidar. No sólo me preguntaba “¿por qué?” y “¿cómo puede ser esto aceptable?”. También fue el tema de conversación durante toda mi estancia, ya que la gente me preguntaba “¿qué tal el vuelo?

Ahora que estoy aquí sentada en mi viaje de 7 horas de vuelta a casa, sonrío por tener un miembro de la tripulación encantador que no sólo me dio la bienvenida a mí y a todos los pasajeros que pasaron por delante de ella con una sonrisa sincera, sino que también se aseguró de que estuviéramos “cómodos” durante el viaje.

Entonces, ¿por qué un enfoque tan diferente cuando se trata del mismo proveedor de servicios? ¿Por qué algunos miembros del equipo hacen lo que se necesita o, mejor aún, lo que se espera de su función y algunos incluso van más allá? ¿Y otros no?

Aunque podemos hacer una extensa lista de razones o excusas, en mi opinión es la falta de consistencia.  

Siempre digo que primero hay que culpar a los sistemas y procesos, y luego a las personas. Los sistemas y procesos bien pensados están ahí para garantizar la consistencia.

Un hábito consiste en invertir en esfuerzos constantes para lograr progresos graduales. Comparemos los hábitos de consistencia entre dos clínicas de ortodoncia con las que he trabajado personalmente.

Práctica A. Un enfoque no consistentePráctica B.  La consistencia es la clave de su enfoque
No hay reuniones periódicas de personal.
La cultura de la culpa y la negatividad dominan las reuniones y a menudo se utiliza un enfoque autoritario. 		Reuniones periódicas con el personal para debatir lo que funciona y lo que no, y planificar los cambios en consecuencia. También aprovechan estas reuniones para impartir formación.
Los procesos existen, pero no se han evaluado ni modificado desde hace mucho tiempo… años en la mayoría de los casos.Los procesos se revisan periódicamente y los miembros clave del equipo están facultados para hacerlo en las distintas áreas de la consulta.
Algunos empleados son excelentes en su trabajo, mientras que a otros se les permite bajar la moral por no hacer su parte, por no dar lo mejor de sí mismos cuando trabajan.Aunque algunos empleados necesitan más estímulo que otros, se realizan revisiones periódicas del personal junto con ejercicios de creación de equipos.
El ortodoncista principal está cansado de repetir lo mismo sobre la necesidad de consistencia y, por lo tanto, pierde un poco la esperanza.El ortodoncista principal utiliza no sólo reuniones y revisiones del personal, sino también objetivos específicos e indicadores clave de rendimiento para garantizar que se logran los resultados deseados.
No le gustan los comentarios o las críticas de los pacientes y, por lo tanto, los evita a toda costa.Anima activamente a los pacientes para que den su opinión y hagan revisiones.
chica-brackets-examen-dental-rutina

Las clínicas deben desarrollar procesos que garanticen que todos los miembros del equipo, incluidos los médicos, fomenten un afán ético de progreso, eficiencia y profesionalidad. La consistencia genera confianza. Cuando los pacientes experimentan un servicio excelente una y otra vez, confían en que harás lo mismo con las personas que te recomienden y pronto se convertirán en embajadores de tu consulta. Sin embargo, si el servicio que reciben no es consistente y las expectativas de los pacientes están algo fragmentadas, su confianza será la misma.

Pregúntate: “Si pidiera a TODOS mis pacientes que calificaran la consistencia del servicio que les prestamos: 1 siendo muy malo, 2 siendo 50/50 y 3 siendo excelente”. ¿Cuáles crees que serían los resultados? ¿No te gustaría saberlo?

¿Volvería a coger la misma aerolínea? No, si no puedo evitarlo. ¿Por qué? Porque no es la primera vez que experimento un servicio deficiente. Entonces, ¿por qué me expondría a una mala experiencia cuando tengo más opciones?  Los pacientes de ortodoncia no son diferentes. Ellos también pueden elegir. Tu trabajo es asegurarte de que esa elección es tu clínica y no la de tu competencia.

¿Cómo puedo ayudar?

Si necesita ayuda para aumentar las tasas de conversión o poner en práctica alguna de mis recomendaciones, no dude en concertar una cita para una charla informal. Ofrezco consultoría y formación presencial o virtual, que puede adaptarse a sus necesidades. Juntos podemos revisar el recorrido de los nuevos pacientes y realizar cambios para aumentar las tasas de conversión en cada paso.

Consistency is a habit not a skill

“I always say, let’s blame systems and processes first, then people second. Well thought-out systems and processes are there to ensure consistency. A habit is all about investing in constant efforts to make incremental progress”.

Same airline both ways, worlds apart in their service delivery. Why? Why did the crew who was serving our cabin made the experience an unforgettable one? And I mean a negative one not to forget! I, not only kept asking myself the ‘why’ and ‘how can this be acceptable?’ It was also the topic of conversation throughout my stay as people asked ‘how was your flight?’ guess what my answer was.

Now as I sit here on my 7hr journey back home, I am smiling, relieved to have a lovely crew member who not only welcomed me and every guest that past her with an honest welcome and with a smile but also made sure we were ´comfortable´ during the journey.

So why such different approach when it is the same service provider? Why do some team members do what’s needed or better yet what is expected of their role and some even go beyond? And some don’t?

Whilst we can make an extensive list of reasons or excuses, in my opinion is the lack of consistency.  

I always say, let’s blame systems and processes first, then people second. Well thought-out systems and processes are there to ensure consistency. A habit is all about investing in constant efforts to make incremental progress. Let’s compare consistency habits between two orthodontic practices that I have personally worked with.

Practice A     A non-consistent approachPractice B     Consistency is key in their approach
No regular staff meetings When they do have them, a blame culture and negativity dominate the meetings and often an authoritarian approach is used.  Regular staff meetings to discuss what works what doesn’t and to plan any changes accordingly. They also use these meetings for training purposes.
Processes are there but haven’t been assessed or changed for a very long time…years in most cases.Processes are reviewed periodically with key team members empowered to do so for different areas of the practice.
Some staff are amazing at their jobs whilst others are allowed to bring morale down by not pulling their weight, by not giving their best when working.Whilst some staff need more encouragement than others, they have periodic staff reviews together with team building exercises.
The principal orthodontist is tired of repeating themselves about the need for consistency and therefore gives up hope.The principal orthodontist uses not only staff meetings and staff reviews, but also specific objectives and KPI’s to ensure the desired result is achieved.
Are not keen on patient feedback or reviews and therefore avoids them at all cost.Actively encourages patients for their feedback and reviews.

Practices need to develop processes in place to ensure that every member of the team including clinicians, foster an ethical hunger for progress, efficiency and professionalism.  Consistency creates trust. When patients experience excellent service over and over again, they will trust you will do the same with people they refer to you and they will soon become ambassadors for your practice. However, if the service they receive is not consistent and patient expectations are somewhat fragmented, their trust will be the same.

Ask yourself, “if I was to ask ALL of my patients to rate the consistency of our service we provide: 1 being very bad, 2 being 50/50 and 3 being excellent”. What do you think the results would be? Wouldn’t you want to know?

Would I take the same airline again, not if I can’t help it. Why? because it isn’t the first time I experienced their poor service. So why would I expose myself to an uncomfortable experience when I have more choice?  Orthodontic patients are no different. They too have a choice. Your job is to make sure that their choice is your practice not the competitors.

How I Can Help

If you need support increasing your conversion rates or implementing any of my recommendations, please book a call for an informal chat. I offer in-house or virtual consultancy and training, which can be tailored to suit your needs. Together, we can review your new patient journey and make changes to boost your conversion rates at every step.

Optimizing Orthodontic Patient Conversion

Orthodontic practices are great at attracting new patients; often however, conversion rates are low. Here is my suggestion: clinicians and Treatment Coordinators rate yourselves on the following simple yet crucial points of the NP consultation and be honest with your answers!

Certainly, evaluating and improving the key points of the new patient consultation is a valuable approach to improving conversion rates in orthodontic practices.

“Encouraging clinicians and Treatment Coordinators to honestly evaluate their performance on these points can help identify areas for improvement“.

Here are some crucial points that clinicians and treatment coordinators can consider and evaluate:

  1. Communication Skills:
    • How well did you establish rapport with the patient?
    • Did you actively listen to the patient’s concerns and expectations?
    • Were you able to effectively communicate complex orthodontic information in a clear and understandable manner?
  2. Understanding Patient Needs:
    • Were you able to identify and address the specific orthodontic concerns or problems the patient is facing?
  3. Patient Records:
    • Did you take photographs of the new patient ready to use in the consultation?
    • Did you take a digital scan of their teeth ready to use in the consultation?
  4. Treatment Options:
    • Did you present a range of suitable treatment options to the patient?
    • Were you able to explain the pros and cons of each option, considering the patient’s individual needs?
  5. Financial Discussion:
    • How well did you explain the cost of treatment and any available payment options?
    • Were you transparent about any potential additional costs that might arise during the course of treatment?
    • Did you break down any barriers concerning cost of treatment?
  6. Addressing Concerns:
    • Were you proactive in addressing any concerns or questions the patient had?
    • Did you offer solutions or alternatives to alleviate potential concerns?
  7. Getting Patient Commitment:
    • Did you ask the patient if they are happy to proceed with treatment?
    • If the patient said no, did you ask reasons for not going ahead and addressed the concerns they may have?
  8. Follow-Up and Patient Tracking Process:
    • Did you add the patient onto the tracker regardless if they went ahead with treatment or not?
    • Did you agree with the patient the follow-up process and schedule the next steps to do so?
    • Do you make sure you keep your tracker up to date on a daily basis and use the data to understand your conversion rates and how best improve if necessary?
  9. Walkout Pack:
    • Did you prepare a throrough walk out pack that covers treatment concerns, treatment options and detailed payment options?
    • Does the scan and photos form part of the pack? If not, why not?
Lina Craven - How to convert dental patients 2

Encouraging clinicians and Treatment Coordinators to honestly evaluate their performance on these points can help identify areas for improvement. With monthly reports on the conversion rates using the patient tracker, regular training sessions, role-playing exercises, and feedback discussions among the team can further enhance the conversion rates and overall patient satisfaction in your orthodontic practice.

How I Can Help

If you need support increasing your conversion rates or implementing any of my recommendations, please book a call for an informal chat. I offer in-house or virtual consultancy and training, which can be tailored to suit your needs. Together, we can review your new patient journey and make changes to boost your conversion rates at every step.

How Effectively Are You Converting New Patients?

How confident are you that your orthodontic practice is seizing every opportunity that a prospective patient represents? Most practices are very good at attracting new enquiries, but a shocking amount waste the money they spend on acquiring these leads by failing to convert them into patients.

The average conversion rate in orthodontic practices in the UK and Ireland is between 45 and 55%.

As an experienced dental practice consultant, I strive for a minimum conversion rate of 85%, which is a more realistic figure than say 99%. It is important to note that there are two key conversion rates:

  1. Enquiry to consultation (virtual or face-to-face).
  2. Consultation (virtual or face-to-face) to treatment start.

I should also mention that with the current circumstances and virtual consultations becoming the norm, we also need to consider the conversion of a virtual consultation to a face-to-face consultation or records appointment.

How to Increase Your Conversion Rates

Increasing case conversions starts from when the patient first sets eyes on your practice and continues until you have exceeded their expectations at their first consultation. All the steps in between must align with a patient-focused approach to deliver success in 2021.

Here are some priorities to help you and your team focus your efforts.

Introduce Scripting Techniques

It’s essential to equip your front of house team with effective scripting techniques for a new patient enquiry along with the correct responses. This also applies to email communications, which we’ve seen increase considerably over the last 12 months. Remember that prospective patients have many choices, and they are looking for the specialist practice that fills them with reassurance.

Improve Your Communication Skills

Adapting to new methods of communication while maintaining excellent customer care is essential. This includes what to say, and how and when to say it to successfully build trust with new and existing patients. Effective communication will improve your conversion rates and help you to grow your practice through personal referrals, which will be invaluable in 2021.

Here are five key areas to focus on:

  1. Effective questioning techniques.
  2. Features and benefits of all aesthetic appliances.
  3. Getting patients excited about their treatment.
  4. Confidently presenting payment options.
  5. Objection handling and closing techniques.

Review your New Patient Process

Every practice by now should have reviewed their new patient process. It will need reviewing and updating many times over this coming year.

New Patient Enquiries

Who is responsible for the different types of enquiries, how should they be dealt with, what are the desired outcomes? Make sure the answers to these questions are very clear, so there are no misunderstandings.

Consultations

How are your consultations booked, who is involved, how long do they take, how many appointments per week have been allowed for, are they at convenient times, what are the desired outcomes? Are the answers to these questions understood by everyone involved?

The logistics of your virtual and face-to-face consultations are crucial for ensuring patients get the value and reassurance they are looking for. At the same time, they must work for you and the practice.

Patient Photos

Visuals are essential for helping you to increase your conversion rates. For a virtual consultation, patients must send you photos of their teeth and smile. This should be done in advance to allow you to assess their orthodontic needs and prepare for their consultation. In a face-to-face consultation, photographs and a scan are imperative and have been proven to increase case conversions.

Patient Tracking

42% of people would be encouraged to make a purchase if the salesperson called back at an agreed time (via Invesp).

However, many practices don’t follow this crucial step. During the consultation, agreeto follow-up with the patient at a specified time. Update the patient’s notes on the tracker so your treatment coordinator can follow-up accordingly using ethical sales techniques. Measure your results consistently and use them to set realistic goals for your team.

How I Can Help

If you need support increasing your conversion rates or implementing any of my recommendations, please book a call for an informal chat. I offer virtual consultancy and training, which can be tailored to suit your needs. Together, we can review your new patient journey and make changes to boost your conversion rates at every step.

Improving Your Sales Technique in 2021

Healthcare has changed drastically over the past ten years. Technology, industrial relations, economic circumstances, government legislation, patient care and expectations have all influenced the changes we see within practices today.

Any practice continuing to offer and implement the same services, in the same environment, with the same expectations of team contribution would cease to exist.

Where customer satisfaction is fundamental to business success, the best results are achieved by practices that create a passion for continual improvement among every team member.

What Is a Culture of Continual Improvement?

Creating any sort of culture within your practice requires the constant reinforcement of a specific message. In the case of continual improvement, that message must be that it’s okay for team members to regularly review the way things are done, to question why they are done that way, and to ask if there is a better way of doing it.

This doesn’t encourage anarchy as some of you might believe. In fact, it does the opposite. By giving team members responsibility for moulding the practice, they develop a sense of ownership that is visible in the way they perform.  

Let’s take selling as a prime example. Often, just using the word within the practice is like committing blasphemy. The notion that selling and professionalism cannot co-exist is still prevalent within the dental sector, along with the belief that patients do not welcome being sold to. I would like to dispel that assumption.

How Can Selling and Continual Improvement Unite?

Modern dentistry requires a whole new approach. It isn’t just about looking and finding problems, it’s about asking the right questions, explaining the options, educating and supporting, and offering the most appropriate services – in any other language that is selling.

A culture for continual improvement would insist that you consider whether your approach is as good as it could be – it would demand that you find ways to make it better.

So, in the interest of satisfying patients, and helping you to launch your culture change, here are my top six keys to success.

Master Your Communication Skills

Selling skills are only effective when we learn to communicate properly. We must recognise that people possess different personality traits that require us to change our approach.

What we say, how we say it, our tone of voice and our body language are all ingredients of communication that we must master. The ability to adapt will be even more crucial in 2021 with the growth or virtual consultations.

Understand Your Patients’ Needs and Wants

The patients who visit your practice do so because they feel some affinity for what you are offering. Your target customers are drawn to you because your services, your premises and your team all satisfy their ideal requirements.

In 2021, these requirements will likely evolve to include virtual consultations and remote treatment options. Revisit your target groups and look at how you are meeting their specific needs.

Understand What You Are Selling

We sometimes find that practice staff do not understand the products and services provided. They are confused with different levels of private treatment and can’t explain the differences between treatments or financial packages.

It is imperative for anyone who talks to patients to fully understand the products and services they are selling. It doesn’t have to be technical, but an awareness of the key features and benefits is paramount.

Present Monthly Payment Options

Make the buying decision simple by breaking down the investment into bites of reasonableness. The treatment required to give your patients the smile they desire won’t cost £4,000, it will be an investment of ten equal monthly payments of £340 with an initial deposit of £600.

It’s all about giving patients correct and honest information. To provide them with options that help them find ways to best suit their financial circumstances.

Close the Deal

How many ways do you know how to ask for your patients’ business? For example, when would you like to start? May I go ahead and book the appointment for you? Are you ready to proceed?

If you have fully explained the benefits of treatment, it’s not unreasonable to ask for a commitment from the patient. As the saying goes, what you don’t ask for, you don’t get.

Break Down Barriers and Concerns

What’s in it for me? Your goal is to generate a win-win outcome, and this is achieved by learning to overcome barriers and concerns. This comes from understanding your patients’ needs and wants and being able to express yourself without sounding pushy and forceful.

Learning to ask the right questions is the most important thing. Not all patients will be ready to proceed after the initial appointment, but don’t assume that they never will be.

Support Staff Are Key to Your Recovery Strategy

“People don’t like to follow pessimists” is one of my favourite quotes from Bob Iger, former CEO of Disney. In his book The Ride of a Lifetime, Bob Iger outlines 10 principles that helped him succeed as a leader. His first principle is optimism. He says, “Optimism is about believing in yourself and your employees’ abilities”.

An effective practice ensures that every member of its team has a purpose that is fully utilised for the practice’s benefit. Yet I often see staff who aren’t reaching their full potential, so they become bored or complacent.

While every member of the team represents a cog in your wheel of success, there are key staff who will help you steer the business towards your main objective. They may include your business manager, head of front-of-house, treatment coordinator (TC), lead nurse or a social media or marketing champion. 

Empower Your TC to Increase Your Case Acceptance

I would like to explore the use of your treatment coordinator in particular, and how you can empower them to maximise their abilities and increase your case acceptance.

You may think that in financially challenging times, the last thing you need is a new member of staff. However, for a practice to thrive and prosper in a difficult financial climate, it must be more efficient, competitive and profitable.

Virtual consultations are becoming the new norm, and a TC will support you enormously with this new way of working. Training your TC to offer both types of consultation is essential.  

What is the True Role of a TC?

A TC is someone in your practice that, with the right skills and training, will facilitate the new patient process. A TC can often save up to 60% of doctor time.

The TC must possess certain skills, for example, they must be a self-starter, well organised and a good team player. However, a crucial skill for a TC is to be a great listener. Understanding what the patient wants is key to your case acceptance.

I once asked Mary, a Treatment Coordinator for a well-known specialist practice in Ireland, “Why do you think the TC role is vital for the practice’s BIG picture?”.

Mary’s response was, “It really is the gold standard in customer service and patient care”. I couldn’t have described it any better.

What Are the Responsibilities of the TC?

The Primary role of the TC is to bridge the gap between the new patient and the practice. I encourage TCs to monitor the patient’s journey throughout as this helps to build that valuable patient and practice relationship, helping your patients to become your ambassadors.

Whether you have a TC in place or you are considering a new position in your practice, you should ask the following questions when assessing the role:

  • Does your TC have effective questioning techniques?
  • Do they understand the features and benefits of each brace option you offer?
  • Are they confidently presenting payment options?         
  • Do they know appropriate objection handling techniques?
  • Do they genuinely get patients excited about treatment?

Can the Role be Filled Internally?

There are no hard and fast rules. It depends on the size and aspirations of your practice and the qualities of your existing staff.

Only this past month, a clinician and I were able to shortlist 4 out of 15 team members as possible treatment coordinators. After virtual training and meetings, we decided to share the role between two members of staff.

I have also assisted practices with hiring TCs with no dental experience whatsoever. It’s more important for the role and person to fit your practice needs and culture.

Should You Pay Your TC a ‘Sales’ Bonus?

Bonuses are a dividing topic between many clinicians. However, my answer would be yes. Providing the bonus is attached to realistic objectives and your TC is looking after your patients throughout their journey. Don’t forget, TCs will encourage existing patients to refer others.

Investing in Your Team Is Key to Your Recovery Strategy

Investing in your support staff now will be key to your recovery strategy and provide you with a strong competitive advantage post-pandemic.

If you need advice on increasing your case acceptance, please get in touch for an informal chat. I can help you to realise the potential of your support staff or improve the performance of your existing TCs through virtual or face-to-face coaching.

Arrange your complimentary virtual consultation.

How to Increase Case Acceptance During a Pandemic

Practices often come to me for advice on how to increase case acceptance. Increasing case acceptance is not just about using closing techniques; it happens through a combination of systems, processes and people. But what really ensures practice success is delivering an outstanding patient journey, one that not only meets but exceeds a patient’s expectations.

More recently, my customers want support on how to prepare their practices for the challenging times ahead and ultimately increase patient starts. In this article, I will be sharing the key points that will help you do just that.

Let me start with a gentle reminder that the patient’s journey can make or break the success of your practice. A successful patient journey begins long before the patient crosses your threshold. It starts even before they pick up the phone.

Does their journey ever end? The most successful practices maintain continuous positive engagement to create long-lasting relationships with their patients.

Look After Your Patients First

Your patients are valued customers. They have invested money and trust in your brand.  They want reassurance more now than ever before. It costs more to attract new customers than to retain the ones you already have. 

There are wonderful opportunities that lie within your patients: routine patients, patients on review, patients who have not made contact for a while and new patients who haven’t visited the practice yet.

As a principal or associate, you must not be invisible to patients. It is not the sole responsibility of your staff to communicate with them. Have you considered using personal video messages to reach out to your patients?

Lay aside your clinical expertise for a moment and think of yourself as a business owner. Think about how you, as a consumer, would like to be treated during this unusual time. Which brands give you confidence? What messages do they provide that allow you to trust and remember them?  Look afresh at your patient journey and make a list of changes that will enhance the experience.

This vital step will not only increase your existing patients’ trust but also support the immediate need to increase your treatment starts.

Here are my suggestions for your priority to-do list:

  • Define which groups of patients you need to contact and in which order. Besides those who had appointments cancelled during lockdown, you may want to reach patients with pending treatment starts, patients who are considering treatment, new patients and pending patients who may be ready to commit.
  • Plan how you will make contact and what the key messages will be.
  • Decide what the desired outcome will be, for example, a virtual consultation or a face-to-face consultation.
  • Ensure there is an accurate tracking system in place so that no one gets lost in the system.

It’s not going to be easy, and it will take determination, patience and teamwork. Be creative on how you use your staff and resources. The results will be worth the investment.

Flourish Through Online Opportunities

Marketing is the art of providing the appropriate message to your target audience and the techniques you employ to position your brand correctly in their minds. Current pandemic circumstances have highlighted the need for a robust online presence.

Let us use these unprecedented times as a vehicle for change, steering us towards digital opportunities that we may have underestimated previously. Dental practices, like many businesses, know the importance of a digital footprint, but now online marketing is essential for survival and growth.

There are three immediate objectives to consider when assessing your digital brand: how to drive awareness, how to drive brand consideration and how to drive intention to buy. Importantly, your brand must build trust to reassure your patients.

As part of your priority to-do list, answer the following questions: 

  • What are you trying to achieve in the short-term and long-term?
  • What are the key messages you want people to know about?
  • How are you going to deliver these messages?

Practices that have considered their messaging carefully will be remembered when we finally get back to some normality. Sam Taylor Head of Commercial Marketing at Direct Line says, “Brands that have a relationship with people will be in a different place than brands that don’t; therefore be a brand you trust and one you want a relationship with.”

If you need a helping hand getting started or more personalised advice for your specialist practice, contact me to arrange a complimentary call.

The Relationship and Differences Between Leadership and Management

Leadership and management are often intertwined within a dental or orthodontic practice, however they are actually very distinct.

What is Management?

Management is a set of processes that keep an organisation running. Managers make it work today – they make sure that the practice hits this quarter’s numbers. Management processes are about planning, budgeting, staffing, measuring performance and problem-solving.

What is Leadership?

Conversely, leadership is very different. Leadership is about aligning people to the vision, which means buy-in and communication, motivation and inspiration. An effective leader is someone who casts a great vision and knows how to get others excited about it!

Why Should Leadership and Management Coexist?

If a practice is to be run effectively, leadership and management will exist together. For example, when considering the management technique of target setting, this will only work when good leadership is present.

Target setting is a management technique used to focus attention on certain activities. A private practice, for example, might set targets around waiting times.

For this exercise to work, someone within the practice must show leadership by emphasising the importance of the activity. In this example, the wider vision is to help patients to lead better lives. A leader needs to inspire employees, by showing how meeting a target such as reduced waiting times, can contribute towards this wider aim.

Leadership is always about change; it’s not about mobilising people to do what they’ve always done well and to continue to do it well.

While management and leadership are distinct concepts, there is a natural overlap between the skills they involve. You’ve got to be able to listen, to engage, to emphasise. You need to maintain a patient focus and want to grow the people around you.

Leadership and Management Training

Mentoring and formal training can help employees make the most of opportunities to use leadership skills. It has been found that 90% of people who have completed a leadership and management course have experienced improved performance at work. There was also a ‘ripple effect’, with 81% of those surveyed passing on their knowledge to colleagues.

If you would like further information about leadership and management training, please get in touch.

Get in touch

If your specialist practice needs a boost, contact me for an informal chat.

Phone: +44 7930 560661
Email: info@linacraven.com
Location: Europe

I also provide all of my services in-house and remotely anywhere in the world.
Book a chat or contact Lina