Spirals are kind of fascinating to look at, but following a spiral path is a very slow way to succeed.
The thing about spirals is that you essentially cover the same ground over and over again, just at a slightly higher level each time. You’ll get there eventually, but it’ll take a very long time.
That’s what a lot of dentists today are doing – spiraling. They’re caught up in a daily maelstrom of too many routine, low-value cases. They don’t necessarily make a lot of money per case, but they’re making money… in terms of net gain, slowly.
There’s something to be said for slow and steady progress, but the progress that dentists are making comes at a cost. Recent advances in ergonomics aside, dentistry can be hard on the body. More time hunched over the chair raises the likelihood of developing neck or back problems.
Dentists are also working too many hours during the week to meet the demand for services. Some are working an extra day on the weekends. That can’t help but impact family life and social life. One of the frequent complaints that SmartBox hears is that dentists don’t want more patients – they’re awash in patients. They want time away from the practice.
Factoring In The Boredom Factor
If you’ve been in practice more than five years, the thrill may be slowly disappearing. You can only do so many routine exams and drill-and-fills until the routine starts to feel oppressive. Generally, you’ll reach that point faster when you’re really busy because there’s no down time between cases. That kind of workload can also be hard on your staff.
Think ahead for a moment – how long can you envision yourself practicing dentistry like you are right now? You may have thought about bringing on an associate, but busy as you may be that’s not always a viable option.
Escape The High-Volume, Low-Value Trap
About 20 to 30 percent of any given market consists of dental prospects who aren’t price-driven. That’s not to say that they’ll tolerate being gouged, just that low price or insurance coverage isn’t the most important factor in their decision to choose a dentist.
These better patients have the resources and the willingness to pay fee-for-service for the dentist who meets their expectations:
- They expect a superior experience with every contact with the practice.
- They expect the dentist to be likeable, relatable, and trustworthy.
- They expect a superior outcome because they’re paying a premium price.
With a greater proportion of high-value cases, you can work less, earn more, and actually have time away from the practice to live life.
Charting a new path for your dental practice begins by contacting SmartBox. We provide a steady stream of better dental patients for our doctors, turning their growth curves into a straight line instead of a a spiral.
Investment about the same amount of time that you doing a crown or an implant in a phone call. After the call, we’ll provide you a customized Roadmap to your practice’s future. There’s no cost or obligation of any kind.