1. IF you are good at something, NEVER do it for free
You
put in a lot of years, a lot of hard work and practice to be where you
are today DO NOT let anyone think otherwise. If a patient crib for the
amount you are charging is exorbitant, make them understand if they
don’t, let them go. It’s better to lose one patient than to waste your
time dealing with patients who bargain all the time (coz if you give in,
the word will spread )
2. Teamwork
Your
team starts from the morning cleaning lady, whom we mostly do not even
look at till the end of the month when it’s salary day. She is the one
who keeps your clinic clean, dust-free and presentable. Imagine a
patient’s reaction to entering a dirty, shady clinic. Your receptionist,
assistant and associate doctors are all a part of your team, and it’s
always better to spend a little more on a well-trained staff than to
waste time on a staff that requires constant training and supervision.
3. What’s your Marketing Strategy?
Mouth
to mouth publicity is your best option because that is genuine and only
happy, satisfied patients will give your recommendation. I have worked
in clinics, where the head dentist, never did anything to advertise
herself and she still treats the 3rd generation of the same patients.
Work Hard in silence, let your success make noise.
4. Never Give up
So,
you had a perforation during root canal, yes a file separated, a tooth
fracture during extraction and your pediatric patient won’t sit on the
chair Your practice is your dream , Do not let mishaps or a bad day at
work put you down , figure out what went wrong ,call a specialist for
help , learn new methods , keep yourself updated ,enroll yourself in CDE programs, find ways to keep yourself up to date . Try using the app INDIAN DENTAL NETWORK. It helps doctors stay in their network and mentors to guide you through tough cases.
5. Let The Truth Prevail
Working
in the cosmetic industry has its pros and cons. You describe all the
treatment protocols, but the patient is still adamant about a Bollywood
or Hollywood smile. Understand your patient’s need and be truthful. DO
NOT give your patient false hopes that she will look like “Deepika
Padukone or Katrina Kaif " after the treatment. Same goes for a patient
requiring extensive treatment, do not add another tooth to be treated
with each visit, it is appreciated if you share the treatment plan
during the first visit. The patient can decide for themselves if they
want to get treated for all the findings or just the chief complaint.
6. Are you always available?
There
is a new trend in India, where dentists keep their clinics open 24*7,
365 days. You will indeed earn a little more than the doctor who closes
his clinic on time and keeps it closed on holidays. But, If you are
talented enough, your skills are good it is very easy to maintain
work-life balance So what, if a patient goes to the competitor, if you
have won the patient’s trust, he will reschedule, he will take time
according to you and not vice versa.
7. Never Stop, Never Quit
With
the number of dental clinics cropping up, new mushrooming colleges
every year, it is a scary scenario. This does not mean that one should
quit what they learn, jump over to a new stream. Stay put, work harder,
keep your patients happy .success is just a step ahead.
