Blog posts of '2017' 'January'

A dental office needs to have both a customer satisfaction guarantee and great resale value. What cements these two together is, first and foremost, the dentist’s happiness - your happiness with the work you do. You should be able to come to your office every day with enthusiasm and the drive to deliver great results. Here are 5 fast ways to improve your office and get you going each day.

1.       Add a little touch of nature

A lot of people underestimate what a plant can do for a room. Simply adding a tiny piece of nature to your office can add a lot of warmth and give a welcoming feel to your workplace. One of the favorite pieces in offices is the cactus. Not only does it make your office look pleasing, it also offers health benefits. Your office emits radiation from all your electrical equipment, and a cactus can soak it all up, reducing the amount that you and your patients are exposed to and making the office safer!

2.       Stay up-to-date

You must embrace the technology of digital communication. The use of services like Lighthouse 360 or Smile Reminders will make reminders for patients’ appointments much easier through emails and text messages. People always check their smartphones and tend to neglect home voicemails. These services will help manage no-show appointments because patients will receive reminders up to an hour before their scheduled appointment. Your office will know if a patient will be coming in or if there will be extra time for the patient currently sitting in the chair.

When you purchase dental software, review everything. Read reviews online or ask your friends if they have used such products or services. The last thing you need is to sign a one-sided licensing agreement. It may be scary to think that the software might go wrong or produce more errors than results, but the key is to familiarize yourself with the software before diving in. There is software available that offers free trials; make sure to take advantage of free trials to gauge how useful that software is.

3.       Color Coordinate

It’s safe to include your favorite color in the office. Some people avoid doing this to keep everything professional-looking. However, making use of your favorite color doesn’t have to look like an unorganized splash of colors. You can start small, perhaps with your stationery – a pair of scissors, a stapler, and other small essential items in your color would be great. Then move on to other things, such as your filing system; archive boxes do not have to look ugly at all. You can spruce things up with complementary colors that will suit your office just fine. You can even add some family photographs for your desk, but make sure not to overdo it.

If you’re unsure on how to go about redecorating your office, there are interior decorators who can help you improve your office. The good news is that a lot of them offer free consultations. They will help your office look modern while incorporating your favorite colors.

4.       Clean up

This may seem like a basic thing to do, but it can do wonders for your office. Decluttering your desk and office means your brain gets decluttered too. It’s refreshing to see organized office space. Do you remember your first day in your office? Try to visualize that as motivation to keep everything neat. Make sure to have enough trash bins that are visible and accessible even to your patients. This will lessen the amount of trash to collect at the end of the day.

5.       Get a top-tier office chair

No great office is complete without an amazing, comfortable chair. You will be using your chair for several hours each day. Find the right fabric and color to complement your office. Consider well-padded chairs for the ultimate experience. Ask yourself questions like how long you will be sitting in it, how does it feel rubbing against your legs, will it hurt to sit for longer periods, etc. Make sure your back is also well supported with the chair you choose. You can look into adding back supports for extra comfort.

The main goal with every office is to make it as comfortable as possible. Need a pillow? Go ahead. Dentistry is a serious profession but it doesn’t have to be boring. If you are considering transitioning out of your dental practice in a few years, improving the look and feel of your office will help to add more value. If you do it properly, you can sell your dental practice in a short amount of time.

No matter what people may have told you in the past, you do not have to settle for an uncomfortable, bland office. There are several things you can do to make your office more welcoming and a fun place to go to work!

In our country of litigation-happy citizens, it seems that any of us is just one mistake from a lawsuit. Dentists performing exact, highly skilled procedures and services need to be vigilant in assessing risk and in ensuring that they are doing all they can to minimize those risks in their practice. This article will look at some of the ways that a dentist can protect him- or herself from liability and potential litigation in the form of a medical malpractice complaint.

Negligence

First, a dentist must understand the theory of negligence which is the basis for a medical malpractice claim. Negligence is the failure to act, or the breach of a duty owed to a patient which directly caused injury. The dentist owes a legal duty to the patient under these circumstances, and the dentist breached that legal duty by acting or failing to act in a certain way where those actions or inaction caused the plaintiff's injury and resulted in the patient’s injury or damages.

With that duty in mind, the American Dental Association has a document entitled, Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. Members of the ADA voluntarily agree to abide by the ADA Code as a condition of membership in the Association. This code gives the level of acceptable conduct for a dentist and is frequently used when measuring the duty of the dentist and the appropriate standard of care for patients.

Types of Claims

Extraction is one of the top procedures which may result in a greater incidence of legal claims. This is followed by endodontic procedures, dental implants, and crowns and bridges. A dentist will undoubtedly strive to treat all patients with the utmost care, but it is important to note that these procedures can be frequent causes of malpractice claims.

Referrals

Understanding what is part of the dentist’s practice and what should be referred to a specialist can be critical in avoiding malpractice claims. Those dentists practicing general dentistry must know that there are higher risks for negligence claims when they attempt a procedure in which they are not adequately trained or which they have not performed in the past.

For example, with extractions, there are some general dentists who are extremely capable and comfortable performing this procedure. Many of these dentists have undergone additional surgical training or have extensive extraction experience. A dentist who attempts an extraction but underestimates the difficulty, which results in a complication, should inform the patient and refer him or her to an oral surgeon. This may result in additional dental costs and treatment for the patient, and the dentist should be prepared to accept responsibility his or her actions. Document the procedure immediately and follow up with the patient to be certain that they are referred and receive the appropriate case from a specialist.

Malpractice Insurance

Of course, a dental practitioner is required to have malpractice insurance as a prerequisite to practicing. To purchase a policy, a dentist must have a valid license to practice dentistry in that state and a completed application. Most carriers offer two types of malpractice insurance. A new dentist may be offered a first-year claims policy. This can cover the dentist for any claims of a set dollar range, such as from $1 million to $3 million. If a new dentist purchases a claims policy, he or she will be required to also purchase a tail policy. This policy will cover any claims that are pursued after the dentist retires for incidents that happened during practicing. The second type of malpractice insurance is an occurrence policy which covers claims made during practice and after retirement.

Another type of insurance that must be carried is facility insurance for dentists who own their dental offices. Similar to a homeowners’ policy, this will cover injuries sustained from equipment and other incidents that happen on the office premises. As a business owner, a dentist or dental group will have a duty to patients to maintain the property, such as keeping the sidewalks clear of snow or providing railings on steps.

Informed Consent

A factor in any procedure is informed consent. Based on the notion of patient autonomy, the patient has the right to make decisions about their health and treatment. Informed consent is voluntary, but in many cases, in addition to injury, there is a lack of proper informed consent. This gives the patient the risks associated with the procedure so that they have a clear understanding of possible outcomes. Also note that an undesirable result doesn’t mean there is liability. A plaintiff must prove all four elements of negligence to succeed on a claim.

Training

As a professional, it is important to receive regular training and to provide up-to-date training for staff members.

Professionalism

In one survey, a breakdown of communication was found to be a major component in many malpractice claims. For example, the research cites that in a majority of crown and bridge suits, patients remarked that they would not have sued if they had received a refund of their money. In addition, these patients felt ignored by the receptionist and staff.

With all of the news of malpractice lawsuits, many dentists may feel that they are best served by remaining silent and not admitting a mistake. True, in court an admission to the fact that there was an error or a breach in the duty of care would be detrimental to a malpractice defense. However, in the moment, honesty might go a long way to resolving the problem. This doesn’t mean begging for forgiveness, but rather calmly telling the patient that there appears to be a complication and that you will make sure that everything is resolved. Professionalism should not be scuttled for the sake of a defense, but can be maintained so that you keep control of the situation and continue to care for your patient.

Conclusion

Medical malpractice lawsuits have the reputation of million-dollar jury awards. These verdicts are given considerable news coverage. But in fact, the reason for the attention is that they are extremely rare. Refer back to the four elements of a malpractice claim. The first question that an attorney on either side of case will ask is “What are the damages?” If there’s a complication with an extraction, and the patient must be driven across town to an oral surgeon for a procedure the next day that alleviates the issue, there is very little in the way of damages for that patient. This doesn’t mean the patient shouldn’t have the issue addressed by the dentist—refunding the charges and covering the oral surgeon’s work would make the patient about whole. A few years of free dental exams may help with the rest.

Negligence and malpractice are concerns for every dentist. But applying common sense and professionalism, in addition to maintaining a fully-trained staff, can avoid some of the potential for litigation if something goes wrong in the practice with a patient’s care.

One of the most frustrating parts of being a dentist is that you accomplish the hard work of building a phenomenal practice, with the staff and facilities needed to deliver quality dental care to hundreds of local patients, but lack the marketing acumen to attract those patients in sufficient numbers.

Today, I’m going to show you how to get new patients, with the bulk of the process requiring only a few hours of work, which your front desk staff can most likely perform during quieter periods in the office.

1)  Ensure You Have an Attractive Website

In order to attract new patients online, you must first have an attractive online presence that reflects the professionalism, quality of care, and concern for patient comfort that your practice provides.

If you don’t have a website, there are plenty of web specialists who can set you up with one for relatively little money. However, be sure to check their previous work, and speak to their former clients to ensure you’re not wasting your money.

Your website needs to only do a few things to be effective: Provide an idea of what patients can expect if they choose you to be their dentist (as stated above), clear information on your location and the hours you are open, and an easy way to contact you – by phone, contact form and email.

2) Create a List of Keywords

A keyword is a word or phrase that people type into Google when looking for something. That ‘something’ is usually entertainment, such as a YouTube video, or some sort of information, such as an article in the Wall Street Journal. However, they could be looking for a local dentist because they just moved to a new area. That’s the key for marketing your practice online.

For example, the keyword a potential patient might type into Google could be, “Williamsburg, VA dentist”. So, to start getting new patients online, you must first create a list of keywords you anticipate people may type into google when looking for a local dentist. A simple way to accomplish this is to use this free online tool: www.mergewords.com.

First you list all of the towns and counties you serve in the left column. Next, list all of the dental services you provide in the middle column. When you are finished, simply click the button “merge” and your new list of keywords will appear below. Copy that list, and add it to an excel document, and you’re done creating your list of keywords!

3) Create an article for each Keyword

Now that you have a good list of keywords, you must next create content around each of them to post on your website.

You see, simply having these keywords on your website won’t ensure you rank at the top of Google for these keywords. Google wants to give its visitors links that have real, useful content. And it is web pages like that which will be at the top of the search result pages when people type in the keywords you have created.

So, what you need to do is write a 750-to-1,200 word article around each of your keywords. This can be tricky when you first start. However, by the time you (or an able staff member as noted above) have reached your 3rd article, you will have a good understanding of how to create content that will effectively rank at the top of Google for your list of keywords.

For example, if the keyword is, “Bucks County, PA dentist”, you can write an article titled, “How to Select a Bucks County, PA Dentist”. Do you see how I embedded the keyword into the title? Now you can write an entire article about how people in Bucks County should go about selecting a competent dentist in their area.

4) Always Write in the Third Person Tense

This is very important. You want to write the article as a third party advisor, and NOT as a dentist seeking new business. I know this sounds counter-productive; however, you need to understand that Google does not want to rank promotional content at the top of their search engine. And why should they? I mean, who wants to see ads anyway?

Instead, Google wants to provide their users with the most objective information available.

So, act as a third party advisor when writing these articles.

In case you’re wondering if this will prevent new business – the answer is that it won’t. Instead, people will Google the keyword, click your site which is now at the top of Google, and call your phone number. What they won’t do is spend a lot of time reading the actual article.

The reason why is because the vast majority of these web visitors are looking for services when they’re typing their keyword into Google. They want to get the sense that you have some authority and experience, and that’s what an article written from a third person perspective provides. They may even think they’re looking for information about the dentist they have clicked on, but the bottom line is that they’ll be looking into your practice, because you’re the one that ranked at the top of Google!

5) Keeping Up with Keywords

Once you’ve written an article for each of your keywords, next you want to track where they are ranking on Google. You can use www.cuterank.net to accomplish this.

This way you can improve or replace poorly ranking articles with more, or better, content.

Based on your location(s), there could be 10-to-200 people typing your keywords into Google each day. It’s up to you whether or not you are there in the search results when they need your dental care.

No dental practice makes tax mistakes on purpose. However, between the complexity of the tax code, and depending on how well you utilize the advice of your CPA for after-the-fact tax advice, mistakes can happen, and, even more critically, opportunities are frequently overlooked.

1) Waiting Until It’s Too Late

The top mistake dentists make is just that: Not engaging a tax professional until  it's too late to act. Once the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, the game is over, and there’s very little you can do to impact the amount of last year’s taxes.

So at the very least, if the standard calendar is your practice’s calendar year -- meaning December year end -- spend the month getting a hand on where you are and what you might be able to do between now and the end of the year to do whatever’s possible to show lower profit or to identify a loss, to minimize your taxable income.

2) Not Maximizing Retirement Contributions

The second mistake is not maximizing retirement plan contributions, which is very common – especially amongst recently formed businesses.

There are two aspects: The first is not maximizing contributions within the parameters of the type of retirement plan you already have, but the second is that maybe it’s not the best retirement plan overall for your situation. There are other types of retirement plans beyond 401(k)s, IRAs or SEPs that might give you much greater flexibility on how to make the most effective contribution.

3) Improperly Labeling Employees

A really big mistake, especially within the last few years, is misclassifying employees as independent contractors. Now, of course, you know why businesses do that, they don’t want to withhold payroll taxes and generally minimize the administrative expense of a W-2 employee, but the IRS now has a long and detailed list of criteria that will help you distinguish between an employee and an independent contractor, and the taxing authorities keep a sharp eye on this. In addition to the tax consequences of calling someone a contractor versus an employee, there can be serious liability and penalty problems as well. If you’re classifying someone as an independent contractor, that means you don’t have workers compensation or other insurance that you probably should have on them, and if there is a problem on the work site that could cost you a lot.

Mismanaging your company’s tax status can also cause problems, whether you’re a C-corp, an S-corp, an NLC, a partnership, or a sole proprietor, paying attention to what you should be will help you make sure that you make fewer mistakes, and thus results in the best possible tax outcome.

4) Not Separating Out Your Real-Estate

Another problem that’s very common is owning your real estate inside the company. If you own a business and you own real estate, it’s understandable that you might want to have them all in one place, but that’s not the right way to do it. You should have them in separate entities, your company entity in one place, and your real estate as a separate entity, and then treat yourself just like any other landlord would treat you. It’s got to be at  arm’s length, but there is a good deal of flexibility that can ultimately impact your tax situation favorably. Another issue are improperly structured buy-sell or continuity agreements between the partners. An improperly structured agreement could mean that it's old, the evaluation clause doesn’t work, or there is no funding for it, whether through life insurance or a sinking fund, etc. But it could also be that you’ve got a stock redemption agreement instead of a cross purchase agreement. This can get pretty technical, but the important thing to understand is that there is “more than one way to skin the cat.”

5) Not Accounting for Depreciation

The final tax strategy mistake we’ll touch on is in determining when you’re buying equipment, whether or not you should depreciate it or write it off. Here, the tax code is fairly liberal and it allows you to write-off up to $250,000, as of today’s tax-code, for equipment that you’re buying in a single year. So if you’re in a low tax bracket this year, you’ll probably don’t want to write that expense off immediately, and you’ll probably want to spread that out over its useful life, maybe 7 to 10 years. Conversely, if it’s December, and you have a big hunk in taxable income gains, it might make sense to buy your January equipment right now, in December, and then write that off  on this year’s taxes to minimize your taxable income.

Getting your taxes right is an imperfect science, and you won’t get it right every year. However, paying attention to the issues discussed above and working closely to with your tax professional before the year’s end, will save you a great deal time, trouble, and money in a long run.

Many dentists hate the word “selling” when it comes to presenting procedure that may help people.

This is probably because they’ve had a bad experience with a salesperson, and I want to be viewed as more professional. That being said, we all have to sell the industry at some point. My approach is just to never sell something a patient doesn’t want or can’t afford. In this article, you’re going to discover how to sell to your patients without selling. I’m going to teach you how to persuade and compel the ideal patient to buy what you have by positioning you and your practice as their trusted advisor;  an advisor that they can count on to help them get exactly what they want with your excellence in the industry

The best practices in the world have a process in place for developing rapport, and educating, but not overwhelming their patients. They have a systematic and compelling process that walks their patient from ignorance into awareness, and all the way through the decision-making process to the close. Smart practices engage their patients by being genuinely interested in finding out exactly what they want and need. Once they’ve determine those wants, they will look to see if their patients are willing to learn about solutions to their problem.

In today’s selling environment, it's crucial to be viewed as a trusted advisor and friend, instead of a needy salesperson. Successful practices know where to begin a sale, what the objections are at every stage of the process, and the best possible answers to each of those objections.

So, let’s get started.

1) The Sale Begins in Your Waiting Room

From the second your patient schedules their first appointment to the time you’re treating them in your chair, your patient is either developing trust, or not.

If your front-desk people are friendly, if your tools all seem clean and sterilized, if your “chairside” manner is friendly and courteous, and if your practice seems neat, orderly and efficient, the majority of your work in the selling procedure is done.

First, and lasting, impressions, aren’t just important, they are the very life-blood of your ability to sell specialized procedures.

2) Confidence is Key

Unfortunately, many people still believe that confidence is a mark of intelligence, success. and competence. While some of the greatest thinkers that have ever lived may not have been so confident, that doesn’t seem to matter to many people. That is why you need to ensure you present yourself as a confident professional who can completely tackle any given procedure within your realm of expertise.

Here are some ideas to assist you in ensuring you maximize your patients’ trust in you by a show of total confidence and control:

1.      Practice talking about your procedures in a mirror. Now you’ll be able to see exactly what the patient is seeing. Do you have a nervous twitch? Do you stutter when mentioning price? Do you have a difficult time with eye contact? You always want to ensure you speak confidently, and empathetically, while delivering your words like an advocate, and not a salesperson.

2.      Ask for feedback from patients. Ask them what their impressions of you are? What is their confidence in your abilities on a scale of 1-10, and why? You can encourage them to be honest by emailing your patients a private survey they can complete online. Now you’ll be armed with all of the information you need to eliminate that could be costing you money, while increasing what your patients already like about you.

3) Listen to Your Patient

You must realize that several of your patients right now would be interested in having a procedure done in the interest of their dental needs.

While you can easily spot, and detect procedures that may need to be performed based on an x-ray or your analysis, there are other pockets of opportunity that start in your patients’ mind, and not in their mouth. All too often dentists fail to have in-depth conversations with their patients about what they like or don’t like about their smile. This is why you need to get into the habit of asking your patients open-ended questions about their teeth.

For example, a lot of patients feel their front two teeth are “too big.” Now, to you and I they may appear totally normal, but that’s not the point, is it? Even a small deviation from what may be considered “normal” may bug a patient on a daily basis, and if you can fix that problem, you easily sold a procedure just by satisfying a pre existing demand.

4) Sell Based on Need

If you do deem that a patient requires a procedure, ensure to lay out all the evidence and make a compelling case, in a friendly and conversational manner. In your patient’s mind, having or not having a procedure performed may boil down to cost, and need. If you can do a good job of showing the value of a procedure and how important it is to your patient’s dental health, then they will be more willing to endure the potential physical and financial pain associated with it.

Remember, people don’t really buy products or services, they buy value. Because of this, you need to preach the value of how a particular procedure will improve your patient’s life, based on what you know about them.

For example:

1.      I know you’re trying to make the best possible impression at work, and this procedure will help you accomplish that goal.

2.      If you really want to ensure you’re doing everything possible to improve the health of your teeth, this procedure is critical for achieving that goal.

3.      The last thing you want on your next vacation is unexpected pain, so if we take these wisdom teeth out now, there is no chance they will be able to bother you then. If we wait, your face could be puffy and bruised on your wedding day!

The bottom line is that you need to build likeability and trust with your office and staff, increase your patients’ faith in you with confidence and expertise, and easily sell your procedures by identifying need, and preaching value.

Looking to get a new office for your dental practice?

It’s always wise to speak to dental specific contractors and consultants who can give you valuable advice, as well as examining real estate websites with special search functions for healthcare spaces.

Here are some helpful tips for selecting your next office space:

1. Decide on buying or leasing.

The Wealthy Dentist’s survey shows the following stats:

• 24% own their building outright

• 32% own and pay a reasonable mortgage

• 4% are worried about their mortgages

• 20% have long-term leases

• 20% have leases up within the next 2 years

Deciding on buying or leasing can help to  you move in the right direction as you search through real estate listings for a dental office.

Leasing leaves you free to pursue better locations when communities change or your staffing needs increase. Buying gives you freedom to build an income from rent. However, there could be a huge cash outflow if renovation is needed. There is also more risk if business slows down.

2. Perform your due diligence.

Ask all the necessary questions involved in getting a new dental office and review all the important information like zoning limitations, ADA compliance, utilities, lease rates in the neighborhood, and background on the dentist/company selling/leasing the space.

Find a dental-specific team of consultants according to your needs:

• A building contractor

• A specialized CPA

• Dental equipment specialist

• Dental-specific lender

Ask for the following documents from the seller:

• The balance sheet.

• The liquidation value of the business once all creditors are paid off.

• Cash flow statements.

• Insurance reimbursements.

• A non-competition agreement to prevent the seller from setting up a new dental practice near you.

• Rent increase agreements.

• Option to buy agreements.

• All the fees: management, maintenance, and the grace period for paying everything.

This information will help you spot negative cash flows, and if there are likely to be more. If so, would you have enough cash reserves and access to liquidity to carry the business through lean times?

3. Always negotiate.

Almost everything is negotiable. The landlord might have no influence regarding price, but he/she may make the deal better, remove detrimental clauses, etc.

4. How’s the location?

This deserves a separate section even though it’s included in due diligence. Low rent/asking price may mean it is a poor location. It’s worth paying extra to make your office as convenient as possible. And of course, ask about competition.

5. Don’t forget goodwill.

Clients become loyal to their dentists. If you happen to be moving into an existing practice, keep the outgoing dentist, or ask him/her to introduce you to his/her clients before leaving.

With smart preparation and patience, these tips will aid you in selecting a location that will grow your practice and improve your lifestyle.

More and more dentists are emerging every year. This is going to be an ongoing trend since the present workforce of dentists are aging closer to retirement. A study by the American Dental Association stated that although 37% of dentists are about to retire, less than 4% are financially stable by 65.

The best solution to combat this statistic: genuinely plan your retirement.

Retirement comes for everyone. The sooner you acknowledge its impending arrival, the better off you’ll be. To help you start planning, here are four things every dentist should know before they retire:

1. Build an exit strategy

Have you thought about selling your practice? If yes, then is it going to be with a one-time payment or a transitional division of payments? Whatever you plan on doing, you need to have an exit strategy long before the retirement comes.

If you are planning on selling your practice, you can’t place the value on it yourself. You may require the services of a dental practice sales consultant to have the correct value to plan for your sale. You may get a huge amount of money from the sale which you can use when you retire, but you may also have to spend a good deal on taxes and broker fees.

If you are going to sell it to an associate on a transitional buy-in, you can direct your money into a retirement plan. This may put off taxes and enable you to have a long-term plan for stuffing your pre-retirement treasure chest. The drawback is that you are going to have to work with another dentist, which some solo practitioners dare not think of.

2. Know how Medicare works

When you turn 65 years old, there is a requirement to apply for Medicare. This government program may present some confusing terms, but it is important that you know about what it covers and requires. Medicare does not cover all medical expenses, so you still have to set a budget every month to use for other medical expenses.

Here is a quick look into the different coverages:

a.       Medicare Part A

-          Free

-          Covers hospital visits

b.       Medicare Part B

-          Pays for medical services e.g. doctor visits

c.       Medicare Part D

-           Prescription drug coverage

Talk with a Medicare representative to get a full grasp on what they cover and what they don’t. This way, you will be able to make educated financial decisions on future costs. The Department of Health and Human Services has a guide for you to learn more about Medicare.

3. Don’t pay for unnecessary insurance

While it is a good thing to be insured at all times, there is a such a thing as having too many insurance premiums. You may have friends or family who call you on a regular basis to sell you things, particularly insurance. It’s no surprise as dentists are among the list of high-income professionals who are targeted by big insurance policies. Consequently, there are people who pay a lot of money for insurance they don’t even need.

Insurance is highly important for you and your family. However, if you’re not able to lessen your insurance costs over the years, you will be spending more than what you need. Don’t blame yourself if you have purchased one of these plans, because there are thousands of salesmen who are just too good at luring people into plans they don’t necessarily need. As a result, numerous dentists are making hasty insurance purchasing decisions without examining them thoroughly enough.

4. Get the help of a financial advisor

How much money do you actually need before you can relax and retire?

What should you do with your money so that you still have an active income?

These are just a couple questions you will have to go examine when you create your retirement plan.

A financial advisor will help you to organize your plan and keep it going with your guidance once you have everything in place. There is no one size fits all plan. Every dentist is going to have a different retirement goal from their peers, and that means that it will require your feedback every step of the way.

With the help of a financial advisor and these tips, you can create a solid plan for your monthly budget, investment options and more, to help you get prepared for your golden years.

Use these jokes to get your patients laughing!

1. When a speaker arrived at the banquet, he seated himself at the head table only to realize that he had forgotten to put in his false teeth.

He was in a state of panic as it just wouldn’t do to have a speaker with no teeth talking about dental hygiene. And besides, most people didn’t understand him very well without his teeth.

He managed to explain the situation to the man seated next to him, and was about to leave for home to get his teeth, when the man smiled and said, “No problem, I just happen to have a spare. Try these on,” and the man passed the speaker a pair of dentures.

The speaker couldn’t believe his luck. He tried on the dentures but they didn’t fit well. “They’re too loose,” he said.

“No worries,” the man said. He reached into another pocket and produced another pair of dentures. “Try these.”

The speaker had no idea why the man would be carrying two sets of dentures with him. He tried on the second pair but they were too tight.

“Okay, I have got one last pair,” the man said. And he produced a third set of dentures from his briefcase.

They were a perfect fit. The rest of the evening went by without a hitch, with the speaker giving a flawless speech and rounding it off with a great dinner.

At the end of the evening, the speaker thanked the man and since they were in the same profession, asked for his name card.

“Oh, you’re mistaken,” said the man. “I’m not a dentist. I’m the local undertaker.”

2. A young dentist had just started his own clinic.

He rented a beautiful office and had it furnished with antiques.

Sitting there, he saw a man come into the front office. Wanting to appear to be the “busy dentist”, the gentleman picked up the phone and started to pretend he had to give an appointment.

Finally, he hung up and asked the visitor, “Can I help you?”

The man said, “Yeah, I’ve come to activate the phone.”

3. A husband and wife entered the dentist’s office.

The husband said, “I want a tooth pulled. I don’t want gas or Novocain because I’m in a terrible hurry. Just pull the tooth as quickly as possible.”

“You’re a brave man,” said the dentist. “Now, show me which tooth it is.”

The husband opened mouth and pointed to a tooth.

“Open wider,” requested the dentist, as he began his examination of the patient.

“Good God!” he said startled. “You’ve got the biggest cavity I’ve ever seen – the biggest cavity I’ve ever seen.”

“OK Doc!” replied the patient. “I’m scared enough without you saying something like that twice.”

“I didn’t!” said the dentist. “That was the echo.”

4. A dentist, after completing work on a patient, came to him begging for a favor.

Dentist: Could you help me out? Could you give me a few of your loudest, most painful screams?

Patient: Why? Doctor, it wasn't at all bad this time.

Dentist: There are so many people in the waiting room right now, and I don't want to miss the four o'clock ball game.

5. Dentist: I have to pull the aching tooth, but don’t worry it will just take five minutes.

Patient: And how much will it cost?

Dentist: It’s $500.

Patient: $500 for just a few minutes’ work??

Dentist: I can extract it very slowly if you like.

6. After cleaning his patient’s teeth, the dentist accompanied the 5-year-old boy to the reception area, only to see him struggle with the oak door.

“It’s heavy, isn’t it?” asked the dentist.

“Yes,” he said. “Is that so children can’t escape?”

7. Yes 4 out of 5 dentists recommend sugar free gum to their patients who chew gum, but we all wonder what the 5th dentist thinks, right?

He says, "Eat all the sugar you want, it keeps me in business!"

8. Dentist: Just let me finish and you will be another man after these cosmetic procedures.

Patient: Okay doc, but don’t forget to send your bill to the other man.

9. While I was waiting to see the dentist, a woman came out of his inner office smiling.

Nodding to me, she said, “Thank goodness my work is complete. I’m so glad to have found a painless dentist and one who’s so gentle and understanding too.”

When seated in the dentist chair, I related the incident to the doctor.

He laughed and explained, “Oh, that was just my mother.”

10. A patient sits in the dental chair with severely fractured front teeth.

After discussing how they will be restored and what the fee would be the patient says, “Before we begin, Doc, I gotta know: Will I be able to play the trumpet when you are finished?”

Dentist: Sure, you will!

Patient: Great, I couldn’t play a note before!

The majority of dentists are introverts, which means they are often judgers and thinkers. Introverts get energy from solitude. Judgers like things settled and decided. Thinkers like facts and remain objective and calculating instead of relying on emotions and instincts. A LOT of people in the medical field are introverts. For dentists, nearly 60% are introverts, 65.9% are thinkers, and 75% are judgers.

It can be a struggle for introverts to be cheerful and outgoing all day. But you don’t have to be exhausted. Embrace the benefits of introversion. You’re a keen observer and listener. Use these traits. Don’t force yourself into actions that aren’t natural for you.

For instance, introverts don't like small talk, which some people may equate to snobbishness or a negative personality. In the dentist's office, this stiffness can increase patient anxiety.

Instead, try these techniques.

Friendly Techniques for Introverted Dentists

1. Don’t imitate the extroverts in their small talk. You'll only look awkward.

2.  Get comfortable. You don't have to make small talk or force yourself to interact, but you can train yourself to get comfortable. It’s your office. See it as a place you belong in, and you will.

3. Accept and acknowledge the social need. Instead of dreading interactions or particular types of conversations, accept them as necessary parts of being a dentist.

For example:

Goal: A friendly office culture.

Steps to achieve that: Give positive feedback to your staff, and voice concerns immediately. Introverts tend to internalize issues to avoid conflict, but that can build into needless stress.

Action: Share a short anecdote about your weekend. And then listen to their own stories. When managing your staff, don’t be a perfectionist. Humans make mistakes. The key is to learn from them.

Goal: A friendly interaction with a patient.

Steps to achieve that: A simple, "How are you today?" Ask them if they have any questions you can answer. Be the first to speak, so you can proceed to listen. Use your keen observation to comment on a new haircut, a nice pair of boots, a child’s rosy cheeks.

By removing the pressure to like social interaction, you can relax and become an amiable participant.

4. Instead of making small talk, listen big. Ask a question, let them talk. You WOULD ask questions to your patients anyway, medical or not. Be pleasantly curious-- which people love.

Be helpful. Ask if you can get them anything, or if you can make them more comfortable somehow.

5. Use your observation skills to create a friendly bond with your patients. You probably noticed their scarf, purse organizer, or haircut-- ask them about it.

6. Recharge. Retreat into your office for alone time, even if it's as little as five minutes between appointments. And designate time every week just for yourself or with someone you love, where you don't have to please anyone.

Being an Introverted Dentist Isn’t Bad

Your success depends on the quality of your work as a dentist, so you don't have to pressure yourself with social skills.

People like you. Patients love that you listen instead of talk over them. They love that you respect the need for space and thinking time. You don't rush patients. You don't chatter. You listen and you answer questions.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

As long as you make your patients feel welcome and listened to, they’ll like you. Long chats don’t have to be included.