Hi, LKH OK, I guess. My moron of a receptionist left yesterday and didnt come back to work. I guess she quit. I was trying to figure out a way to let her go. So I am back to being a mobile office. I will be forwarding my calls to a second cell phone and pretending I am a cute receptionist sitting behind a desk, with a mobile appointment book at all times. She saved me money...I even signed up for ADP for her... other than that, it is very slow. i have had about 6-7 patients so far. I am hoping for a mad rush soon.
Have you run any ads - like the newspaper? Radio? It's summer, people have to be prodded with something. offer a special deal - do something free, or almost free for children, maybe you can snag the parents. Sign up with something like dentacare (HMO-type dental insurance). Offer your own HMO-type deal - $XX per year - this, this and that, all included, whenever needed. Have an emergency clinic on weekends... ? It takes time, you will get there.
I have done ALL of your suggestions. free whitening reduced fees for exam,cleaning,xrays signed w/ 5 HMO's (including dentalcare) advertised in paper, flyers, clipper magazine Am just starting postcards to new residents thru welcome wagon. I dont have anymore money for this. Not hiring another receptionist and working outside my office. Building my office on Hmo's. Didnt want to doit this way but have to. Placed in my ad emergencies seen promptly and emergencies seen today. Hmo's are the Worse case for the dentist andthe patient. Gotta do what I gotta do. Going to the mall now and buying another cell phone to forward the office calls to so a receptionist is not needed. Going to staples and buying a little mailbox so that the goofy mailman will put my mail there. Didnt want to leave mail w/o office being open. he is a pain in the ass. Gonna keep my head up, work outside the practice to pay my bills and hope this all works out.
Hi Roni - you are doing well - challenged, but happy?! That is a nice looking card! Of course they will snap it to you aarrfff dogman
That is pretty funny. Registering w/ 1800dentist cost killer bucks. Of course I have thought of it. I even signed up with a 1-877toothache number. But I am letting it all go. If people will not respond to free whitening then this is hopeless. 1-800dentist is very expensive too. I have a small amount of working capital left and I have decided to stop throwing it at ads. I have a friend who has done NO ads at all. She built her practice on insurance hmo plans in 2000...she opened. She just opened a second practice last month. I hate to say it but people are cheap or are not welcoming to new dentist....well here anyway. There are many dentist in this area. I have my office in a nice well established medical/professional area. It is on a major hwy so everyone knows where it is. I have classy ads, and are done exactly the way marketing books said to do them. I had high hopes w/ advertising even going back to my website. I am just done. One of my close friends told me that it is not like I havent tried almost everything. Radio? only if it is free...which i doubt.
Well, I thought you would have thought of everything, but I figure maybe you had missed something. Where in Jersey is your office? www.creditsense.com
ROFLMAO, ... I bet you made out like a bandit ... I can see people stopping, but I have to wonder about those that actually ordered lemonade ) -Peace, Dave PS Kiyi where is that lemonade stand again LOL
Hi Roni, Sorry to hear about your trouble finding good help. I know it can be tough sometimes. Good luck on the Amex (though it did say pre-approved right . Just change your voice when you answer the phone...hold your nose and say "aaahperator can eye halp yew" ... Hehehehe Hope it all works out. -Peace, Dave
Nave, You are SSSSSSOO crazy! Being a woman makes it easy to pretend you are the doctor and the receptionist. Creditworks, I am in Southern New Jersey, Marlton, just outside Cherry Hill. Amex was preapproved, so I am hopeful and will let you know. I have a little over $60,000 in working capital and dont want to ruin it. Therefore I have decided to sign with all insurance plans (hmo's) to cushion my fall. At least then, I am guaranteed a check whether patients ring my bell or not. I signed w/ teamsters too...so truckers where are you? lol bye
have you tried looking at the corporate offices in your area, and finding someone you know in the office and get your name in the 'reference/preferred doctors' list for that company. i know when i need to see a specialist, i first look at my company's referred doctors list. good luck to you!
I am not sure what you mean. Do you mean with the insurance company list? OR do you mean with the employer? In either case, I tried w/ a few companies which use the PPO plans that I am a provider for. I was told by the companies to call the insurance company and the insurance companies told me that it couldnt be done. After 6-7 companies, I left it alone. I am in the preferred doctors list for companies/insurances because I am a provider and automatically listed. Books come out twice a year, but I am on the internet list. 3 calls have come that route....via internet or insurance co referral.
i was talking about the 'word of mouth' preferred list maintained by some employers/hr departments. for instance, my company's hr department has created a list of doctors/specialists purely based on employees' own feedback/experience - provided by employees in the area. this list exists on our INTRA-net and is available to our employees only. this gives a very good look-up for us when ever someone needs a specialist. the first thing i do is look in this list - extremely helpful. this list does not go through the insurance or PPO. however, our hr has listed which doctors accept what insurance plan etc. so they have a master list of specialities and then a few doctors listed under each heading. for dentists, we have about 10 listed in our metro area.
That is great that your company does that. However, I think someone from your company or any company would have to first come to my office. I would have to EARN the referral. Without that the referral would be quite dishonest. I am sure that list has come with time and experience. I hope to BE on a list one day...Thanks though.....
Roni, it takes time to build a practice -- any kind of professional practice. With clinical psychology, for example, you may build up to 10 weekly patients after a year or a year and a half (and only after working the referral networks hard). The fact that you basically just got started within the last couple or three months and already have 6-7 patients (who will also be referral sources for you, by the way) means YOU'RE DOING GREAT! I realize you'll always be able to point to others (your friend, for example) who seemingly built a big practice with ease right out of the starting gate. However, I'm here to tell you that for MANY professionals (doctors, dentists, psychologists, lawyers, etc.), the first few years are very lean ones. Most dentists, however, do very well once their practices are established. Expect to be poor, though, for at least a year or two. Doc
