Do you remember the day you decided to invest in your first pair of polarized sunglasses? Do you remember how clear your view was? How about the colors you hadn't seen before? Or the detail you somehow could see, despite there being no added prescription?
Vision. It's the foundation of treatment planning, which I'm guessing we can all agree we need to be on top of, now more than ever.
So how do we enhance our vision in a post-COVID-19 world?
The right team
Dentists, do you know what happens every time you and I walk out of a room, leaving our patient with a trusted team member? Well, if your patients are anything like most, they turn to your assistant or hygienist, and they ask if everything we just said is really necessary.
Now more than ever, with our patients pressed for time and money, our teams are vital to our success. Our teams need to see through the exact same lens that you and I do. On top of that, they need the verbal skills to share what they see, in the same language that you and I use.
The right clinical CE
When you have the right team, it's time, as a team, to get the right clinical education. Now, that's a little more challenging today with all the live events being on hold. So here's my advice. Find virtual continuing education (CE) from strong clinicians who normally speak live at dentistry's finest trade shows. Then, take those courses as a team. When your team members understand exactly what you understand, as you understand it, from their point of view, you are an unstoppable force.
The right lenses -- literally
Although there is major science differentiating one loupe and/or microscope company over another, I'm not here to sell you any particular brand. I am here to sell you excellence. If you want to formulate a treatment plan, and, quite honestly, treat productively, you and your team need magnification. When we outfitted our hygiene team, our level of care and productivity skyrocketed. When we outfitted our assistants, double bonus.
Friends, in this instance, 1 + 1 + 1 = 30, not 3. We have to see it to diagnose it. We have to see it to treat it. You've invested in polarized sunglasses to enhance your vision and protect your eyes. Invest in yourself and your team in the above three areas to enhance your treatment planning and protect your practice success.
Until next time, together we rise.
Check out more of my thoughts on this subject.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
