An EXCELLENT dental practice: What makes the difference?

Love sets us apart, both at home and at work. It is essential to the excellent practice of dentistry. 

Living with love is an essential part of REAL life. Read about it in Dr Chris' book, REAL. 

This blog is called Love and Orthodontics. Why? Because love makes the difference. 

Dr Chris Baker practices at the Advanced American Dental Clinic in Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

An excellent book on business management that takes love into consideration is Michael E. Gerber's The E-Myth Dentist. 

Love is what sets us apart - in business, in relationship, in encounters, in family, in  learning, in teaching, in situations, in catastrophe, in governing, in leadership, in selling, in buying, in living.

Dr. Edward and Dr. Sara, married dentists, had practiced for several years in their beautiful dental office at one of the Hospital Professional Buildings in their Midwestern town.  One day they got notice that their lease was being recalled, because the hospital would be putting new "corporate doctors" into the offices of the professional building. 

Those few years ago, medicine and medical practices were  increasingly being “bought up” and “managed” by insurance companies - big corporations who typically ran the love in medicine right out the door.

A commodity is a marketable something produced to satisfy needs or wants.  Orthodontic treatment is a commodity.  A root canal treatment is a commodity.

“The commodity isn’t what’s important — the way it’s delivered is.” 
~ Michael E. Gerber

A product is something that is the result of an action or process - the way your commodity is delivered.  This is what Institutional Dentistry knows nothing about.

If you are selling only a commodity, you’re in the competition club.  That’s where the lowest price wins.

But if you are selling the unique and valued product of love, you are rare.  Your patients value your business because they think there is no close substitute -- and they are right.

Your business should have love, joy, caring, and gratitude as its products.  Big institutions, such as corporations and government, do not provide these products of love.

Institutional medicine / institutional dentistry’s product is not love.

However, it can and should be OUR product that we individual dentists provide in OUR practices.  This is a product where we can be very different from the “norm” and have folks waiting in droves at our door.  This is a product that can transform lives.  This is a product that can make our business stronger and successful, so we can transform even more lives.

Our website is called Love and Orthodontics – but why?  Because love makes the difference.

Love is what life is really about. That’s why it leads to success and happiness, in business, in relationship, in encounters, in family, in  learning, in teaching, in situations, in catastrophe, in governing, in leadership, in finances, in selling, in buying, in living

Love is what sets you apart, makes life worthwhile, and makes your work worth everything.  See each and every one you encounter, as a brand new opportunity to fall in love.

By the way, Dr. Edward and Dr. Sara took the opportunities to love with them to their new office location.  Life is great.  Life is rewarding.  Love is their life.

Patients often say  “I used to love my dentist, but  he retired. So, I went to the new dentist in the practice, and it just wasn’t the same. And I can’t even put my finger on what is different   Something is missing."   

Undoubtedly it is love.

Here’s an example about how you can provide love in your practice.

This story is about a boy named Sachi and what happened in a phone call from his mom. Sachi had come with his dad, for an orthodontic examination the day before.  Now my receptionist came to say Sachi’s mom was on the phone and she wanted to talk to Dr Chris. 

I picked up the call and greeted her with love and enthusiasm.  She began:  Sachi’s exam was a second opinion to another orthodontic exam. (I did not know that.)    She went on to explain that the previous exam had not made them feel comfortable and they came searching a second opinion.

“Thank you for the opportunity to meet your family.  Second opinions are important; it is important that you can find what makes you comfortable.  God gives children parents with a sixth sense about what sounds and seems “right” for their child. Go with that.   I was honored to see Sachi and share my thoughts.”

She said she her husband and her son were very comfortable with me and they wanted me to treat him.

“Thank you -  I am honored to treat him.”

She replied, “ That’s the difference between you and the other doctor. You are honored to treat him,  and the other doctor seemed to think we should be honored for him to treat my son.” (And she told me our fee was higher than the other doc’s fee!)

Takeaway lessons:  love and be genuine.  Readily express love in a genuine, professional manner to parents and their children.

See each and every one you encounter, as a brand new opportunity to fall in love.