Career

Inside Look: Treatment Coordinator

treatment coordinator

Are you interested in working in the dental field but not looking to learn the medical aspect of dentistry? We get it. But what if you still want to be part of the dental field.

Well, you still can!

Get certified in dental administration to become part of a dental team at practice. With a certificate in Dental Administration, you develop the skills, training, and hands-on experience you need to become a Treatment Coordinator, one of the main opportunities you have to build your career on.

We will be looking at a position which is often unheard of and what you can be doing in a practice setting. Let us get an inside look.

Treatment Coordinator

Treatment coordinators in a dental practice is a case acceptance position where they sell treatment. They are coordinate treatment plans following the dentist’s diagnosis and the patient’s choice of treatment. Treatment coordinators have a position that comes full circle. Their work consists of

  • Outlining and discussing with dentists the patient’s diagnosis and treatment options.
  • Explaining treatment options and what they entail to determine a patient’s best choice for treatment.
  • Answering questions or concerns over treatment options via person, phone, or email.
  • Laying out potential payment plans for treatment, during this process they go over coverage benefits and what patients will pay. This is the predetermination process before closing the case.
  • Following up with patients to move them through their treatment plan and ensures they are aware of their status in treatment and financially.treatment coordinator
  • Calculating acceptance rates and reports monthly summaries of statistics for the dental team.

Once a treatment coordinator has a case acceptance from a patient, they have to ensure a patient’s case gets completed; this is where the full circle comes. From the time the patient arrives in the office to the time treatment is complete, treatment coordinators are doing follow-ups.  

What Does It Take To Be A Treatment Coordinator?

Since treatment coordinators are continually interacting with dentists and patients, an absolute, necessary skill is communication. Communication skills encompass a variety of skills from

  1. Listening skills
  2. Verbal and written communication
  3. Nonverbal communication
  4. Interpersonal skills

treatment coordinator Being a treatment coordinator, means you have to be able to communicate effectively and clearly. Since you will be interacting with patients mostly, you want to be transparent, concise, and show empathy. You want to be able to educate your patients on their treatment options so they can make an informed decision. You want to have a friendly demeanor, confidence, and be respectful with dentists and patients when talking and discussing a patient’s case for treatment and finances.

In some cases, practices look for applicants who have prior experience and depending on the employer with a B.A or certification for educational level. The main thing is as a treatment coordinator; you want to be able to be confident in understanding dental terminology, procedures, and treatment, and be able to explain the information to the patient in everyday language. You might also want to be familiarized with dental software.

Get Certified!

Be part of a dental administration team! At The Core Foundation, we have an Online Dental Administration course where you can get certified in 6 months or less. With our online course, you can

  • Learn at your pace.
  • Create your ideal learning environment.
  • Take us anywhere with internet connection.
  • Learn the business side of dental healthcare.
  • Get hands-on-training experience.

With our program, you will be able to gain the skills you need to work within a dental office. If you’re interested in learning more about our program go to our Dental Administration Program page.

If you want to enroll in out Dental Administration Program, don’t wait and click APPLY NOW  

How To Become A Better Team Member

become better team member

Rare is a job where we do independent work, in a workforce where teamwork and collaboration are a part of making a company and culture, our co-workers are a big part of that experience and whether we fit into the company. We each play a role individually and together, and when we work with others, we look for “good team players,” which can be a subjective definition to each person.

For some working with others can be a challenge; however, we can not change how others work, but we can change how we approach teamwork efforts and improving ourselves as a team player. After all, working for a company means pulling together not only your efforts but the efforts of others to create innovation and achieve set goals.

We mentioned we search for “good team players” which is subjective in some form, what I consider to be a good team member may not be what you define it to be. Although, there are traits which are common in team members we define as making a good team player. So, what makes does it mean to be a team member in a company? Let us find out what it means and how we can improve professionally to become a better team member.

What Does It Mean To Be A Team Player?

Teams are created within a company for many reasons. You may notice each department has teams, but overall we are a collective team to move the company forward. Each team is focused on one-time projects or working on a daily basis to accomplish set goals for their department and company.

Being a team member can have various meanings depending on the company and department. But overall, a team member is a structural part of the company that moves it forward in accomplishing goals set within the department and the company. They are the people who can effectively communicate, create, implement, and coordinate among many other roles a team member. They are the gears of the company driving the energy forward to achieve results that produce.

Becoming A Better Team Member

As a team member, your tasks may vary from other departments but you are all working together to achieve tasks in less time and produce results. So, how can you become a better team player? As the point as mentioned above, there are universal qualities which make up the “good team player” we seek, of course, we need to account we all have different work styles we follow.

Even though we might not be able to change the way others work, we can improve how we work with others that might not only benefit us when working in teams but when we work individually. Here are some of the ways we can improve as a team player and professional.

  • Self-Awareness – insight into your strengths and weakness is one of the best ways of accepting and working efficiently. Recognizing our weaknesses allows us to acknowledge we need to work on them but also focus our attention to what our strengthens are and hone them. You want to be able to utilize your skills by tackling the role you are an expert in to function within a team.
  • Removing Negativity – negativity is a black shadow of energy that lingers and taints your behavior. It is toxic and creates stress. Negativity can come through complaints or nonverbal behaviors which can affect not just yourself but others around you. The negativity we create can infect others work environment which is why we want to learn how to remove our negativity whether it’s through taking a different approach to the task or taking a moment to verbalize what is causing you to feel negative and turning it into something positive.
  • Good Communication – working in a team requires us to have good communication, it’s a given. But one of the skills you want to refine is listening. By listening it allows us to pay attention to what is being said and felt. It’s not about being selective but understanding what is being said to act or respond to it.
  • Respect and Adjust to Others Work Style – we can’t assume we all work in the same manner as we do. We each have our way of reacting and doing our tasks. Understanding how our co-workers work and prefer to be communicated will help us adjust to their style and create a middle ground where both parties can talk and work together to avoid problems.
  • Share Interests – at first glance, this might be an odd one to think about but let me explain. When we focus on the interest of everyone and how to get there, a shift happens in work. By focusing on the interest of the team, we allow ourselves to strategize in achieving our team’s vision and retaining the goal we set out to complete.

These are just a few of the ways we can become a better team member within your department and company. When you are placed in a team, whether it’s a one-time thing or on a daily basis, you want to focus on the collaboration you have with your colleagues. After all, we each have our area of expertise we’re good at that allows us to combine our efforts with others to move forward a task and create innovation. Teamwork is an essential part of a company and the better we know how to work with others and understand and respect their work styles, the easier it becomes to work efficiently and without too many conflicts.

What are some of the ways you improve teamwork with your departments or company? Tell us in the comment section.

5 Key Skills to Have to Communicate Effectively

effective communication skills

What makes for effective communication? Communication is a skill we use every day, whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, we use it. Some are good at it, others not so much, but the beauty of it is it’s a skill we can learn to improve if we set out to do so.

Effective communication is a critical aspect not only in our lives but in our professional lives. In a professional setting, the ability to communicate effectively is a necessary skill to possess and one that employers search for in employees. Working for a company or even being your boss requires you to be effective in communicating, rare is the sole act of working since we have to report or collaborate with others in a project or task.

Benefits of Effective Communication

The benefits of being able to communicate effectively at work go beyond clarification. It benefits us in all aspects of our job whether you are an employee or an employer. Communicating effectively can help us in the following ways:

  • Builds and Maintains Relationships
  • Builds a Team
  • Creates Clarity and Transparency
  • Manages Employees
  • Creates Resolutions
  • Contributes to Growth (as company and individual)
  • Promotes Innovation

These benefits can extend to the business of healthcare since we not only deal with our team and employer but with patients. As we know, patients are a crucial part of our business, and if we are to keep serving them, we need to be able to build and maintain long-lasting relationships with them. Serving our patients requires more than just serving their dental needs, we have to be able to create a relationship of trust where there are transparency and clarity. Effective communication plays into effect with the patient experience the patient looks for and wants from their healthcare provider.

We mentioned before it was a skill we need, however, what most don’t know is communication skill is a set of skills necessary to achieve effectiveness. So, what skills should we have to communicate effectively?

Effective Communication Skills Needed

We know communication can be difficult at times, but it is a skill we can improve on over time. However, it helps to know what communication skills we need to see what we can work on. There are five skills we need to have to achieve effectiveness when communicating, and they are:

  1. Listening Skills – Being an active listener is crucial to being a good communicator. As an active listener, you are taking the time to pay attention to what is being said and asking questions. The idea is to be able to comprehend to be able to respond.
  2. Non-Verbal Communication – Our body language and gestures are a tell-tale sign of what’s going on with what we say and what we hear. They usually express more than what we verbally say and can be unaware of the messages you send. Non-verbal communications can be eye contact, hand gestures, or even the tone of voice we use, we want to be careful how we use it and aware of other’s non-verbal communication.
  3. Clarity and Concise – Effective communication begins with saying less, you have to be able to articulate thoughts, ideas, and instructions with clarity and concisely. You don’t want to say too much; otherwise, you ramble. When we ramble, we lose the effect of our message and can either can two things in our listener, confusion or risk of being tuned out.
  4. Empathy and Open-Mindedness –  When we work with others or work with patients, we want to be able to show compassion. Empathy is a critical skill to have because it shows you are listening and respecting the other’s perspective and opinions. Which goes hand-in-hand with being open-minded about the conversation you enter and making it a productive one. Being open-minded means having the ability to be flexible in the conversation you’re in and to be able to listen and comprehend what is being said and what the other person’s views are.
  5. Feedback – A good communicator will be able to provide and receive feedback. The feedback that is constructive to allow for improvement and recognition where it is due. It can be in the form of emails, phone calls, or weekly status promotes motivations, clarification, and growth.

These are some of the skills we need to begin to become a good communicator. Remember a good communicator gives the opportunity to create room for improvement, motivation, and clarification. It is vital to business and building the patient experience our patients want and the one we want to offer.

How to Improve Communication Skills

If you want to improve your communication skills, you can! There are a couple of ways you can start to improve on your skills, of course, there are plenty more but here are just a few to get you started.

  • Start and end with key points – forces you to focus on the aspects which are critical to your conversation, huddle, or presentation. Not to mention it forces you to choose words and points carefully.
  • Be a listener – hear what your employees or patients have to say before responding to them. Let them know you are listening to understand before speaking out. It helps avoid interruptions, over talking and disrespecting one another.  
  • Engage and know your audience – to be effective we want to be able to engage our audience whether it’s through a question or small activity. It helps to know your audience to be able to achieve a reaction from your audience.

Communication is a critical aspect in our lives and the more practice we get with it, the better chances we have at being good communicators. It’s a skill we need when working in business especially when working in healthcare and with patients. We want to be able to create an environment where we are open to express freely and with transparency. What are some of the ways you articulate your thoughts or ideas? Tell us in the comments below.

Is Inspiration More Important Than Motivation?

Motivation or inspiration, what gets the job done? We often hear many leaders say we need to get motivated or we need to find what motivates our workers. Although it can be true, we sometimes need the motivation to start or finish a task or project; we don’t talk about what motivation is and how different it is from inspiration. So, when asked what gets the job done, motivation or inspiration, motivation does.

Photo by Johnson Wang on Unsplash

Unlike inspiration, motivation is a driven reason or reasons we are willing to act upon in a particular way. Usually, it is short lived and caused by an incentive which pushes us to accomplish a project since there’s no longer a state of passion or driven force to fulfill a task. Motivation can propel us to move forward, but it is short lived and fades once it’s done. We also have to acknowledge that what motivates you will not motivate others. Motivation can be driven from fear, instant gratification, or reward, whatever it may be, it is subjective.

In the same way, inspiration is subjective; however, it has more longevity than motivation. Inspiration is someone or something that evokes an idea, a thought, or desire to create. This is where the longevity comes from. Inspiration is an influence that drives us to achieve and fulfill the idea, the thought, or desire we have. Unlike motivation, inspiration is a given moment we remember with clarity and is the starting point of something bigger which we strive to gain. Inspiration does more than inspire us, it is  

  • A foundation for motivation where we find ourselves driven by what inspires us and redefining our motives correlating to our inspired idea.
  • Looking at the bigger picture while working on the finer details to get to the final idea of what we aspire to create, change, or be.
  • A passion that moves us to create, to change, or be someone, something, based on what inspired us.

Inspiration is a stimulation to the mind, and often feelings, driving us to a passion for fulfilling our desire to create something. It is very distinct from what motivation does on its own, an incentive to fulfill what needs to get us on track to complete a task. They are both subjective, but motivation can be easily found whereas inspiration is more eventful in creating a desire and yearning in a person.

There is an article on Linkedin written by Darcy Hayer, Why Inspiration Is More Powerful Than Motivation, which goes into more detail on distinguishing these two terms, but also gives you examples of individuals who have been inspired and how its affected them in their life. It’s an interesting article if you want to see how they both differ, but you can also ask others around you to see what they think and if there is something that inspires them.

What do you think, is an inspiration more critical than motivation? Tell us in the comments below.

 

The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace and Learning Environment

Diversity important

Diversity is what is commonly looked for in a learning environment as it is in the workplace. We want to be in an organization where we can see progress, change, and inclusion in what they do as individuals and together. We seek to be in an environment that will grant us opportunities for growth and understanding which is given when there is diversity.

It is a common word used to describe some workplaces and to lure applicants to apply to work in their organization. So why is it essential to have? Find out how we can benefit from diversity.

Importance of Diversity

Diversity is defined as being composed of different elements, in this case, we are referring to the inclusion of different cultures in a group or organization that is important to have. Why? Recognizing and having diversity in a workplace and educational environment fosters a learning experience that allows more depth and understanding.

Diversity has something to offer you as a student and worker; you can benefit from. It provides an opportunity to broaden your learning experience and collaboration with one another and how it happens. Let us begin with an educational environment and how having diversity in learning atmosphere can be beneficial; I mean we all start as a student.

Learning Environment:

What fruitful experiences can diversity bring to our education and growth both academically and personally? Many, however, that is very dependent on how it’s acknowledged and the factors we consider into place when we think of diversity. The word alone is a broad term that expands beyond the racial and cultural differences which involve their customs, social and economic background, and gender. All factors play into working and learning better together. What can you expect to see?

  • Equality – equal chances in access to material, curriculum, and chances at succeeding. It gives educators the opportunity of seeing each of their students as individuals.
  • Safety – when educators recognize and reflect the diversity of the students, they create an atmosphere where they learn about each others difference but are comfortable with them.
  • Promotes growth and reflection – listening and learning from others different from other can help enhance our understanding and conversation.
  • Preparation – as students, we learn to collaborate and communicate with people of different cultures which serves us as preparation for a workforce that is slowly becoming more diverse than before.
  • Promotes concentration and creativity among each other.

Work Environment:

Just as it is important to have diversity in a learning environment, the same can be said for the workplace. Having cultural diversity in the workforce is beneficial to the employees and the business. It’s an effort which is slowly growing to include more diversity in places we work which help progress and move us forward as professionals and individuals. Expect to see these benefits when we include diversity in the work environment of our employees.

  • Increase Productivity – productivity increases as more diverse talents come together to produce a common goal while they learn and gain new skills and perspectives from one another.
  • Promotes Creativity – since we are most likely to learn about others experiences and gain new perspectives, we are opening ourselves to new possible solutions to problems.
  • Engagement – diversity among your teams, increases employee engagement where they can build a trust foundation among them and create a work culture.
  • Decrease Turnover – more and more employees are searching to work in an organization where there is diversity since it usually indicates progress.
  • Build a Reputation – company reputation is a critical factor to both the consumer and the employee. Diversity encourages employees to apply for your organization and promote loyalty among your consumers.

Aiming to have diversity in the workplace fosters new opportunities for both you and employees as they learn and understand each other. When we create foundations among each other, we are more likely to come together to aim for a common goal while increasing our productivity and motivation.

Why We Value Diversity In Our Program

At The Core Foundation, we value and aim to have a diverse group of students come into our programs to learn about dentistry but also for us to learn from them. Since our class sizes are small, we can create a close-knit culture of students. We have students that come from different cultural backgrounds that add to the experience of becoming a dental assistant.

How? As we learn about the anatomy of our mouth, we are also gaining skills and perspectives on how to communicate with other cultures without offending or misunderstanding each other. Each culture and customs are different, and we need to be able to pick up on the social cues to comprehend each other and communicate effectively. In our program, diversity comes in many forms, and they grant us learning experiences we can apply to our profession since we will be dealing with a variety of people.

How language Adds To The Diversity

Language is a contributing to diversity that requires the same attention and understanding as cultural diversity and other factors adding to it. Language is the way we communicate, express ourselves, and is a building block to creating relationships with others. Being able to communicate in the same language helps break down divisions and understand one another.

When you know and learn a new language, you also understand their culture, customs, and way of speaking. So, when the time comes to talk in the same language, you know how to do so. Knowing more than one language makes you a great asset where you are more likely to earn a bit more because you can communicate with more people.

At The Core Foundation and in the clinics our students fulfill their internship hours, we encourage and promote diversity among our employees and students. We found that it increases engagement among each other and learning opportunities. We gain new perspectives from our students and see how it shapes them to serve their patients better.

 

What Does Our Dental Assisting Program Have To Offer?

Dental Assisting Program offer

Selecting a dental assisting program is no picnic in the park, it’s a decision we can often ponder about and question whether it’s a fit for us. After all, we want to choose a program that will grant us with the education, knowledge, and experience we need to succeed as a dental assistant. In an age where experience is key to getting your foot in the door, we want to select a program with opportunities to apply hands-on training and experience to grow and develop into a dental assistant.

So, what makes The Core Foundation different from other programs? We are dedicated to training and developing our students to be the best dental assistant they can be. Working in a healthcare support position requires more than just knowing how to do the job, it’s about being able to go beyond the duties of your position by caring and understanding your patients to meet their dental needs and still giving them the excellent patient experience they expect and want. We’re focused on preparing our students to know their field, position, and the inner of workings of a dental office to help them succeed.  

What Does Our Dental Assisting Program Offer?

If you’re interested in knowing what our program can offer you, then let us begin by saying our program is designed to prepare, train, and develop you to be the best dental assistant while we commit to helping you receive extraordinary results from our program. Find out what we have to offer.

Onsite and Online

We’ve gone online! Our program is offered onsite and online where you have the option of choosing the best learning environment that suits your learning capacities. Not everyone learns in the same way, and we want to provide you with the best learning environment where you are likely to succeed.

Onsite: We have designated dates throughout the year for our onsite program you might want to check for enrollment. We’re currently enrolling for next year on Jan. 7, if you’re interested in applying, go to our courses. What do you need to know about our onsite program?

  • 12-week accelerated program
  • Evening classes Monday and Wednesday
  • Hands-on training
  • Internship opportunities/ resources  
  • Learning Tools/Resources:  laptop (Chromebook), scrubs, safety glasses, Cengage Learning Digital Textbook, X-Ray and CPR certification, and expanded functions.

Our goal is to have students ready to go on the first day to begin their education without delays as they get their supplies.  

Online: We’re online now! Take us anywhere from your living room to Starbucks to the library to collaboration hubs; you can now enroll online at any time!  With our online program, you have

  • 6 months to complete it (speed through or slow your pace, it’s up to you).
  • Externship Resources
  • Learning Tools/Resources: scrubs, Cengage Learning Digital Textbook, X-Ray and CPR certification, and expanded functions

   Our online program options are well suited for students who have a different learning pace than what we have going on in our onsite 12-week program and for those who excel in a learning environment where they are more independent in their studies and reaching for internship opportunities.

Our dental instructor, Emiley Baldwin, has 19 years of Expanded Function Dental Assisting experience, in addition to 3 years of teaching dental assisting. She understands the role a dental assistant plays for the patient, dentist, and overall practice. She has various experience working with dental specialties such as oral surgery, orthodontics, and pediatrics, to name a few. Emiley brings the fun in learning a new career while ensuring you understand concepts you’re learning in class. She is the best resource to have aside from the training you will receive from our in-house dental staff to better understand and acquire the knowledge and experience to succeed in our career.

Check out what students are saying about our program.

“I learned about The Core Foundation’s great program, and after receiving a program tour, I knew this was the place to start my learning. Plus it was affordable!  The Core Foundation helped to develop my understanding in the field of Dentistry from scratch.” – Michelle Collins

“I have had such a great experience at the core foundation. You can learn so much in just a short 12 weeks. I was hired as a full-time assistant before I even finished the assisting program and felt so comfortable starting in a dentist office. I’m so glad I attended the Core foundation!” – Lennox Foote

“The Core Foundation is an amazing school!! I really enjoyed learning everything I know!! The instructor Emiley is really good at teaching us what we need to know!! Aside from being such an amazing instructor, she has an amazing personality that helps you feel comfortable throughout the course!!” – Araceli Enriquez

If you want to find out more about the programs we offer at The Core Foundation, check out our programs page or feel free to send us a message via Facebook messenger.

Enroll in Our Dental Assisting Program

Dental Assisting Program

Looking to enter a new career? Have you thought about getting a career in the dental field? If you’re a compassionate person who loves to work with others and care for their needs than a career in dentistry might be for you. As a dental assistant, you’re the dental support to dentists and dental specialists, as you prep and attend to the patients’ needs before any other dental professional sees them. So what does a dental assistant do?

As a dental assistant, you are a health care support to dental professionals. You will perform many tasks that range from taking x-rays to record keeping and providing patient care from start to finish, meaning before the dentist sees and treats the patient. You can provide chair-side support in dental procedures and exams the dentist is conducting. Depending on the state and certification and licenses you have and are required, you can perform more functions.

Dental assisting has been ranked #25 for the Best Health Care Support basis on many factors which makes the position appealing to current and prospective professionals. Why is ranked number 25, here’s a list of elements that makes it possible.

  • Flexibility
  • Professional Growth & Development
  • Average Stress Levels & Rewarding

These three factors contribute to the balance and what makes it top position within the healthcare support professions. If you want to know detailed information about how these three factors, read our post about Why Dental Assisting is Top Job! to find out more.

At The Core Foundation, we offer both an onsite and online training program in Dental Assisting. For our on-site dental assisting program, you can expect

  • 12-week program
  • Both schooling and hands-on training with the instructor
  • Internship opportunity within one of our two dental clinics in Salt Lake City
  • It’s affordable, fast, and fun

If you find that onsite doesn’t work for you, not to worry, WE’VE GONE ONLINE! That’s right take us anywhere (as long as there’s an internet connection). Study at your own pace, time and in the best learning environment for you. With our online course, you will have six months to complete the program including the externship hours.

If you are interested in learning more about our programs, please contact Kathy Mitchell at [email protected] or check out our courses.

Our Courses

DON’T MISS OUT ON OUR DISCOUNT! Get a discount when you sign up for classes before Nov. 30. Check out the details below.
DISCOUNT

Why Patient Experience Matters

patient experience

What’s the likelihood of you researching or checking the reviews of a healthcare organization? Chances are they are pretty high. We treat healthcare organizations in a similar way we treat businesses who offer other kinds of services. There’s a way in which an organization should present themselves, respond, and treat us, and what our expectations are as a patient. Selecting a healthcare organization for their services has gotten more complicated than before and is influenced by their reputation based on reviews.

Even before we decide to see a healthcare specialist or professional, we are first trying to gather as much information we can which helps influence our decision. Patient experience has changed and now carries more weight than it has before. As healthcare providers and an organization within the medical field, we need to start focusing and acknowledging patient experience is a deciding factor that’s linked to the patient care they receive and patient’s expectancy. Discover why patient experience matters and how it can affects a healthcare organization.

Patient Experience

Patient experience is no longer being defined by just high-quality care; there are other factors that play into what is the patient experience. The factors that grade their experience on are:

  • High-quality care
  • High-value care
  • Timeliness
  • Personalization
  • Convenience
  • Compassion
  • Courtesy
  • Transparency/good communication
  • Digital savvy (modern and current with time)
  • Connection (follow-ups/patient relationships)
  • Satisfaction of expectations

As patients we want more, if we are going to invest in our healthcare, we want to ensure we’re receiving the value of our investment. Aside from these factors listed above, we need to understand it can be more than checking the boxes; it’s about the “how” and the “feel.” What do we mean? Well, let us take a minute to reflect the last time we were a patient. Now, look back on how the medical professional and the medical support delivered their services to you and how it made you feel. The way we receive and feel about it when we’re treated as a patient is linked to the expectations we have and whether they are met or not. Most of our expectations of how something should be can alter the overall experience we have that’s why as a healthcare organization we should ensure we reflect and assess our environment, what we’re providing, and if our healthcare providers are contributing to the overall patient experience. We discussed briefly patient experience is carrying more weight than it has before and there is a reason for it.

Why Does It Matter?

In an age where there are more platforms to be expressive on such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, or Yelp, we are receiving public feedback of our services, members and organization that is not only visible to us but everyone else. It matters that our feedback such as reviews and recommendations are public because not only do they represent patient experience but our reputation.

I asked in the beginning what the likelihood was of you to research or check reviews on a healthcare organization; this is why. As you know, healthcare services continue to rise due to advances and technology, and if we’re going to be investing money in our health, we want to get the value of our investment. The decision to choose a healthcare provider comes from what we know from others who’ve personally received their services or from what we’ve read online.

Did you know “97% of consumers look online for local businesses in 2017, with 12% looking for a local business online every day” (Bright Local)? It is a very high percentage which means the chances our healthcare organization is getting searched online is likely to happen before they decide on us as their healthcare provider. The public feedback we receive from our past, and current patients give others an insight into the experience they’ve had with us which helps build our reputation. However, they aren’t the only ones who contribute to our online reputation. We do too. Our reputation is something that grows slowly but can be easily broken the same way trust is. Our reputation is built on the good and the bad. It’s what precedes us.

So, what can we expect when patients’ express their good or bad experiences with others publicly?

Good Patient Experience

We always want to put ourselves in the shoes of our patients. When we have a better understanding of what encompasses the patient experience, the more likely we are to improve and enhance their experience with our services, staff, and our office. Good reviews and recommendations tell us a few indications about what is going on in our offices such as our staff being compassionate and courtesy, personalization, or good communication. Receiving excellent reviews helps impacts our clinic in 3 ways.

  • Patient engagement – treating patients as individuals is most likely to promote involvement in their health and the outcomes of their health. It ties into the two factors of what makes up the patient experience: transparency/good communication and connecting with our patients (building relationships).
  • Increase in revenue – we need to understand two things: “85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations” and “positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business more” (Bright Local).  Reviews are a significant influence in deciding whether people choose our business and to continue with our services. When we enhance the patient experience, we are most likely increasing customer loyalty and to receive positive reviews which can lead to new patients.
  • Builds our reputation – patients can quickly go online to review, compare, and express their experience about our healthcare organization where they can develop insights of your services, staff, and clinic. Patience experience is what drives business towards our practice. When we receive good reviews and recommendations, they are enhancing our reputation as a healthcare organization and the experience we are providing to our patients.

Excellent reviews have positive impacts on our current and prospective patients and our practice. They help us build our reputation and help us evaluate what our staff and our offices are doing that our patients like and that we can continue to offer or improve on to make an excellent experience for them.

Bad Patient Experience

Even though we dread the bad reviews, they are inevitable. We can’t escape them, and we can’t ignore them. Bad reviews like the good reviews stem from the overall patient experience they received at our offices, not to mention that there is a higher chance you will receive word when a patient’s experience is not met. The patient will publicly share the situation, how they were treated, and how it made them feel. When we receive a bad review, it will impact our rating, reputation, and office overall. Receiving constant bad reviews can start to hinder our reputation and the trust we build with our patients. Bad reviews can

  • Decrease revenue – when patients have a bad experience, they can sometimes select another healthcare organization to provide the services which in turn costs us a patient and any prospective patients who read and get influenced by their reviews. When a patient leaves us for another practice that money goes with them along with their trust.
  • Impacts reputation – bad reviews hinder our reputation as a healthcare organization. Status plays a role in selecting us as their dental provider and using our facilities to receive treatment. Bad reviews can damage or break the trust we have built with our patients because as you know, reputation is linked to the patient experience we offer. When we provide excellent patient experience, we have better a reputation.

Now, I mentioned above we can’t escape or ignore them because when we choose not to address them, we are inherently damaging our reputation. It can often be an indicator that we do not care about our patients or are unwilling to resolve the situation. When people search and check our reviews, they are likely to be influenced by those reviews but also judge us as a business when we respond to them.

It Matters

What was once defined as the patient experienced has now encompassed many contributing factors that make the overall experience of a patient. The patient experience we provide for our patients is based on the way we treat them and how they feel about our interactions with them and the services we offered. Each of our team members makes a part of the experience so we want to ensure they we provide them with the tools they can use to enhance their experience every time our patients come to our offices.

In a field and profession where we care and treat patients, we want to ensure we can show compassion, sympathy, and communicate effectively with one another to build and nourish relationships with our patients. Enhancing or improving our patient experience is a critical aspect of what we do as healthcare professionals and is something we should continue to assess and improve to retain patients and enhance our reputation as dental providers. Next time your patients come in your offices, don’t forget to ask for feedback than reviews. 

 

3-D Printing Advancing and Transforming Dentistry

3-D printing

Advances in technology are constant, where there are new ways of improving existing technology for better uses or enhancing an industry. Over the years in the dental industry, technology has been advancing such as the way treatment procedures are done to the construction of bridges and other dental parts needed for treatment. 3-D printers are nothing new to the field; on the contrary, it has been around for some time. So, what makes them so important now?

Well, as we mentioned above, they were already in the field and being used, however, not in a dental practice setting but a lab. A dental lab works apart from a dental practice, where clinic would have to rely on the help of a lab to get bridges, crowns, or other dental parts needed for treatment which usually requires a process and wait. What’s changed?

Now, dental practices are enhancing their clinics by applying 3-D printers to their work environment. Not only are they improving the way they run their practices, but are also changing the way patients are treated, the services they offer, and costs. This is due to the fact that now 3-D printers are becoming more accessible and available to have in a dental practice.

The benefits a dental practice will get from having a 3-D printer are:

  • Access to more model-making – dental practices will be able to model their own crowns, dentures, and implants. It will allow for more accuracy with scanning the patient’s teeth and shortening the time in which it is modeled and printed. Plus, if there is a mistake with the print, it can fix it from their practice.
  • Less dependency on labs – with a 3-D printer in a practice environment, there will be less to no need for labs to model dental parts. It helps cut on the manufacturing cost and lower cost for treatment since outside services won’t have to be used. In addition to lower prices, you have accuracy in the modeling it, as mentioned above, and save the practice time in processing and receiving customized dental parts for patients which in turn saves patients time as well (we all know patients value their time are more likely to share their waiting time experience with the public).  

Like most technology tools, each has its own applications, features, and capacities to help improve the functions of a professional or industry. In this case, 3-D printers have their own set of applications to assist dentists or dental labs with their dental needs. With more access and availability to owning and using a 3-D printer, the more current and relevant a practice comes with the additional perk of having improved the functions of the practice. How do you think 3-D printers have revolutionized the dental industry?

  

Brief Outlook on Dental Assisting

brief outlook on DA

Are you thinking about pursuing a career in dental assisting but are unsure of going forth with it? Don’t worry, we understand; we’ve all experienced some hesitation when selecting a career. Maybe it’s the uncertainty of what the outcome will be if we start the journey, will we be able to find a position soon? Or is it the fear of taking the first step towards a career? We can often see ourselves asking a circle of questions. Some we may know the answers to while others are left unanswered.

Unanswered questions can often leave doubt which leaves us stuck at square one. It’s common to think medical positions are the route to go into getting a position after studying since everyone needs some medical attention. However, before making such a hasty decision, you want to look at all the numbers to be able to calculate the risk. In a time where the job market is constantly shifting, you want to be able to figure the risks of pursuing that specific career.

In this case, is dental assisting a profession that will pay off? There is a lot to consider from what the position itself requires to where you plan on practicing. We’ve done a brief outlook of what you can expect as a dental assistant.  

Dental Assisting

Dental assistants are the helping hands of dentists who help prepare patients for treatment and calm their nerves. They are the first dental professionals who greet and care for the needs of their patients. Dental assistants perform various tasks depending on their licenses and certifications, but you can usually find them assisting dentists during procedures, taking oral x-ray exams, and maintaining patient records.

Did you know according to US News, “Dental Assistants rank #21 in Best Health Care Support Jobs.” They hold an average score of 6 when it comes to the job market and job growth. The prospects of the future growth of more dental assisting positions are likely, meaning you already see a higher chance of finding a position. Although, you might want to consider other factors, in the next section take a look at what the job market growth is.

Outlook as a Dental Assistant

Job Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is the employment of dental assistants that is “projected to grow 19 percent from 2016 to 2026.” That is 3% less of the projected growth for other healthcare support positions which are to grow during the same period. The given growth is determined on the need to meet a demand for preventative dental services which are being associated with general health. As more studies come out with links to how oral health and overall health are related, there will be an increase of patients looking to have their teeth treated.

Median Wage

The annual median wage for a dental assistant in 2017 was $37,630. However, as you show know, depending on the branches you work in the salary will vary. For example, if you work in the government branch, you are looking at a median wage salary of $41,480 which is higher than the average for working at a dental clinic with a private practitioner which is $37,620 (the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

You also have to consider the hours you can work. In 2016, “nearly 1 in 3 assistants worked part-time,” that is not to say you can’t work full-time because you can. There is a diverse range of hourly wage one can earn. The median hourly wage is $18.09 while the lowest is $12.58 and top 90 percentile wage is $25.54 (Occupational Employment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics). These numbers can vary based on the branch of where you work whether it’s for private clinics, government, or education, it can affect how much earn in addition to your experience and location.  

If we look at the state of Utah, the annual mean wage is $30,270 which is less than its surrounding state neighbors (Occupational Employment Statistics). The state of Utah has 3.3 % of job growth which is the highest in the U.S. along with an increase of 3.7% of private sector job growth (Department of Workforce Services). What does that mean? Since March 2017 and March 2018, Utah’s economy is booming as more jobs are being added from private sectors including health services as the third sector to be adding jobs. It means there are more opportunities for individuals to find employment as the state’s economy grows.   

Education

In a time where the growth rate for dental assistants is increasing and where more health services are adding jobs to the economy of Utah, jumping into a dental career can have you questioning whether by the time you graduate you will be able to find a position. Dental assisting doesn’t require years of schooling, on average it can range from a couple of months to 2 years, depending on whether you are pursuing certification or a degree.

Most programs now offer more than just classroom teaching but a hands-on experience for you to be able to apply the concepts, protocols, and methods used while assisting. Although there are some states which don’t require students to complete an academic program, you can get ahead of the competition by becoming certified to start working as a dental assistant.

At The Core Foundation, we offer a dental assisting program both onsite and offline. For our onsite dental assisting program it’s an accelerated program of 12-weeks where you will gain the knowledge, skills, and experience you need to work in a dental office. We’re committed to preparing our students to work confidently and maximize their understanding through hands-on training and dental office experience to land the job. For our online program, you will be given six months to complete the program on your own time and pace. You don’t want to miss out on our exclusive discount for our program, find out more about our discount click here.

To enroll in our Dental Assisting Program, click here for more information and to know what they are saying.

We know there can be hesitation when choosing a profession that requires us to go back to school. However, in a job market where the is constant shifts we have to do our research to know the risks of what we can expect in the coming years. Please note, our post is a brief outlook for a more thorough look, you’ll need to research it further.