Monthly Archives: May 2014

APM Appreciation Event For Current Retainer Clients

Your Team Is Invited For A Morning Of Fun & Good Humor

WHAT: Psychologist & Humorist, Dr. Bruce Christopher: “Are We Having Fun Yet?”
WHEN: September 26, 2014, 9AM – 12PM
WHERE: NEW LOCATION – Embassy Suites Bloomington, 2800 American Blvd
COST: $25 per person*

Our Way Of Saying “Thanks!”

Dr. Bruce Christopher

Maybe we don’t say it often enough, but it’s a genuine pleasure and honor to work with you and your team. We feel very fortunate to be associated with so many fine dental offices and have so many long-standing clients. So, we thought it was time to show our appreciation. This will be a fantastic team event. It’s not about our business; it’s about you, your team and having some fun (while learning)!

Plus, my team and I have some fun planned for you too.

I have seen Dr. Bruce Christopher speak several times and he’s always inspiring and entertaining. He was a top speaker at the “TBSE Seminar” in Las Vegas for the past two years. This fast moving presentation is about how attitude is contagious and predicts success. Click here to see a clip of one of his presentations.

Extra Perk: Update Your Team Photo

And, we will have a professional photographer there to take team photos (no charge to you). An easy way to get a group picture for your website, Facebook, etc.

Plan to come a little early. Breakfast will be served at 8:00. You and your team deserve a perk!

Register Your Team Today!

We anticipate having a full house so please register soon. Just call 952-921-3360.

* Actually we would invite you for free but in this way we will be sure of the count for the sake of room planning and catering.

Star Of The North 2014

The Dental Marketplace Keeps Evolving

I once heard somewhere that if you really want to keep up with what’s going on in America, you should walk through a major mall (like the Mall of America) every six months or so and see what new stores are open and which old stores have closed.

Likewise, you can tell what’s going on in Dentistry by looking at the convention floor at the 2014 Star of the North Meeting.

Interesting Observations From This Year’s Convention:

  • Websites: There were no stand-alone website companies represented (No Prosites, Officites, PBHS, Online Practice, etc, etc.) A few years ago there were plenty!
  • Dental Marketing: Likewise, fewer marketing firms (No 1-800-DENTIST, Yodel, P.O.S. or Valpak.) Our friends at DentalMarketing.net (formally, 123 Postcards) were there. They were the exception to the rule. 
  • Practice Management Software: 15 years ago there were more than a dozen practice software outfits. Now, there were only two stand-alone software firms (PEB with their XLDent product and MacPractice). Of course, Schein (Dentrix) and Patterson (Eaglesoft) were represented.
  • Practice Management Consulting Firms: Your team at Advanced Practice Management along with Jay White & Associates and Bob Proebstle at A.P.C. have outlasted a lot of the big national consulting companies. (Yay for the regional guys!)
  • Large Group Practices (a.k.a. “Corporate Dentistry”) are increasing their presence. Represented at the convention were Metro Dental, Park Dental, Comfort Dental, Midwest Dental and, new this year – Heartland Dental.

More About Corporate Dental Groups:

Aspen Dental was not at the convention. They are in Iowa and Wisconsin though, and they are on their way here! Midwest has about 130 Upper Midwest practices. Heartland Dental has over 500 and they are making an aggressive move into the area. Although they do not like to be referred to as such, these “Corporate Dentistry” outfits are really coming on strong. For clients who are approaching retirement they help keep practice values up. For those of us still working, they are competition.

At APM, it’s our job to help you keep up with and succeed despite the presence of these conglomerates. In a way, being part of our practice management family, you have one of the advantages that these big companies do—professional management.

We monitor over $25,000,000 worth of dental activity per month in over 250 offices that we
work with. That gives us a wide and deep frame of reference. You better believe that my staff and I are constantly looking to keep up with the best business practices so you can have the best practices!

Have You Seen Our Video Yet?

If you were at the Convention, you got a look at our new video that tells about what we do at APM. If you were not, you can take a look at it here.

 

 

The Dental Dow – 1st Quarter 2014

Comparing the first quarter this year to last  year, we find practice production up 2.7%
and collections up just .3% compared to the first quarter of 2013.

Notable First Quarter 2014 Stats:

  • New patients are up 6%
  • Recall patients are up 1.3%
  • Total patient flow increase of 1.7%
  • Perio is up 7%
  • Unfortunately, downtime in both the Doctors’ and hygienists’ schedules is higher than the same period last year

At 83%, the collection percentage was 3 points lower than the first quarter of last year. Whether this is hung up insurance payments, slow paying patients, or increased PPO write offs, it’s too early to tell.

Summary of 2013

At APM, we stay on top of what is happening so that we can keep you informed to make the best decisions for YOUR practice. Each year we survey practices throughout the Upper Midwest and we tally the results. Last year the top issues for dentists were (in descending order):

1. Insurance PPO/Third Party Write-Offs
2. Staff Issues, Motivation, Teamwork, Costs
3. Technology: Costs, Keeping Up, Going Chartless
4. Production Growth, Filling Schedules, “Busyness”
5. Getting New Patients, Marketing

For a complete summary of 2013 results is available for you here.

APM Bulletin May 2014