Printer Friendly Email Article

June 2009 | dentalproductsreport.com
make it pay

Photo: Zap Lasers

Lasers (Part 1)

How to get the most out of your investment.

by Renee Knight, Senior Editor

All it takes is a little confidence.
And the more you use your laser, the more confident you’ll be. Leaving it in the box or only using it for a handful of procedures isn’t going to get you there, and it certainly won’t bring much extra income into your practice.

So how do you get the most out of your laser investment? It starts with education and a willingness to try new techniques.

It takes time
Before you bought your laser, you probably spent a lot of time researching your options. Once you had the laser in-house you and your staff members most likely completed the manufacturer training, which is a great way to get the basics down, said Dr. Tony Hewlett, President of the Academy of Laser Dentistry. But if you expect your laser to bring more money and more patients to your practice you have to take advantage of advanced education that goes well beyond the basics.

“You can’t get a laser, take it out of the box and expect it to do all the procedures you want to do,” Dr. Hewlett said. “You need to get the education about laser wavelengths and tissue interaction and to gain the confidence that comes when you really understand what you’re going to do. There are a lot of things lasers can do that you just don’t get from the company training.”

During these advanced courses, clinicians learn how to use their lasers to do many procedures they may not do in their daily practice. These classes teach everything from frenectomies, to biopsies, to removing lesions of the oral cavity to every aspect of periodontal therapy, said former ALD President Dr. Stewart Rosenberg, who teaches advanced laser courses for Biolase Technology. No matter the procedure, using a laser saves time, reduces the patient’s post-operative discomfort, speeds healing and minimizes a patient’s reluctance to have necessary treatment. It breaks down barriers related to fear of pain, and patients are often amazed at how quick and comfortable their treatment is.

“These courses are a must for any laser dentists who want to maximize their return on investment and rejuvenate their passion for dentistry,” Dr. Rosenberg said. “Doctors learn how to easily, predictably and competently perform procedures that most general dentists either ignore or refer out. And most take no more than a half hour to an hour to perform with little or no post–op discomfort.”

These procedures can generate thousands of dollars in additional income per month while making your patients happier and healthier. In this sluggish economy, maximizing your time and production can help you not only survive but flourish where most are floundering, Dr. Rosenberg said.

Get them talking
Adding lasers to your list of tools will bring new patients to your practice, but only if they know about it. Newspaper ads and other external marketing campaigns are great, but Drs. Hewlett and Rosenberg agree that the best way to tell people about your laser practice is through your current patients.

“Internal marketing is the most powerful marketing one can do and, best of all, it is most often free,” Dr. Rosenberg said. “Like it or not, patients talk to others about their dental experiences. Studies have shown patients who have a bad experience will tell an average of five people just how bad it was. If they have a great experience they will tell three. Who better to be an evangelist for your practice than someone who just had an amazing experience in your office.”

Keep them excited
Before you even buy your laser, you have to make sure your staff is on board, Dr. Hewlett said. They should be part of the decision making process and part of the continued learning once you have the laser. They should be excited about and prepared to talk with your patients about the benefits of laser dentistry. And they should be confident in your abilities to use the technology.

“Their support is imperative with any technology, especially a laser,” Dr. Hewlett said. “They’re the ones who are going to present it most of the time. Patients will ask them questions they don’t ask the doctors.”

Before you do anything to promote that your office has a laser, you need to make sure your staff is comfortable with and can present the technology, Dr. Hewlett said. If a patient calls your office to ask about laser dentistry, the person who answers the phone should be able to respond to initial questions about laser technology and engage with that caller to make an appointment.
And once they’re in the chair, the more comfortable staff members are with talking about lasers, the more comfortable patients will be with accepting treatment.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

1 of 2