100 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST SPECIAL FEATURE 2022 is bringing very uncertain economic times – we are seeing interest rates, petrol prices and the general cost of living increasing rapidly all by amountsnever seen for thepast 25 years.Thedisposable dollar of the average Australian is under enormous pressure – and we as dentists are just one of many businesses who are competing for this disposable dollar. The USA is already showing signs of a recession in dentistry and over the last six months new patient exams down by 7%, gross fees lower by 10% and bad debts have increased by 25%. The trend in the USA will be the same trend here in Australia. Patients will always pay for something they absolutely need: relief of pain – but they will also find a way to pay for something they really want. In today’s society, patients actually want straight and white teeth – many patients only come to see you so they can look better. This is no different our society in general. We still spend money on nice clothes or purchasing the latest iphone – the average person will always find a way to pay for what they really want. In dentistry, we are able to give our patients straight and white teeth. In order to recession proof your practice, you must be a cosmetic dentist providing tooth alignment and whitening without tooth destruction. To recession proof your practice it is now a necessity to also reduce your existing referrals from your practice to a specialist orthodontist. You need to learn how to perform good aesthetic orthodontics, and do so in a reasonable period of time – and to a high standard. This is more difficult and involved than just sending the case to an aligner company and asking for a set up and pressing the approve button when the first digital setup arrives – it actually requires good formal training to achieve the desired outcomes and be able to meet patients’ growing expectations. Once you learn sound principles, all orthodontics is easy and straight forward. Over the last 10 years I have personally trained over 1,300 general dentists in the area of orthodontics, albeit short Carl Burroughs Are you recession ready? Part Two By Carl Burroughs and with contributions from: Dr Geoff Hall; Dr Harry Ball; Stephen Douglas; Dr Michael Abernathy; Joanna Oakey; Dr Peter Hughes; Joy Nowland; Dr Derek Mahony It is now very clear that the prediction that the dental sector will be one of the first sectors to feel the effects of the current cost of living crisis, and all the other factors outlined in the last edition of this magazine, is now starting to happen. In the past few weeks, I have had a large endodontic group approach me for advice as many of their referred patients are struggling to pay their fees and the feedback from dozens of general practices is that case acceptance is now on the decline. Seeking the wisdom of leaders from the field of dentistry, many of whom successfully expanded their own general and specialist practices through previous recessions, we present you with their thoughts about how best to tackle the current situation. Recession proofing your general dental practice By Dr Geoff Hall BDSc(Melb)Cert Orth (Uni of Penn) MRACDS (Orth) term orthodontic treatment such as SmileFast, aligner therapy, or for many the entire gamut of orthodontics through our full two year Mini Masters Program. In that time OrthoED has seen dentists take orthodontics to a level they could have only imagined in their wildest of dreams – and each graduate has found it to be fun, exceptionally rewarding, and their patients rave about their practice and ultimately provide them with far more referrals. These dental practitioners have significantly increased his/her gross and net profit. The key to producing great orthodontic outcomes that will provide those rave reviews, an abundance of word of mouth referrals, and help increase your net income is to enrol in a great orthodontic course. This course should teach sound orthodontic principles, provide a good mentor who will fully support you and preferably (from a risk point of view) be a specialist orthodontist with lots of clinical experience. We believe the OrthoED institute is now the gold standard for this type of orthodontic education and the 100+ 5 star google reviews and numerous video testimonials provides further credibility to this statement Here is some further information about the OrthoED Institute and the courses are offered: The OrthoED website u Two Year Mini Master’s Degree with an optional Postgraduate Diploma u Aligner Programs, which has an optional Postgraduate Certificate in Aligner Therapy For further information or to discuss your individual requirements, contact Dr Geoffrey Hall geoff@ orthoed.com.au or call the OrthoED office on 1300 073 427, or 03 9108 0475. Aligner Programs Mini Master’s Degree
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