Bringing Clinical Clarity to Your Dental Practice

By: Joe Feldsien Sr. VP, Territory Partner

Clinical clarity is essential to scale health care to the demand of patients in need.

But what does clinical clarity actually mean? In brief, clinical clarity is the execution of the clinical culture document and relies on the owner dentist’s (OD) leadership for how the flow and direction of the back office works. It also means team members are versed in the patient engagement practices of the Perfect Patient Experience (PPE).

How can we ensure that clinical clarity is achieved in all our supported practices? It begins by breaking down the concept of clinical excellence into bite-size pieces and understanding its ideals. When put into writing, every clinician and team member can read, ask questions, rehearse and be held accountable to performing and upholding these standards within their practices.

Multi-practice owner dentist Karim Zaklama, DDS, has a well-written and thoroughly executed clinical culture document that serves as an excellent example. His document features three clearly articulated aspects:

• Category of treatment: Scaling and root planning, indirect crowns, extractions, etc.

• Indication: What are the condition(s) that require this treatment?

• Consequences of leaving the condition untreated: Informing the patient issues other patients have experienced when leaving conditions untreated including systemic issues.

Implementing these practices begins with leadership. An experienced clinician can see what needs to be done and gives the necessary direction to ensure a clear picture for the team, a great patient experience and an outcome that includes Healthier, Happier Patients®. Charles Rodgers, DDS, VP, Clinical Quality, is known for his ability to step into an underperforming practice and restore order within days, set expectations and produce outcomes that meet all stakeholders’ needs. Once a practice is stable, it is able to move forward with a working culture.

The best ODs lead through their presence and from this comes clarity for the team. Some of the most successful ODs engage team members during the morning huddle, ask reflective questions about the Daily XP and are prepared to review their schedules with each patient’s clinical needs. They are present in FORMOL and FORQOL reflecting on the financial needs of the practice and engaging operational leaders for help.

Additionally, their presence when performing monthly reviews with their clinicians yields the fastest orientation and onboarding of their associate dentists. These types of reviews are effective when the OD focuses on the associate’s performance and development while encouraging them to examine areas of growth and opportunity.

Clinical clarity takes on multiple disciplines: A discipline of a clearly articulated clinical culture document, clear direction related to the flow of the back office and modeled leadership that engages team members in meetings, during financial reviews and in monthly clinical reviews. When this is achieved within a practice, region or organization, providers will be aligned and patients will receive the highest standard of care with the PPE.