Newsletter - June, 2007

I’ve been asked this question over and over again and my answer remains the same. Hire a hygiene consultant if you want to raise the standard of care and profitability in the dental hygiene department. Don’t hire a hygiene consultant if you are content with mediocrity and chat and polish dental hygiene services. Are all hygiene consultants the same and how do I select one? Let’s explore the answers to these questions and try to provide some clarity.

The standard of care in dental hygiene has changed for the better. Registered dental hygienists are now being educated to provide preventive therapies based on current research evidence. As a result, application of knowledge to serve patient needs is improving oral and general health outcomes. Non-surgical periodontal therapy is enhancing overall systemic health and well being. We’re also, and thankfully, moving away from practice management seminars that viewed dental hygiene departments as profit centers. “Soft tissue management” seminars in the past focused on revenue enhancement and these seminars and these protocols are now considered to be passé. Instead, non-surgical periodontal therapy is supported by scientific research and it takes the appropriate consultant to train a team to perform at the appropriate level of clinical excellence.

In order to achieve clinical excellence in dental hygiene, business owners need to commit to a higher standard of care. Dental hygiene revenue will exceed expectations and the dental hygiene team will find their work more satisfying if the practice steps up to the plate. What else do you need to do as LEADER of the team to achieve this level of excellence? Once you get a commitment from each dental team member, an appropriate hygiene consultant will provide the team with the educational and clinical training needed to get the job done.

If you are firmly committed to providing superior clinical care to your patients, look for professional excellence and the appropriate credentials in the hygiene consultant you hire. Before you begin your search, make sure that you clearly define the objectives you hope to achieve. Here are some suggestions on hiring the best hygiene consultant to meet your business needs:

1. Hire a hygiene consultant who has several years of clinical and even teaching experience in dental hygiene. Your hygiene team is not going to respect a consultant who does not have the appropriate credentials and expertise.
2. Avoid a hygiene consultant who is unfamiliar with evidence-based non-surgical periodontal therapy and who has not had advanced education and training in this area.
3. Compare resumes and select the individual who, as a clinician, has achieved periodontal excellence in private practice.
4. Don’t sign on for “soft tissue management” since this term is outdated and not supported by research.
5. Short list no more than two to three consultants and ask them to provide written proposals to include the names and resumes of the consultant(s) who will be doing the work.
6. Make sure you see the individual consultant who will be doing the job and determine that it’s the right “fit.” Successful consulting projects require goodwill and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
7. Review and agree to a written contract before the assignment starts.
8. Select the firm or individual with the best qualifications and experience and with whom you can work comfortably.
9. Ask for names or written references in order to verify the consultants’ suitability for the consulting task.
10. Involve your team in this project as soon as possible so that they can learn to “own” the recommendations and develop an interest in the end results.
11. Commit to the time and money it will take to hire an appropriate consultant.
12. Make sure that the hygiene consultant writes a preliminary report based on at least a half day of observations and analysis.
13. Interpersonal skills are essential attributes that a hygiene consultant must demonstrate to you and your team. These include: assertiveness, supportiveness, confrontation, listening and group process.