Managing your dental practice in a pandemic

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, dental practices are managing in a number of ways. Some are closing their doors to new patients, others are limiting services, and still others are continuing to operate as usual.

Dental practices are facing many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people become fearful of cross contamination in a dental setting many are avoiding visiting the dental office altogether. This poses a problem for most general dentists, particularly those that rely on non-essential dental services, including cosmetic and restorative treatments, for the bulk of their income.

Important revenue-generating treatments such as routine oral exams, professional cleaning, teeth whitening, clear braces, dental veneers, dental bonding and dental implants have all seen a marked decrease in patient take-up rate.

As such, dental practices are having to adjust their business model. This may include changing the fees for services, or creating new patient-focused services. In addition, dental practices have to work with governments and other organizations to raise awareness about the pandemic and tighten infection control measures in their surgeries.

Some dental practices are closing their doors entirely or limiting who is allowed to come in. In some areas, patients are being turned away from the practice and being told to go to the walk-in clinic or a hospital emergency department. Employees are also being affected. Some practices have had to reduce staff hours or even close altogether.

What is the best way for dentists to mitigate the effects of this crisis? In this article, we will look at some of the top recommendations from the dental community to help dentists cope with the many challenges the pandemic has and will continue to pose in the foreseeable future.

Build a strong team culture to develop better resilience

Many dentists and dental staff have admitted that they are in denial about the possibility of a pandemic. They also admit that there is not much they can do to address the problem at this point. While confronting the situation is hard, try to think outside the box to serach for positive ways to address the issues at hand.

Instead of lamenting about the situation and deflating your team morale as a result, try doing something positive to build resilience within the team.

Dental Practice Management COVID-19: Team Culture

Why is it important to cultivate a team culture? Having a team-centred culture will determine how well you navigate your dental practice in these precarious times. The best way to do this is to start by putting team building on the agenda for your practice. In a team-centred culture, employees are encouraged to speak up and question the status quo. They are also encouraged to make suggestions that will help them better serve the needs of their patients.

In combating the fallout effects of COVID-19, having a strong team culture has helped to create a safe place for employees who have experienced stress, fatigue depression or feeling of burnout due to the fear and uncertainty associated with the pandemic. This team-centred culture also helps to reduce turnover, which is a concern in any dental practice.

Dental Practice Management COVID-19: Preparedness programs

In times of crisis, dental leaders will need to show empathy and help employees manage their own health and well-being through various wellness programs, such as mindfulness and yoga classes.

A review of the effects of COVID-19 on the dental practice found growing evidence which demonstrates that when leaders implement strategies to mitigate the effects of pandemic-related mental health issues, the general feedback of participants towards these programs have been favourable.

Pandemic preparedness programs have helped to build up camaraderie, spurring on mutual support while encouraging better engagement between the team members. As part of these programs, staff members are encouraged to take regular breaks during the day to focus on mental self care, doing simple things like relaxing with a cuppa or taking a short stroll at a nearly park.​

As you can see, the pandemic situation actually presents opportunities for organisations to show their care and concern for employees and their families. For a start, you don’t have to create an entire program or preparedness campaign. Just do little things like organising mini talk sessions where everyone can share about their stresses at work or at home.

Dental Practice Management COVID-19: Learning and bonding

Search out good Youtube videos on work-life balance or stress reduction to watch as a team.

Make use of technology to hook up after work: Play and bond over online games via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Popular zoom-friendly games include: Kahoot, Fishbowl/ The Hat Game, Skribbl, Protobowl, etc.

It is very important that you have the right people on your team to help you improve your practice and deliver excellent patient care. As the dental leader, it is up to you to galvanise the team and make it work!

Communication: how to communicate with staff and patients

​No matter how prepared you are, you will need to communicate with your staff and patients. Communication is the key to making it through the pandemic.

While mindful of the need to increase your level of communication with your patient community, do not forget internal communication is just as important. ​

Staff communication in a dental practice setting

Communication is the key here. A pandemic does not start and end with you, and your staff must know what to do in case of an outbreak. Communication is key to building rapport with your staff and keeping them on side.

There is a tendency for practice managers and dental owners to reach for the big, bold ideas of a Steve Jobs or Anthony Robbins for inspiration. Face it, not all of us are natural communicators who can move mountains with the gift of the gap.

The good news is your dental team is not expecting that from you. Rather, they need someone who can remind them what the long-term goals of your practice are. A leader who is willing to listen and create opportunities for dialogue based on their feedback.

It’s about giving your people what they need, at a time when they need it the most.

The fundamentals of effective speaking have not changed post-Steve Jobs. The bedrock of delivering a message, no matter how difficult, is still to communicate simply, clearly and frequently. Be careful not to overwhelm your listener with details but focus on the main goals. Goal number one is always to let them know how much the practice values them and that their safety and health are paramount.

You may feel tempted to talk about the economic fallout and other contemporary issues to get their attention. The thing is, dwelling on the economic crisis or negative news in general usually does more harm than good. Of course, you should be candid and pragmatic about the situation and how the pandemic affects everyone’s bottom line.

However, you should remember this as well: candour and positivity are not mutually exclusive.

Communicating with your patients during COVID-19

Since COVID entered the mainstream conversation, the global dental community, including in the Asian region, has stepped up its game in terms of leveraging non-traditional means of patient communication. It is estimated that dental email marketing has increased by 40% during this time. The same can probably be said about email campaigns, digital promotions and practice newsletters.

In the same period, a substantial proportion of (estimates say more than half) dentists have jumped on the tele-dentistry bandwagon largely because of the pandemic.

One thing is for sure, we are not never going back to pre-COVID numbers when it comes to digital engagement with patients. In fact, all signs are pointing to further increases in every sphere of digital dental marketing, as more dentists see the benefits for themselves.

So if you have been putting off that social media marketing idea, well, it’s time to double down and execute!

External marketing: Don’t let your website collect dust. It’s the main vehicle through which all your marketing efforts flow, and the main magnet for attracting prospective patients. If it’s loading slowly (it shouldn’t take longer than 8 seconds to view your landing page) or not responsive, those are tell-tale signs that prospective patients will skip your site and move on to your competitors.

If you have discontinued your Adwords campaign, consider firing it back up. That said, the best way to cultivate new leads is through enhancing your site SEO via quality blog content, strong backlinks and EDM traffic. Nothing beats organic search optimization to keep you firmly on your prospective patients’ radar.

Social Media: Social distancing and lockdown measures point to one common result: people are flocking to their social media platforms to engage with friends and their broader community.

There’s never been a more critical time to boost your social media quotient. Consider hiring someone to look after your social media engagements if you haven’t done so yet.

Don’t miss out on the higher-than-average social media engagement with some of these ideas:

• Boost the number of your daily posts through automation and interlink your social media accounts for maximum impact.
• Send QR codes and article links to your website through emails, inviting feedback and comments.
• Use your text messaging services to gather feedback and request for google reviews.
• Network with other businesses in your community via Facebook. You can like, follow and connect with other local businesses. Who knows, that may trigger cross-promotional ideas that you’ve not considered before?

Traditional forms of communication: For all the new methods to connect and engage with your patients, don’t forget that you can still call or email them. Many dentists are either too busy or jaded to consider picking up the phone just to say ‘hi’ and ‘how are you and your family doing’. No matter how big your business has grown, you should never outgrow the need to reach out to your patients with a personal phone call. You have no idea how a short chat shows genuine care and concern in the age of high-speed internet. This simple gesture alone has been known to generate positive word of mouth and increase patient recall rates.

Infection and hygiene control

As important as it is to communicate how much you value the safety and health of your staff and patients, you should also back up your statements with action.

Beyond following the Infection & Hygiene Control protocols and guidelines recommended by the health authorities in your country or region, here are some of the other ways to enhance the COVID-safety of your staff and patients.

UV Disinfection

UV Disinfection light (UVC) refers to ultraviolet radiation that is generated by certain lamps or light bulbs. It is used to disinfect and kill bacteria, viruses and fungi on a surface. The UV light has been used in hospitals, nursing homes as well as critical care environments to eradicate dangerous pathogens in a room or ward prior to new patient occupancy.

Consider installing a UV disinfection unit to enhance your practice’s existing cleaning and disinfection regimes. Today’s disinfection unit are fitted with an ozone steriliser, which boast anti-microbial properties capable of killing 99.7% of hundreds of types of pathogenic organisms.

Air Purifiers

Just like the UV sterilizing unit, an air purifier can help to remove harmful gases and airborne ultrafine particles to quickly and effectively refresh a clinical environment.

Equipped with a HEPA filter, a medical-grade purifier can catch and remove microscopic particles (as tiny as 0.3 micrometres) – including most airborne toxins and allergens – with 99.95% efficiency.

Infection control training

The protocols for effective infection control in a dental setting continue to change with every new piece of information coming out from the healthcare authorities, particularly with the advent of new variant strains and viral mutations.

In this regard, there is no substitute for regular and updated training for your entire dental team. To perform competently at their jobs, all of them must be adequately trained and equipped with latest information to carry out duties in line with prevailing infection control and patient safety protocols.

To ensure that all our dentists, dental hygienists, dental nurses and auxiliary staff are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to carry out their their duties in line with infection control and patient safety protocols, we organise periodic training sessions to keep them updated on the latest relevant information.

This includes the use of protective gear and sterilization equipment as well as updated information on administering the screening process. It is better to be prepared in advance of a potential outbreak then be caught flat-footed when it happens.

Summary: Dental Practice Management COVID-19

Dental practices should take the necessary precautions to protect their staff and patients during COVID-19 times. This includes implementing social distancing measures, screening patients for symptoms, and limiting face-to-face interactions.

To properly manage the crisis, it is also important to maintain open and transparent communication with all the different groups that interact with the practice – both internal and external.

It is vitally important that every one working in or visiting the clinic is kept informed of these Infection & Hygiene Control protocols, and to make it easy for everyone to follow them.

Dentists, staff and patients all play an important role in keeping our shared spaces safe for everyone. The job of a practice manager in times of crisis is more important than ever.

The leadership role demands that they make difficult decisions, face the consequences of those decisions, and communicate clearly with staff, patients and other external groups.

This is not a job for the faint hearted but a responsible, level-headed and empathetic individual, who above all, sets a great example that inspires others to follow.