I Don’t Want To See My Staff In Bikinis - Kisco Dental 8-10.pdfI Don’t Want To See My Staff In...

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A refreshing and realistic approach to the business of dentistry!

August2010

Just for the record, that statement did notcome from me - more about that shortly.

The most challenging demands of running asuccessful practice is the management aspect of it.Especially staff management. Most dentists losemore sleep over their management problems withstaff than problems that arise with their patients.That’s something dental school never prepared usfor.

After 32 years of practicing dentistry,and 20 years of presenting seminars andvisiting with dentists and staff membersall over the country, I’ve learned quite abit about managing a staff for the opti-mum benefit of everyone. And you knowwhat? There is not just “one way” ofdoing it! I really believe there are two dis-tinct philosophies that need to be under-stood for the aspiring manager. We, asbusiness professionals, should make aconscience decision of our individualmanagement style just as we do whenwe consider selecting our office software programor any other major purchase. It really is the mostimportant decision we make that will effect everyaspect of our business.

The main management style which we read

about in most management books is the typical“M.B.A.” model that most business people try toemulate. It is a more strict, professional environ-ment that is monitored closely. These managershave the discipline, and take the time to managetheir employees on a daily basis. They hold staffmembers accountable regularly and don’t toleratefrivolous staff performance deviations.

The other model which we are usual-ly advised against is the “laid back”,more casual style of management thatinvolves developing employee/employerrelationships that may even be calledfriendships. Most advisors disagree withthis approach warning you of all kinds ofdangerous traps that will befall you if youbecome friends with your employees.

The M.B.A. approach is the modelthat I think most dentists try to follow, butunfortunately, for various reasons theyjust don’t accomplish it properly. And yet,others master it perfectly. I have a very

good friend who has an extremely successful prac-tice who could write a book about effective manage-ment. He operates an exceptionally professionaloffice with long term employees and enjoys anincome among the top 1% of dentists.

I Don’t Want To See My Staff In Bikinisby Joe Steven, Jr., D.D.S.

The Kisco Perspective Newsletter is a monthly publication from the founder and president of KISCO, Dr.

Joe Steven, Jr., who is a full time practicing dentist in Wichita, Kansas. For the last 20 years, he has

been lecturing with Dr. Mark Troilo in presenting “The $1,000,000 Staff” seminar to dental groups across

the country. Their new seminar is called “Team Dynamics!” He also presents 3 other seminars: “Efficient-

dentistry”, “Efficient-prosthetics”, and “Efficient-endo.” Dr. Steven also provides a monthly consulting

service, KISCO Select, to hundreds of dentists. This newsletter is intended to be an aid in helping devel-

op a more successful and enjoyable dental practice through efficient and proven techniques.

Perspective 8-10_Layout 1 8/18/10 3:36 PM

have the time. But there is hope out there becausethe M.B.A. approach is not the only way to go.M.B.A. management philosophies of the pastdon’t always work for everyone in these currenttimes. Today’s employees are totally different thanprevious generations.

Unfortunately, the strong work ethic that wasprevalent 40 or 50 years ago has rapidly beeneroding away which makes it more and more diffi-cult to manage a staff. The general work popula-tion demands more than ever before while reluc-tant to put forth the effort that is needed.

That’s why I’m convinced that most of usshould be altering our management philosophiesfor a more effective and enjoyable style of man-agement of our teams. I firmly believe that it’smuch easier to motivate staff members, createloyal and dedicated employees, and receive 110%effort from them when we become a little more“laid back” in dealing with our staff while spending“quality” time with them outside the office.

I try not to hire anyone who I could not enjoy asa friend. Working with friends is more enjoyable

In one of our lengthy long distance conversa-tions, he seemed amazed about all the things thatI do with my team. He said, “You’ve taken them toLas Vegas, Colorado ski vacations, Cancun, shop-ping sprees, etc. I’ve never taken my staff any-where out of town. You have them over for poolparties. Actually, Joe, I don’t want to see my staff inbikinis!” He caught himself and quickly realizedhow that may have sounded to me, and he imme-diately came back with, “No, don’t get me wrong.Some of them would look great in a bikini, I justdon’t want to see them in that environment!”

My friend runs his office as a very smartbusiness professional is supposed to. His staffalways addresses him as Doctor in and out of theoffice, and he and his partner refer to each other asDoctor also. He goes to work in a suit and tie, takesoff his jacket and puts on a professional lab jacket.He monitors and manages his staff in a timely man-ner, and doesn’t tolerate any trivial relationshipproblems in the office. He is constantly taking con-tinuing education courses and is always imple-menting the latest technologies into his office.Simply put....he takes care of business all the time!

I’ve known quite a few successful dentists whohave done well due to their very professional man-agement style. I truly respect and sometimes envyemployers like that. On the other hand, I know fartoo many dentists who attempt the M.B.A.approach but for various reasons they fail in reach-ing their goal of a smooth-running, highly profitableoffice. Many of them truly don’t have the disciplineor don’t take the time to manage properly. I don’thave the discipline or the time to manage my officethe way he does.

My friend’s practice is very comparable to minein profitability yet so different in many aspects. I goto work in jeans or shorts, and change into myscrubs (my friend calls them pajamas and teasesme that you can’t sell high quality dentistry whilewearing pajamas). Many times my staff slips upand calls me Joe in front of our patients. There ismuch laughter and sometimes boisterous conver-sations that take place quite often in our office thatsome would deem unprofessional if that happenedin their office. And yes, I’m guilty of not having reg-ular staff reviews like I’m supposed to have.

There are many other dentists out there that donot have the discipline or the skills to be a greatM.B.A. manager either, or else they simply don’t

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There are hundreds of sometimesdifficult encounters that theDoctor and Staff have with

patients in every dental officeevery day. Each one is a chanceto make the experience better orworse for you and your patients.

You’ll learn, laugh, and win prizesin this unique “Game Show” for-

mat. Your hosts, Shelly Ryan andDr. Joe Steven, along with the

audience will help best addressthese situations!

St. Louis, MOFriday, Oct. 1800-325-8649

800-325-8649 www.kiscodental.com


for me and better for business. I want representa-tives of my business to be loyal, dedicated, andeager to please. That’s the main benefit behind thismanagement style: it develops employees that areanxious and eager to go that extra mile for the doc-tor. That’s the most difficult feat to accomplish withyour staff with the conventional M.B.A. approach.But, it takes going that extra mile to reach the top.

To avoid the pitfalls of “becoming friends withyour staff” that we are often warned about, youhave to have good systems in place. Otherwise,you are likely to set yourself up for being takenadvantage of because of this more casualapproach. But, if good systems are in place withexplicit job descriptions, monitors, policy manuals,etc., then potential problems are dramaticallyreduced. Please don’t make the mistake of attempt-ing this management approach unless everything isin order.

I meet some of the nicest and most successfulgroups at our meetings all the time. The commonthread with these offices is that they enjoy eachother and have fun outside of the office whileattending continuing education courses. These doc-tors realize the importance of traveling as a groupbecause it almost always improves the team cama-raderie which ultimately benefits the office. Werecently enjoyed a trip to Las Vegas. We stayed atthe Mirage and had a fantastic weekend including ashow and a couple of dinners together. It’s hard toput a price tag on the benefits that our team gainsfrom these outings. Yet, there are many doctorswho can’t justify treating their staffs to lunch everynow and then.

One thing I really like about these trips is that it’snot just a weekend event. No way! For some of ourtrips like the one to Puerto Vallarta a year ago, theexcitement began six months prior while everyonewas planning and preparing for this well deservedvacation/seminar occasion. And then of course,there was the typical dieting goals and shoppingextravaganzas in preparation for the big departureday. Even after the trip, the staff was still hyped upand talking about the trip for weeks on end.

Something that has tremendous untold value, isthe effect that it has on our patients when they findout about these trips from the team. They are gen-uinely excited for them, and think they are workingfor the “best boss” around!

What’s more important? Going golfing with yourbanker or your staff? A day of golfing and having agood time with your staff can net a much higherprofit than a good deal on a small loan that you mayget from your banker. Plus, it’s a heck of a lot morefun! Years ago, we all went out for a round of golfand had a fantastic time on a beautiful Wednesdayafternoon. On hole #1 with Jeanine on the tee box,I switched balls on her and we about died laughingas she pulverized the trick exploding ball. A round ofgolf: $300. Lunch and beer: $160. The look onJeanine’s face and the ensuing laughter and teambuilding: priceless! That’s just it . . . you can’t put aprice on the benefits that are gained by truly enjoy-ing your staff outside of the office! Have fun withyour team and you’ll see why they are your mostvaluable asset.

• Perform safer, faster & more cost effective engine driven

endodontics while virtually eliminating instrument separation!

• Create unlimited earning potential with these easily mas-

tered techniques!

• Shape and obturate even the most difficult cases!

• No more broken files!

• Reduced fatigue!

• 90% lower cost!

Let Dr. Steven show you instrumentation techniques thattake the fear out of endo!

• 3 Appointment New Denture!

• 3 Appointment Duplicate/Replacement Denture!

• 2 Appointment Immediate Denture!

• Equipoise Removable Partials!

• Zest Locator Anchor Retained Dentures!

• H&H Cordless C&B Impressions!

• Mini-implants for dentures!

• Utilization of your auxiliaries!

Let Dr. Steven show you ways to become more efficient

and profitable in fixed and removable prosthetics!

endo endo Seminar/Workshop with Dr. Joe Steven Seminar/Workshop with Dr. Joe Steven

Denver - September 24 & 25

3

Friday Saturday


I was so naive when I started my practiceback in 1978. I knew back then how important excel-lent PR is for running a successful business. So, Idecided to send out birthday cards to all our patients.Well, I did so for about a year until I realized howexpensive and how time consuming it was. I com-mend those few dentists who continue that practice!I know that patients really appreciate it.

But, I truly believe there is a much less expen-sive and more impressive way to wish our patientswell on their birthdays. And that is with the BirthdayDiscoveries software package. This program down-loads onto any computer and can actually mergewith your patient database if you would like to sendout birthday greetings to all of your patients for anygiven month.

Or, you can do it as we do, and send out indi-vidual ones on the spur of the moment. If someoneis in the chair and we notice their birthday is comingup soon, we print one out and either give it to themin the office or mail it to them. You simply open the

program and enter the patient’s name and their dateof birth. Select the format of trivia you want and printout the colorful form. It will give you all sorts of inter-esting trivia of what actually took place on the exactday they were born such as who was president then,who won the Oscars, the price of a gallon of gas, theprice of a new car, the Dow Jones, etc. Then it givesa comparison of what those figures are today. Youcan also add your personal message at the bottom ifyou like.

Sure, everyone likes to receive a birthdaycard, but many times it is no big deal other than theyappreciate your thoughts. But, with BirthdayDiscoveries, they read every single word because itis personalized and pertains to them. (Lucky Winner:Dr. William Kirkling, Chicago, IL) You can do it everyyear is you like and change the topics of trivia inter-ests so they don’t get the same one. It only costspennies and is so simple to do. Not only will you useit for your patients, you will have fun using it for yourfamily and friends also!

Product Review: Birthday Discoveriesby Joe Steven, Jr., D.D.S.

Intra-office communications are vitally important for anextremely efficient dental office. For years, doctors have depend-ed on special light communication systems for directing the trafficflow of their staff. But now, with the introduction of XLS Radios(walkie-talkies), many of those systems are being replaced by thismore efficient one.

Now, instead of pushing buttons to call someone into a treat-ment room to give them instructions, you simply give the mes-sage through your radio which results in fewer wasted trips backand forth within your office.

Every member of the staff wears one with a speaker in theirear so the patients don’t hear the messages. There are unlimitedusages within the office for these radios that will soon becomeone of the most efficient aids you can implement into your prac-tice!

Now, the new & improved Kenwood ProTalk XLS TK-3230 hasmany benefits, which include an ultra-compact design, 50% high-er power, rapid rate battery charger, up to 18 hours of talk-time,and enhanced Kenwood audio.

The Absolute Best Intra-office Communication System: XLS Radios

• radio on your waist band

• microphone attached to your lapel

• speaker in your ear

Business model withprivacy

channels

HIPAA Compliant

Earbud Speaker

Earhook Speaker

CircleSpeaker

1-5 6-19 20 +

Kenwood XLS Radio* Item #8903 $167.95 $162.95 $157.95Earbud Speaker Item #8920 $29.95 $28.95 $27.95Earhook Speaker Item #8921 $29.95 $28.95 $27.95Circle Speaker Item #8927 $29.95 $28.95 $27.95

*Includes Ah Li-ION battery & desktop charger


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Celebrate Patients’ Birthdays with BIRTHDAy GREETING SOFTWARE (PCs only)

Turn Birthdays into a Marketing Opportunity!

Don’t send another generic store bought birthday card that anyone can do.Be creative! In only seconds you can create a personalized birthday greeting yourpatients will love and share with others.

BIRTHDAy DISCOvERIES SOFTWAREItem #8000 (includes 200 Greeting Forms) .................$119.95Greeting forms (100 sheets) ........................................$ 14.95

Items: #8000A, #8000B, #8000C, #8000D, #8000E, #8000F, #8000G & #8000H

Envelopes (50) Item #8010, #8020...............................$ 12.95

Now with this latestversion, you canmerge your exist-ing database ofpatient names withthis software.

You can add clip art,fonts, import photos,and logos. The built-indatabase lets you addpatient names andbirthdates then searchand print in “Batch.”You can select 1 or300 patients for print-ing at a time.

800-325-8649www.kiscodental.com

We carry acomplete line ofgreeting forms inpacks of 100 sheets.

Our forms are laserand inkjet compatible.You can also print onplain paper.

(actual size 8 1/2˝ x 11˝)

Easy! H Fast! H Fun! H Inexpensive! H Great Patient Gift!

Item #8010

Item #8020

Mail them in these col-orful envelopes! $12.95

for a pack of 50

Birthday Discoveries

C

D

E

F

G

H

B

A

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Don’t forget to brush & floss everyday! See you on your next visit!


In the "Success-odontics" Seminar, practicing dentistsDr. Joe Steven and Dr. Mark Troilo combine the best of

their various seminars: The $1,000,000 Staff, Team Dynamics, Efficient-den-

tistry, Efficient-endo, and Efficient-prosthetics!This unique seminar is a perfect blend of practice management concepts and efficient clinical tips.

Staff memo: tHe CatCH 22 by Joe Steven, Jr., D.D.S.

Everyone wants to make more money at theirjob! But, everyone just doesn’t know the right wayto go about accomplishing that goal. In my semi-nars I often address that issue and give sugges-tions on how an employee can go about doing that.And yes, it does require “earning it!”

One way is to approach the doctor and informhim or her of all the positive things that you bring tothe office. You can point out that you are a teamplayer, that you do very well at presenting and sell-ing dentistry, that you are never late for work, andseldom miss any time away from the office. Youmay want to point out that since you’ve beenemployed there, that the office numbers haveimproved partly because of you. Shed light on allthe positive things that you bring to the office.

I also mention that for some people it may notbe easy to approach the doctor with the abovesample dialog, and for others it may be an outrightlie to say the above things! So what do you do? Ialways suggest a sure-fire way of obtaining a payincrease by simply asking the doctor if you can domore around the office. Over the years, it justseems that those employees that occasionally askto do more projects or take on more responsibilitiesto help me out tend to get pay raises without everasking for one.

Of course, some people reading this may sayto themselves, “Why would I want to do morework?” If so, then do you really deserve a raise?

And some may add to that phrase, “....I’m notgetting paid enough as it is!” And that’s the Catch22!

Some employees in all businesses may havethe attitude that they feel they deserve a highersalary, but they are unwilling to put forth a bettereffort because they feel they are not getting paidproperly. I’ve heard comments from staff membersat our seminars over the years such as, “He does-n’t pay me enough, so why should I do ‘xy&z’ thathe thinks I should do?” They feel that if the doctorpaid them more, then they would be willing to domore.

On the other hand, the doctor is thinking that ifshe would just do “xy&z”, then she would deservea raise. So basically, they are at a stalemate!

The way the business world work, or shouldwork, is that the performance must be there inorder to justify the salary. Not the other way around.Employers should not have to give a pay increasein order to get an improved performance. And yet,doctors (I’ve been guilty of this in my early years)sometimes give a raise in hopes of an improved jobperformance. Experience shows that it seldomworks that way. Maybe temporarily, but not in thelong run.

Therefore staff, don’t fall into that Catch 22 situ-ation, and instead, keep persevering in improvingthe office, and see what a difference it makes in theoffice’s bottom line and yours as well!

6 800-325-8649 www.kiscodental.com

Seminar

October 29, 2010Friday

New Orleans!!!Royal Sonesta Hotel

This highly motivating, entertaining seminar withDr. Joe Steven and Dr. Mark Troilo will energize

your entire office by attaining the ultimate indynamics between all team members and your patients and with each other,

and with the doctor!

Seminar

alaSka CruiSe

12 aGD Ce HourS

July 17-24, 2011

from Seattle, Wa


C o n t a c E Z I n d i v i d u a l P a c k a g e sPackage of 16 Package of 8

Item #2101 Diamond Dental Strip (Black) ............$88.97 ..................................$44.97Item #2102 Serrated Dental Strip (Orange) ..........$92.97 ..................................$51.97Item #2103 Serrated Dental Strip I (White) ..........$81.97 ..................................$41.97Item #2104 Serrated Dental Strip II (Blue) ............$81.97 ..................................$41.97Item #2105 Final Polishing Strip (Gray) ................$88.97 ..................................$44.97

C o n t a c E Z A s s o r t e d P a c k a g e

Item #2100 Assorted Package (8 Black, 4 Orange, 8 White, 8 Blue, 4 Gray)..............$167.97


ContacEZby Joe Steven, Jr., D.D.S.

If you’re like me, there have been many times when you’ve bonded a cou-ple of teeth together inadvertently. This could be with veneers, porcelain crowns,composite restorations, etc. In the past, I’ve gone through plenty of floss, wedges,sanding strips, etc. trying to get through those teeth; not to mention time, frustra-tion and embarrassment. Nothing works better and faster than ContacEZ. As thephoto shows, it’s a simple handheld device that easily allows you to get betweenthe contacts in a matter of seconds. The ContacEZ system consists of 5 differentdevices depending on what you are trying to accomplish. The white Serrated Dental Strip I shown is per-fect for what I just described. The blue Serrated Strip II is a more aggressive one to use if there is muchresin to cut through.

The black Diamond Dental Strip is ideal for adjusting proximal contacts prior to cementation. Theorange Serrated Diamond Strip has a sawtooth design to adjust really tight contacts that may not be acces-sible with the black ContacEZ. And the gray one, the Final Polishing Strip, is ideal for polishing the contactsurfaces either prior or after final cementation. They are autoclavable and reusable. The single-handeddesign offers ideal tactile control and is so easy to use. Give them a try!

ContacEZ

E Tfficiency ips

Diamond Dental Strip - the ideal proximal contact adjusterBlack - 0.06mm - Fine Diamond - Single-sidedThis strip restores interproximal relief by eliminating excessive pressure between the indirect restoration and the adjacentteeth without opening the proximal contact. Use prior to definitive cementation.

Serrated Dental Strip I - the interproximal space cleanerWhite - 0.035mm - No DiamondDesigned to safely cut and clean excess resin cement in the interproximal space after definitive cementation of crowns, veneers,inlays and onlays. Can also be used to separate veneers or composite fillings from adjacent teeth prior to light curing.

Serrated Dental Strip - the proximal contact adjuster with sawtoothOrange - 0.05mm - Extra-Fine Diamond - Single-sidedDual function strip with serrated edge designed for use in place of Diamond Dental Strip, when overly tight contacts arepresent and the Diamond Dental Strip cannot easily penetrate the interproximal space. Not recommended for removingexcess cement due to the abrasive diamond surface.

Serrated Dental Strip II - the dental sawBlue - 0.065mm - No DiamondDeveloped in response to dentist feedback, this heavy-duty strip is designed to safely cut into massive excess resin as analternate to the Serrated Dental Strip I for more rigorous cutting and cleaning.

Final Polishing Strip - the proximal surface polisherGray - 0.04mm - Ultra-Fine Diamond - Single-sidedDesigned to polish the proximal surfaces of restorations and restore the natural finish of crowns, veneers, inlays, andonlays. Can also be used to adjust the proximal contact of indirect restorations conservatively prior to definitive cementa-tion and to confirm interproximal relief after definitive cementation.

An innovative, new precision dental strip system designed to achieve ideal proximal contact adjustmentsand complete marginal seating of crowns, veneers, inlays/onlays, and composite fillings.

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Here’s what’s inside this issue of theKISCO Perspective Newsletter:

I Don’t Want to See My Staff in Bikinis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1Product Review: Birthday Discoveries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4Staff Memo: The Catch 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Efficiency Tips: ContacEZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

Upcoming KISCO SeminarsSept. 10, Fri. Las Vegas, NV Efficient-dentistry

Sept. 24, Fri. Denver, CO Efficient-endo

Sept. 25, Sat. Denver, CO Efficient-prosthetics

Oct. 1, Fri. St. Louis, MO “What Do You Say When?”

Oct. 22, Fri. Tunica, MS Efficient-prosthetics

Oct. 23, Sat. Tunica, MS Efficient-endo

Oct. 29, Fri. New Orleans, LA Team Dynamics

Nov. 12, Fri. Shreveport, LA Efficient-endo

Nov. 13, Sat. Shreveport, LA Efficient-prosthetics

Dec. 10, Fri. Mobile, AL Efficient-prosthetics

Dec. 11, Sat. Mobile, AL Efficient-endo

See if you are the

Lucky Winner of $500 worth of KISCO products!

If your name appears in this newsletter, call:

800-325-8649to claim your prize!

Go to www.kiscodental.com& click on the microphone icons

to hear Dr. Steven’s discussionabout many of our products!

232 N. SenecaWichita, KS 67203

800-325-8649www.kiscodental.com

PPeerrssppeecctt iivveeNNeewwsslleett tteerr

A refreshing and realistic approach to the business of dentistry!

August2010


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