The Dental Warrior® – A Blog for Dentists | Dental Product Reviews, Marketing, Personal Security, & Much More!

Roll the Bones – Tell Insurance Companies to FOAD

Posted on March 22, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

The following is from a thread on Dentaltown. It has been suggested that dentists should file a class action lawsuit against dental insurance companies for “coercing them into accepting low fees or reimbursement.” In the thread, several dentists share their stories about feeling they have no choice but to go along with the insurance companies ever-changing rules and ever-decreasing fee schedules.

Here is one post. It is followed by my response.

Quote: (A Dentaltown writer)

I would like to go OON with Delta eventually. But they’re huge here as the Univ of MO is almost all Delta. Delta will not assign benefits to providers… forcing OON providers to adopt financial measures that would be disastrous to a typical insurance driven practice. Thus… I feel coerced to stay in network and accept their rates.

Many of you know that I’m not a “participating provider.” But, I hope you’ll indulge my comments nonetheless… Continue reading →

Posted in Editorial | Tagged dental insurance, HMO, insurance, managed care, PPO, private care | 7 Comments

Dental Marketing Shouldn’t Scare Children (nor the child within)

Posted on March 9, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

This is hot off the presses. The story is a dentist put up a billboard ad across from a daycare. The ad photos reportedly frightened the children at that daycare. And, while it may seem obvious why the images might disturb children, this story serves as a lesson in dental marketing even to adults.

Most dental ads are unwittingly designed by dentists FOR other dentists. Read that sentence again. The ads are designed by dentists. And, they appeal to other dentists. The photos in this ad are more appropriate for a case presentation article in a dental journal than they are for public viewing. More on that below. Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing, Photography | Tagged dental ads, dental marketing, dental photography | 11 Comments

I Suck at Unselling Treatment!

Posted on March 7, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

Today a long-time patient (whose appearances in my practice are not consistent) came in for a consult. She lost several teeth that were supporting a fixed bridge (#18 – 21). She had a consult with an oral surgeon about implants. Due to insufficient bone, she would need extensive grafting and 3 implants. She’s decided it’s too much money, and she wants a partial denture.

After I expounded on the virtues of implant dentistry, she made it clear she wasn’t going that route. So, I began my “pitch” about partial dentures.

I told her how she was going to HATE a partial denture. It’s “removable,” and part of that word includes “move.” The partial will MOVE. Tracing my gloved finger around her lower arch, I mentioned there would be “a big metal bar here, an ugly metal clip here and here.” I even said, “You’d probably be better off doing nothing right now.”

I could not have “unsold” the partial any more than I did. So what happened? She wants the partial! Maybe I should use this approach to “unsell” cosmetic treatment and full mouth rehabs?? The more I told her how bad it was, the more she wanted it!

I’ve always sucked at sales. And, today I sucked at UN-selling. Maybe I should do THAT more? I may have stumbled into the SECRET of sales!

What’s YOUR secret? Comment below!

Posted in Practice Management, What Happened Today | 2 Comments

Paging Dr. MacGyver – Herodontist

Posted on February 21, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

After nearly 25 years in Dentistry, I’ve learned that “herodontics” is often an exercise in futility. But, one of the things I love about being a dentist is the creative problem-solving aspect. My assistant has called me “McGyver” for many years.

Today’s patient is a 28 y.o. woman. She has a number of problems stemming from neglect and procrastination. Money is not an issue. She came to my office for a comprehensive examination and treatment plan. Her top priority was a tooth (#5) that was “broken.” Her biggest concern was that she’d end up with a “hole in her smile.” Case photos and technique after the jump… Continue reading →

Posted in Case Presentation, Clinical Technique, Tips & Tricks, What Happened Today | Tagged build-up, endodontics, MacGyver, root canal | 18 Comments

The Dental Warrior Blog Now Mobile-Friendly!

Posted on February 18, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

Just a quick announcement about The Dental Warrior blog:

It is now “mobile-friendly.” That means it will automatically reformat itself for smart phone displays. It’s VERY cool! No more pinch-zooming and panning!

Posted in Dental Warrior Announcements | Tagged Mobile-friendly, smart phone | 1 Comment

Marketing Genius?

Posted on February 8, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

I just came across this dental TV ad on Facebook, and it inspired me to write up a quick blog post.

One key to business success is to know your target market. I don’t know anything about this dentist’s target market nor anything about the local demographics. I could make some assumptions, of course. But, I suspect he does know his market! And, I also suspect that this Dental Warrior in Tulsa, Oklahoma is CRUSHING it!

His TV ad represents a market that is diametrically opposite of mine. It might even make your own jaw drop, when you watch it. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the genius behind this ad. At first glance, some dentists might even be appalled. But, I bet it WORKS. I love it! Video after the jump (below). Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing | Tagged marketing, target market, TV ad | 8 Comments

Dad’s New Smile – Done!

Posted on January 26, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

Last September, I wrote about “Life Changing Dentistry,” showcasing the planning and treatment of my dad’s decimated dentition. While that article included the details of treatment, this one is simply a follow up with lots of before & after photos.

I’ve never known my dad to be vain. Nor have I ever seen him complain about ANYTHING. While I recognized the severe dental erosion and attrition in my dad’s mouth several years ago, it didn’t bother him much… until it did. His teeth were mere wisps of what they used to be. They were falling apart. Finally, my dad knew that it was time to act.

On a technical level, this case was one of the most challenging of my career so far. Occlusion? My dad had no recognizable occlusion. His lower anteriors occluded with the anterior palatal tissues. I was quite pleased with the result we got, which included anterior coupling and guidance. Thanks to the superb help from Gold Dust Dental Lab!

Without further ado, here are some before & afters for your perusal: Continue reading →

Posted in Case Presentation | Tagged Dad's smile, full mouth reconstruction, full mouth rehab, Gold Dust Dental Lab | 15 Comments

You Can’t Handle the Truth (about “insurance”)

Posted on January 13, 2013 by The Dental Warrior

Perhaps it’s coincidental that I got an email from a prospective patient through my website on the same day a friend posted this video, “Jack Nicholson on Dental Insurance” (below) on Facebook.

First… the email:

Well I am looking for a good price to fix my teeth. I have Assure insurance. It’s an HMO. I went to (rhymes with) “Mental Dental,” and I feel like they are trying to rip me off!!! I can fax you the dental plan they gave me.

I am always a bit conflicted on how to diplomatically address people who state their desire for low cost. But, the older I get… the less I seem to care about offending anyone. I prefer to just be honest… brutally honest. And, you’d be surprised at how often it works! Click here to read another recent post about how brutal honesty about fees works.

My reply: Continue reading →

Posted in Practice Management, What Happened Today | 3 Comments

Happy New Year and Happy Anniversary to TDW

Posted on December 31, 2012 by The Dental Warrior

This marks the beginning of 2013 and the 2nd anniversary of The Dental Warrior.

This will be my 172nd post, which comes to about 7 posts per month on average. Believe it or not, when I decided to start this blog, I wondered if I’d have enough to write about. 🙂

I also wondered if anyone would tune in. While I can’t compare to famous bloggers outside of dentistry, I think…. well… see what you think:

Since Day-1:

Total number of unique visitors: 53,570

Total page views: 131,193

On a monthly basis, the number of visitors has steadily increased. The current monthly number comes to about 4,400 unique visitors and about 8,000 page views. So, in the general blogging world, those numbers are not that impressive. But, my intended audience is a rather small niche. And, I’m very pleased with my progress.

What’s next? I plan to keep writing and see where it leads. The steadily increasing number of visitors is encouraging. I’d like to do more product reviews, as those seem to be fairly popular.

I’d love to hear your input in the comment section below. What would you like to see?

I also want to thank all of you for tuning in and joining the conversation. Happy New Year! I wish you all greater success in 2013!

Posted in Dental Warrior Announcements | Tagged anniversary | 11 Comments

2012 Is Over – Looking Ahead

Posted on December 16, 2012 by The Dental Warrior

The original title was “Looking Forward,” but I decided against using the political slogan “forward.” 🙂 I haven’t blogged in a while. I just haven’t been inspired much lately. And, the holidays are a drag. Yeah… my personal issue. 😉

It’s been a tough year. It’s been a tough four years for many of us. My practice has been relatively flat during that time, which I actually consider a success given the economic trends.

It Can Only Get Better!

I’ve always been an optimistic person, and I remain so. However, my optimism now applies to a much longer time frame. I honestly do not see the economy getting better in the short term… maybe even worse. The good news Continue reading →

Posted in Editorial | 4 Comments

The Dental Warrior® – A Blog for Dentists