GP Skill Set – Are You Taking the Wrong CE?

There are very few things that I am dogmatic about.  Being a complete dentist is one of them.  Gone are the days where you can essentially be ‘just’ a restorative dentist.  Now, of course, some of us get away with that, but even for those the days are numbered.

I want to share a patient case that perfectly illustrates my point.  At the end I want you to honestly assess your ability to treat Norma in your office.

Norma as she presents at our office for initial consultation.

As you can clearly see Norma has quite a few things going on.  Her existing upper denture has been worn down (quite unusually) and her remaining lower teeth are in terrible shape.

Her basic treatment plan on the surface is pretty simple.  She needs a new upper denture and a lower denture (the teeth are hopeless).  The plan can be augmented with dental implants based on patient desires and finances.

If Norma chooses to forego implant therapy, how many of you reading are providing dentures in your practice?

Let’s say Norma chooses lower implants to retain her lower denture.  How many of you reading are now comfortable providing implants to go along with her dentures?

Let’s say Norma is a high fear patient and will only consider treatment if she is sedated.  How many of you reading are providing sedation (IV and/or Oral) in your practice?

I hear and come across too many dentists who are busy taking occlusion and restorative CE, but very few are taking CE to expand their scope of services.

It’s August 2014.  You should already be putting together your CE calendar for 2015.  I am begging you to start taking ‘skill set’ focused CE that will expand your services.

The growth of our practice has not come from necessarily doing more fillings and crowns, but doing more ‘complete’ treatment on patients.  Patients like Norma.

Let’s get back to Norma’s case. 

Our final treatment plan was a new upper denture, extraction of remaining lower teeth, immediate placement of two lower implants, immediate lower denture, placement of two locator abutments, and a new lower over denture.  The surgical phase of treatment to be completed under sedation.

The fee for a case like this in my office is approximately $13,000 from beginning to end.

How many general dentistry crowns and/or fillings would you need to do to equal this production?  How many different patients would you need to treat?

Skill Sets needed for this case and CE recommendation….

Treatment Planning & Patient Communication (Frank Speak – Facially Generated Treatment Planning Workshop)
Surgical Extractions (Go observe with your local Oral Surgeon)
Implant Placement (3D Dentists utilizing 3D Imaging and Guided Surgery)
Complete Denture Fabrication (Jack Turbeyfill)
Oral Sedation (DOCS)

The truth is that patients like Norma are in your office.  When you lack the skill set, you lack the eyes to diagnose.  When you lack the skill set, your team members lack the skill and confidence to support your case acceptance.

The other great aspect of being able to do this type of treatment is the ability to market Norma through testimony.  Below is a full page ad that we are doing sharing Norma’s story with our community.

This is how we are growing our practice and creating professional satisfaction beyond anything I ever imagined.