Lack of professional, structured, communication among the team is responsible for each of the above comments. Holding a Morning Huddle each day for ten to fifteen minutes prior to seeing patients helps prevent “surprises” throughout the day. And, as we all know, these surprises are often related to the amount of stress experienced by the entire team.

The goal of the Morning Huddle is to quickly review the previous day and share information others need to know about the current day.

For this meeting to be successful:

• Hold the meeting in a private area where patients cannot hear your conversations.
• Be prepared. Have the information you plan to share ready and organized.
• Begin on time, even if everyone is not present.
• Stay on track. This is not the time for personal conversations or gossip about personal issues or the patients on the schedule.
• Follow a pre-designed structure of who speaks when and about what.
• Finish on time to be prepared to see your first patient on time. Some teams hold their meetings standing up to keep the meeting moving.

Here are sample comments and areas of discussion for each team member:

• Financial Coordinator: “Mr. Jones is having his crowns inserted today and has promised his final payment. Since we have had problems in the past with him, I will collect his payment first and let you know if he does not have it.” This gives everyone a heads-up to a potential collection problem, which can be prevented by not inserting the crown.
  • Review previous day’s production and collection numbers as they relate to your goals.
  • Discuss information about any new patients appointed that day.
  • Review any consultation appointments scheduled for the day. This is the time to be sure the Doctor and Financial Coordinator have prepared the treatment plan and financing strategies.
  • Update the team on any pre-arranged payments, in case you are away from your desk as a patient checks out.
• Scheduling Coordinator: “We are on track to meet our production goal today. However, we are short $1500 for tomorrow and have an opening at 2:00, so please keep your eyes open.”
  • Inform the team of projected doctor and hygiene production for today and tomorrow as it relates to your goal. This gives everyone the opportunity to help meet the goal by completing additional treatment, if needed, on patients already scheduled.
  • If the goal has not been met for the day, inform the team of any patients currently on the schedule with potential treatment.
  • Give the next day and time available for major treatment, as blocked in your schedule.
  • Identify any patients scheduled for the doctor who have shown interest in cosmetic options.
  • Discuss any potential bottlenecks in the schedule and why they have occurred. This helps prevent the clinical team from having “surprises” and getting upset with you.
  • Ask the clinical team for the best times throughout the day to appoint emergency patients.
• Dental Assistant(s): “Please remember how nervous Mr. Jones is as a patient, so let’s get him back as soon as possible, and stay with him the entire visit.”
  • Report on any follow-up calls made to patients from the previous day.
  • Discuss any difficult patients or those who require extra T.L.C. on today’s schedule.
  • Remind Doctor of any patients on the schedule who have incomplete treatment or have shown interest in elective procedures such as whitening or Smile Makeovers.
  • Look for and point out any potential bottlenecks in the schedule.
  • Remind business team of any patients who should have pre-medicated for today’s visit.
  • Suggest the most appropriate times for emergency patients to be scheduled.
  • Remind Hygienist(s) of any times during the day when the doctor cannot be disturbed for hygiene exams, such as new patient visits or consultations.
• Hygienist(s): “I have two patients coming in today who may need to go into perio therapy, so please be prepared up front for financial arrangements.”
  • Notify Doctor and Assistant(s) which hygiene patients will require examinations today.
  • Remind Doctor of any patients with incomplete treatment.
  • Point out any patients who would be good candidates for cosmetic services, both whitening and Smile Makeovers.
  • Remind business team of any patients who should have pre-medicated for today’s visit.
  • Discuss any potential bottlenecks in your schedule.
• Doctor: “Mrs. Smith, our bridge prep patient this morning, is very difficult to work on. This procedure will be quite stressful for me so, if possible, try not to interrupt me during that time.” This information can help control the stress level throughout the day.
  • Discuss and difficult patients or challenging cases for the day.
  • Review any consultations scheduled.
  • Give the names of any people whose expected phone calls are important for you to take.
  • End the meeting with a positive affirmation, meaningful quote, or funny story or joke to set the stage for an upbeat, positive, productive business day!

Take this test! Which office sounds more like yours?

Office #1
All team members, including the doctor, are in the office preparing for their first patients approximately fifteen to twenty minutes prior to the first patient appointments. At exactly ten minutes before the first patients arrive, everyone gathers in the staff lounge with the day’s schedule and charts in hand. In an organized fashion, each person, one at a time, notifies the rest of the team of anything pertaining to his or her area of the business. Business statistics from the previous day are shared, along with projections for today’s sales. Comments, suggestions, and potential problem areas to watch are quickly discussed by each team member. Within five to ten minutes, everyone is mentally prepared to begin the work day. Personal situations and / or problems are now set aside and focus is completely directed toward providing optimum treatment and service to the patients.

Office #2
It’s starting time! Some team members are present, some are not. There is a very casual gathering, with topics of discussion mainly relating to what everyone did the night before, what is going on with their kids today, and what’s on the agenda for the evening. Patients have arrived and no one is at the desk to greet them. The doctor is late, so the stress level begins to escalate. The overall feeling is one of “Oh well ----- here we go again. Let’s get this over with.” Attitudes are indifferent, moral is predominately neutral or down, and the overall energy level is low.”

Now that you’ve identified the practice most like yours, either give yourself a big pat on the back, or roll up your sleeves and begin working “on” your business, not just “in” it. Please call Becky at 888-344-9991 if you would like help implementing a morning huddle in your practice.

Click here for a form to use as a guide.

Published by BECDEN Dental Laboratory 131 E. 13065 S. Draper, UT 84020 888-344-9991 toll-free 801-576-9991 phone

The editor of this newsletter is Emily Webb of Becden Dental Laboratory, Inc. Please send any questions or comments about this newsletter, or suggestions for articles to: emilyw@becdendental.com ©2006 BECDEN Dental Laboratory, Inc.