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PracticeManagement
Complete
President’sPerspective
Inside This Issue
I’m pleased to announce that online chat support with an
Ortho2 support representative is now available directly from
both Edge and ViewPoint! In addition, many other Ortho2
support resources are now accessible from one location.
In Edge, simply click the large button in the ribbon bar.
In ViewPoint version 11, which you received recently, or will
soon, it is the bottom right Help button in Daily Activities.
Both bring up a screen similar to this:
Note that in addition to three different
chat support options, you also have easy
access to online help, videos, white
papers, and other support options.
If you are like me, chat support is a great
option for getting assistance since it
doesn’t require tethering a phone to my
head, especially if you answer the phone
or help patients in your office.
To initiate a chat session with an Ortho2
support representative, click the desired
link for Software Support, New Customer
Care, or Network Engineering. Your chat
window will appear. To allow us to maintain
comprehensive support notes, you will
be asked for your name, email address,
practice name or number, and phone
number (for a possible call back). Then type
your question, and as soon as an Ortho2
support representative is available, your chat session will begin.
We are pleased to add chat support to your arsenal of assisted and self-help support
options!
The Newsletter for Members and Friends of Ortho2January 2016 - Volume 34 Issue 1
Comprehensive Orthodontic Practice Management, Imaging, and Communication Solutions
President’s Perspective 1
EMV Standards 2
2016 Users Group Meeting 3
Spotlighted Feature: Recent Updates in 4ViewPoint and Edge
The Boomerang Effect 6by Debbie Best
Conversion Rates: The New Patient 7Processby K. Ryan Alexander
The Tao of WOW 8by Joan Garbo
A Balanced Work Life 9by Carol Eaton
Inside Ortho2 10 –13
Share the Newsletter
Doctor
O�ce Manager
Financial Coordinator
TX Coordinator
New! Chat Support
Dan Sargent, Ortho2 President
Contributor Contact Information:Debbie Best – Debbie Best, practice
management consultant and lecturer, has
more than 35 years of experience in the
orthodontic field. Contact her at
(925) 447-6993, [email protected], or
visit her on the web at
www.consultingnetwork.org.
K. Ryan Alexander – Ryan is a senior
consultant with Alexander & Sons. He
provides comprehensive orthodontic
consulting services, with an emphasis in
Doctor Time Scheduling. Contact Ryan at
[email protected] or call
(760) 539-6736.
Joan Garbo – For more information on
office consults, executive coaching, or
speaker presentations call (631) 608-2979
or write to: Joan Garbo, Joan Garbo
Consulting, 19 Glen Lane, Copiague, NY
11726. Visit us at www.joangarbo.com or
email at [email protected].
2 3
EMV Standards
EMV support is coming to both Edge and ViewPoint! Here’s what you should know.
EMV cards store their data in chips rather than magnetic strips like we have come to know. These cards
can still be swiped (the old way), but are designed for new insert readers. Having credit card readers that
use the EMV technology is not a law, nor is it mandatory for merchants. It is a transitional shift to move
merchants from swiped credit card transactions to chip cards, and it will take time to complete the transition.
With this change, liability is shifting away from the card issuer, and will most likely end up on the merchant. This
will mean that if an EMV card is presented to a merchant that has not adopted EMV terminals, financial liability for
counterfeit fraud for that transaction will shift to the merchant. In our opinion, the risk of fraud in an orthodontist’s
office is extremely low. Even with the recent liability transfer, in order for you to be liable a fraudulent credit card
would have to be accepted during a swipe transaction that would have been rejected by a new chip reader.
Here’s some information we think you should know:
• When will it be ready?
Edge: XCharge is nearing completion. An integration for Element will be developed next. Vanco is currently
determining solutions for supporting EMV.
ViewPoint: XCharge is compatible with ViewPoint 11, which is currently being released. An integration for Element
will be developed next. Vanco is currently determining solutions for supporting EMV.
• Where do I purchase a device?
Devices should be purchased directly from your payment processor. Ortho2 does not recommend any particular
product. You and your payment processor should decide what is best for your office.
• What is required of me?
You will need to purchase a new credit card device from your payment processor, in addition to upgrading your
payment software. It is extremely important to also ensure you are on the most current release of your practice
management software.
Carol Eaton – Carol has been actively
involved with the world of orthodontics
for more than 40 years in a variety of
hands-on roles. She can be contacted at
[email protected] or by
phone at (707) 251-1452.
2 3
If you are planning a presentation or lecture at a society meeting, university, or local meeting, we can provide you with any screenshots you need and can discuss how to best use Edge and/or ViewPoint in any situations you may be illustrating. We appreciate the good word you spread and would like to assist in any way we can!
Are you ready for Las Vegas?
Las Vegas, NV February 25-27, 2016Users Group Meeting
2016 Users Group Meeting
The 2016 Users Group Meeting is almost here! Have you registered yet? If not, place your bets on a sure win. The UGM is filled with classes and information you
can take back to your office right away. And you won’t want to miss the fun! Catch up with old friends, make new ones, and travel back in time with our
I the ‘80s party!
Register online at www.ortho2.com/ugmregistration.
For more information, contact Kim Barker at (800) 678-4644, option 2 or [email protected].
V iewPoint 11 has begun its release.
The update will be coming to
your office soon! Check out some of the
new features with the release. And for Edge
customers, we’ve highlighted a few changes
from the last update.
ViewPoint 11 OverviewIf your office hasn’t received ViewPoint 11 yet, you
should be expecting it soon.
• Edge Reminders now features
text messages in real-time. Each
time a patient messages your
office, you will receive instant
notification. In addition, text
messages that you use frequently
can be saved and easily re-used
as Quick Messages. This allows
you to simply choose the
message you want to send
instead of typing it out again. To
make the messages more
personal, you can press
Ctrl+Space in the Quick Message text box to bring up
a list of patient variables, such as patient name and
next appointment, to add to the message.
• XCharge now supports EMV readers. You will need to
call XCharge to update your XCharge software with
them. When you update,
you will be provided with
an ID needed to update
your Orthodontist
System Table in
ViewPoint.
• In the Post Transaction
window, you can now
post a refund with the
simple click of a button.
The Refund button
allows you to post a refund to a responsible party or
apply a refund to another contract. Use the Refund
option when someone has paid too much on an
account.
• Another change you will notice, is that ViewPoint
now supports ICD-9 and ICD-10 insurance codes.
The codes will print in section 34 of the ADA 2012
insurance forms.
• If you accidentally post a payment to the wrong
account, you can easily transfer it to
the correct account via the patient
ledger.
• You can now classify certain
miscellaneous charges as “Non-
Orthodontic Charge” to identify
transactions that are not directly
related to orthodontic care (i.e. late
payment fees and non-sufficient
funds fees). In some practices,
transactions that are not directly
related to orthodontic care are
considered debit adjustments and
not actual charges. This feature provides a way for
those practices to differentiate these transactions
accordingly on the Balancing Worksheet.
• The appointments in your HR Manager Calendar and
your Office Calendar can now
be seen in the Notes section of
your Grid Bar. You can double-
click a calendar appointment
to open the Office Calendar
to that date, or to log into
your HR Manager module.
In addition, double-clicking
the calendar heading, even
if no appointments exist, will
open your Office Calendar or
HR Manager.
4 5
Recent Updates in ViewPoint and Edge
4 5
Recent Updates in ViewPoint and EdgePart of an ongoing series spotlighting significant features
• The mail merge function has greatly improved with
ViewPoint 11. The mail merge function is compatible
with 64 bit versions of Microsoft Word and Microsoft
Word 2016. This ends support for versions of Microsoft
Word prior to Word 2007 Service Pack 3. These legacy
versions of Word can no longer be used to merge
letters in ViewPoint. In addition, the merge documents
are now stored in the database which allows everyone
connected to that database access to the files.
• You can set up the properties of certain mail merge
documents so that when you email the document, any
images are included as attachments to the message, as
well as being embedded in the body of the letter.
• New Reports include: Balancing Worksheet Report,
Balancing Worksheet Summary Report, New Contract
Audit Report, New Start Origins Report, and New VP
Credit Card Transactions by Card Type Report.
• The Help menu is now online!
Edge OverviewEdge has also seen updates recently. Here are a few of
them:
• Unread high importance messages will be displayed
when logging into Edge.
• In the Timeclock Settings editor, you can define which
day of the week is the start day for the week.
• Use the Alerts Stop Editor to
choose default stops when
creating a patient alert. From the
patient folder, expand the Alerts
panel. Click Set Default Alerts
Stops and choose where the alerts
will pop up in the program. This is
a user-based setting.
• You can now control whether or
not a user can add or delete an
entry to or from another user’s Stack. Change this for
each user in the Security Editor in the General security
group.
• In Edge Imaging, users can now add and delete
external imaging files. In addition, it is no longer
possible to swap external files between timepoints.
• The Make Appointments Workflow can now be used to
schedule recall appointments.
• The note icon in the Tooth Chart will change color if a
note is present.
• You can now copy treatment start date and expected
appliance removal date from a previous treatment
phase when changing the treatment phase.
• You can now display a blank signature line on credit
card receipts.
• The Professional List report now allows you to select
multiple professional types.
Have a Suggestion?Do you have an idea on how to improve Edge or
ViewPoint? We’d love to hear it! Check out UserVoice, our
feedback forum that allows you to easily tell us how we can
help improve your experience.
Log into UserVoice through the Ortho2 web page,
www.ortho2.com, and click the UserVoice icon in the
upper right corner. Login with your
email and password. Participate in
one of the five forums: Edge, Edge
Animations, Edge Imaging, ViewPoint,
and Ortho2 Users Group Meeting.
Vote for ideas already suggested or
submit your own. You have 10 votes,
and can use up to three votes per
suggestion. Check back to see which
ideas will be implemented in future
versions of your software.
6 7
The Boomerang Effect
M y family loves to give me a bad
time because every time I see
someone with braces I feel compelled
to ask them who their orthodontist is and
what their experience has been. Other than
the time a teenager told me that she loved her
doctor because he was “drop dead gorgeous”,
the responses I get remind me of Yelp reviews.
The response is enthusiastic if their experience was
extremely positive (or exceptionally negative), lukewarm
or non-existent if the experience has been nothing more
or less than what they expected. Looking at this from a
mathematical perspective, 20% of patients fall into the two
extremes (hopefully more in the positive group), with the
remaining 80% in the take it or leave it group. They have
not been inducted into the raving fan club, nor are they
bad mouthing the doctor and/or team. The nonchalance
of 80% of your patients is quasi – they can take it or leave
it. Let’s look at some simple steps you can take to change
the individuals you are treating into patient ambassadors
for your orthodontic practice.
The mood of an interaction is established with the first
word or facial expression. Orthodontic team members
are not fully dressed for work until they put on their smile
– the most important part of their uniform. A genuine
smile must never cease to shine from the moment they
walk through the door in the morning up until the last
patient is dismissed. Turn up the corners of your mouth
and remember that your smile is a tool that is free, easy,
and always available. Smiling is a catalyst for joy, from an
improved mood to better relationships.
Every time you smile you are offering a gift to your patient,
a beautiful thing. Seeing another person smile stimulates
the heart and brain even more than eating chocolates or
receiving money. Statistics have proven that it is actually
hard to frown when someone is smiling at you. Just think
how handy this information will be when you are trying
to schedule a difficult appointment. People who smile
more are generally found to be more trustworthy, sincere,
sociable, and competent. In Mother Teresa’s words “Every
time you smile at someone...it is a gift to that person, a
beautiful thing.” If you want to bring joy to someone’s day
smiling is an effective strategy for achieving a multiple of
goals. A smile is just a frown turned upside down. Stand
on your head if you need to. Smile!
Always refer to your patients and parents by name; use
their name often in your conversation. Do not call your
patient’s parents mom or dad, they are not your parents! I
will never forget the time one of my clients addressed an
adult as mom and proceeded to update the parent about
the wrong child. Using their name ensures that you are
speaking to the right person.
Don’t be afraid to step out from behind the front desk to
greet patients face to face, introduce yourself, and shake
their hand (this is especially important if this is their initial
visit). Guide them through the computer check-in process
and offer them a beverage to drink. Use the Nordstrom’s
touch when patients leave the office, walk around the desk
to hand the patient appointment slip and school excuse.
An added benefit is that it gives you the opportunity to
ensure that everyone seated in the reception area has
checked in (especially when you have seats that are not
visible from the desk).
Have the doctor personally confirm the new patient
appointment two days prior to initial consultation. This
Boomerang Effect continued on page 14
About the AuthorWith more than 35 years of
experience, Debbie Best evaluates
staffing needs and systems to
develop a strategic plan for practice
productivity. She is presenting a class
at the 2016 Users Group Meeting in
Las Vegas.
E arly on in my career I heard consultants talking
about 90% conversion rates, and as impressive as
the numbers were, that average always seemed high to me.
If one first removes all the patients who aren’t likely to start,
then 90% is certainly achievable. The problem with this
approach is that it is difficult to maintain consistent tracking
habits, and it is also rife with double dipping – where a
Phase 1/Phase 2 start is counted twice for one exam, or
patients are removed from the total exams because they
are too young to start but are then counted when they
start. If the formula allows a patient to start twice but only
comes in for one exam, or counts a start that was ever
recorded as an exam, then the number is inflated. This is
how we find some practices claiming conversion rates over
100%.
Understanding your conversion rate is important when
analyzing the success of your new patient process. How
you calculate your conversion rate is important because it
becomes the benchmark for how you compare with other
offices, and how you compare to other offices in your area
is vital to making informed decisions and improvements to
your new patient process.
I will note that as long as a consultant is consistent in their
approach then they have a benchmark to compare apples
to apples with the other practices and can still make good
informed recommendations.
We suggest that the most accurate calculation and
best benchmark for comparing offices is simply total
first time starts /total exams = NP conversion %. A
monthly conversion rate calculated this way will fluctuate
significantly each month depending on how many patients
you place on Observation Recall, or have coming off of
Recall and starting. The most important statistic to track
with respect to the conversion rate is your running 12
month conversion rate, which should remain relatively
constant as compared to the same 12 months the year
before. Tracking your conversion rate average for the past
12 months will give you the most accurate and global
picture with respect to the success of your new patient
process, and give you the best opportunity to compare
your system to other practices.
Conversion rates vary sometimes by area, but mainly by
treatment approach. A practice that does minimal Phase 1
should shoot for a 65-70% conversion rate, and a practice
that does heavy Phase I should target 75-80%. There is not
necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach, and the key is to
make sure that wherever your practice is on this spectrum
that you are continually working to improve your new
patient process.
As a consultant, there are always a lot of numbers and
statistics that we have to weed through to get to the
most useful data. The key is to be consistent with what
you are tracking, and if you use a formula that is different
than what most use make sure that you take that into
consideration when making comparisons with other
practices. Furthermore, what are you doing to improve
these numbers? Having accurate statistics that are tracked
thoroughly with a detailed follow-up process will help
immensely and result in improved performance and growth.
In February I will be speaking at the Ortho2 Users Group
Meeting on statistics and tracking. I’ll be reviewing my new
patient tracking spreadsheet that my clients and treatment
coordinators use to track every single new patient exam. I
hope to see you there.
6 7
About the AuthorK. Ryan Alexander is a senior consultant
with Alexander & Sons, and has
developed a large base of happy,
satisfied clients using proven Millenium
Management Systems. He is presenting
a class at the 2016 Users Group
Meeting in Las Vegas.
Conversion Rates: The New Patient Process
8 9
T he word service has become the
new buzz word in many industries,
and there is a plethora of books, articles,
and seminars on the topic. Many business
owners read these books, send employees to
trainings, and consequently are able to improve
the level of service they give to their customers.
For the most part, however, the business owners
end up being copycats, following in the footsteps of the
models they learned about in the books and seminars.
My intent in this article is not to give you another model to
copy, but rather to take a step back to see where the ideas
of service originated and to create your own model that
others will want to copy.
The literal translation of Tao (pronounced Dao) means
“the way” or “the path”. It implies movement and journey,
which is why I chose this word for investigating what true
service is about. It is not stagnant, it is not something
to do, but rather a continuous journey of discovery and
inquiry into what it takes to BE of service, and to adopt a
service mind-set.
Service begins with the self-confidence of humility. Author
C.S. Lewis said it best about humility, “True humility is not
thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” It
takes a confident person to put himself second and not be
focused on his own needs and desires first.
The experience of service occurs when the patients feel
as if they are the most important thing happening at that
moment. And frankly, when they come in and sit in your
chairs, they should be!
Offering coffee, water, and juice in your reception area,
games for kids to play, having WiFi available, smiling, and
greeting each patient by name – these are the must dos
and are the most basic elements of service.
True service is rooted in empathy – looking at the
experience of doing business with you from the patients’
eyes. The must do ideas came from someone seeking to
experience exactly what the patients do while sitting in the
reception area, and determining what would make that
experience a pleasant one. These ideas catch on quickly
and before long, every other practice in your area has the
coffee and juice bar, video games, and so on.
This is why I call it the Tao of WOW. It’s a journey to keep
on deepening your view of the patient’s experience so that
you are the leader in service and not the follower copying
others.
We have all been on journeys, and the purpose of the
trip determines the experience we have. Many times the
purpose is to just get to the destination. Chances are we
don’t take much notice of the surroundings as our focus is
on time, speed, and landmarks denoting how far along we
are and how far we have yet to go.
However, if the purpose of the journey is to have fun or
to learn, such as on a hike, or on vacation as a tourist, we
are alert and in tune to the environment – the “see-sense-
and-feel” of the trip. We take pictures, send postcards,
post selfies and notes on Facebook, and want to share the
experience with our friends and families. These types of
journeys are the ones we remember best.
Applying the above to your practice, you can make the
purpose in your practice to be either treat patients and
take care of teeth, or have a caring and fun relationship
The Tao of WOW
About the AuthorJoan Garbo is a coach, speaker, and
consultant specializing in effective
communication skills, team building,
and leadership skills. She will be
presenting a class at the 2016 Users
Group Meeting in Las Vegas.
Creating Exceptional Customer Service
Tao of WOW continued on page 14
8 9
I recently spent a few weeks in England and truly
admired the work philosophy of many of the people I
encountered: “Work hard, play hard”. Which they seem to
do so well, balanced with the average 6 week holiday time.
One of my dear friends who works in radiology at a country
hospital shared with me that the hospital was thinking of
creating more of an American work environment; longer
days and possibly extended hours over the weekends.
Why would they want to do that when they seemed to
be happier, less stressed, and committed to fully enjoying
their daily lives and allotted six weeks of holiday time? In
fact, statistics show that the happiest people in the world
live in Northern Europe (England, Sweden, and Norway),
Switzerland, and several countries within Africa. I kept
thinking, here in North America, we need to create more of
a work environment like theirs instead.
In my 40 years of work in the dental and orthodontic
profession, I have never heard any doctor, hygienist, or
team member tell me they wished they worked more hours
or stated they were bored and had too much time on their
hands. However, I constantly hear the opposite, “I never
have time to get everything done”, “I’m so stressed trying
to keep up with all of my duties and responsibilities”, “I’m
overworked and under-appreciated”, and a common one,
“I’m burnt out with my job and find it less enjoyable.”
With so many highly-skilled professionals in our field
and the difficulty of replacing them, it’s a shame to hear
these phrases coming from dedicated team members
and watching them go through the burnout transition.
Although every job (that’s why it is called a job vs. hobby or
play) has its degree of stress. What we do in the world of
orthodontics should afford us the ability to maintain more
balance, implement fun in our daily routine, and provide
true satisfaction of a job well done at the end of each day.
And who controls this atmosphere of a better balanced
work environment, daily fun and laughter as we interact
with patients, parents, and co-workers, and a restful night
of sleep knowing that we made a difference in the role we
played today? We do! With some invested time in planning
our work week more effectively and committing to a fun
work environment, we can achieve a better balanced work
life and avoid job burnout.
Here’s some helpful tips to get started:
1. Start everyday with an enthusiastic and positive
morning huddle with the goal of making it a productive
day complete with shared fun and support of each
other. Say thank you to your doctor and team members
at the end of each day knowing that together you have
made a difference in people’s lives.
2. Think like a triage nurse prioritizing your job skills
throughout the day. Work in 15 minute increments to
avoid wasting time. Ask yourself, “What’s the best use
of my time and talents in the next 15 minutes?”
3. Interact with your patients and parents during the day
with fun motivational contests, trivia games/questions,
and a true interest in their lives and activities. Don’t
make the day all about the braces and the wires, it’s
about the people.
4. Each job description in the office should have a
daily “to be completed” list that can be followed in
preparation for the next day. When this is completed,
it’s time to go home and replenish yourself for the
next day. There will always be work waiting for you;
spouses, children, and pets are not so easily set aside.
About the AuthorCarol Eaton is best known for her
expertise in training treatment
coordinators and streamlining the new
patient process. She will be presenting
a class at the 2016 Users Group
Meeting in Las Vegas.
A Balanced Work Life
Balanced Work Life continued on page 15
Free WebinarsWe offer you free, online, real-time webinars. Each month throughout the year we present various topics. It’s a great
solution for training new users, refreshing experienced users, or learning about new features. Webinars are offered
several times each month so you can choose the time that fits best with your schedule. Preregistration, a computer with
a high-speed Internet connection, and a phone are required. For a full schedule, and to register, visit www.ortho2.com >
Meetings and Webinars > Ortho2 Webinars, or contact Judy Brown at (800) 346-4504 or [email protected].
Upcoming Webinar Dates
Chat SupportDo you need to call into our Support Team for a question, but it’s difficult to wait on hold, even for a few minutes? Ortho2
has you covered! Use our chat support to get in contact with us. When you use the chat support feature, you will be
added to the same queue as phone calls. You can choose to chat with the Software Support, New Customer Care, or
Network Engineering Teams.
In Edge, you can find links to chat support through the Help menu. In ViewPoint version 11, it is the bottom right Help
button in the Daily Activities menu.
So drop us a line when you are in a pinch! We are here to help you in whatever way is most convenient for you.
Inside Ortho2Information about the people of Ortho2 and the resources available to you as a member
10 11
Background image taken by Brandon Niewoehner
ViewPoint: Best Practices for Financial Coordinators
Tuesday, January 12th, 2:00-3:00 P.M. Central Time
Friday, February, 5th, 10:00-11:00 A.M. Central Time
This webinar will review the best practices for financial
coordinators including how to process bulk payments, set
color coded alerts, and run reports such as the Accounts
Receivable Aging Report and the Insurance by Detail
Report.
Edge: HR Manager
Wednesday, January 20th, 2:00-3:00 P.M. Central Time
Thursday, February 11th, 10:00-11:00 A.M. Central Time
The HR Manager provides comprehensive employee
management features. We will review the set up steps and
key features including: tracking work and vacation hours,
hire date, compensation and benefit details, and other
key personnel information. In addition, the office calendar
within HR Manager provides you with a way to track non-
patient appointments that you schedule for your practice.
Edge: Timeclock
Thursday, March 10th, 10:00-11:00 A.M. Central Time
Monday, March 21st, 2:00-3:00 P.M. Central Time
Staff members can use Edge’s timeclock to clock in, clock
out, specify the job they are working on, and leave a
message about where they are. We will review timeclock set
up, and managing and tracking employee time records.
ViewPoint: Modifying Contracts
Friday, March 11th, 10:00-11:00 A.M. Central Time
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2:00-3:00 P.M. Central Time
We’ll look at options available for making modifications to
existing contracts and using the contract reallocator.
10 11
SupportBy Phone: (800) 346-4504
Available 7:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. Central
Time, Monday – Friday
By E-mail: [email protected]
Response time is usually the same day or
at most within 24 hours.
By Fax: (515) 233-1454
You can fax us support requests. While not required, forms that help identify
these requests are available at www.ortho2.com > Support & Learning >
Requests/Forms > Fax Support.
And Don’t Forget Our Website: www.ortho2.com
Our website gives you 24/7 access to our knowledge base, FAQs, white
papers, visual help videos, and more.
Log into the Customer Site of Ortho2.comThere are many resources available to you on our website. You will find visual help files, printed documentation, FAQs,
information on upcoming meetings, the ability to register for webinars, and more.
If you haven’t already created an account to access the Customer Site of our website, you will need to do that. Each
doctor and staff member can create their own account. Visit www.ortho2.com, and click the feature you want to see, such
as Edge videos or ViewPoint documentation.
Next, click the Register a New User Account link on the login screen. You will be prompted for your full name, main office
phone number, and Ortho2 customer number. Finally, enter your individual email address, a password of your choice (at
least five characters), and a display name that will be publicly visible.
Referral RewardsYou can earn a $500 credit for each referral that results in an Ortho2 system purchase within six months. You can apply the
credit toward any current or future charge or purchase — it never expires. We frequently hear from doctors that they wish
we had contacted them before they purchased their current system. We wish we had too, but we didn’t know they were
looking. You can help us help your colleagues by letting us know when they are considering a change in systems. Enter
referrals online at www.ortho2.com and clicking on the Referral Rewards icon in the top right corner, or call
(800) 678-4644.
Ortho2 AnniversariesCongratulations to these Ortho2 staff members who celebrated anniversaries during the fourth quarter of 2015.
Twenty-Three YearsTodd Schuelka
Twenty-One YearsMichele Eich
Seventeen YearsLowell Davis
Denise Sargent
Jennifer Shaffer
Thirteen YearsRick Kelley
Eleven YearsCorey Schmidt
Ten YearsDerek Dohrman
Three YearsBrian Good
Help Us Help YouPlease be prepared to provide your customer number, practice name, and office location when you call our support
teams for assistance. If you use ViewPoint, you will find your customer number by clicking the Help menu and choosing
About. You can find your customer number in Edge by clicking the Help button > About. Please be sure to provide
this information—and repeat your phone number—when leaving a phone message requesting support. Having clear
information helps us serve you more quickly.
Service ExcellenceWe invite you to recognize Ortho2 employees by sending Extra Mile cards. A card is included in this newsletter, or you
may send cards online from the Contact Us page of our website. Our goal is to uphold our tradition of excellence in
customer service, and with our Extra Mile program, you can let our employees know when you appreciate their extra
effort. We encourage you to send an Extra Mile card whenever an Ortho2 employee goes the extra mile for you. The
recognition is valued by the recipient and is acknowledged by our management team. We continue to look for better ways
to serve you. Thank you for helping us recognize excellence.
New Customer Care Hours UpdatedThe New Customer Care Team has extended their hours! Due to the expansion of the team, New Customer Care will now
be available from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. Central Time. Feel free to reach them at (800) 809-0277, or [email protected].
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RetrainingHave you hired new staff since your original software training? Have you had staff members take on new responsibilities?
Do you feel you might not be taking advantage of the enhancements that have been added over the years?
Ortho2 offers many options for refreshing your knowledge of old features and informing you of new features, but do you
want to be able to set your own agenda to meet the specific needs of your practice?
A retraining — either in your office or over the Internet — addresses all these issues. To learn more and to schedule one
for your practice, contact your Ortho2 Systems Consultant today at (800) 648-4644, or [email protected]
Join Our Email ListHere’s an exciting opportunity to enhance your success with Ortho2 products and services and be among the first to get
news. We have an email communication program which includes money saving discounts and incentives, overviews of new
features, productivity tips, meeting updates, periodic optional feedback surveys, and more. We think you will like getting
these messages.
Furthermore, we believe associate doctors and members of your staff will benefit from the productivity and usage tips,
and we would encourage them to sign up as well.
To register email addresses for this program, simply visit the Register for Updates section of our website,
www.ortho2.com > Resources > Register for Updates. As mentioned above, multiple individuals from your office can
register. Even if we already have your email address, it won’t hurt to register here, and it will guarantee your inclusion in
this program.
And of course, if you or any of your staff ever decide that the messages are not of interest, you can simply use the opt-out
option provided on each message.
Contact UsPhone
(800) 678-4644 (Sales)
(800) 346-4504 (Support)
Fax
(515) 233-1454
Internet
www.ortho2.com
Newsletter Submissions
Social Media
www.facebook.com/ortho2
www.youtube.com/ortho2systems
www.twitter.com/ortho2systems
www.linkedin.com/company/ortho2
https://plus.google.com/+ortho2
http://blog.ortho2.com
www.ortho2.uservoice.com
12 13
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gives the patient the message that the doctor is personally
looking forward to meeting them and will provide the
best care available for him/her. It is the most valuable five
minutes the doctor will spend.
Educate your patients; take away the question and fear
of the unknown. In addition to explaining clearly what is
involved before you start the procedure, update the patient
and parent at the completion of the visit:
• What was done today
• What the patient should expect (closing of space,
tenderness, etc.)
• How the patient is doing overall (progress of
treatment, oral hygiene, cooperation)
• When does the doctor want to see the patient again
• What will the next appointment involve
Finish off by asking the patient and parent about their
experience when you hand them their appointment slip. If
there is a problem solve it quickly and turn complainers into
advocates.
Utilize the back side of patient forms (fee estimate, truth-
in-lending, patient handouts) to promote your practice. As
well as promoting patient contests and events, it is a great
opportunity to promote your kid’s club and advocate adult
treatment (clear brackets, Invisalign, lingual treatment,
etc.).
Some patients feel that it is the end of the world when they
are told to avoid hard and sticky food. Create a cookbook
with brace friendly recipes along with alternatives for
“brace contraband”. Place several copies of each recipe in
a plastic sleeve so patients can take a copy of their favorite
recipes home with them. Encourage patients to share
recipes, giving them credit for their contribution (From the
Kitchen of Madison). Add at least one new recipe each
month.
Develop your patient schedule based on school hours- take
advantage of late starts, early dismissal, teacher in-service
days, school closed and lunch hours. Before school hours
have gained popularity over after school and evening
appointments. Take a survey of your patients to see if your
current hours suit their needs; if not, look at alternative
hours. When scheduling appointments, tell patients what
you have available, not what is not available.
Identify and anticipate your patient’s and parent’s needs.
Patients don’t buy braces; they buy good feelings and
solutions to problems. Most patient needs are emotional
rather than logical. The more you know your patients, the
better you become at anticipating their needs. What can
you give your patients that they cannot get elsewhere?
Listen carefully to what they say and check back regularly to
see how things are going.
Boomerang Effect continued from page 6
with the patients while you treat and take care of their
teeth. The first purpose has an end point, a destination; the
second one is on-going, and can continue even after the
treatment is done.
I have a dear friend whom I referred to an orthodontist in
her town. She is a perfectionist and has high standards and
expectations for service. Often, others view her as being
demanding and may consider her to be a “Ms. PITA” since
she is also very vocal when her expectations aren’t met.
Despite some glitches along the way, the doctor and team
always treated her with kindness, and a glad to see you
attitude. At the end of her treatment, she brought them
wine, flowers, and a wonderful thank you note raving about
how wonderful her experience was.
Think of the times you’ve been a patient or a customer.
What complaints have you had? What experiences made
you smile and want to return? What was different in the
attitude and attention of the people serving you in the two
situations? How can these observations be applied to your
practice?
Some of the best wow service ideas come from your own
experiences. For instance, having WiFi available is common,
but taking the extra step is much more appreciated. For
example, someone was in a reception area and needed to
recharge his cell phone or iPad. Finding an outlet is easy;
but he didn’t have his adapter with him to use. BINGO! The
orthodontists found a charging station online with multiple
types of adapters attached, and ordered one for his own
practice. Now clients can recharge their cell phones and
iPads while waiting to be seen or while being treated.
When you set aside your own concerns and keep focused
Tao of WOW continued from page 8
Tao of WOW continued on the next page
14 15
Balanced Work Life continued from page 9
5. Avoid working a 5-day work week yet provide
coverage (phone and comfort visits) and the
perception that you are available Monday – Friday.
Consider alternating your work week with Monday
through Thursday one week and then Tuesday through
Friday. Having a four day weekend every other week
is great medicine for avoiding burnout and often
times eliminates team members taking time off during
patient days.
6. Invest the time and money to work with a management
consultant proficient in doctor-time scheduling; they
can help you work smarter and more efficient in shorter
work days/weeks while still allowing for growth.
7. Schedule administrative time (non-patient hours) each
week for team members to accomplish the support
duties of the practice. You can make this a weekly goal
or longer period of time bi-monthly. Keep in mind,
some roles in the office require more downtime to
accomplish their assigned duties (financial statements/
reports, pending/recall phone calls, etc.).
8. Schedule monthly or every-other month team meetings
with a minimum of two hours outside of the lunch
block. Work together to discuss what is working well
in your practice and what areas in your practice need
to be fine-tuned. Occasionally, schedule additional
training time for new technology, new protocols, etc.
9. Schedule quarterly team fun events or activities outside
the office such as: bowling, miniature golf, ice or roller
skating, attending a local play/musical together, taking
a cooking class or painting class together, or attending
a local business seminar on enhanced communications,
customer service, or dealing with difficult people.
Don’t forget to attend the annual Ortho2 Users Group
Meeting as a team each year; a great opportunity
to learn and grow together as you build your team
camaraderie.
10. Plan a yearly team retreat; meet outside the office to
review goals/reports of previous and current statuses
and make new goals for the upcoming year. Choose
a good business book as your theme for the year with
each team member reading and reporting their input
and suggestions.
I will be speaking at the upcoming Ortho2 Users Group
Meeting in Las Vegas, NV. I encourage your team to come a
day early or stay an extra day to discuss ways to implement
balance in your daily work schedule. If you have time,
schedule a fun evening of shared entertainment or a group
tour of the Zappos Company who embodies fun in their
work environment. For more information, you can contact
me at [email protected].
on taking care of others, you can put yourself in their
shoes and from that vantage point you will find ways to
wow them. Wow moments aren’t necessarily big and
flashy. More often people are wowed by the small things:
someone remembered a conversation and asked about it
again; someone remembered a birthday or anniversary;
someone congratulates someone for an award, or
accomplishment, etc. In other words, when someone shows
genuine interest in and knowledge about someone else,
that person feels acknowledged and important. That’s a
moment of wow.
Orthodontics itself is a wow moment when the braces
come off and the patient sees a new beautiful smile to be
proud of. That moment is an opportunity to really wow
the patient. Rosemary Bray, one of the many Wow-Masters
disguised as orthodontic consultants, has written “Deband
Songs—50 Top Songs to Add Pizzazz to Deband Day”.
Other Wow-Maters like LeeAnn Peniche, Carole Eaton, and
Debbie Best (to cite but a few) consistently share fabulous
ideas that transform a dental appointment into a loving
experience to remember and share with others. Whenever
you attend one of their lectures, you should definitely steal
their ideas and listen to their counsel. More important,
though, is to capture the thinking that generated the ideas
they share, and not just the ideas themselves. When you
start looking through the eyes of the patients, you begin
the Tao of WOW.
Tao of WOW continued from previous page
1107 Buckeye Ave., Ames, Iowa 50010 • www.ortho2.com
“Delivering premium solutions for success to the orthodontic profession…”
Feel like you are in a rut when it comes to
wowing your patients with customer service?
Use these ideas, and your past experiences
to help you improve.
page 8
How you treat your patients reflects heavily
in the review they give you. Learn how to
turn your patients into patient ambassadors.
page 6
We have all heard of employees burning out from their
job. Use these 10 tips to maintain a work life balance.
page 9
ORTHO2Sales (800) 678-4644 Support (800) 346-4504
Local/Intl. (515) 233-1026 Fax (515) 233-1454
