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A fully-fledged hygiene department can spell both health and wealth for a practice. MED reveals how to become a lead player in the success of your dental clinic.

A common refrain heard from hygienists working in the Middle East is that they are underutilised. While in the US, for example, it's rare to find a practice without a hygiene department, in this region it is more unusual to find a clinic that does.

While some clinics have long known that hygienists are good for far more than just prophies, others may need a little encouragement.

Reports suggest local dentists are slowly waking up to the potential of in-house hygienists but as a profession, what can hygienists do to help move this along?

Educate to accumulate

Like charity, good PR begins at home. A little internal marketing in your current practice can raise your profile with your dentist and patients, and see you firmly established as a key player in the dental clinic's finances.

It's important to remember that, next to the dentist, the second largest production centre in the practice is the hygiene department. And it is often underused. Make the most of your role by maximising your contribution to the practice's profit, and growing its patient base.

Two simple ways to do this are by playing a role in patient retention and compliance, and by ramping up patient referrals to the dentist.

It's a fact that hygienists spend more time with patients than any other member of the team. You promote good oral health, educate patients, flag up potential problems and can introduce them to new treatment options such as cosmetic dentistry, or implants.

Building on this rapport can ensure repeat business (most dental procedures are sold on service) and, more importantly, improved patient compliance.

Excellent customer service has the biggest impact on patient retention, and hygienists that actively educate patients win two perks.

Firstly, an educational practice is seen as a service-orientated practice; and secondly, the savvier the patient is to the benefits of oral health, the more accepting they are of treatment, meaning referrals are likely to increase as well.

One of the most effective ways of priming patients during appointments is by allowing them to 'co-diagnose'. Show them, using either an intraoral camera or a handheld mirror, where the problems are. Use statements and questions, such as; 'Do you see that the gum around this tooth is bleeding? How long has this been happening?'

This way, the patient becomes actively involved in identifying problems, and is motivated to discuss the potential treatment options available.

Make this process a standard part of each appointment, even with long-standing patients. Repetition is the key to good compliance, and an educated attitude to oral hygiene.

If a patient has been barely brushing for 20 years, it will take more than one consultation to reverse this habit. In addition, this one-to-one attitude helps build a more profitable relationship. Remember, it costs less to cultivate an existing patient than it does to find a new one.

Profit pointers

Where hygienists can really make a difference to a practice's bottom line is through referrals. As the person who spends the most time with patients, you are in the best position to intelligently suggest solutions for the oral health problems you see.

This can be as simple as identifying treatment opportunities, educating and motivating patients and helping them move towards the decision to have treatment.

For example, you are the best person to identify periodontal problems and then flag them up to your dentist. There are plenty of periodontal treatments that can be offered within the general dental practitioners office, and these can be an added source of profit.

A good first step is to liaise with your dentist and ask what treatments the practice would like to be doing more of.

The usual suspects are procedures such as comprehensive dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, periodontal therapy, and implant dentistry, and hygienists are perfectly placed to identify potential candidates.

Learn your practice's service list and make sure you are able to talk knowledgably to patients about it.

While it is not your job to diagnose patients, it is perfectly acceptable, when talking to a patient who is unhappy about their tooth colour for example, to mention that your practice offers bleaching services.

By introducing the idea you are reacting positively to information the patient is giving you, plus setting the stage for a potential treatment opportunity for your practice. Your patient feels valued, and their perception of your service is positive. Everyone wins.

Role model

As in any small business, employees in dental clinics are rated on their financial value to the company. Hygienists have come a long way from pure prophylaxis, to be equal players in the dental industry.

If you can establish your economic value to the practice beyond your skills in the surgery, you will fast become seen as a treatment provider who can contribute to practice growth. For better job satisfaction and a chance to reach your full potential, it's the best route to take.

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