Before COVID-19 hit we had started to think about how one of the big benefits BiteFX provides to dentists getting started with implementing the concepts of occlusion in their practices is in helping their staff to understand the concepts.
"Introduce Complete Care Dentistry to Your Team" - Easy to Say, More Difficult To Do!
In January I audited the Dawson Academy "Examination and Records Class". Like other similar classes, I'm sure, they provide an Implementation Guide with steps for attendees to take following the class. Step 1 is "Schedule a team meeting to introduce complete care dentistry" and includes bullets like "Explain the four parts of the chewing system", "Explain the signs of occlusal instability", and "Present the ideas of cause and effect, and implications and solutions".
It occurred to me that those things are easy to say but not so easy to do - at least in ways that will capture the staff's attention and truly bring them on board with the new way of thinking dentists are picking up from these classes.
Simple BiteFX Promo Video an Eye-Opener for Dr. John Kinsley's Staff
Then I remembered Dr. John Kinsley calling us a few days after he and a couple of friends had literally grabbed copies of BiteFX (throwing their credit cards at us) as they ran out of the door to catch their planes following the AES meeting in 2006. John was so excited by the impact BiteFX was having on his staff - and all they'd done was watch a 30-minute promo video we'd put together and included in the product package! The message of the video and the few animations we included were eye-openers to John's staff!
Dr. Joe Gaudio Shared the Basics Using BiteFX;
Sees Light Bulbs Flashing On In Their Heads!
Dr. Joe Gaudio also described the importance of opening the eyes of staff members to the full benefits of understanding occlusion in this chapter in "Becoming Your Patients' Hero" - "How Explaining Occlusion Transformed Dr. Joe Gaudio's Practice":
‘My staff weren’t totally on board with the “occlusal transformation” I was trying to bring about …
I don’t like to think how things would have gone had a colleague not suggested I try BiteFX.
First, I showed my staff the basics – what a healthy bite looks like, why anterior guidance is important, how the muscles and TMJ work, and then how things go wrong when there are interference effects or deteriorating TMJs.
I could see the light bulbs flashing on in their heads!
No longer was I “crazy Dr. Joe off on his latest fad”!’
Dr. Gaudio wasn’t teaching rocket-science to his staff, but a few visuals from BiteFX made a HUGE difference, first to his staff and later with a steady stream of new patients.
Don't Assume They Know!
Dr. Kinsley and Dr. Gaudio are just two examples of probably hundreds of comments we've received over the years of new BiteFX members being surprised at how their staff's understanding and enthusiasm was boosted by attending BiteFX coaching sessions (where the main focus is how to use BiteFX , not in teaching occlusion).
Even after these BiteFX-coaching boosts, it would be wrong to assume your staff are fully on-board with everything involved with occlusion. They now know it's a good thing, but they may still find all the articulators, face bows, bite records and splints a bit of a magical mystery.
Only if you've taken the time to put them fully in the picture yourself can you be sure they truly get it!
And how many dentists have time in their weeks firstly to prepare a decent explanation and then find a slot where all the staff can be present to receive that training?
Forced Practice Closures Provide Perfect Opportunity for This Training
Now that your practice is closed you have time to plan and give this training in occlusion to your staff.
And consider some of the other benefits giving this training will give:
- Just as BiteFX helps you communicate "I care" to your patients, giving this training communicates to your staff that you care about them and want them fully involved.
- Your staff know that you're looking ahead beyond the forced closures to come back stronger and better.
- It will be a great way of touching base with your staff, so they're not just laid off and forgotten.
- Perhaps this training will spawn ideas for other training sessions you can organize. Even just an hour a week will probably speak volumes to your team.
- Hopefully you're not feeling rushed off your feet so you can slow down and make sure you're listening to your team as they ask questions about, and give ideas inspired by, what you present.
Why Should All Staff Members Be Part of This Training?
We'd recommend you involve your whole team in this training.
Why?
Because each member of your team interacts with your patients at one time or another. The more valued they feel they are and the better they understand your purpose and goals for the patients, the more positive they'll be with the patients.
Remember that what they think and feel will communicate itself in more ways than what they say:
- Their body posture
- Their eyes when you say certain things to your patients
- Their faces - are they smiling, quizzical or serious?
- The tone of their voices when talking to patients (outside your hearing)
Make sure you equip everyone with that underlying knowledge that builds enthusiasm for everything you do!
BiteFX "Train Your Staff" Presentations
We don't presume we can teach you how to train your staff. You're the expert and the one with the vision and direction that will make the difference.
However, we can help you make a start by providing some templates and suggestions of what you can communicate.
Here's what they'll look like when you've imported them in to BiteFX:
Once imported you can totally hack and rearrange them to make them yours, but we hope that they'll give you a basic structure that will be so much easier than trying to start with a blank sheet of paper.
Easy To Do Online
You can observe social distancing guidelines by giving this training using one of the online video-sharing services such as GoToMeeting (if you already have it), Zoom (free, though possibly with some restrictions) and Google Hangouts.
These services are generally pretty easy to use, but we'll be happy to give you guidance on working with them if you're new to them.
Just Click On The Link Below to Download a Zip File with the Presentations and Installation/Usage Guide
Download the BiteFX "Train Your Staff" Presentations and Installation Instructions