1. C112
THE “SAVAGE” FRONT DESK
RHONDA SAVAGE, DDS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
DISCLAIMER: This work, audio recordings and the accompanying handout, are the intellectual property of the clinician, and permission has
been granted to the Chicago Dental Society, its members, successors and assigns, for the unrestricted, absolute, perpetual, worldwide right
to distribute solely as an educational material at the scientific program being presented at the 2011 Midwinter Meeting. Permission has been
granted for this work to be shared for non-commercial education purposes only. No other use, including reproduction, retransmission in any
form or by any means or editing of the information may be made without the written permission of the author. The Chicago Dental Society
does not assume any responsibility or liability for the content, accuracy, or compliance with applicable laws, and the Chicago Dental Society
shall not be sued for any claim involving the distribution of this work.

2. Chicago Dental Society MWM & REGIONAL MEETING COURSE EVALUATION
Speaker: Date:
Subject: Number of attendees:
PLEASE RATE YOUR SPEAKER AS TO: Excellent Good Fair Poor N/A
• Subject selected................................. 4 3 2 1 0
• Timeliness of subject ......................... 4 3 2 1 0
• Comprehensiveness........................... 4 3 2 1 0
• Meeting your expectations ................ 4 3 2 1 0
• Content level...................................... 4 3 2 1 0
• Delivery .............................................. 4 3 2 1 0
• Voice quality....................................... 4 3 2 1 0
• Holding your interest ......................... 4 3 2 1 0
• Appropriate audiovisuals ................... 4 3 2 1 0
• Effective audiovisuals ........................ 4 3 2 1 0
• Overall evaluation of speaker ............ 4 3 2 1 0
• Overall evaluation of program........... 4 3 2 1 0
Should this speaker be invited for future meetings? Yes q No q
What topics of interest would you like to see covered in the future?
Comments (use reverse if you need additional space):
Name (requested but not required—please print):
RETURN EVALUATION CARD TO: DO NOT FOLD CARD. FOR CDS PERMANENT FILES.
Chicago Dental Society
Aloysius F. Kleszynski, DDS
401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60611-5585

3. The Savage Front Desk
and The Dental Team
Strong Practices=
Stronger Systems
Rhonda R. Savage, DDS
CEO, Miles Global
Consultant, Speaker, Author
Rhonda@MilesGlobal.net

4. “Life is like a 10-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use!”
-Charles Schultz
1. Communication: What do today’s patients want?
1. Friendliness: _____________________________________
2. Reasonable waiting time. What’s reasonable? ________________
3. A good ________________________________
4. A relationship
How many connections for a new patient? ____________________
5. Technology
Ideas: _____________________________________________________________
6. Convenience: ___________________________________________________
Online bill pay and appointing
Confirmation process options
Family appointments
7. Price
8. Women are twice as likely to choose over
__________________________ if they have an option.
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

5. Keeping Your Eye on the Goal: Defining your vision and
values
“You cannot be 1000 times better, but you can
be better in 1000 small ways.”
A “Values Driven Job Description”
“How Fascinating!”
Broken Appointments: Causes and Remedies
1. Value
a. Last 30 seconds
b. Words to Avoid and Words to use
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

6. c. Phone Skills
2. Keeping Patients Waiting
3. Changing _______________ ______________________ to fit our needs.
4. New Patient failures
5. Family appointments
6. Misguided communication
“In order for you to profit from your mistakes,
you have to get out and make some.
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

7. 7. A burned out staff will _____________________ for a BA/ Last
minute cancellation.
Broken appointment policies:
1. Should you charge?
2. Who should call?
3. Non-refundable retainers
4. Family appointments
5. Phone recorded message
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

8. 6. Written policy?
7. Broken appointment letters
Scheduling tips:
1. 4 types of flex time
2. “Like Gold”
3. Demanding patients
4. Doctor’s willingness to delegate
5. Today and Tomorrow
6. Flexibility
Time and motion study:
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

9. Hygiene no-shows:
Importance of recare and reactivation:
“I’ve been busy regurgitating my patients!”
-Dr. Kwan, Alberta, Canada
Verbal skills for hygiene:
1. Nightguards
2. “I just want my teeth cleaned”
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

10. Recall: The system:
Time Management
Master List
Others help; there is NO downtime in a dental practice
Tears will get you sympathy. Sweat will get you results.
-Anonymous
Financial Policies:
Time of service
Discounts
Courtesies
Lab Cases:
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

11. Care Credit
Deposits/retainers
Online bill pay
Interest or rebill?
Accountability as a system=Stronger teams
Examples:
Collections:
The Accounts Receivable Report:
Percentages:
The system:
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved

12. Insurance management:
Reading the past due insurance report
Run an unattached claim report
Statistics:
The System:
©copyright 2012 Rhonda R. Savage, DDS All Rights Reserved