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ORTHO TRIBUNE | MARcH SUpplEMENT practice Matters 9 By Roger P. Levin, DDS E very ortho practice should have clear and challenging perfor- mance goals. This is the first step in improving the practice and reaching the office’s true produc- tion potential. Without goals, the practice is often adrift and the team lacks a sense of true purpose. In such an orthodontic practice, the staff often experiences high stress and has one main objective — get through the day and go home. Only by having goals and achiev- ing those goals can orthodontists know the real meaning of total ortho success. This is truly the challenge of practicing orthodontics in the second decade of the 21st century. production potential Like any business, orthodontic practices need to measure perfor- mance by establishing clear objec- tives. Levin Group recommends the following targets to clients to move them closer to their true production potential: • Starts should grow by at least 10 percent or more annually. • The close rate for new patient consults should be 85 percent or higher. • Patient referrals from dentists should increase by 10 percent or more. • The number of patients in obser- vation should grow by at least 5 percent each year. • The overdue debond rate should not exceed 2 percent. • The collection rate should be 99 percent. • The number of patients overdue for retainer checks should be less than 2 percent. In the current economy, most orthodontic practices will have dif- ficulty reaching these targets unless they have implemented document- The power of goal setting ed management and marketing sys- tems. Once goals have been estab- lished, the next step is for practices to create the systems that allow the office to reach its targets. Each ortho practice has a series of major business systems that include: • Scheduling • Treatment coordinator process • Patient financial management • Insurance management • Case presentation • Office communication • Referral marketing Effective systems set the founda- tion for attaining superior customer service, outstanding productivity and increased production. The dif- ference between high-performance orthodontic practices and others comes down to the efficiency of their business systems. Ortho prac- tices with the best systems have managed — despite the economy — to meet their production targets and experience substantial growth. conclusion Goal setting is critical to achieving success in your professional and personal life. Track goals weekly. Without a structured management approach in place, many practi- tioners are focused on day-to-day operations and fail to see the true production potential within their practices. Goal setting can help you manage your practice instead of being managed by it. To help you meet this year’s pro- duction goals, get the proven solu- tions at Dr. Roger Levin’s next Total Ortho Success™ Seminar being held April 8 and 9 in Chicago. Ortho Tri- bune readers are entitled to receive a 20 percent courtesy. To receive this courtesy, call (888) 973-0000 and mention “Ortho Tribune” or e-mail customerservice@levingroup.com with “Ortho Tribune Courtesy” in the subject line. OT AD Dr. Roger P. Levin is founder and chief executive officer of Levin Group, the leading orthodontic prac- tice management firm. Levin Group provides Total Ortho Success™ , the premier comprehensive consulting solution for lifetime success to ortho- dontists in the United States and around the world. Levin Group may be reached at (888) 973-0000 and customerservice@levingroup.com. About the authorOT