Exit strategies - Smiling Magazine

Smiling
A N
Fall 2005
A
M A Z I
N G
D E
Vol. 3, No. 1
Exit strategies:
• Practice Profiles
• Leadership
• Communication
• Coaches’ Corner
N T A L
M A
G
A
Z
I
N E
A Heartland Quarterly
Welcome ...
We are proud to welcome into our
HEARTLAND DENTAL CARE FAMILY
the following doctors and their teams,
who recently affiliated with us!
DEDI L. TURNER, DDS
Smile Designers
Indianapolils, Ind.
JAMES E. LITTLE, DDS
Creekwood Dental
Bradenton, Fla.
THOMAS RINGENBERG, DDS
Ringenberg Family Dentistry
Richmond, Ind.
Rick Workman, DMD
President & CEO, Heartland Dental Care
I
t’s hard to believe this year is winding down. Fall is
here, the leaves are changing and so is our company.
While we’ve said goodbye to old friends, we’ve also
welcomed new ones. I’d like for everyone to join me in
welcoming John Slack as our new chief financial officer.
John brings a vast amount of experience to our senior
management team and is prepared to help take our
company to the next level. To find out more about John,
please see the feature on the next page.
We’ve also celebrated several additions to our
Heartland Family since July, including our most recent
affiliation with Dr. Tim Marshall of Florida. This affiliation
adds close to 20 new doctors to our family of dentists! I
believe this new relationship will provide us with some
wonderful opportunities for growth and expansion in
central Florida. These new locations will give us the
opportunity to seek additional affiliates in these cities.
Please see the accompanying list of our newest family
members. Our partnerships with dentists outside
Heartland are growing, too. Please join me in welcoming
our newest partner, Dr. Frank Nelson and team of Nelson
Family Dental in Bullhead City, Ariz.
The Dentist Place for Kids
Orange Park, Fla.
The Dentist Place
Orlando, Fla.
The Dentist Place
Brooksville, Fla.
TIM MARSHALL, DDS
The Dentist Place
Jacksonville, Fla.
The Dentist Place for Kids
Brooksville, Fla.
The Dentist Place
Lakeland, Fla.
AND
The Dentist Place for Kids
Lakeland, Fla.
Perfect Smiles
Ballwin, Mo.
The Dentist Place
Ocala, Fla.
ICOT Center
Clearwater, Fla.
received is very positive. We will keep everyone informed
as more information is released. I want you to know that I
appreciate everyone’s hard work and the results achieved
during this time.
We also are looking forward to the upcoming Heartland
Experience being held here in Effingham. By changing
our traditional format for this event, we hope to catch
everyone up to the same level, which will provide us with
more flexibility for future trainings.
Remember, the level of success you achieve is up to
you, each and every day. I thank all of you for everything
you do for the patients we serve.
We continue to work hard on the second ESOP and are
on track for completion of the process by Jan. 1, 2006.
There are some extremely exciting developments taking
place regarding the ESOP that I am not able to disclose
at this time, but suffice it to say, the feedback we have
PAGE 2
The Dentist Place
Orange Park, Fla.
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
John Slack joins Heartland
as newest member
of the management team
H
eartland Dental Care (HDC) recently welcomed Mr. John
Slack as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Slack joined HDC
in October, bringing more than 30 years of executive,
financial and administrative experience in healthcare, environmental
and oil, and automotive services. This includes 15 years as CFO of
AMEX and NASDAQ companies.
Additionally, Slack’s experience in public equity offerings, debt
structuring, mergers and acquisitions, Securities and Exchange
Commission reporting, risk management, market analysis,
forecasting, budgeting and systems management is an asset to his
position as Heartland’s CFO.
“We are very pleased that John has joined our management
team,” Heartland President and CEO Rick Workman, DMD, said. “I
believe the skills and experience John brings to the table will be a
great asset to us as we continue to expand our company and grow
our team members.”
John said Heartland’s successful growth story and strong
management were just a few of the things that attracted him to the
company.
John said he was impressed that the company had grown
without a lot of fanfare, but rather, in a very patient- and employeefocused manner.
John also was impressed with the training and education
available at Heartland.
“I haven’t seen such emphasis on quality and training previously
in the industry,” he said. “Heartland spends a lot more money on
training and employee education than I’ve ever been associated
with, and that sets this
company apart from other
dental practice
management companies.”
Slack said all these
factors played a role in his
John Slack
decision to join Heartland
Chief Financial Officer, Heartland Dental Care
when the opportunity
presented itself — a
decision he has been very
happy with.
“I’m very pleased with the people and the enthusiasm here,” he
said about Heartland. “This is the hardest working group I’ve ever
encountered. My expectations have more than been fulfilled.”
Prior to joining Heartland, John served as Interim Chief Executive
Officer for Castle Dental Centers Inc., in Houston, Texas, a multilocation healthcare services company where he managed all
aspects of the $100 million revenue business.
John said his numerous years of experience in the financial
community will help him guide Heartland as the company and its
team members continue to grow.
John is a graduate of Georgetown University, Edmund A. Walsh
School of Foreign Service, Washington, D.C., with a bachelor of
science degree in international economics. He also attended the
University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Business, Ann Arbor,
Mich.
John can be reached by calling 217.540.5100.
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
PAGE 3
COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES
PAGE 4
Verbal Non-defensiveness
The 8 skills of communication:
By Pat Bauer
Chief Operations Officer
Heartland Dental Care
W
(Fourth in a series)
e discussed in our last issue that everyone has at least 100 problems every day. So, in addition
to coping with our own issues, we also may have to deal with the issues of others. We may get
dinged or shot at many times throughout the day. We need to be able to handle these hits in a
non-defensive manner.
Dr. Gerald Bell’s fourth of eight skills of communication is “Verbal Non-defensiveness”. Remaining
calm and non-defensive can be difficult, especially when we may feel like we are constantly under
attack. However, when we learn and implement the skills of verbal non-defensiveness, we can be more
open and communicate more effectively with others.
The steps to becoming more open and verbally non-defensive are actually very similar to the steps
to confronting conflict except they are reversed. First, let’s review some of the rules for confronting
conflict. These include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
You should not confront everybody.
You should not confront every problem.
Be very selective in choosing problems and people to confront.
Only confront a problem if it is a significant problem and “Major in Majors”.
Only confront people if you want to make the relationship better.
You only confront if the problem can be changed. You never confront it
if you can’t change it.
As always, we must accept the fact that we are part of the problem. We need to acknowledge this by
being open to feedback.
Now we are ready to communicate in a verbal non-defensive manner using the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ask permission and find a quiet place to hold your discussion.
Ask for solutions. “Any ideas on what we can do to correct this …?”
Ask them to describe the behavior of concerns in neutral terms. “When you do/did (xyz)….”
Then, ask them to explain the reasons why they feel that way. “Because ….”
They should try to use at least six feelings, (i.e. angry, sad, hurt, embarrassed, ridiculed,
attacked, stupid, etc.).
5. Then, describe how you felt/feel. “I felt/feel ….”
6. Discuss their solutions and offer yours.
7. Agree on the next steps, which always
include follow-up, closure and clarity.
Pat Bauer can
If you use these skills and practice them, you will
be better prepared to handle the hits that come your
way. The important thing to remember here is to focus
on how the other person is feeling and to not take it
personally.
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
be reached at
217.540.5100.
Homeowner or
Housekeeper?
M
y Mom has never really been the
conventional person. There was the
time she put her shoes in the
refrigerator and the time she vacuumed the
yard. Then, recently, she did something I
certainly did not expect.
I was home visiting, and Mom was busy
scurrying around the house picking things up
and putting things away. I knew she had hired a
housekeeper to take care of the house every
couple of weeks so I found this odd that she
was cleaning – but then again, it’s Mom and
she always has a valid reason for her actions.
She proclaimed, “The house keeper is
coming tomorrow and I have to tidy up! When I
do the little things, she doesn’t have to do so
much”.
My thought was, isn’t that what you hired
her for — to do the cleaning, to make your life
easier? I let it pass; I learned a long time ago
not to argue with Mom.
Later, I wondered how my mother had lost
sight of the overall picture and become so
focused on the small details? It seemed as if
Mom had lost the forest for the trees; she had
become so engrossed in the details of tidying
up that she had forgotten that the whole
purpose of hiring a housekeeper was to do
those things for her.
Then I wondered if the same thing happens
in our dental offices? Do we become so
occupied with all the tasks that need to be done
that we fail to remember the reason we are
busy is because of the patients?
I
t is surprising how the little things can pile up
on a daily basis — the unfiled charts, the
dirty instruments that amazingly multiply
during the day or the treatment rooms that
never seem to be properly stocked. These little
things, when left undone, can suddenly become
our focus and we loose sight of the bigger
picture — just as my Mom had lost sight of the
reason she hired the housekeeper. We get so
caught up in filing the charts, stocking the
By Donna Weir
Vice President, Operations
Heartland Dental Care
rooms or sterilizing instruments that we loose
sight of helping our patients.
As dental professionals, our patients trust us
to keep their best interests in mind. They want
us to listen to them, connect with them, and
they want to trust us to take care of their dental
needs.
Are you a homeowner or the
housekeeper? Check your list:
I
• Huddle: everyone on time,
prepared in advance, have new
patient research forms, chart
preps completed, discussing
where conversions are
possible.
• Building rapport with patients:
conversing with them in terms
of their DISC and SWOT.
• Helping patients to understand
their treatment: using the
Casey® system, intraoral
photos or digital photos.
• Helping patients to overcome
obstacles they may have:
working with their schedule,
offering financing options that
fit within their budget.
• Schedule: 2-on-1 transfer,
unscheduled treatment,
insurance benefits remaining,
recare.
remember when I started as a business
assistant and how easy it was to get caught
up in the peripheral issues, and then, how
quickly the day passed without any attention to
the schedule or recare report or incomplete
treatment report. I lost sight of the fact that our
patients wanted us to keep our full attention on
them.
One time, when I finally got around to calling
on the recare report, I had a patient say to me,
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
“I thought you forgot about me?” My heart sank.
What an eye opener! While I thought I was
doing the right thing by keeping the office
going, I was focusing on the details and not on
the bigger picture. I was not focused on our
patients. I was too busy to take care of the
bigger issues because I was tidying up for the
housekeeper. What I had not realized was that I
needed to act like a homeowner — I needed to
take care of the patients.
A
s we enter the fourth quarter, it may be
easy to become sidetracked in the endof-the-year activities and all of the
upcoming holiday festivities. In our dental
offices, we might be boxing up old charts and
2005 reports, cleaning out the cabinets or
sorting through old lab cases. My Mom would
call this “tidying up the house”.
The challenge is to remain focused on our
patients and not become overly engaged in the
tasks. As we go through our day-to-day
activities, the challenge will be to remain
focused on the bigger picture — to be the
homeowner.
Donna Weir
can be
reached at
217.540.5130.
PAGE 5
le
ofi
r
Effingham Dental
eP
c
i
t
ac
Effingham, Illinois
r
P
Group
Above: The Clinical Team at Effingham Dental
Group has a quick huddle to make sure everyone is
on the same page.
Left: Effingham Dental Group team members are,
front row, from left: Kim Strong, Sandy Easley, Jan
Zike, Diane Bushue, Trista Angel, Casey Overbeck
and Sheila Osborn. Back row, from left: Jon Fulton,
Dr. Scott Moore, Lisa Schultz, Susan Swim, Rachel
Zalman, Kathy Gibson, Stephanie Thompson, Angie
Sampson and Dr. Adam Link.
F
It’s all about teamwork at Effingham Dental Group
or Scott Moore, DMD, life has come full
circle during the past year. Practicing
dentistry for 17 years, he started his
career working as a partner with Dr. Rick
Workman. However, that changed when Dr.
Workman sold his original practices in 1997.
When the opportunity arose for Heartland
Dental Care (HDC) to purchase back the
original “founding group” of practices last year,
it wasn’t a difficult decision for Dr. Moore.
“Effingham is home. I grew up here. My wife
grew up here. Why leave a thriving practice?”
he said. Besides, there were other things to
consider.
Above: The Effingham Dental Group team performs
its huddle ritual during a recent Thrive meeting.
Below: Whether on the phone or filing charts, the
business assistants at Effingham Dental Group are
ready with a friendly smile.
PAGE 6
“There really was no training before,” he
explained. “There was minimal training for
doctors and even less for the staff.”
That, however, has all changed.
According to Kim Strong, dental assistant,
the team has gone from 0 to 100 percent
improvement since rejoining HDC.
Strong explained that as a group, they set
goals and discuss the strengths and
weaknesses of the team, and then create
action plans.
Sheila Osborn, client and practice
administrator for the office, pointed out that one
of the many strengths of the team is that they
are very close.
“As big as this team is, everyone is very
close. That’s not always the case with teams
this size,” she said.
“I’m very proud of them. This team has very
few culture issues. If something comes up, they
work it out together,” Jon Fulton, regional
director of operations for Effingham Dental
Group, added.
Collectively, the team at Effingham Dental
Group has more than 100 years experience in
the dental industry. And, the team has grown,
too, thanks to the addition of Adam Link, DMD.
Dr. Link, who has been practicing dentistry
for three years, said his transition to Effingham
Dental Group was pretty easy, although he was
a bit concerned because he had never worked
with another doctor who had more experience
than he had. Working along side Dr. Moore,
however, has been a great experience for him.
“It’s nice to have someone with more
experience to work with and be able to ask
questions,” he said.
Osborn said the real secret to their success
is that they all appreciate each other. Diane
Bushue, RDH, agreed.
“It’s all about teamwork here,” Bushue said.
“We all know what needs to be done and we
don’t hesitate to ask for help when we need it.
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
S
T
A
T
S
• 2 Doctors
• 11 Team members
• 10 dental chairs
• On pace to do over
$2 million in this year
Everyone is willing to help, too. We all have
one focus and we all work well together.”
Rachel Zalman, who is both a hygienist and
business assistant added: “I’ve worked in
different offices and it’s been totally different
here. We all have the same goal.”
Bushue said that’s because everyone is
aware of the numbers and know what they
mean.
“The numbers let us see what we’re doing,”
When we walk out the door at the end of the
day we know we’ve worked hard and we can
see that hard work reflected in the numbers,”
Strong said. “You can have a crazy day but
when you see the numbers, it’s not about who
is doing the most but about how many we are
doing.”
Right now team members at Effingham
Dental Group are very focused as HDC
prepares to roll out its second ESOP —
something they are striving to be a part of.
“It’s been one of our major goals, to guide
this office to the next ESOP,” Fulton said.
While team members take their work very
seriously, Dr. Moore said they also make sure
to have fun.
“We don’t just work together; we do things
together and are friends outside the office.
We’re like family!” Zalman said.
T
The Hygiene Buzzzzzz
L.K.: Can you tell us about your most
he Regional Hygiene
eryone!
ractices !
p
e
n
memorable patient and how he or she
Meetings have been
ie
g
Hello Ev
hy
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z in the st and Septemb
z
u
signifies the heart of what you do for
an opportunity for
b
a
n
Augu
s bee
isa
hygienists at Heartland
your patients in your practice?
There ha eartland during e Mueller and L tings
n
H
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e
ia
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D
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M
Dental Care to get together
o
,
e
s
h
e
n
g
ch
throu
nal Hygie
care
iene coa
and receive the most up-toown hyg sy hosting Regio e-based hygiene
J.H.: A woman named Chris is who I
r
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O
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c
date information in the
b
s
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vide
. Th e
e
s
, were
u
e
remember. She was 40 years old and terrified
c
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ll
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K
n
industry for enhanced patient
burned
ole-patie
ured up-t
of going to the dentist. She hadn’t been to the
that feat tients with a wh ssionals – they ake
care. We want to thank
fe
m
a
o
p
o
r
dentist in 10 years and was a smoker. Her
t
p
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e
OraPharma for its sponsorship
for ou
summat in a lot of hour r HDC
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main concern was her bleeding gums. She
e
r
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and support of these meetings.
pu
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t oil and timely and usab
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went through periodontal treatment and
ig
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Jill Maher, senior national
id
the m
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even referred a large case to the practice.
a
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She was very grateful! She even called me
a
has attended all the forums. She
ur
ts.
sion
hygienis nd Lisa are pas and supporting o ation
and told me she quit smoking before she
continually strives to make sure
mmunic
Diane a access to care
o
c
d
told her own husband. This is the patient
that all our hygienists are educated
n
a
l
nica
are,
nd
who made me feel “impactful and
about Arestin® and receive the
patient c to grow their cli ly recommend a our
r
nt
ts
fo
e
is
t
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n
r
is
a
s
ie
patient education materials they
significant.” It’s patients like this who
c
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hey can prehensive dent
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need to provide the utmost level of
s
make a difference in your career.
ls
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e best co
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M.L.: My patient’s name is Laura. She
s
r
e
d
v
n
li
a
de
also want to thank the folks at Zila
eminars forward to
s
went to another dentist in the past and
e
.
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e
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ie
pat
ok
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who provided Vizilite® kits for training
.
r
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s
a
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he told her at each ReCare she had
e
is
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y
n
ta
I enjo
eat hygie ment the best s isa –
on oral cancer screening at these
r
g
r
gum disease, but it was OK. She had
u
o
L
h
events.
time wit as we fully imple anks Diane and !
a heart attack with no history of heart
d
h
n
Personally, it was such a pleasure
watching our patients. T nists at Heartla
disease or high blood pressure in her
r
ie
for Diane and I to be a part of these
H
of care fo r incredible hyg
family. I treated her periodontal
D
R
mas,
u
meetings. The brainstorming that came
ulie Tho erations
infection with SRP and Arestin. She
and all o
J
—
from our hygienists masterminding and
of Op
P
V
had no clue about the systemic link
C
D
H
networking was phenomenal!
between periodontal disease and
I seized an opportunity to follow-up
heart
disease
until
I told her. She is very
with three of our hygienists about their
appreciative
and
thankful,
and
thinks
she may never have had
experiences at these meetings: Elizabeth
the heart attack had she been educated and received treatment
Hodge, LDH, of Hoosier Family Dental in
sooner.
Anderson, Ind.; Monica Little, RDH, of Champaign Dental Group in
Champaign, Ill.; and Julia Harter, RDH, from the Dental Designs of FloridaDale Mabry office. Their input has wisdom and great advice for hygienists
L.K.: If you could give one piece of advice on patient care to
in all career stages.
your peers, what would it be?
L.K.: After the recent Regional Hygiene Meeting, what quality
of care changes did you make for your patients the first
day back in your office?
J.H.: One thing I learned more about is fluoride — the different types
and uses for adults and how to better educate patients of their
need for topical and take-home fluoride. Also, the correct coding
and case-typing for periodontal disease and Arestin. This ensures
accurately treatment planning the patient’s level of infection. I
learned more about digital x-rays and how they enhance the
patient education process.
M.L.: I started giving patient education packets to the patients who are
diagnosed with periodontal disease. We implemented hygiene
meetings for more team cohesion for patient care.
E.H.: The periodontal packets have helped get patients through the
“dazed and confused” moments after the doctor has diagnosed
their periodontal disease. They don’t have as many questions
when they come back and are thankful for the materials to refer
back to after they leave the office.
J.H.: Your career is a constant and never-ending improvement cycle of
learning new things to better yourself. Increase your level of
communication skills to better enhance patient care. This
overflows into your personal life as well. Balance is important for
a happy personal and professional life.
M.L.: Show empathy to your patients and educate them fully. Quality is
a must; check yourself every day, and don’t be afraid to ask for
help.
E.H.: Don’t freak out! It always works out!
Well said Elizabeth! When a person is open to professional
growth and focused on doing the right thing for the right reasons for
their patients, it does tend to work out! Congratulations and thank you
to all the HDC hygienists who are open to continually learning and honing
their skills, and who are dedicated to recommending and delivering
optimum patient care! We look forward to long, fulfilling careers serving
patients along side you!
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
— Lisa Kallis, RDH, BS, Hygiene Coach
Diane Mueller, RDH, Hygiene Coach
PAGE 7
Coaches’ Corner:
Making a difference
and changing lives!
D
o you remember when you were just
a kid and people would ask you
“What do you want to do when you
grow up?” Most of us didn’t know for sure
then, and some of us still aren’t sure now!
At a young age, often kids respond to
that question with “I want to be an astronaut,
a fireman, a professional basketball player, a
movie star,” etc.
Interestingly enough, 90 percent of the
dental professionals recently surveyed said
they started out their career quest looking for
something they could do that would help
people and make a difference.
Initial investigation into careers in
medicine, nursing, teaching, and police work
led many of us to dentistry. According to
those surveyed, we tend to stay in dentistry
because of the contact with our patients, and
a commitment to fulfilling their trust in us by
ensuring we are offering optimum care that
makes a positive difference in their lives.
This career path fulfills our needs for
contribution and significance as practitioners
and care providers.
What does this all lead up to? It is part of
the answer to a question we often hear
which is, “What is Heartland Coaching all
about?”
Heartland Coaching is Heartland Dental
Care’s (HDC) external consulting program.
We bring Heartland-customized training,
resources, advice and support to dental
practices across the United States, Canada
and Puerto Rico.
Aside from multiple on-site visits and
monthly coaching calls, our valued clients
can tap into HDC training programs and
receive coaching on how to utilize
many of our management tools,
such as MAPS and Trend Analysis
reports.
Just like with Heartland’s own
successful practices, we work with
doctors and their team members to
deliver optimum quality dental care
in an environment that respects
patients, teams and doctors. When
PAGE 8
HDC systems are implemented, interesting
things happen. Time after time, when we
focus on providing high quality patient care
in a predictable work environment,
something starts to change in the practice.
When access to quality care and respecting
our patients is a primary objective, the
byproduct is a smoothly operating practice
with a healthy bottom line.
Here is the proverbial deal — Heartland
Coaching brings the resources and support
that Heartland offices enjoy to solo and
group practices not owned by HDC.
Our coaches are folks who are incredibly
passionate about contributing in a
meaningful way and making a difference in
peoples’ lives — first the patients and then
the doctors and their teams. This magic fairy
dust is what puts Heartland offices in the top
5 percent of dental practices in the industry,
and we openly share it all with our coaching
friends.
We are not typical consultants. We roll up
our sleeves and work along side our doctors
and team members. We show them how to
make it happen even after we have gone.
If you know any dentists outside of
Heartland who are looking for positive
change in their practices and are truly open
to input and guidance that will help improve
patient care and improve their work
environment — have them call Heartland
Coaching at 877.903.6410 today!
HDC coaches are passionate about
making a difference, and helping our valued
clients share in HDC and live what is
possible in this great profession of Dentistry!
from
Outstanding
Natural Aesthetics
Postive Gingival
Response
Strong & Durable
Call Keller today for
your
Free
Captek Prep CD
and
Free Captek
Patient Brochures
St. Louis:
(800) 325-3056
Louisville:
Julie Thomas, RDH, is
Vice President, Operations,
at Heartland Dental Care.
She can be reached at
217.540.5133.
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
(800) 292-1894
www.kellerlab.com
ESOP and YOU!
Our ESOP plan is a new and
unique benefit offered by our
company. We know how
complicated it can be to
understand, so, we have created
a special section to try to
address concerns that some of
you may have.
Q.
What is an ESOP?
: An Employee Stock
A
Ownership Plan or ESOP is
an employee benefit plan that
Exciting 401(k) news
W
From Jayme Schultheis
Human Resources Director
e would like to take this opportunity to inform
you about the new broker who has been
assigned to our 401(k) plan. It is important to
know that the change in brokers will not have any
impact on the way the current plan is administered.
We are pleased to announce Mr. Dwight Erskine,
Certified Financial Planner from Raymond James
Financial Services Inc., as our new 401(k) broker.
Dwight has been with Raymond James Financial
Services in Effingham, Ill., for the past 16 years, and has
an extensive background in financial planning for
individual and corporate clients.
Retirement planning is one of his primary areas of
interest. Dwight’s experience includes working for a
major New York Stock Exchange firm for 14 years. He
also has served as the unit manager in the bond
Dwight Erskine
department at the First National Bank of Chicago (now
JP Morgan-Chase).
We are very excited to have Dwight work with us on our current 401(k) retirement plan,
and he looks forward to meeting you at future Heartland Dental Care training events.
Heartland Dental Care’s 401(k) plan provides the following advantages:
•
•
•
Convenience — You can contribute easily through automatic
payroll deductions.
Reduced Taxes — Your contribution is pre-tax.
Investment choices — Eight investments to choose from so you
can create a strategy suitable for your needs for every stage of
your life.
If you would like to join our
401(k) plan or make any changes to
your current enrollment form, you
can do this at the beginning of each
quarter. Please contact Melissa
Brooks or Jayme Schultheis in the
Human Resources Department with
any questions.
Jayme Schultheis,
Human Resources
Director at Heartland
Dental Care, can be
reached at
217.540.5100.
www.heartlanddentalcare.com
makes the employees of a
company owners of stock in that
company. Instead of receiving an
annual cash contribution,
however, you will generally
receive an allocation of shares of
stock in your company. The
ESOP is designed to give eligible
employees ownership interests in
the company at no direct cost to
the employee.
Q.
Why does HDC want to
contribute to the ESOP?
: We believe that employeeA
owners are more effective.
Since every HDC team member
has an interest in our company’s
success, you should be
rewarded for your efforts. Since
the value of the stock should go
up if the company does well,
every employee-owner has that
much more incentive to make
whatever extra effort he or she
can. We want this to be OUR
company, so that you and
everyone else know that what
you do today, tomorrow and all
the time you are here directly
affects your future income.
Do you have a question about
the ESOP? Please email
or post your questions to
esopquestions@heartlanddentalcare.com
and we will share the answers
with everyone!
PAGE 9
It’s your move:
What’s your exit strategy?
W
hen it comes to developing a retirement strategy, there has never
been a better time to be a dentist! There are so many changes taking
place in the industry right now and more retirement strategies available
than ever before.
For dentists who are interested in selling their practice to capture the highest
possible value for their practice but would like to continue practicing dentistry,
one option is to sell their practice outright to a group practice or management
company. This choice can offer the best of both worlds – a good valuation when
a practice is performing at its peak and, often, an actual increase in personal
income for the selling doctor from the continuation of practicing dentistry.
We’ve found that when dentists make this discovery, they become amazingly
open to implementing changes in their systems, which can double their
practices. We’ve observed this first-hand at Heartland through our many
affiliations with solo practitioners. Here’s what a few dentists had to say who
chose to affiliate with Heartland Dental Care:
William Morris, DMD
Warfield Dental Center
Clarksville, Tenn.
A
lthough still in the discovery mode at Heartland, Dr. Morris said things are
looking pretty good so far.
Dr. Morris shared that he had two failed associateships under him when he
decided he wanted to sell his practice and get the equity out while he could. He said
he knew it was going to be a buyer’s market for dental practices, if it wasn’t already,
and he had a rather large practice.
“Not too many individual or solo practitioners can afford to buy a larger practice,”
he said.
In May of this year, Dr. Morris sold his practice to Heartland.
“I had no reservations in selling my practice,” he said. He added that, as long as
there was growth and other opportunities, he and Heartland would be a good match.
Dr. Morris said he’s also very pleased with the training so far. Although he earned
more than 317 continuing education credits over the past two years, he said that’s
probably rare in the world of solo practitioners. He recalled that many of the training
opportunities available today weren’t around when he went to dental school.
“For the new doctors coming out of dental school, these are valuable assets,” he
said about Heartland’s training and systems.
Dr. Morris said he likes being around like-minded professionals and they provide a
good sounding board. He said he also likes that there is a great structure within the
company that is easy to follow.
Dr. Morris said even though he’s been practicing dentistry for 15 years, he’s still
learning. He said being able to rejuvenate one’s self is important.
“I have to look at where I’m at in my career and look at the choices and options. I
love dentistry! I could do another 15 years easy!”
PAGE 10
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
Brad Gray, DDS
Westfield Dental Center
Westfield, Ind.
P
racticing since 1980, Dr. Gray found
himself at a crossroad. He was totally
burned out on dentistry.
“I was miserable,” he said. “I decided I
wanted to get out of dentistry. I wanted to sell
my practice, but be able to stay on long
enough to get my youngest through college.”
Dr. Gray said he felt like he spent all his
time and energy stressing over money and the
administrative side of his business instead of
focusing on dentistry. After contacting a broker,
he determined that Heartland was really the
only corporation that might be a fit for his
practice.
Dr. Gray admitted he had recalled receiving
letters from Heartland from time to time, but
never had really paid any attention to them.
In the end, Dr. Gray sold his practice to
Heartland in January 2001, and agreed to stay
on for at least three years. He said, afterward,
he felt good about his decision.
“I immediately felt better,” he said.
Although Dr. Gray said he felt he was
making good money before he sold his
practice to Heartland, it didn’t compare to what
happened after the sale. More importantly, he
was having fun again. And, he wasn’t the only
one who noticed. His wife also noticed a
difference. He explained that before selling, he
dreaded Mondays as it was time to go back to
work. After joining Heartland, however, he
couldn’t wait to get back to his practice.
Dr. Gray said the main thing was that he
originally thought he would be giving up
control, but the reality was that, by joining
Heartland, he was able to have the best of
both worlds.
“I was able to be a leader, not a manager,”
he said.
With Heartland for five years now, Dr. Gray
said he reached close to $1.7 million last year.
Today, Dr. Gray said he could practice dentistry
until he was 65 years old.
“I like doing this more than doing my
hobbies,” he said. Yes, I’ve been pushed, but
that’s good. And,it’s not just the dentistry. I also
love the camaraderie with the other doctors.
This was something I didn’t notice before,” he
said.
Perhaps the biggest coup for Dr. Gray was
the impact his renewed love of dentistry had
on his daughter, who now has an interest in
becoming a dentist and even working for
Heartland in the future.
“Obviously, she saw the change in me, too”
he explained.
Dr. Gray said the training he’s received
since joining Heartland has been invaluable.
“I never would have had the opportunity to
attend something like PACLive on my own. I
couldn’t have afforded it.” Dr. Gray said he also
likes the opportunities to mentor and teach,
too.
“I get to leave my print on dentistry,” he
said. In fact, Dr. Gray serves a mentor doctor
during Heartland’s annual Aesthetic Contiuum.
In addition to training and continuing
education, he also enjoys having access to the
latest in technology and products.
“I like being on the cutting edge of
dentistry,” Dr. Gray said. “Plus the support I
receive from home office is phenomenal.”
Dr. Gray said being a part of the Employee
Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is an added
bonus.
“I would still work for Heartland, even if
there wasn’t an ESOP,” he said. “It just makes
my retirement that much better. But to be able
to see my team members accumulate some
retirement; it’s great! I never would have been
able to have provided that to them,” he said.
Timothy Larson, DDS
Heritage Dental Group
St. Charles, Mo.
F
or Dr. Larson, selling his practice didn’t come without reservations. “I
had the classic attitude,” he said, “that I had to be in control of the
business.”
Dr. Larson said that, traditionally, being a solo practice owner and
dentist means being responsible for everything within the dental practice.
“What drew me to Heartland was that I realized I couldn’t do all those
things,” he said.
That, in itself, was something he said he still was coming to terms with.
He explained that it was something that was difficult to do – relinquishing
control. However, Dr. Larson said after the sale closed in July, things were
different.
“I felt immediately relieved,” he said. “The transition team came in and
the practice administrators and regional directors with their management
skills they brought were very comforting to me,” he said.
He said the key was that he made a realization. “I gave up ownership
but not leadership. The real success of my practice related to how the
team perceived me in a leadership role,” he said.
Dr. Larson said that everyone brings something different to the table
when it comes to leadership.
“If you have the right staff, they are with you because they like your
leadership skills. I could walk into any Heartland office and be familiar with
the systems, but the chemistry could be different from my own team.
Dr. Larson said one of the great aspects about Heartland is its
standard of care. He was impressed with how thorough a job everyone
did with assessing patients’ needs and desires, and then delivering that
higher level of care.
Dr. Larson said that most of his buddies are in the dental industry and
it has been his opinion that most dentists are in a reactive mode.
However, Heartland takes a proactive approach by taking its standard of
care to the next level.
“I was good before, but now I’m better,” he said.
Dr. Larson shared that in his practice, his assistant has always said
that he knows everything. Yet, since joining Heartland, he’s had younger
doctors comment about his note-taking during training. Dr. Larson
explains it pretty simply:
“I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know,” he said. “But that’s what
makes it fun – that quest for self improvement and adopting a CANI
attitude. It’s important to keep pulling yourself up all the time.”
Another benefit Dr. Larson sees really hit home recently during Doctor
Leadership.
“Here, 50 people can talk about common experiences. That’s priceless!
In private practice, you’re on an island. There is no one else to talk to,” he
said. He went on to explain that he had attended training in the past but
most of it consisted of presentations with little interaction with others.
“At Heartland there is this large group of doctors all sharing and pulling
together. If you have a problem, there are others you can go to or call to
help get it resolved. You don’t have this type of support in private
practice,” he said.
www.heartlanddentalcare.com
PAGE 11
ile
f
o
Pr
e
tic
c
a
Pr
North Vermilion Family Dental
Danville, Illinois
North Vermilion Family Dental team members from left are: Trisha Nickel, Dental Assistant; Julie Turney,
Dental Assistant; Jill Rodgers, Business Assistant; Kim List, Clinical Coordinator; Dr. Dwayne Bacchus and
Courtney Wilson, RDH. Not pictured are Jennifer McDaniel, RDH, and Stanna Clemons, Business Assistant.
North Vermilion Family Dental team
creates ‘family’ atmosphere for practice
D
Blending in pride of ownership and a strong desire for success
ANVILLE — At North Vermilion Family
Dental in Danville, Ill., it’s all about family.
Dwayne Bacchus, DDS, said his practice
has a great family atmosphere.
“We treat our patients just like our friends and
family,” he said. “We get to know them and what
they like.”
With a focus on providing lifetime dental care
to its patients, the team makes sure patients
understand what is going on and what needs to
be done. Dr. Bacchus said he and his team see
between 60 and 80 new patients per month, and
most come from referrals from existing patients.
“That’s how we keep our practice going,” he
said, “with referrals.”
Dr. Bacchus said team members also have
referred family and friends to the practice and
everyone is very active in promoting the practice
within the community.
In addition to the care they receive, patients
like the facility at North Vermilion.
Practicing for six years, five of those with
Heartland, Dr. Bacchus said he couldn’t ask for a
nicer facility.
S
T
A
T
S
PAGE 12
• 1 Doctor
• 7 Team members
• 6 dental chairs
• On pace to do
$1.2 million this year
“And, our patients are impressed by our facility
and the technology,” he said.
Dr. Bacchus said patients never associate new
technology, such as the Casey® system and
cable TV as well as digital x-rays, with a dental
office.
Of course, an attraction for patients could be
how team members interact with each other. Julie
Turney, dental assistant, said the team has a
special chemistry. She said when she first started
at North Vermilion, she and her husband were
new to the area and didn’t know anyone. But the
team at North Vermilion took them in and made
them feel welcomed and comfortable.
Dr. Bacchus said his team is great and
everyone has a good work ethic.
“I never have to wonder what they are doing,”
he said. “And, everyone gets along well. They
have respect for each other, both personally and
professionally.”
Dr. Bacchus said everyone is focused to
succeed and takes a proactive approach when it
comes to the business aspect at North Vermilion.
The team is constantly reviewing its MAPS. The
team also reviews the P&Ls and checks the
numbers together. He said the entire team
analyzes the information because everyone has a
stake in the outcome.
North Vermilion is part of Heartland Dental
Care’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
and Dr. Bacchus said it makes a difference in how
he and his team members view their jobs.
“Everyone here has an ownership mentality.
It’s not just a job, it’s a career.”
And they all take this role very seriously.
“They are never satisfied with where we are
at,” Dr. Bacchus continued. “Everyone is always
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
Top: Jennifer McDaniel, RDH, prepares the room for her
next patient.
Above: North Vermilion team members like to review their
schedule to see where they can convert patients.
striving to be better.”
Jill Rodgers, business assistant, agreed.
“We have a great time and we care about
improving the practice. We want to be the best we
can be,” she said. “And Dr. Bacchus is right, we’re
never satisfied. We always want to do better.”
Rodgers said they look at MAPS and P&Ls
because they want to know where the office is at.
If things don’t quite measure up, they want to
know why.
And, the ESOP is a wonderful thing, she
added. “They are few and far between in most
businesses. This is a wonderful opportunity.”
Courtney Wilson, RDH, said she likes knowing
where the office stands. And, the fact that
everyone gets a long well is an added plus.
“Everyone has each other’s back and is willing
to step up to the plate and help when needed,”
she said. “It makes things much easier when
everyone is on the same page,” she said.
Kim List, clinical coordinator at North Vermilion,
also agreed that everyone works together and
looks for ways to make improvements. She said
they’ve received a lot of support from their practice
administrator, Angie Cravens, and their regional
director, Joanna Dames.
“They help keep us on track,” List said.
Goal setting:
By Samson Liu, DDS
D
The point-point method
o you remember when you were a new graduate from dental school with
the world of dentistry before you? What were your goals? How would you
know if you were on track?
Most of us were pretty good at establishing a single goal of being a cosmetic
dentist or to own our own practice someday. The reality is that we should have
many more detailed goals with specific steps involved.
From previous discussions, we have talked about making SMART goals,
which is an acronym for great goal setting.
S
M
A
R
T
—
—
—
—
—
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Return on investment
Time Specific
E
REVIEW
Our goals should stand up to the above criteria, but they also should be much
more. They should be broken into steps or points, and have intermediate targets
along the way.
For example, have you ever observed or studied the golfing legend Jack
Nicklaus? He is one of the greatest golfers ever. When he lined up his golf shot,
he would have the ultimate target, the green; an intermediate target, the right side
of the fairway; and a short target, which was usually a point a few feet from the
ball on the tee. He would stand behind the ball and line it up from the green to
the fairway to a point on the tee, and then, visualize in his mind the ball traveling
through each point. Ultimately, the end result would be that he would hit his goal,
the green. We could learn a lot about how to play golf from this but there is much
more to learn about how to set goals.
We need to have our own intermediate points so we know when we are on
track for our ultimate goal. I like to think of it as point-point goal setting. If you are
flying an airplane from point A to point B, you should have multiple points along
the way to ensure you reach your final destination. This becomes really crucial if
you are flying to Hawaii. If you miss your points and get off track, you will run out
of gas and crash into the ocean. The same could happen in life if we do not have
appropriate intermediate goals or point-point goals. We will not hit our goals and
might possibly drift relentlessly in the sea of life.
At Heartland Dental Care, we have repeatedly demonstrated the power of
setting challenging goals by our “Million Dollar Tuesday” concept. We encourage
our offices, periodically, with an incentive program to double or triple the average
daily production. This may seem like an impossible task, but when you break the
goal down to hourly goals or even per patient or procedure goals, suddenly, it
does not seem so impossible and it really isn’t! We have achieved this goal
many times, demonstrating to our offices what is possible when doctors and
teams set SMART goals with intermediate or point-point goals in between.
The final piece to the puzzle is to be totally committed to achieving the points
or the intermediate goals. This also requires possessing the core skills needed to
reach the final goal.
For example, a person wants to impress their friends with his or her skills at the
piano, but doesn’t want to put in the effort to play. The only way to have great
piano skills is to put in hours and hours of lessons and practice. There is no other
way!
There are no shortcuts to
success. You must have total
commitment, performing each
Dr. O. Craig Shanteau
step along the way in order to
is Senior Clinical
achieve your ultimate goal.
Director at Heartland
Commit to each intermediate
Dental Care. He can
goal and be flexible to
be reached at
accommodate any changes
Dental Plus,
along the way. By achieving
Logansport, Ind.;
your goals point to point to
574.722.2233.
point, you will reach your
ultimate goal!
xactly how do you take a tiny
medical supplies distribution
startup company to a billion
dollar publicly traded company in
less than 15 years? Perhaps the
founder and CEO of PSS/World
Medical Inc., Pat Kelly, can answer
the question with his book, Faster
Company. He likes to attribute his
success to the fact that he runs his company
somewhere between the United States Marines and Animal
House. Kelly gives huge responsibilities to young people,
encourages them to learn and take responsibility, and assumes
they are capable of thinking for themselves and making decisions
with the company’s best interests at heart. At the same time, he
spares no expense in having fun — from luaus and company
picnics to interbranch volleyball tournaments.
There is no need for policy handbooks or employee manuals at
his company. However, this does not imply a lack of accountability.
In fact, the company is fanatic about holding people accountable.
This is accomplished through non-stop people training and actively
protecting the company’s culture. In the end, the company is less
bureaucratic and more responsive to change.
There are four main building blocks that tie all of the above
together: Gutsy goals, a competitive edge, a company of CEOs
and values. The first one is very simple — set your goals high, and
they set you apart from the pack. A bold goal gets people excited,
focused and makes their decisions easy. Just as PSS announced
it would become a billion-dollar company in eight years, Dr.
Workman announced that Heartland Dental Care would become a
billion-dollar company by 2010! It feels good to be part of
something really great!
Having a competitive edge means understanding how your
people really work together, and how they can deliver value to
their customers consistently. First, you must know what the
customer values are; then be able to set up systems to deliver
those values consistently. It is crucial to communicate those values
better than anyone else and to listen to patients because their
values change. You must be flexible — it is not about building a
dental practice that knows it needs to change but about creating
one that can change.
Truck drivers have the title CEO on their business cards at
PSS. They are employee owners like we are. When we are
trusted and given all the information about our company and our
practices, we need to be accountable to that information and act
on it. We all might have different job responsibilities, but we are all
leaders. We are shareholders, and with help and coaching, we
can become individuals who think and act like CEOs.
The last principle is values. Most companies have values and
mission statements. At PSS, there is a Top 20 list. This list is
printed on a card that is kept in every employee’s wallet. It is up to
the employees to decide how these values are incorporated into
their daily operations, but there are three requirements: They must
communicate it, implement it and make no exceptions! This is
because values are
Dr. Samson
inconvenient and you
Liu can be
have to honor them all
reached at
the time, not just when it
Spring View
is easy to do so. Just
Dental Care,
like we do here: Doing
Springfield,
the right thing for the
Mo.;
right reason in the right
417.886.1010.
environment!
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
PAGE 13
Achieving Optimal Oral Health
and the Consummate Professional
By Kristy Menage Bernie, RDH, BS
HEARTLAND DENTAL CARE, FALL 2005
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) defines optimal oral health
as “A standard of health of the oral and related tissues, which enables an individual to eat, speak,
and socialize without active disease, discomfort or embarrassment, and which contributes to general
well-being and overall total health.” As dental professionals and particularly dental hygienists, our
sole focus centers on inspiring patients to achieve effective oral hygiene practices and, ultimately,
health. Unfortunately, the very nature of periodontal infection and the caries process do not lend to a
perception of immediate need or attention for many of our patients. In fact, most people are more
interested in methods to maintain fresh breath and a white smile, then reducing bacterial counts or
eliminating periodontal pockets!
The consummate professional is defined as someone possessing supreme skills and
accomplishing tasks at near perfection status. While this may seem unrealistic based on our
challenges with human nature, one can easily attain this standing by basing treatment and
prevention on the needs and desires of the patient. For example, when surveyed, patients confirm
that their No. 1 concern is fresh breath and yet this is rarely addressed via clinical protocols or
patient education. Patients will become far more engaged when they understand that periodontal
pockets measuring 5 mm or more produce bad breath, and that 90 percent of malodor is generated
by the oral cavity. The same motivational opportunity applies when considering smile-enhancing
procedures. Professionals have confirmed that individuals undergoing procedures as simple as tooth
whitening are more inclined to perform through oral hygiene and have improved overall oral health!
The ADHA’s definition clearly states the social aspects related to optimal oral health and gives us
‘permission’ to consider the needs and wants of patients. In addition, the ADHA maintains the
profession’s Code of Ethics (http://www.adha.org/aboutadha/codeofethics.htm), which provides
a concise road map to attaining consummate professional status. The code stipulates that, as dental
hygienists, we commit and strive to “provide oral healthcare utilizing high levels of professional
knowledge, judgment, and skill, promote ethical behavior and high standards of care by all dental
hygienists, provide clients with the information necessary to make informed decisions about their oral
health and encourage their full participation in treatment decisions and goals, and to educate clients
about high-quality oral healthcare.”
Ascribing to the ADHA Code of Ethics and utilizing the tools available via Heartland Dental Care,
such as the Heartland Heath History, will set the stage for discussion centered on those issues most
important to the patient. Coupling this with integration and utilization of new technologies, such as
oral cancer screening tools, locally applied antimicrobial agents and ultrasonic instrumentation, as
well as innovative treatment strategies, such as accelerated instrumentation or full-mouth
disinfection, will insure the best in patient care. Heartland colleagues have unique opportunities to
maximize their professional skill sets via annual continuing education and individualized consulting.
This truly is an invaluable and consummate way to practice!
Corporate partnerships with companies like Discus Dental also create new avenues for
technology and innovate treatment strategy integration. The full line of social-centered products for
fresh breath (BreathRx) and tooth whitening (ZOOM, Day and NiteWhite) expands treatment beyond
a disease-centered focus to one that holds the most interest for patients. Use of the ProActive Care
Prophy Pak is a surefire way to incorporate both breath and whitening options, as well as reinforce
preventive recommendations. In addition, Discus Dental offers complementary Lunch and Learn Sessions
for individual practices, and vast resources, such as the Discus Dental Interactive CD ROM, to augment
the oral health armamentarium.
Consummate Professional
Checklist
• Take into account that great
achievements involve great risk
• When you lose, don’t lose the
lesson
• Follow the 3 R’s: Respect for self,
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all of your
actions
• Remember that not getting what
you want is sometimes a
wonderful stroke of luck
• Learn the rules so you know how
to break them properly
• Don’t let a little dispute injure a
great relationship
• Judge your success by what you
had to give up in order to get it
• When you realize you’ve made a
mistake take immediate steps
to correct it
• Replace yourself to assure your
legacy and future successes
• Enthusiastically honor each other;
one really does make a
difference
• Take an active role in the
profession through
membership, leadership and
mentorship. Contact ADHA at
1-800-243-ADHA for membership
information TODAY!
Review your status as the consummate professional; are you taking full advantage of the
opportunities extended via Heartland and its corporate partners? Optimal oral health and consummate
professional status go hand in hand. Your role in the health and welfare of patients, the practice and the
profession is key in achieving optimal oral health and consummate status!
For more information, please contact Carolyn Kunz, Corporate Account Manager: 800.422.9448, ext. 8643
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
PAGE 15
New features included with
this software upgrade are:
Expanded Patient Search Options
Selecting a patient has never been easier now that
you can search by either last name, first name,
preferred name, home phone number, chart number
or social security number.
Insurance Flag for Procedure Codes
and Insurance
It is now possible to flag procedures in the
Procedure Code Editor that should not be included on
insurance claims (ie: office visit 00999 or whitening).
The flagged procedures will NOT appear on the
“Procedures Not Attached to Insurance” report.
Family Editing
The process of combining and separating families
has been greatly enhanced to make it easier and
more accessible for the user. It is now possible to
move patients with current transactions (except for
outstanding claims), and insurance coverage. This
negates the need to wait until Month End before
performing family edits. It also is now possible to
combine two existing families without creating a
“dummy” patient.
Treatment Area Flag
Add Claim Attachments Electronically
Now you will be able to attach x-ray images, perio
charts and digital photos to insurance claims that are
filed electronically, eliminating the need to submit
these claims on paper. We’ll continue to notify you as
the list of insurance companies that accept electronic
claim attachments continues to grow.
Locked Clinical Notes
Clinical notes will now be placed into History when
the corresponding month is closed out using the
Month End Update. Once the clinical notes are in
history, users cannot edit or delete the notes. Users
may append a note to the original clinical note in
history, however. The appendage will not be editable
once added.
Lab Case Manager
Tracking lab cases has become much easier with
the new Lab Case Manager. This new feature allows
you to create a lab case for a patient, attach it to an
appointment, record important shipment information
about the case, and track its progress.
A treatment area flag has been added so that when
a procedure is posted to an incorrect tooth, such as a
posterior code being posted to an anterior tooth, the
software will automatically update to the correct
procedure code.
PAGE 16
Dent al practice
management
soft ware upgrade
coming to all
Hear tland offices
in the 4th quar ter
This new software upgrade will be installed on all
Heartland offices during the fourth quarter of this year.
Practice Administrators will be training their offices on
these new features once the software is in place.
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
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Congra
Dr. Jason Miller and team at Dentistry Plus-Cool
Springs in Franklin, Tenn., won first place in Parent
Magazine as favorite dental practice. The award is given
each November and voted on by readers of Parent
Magazine in Tennessee. Last year, the team won third
place in the same category.
Dr. Chip Haines at Glen Carbon Family Dentistry in
Glen Carbon, Ill., was recently voted “Best Dentist” by the
subscribers of the Edwardsville Journal.
Congratulations doctors and teams!
In
the
News
Dr. Ryan Kloboves and team of Hoosier Family Dental Care
in Anderson, Ind., were recently featured in The Herald Bulletin.
The article was on ViziLite® and the importance of oral cancer
screening exams. Hoosier’s Licensed Dental Hygienist Elizabeth
Hodge also was shown performing a ViziLite exam.
Dr. William Darroca and Licensed Dental Hygienist Ann
Wilson of White River Dental Care in Muncie, Ind., were recently
featured in The StarPress as its Job Spotlight. The article
focused on how dentists and hygienists work together, as well as
services offered at White River.
AWARDS
&
RECOGNITIONS
Creative Smiles Dental Care in Murfreesboro, Tenn.,
was recently featured in the business section of
The Daily News Journal, gaining publicity for its
bilingual staff, including the recently addition of
Dr. Manuel Montealegre. This added value is a
great benefit to the local Hispanic community.
Congratuations on these amazing
public relations opportunities!
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
PAGE 17
HEARTLAND’S FAMILY SNAPSHOTS
Derby baskets
PAGE 18
Team members at Forest Green Family Dentistry in Louisville, Ky.,
decided they needed to have a little more fun with their patients so they
created Kentucky Derby Baskets for their favorite patients. These were
patients who referred family members, friends and co-workers, and who
always came to their appointments on time and promptly paid their bills.
The baskets included candles, Derby-themed chocolate bars and
horse shoes with the office’s name printed on them, a Derby glass
and a few decorative note pads, as well as some fun items,
such as microwave popcorn, blueberry muffin mix and tea bags —
all things made in Kentucky. Each basket also included some gift
certificates for Zoom! and Care to Share cards. The bags were tied with
red satin ribbon and a red or white rose for the Derby. The final touch
was a personal note about how important the patient was to the team.
Team members hand-delivered some baskets to patients at work so
others could see their special surprise. Other patients received their
baskets when they came in for their appointments. The patients
absolutely LOVED their baskets! Way to go, Forest Green!
Careerfest
On April 13, 2005, Lisa Gardner, business assistant
at Spring View Dental Care in Springfield, Mo., had the
opportunity to go to the local high school and speak to a
group of students who were interested in the dental field
during the school’s Careerfest. Lisa spoke with the
students about Heartland Dental Care and the many
opportunities available. Lisa said she had a blast being
able to share her passion and Heartland’s story with the
students!
Fitness Day
Tiffany Kuenstler of Heartland Family Dental Care
in Effingham discussed Invisalign with attendees
at the Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce
and Industry’s annual Employee Fitness Day
on May 26. Team members took turns working the
booth during the health fair, where they handed out
tooth brushes, floss and additional items. They also
spent time speaking with attendees
about oral health care.
Kids’ fair
In August, Dr. Kwonil Park and team of Dental
Group of Carbondale participated in a kids’ fair held at
University Mall in Carbondale. This was the first time
the team had participated in the fair. The team gave
away Toothprints and handed out literature about its
services. Team members also provided face painting and
coloring, and held a drawing for prizes for children and
adults. They even appeared on television twice! A great
time was had by all. The best part was meeting new
people and the opportunity for new patients!
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005
Team
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Since
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l, the
Back-to-school
Chance meetings
This elderly couple took a wrong turn
and found themselves at Heartland’s Field
Administration’s fall gathering at Eagle
Creek. It wasn’t a total loss, though, as
they were able to make some new friends
and meet some celebrities!
Dr. Elizabeth Clay and team
at Smiles Plus in Burlington,
Ky., participated in the back-toschool fair at Collins
Elementary School in Florence,
Ky. Team members set up a
booth where they handed out
toothbrushes, toothpaste, toys
and oral hygiene tips so the
children could start the school
year off right. Team members
pictured are Christopher Boyd,
Trisha Kissel and Kelly
Ferguson.
Columbia Daze parade
Dr. LeAnn Burch and team at Southwoods Centre
Dental Care in Columbia, Ill., partnered with Dr. Jason
Allen and team at Perfect Smiles Family Dental, also in
Columbia, and participated in the annual Columbia Daze
parade Aug. 20. Team members passed out toothbrushes,
new-patient flyers, sugar-free gum, balloons and can
coolers printed with office information. Everyone had a
great time and the event was a huge success. Shown in the
picture are Jenny Landreth, dental assistant; Amy Perry,
business assistant; Cara Mank, dental assistant; Anne
Schaefer, business assistant; Deanna Long, hygienist; and
Dr. Burch.
WWW.HEARTLANDDENTALCARE.COM
PAGE 19
UPCOMING EVENTS
presents:
Now is the
Time,
This is the
Place.
NOVEMBER
3-5
4
4-5
5
10
11
11-12
14-15
14-17
17-19
19
Bell Leadership, Hilton Gardens
Dental U 101, Session 3
Dr. Leadership, Session 4
Dental U 201, Session 4 (IL)
Regional Directors meeting
Hygiene Mentor Meeting
Dr. Leadership, Session 4
Management 201
Management 101, Fall Session 5
Heartland Experience in
Effingham
Doctor Holiday Party
DECEMBER
2
2-3
Hygiene Forum
Team Leadership 1, and Illinois
EDDA Class
5-8
Management 101, Fall Session 6
8
Regional Directors meeting
9-10 Dr. Leadership, Session 5
12-13 Management 201
12-14 New Employee Orientation
JANUARY
13-14
20-21
27-28
28
Opportunities Available!
Dentists
Hygienists
Dental Assistants
888-999-3661 ~ careers@hdcmail.com
www.heartlanddentalcare.com
1200 Network Centre Drive | Effingham, IL
About this publication ...
• “Smiling” is published quarterly. Any office or team interested in submitting stories,
columns, photographs, etc., may do so by contacting Tinley at 217.540.5192, or
emailing her at thanks@heartlanddentalcare.com.
• If you know of someone who is interested in joining our Heartland Dental Care Family,
please contact Senior Recruiter Eric Kalber at 888.999.3661, or email him at
ekalber@heartlanddentalcare.com.
Dr. Leadership Hands-On
Dr. Leadership Hands-On
Team Leadership 2
Dental U 201, Session 1 (IL)
FEBRUARY
3-4
4
17
18
24-25
25
Aesthetic Continuum, Session 1
Dental U 201, Session 1 (IN)
Dental U 101, Session 1
Dental U 201, Session 2 (IL)
Team Leadership, Session 3
Dental U 201, Session 2 (IN)
3-4
24
25
Aesthetic Continuum, Session 2
Dental U 101, Session 2
Dental U 201, Session 3 (IL)
Business Assistants
Practice Administrators
Regional Directors
PRST STD
US POSTAGE
1200 Network Centre Drive, Suite 2
Effingham, IL 62401
PAID
EFFINGHAM, IL 62401
PERMIT NO. 268
MARCH
All dates are subject to change.
Please visit www.hdcevents.com for verification.
PAGE 20
SMILING MAGAZINE FALL 2005