I am just one of those people that seem to be obsessive about little things. For a dentist, especially clinically, that can be great. But sometimes it’s a little frustrating. BEST for Dentistry continues to gather together dentists who want to preserve the independent practice of Dentistry while struggling with the reality of insurance and corporate dental groups. All of the BEST alliance partners, like you, feel that the independent dentist should receive the same pricing for products and services that every national corporate group receives. From the beginning we wanted a level playing field with our competitors while also gathering together the best vendors that are most often used by the Super General Dental Practices: In other words, the best of the best.
It appears we have done it! The daily emails I get from offices that have woken up to a new level of excellence for high quality services and products and very aggressive pricing confirm to me that by taking the time to contact our alliance partners it is realistic to expect and achieve a whole new level of profitability and growth. With the help of our members here at BEST (Building Everyone’s Success Together) for Dentistry, we have already grown past any other group that has attempted this in the past, and we have just begun to scratch the potential of a group of doctors dedicated to saving Dentistry as we know it. These are the doctors that will not settle for less than the very best. These are the successful practices of the future that will create the culture, systems, and protocols that insure double-digit growth for as long as they choose to practice.
My obsession and frustration stem from two areas. I want BEST to continue to grow, because with increases in numbers also comes more vendors and better pricing. Size/numbers gives us the ability to better our position with these partners. That means we need to continue to encourage our fellow dentists and friends to join our “movement” towards gaining back the control of our future. I encourage you to pay it forward by not letting a day go by without contacting another dentist to invite them to join. Forward your friends in Dentistry our newsletters while encouraging them through your success. It costs nothing and your friends and colleagues won’t believe the money they will save. We have one doctor that has cut his lab costs by 50% and improved the quality of the crowns he receives (Bayshore Dental Studio). Another told me that just going to a 1.9% flat rate credit card vendor (no one else would even consider doing this for us at BEST) has saved him over $2,000 a month and for the first time the office can actually see that there are no hidden charges (The Steward Group, LLC). Just the other day I had a call from a doctor in Georgia who was raving about HIPPA and OSHA compliance and meeting the Federal and State statutes before year end and how easy it was and how they had received a 50% discount for the program (Dental Quality Assurance). My best story is that in about four months of this year, one of our members has contacted every BEST for Dentistry alliance partner for their services and/or products and tells me that he will put an extra $36,000 in his pocket for 2016. That’s around $3000 per month of lowered overhead, more profits, and better services and products than they were previously getting.
The second area hinges on the fact that while hundreds of doctors have joined BEST, some have not taken advantage of the pricing and quality of goods and services that BEST has to offer. There is not one vendor that I have not personally vetted or used in my own practice. You cannot get better pricing. It costs you nothing, and with your help, we will continue to add more partners to our mix. You have nothing to lose. Yet some of you still have not taken advantage of putting more money back in your pockets. It’s called “cognitive dissonance”: Where despite being shown proof positive that there is a better way and a guarantee of better results you still cling to the old worn out strategy that got you in the pickle you find yourself in. This should be called the “Duh Moment”. Who wouldn’t pick up a hundred dollar bill while walking through the parking lot of a retail center? I would. But evidently saving tens of thousands of dollars isn’t worth taking the time to try something different. Many BEST members have decided that they are willing to take advantage of these vendors and prices. I find a $79.00 E Max or Zirconium crown, at the same or better quality than I currently get, to be almost irresistible. Doing my legally dictated compliance at a 50% discount with better materials and a simpler delivery system just makes me smile. How about phone systems and credit card fees slashed so low that you have to jump with joy? Don’t forget insurance reimbursement negotiation specialists and attorneys that actually tell you the truth and become your best friend when it comes to advice and protection. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
Bottom line: Get off your tush and take control of your financial future. There is no greater calling than standing up and being counted to save Dentistry while at the same time insuring your practice will be relevant for years to come. If there is anything else that I can do to help you not just share BEST for Dentistry with your colleagues, but actually take advantage of the services and products from our alliance partners, just call me and let’s talk.
Michael Abernathy, DDS
972-523-4660 cell
PS — Don’t forget to invite a friend, or 200 or so, and don’t wait to put thousands in your pockets by making your next purchase with our BEST alliance partners. http://www.bestfordentistry.com