Joe Blaes, DDS, Editor
e-mail: [email protected]
The countdown to the millennium has begun. I imagine that, by the end of the year, we are all going to be tired of that particular phrase. I hope that by now you have your 1999 goals in place and have shared them with your people. In this case, "people" means your significant other and the people that you work with. This is an extremely important process. For the past couple of years in our practice, we have been opening every team meeting with the vision and goals of the practice. It keeps what is important right out there in front of us. It also allows us to update where we are on the action plans of our goals. Remember, a goal without an action plan is like a boat without a motor - you can only drift!
I hope that you have signed up for the great Cosmetic Dentistry `99 program in San Diego. This is a limited attendance program, but I understand a few openings are left for this seminar featuring a fantastic group of speakers. If you are interested in transforming your practice in 1999, this is the place to be. Our great group of speakers will also be available to consult with you on a one-on-one basis. Get a group together and take a speaker out to dinner - you will be amazed how much you can learn! We will also have a wonderful group of exhibitors to show you the latest and best materials and techniques. I hope to see you there!
Take a look at the great articles on cosmetic dentistry in this issue. How about taking a practice from managed care to a no-insurance cosmetic practice? That certainly took some courage, particularly in Buffalo, N.Y. If you are not familiar with that area of the country, the economy there has not been all that great. So these doctors pulled off the transition even in the face of a faltering economy. Who says you couldn`t do the same thing?
I have received some great feedback on the wonderful interview that RDH Editor Mark Hartley did with Dr. John McGwire in November`s Dental Economics. Many dentists were unaware of the baseball card and poster that Mark McGwire authorized the Alliance of the American Dental Association to produce. This card takes a strong stance against smokeless tobacco. We have had many calls about how to get the cards and posters. The Foundation of the Alliance is making the cards and posters available at their cost, because they want to spread the message about the dangers of smokeless tobacco. You can order the cards and posters from your local, or state component of the Alliance or call the central office in Chicago at 312-440-2865.
Thanks for all the great feedback that I have been receiving via direct conversations, e-mail, and the fax machine. Most of it has been very positive. You apparently think we are doing a good job. We are off to a great start for the year. Our goal at Dental Economics is to make the magazine as meaningful as possible for you. We want to be your business resource. We can do that only if you continue to communicate with us about what you like and don`t like.
If you are attending any of the major meetings, stop by and say hello. I will be speaking at Cosmetic Dentistry `99 in San Diego in February, at the Hinman Dental Meeting in March, and at the California Dental Meeting in Anaheim in April. Hope to see you there!
