Madow Bros. on Starbucks; Geier suggests 4 minutes; Small Smiles' settlement

Dear DrBicuspid.com Member,

When you're at Starbucks, do you note the price of your beverage and shake your head, wondering how they can charge what they do and still have lines out the door? The Madow Brothers analyze the Starbucks experience and how it can be applied to your practice.

Scheduling Institute President Jay Geier suggests spending four minutes with each new patient before you begin talking about the treatment plan. You may find the benefits go far beyond your expectations.

The Small Smiles dental chain has agreed to pay $39 million to settle claims of alleged "unnecessary, inappropriate, unsafe, and excessive dental procedures" performed on young children. Read Features Editor Donna Domino's article here.

In his first column for DrBicuspid.com, practice consultant Dave Striegel writes of the advantages of having a well-developed routine to help your practice thrive. He advocates mentally rehearsing perfect performance and preparation.

I'd like to thank the helpful staff and everyone we spoke with at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry's annual meeting last week here in San Francisco. Our May conference coverage continues over the next couple of weeks with the upcoming American Association of Orthodontists and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry conferences.