Awakening

Spring has sprung,
da grass has riz,
I wonder where da boidies is.
Da boid is on the wing!
But dat’s absoid!
I thought da wing was on da boid!

My mother, the ultimate children’s entertainer, would recite this ditty to us every year when the first buds of spring began to appear. From the cold, barren landscape of winter, Mother Nature demonstrates her annual awakening of beauty and color and warmth, serving as a reminder to us all that change is constant, and even when things appear drab, we can count on change to occur.

For most people, spring creates a stirring within, an idea that things in our lives can change for the better, and a feeling of hope for a better life. In fact, there is an awakening within of things and issues about which we have been unconscious.

Earlier this year, Oprah began a series called “America’s Debt Diet” focused on supporting people in getting their financial lives in order and learning to live on their incomes rather than running up huge amounts of debt. Several times she has remarked at how we live “unconsciously.” I agree, and include other areas of our lives in which we make unconscious decisions, such as how we take care of our health and fitness, how we manage our businesses, and how we tend to our relationships. It is time for us to wake up and spring into action.

All too often, we tend to our relationships when they are “broken” in some way...an argument, a recurring upset…something that interrupts what we consider to be the norm in a given relationship. The problem herein lies with the fact that these breaks from the norm are not the actual problems, but only alarms that something has been off all along and we are just now conscious of it; or that the issue has been left unattended and allowed to fester until it can no longer be pushed aside. In order to be liked, or to “not upset the apple cart”, or to “keep the peace”, we tolerate others’ behavior that we really consider to be unacceptable and even upsetting. The effect of this is a silent permission for the behavior to continue at a cost to our own sense of happiness and well-being. In addition, these unspoken grievances tend to cloud our perception of the other person, and create a negative impact all around. The old adage about sweeping dirt under the rug holds true…the dirt is still there, but now we are tripping over the lumps in the carpet.

The other issue that we need to look at is what we have or haven’t done that we think we should have or should not have done, and we begin to feel guilty about it. As time progresses with no “fessing up”, it becomes even more difficult to make amends.

The first thing to do in clearing out the “weeds” in your relationship garden is to make a list of any recurring upsets you experience with someone, and then prioritize the list. When this is done, look over the list and make an honest assessment of the issues. Which of the items are ones you need to “get over it”? Since we are all human and have our “quirks”, there are things which we just need to accept about each other, just as we would want to be accepted for ours. Which ones need to be addressed in order to repair the relationship? These are the issues that fall into the category of offenses to our core values. In this latter category, before you attempt to communicate about the issue with the other person, write out what are the facts of the problem, how you feel about it, and what request you have of the other person that would resolve the problem for you. Make sure you leave any allusion to blame and guilt out of the conversation. When you do have the conversation, remember to be open to listening to the other person’s point of view and be willing to negotiate for resolution.

Make up another list for the category of things you should have/should not have done. Again, make up a to do list: to whom do you need to apologize and for what; is there a system you need to make up so as to not forget birthdays and special occasions; are there letters or emails you haven’t answered; are there thank you notes that haven’t been sent, etc.

Taking action on these items may not be the easiest thing to do, but it will clear out the clutter and allow for a greater sense of well-being and peace in your life.

Simple ways to re-energize your practice
- LeeAnn Peniche

Spring is a time of renewal, an awakening in all areas of our lives and work, and the dental world is no exception. Plan now for a re-energizing of your staff, a re-assessment of your goals, and a replenishing of your practice. This season, let’s make our practices bloom through strong marketing, referrals and relationships.

First, focus on drawing in young patients and starting them early on the path to a healthier smile. If you are an orthodontic practice, distribute letters to your current patient database and your professional partners informing them that you like to see patients for their first exam between the ages of five and seven. Include with this letter, certificates for a complimentary exam and offer some of these certificates to a handful of GPs with whom you have strong relationships so that they will encourage their patients to see you soon for a visit. If you are a GP practice, send notices to your existing patients informing them at what age you would like to see children. Spring is the perfect time to get this message out as you want to encourage parents to schedule their children’s appointments now to avoid the rush of the summer season. After all, summer is our busiest time, but we never want to turn a new patient away!

Secondly, target your pending patients. In the spirit of “spring cleaning,” let’s attack that pending file and bring those patients back in. A great way to do this is to send a letter to all pending patients informing them of your office’s advances in orthodontic and dental technology, such as teeth whitening, dental cams, digital radiography, Aligner Treatment, SureSmile and the Damon Bracket. Also, be sure to let them know that it’s never too late to start orthodontic treatment. Offering pending patients a complimentary exam and records may also act as an incentive to re-visit your office. In addition, consider creating a contest among staff members to see who can attract the most pending patients. This may involve calling them to identify obstacles and offer a re-evaluation or sending a personal postcard to let them know they’re on your mind. Either way, let’s “spring” into action when it comes to our pending patients!

Finally, make the most of your relationships. Happy patients are the best advertisement you’ve got! Utilize them to bring in new patients by asking for referrals throughout treatment. Don’t be shy! When you give a patient the beautiful smile he or she desires, referrals should come easy. Remind your patients throughout treatment, “If you have any family or friends as great as you, we’d love to welcome them into our dental family.” Offer patients referral cards, which they can distribute at will, and create a game among your staff to see who can gain the most referrals.

Spring is the perfect time to get charged up and creative. Always look for simple ways to build on your current relationships and reach new patients with your super smile message. It’s time for us as orthodontic and dental staffs to get re-energized and remember why we chose this career – to make people smile! So let’s make this a smile-filled spring and summer through simple methods and serious service.

Spring Cleaning
by Alan Davidson

The traditional spa therapies are often thought of as luxuries in which only the affluent can indulge. Treatments such as seaweed wraps, seal-salt body scrubs and aromatherapy baths do have their aesthetic aspects. There is nothing equal to the pampering and nurturing these treatments can provide. However, there is an often overlooked aspect to these kinds of treatment: they have specific physiological effects on the human body, the primary one being detoxification.

There is a lot of confusion around the idea "detoxification." Most people think of detox in terms of alcohol and drug rehabilitation. The truth is drug and alcohol abuse are only extreme examples of toxicity in the body. There are many toxins which find their way into the human body.

The human body is designed as an organic system. It operates most efficiently when pure and simple food stuffs, pure drinking water, some exercise, and sunshine are combined in a healthy lifestyle. Sounds simple, which it is. It’s just not easy. We live in a complex and confusing world. Pure, simple food stuffs and drinking water are rare commodities these days.

Toxins to the human body take many forms. The average American diet includes foods packaged with preservatives and/or treated with hormones and antibiotics. Synthetic pharmaceuticals, whether prescription, over the counter or recreational, contain chemical compounds that are alien to the organic structure of the human cell. Our water supply is treated with synthetic mineral compounds to “purify” it. (Los Angeles and Houston are the top two for most polluted air in the country.) We inhale toxins with every breath we take. All of these sources contribute to the toxicity levels in our bodies. These toxins eventually saturate every cell in our bodies.

To maintain good health, our bodies must eliminate these daily ingestions of toxicity. The body has four primary organs of elimination: the bladder, colon, lungs and skin. The kidney, liver and spleen filter the blood and deliver their wastes to the elimination organs. The bladder and colon are the primary organs for removing toxins from the body. When the colon becomes clogged with plaque or the kidneys saturated with toxins, the lungs and skin must act to release the toxicity from the body. The skin is always a mirror to what’s happening inside the body. Chronic gas, diarrhea, or constipation, gall bladder and kidney stones, bad breath, and skin problems all point to the body’s imbalance and inability to purge its toxins.

Any serious detox program will include nutritional changes and liver and colon flushes. This is where a regime of spa and home treatments can assist in the purification of the body. The products used in seaweed wraps, sea-salt scrubs, and essential oil baths have two primary effects on the body—detoxification and remineralization. Seaweed pastes, liquid algae ocean muds, sea-salts, and essential oils trigger a detox reaction on a cellular level. This makes the organs of elimination work all the harder. Sometimes, in extreme cases of toxicity, one will feel more ill after a treatment as the body cleanses itself. This is often called a “healing crisis.” Remineralization is the absorption of trace minerals found in the seaweeds and algaes into the body through the skin. Most people don’t realize that the skin absorbs as well as releases. This is the danger in using synthetic deodorants and perfumes.

Living in such a stressful world generates the need for love, gentleness, and pampering. The impact that these treatments have on the physical body, combined with the TLC they provide, makes them an important addition to every well-being program. If well-being means living a powerful successful and healthy life, then these treatments can help. They become more than a luxury. They become a necessity.

Alan Davidson is a registered massage therapist, instructor and author living in Houston TX.

“Dumpster Days” Provide Storage Space and Organization
Jackie Dorst

At a recent orthodontic meeting, I was talking with Joni Beadle about my orthodontist client who was forgoing his vacation because he had to “sort through” the 25 years accumulation of “stuff” in his office. The urgency was created because there was no room in cabinets for supplies, closets were jammed with unused equipment and ordering was in chaos because of the lack of organization. Joni, with wisdom gained from years of successfully managing Pitts Orthodontics, said, “Oh, he needs to have a Dumpster Day!”

Joni explained Dumpster Day this way. You call your garbage service and ask that a dumpster be delivered to the office. The dumpster delivery must coordinate with a non-patient day and all team members should participate Dumpster Day. On Dumpster Day, each team member takes responsibility for specific area of the office. All cabinets, drawers and storage closets are opened and everything taken out. The inside of cabinet and drawers are cleaned and lined with new shelf liner if used. Only currently used supplies and equipment are put back in the cabinet and drawers. If an item has not been used in the last year, it goes to the Dumpster! Imagine all the space that will now be available for use. Organize and label all items as the cabinets and drawers are restocked. With the new organization, team members will be able to readily locate items visibly see when inventory is getting low.

Whoa! you are probably saying right now. It’s easy for you and Joni to say everything goes to the Dumpster. But what about our doctor’s “special” things that he or she may have had since dental school. We don’t dare throw those things away even if we are not using them. Yes, I understand your dilemma. Let me suggest this solution.


Office in need of a “Dumpster Day”

Supplies and equipment that you have a real concern about tossing out, put into storage boxes and take the storage boxes to an off site storage building. At an office supply store, purchase several packages of the white file storage boxes with lids. As each box is filled, write the contents on the outside. At the end of Dumpster Day, take all the white storage boxes to the off site storage building. Your doctor can go through the boxes when he/she has time and choose to continue to keep the items of throw away. It is very important to get these boxes away from your office building. Storing the boxes in the office will continue to take up valuable space and contribute to office clutter. Additionally, storage building rental fees are great motivators for disposing of unused items! The storage rental fees put a dollar value on the cost of maintaining clutter in the office.

Now with the new free space in the office, you can get organized. Create a central storage area for all supplies. A central storage area allows the assistant in charge of ordering to check inventory and order supplies in a timely and cost effective manner. More storage space makes it possible to order larger bulk quantities when there is a significant cost savings of ordering larger quantities. Team members can pull items from central storage to replenish in the clinical area, sterilization and administrative.

When you begin to plan your Dumpster Day, make a list of organizational supplies to have on hand such as plastic trays and bins, easy clean shelf liner, scissors, razor knife, label maker. Discount stores are a great resource for these type items. Buy lots and lots of these supplies. You need to have everything at the office to complete the job in one day and the unused items can returned at a later time. If team members have to stop organizing because of lack of supplies, the team loses not only time but momentum and motivation. Make Dumpster Day fun and rewarding by giving a prize for the best organized area, first to finish or “Yukiest Antique” found. Order lunch delivered to the office for the team, so that each team member can take a break at a good stopping point in their project. Celebrate your success and each other for a job well done at the close of your office “Dumpster Day”! You will love your new organized office and don’t be surprised if patients comment on how nice the office looks.

Jackie Dorst is an international speaker and consultant on orthodontic sterilization design, infection control and OSHA safety. As a microbiologist and dental hygienist, she combines science with practical clinical applications for orthodontic efficiency and safe patient care. Jackie is a frequent speaker at AAO national and component meetings. She can be contacted at Safe Practice, P.O. Box 15429, Fernandina Beach, FL 32035, 904-206-4361, Fax 904-310-6021, safepract@aol.com

Dear Garby

Dear Garby: What “techniques” do you recommend to help me NOT become snivelly and emotional during a confrontation with a co-worker or hostile parent or patient? I want to stay in control of my emotions. Crying in Pittsburgh

Dear Crying: The French have a saying: What you resist persists. In other words, the more you try NOT to be emotional, the more emotional you will become. The key here is focus. If you are trying not to be emotional, you are focusing on yourself, your reactions, your feelings…everything BUT the issue at hand; and what you do hear from the other person is all negative, thus reinforcing the need NOT to be emotional. It’s called a vicious cycle. If you shift focus to the other person, you create the opportunity to listen openly instead of defensively. For instance, if the patient is hostile, chances are the hostility already existed and then you came along. If you focus on the patients, instead of your feelings about their hostility, you may see a chance to assuage their anger and resolve the problem. If a co-worker is “confronting” you, instead of being defensive, listen to the concerns and address those directly. The path may not be easy at first, but it does lead to greater self-confidence and harmony among people.


Dear Garby: I have a problem with listening without talking before the other person is finished. I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut, and it is causing problems with my boss and co-workers, and even my patients and family. Duct tape seems the only answer! Help! Blabbermouth in Portland

Dear Blabbermouth: You say you have a problem with listening without talking…first we have to correct the idea that you are listening! You may be hearing the other person, but listening requires attention to the other person. Unless you have a Mensa membership card proving you are a genius, then you can’t hold two thoughts in your mind at one time. In other words, if you are truly listening to the other person, you won’t be talking! The effect on people is one or more of the following: you are dismissive of them, arrogant to presume you know where the conversation is going, impatient and bothered by their verbiage, and self-centered. As with Crying in Pittsburgh I suggest you decide what you want to focus on. If you choose to focus on service and concern for others, you will be less likely to interrupt them. In other words, take your attention off you and put it on them. An exercise you can practice is: consciously WAIT till the person is done speaking, count to 3, and then, in the form of a question, repeat back some part of the sentence you heard to make sure you are addressing the issue at hand. It will also let people know that you are truly interested in them. Finally, put the following saying on your mirror, at your work station, etc.: God gave us two ears and one mouth for a good reason!


Dear Garby: I have an inner battle with myself in believing that I can successfully take over the Financial Coordinator position when the current F.C. retires later this month. In my eyes, she does such an admirable job that I sometimes doubt that I can “fill her shoes.” Second Guessing in Seacliff

Dear Second Guessing: Taking over a job in which your predecessor has excelled can be challenging. Mastery comes with time and practice; as the newcomer, you only see the end result and not the process that got her to mastery. There are several suggestions I have for you to transition into your new position. First, “interview” the current F.C. and ask her what is was like when she began in the job, and any tricks she learned to overcome the obstacles she found as she progressed through the learning curve. This will broaden your perspective and understanding of the job and the learning process. Make sure to take notes and use these as a basis for making up a check list for yourself. Second, ask her what her priorities are for the job that have been the foundation for her success, and why they are. Third, remember that you will make mistakes; what is more important when you do err, is how you handle the correction and what you learned from having made the mistake. Fourth, and this may be the most important, the person who selected you for the position sees talents and possibilities in you that you may not recognize in yourself. Ask the doctor (if that is who chose you) what he/she sees in you that made you “the one” and be willing to make them right!