By Dr. Greg Grillo Dental offices are only a small segment of the workforce, but many of us still use reams of paper. The average U.S. office employee uses 10,000 sheets annually, and Americans consume six times the global average paper volume per capita. That paper requires 535 million trees and 12 billion gallons of oil to produce. Technology continues to find alternatives for many traditional operations, including scheduling, bill payment, and record-keeping. The timing couldn’t be better for us to embrace paperless solutions. Many of us face the same staffing strain as many industries a ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo People interact with thousands of brands as they move across the digital and physical landscapes. They buy products, purchase subscriptions, and follow YouTube channels. Furthermore, they visit their physicians and search for answers to health concerns on Google; there are about 70,000 healthcare-related searches daily.  But there’s something unique about dentistry. We are not a product or subscription service, and most of us do not deal with single transaction visits. We value relationships and understand that dentists are even unique in healthcare. Our regular pat ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo Patients visit our offices with many consumer expectations that extend beyond the operatory. They pay their phone bills through an app, make restaurant reservations online, and consult their physicians via telemedicine. A patient portal opens a virtual door to our practice that everyone appreciates. It brings us up-to-speed with the rest of their daily experiences and gives our teams much-needed support. Better engagement builds stronger relationships even if there is no human interaction involved. What Is A Patient Portal? A patient portal provides direct access to man ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo Dental SEO isn’t the hottest topic when clinicians get together, but it’s as relevant as smile makeovers and All-On-4 cases. Without an effective SEO strategy, we may miss out on prospective patients searching for a trustworthy dentist.    We often feel like we have so much bandwidth in our days as we focus on procedures, patients, and staff. Adding marketing expertise to the mix can feel overwhelming. However, SEO can move our search engine results higher, lead more patients to our website, and get them into our operatories. What Is Dental Search Engine Optimiz ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo As we move into the spring of another year, we’ve proven our resilience in a changing world. Our patients continue returning for care, while we’re focusing on growth and new opportunities. But we’re not without challenges. Many of us toss and turn with staffing concerns; either we’re looking for a new team member, or we’re concerned about losing one. At a minimum, our team members have had to take on more tasks in their busy days. Patient volumes rely on adequate support from the first call to follow-up, so we need everyone at their best. Automation continues to shape man ..read more

 We are excited to announce that Legwork is now a Planet DDS company . Planet DDS is the leading provider of cloud-based practice management and imaging software solutions for dental practices across North America. The company acquired Legwork in December 2021. Legwork, a leader in patient relationship management, is proud to join the Planet DDS mission to help our clients improve the efficiency and economics of their dental practices. And, of course, to help practices improve both patient experience and patient outcomes.    Planet DDS believes that they can best accomplish thei ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo As healthcare brands, we’re all jockeying for a piece of the community’s attention. Establishing awareness with consumers takes a multi-platform strategy and a sharp eye on trends. As video’s appeal continues to rise, we can’t afford to ignore it. The average person spends 16 hours weekly consuming video content, and that’s grown by 52% in the past two years. Every practice wants to attract more patients and enjoy recognition as top-shelf authorities in their local area. Well-crafted blog articles and consistent email campaigns are ways to entrench your brand with consumer ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo We spend most of our time taking care of patients, mastering new techniques, and leading our teams. The last thing most of us want to do is design Facebook ads and run campaigns. But we can't ignore social media and its captive audience.  Our patients use social media with a never-ending appetite. The average person spends 145 minutes a day on social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. They see hundreds of brands and ads while browsing, and savvy healthcare businesses know this. People connect socially on these platforms with friends and family, but th ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo Running a busy dental practice involves many moving parts. Once the doors open and the day begins, the clock sets the pace. Patients flow through the office as our teams orchestrate the delivery of care. Everything matters in our practices. Arguably, the patient schedule sits at the top of the list. Multiple factors drive patient satisfaction, but their wait time bears weight. Up to 30% of patients have left a doctor’s office due to a long wait, and 20% have considered changing providers after sitting in the waiting room past their scheduled time.  Dental office staf ..read more

By Dr. Greg Grillo  Some aspects of dentistry haven’t changed much in decades. We still use x-ray heads, handpieces, and spoon excavators, but other materials and techniques look much different than in the last century. Our dental forefathers relied on simple advertising like yellow page listings and baseball team sponsorships. However, this approach evolved into a multi-platform marketing strategy that’s essential today.  Regardless of how we view social media, it’s not going away. As a dental practice, we must be where people spend their time. People spent more time than ever scrolli ..read more