Make a Dentist Charity is proud to present;

Make a Dentist Conference and Exhibition 2016

Following on from the huge success of lasts years inaugural conference, MAD has lined up an exciting list of speakers that will be sure to get your parotid glands going!

When: Wednesday 6th January 2016 at 12.30-17.30

Where: Kings College London, New Hunts House Lecture theatre, New Hunts House, London, SE1 1UL.

Tickets: Buy here

Dr Bob Ballard and Hema Dhingra of Ballard and Tucker Dental Practice in Bedfordshire explain the positive impact of transferring their dental plan to Patient Plan Direct.

At the beginning of 2014 we set ourselves a realistic target of growing our practice turnover and profitability. As part of this exercise we looked at every cost centre in our business to try and identify where we could potentially cut costs and increase profitability. One area that stood out the most was the administration fees that we were paying to our plan provider at the time. Nearly 10% of our plan income month on month was eaten up in administration fees, so we set out to explore alternative solutions to running our practices dental plans.

Discovering Patient Plan Direct

We looked at other plan provider propositions in the market and were attracted to Patient Plan Direct thanks to their low and flat administration fees, strong reputation, administrative efficiency and experience of managing lots of successful plan provider transfers.

In meeting with one of Patient Plan Direct’s business development team we were not only put at ease regarding the management of the transfer process and what was involved, but were also impressed with the advise we received around growing our plan base further which was inline with our overall objectives.  

We were so confident the transfer and on-going plan growth strategy was the right move for the practice and our patients that we committed there and then.

With almost 400 plan patients we stood to save over £8,000 per annum (£40,000 in the next five years) in administration fees year on year as a result of the transfer.

Patient retention as a result of our transfer

We were understandably nervous initially that transfer would result in some patient drop off. However, Patient Plan Direct fully managed and fulfilled the mailing to patients and supported us throughout the transfer process to ensure retention was maximised. The communication of the transfer to patients was presented in a positive manner to ensure patients were assured that the move was in the best interest of both the practice and our valued patients in the long term. 

As a result of the effective management of the transfer we lost literally a handful of patients, no more than we would normally expect as a result of the annual fee increase we had always been encouraged to apply year on year by our old plan provider.  

A revised plan strategy and subsequent growth

Once our transfer was underway we applied the strategic changes Patient Plan Direct recommended. Previously we had only offered and promoted to patients a capitation (care) based plan. We felt we had exhausted the promotion of such a plan proposition to our patient base. As such, we opted to introduce a simple, value driven maintenance plan as a new option for patients. This was in line with current consumer habits and market trends which Patient Plan Direct explained to us.

Once we had determined the best plan structure and price point that would prove beneficial and attractive to patients and profitable to the practice, we completed a full team training session with one of Patient Plan Direct’s experienced business development managers. The session ensured the whole practice team was clear on the overall objectives, recognised the benefits of the plan to both the practice and patients and ensured everyone was confident in speaking about and promoting the plan.

One year on from when we completed our plan provider transfer we have increased our total plan base by a further 50% representing a significant increase in plan income month on month. Moreover, the plan continues to grow week on week. We now have even more loyal patients at the practice that have committed their oral health care to us for the long term.

Assessing your dental plan provision

Patient Plan Direct is a plan provider offering a low cost plan administration fee of £1 per patient per month (inc. VAT and Worldwide Dental A&E cover).  Patient Plan Direct has helped practices across the UK successfully transfer their existing dental plan from other plan providers, benefiting from significant cost savings and first-class support.

Web: www.patientplandirect.co.uk

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: 08448486888

Visitors to the UK’s largest Dental Show met with a surprise warm welcome, courtesy of Systems for Dentists, one of the UK’s leading providers of practice management software at the NEC, Birmingham this weekend.

Over 12,000 visitors had the opportunity to meet their branded “Tooth Fairy” over the three day event at the annual BDIA Dental Showcase.

The meet and greet mystical character proved to be a real hit with Dental Professionals who visited the Systems for Dentists stand. Hosting a warm and friendly welcome, guests were presented with a miniature tooth pendant and a personalised calling card from the Tooth Fairy!,

And seeing was believing for those who also took advantage of a first hand version of a system demonstration where they were talked through the benefits of innovative product launch of Virtual Reception – the company’s latest software development – focused on helping practices to be open 24/7/365 with the help of their new patient portal.

As a departing gesture, visitors to the Systems for Dentists stand were also presented with a little something to place under their pillow, courtesy of the Tooth Fairy!

The appeal of the company’s V6 Dental Practice Management software was attractive at the show and supported by the offer of a fully integrated package of features included within the price, coupled with time, money and efficiency savings end even the option to go paperless, making paper signatures almost a thing of the past with the companies introduction to their peripherals range of Wireless Signature Pads.

As a credible and trusted brand, and with almost thirty years’ experience in systems software development and a profound knowledge of the UK dental software market, dentists looking to make a positive change to their practice management in 2015 who visited BDIA this year could be confident of having their requirements perfectly met and understood by the experienced and helpful team at Systems for Dentists.

For further information contact:

Systems for Dentists on

www.sfd.co

0845 643 2828

Situated just outside Coventry and within the spectacular Ricoh Arena – home to the Wasps, Europe’s most progressive rugby club – Planmeca welcomed their new distribution partners and esteemed guests last Thursday to officially open a new customer experience centre and UK headquarters.

The showroom was opened by Tuomas Lokki, Planmeca Group Senior Vice President and Karl O’Higgins Managing Director of Planmeca UK.

Tuomas said “this is a new era for Planmeca UK and our new home is one of the most important foundations from which success can be built upon. This new facility offers the perfect environment to discover our range of digital imaging solutions, world class CAD/CAM system and our range of highly innovative digital dental units.”

Karl echoed Tuomas’s comments by saying “This stunning facility is testament to Heikki Kyöstil?’s vision for Planmeca UK to be an integral part of Planmeca’s global success – Mr Kyöstil? is founder and president of the Planmeca Group, who unfortunately could not be present for the event, but wished the local team and distribution partners well for the future.

Via our new and expanded distributor network, alongside a world class product portfolio and innovative mobile showroom, we are now well positioned across the UK and Ireland. Any dentist or DCP wanting to experience Planmeca’s innovative digital workflow now has that opportunity through multiple channels and in multiple environments.

The new customer experience centre features a dedicated CAD/CAM training zone alongside a full range of 3D imaging machines showcasing the latest in imaging technology. The showroom also includes Planmeca’s range of digital dental units, all combined through the comprehensive and modular Romexis software. The showroom can be easily transformed into a small conference and event facility capable of hosting courses for up to 40 delegates.

The showroom is equipped with the latest technology to ensure seamless presentations with full HD LED projectors and multi speaker surround sound installed, ensuring a seamless experience for both presenters and delegates. There are a number of meeting rooms available, all of which are equally fitted out with the latest conference technology and catering is available from the Ricoh Arena in-house hospitality team. If you have need for a high quality Midlands lecture and events facility, maybe give us a call.

To view the complete range of Planmeca digital solutions at our NEW customer experience centre, please call 0500 500 686, alternatively email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


www.planmeca.co.uk

0500 500 586