Denplan website so Wii-easy to register!

Photo shows 10 year old Alex Kay registering his dad with Denplan on his Wii console.

Denplan member Nicky Kay found a novel way to register her husband with dental payment plan specialist, Denplan, by using her son’s Nintendo Wii games consol.

When the family’s laptop had technical problems connecting to the internet, 10 year old Alex Kay came to his mum’s rescue and showed her how to access websites through his Wii. Nicky said: “I wanted to register my husband Paul with Denplan but frustratingly our laptop just wouldn’t connect to the internet. Then my son Alex suggested I use his Wii console instead and sat with me as we navigated through the Denplan online registration form together. The whole process was very easy and we managed to register my husband with Denplan in minutes!”

Denplan Managing Director Steve Gates said: “We’re delighted that the Kay family found such a convenient and easy way to register with Denplan, so hats off to their ingenuity! It’s great that patients are evidently finding our website easy to navigate and find key information, and that even a games consol can provide clear step by step registration.

“In light of this, we’re also waiting to see whether we receive an online registration from a Mr Mario or Mr Sonic the Hedgehog soon!”

Roger’s Column – CLOSED FOR THE DURATION

 

I suppose I should have known. I was running through my internet sources today (one week after That Election) and checked the Department of Health. My “direct to dentistry” link came up with an error page, so I tried the DH Health homepage: “taken down for revision” it said. Gosh, they do take these changes of administration seriously.

Now everyone understands that a period of “purdah” exists for all public servants during an election. Look for example, at the Head of the NHS’s letter (6 April) to all NHS Chief Executives and Arms Length Bodies (the DPB in old money) warning them to avoid any act or statement that could give rise to claims of political bias in the run up to the election.

I’ve written before that behind the scenes, much of unseen Government carries on behind these locked doors during and immediately after the Election. Schemes, projects, draft policies and papers all continue to be developed ready to be dropped in their hundreds into the new Minister’s red boxes in time-honoured “Yes Minister” fashion.

This time there will be, of course, a new factor to be taken into account: the Coalition Government’s agreement that there will be ministers of both parties in every Government Department – and for the duration of the Parliament.

The tradition has been that coalitions are rather short-lived in Britain (unlike most other European countries with proportional representation, where they are a fact of life). However the Con-Lib agreement is to be bound for five years, which is a little scary, is it not? Imagine getting married and having to agree legally not to split for that length of time? It would kill Hollywood nuptials stone dead.

So the two partners will jolly well have to rub along together. It could, I admit, be a recipe for considered and responsible Government, or for utter stalemate.

As I’ve maintained all along, dentistry is unlikely to figure highly in anyone’s political priorities, and I don‘t expect the budget to deliver anything major in terms of the NHS, following Andrew Lansley’s early confirmation that there would be “real terms” increases in NHS budgets for the next five years.

In the slightly longer term, I would be looking out for any suggestion that dental ring-fencing was extended, or that the autumn Steele pilots were still going ahead. On the latter, there have been mixed messages – some suggesting that Steele progress would be stopped, while others saying that any contract changes would be “fully piloted with the profession”.

There will undoubtedly be pressure on local commissioners to extract value for money, but at the same time, it seems inconceivable that a standstill in public service pay will not similarly bring about a similar effect for NHS contractors. I also doubt we shall see future hand-outs of decontamination equipment, computer systems or other largesse.

Still on the subject of money, I noticed a recent dispute settlement on the NHA litigation Authority’s website: it involved a clawback demand for over £525,000, the largest I have seen. Coupled with a requirement to pay up within three months, this must be causing once contractor some headaches.

The case raised in my mind a series of issues – although of course I have no knowledge of the detail behind it. But why would such a sum only now (April 2010) be subject to review, given that it is more than two years after the contract ended (in February 2008)? It also seems that the PCT had quite close and detailed knowledge of the under-performance from the outset of the contract, yet was seemingly unable to take any decisive action. Indeed it allowed a significant “carry forward” of un-delivered UDAs into year two.

The PDS Agreement (for this was such) contains the same clauses as the GDC contract: namely, that the PCT can terminate arrangements following a breach where it believes that it is necessary to protect itself from ‘material financial loss’. Half a million sounds pretty material to me. It is certainly material to one practitioner right now.

Developing Online Facilities 101

It’s always nice to be involved in a project that will genuinely make it easier for practice teams to work with us. I’ve been close to the development of our online registration processes for sometime now and am delighted that we’ve managed to take them to another level, making them simpler and quicker to use for everyone.

Our requests for feedback from practices and Denplan staff about the online registration process have generated lots of useful ideas so we’ve been able to make quite a few improvements.

In my opinion, the most visible is that we now ask for patient details in a more logical order, meaning you can register whole families using one online form. It doesn’t matter what Denplan product they’re joining, the Denplan systems will assign the correct family discounts (to check what discount rules you have set for Plans For Children, call your Practice Support Advisor on the number below).

What’s more, if you use Kodak R4 in your practice and you have the latest updates, you can now register patients with Denplan directly from their record in R4.  You can select patients that want to join and, with a simple click, their details will be pre-filled into our Patient Application, just leaving you to complete the payment details. (did you also know that Denplan members are eligible for a 20% discount on Kodak Dental Systems?)

Registering patients has never been so straight forward so make sure you tell anyone in your practice that talks to patients about Denplan and helps them sign up, to take a look at this and all the other changes we’ve made.

For more details or to activate your Online Account contact your Practice Support Advisor on 0800 3283223.

Roger’s Column – WATCHING AND WAITING…

We all know that by tacit agreement, none of the political parties majored much on the economy during the election campaign. And we all know that this was really the elephant in the room, an elephant subsequently hidden by the post-election horse-trading, volcanic ash, oil spillages and so on.

The £6.2 billion cuts announced to the press on 24 May were quite clearly signposted as only the preliminary round of immediate actions, and the economic route ahead was described as a “colossal task”.

Many commentators have noted that the only chance that this Government will have of ensuring its future electability, while still satisfying the international economic vampires waiting in the wings, is to get all the pain out of the way as soon as possible, in the hope that we will remember less of it when the next election comes around.

This chimed in quite well with the research cited by the keynote speaker, Dr Phil Hammond, at the recent BDA conference. He noted that past events were “framed” by the later stages of our experience. A painful childbirth, followed by the removal of the newborn, was much less positively recalled, compared to a similar experience where the baby was immediately embraced by the mother.

Dr Phil suggested that in dentistry this might equate to following any painful procedure by a positive and more pleasurable experience towards the end of the appointment.  Should we, I mused, substitute something rather more refreshing than mouthwash? Maybe put some of our holiday snaps up a viewing on the computer monitor to round off the visit? I’m jesting, but you get the idea.

Back to the economy (sorry). We now know that the more severe messages are to be forthcoming in the 22 June budget and that this in turn will be followed by a Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) in the autumn. Only then will we know the full truth about what is in store for the health and welfare budget.

Some have pointed gloomily to what has happened in Ireland, where dental budgets have been slashed. Others look at Portugal, Spain and Italy where major cutbacks in public sector pay have been employed to tackle deficits smaller than that which the UK has to contend with.

Real increases in NHS budgets, promised by Andrew Lansley shortly after the election are not really sustainable in this climate, although there are always clever ways with statistics to prove (as indeed was done with dentistry back in the nineties) that funding is increasing, when the opposite is the true experience.

And one has to remember that salaries are the largest single component of health spending, with 3.5 million pay packets to accommodate. A public sector pay standstill seems the least that can be expected in these circumstances.

One early casualty has been the recommendation, by Professor Ian Gilmore, that prescription charges should be phased out for those with long-term conditions. Health Ministers have been quick to point out that such concessions must await the outcome of the CSR. Only a straw in the wind, maybe, but I would wrap up warm, because the breeze looks set to be chilly.

By coincidence I received today (the first official day of what is laughingly known as summer) a set of statistics from one of the largest dental specialist accountancy firms. They report that overall, NHS principal dentists have shown a significant increase in both turnover and profitability and that whilst Private dentists have experienced less volatility in recent years, their profits lag behind their NHS counterparts.

On the one hand this does suggest that dentists are better able to weather the storms than many who have been hit by the credit crunch and recession. On the other hand, does it also offer a tempting target to those who wish to trim any excesses from budgets going forward?

DENPLAN’S SPORTING HEROES

England’s underwhelming World Cup performance may have dashed many dreams, but Denplan still have good reason to celebrate after its sporting success at this year’s Corporate Games.

Photo shows Denplan team members and their competitors on the medal podium. Centre of podium shows Denplan’s Doug Grant accepting Gold on behalf of netball squad Team Danger.

Denplan smashed all personal records and walked away with two gold medals in the UK leg of the prestigious worldwide Corporate Games, held in Liverpool between 14-16 May 2010. Denplan entered teams in the mixed netball, football and tennis categories and fought off stiff competition from the likes of Fujitsu, John Lewis, IBM and Vodafone.

Special mentions are in order for Denplan’s netball squad ‘Team Danger’ who were undefeated for both days and went on to win Gold. This is an improvement on the Silver medal they picked up in the 2009 Brighton games and the Bronze the year before at the World Games in Sheffield. In addition, Chris Davies’ tennis performance could have given Wimbledon-star Andy Murray a run for his money, picking up Gold in the Men’s Singles!

The Corporate Games brings nationwide companies together to compete against one another in friendly sporting events as well as promoting healthy lifestyles and team work.

Click and Smile

For many dentists and practice managers an unstable financial climate is enough to prevent them investing in new technology. However, while there is more to running a successful practice than flashy gadgets and technology, these things can often differentiate you from the competition.

The following information is designed to help you keep up to date with 21st Century practice, allowing you to not only attract new patients, but help your business thrive long into the future.

Computerised records –It makes good business sense for every practice to have a networked computer system capable of offering patient records, charts, appointment books and ideally practice accounts. This not only eliminates the need for an untidy display of manila folders, it also opens up a world of marketing opportunities and time saving measures for the whole practice team.

Websites – Any business without a website is missing out on one of today’s most important, yet inexpensive advertising tools. The best websites are visually appealing, informative, inviting and regularly updated – invest in a good basic design by a professional and the rest can be done in-house.

Social media – And what about more current obsessions, like Twitter and Facebook? Twitter needs to be constantly updated, but can be great for patient feedback and updating your followers on practice news and offers. Facebook is also a great way of passing on information about your practice – just start a patient group and invite your patients to join. And the best thing is – most social media is completely free!

Mobile phones – For dental practices, the mobile phone’s simplest application has proven to be its greatest asset. The humble text message can save thousands of pounds in lost revenue by reminding patients of their forthcoming appointments, sent automatically on a daily basis, as part of a practice management software system.

Money talks – Practiceworks indicate that a two-surgery practice could have a basic networking system installed from under £10,000, while with digital imaging and other innovations you could be looking at closer to £25,000. With a little effort to make the best use of the new technology, recruiting new patients and minimising missed appointments, it estimates that most practices will cover the cost of such an investment within 12 months.

The extra mile – So, what else is out there that could make your dental practice stand out from the crowd? Some dentists are now progressing to enabling patients to book, amend and cancel appointments online, while the most advanced SMS systems can also allow the patient to interact with the practice by text, updating the appointment ‘book’ automatically should they be unable to make the appointment.

Some payment plan providers also offer a wealth of services including the ability to share patient information to ensure your records are always up to date; a wide range of professional and personal discounts; and a range of verifiable CPD courses to help integrate your team into new systems or ways of working. So if it’s time for an injection of technology to bring your practice into the 21st Century, my advice to you would be to consult the experts and take that leap.

Denplan extends its sponsorship of Winchester City Football Club

Denplan has extended its five year sponsorship of Winchester City Football Club in a deal that secures the future of the club through to 2012.

The club will continue to be called the Denplan City Ground.

Steve Gates, Denplan Managing Director, said: “Denplan is delighted to be part of the continued success of the club as it aims to build on its run of eight unbeaten games at the end of the season to secure promotion in 2011.

“As a company we believe it’s important to support activities in the local community that make Winchester a vibrant place to work. Our support of this and other community projects around Winchester demonstrates our continued commitment to the city.”

A Fond Farewell

Denplan says a fond farewell to its beloved receptionist Patricia Redgrove this week.

Patricia retires after having been with the company for more than 15 years.

The whole team at Denplan wish her every happiness in her retirement and will miss her dearly!

Roger’s Column – A question of management

It will be all over by the time you read this piece. Deadlines mean that the outcome of the General Election will elude me. But, you may well ask: ‘Will the result actually make any difference to dentistry?’

The question I’ve been asked most over the past weeks has been: ‘Which Party do you think will be the best for dentistry?’ The best answer I can come up with is that the same song is being sung, in different keys, by each of the three main contenders. All have assured us that “front line health services” will not be cut, but that “efficiency measures” – mostly unspecified in any detail – will be applied across the public sector.

The populist view is that “management” is to blame for the ills of the NHS. Many statistics have been produced typically to show that managers have increased by a zillion per cent, but hard pressed and competent clinical staff are in short supply.

One problem with this view is that many “managers” in the NHS are also clinically qualified (40% was an estimate I was given by a reliable external source). So the lines are perpetually blurred and many role-specifications cross the boundary between clinical and management functions.

“Better management” is something that everyone would like to see, but the concept is usually poorly defined – what is better management – and does it actually make any difference to clinical outcomes and effectiveness?

Now those are interesting questions and could legitimately be applied to dentistry, whether we are talking about local management through a PCT or Health Board, or practice management in any dental enterprise, corporate, individual, NHS, mixed or private.

The bad news is that there is very little good evidence on the effectiveness of management in primary care dentistry. A literature search reveals a paucity of good studies which link good clinical outcomes to quality management, and yet these are both topics which feature greatly in our current thinking.

So I was particularly interested in a summary report* of a large-scale study in general healthcare which could certainly do with some follow-up in the dental domain. A team of researchers first defined what “good management practice” meant and set about comparing large (non-healthcare) companies, smaller companies, NHS Trusts and private hospitals.

In each case the organisation was graded high, medium or low on these objective criteria. A set of outcome measures was similarly defined and measured: patient safety, clinical results, patient experience, productivity and financial aspects were all included.

Finally, the management and clinical staff in the hospitals were interviewed on a double-blind basis – neither the interviewers nor the interviewees were aware of the scores their establishment had attained.

The results were fascinating. Firstly, it was established that good clinical outcomes were directly related to high management standards (and for that you need good managers as well as good clinicians). Secondly, and tellingly to me, management views of ‘How good is the management here?’ bore little relation to actual outcomes, but clinicians’ opinions of the quality of management were most certainly and positively correlated. So if you want to know how well a hospital, clinic or trust is managed, ask the clinicians, is the short answer.

Now I’m reporting an external study, so don’t shoot the messenger here, but on average, NHS hospitals underperformed large UK manufacturers by 14% on efficiency, 21% on performance management and 30% on talent management. Private hospitals did significantly better on overall management scores than NHS hospitals, and most importantly in the talent management stakes.

My perception is that the engagement and retention of excellence in both clinical and management staff is the key to successful outcomes, both clinical and financial. Obvious you may say, but nice all the same to have it confirmed. It would be fascinating to apply the same methodology to dental practices – and also fascinating to see whether the “sea change” we are promised with a new Government, of whatever colour, will take the opportunity presented this month to act on research such as this before wielding the axe.

Implanting ideas by Denplan Training

The First Denplan Stairways Clinical Course

Earlier this year a new era began for Denplan Training. The very first Denplan Stairway clinical course was held entitled ‘Implanting Ideas’. The day was led by Dr Jerry Watson who is a GDP with a special interest in Implant Dentistry. Jerry’s experience with implants now runs to nearly 20 years, and he has been a popular speaker at dental courses for a similar length of time. The day is designed to be an introduction to the contemporary scope of implant dentistry in general practice. The objectives of the day are to:

• Explore the principles of implant based restorative dentistry

• Discuss how to assess and select cases

• Consider the application of basic surgical techniques for implant dentistry

• Establish the clinical indications and contra-indications for implant based restorative dentistry

Thanks to material support from Nobel Biocare the delegates not only enjoyed an interactive presentation style, but they were also able to experience a useful ‘hands-on session’, placing implants into model jaws. The feedback from delegates indicated that everyone attending had enjoyed a day which exceeded their expectations. Participants commented:

‘Nice hands on approach…. thanks very much for an enjoyable day!’

‘Excellent day- thanks to all’

‘Very nice day. Very well organised. Many thanks.’

You can view the full list of clinical courses available in the Stairway Programme at http://www.denplan.co.uk/dentists/training.

Each study day offers 6 hours of verifiable CPD. A free, and optional, practice project is supplied with each course which offers a further 14 hours of verifiable CPD if completed and validated by the course facilitator. The practice project for ‘Implanting Ideas’ invites delegates to audit the potential need for implants in their practice.