Dental Insurance Benefits Expiring

December 1, 2011

I don’t know how you feel but I think this year is just flying by. I guess I feel like that every year. Only one more month left in 2011. For those of you with dental insurance, only one more month to use your dental benefits before they disappear and go toward the bonuses for the insurance executives. That is kind of a joke and it is kind of not.
As you know, if you have dental insurance, you have a yearly maximum amount of money that can be used for dental care. Although that yearly maximum (typically $1000-1500 per year) has not changed for 40 years in most situations, if you don’t use… (Read More)

The Transitioning Practice – Part 2

October 3, 2011

Last week I began talking about what to do if your long-time dentist is replaced by someone new. Having taken over the practices of two retiring dentists, I consider myself pretty experienced at this type of situation. Let me see if I can break this issue apart.

For those long-time patients, change is not easy. My theme of last week’s column was that you owe it to your retiring dentist and the staff to give the new dentist a try. From there you can make the decision on whether you are comfortable or not.

In my last practice transition I was taking over an office that was stuck in the 1970’s in both style and… (Read More)

The Transitioning Practice – Part 1

September 27, 2011

It has happened. The worst possible thing in the world you could ever imagine has happened to you. The dentist you have been seeing for the last 20 years has retired. What are you going to do?
Many people, including myself, get attached to their healthcare providers. When you build a relationship with your healthcare provider and the office staff, there is a level of comfort in knowing that when needed, there is a person/office you trust to take care of you. When that provider retires there is a sense of abandonment, obviously not intentional, and that feeling of – What do I do now?
In many cases, the staff members remain, which… (Read More)