New doctors guideline – the secret to clinical success

A New doctor’s guidelines – Secrets to success in your Practice

Here’s a summary of the steps covered in this topic:

1. Register as a provider
2. Are you ready to start?
3. Treating your first patient
4. Make sure clear aligners are prioritized in your practice
5. Assign team responsibilities
6. Promote your services to the public

It is our hope that this guide takes your practice to the next level.

You can download a new doctors’s guidelines in pdf.

1. Register as a provider

• • Please register at https://whitesmileclear.com/wsclear/register.php.
  • Contact our sales representative or contact hotline ( info@whitesmileclear.com or +60 13-906 3378) to get registration approval.
  • Log in and you must complete the web submission at https://whitesmileclear.com/wsclear/index.php.
  • Please watch the Basics of Whitesmileclear playlist on YouTube or on Smile Coach.

2. Are you ready to start?

• You will be required to produce patients records. Use either a digital camera or a smartphone to take high quality, clear pictures to upload. Use mirrors for buccal and arch photos.
• Use an intraoral scanner or PVS impression and plastic impression trays (do not use metal) to capture your patient’s dentition. We will not accept impressions made by metal trays, stone models, or alginate impressions. We also do not send the impression materials back, so make sure that when you submit impressions that you are using disposable trays.
• You will more than likely have to place attachments, so be ready for that, particularly when complex cases come up.
• You will perform IPR (Interproximal Reduction). You may also need supplies to perform it, so visit either the Smile Coach or our youtube channel for further instructions.
• Pricing for aligner treatment varies, depending on the market and how complex the treatment is. Using WhitesmileClear Fullset means that the pricing will be consistent; using WhitesmileClear Lite saves some money in the beginning, but then accommodates for revisions, replacements, and retainers–future costs that the patient will need to be aware of.
• Coaching is available for your staff at the Smile Coach e-learning course. This answers the typical questions we get.

3. Treating your first patient

• Start with something simple for your first case. This means you should look for a patient who has a minor issue that can be fixed in less than a dozen steps and has no major crowding that would cause interproximal reduction (IPR) or attachments (due to difficult moves) to be required. Posterior teeth are harder to fix than anterior; extrusion and rotation are much more difficult than tipping. You can increase the complexity of the cases you work on, the more you work, which will help you become at ease with malocclusions and aligners, for instance. Remember, even a minor fix to the anterior teeth can greatly boost a patient’s self-esteem and how they view themselves. It might be more convenient for you to start with either yourself, family member, or an employee. You will get a discount on your first case.
• Remember to get informed consent from your patient before you do anything e.g. they must sign the form:
  • You as their doctor are responsible for their cases.
  • WhitesmileClear manufactures aligners based on your prescription.
  • If patients have any questions or concerns then they should contact you.
  • Any orthodontic treatments carry risk.
  • No doctor can guarantee a successful outcome.
  • Aligners need to be worn at least 22 hours a day, every day.
  • After the aligners, most patients will have to wear a retainer
  • There are additional costs associated with retainers, revisions, or replacements
• Take photos and impressions or intraoral scans. Look at How to Take PVS Imperssion and How to Take Intra Oral Scans.
• Submit your prescription. Look How to Submit a Case.
• Review and approve your treatment setup. Look Treatment Setups.
• Your patients will need instruction on how to wear and care for their aligners. Your patient needs to understand that it is essential that they wear the aligners consistently, as this is the most important factor of success.
• Give your patients two sets of aligners and check up on their progress on every appointment.
• After the aligners, retainers should be used as a follow-up treatment.
• You can reach your sales representative  or Visit the Smile Coach learning platform you can also call us (+60-12-682-4418) or email info@whitesmileclear.com. Be prepared with your clinic name and patient name.

4. Make Sure Clear Aligners are in your practice

If you sit and wait, you will not get patients who want clear aligners for their teeth, just waltzing into your practice. It could happen, but most do not consider correcting malocclusion until the benefits of the procedure are brought up to them. Successful practices do the following actions:

• Ask every patient you have if they are happy with their smile. Have them fill out a smile survey that has the following questions:
  • On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your smile?
  • If you could change anything about your teeth, what would it be?
  • Do your teeth fit/align properly when you bite down or does it feel off?
• Ask every patient whether they’ve heard of clear aligners, no matter the reason for their visit. If they are not a candidate for the use of clear aligners, then they might know someone who is. If they are, then make sure clear aligners are included in their treatment plan and make sure they take it home.
• Play educational videos for patients in the waiting room, informing them of the benefits of certain procedures and explain to them how clear aligners work. Play this general information for patients video.
• Talk to your patients about how correcting their malocclusion can benefit their overall health.
• Display promotional materials. You can either order these from your marketing Rep or print promotional materials (i.e. stand, poster, banner, leaflet) from the website.
  • Place WhitesmileClaer samples on your front desk
  • Displace leaflets in your exam and waiting rooms
  • Put a window cling on your front door
  • Strategically place posters on the walls throughout your office
  • Show patients how to use aligners using a flipbook and use and before & after photos to persuade them
• Remember to update your website. Information about WhitesmileClear should be added to your website, Instagram, or Facebook account. Go to promotional materials to find images, logos, and sample copies.

5. Assign team responsibilities

• Make sure the entirety of your staff is on board with the new changes and understand that they are key to its implementation, particularly of the clear aligner treatment. Every staff member should be prepared to promote the clear aligner treatment to each and every patient when called upon to do so, to patients who would benefit from the treatment.
• Make sure your staff is educated about the benefits of clear aligners. Not only that, but they should also know the basics of what the clear aligner is and how it works, and where patients can get advice regarding it. They can also:
  • Learn more from the marketing representative
  • Take Smile Coach courses or go to a seminar
• Be sure to schedule regular meetings with your staff to make sure that each individual staff member knows what they are talking about regarding the clear aligners, and also as a way for you to see the benefits of adding the clear aligner treatment to your practice.

Examples of duties you might assign to your employees might be some of the following:

• Receptionists are generally the first people to welcome patients, so they are your first prong of attack when it comes to discussing clear aligners with patients. They can:
  • Promote clear aligners within the practice
  • Identify potential customers of the clear aligners
  • Notice any interested patients who watch the videos or read any of the promotional materials in the waiting room
• Dental hygienists can identify patients who are most in need of clear aligners before the doctor even sees the patient for the first time, which puts them in a fairly unique position. An educated hygienist is a boon to any practice, as they are educated thoroughly in all parts of dental orthodontics and can do the legwork of sales. They can:
  • Identify many conditions that would benefit from extensive orthodontic correction
  • Identify occlusal disease and its symptoms
  • Educate patients about the numerous benefits of correcting malocclusion, to help their overall oral health
• Dental assistants are also key players in sales, as they have direct, frequent contact with patients all day long. They can:
  • Identify potential patients for the clear aligners by asking if they have ever wanted to change their smile
  • Perform a workup:
    • Make sure the Informed Consent Agreement has been signed by the patient
    • Take scans/impressions
    • Take photos
    • Examine the patient
  • Educate the patient about the benefits of clear aligners:
    • How to wear the aligner correctly
    • How important it is to wear the aligner on schedule, consistently
    • How to clean and care the aligners correctly
    • What to expect regarding IPR and attachments
  • Assist with the follow-up appointments:
    • Get the next set of aligners to distribute
    • Review the treatment plan
    • See if IPR or attachments are scheduled, get the materials, and inform the doctor
    • Ask the patient if they are following the wear schedule consistently e.g. 22 hours a day, and ask them if they have any questions or concerns
    • Document any notes about treatment or questions and progress so far
  • Encourage all patients to tell their friends and family about WhitesmileClear
  • Continue to educate yourself about clear aligner treatments
• Treatment Coordinators (e.g. clinic managers) also have an important role in getting new customers for clear aligners. Treatment coordinators, in several practices, discuss pricing and financing for various treatments and procedures with patients. This already establishes a relationship between the coordinator and the patient, where they can discuss several different treatment options for a wide variety of orthodontic conditions. They can:
  • Identify potential customers to the doctor by discussing clear aligners with patients
  • Show patients treatment plans
  • Discuss financing, payment, pricing, and insurance with patients
  • Inform patients of the obligations regarding payments and appointments
  • Follow up with any patients who seem interested in clear aligners

6. Promote your services to the public

• Publicly state your mission statement and outline a clear set of goals for the practice
• Send emails to all of your current patients, as well as potential patients, outlining the benefits of using WhitesmileClear and other promotions
• Keep a steady presence on social media. Keep in touch with patients on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and monitor your reputation on Google My Business.
• Send out monthly newsletters to all patients, current, and future, regarding special promotions
• Run promotions such as:
  • Free whitening with a clear aligner
  • Free consult and treatment setup
  • Free starter kit items (aligner case, chewies, cleaner)
  • Discounts on retainers or aligners
• Make sure you have referral cards on hand. These cards offer services such as free x-rays, consultations, and exams, and you should distribute them to every person who crosses your practice. Increase the attractiveness of these offers by stating the general costs of these procedures.
• Create good word of mouth reviews by holding staff meetings and coaching employees on how to create positive referrals through their actions.
• Send flowers, balloons, or cookies to any patient just starting treatment. You can also send a referral card in a branded gift such as a mug, gift card, or toothbrush. Send it to the patient’s workplace to get the practice’s name out there.
• Make sure to have a staff member who is also in treatment; this is a great conversation starter, especially as they can speak from experience directly to the patient.
• Keep your website up to date and optimized for search engine results. You can also choose to invest in paid marketing and search engine results.
• Consider any avenues of marketing (television ads, radio, billboards, etc) that will fit with your budget.
• Conduct learning sessions with any interested parties.
• Give talks about clear aligners during general community meetings, at schools, and any other appropriate event.
• Schedule a “WhitesmileClear Day” via promoting clear aligners and various discounts for anyone who signs on that particular day.
• Create contests and hold giveaways to get leads for new, potential patients