HUMMINGBIRD ASSOCIATES

Orthodontists now have a resource of three comprehensive ebooks focusing on proven management strategies to improve efficiency, patient and staff satisfaction, and overall practice growth. See Table of Contents below.
Email Penny@HummingbirdAssociates.com to order.

ESSAYS ON MANAGEMENT OF AN ORTHODONTIC PRACTICE, VOLUME 1 (196 pages) AND VOLUME 2 (179 pages) e-Books

These books were initially published twenty-one years ago, detailing the skills, systems, and techniques needed to manage an orthodontic practice appropriately. That information has been updated significantly. I am a little wiser, and the concepts required to manage an orthodontic practice properly have evolved. I wanted to offer an up-to-date reference that orthodontists can use creatively to start, improve, and grow their practices while providing an extraordinary patient experience.              

It is with delight that Hummingbird Associates offers this updated, much more comprehensive version of Essays on Management of an Orthodontic Practice. You will find innovative information and substantial enhancements to the original editions in these two volumes.

During my 46-year journey as an orthodontic practice management consultant, I have traveled from British Columbia to Florida and Australia to Jamaica, working with orthodontists and their staff members. Every stop along the way has been a gift offering long-lasting and meaningful friendships, wisdom, and purpose.            

There is no question that this has been a spiritual journey, for I have learned much from the orthodontists, the staff members, and colleagues about compassionate interaction, coping with poignant individual and collective tragedies, and observing the dramas. At the same time, I struggle not to become enmeshed in them.

As I work within orthodontic circles, people often ask if I offer a “cookbook” of solutions every time I go into an orthodontic practice or whether the suggestions differ depending on the situation.  The answer is a combination.  As an engineer, I have a treasure chest of imaginative ideas that offer solutions to many common problems orthodontic offices face. Still, each situation” “requires a different approach, a different sequence, and a different palette of artistic inspiration. Some practices have benefited from all the information, others from just one or two well-chosen concepts.            

You will find many topics with many possibilities. One idea might even contradict another.  Ferret out and implement what is best for your practice. As a young practitioner, you may find the number of choices overwhelming. Work through them one chapter at a time. The more experienced practitioner will discover little jewels tucked in paragraphs that you might use to augment your current systems.             

What works for one office might not work for another. What works at one point in time might only work for a while. And, of course, what fails today might work beautifully in the future. Few of the ideas are original, but all have evolved as they were applied, remolded, refined, and tried again by astute orthodontists committed to enhancing their practices creatively. Take the concepts you find within these pages and improve them—make them yours!               

Many of the solutions presented here were developed to solve a client's problem or were designed in collaboration with client offices. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to consult with many orthodontists who care so much about this specialty. I am particularly thankful to those of you who have become study club members, advisors, and friends. You have been, and continue to be, my generous mentors.            

The orthodontic community has taught me more than I could give in return. To every person, I offer my gratitude and appreciation. 

Table of Contents Volumes 1 and 2

Essay 1 Leadership
Essay 2 Conflict Resolution
Essay 3 Delegation
Essay 4 Hiring Protocols
Essay 5 Performance Appraisals
Essay 6 Staff Meetings
Essay 7 Job Descriptions
Essay 8 Personnel Policies
Essay 9 Personnel Manual
Essay 10 Verbal Skills
Essay 11 Scripts
Essay 12 New Patient Integration
Essay 13 Customer Service and Practice Building
Essay 14 Protocols
Essay 15 Patient Correspondence
Essay 16 Patient Statuses
Essay 17 Goal Setting
Essay 18 Scheduling and Treatment Efficiency
Essay 19 Recall System
Essay 20 Hummingbird Numbers Analysis
Essay 21 Financial Considerations
Essay 22 Insurance
Essay 23 Management Reports
Essay 24 Fees
Essay 25 Profit and Loss
Essay 26 Connectivity
Essay 27 Facility
Essay 28 Random Thoughts

BEYOND RESOLUTION – TRANSFORMING CONFLICT IN THE ORTHODONTIC PRACTICE (221 pages) E-BOOK

The goal of conflict resolution is to turn conflict into cooperation, emotion into reason, and hidden agendas into honest dialogue. This book was written to help orthodontists and orthodontic staff members examine the intricacies of coping with challenging and resolution-resistant conflicts. Some of the material is theoretical—the nature of conflicts and different processes to deal with them. Other material, which is more practical in nature, focuses on typical conflict situations and potential solutions.                

Well-designed management systems contribute to a practice's profitability but do not ensure success. A weightier piece of the puzzle is the core level of communication and how conflict is handled and resolved.              

This information on conflict resolution has been accumulated during my 46 years of consulting in orthodontic practices as well as tidbits of information gleaned from books, lectures, and the wisdom of my clients. I salute the orthodontists and staff who have gingerly walked this journey with me, for they have learned to clarify their position and intentions, to stay receptive regarding input from others, to maintain honesty and integrity, which allows trust to build, to celebrate differences, and to restore breakdowns in relationships.

The book aims to celebrate conflict, not squash it; to see conflict as creative opportunity, as the driving force in improving situations and relationships.

I learned years ago of the value of “witnessing” the world around me and realizing that I am in the audience observing an incredible and complex drama of human life. What a rich and vast playground from which to learn.”                           

There is a theory that conflict can be likened to an iceberg. When we look at a conflict, we know that most of the information is not immediately obvious or visible. Our job is to acknowledge what we know (what is above the surface) and then identify the underlying causes and issues. “As an example, one employee may be making an unreasonable number of mistakes. One could write it off to poor training or poor attitude or an inability to learn. But the underlying causes may include poor “morale, lack of proper systems, no accountability, no written procedures, poor quality from suppliers, unrealistic deadlines, or lack of clarity. Part of conflict resolution is to examine root causes below the surface.                            

One does not have to look far to find examples of conflict in an orthodontic practice:”

· Playing favorites – The doctor favoring one staff member or the staff/manager playing favorites
· The doctor disempowering the staff or some staff disempowering other members of the team
· Bossy staff members
· Staff and/ or the doctor coming in late”
· Someone not doing their fair share of the work or leaving at the stroke of 5:00 pm whether or not the work is completed
· Not treating patients/parents nicely
· Issues surrounding lack of trust
· Staff and doctors in a push/pull about increases in wages
· Office manager or other staff member dominating the control of the office and standing in the way of team development.
· Conflict between the front and back staff over how emergencies are scheduled
· Inappropriate dress or makeup by one staff member and the rest of the team are uncomfortable confronting her.

But there are some truths about conflict that should not be forgotten. Conflict is necessary for growth, it is persistent and unlikely to disappear, it is transformative, and it requires a “safe space” for resolution, and it requires commitment to results, not to being right. Starting on the journey to transform conflict, one should also remember that it is hard for people to hear what is wrong with them and easier for them to hear what is wrong with you, or what is at any rate vulnerable, or upset, or shaky in you. Watch carefully how you present your case.              

Remember, conflict is the stuff of life. The basis is often feeling unimportant, not appreciated, or discounted.  I invite the entire staff to methodically read the chapters in this book to gain an in-depth understanding of the most fruitful ways to communicate and then apply the techniques.

Table of Contents

Human Needs
Barriers to Conflict Resolution
Qualities that Inhibit or Contribute to Resolution
Understanding Ourselves
Understanding the Conflict
Relationships
Group Dynamics
Connectedness
Conflict Strategies
Collaborative Communication
Appropriate Assertiveness
Managing Emotions
Power
Third-Party Mediator
Self-Directed Team
Performance Reviews
Tools
In Closing