Considering a Commission Based Pay Model?
Thinking about taking a job with a commission based pay model ? Or would you like to moved to a commission based pay model? Whatever the reason, below are questions to ask and things to consider before accepting the job.
Questions To Ask If Commission Pay is Offered
1. Is this straight commission or comission plus a base pay?
2. Will I be paid on production or collections?
If production will this be net or gross?
3. Do I get commission on the dentists exam as it is done in hygiene?
4. Do I get commission on products I sell?
5. Are there any services or products that I don’t earn commission on?
6. What is your now show policy and do I receive commission on the no-show fee?
7. Consider asking what their previous hygienist produced the year prior.
8. Consider asking to see if the schedule is full and booked out 6 months.
9. Consider asking for commissions on the sale of cosmetic procedures such as orthodontic clear aligners, veneers etc.
10. If you have negotiated a deal to work on some type of commission pay, get the offer in writing.
Things To Keep in Mind If Accepting a Job with Commission Pay
1. Consider that you are getting a piece of the pie. The more you produce the more you make.
2. Consider that you get a raise when you increase your fee’s.
3. If working on commissions it is important to run your practice with ethics. Remember the mantra, “I recommend for products and services that patients NEED.” If the patient won’t benefit from this then don’t do it.
4. How do I make more money if I work off of commission? Add in more products and services such as in-office whitening, oral cancer screening tools, lasers, silver diamine fluoride treatments, Laser, Arestin, sensitivity treatments, sleep apnea screenings/appliances, night guards, toothbrushes, toothpastes and rinses.
SLOB Rule
In your radiology classes, remember learning the SLOB rule? This is a handy little technique to use to figure out where an abscess is, trauma is, etc on a 2D image from a 3D human. Now with cone beam technology, this little rule isn’t used as often. But, if your office doesn’t have a cone beam, or your patient isn’t willing to pay the extra money for the more advanced radiograph, you can try out this method. Check out the video below that explains the rule.
Tell Us You're a Dental Hygienist....
There are so many things so specific to dentistry that really, no one else can relate to unless they’re in the profession as well.
What would you say to this question?
Dentrix Tips from Hygiene Edge
We aren’t going to lie- we know and use Dentrix the most. For the majority of all three of our careers, we’ve been using Dentrix in offices to schedule patients, chart, take radiographs, plus so much more. So we feel the most comfortable with that software program.
We’re excited to be sharing some helpful tricks and tips on Dentrix on our YouTube Channel! These short, helpful videos will each teach 1 little tidbit to help your practice learn and trouble shoot your questions.
Make sure you subscribe to our channel for the latest updates and to be in the know of when videos go live.
Successful Transition into Private Practice for the New RDH
Congratulations to the class of 2021! Can you believe we made it through the last year, let alone finishing dental hygiene school through it? Some days, I’m so surprised it actually worked out. But mainly, I’m so proud of all the dental hygiene students going through this year with such a heavy school workload that happens in dental hygiene school.
Now that you’ve completed your schooling, you can definitely do anything. The next step? Finding the perfect job and office to learn and grow in. And we want to help with that transition! We’re holding a Zoom meeting on Thursday, April 29 @ 7pm MST to chat about all things of private practice and answer any of your questions you may have.
Sign up today to save your seat, and have the the Zoom information emailed to you the date before.
https://www.hygieneedge.com/shop/a-successful-transition-into-private-practice
#ConquerCavities with Crest Oral-B
February has been one of our favorite months for years. This year, it was even better being able to celebrate with Crest and Oral-B Together, We Can #ConquerCavities Campaign! Throughout February, dental professionals could nominate their favorite dental office for a chance to win 1,200 kids electric toothbrush systems as well as oral care education kits to help give back to underserved kids in their communities. These kids definitely deserve to have great oral and overall health, and this campaign will help so many children to achieve this at home. Did the office you nominate win? Check out the winners on dentalcare.com today and join us in congratulating and celebrating them!
Do you recommend electric toothbrushes to your pedo patients? Honestly, we don’t feel like we recommend them enough to kids. But, these tiniest patients could greatly benefit from using an electric toothbrush by decreasing dental biofilm and in turn, hopefully help #conquercavities. A few benefits for pediatric patients while using an electric toothbrush:
1. Children starting at 3 years old can benefit from using an electric toothbrush.
2. Most electric toothbrushes have a 2 minute timer, and research shows that having a built in timer extends how long your patient brushes for. Most people brush for 30 seconds, but adding the timer ups the time to around 1-2 minutes.
3. Children love the interactive nature of electric toothbrushes and how they can make brushing different and fun.
We’ve definitely added the electric toothbrush conversation to parents this month, and noticed how excited parents have been about it. We challenge you to start sharing the importance and benefits of using electric toothbrushes to your young patients and their parents, to help decrease biofilm in our littlest and more vulnerable patient population.
Thank you to Crest Oral-B for supporting us at Hygiene Edge and for supporting dental professionals to help this much needed pedo population.
#ConquerCavities #SmileCouncil #ForceForGood @HygienistProud
Online Learning Tips for the Dental Hygienist
This time last year, we were on a plane to go to our 1st ever Chicago Midwinter. We all know this is one of the largest dental events of the year, complete with product launches, networking, and more, and yet we had never been because Chicago in February sounds like no fun. Well, turns out that Chicago in February is definitely freezing, but can be so fun when attending a dental event. While we were there, I never would have thought that in just a few short weeks, I’d be out of a job, at lock down in the house, home schooling, and figuring out what’s next in both our profession and in our world.
Now, we’ve had 1 full year of being at home and unable to attend these in person live conventions. However, if you’re anything like me, you’ve attended numerous online CE events and classes to get the latest information about techniques and products. And, with these hours in classes, both hosting, speaking, and attending them, I’ve definitely learned a few things to make the most out of them.
1. Set aside the time to be fully present. The nice thing about being virtual is I can, in theory, multitask during the lecture. However, if I find myself cooking dinner, doing a bit of grading, or playing with my daughter during the class, I definitely am not taking in the information as much as I should be. Block out your schedule, try to find child care, and be in a room alone will help you focus and learn more during your class.
2. Have a pen and paper handy. I know that seems simple, but having this close by to quick notes, questions, and facts that you love makes a big difference. Then, you don’t have to run around and find something in the moment, and miss some potentially amazing information.
3. Turn on your camera. I know, it’s a pain to turn on your camera. You feel like you have to be ready for the meeting, and people can see you! However, the act of turning on your camera will not only help the presenter feel more engaged to their audience, but also mentally helps you stay more engaged as well. Plus, it’s a great networking tool for people to see you in the meetings, since this is the only time we’re really interacting with other dental professionals right now.
4. Give a bit of grace to the presenter speaking on Zoom. This is a whole new world for many people, speaking to a camera instead of a live audience and feeling their energy. Technology can also give us some grief at times. Be patient with the speaker and understanding of what they’re going through on the other end. If their technology isn’t working as they planned, you can guarantee they are sweating bullets trying to get things to work on the fly.
What things have you learned this year with learning online? Have a favorite class or topic you learned about this year? Let us know below. And here’s to 2021 and hoping for in person classes and connecting again!
Pedo Patient Products
How do you feel about seeing pedo patients in your office? Do you love having a little one on your schedule to break up the day, or do you stress about the appointment before they’re even there? Kids can be tricky to see, but there are lots of helpful products to have in your operatory to make the appointment run a little smoother. We’ve seen many kids in our days in practice, and have some favorite products and tools to help make these appointments go as smoothly as possible.
Kids sunglasses.This may be obvious, but having sunglasses that fit a little face can definitely make the appointment more comfortable. First, they’ll be more likely to wear them if they fit. Second, the extra light protection is needed when we use our loupes light- kids don’t love having the light shone right into their eyes and can make them uncomfortable and anxious.
Fidget Spinners. Keep a few of these on hand are perfect for the little one (or maybe not so little one) who is feeling anxious or having a hard time holding still. Having them be able to hold and play with something can release energy and let them focus their attention on something else other than laying back. Wipe them down in between patients, or hand them out after the appointment as their “prize” since prize boxes look different right now.
Young Zooby Prophy Angles. These are our favorite angles for kids! They can make the appointment interactive and fun. You can make up a story about aTiger or Flamingo that you have on your hand piece and be able to switch it up between their appointments. The entire Zooby line is really cute (patient napkins, masks, prophy paste, and more), but the angles are definitely our favorite product from the line.
Cordless Handpiece. If you’re really looking for something amazing with kids, a cordless slow speed handpiece is a great investment both for your patients and for yourself. Since they sometimes don’t want to move their heads in certain directions (especially if they’re watching a movie on the ceiling), having a cordless handpiece can make adaptation easier and slightly improve your ergonomics during the appointment.
Disclosing Agent. The visual demonstration of where biofilm is left on the teeth is not only powerful for a kid, but also for the parent. Having them both visually see where their home care is missing can make a big impact on how the gingiva will look at the next appointment.You can either use the liquid and paint it on their teeth with a Microbrush, use a tablet, or make your own disclosing liquid by crushing up a tablet. (You can learn how to DIY disclosing agent here).
Voco Caramel Fluoride Varnish. Have you tried out the varnish you use every day? Does it taste good, or does it leave a lingering taste? Is it so sticky that you want to pick it off 10 minutes application, or does it smooth out with time? We’ve tried many brands and flavors of varnish, and there are lots of great options out there. We really love the Voco Caramel Varnish and have great patient reports from it.
What are your favorite things to have on hand with pediatric patients? Let us know below!
National Children's Dental Health Month
This month is Children’s Dental Health Month, we’re excited to announce Crest andOral-B’s initiative to help #conquercavities in one of our most vulnerable patient populations- children! This month, they want to highlight the amazing offices, pediatric offices, and hygienists seeing patients in alternative settings, like schools or community health clinics, and thank them for all the amazing work they do each day making sure
our tiniest patients are well taken care of. Know someone that falls into that category? Nominate them and their office on dentalcare.com to be entered to win some of 1,200 electric toothbrush kits for them to distribute to their patients and communities! These kits include flossers and Crest toothpaste, along with the cute Oral-B brushes with characters that kids love to use. Kids starting at age 3 can benefit from using an electric toothbrush and introducing them at a young age will help them grow accustomed to the brush to be able to use one for a lifetime.
So, don’t wait to enter! Entries will be accepted from 2/1-2/26 dentalcare.com. Thanks to Crest and Oral-B for being so generous and for celebrating one of our favorite months- Children’s Oral Health Month! Together, we as dental professionals can help prevent children from getting decay and increase their overall and oral health through great habits at home. Together, we can conquer cavities.
No purchase necessary. 48 contiguous US/DC, 18+. Ends 2/2621. Rules: dentalcare.com #ConquerCavities #SmileCouncil #Ad #ForceForGood
What you need to know about Stannous Fluoride with Crest + Oral-B
Stannous Fluoride (SnF2) has had its ups and down in dentistry in the last decade. Previously, it had been shown to stain teeth with regular applications, and now stain blockers are built in. And with recent research and changes to optimize formulas, stannous fluoride has overcome its challenges and has been shown through research it can be very beneficial. Here are a few quick, useful tips to help address patients’ questions in your office.
The bacteriostatic/bactericidal effects of SnF2 last much longer than the 2 minutes a patient brushes for (or the 30 seconds that most people actually brush for). Because of how it reacts to bacteria and toxins and how it’s able to stay in the mouth longer than some other fluorides, it can stay and work to prevent disease and decrease sensitivity for for up to 12 hours.
Stannous fluoride can block inflammatory precursors. New research suggests that these formulas have bioavailable stannous fluoride can bind with pathogens present in a gingival sulcus, and reduces the inflammatory process in its beginning stages. If the endotoxins can’t reach the tissue, then the inflammatory process can’t begin, meaning less bleeding and infection in your patient’s tissues.
When stannous fluoride is used intraorally, it can create a protective barrier on exposed dentin to decrease sensitivity and prevent erosion. This is where Crest Gum & Sensitivity can come into play with your patients with exposed dentin and root sensitivity, but also needs the benefits of stannous fluoride to help with gingival inflammation.
Important to mention, when it comes to stannous fluoride, formulation matters. Backed by decades of expertise, Crest's Stannous Fluoride formulation delivers optimal gum health and usage experience.
Interested in learning a bit more about Stannous Fluoride? We’d recommend taking this CE course from @crestoralb! It is filled with great information and videos to know a bit more about how stannous fluoride works and how it can benefit patients.
Thank you to Crest + Oral-B for supporting us at Hygiene Edge! With their support, we can keep our mission of educating dental professionals on the latest information, new tricks and tips, and improve our profession through education.
