That was the sign I read on a billboard alongside the M56 in North Cheshire as I drove back to Manchester from a practice visit in Wrexham 2 weeks ago.

I was on my bluetooth phone at the time and didn’t catch the email address that was detailed under the offer (perhaps driving a little too quickly as well?).

My assumption - Budapest.

A few days ago, the same sign appeared as I travelled south on the M6 - and this time I did have the chance to capture the addy:

http://www.evodental.com/

and the chance to take a look around the web site this morning.

Quite an interesting site - nothing to do with Hungary at all - and the “offer” price is clearly a sprat to catch a mackerel.

In these times we must try harder - and the folks at Evolution are certainly doing that.

Take a look.

Posted: July 29th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: 2

My thanks to Fraser Hendrie who emailed a link to the Times article about the “off the record” conversation that took place between Barack and Dave during the trip to London.

You can read it here.

Posted: July 28th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: none

Posted: July 22nd, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: 1

In response to my recent post (and ezine article) about membership schemes, reader Ann Brosnan writes:

Hi Chris,

 

Great article about membership.

 

One thing I would add (as a patient) is how about being invited to join a ‘patient panel’ so that I can give feedback to the dental practice and be asked questions about my propensity to purchase new treatments. A win-win as they get the research, I feel valued and I know what developments are taking place in the world of dentistry.

 

Regards,

Ann

That sounds like a really good idea to me - anybody out there doing it?

Posted: July 17th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: 1

So the GDC are beginning to fire warning shots across the bow of many practitioners.

Read here what Dentistry magazine have to say.

That should raise a few eyebrows

Posted: July 15th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: none

Just a quick update on what has been happening - absolutely nowt!!! PCT are not returning our calls (we rang every day last week - PCT dental lead constantly ‘in meeting’ or ‘just stepped out of office’) - absolutely unbelievable way to run things! Anyway, they’ve got until Wednesday and then I’ll simply hand it over to the BDA;s legal dept (not that I am filled with hope that they will fare any better!).

    I’ve been reading the responses on the blog - nice to know people care enough to give their views/advice - so big thanks to them! I also had a good meeting about this with the staff. They are all for going on without an NHS contract at all. As S pointed out - any patients who want to be treated on the NHS have already gone. Those that are with the practice are there because they want good customer care and good dental treatment. We have also had a couple of calls from parents of patients concerned about the situation - apparently the PCT has put an article in the local paper about it!

and two days later….

PCT dental lead finally got back to us today! Basically, N (under advice from BDA legal) asked her where in the contract or NHS regulations it allows the termination of a contract in this manner. She was unable to answer and said it would take 2-3 weeks for her to find out!!!!!! We are stunned!! I am guessing that they haven’t actually checked whether they can legally do this (as I suspected from the start).

Posted: July 3rd, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: 1

Was it Amex that first coined that phrase?

In Edinburgh at the moment for our Business Club meeting - and when I arrived yesterday and passed my Diamond VIP loyalty card across the registration desk at The Cally, I was upgraded to one of the “newly refurbished rooms with a view of the castle” in a rather grand way.

That’s what I expect, because I am a loyal client of Hilton, as evidenced by my “points” tally.

Interesting then, that the ensuing conversation with a practice owners revolves around how they can positively differentiate themselves in a world of increasing competition and “sameness”.

We are evolving an important theory as to how the “membership scheme” has to be elevated to a new level.

I asked one of our clients what benefits were associated with their in-house scheme.

He quickly replied, “two exams, two scale and polish and some emergency cover - PLUS a 20% discount on fee per item work (but that’s not really a discount if you know what I mean) nudge, nudge, wink, wink.”

It’s a familiar mantra - and I want to challenge perceived thinking and suggest that this will not be enough going forward.

When you are competing with Tesco, Virgin, Superdrug, the semi-private corporates and the new phenomenon of jobless VT’s and associates backed by family money or idiot banks - the traditional explanation of membership scheme benefits may no longer cut the mustard.

Especially not as my utility bills rocket skyward and the need for general dental “maintenance” (how horrible a word is that) gets pushed on to the “round tuit” list.

So what will a 21st Century dental membership scheme offer?

Here’s a clue…

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. member’s price list

8. two dental examinations

9. two hygiene visits and

10. worldwide emergency cover.

The real question is - what will the first 6 “knock ‘em dead” offers be - so irresistibly attractive that there will be a waiting list for membership of your practice?

Answer that question successfully - and you have a survive and prosper plan for the next three years.

Fail to answer it - and that rumbling sound is “everyone else” - just behind you.

Want a clue?

Start with the following:

• Scarcity
• Privilege
• Reward

My room at The Cally is lovely:

• only a few have been refurbished so far and I’m amongst the first to experience them
• beautiful bathroom, fancy plasma TV, exquisite bed providing a wonderful night’s sleep
• my upgrade is free of charge
• the view of the castle is stunning
• the complimentary wine and chocolates will be travelling home with me
• I’ll enjoy my quarterly breakfast of haggis shortly
• I feel appreciated, privileged and rewarded for my loyalty

Posted: July 1st, 2008 under Dentistry, marketing.
Comments: 2

Here’s an extract from an email I received on Sunday:

I have also had a bit of a problem with the PCT. Most of the practices in the area went private when the new contract came in, and most of us took a child-only NHS contract. I received a letter on Thursday (dated the previous day) stating that the PCT is going to end all limited contracts in September (6 months earlier than agreed) and that if we wished to tender for further, all-inclusive NHS UDAs we had to get our response and proposal to the PCT by Friday!!

I rang the PCT dental lead who told me that in the PCT’s eyes the child-only contract was discriminatory so could be terminated whenever they liked. I stated my view that there is nothing in the contract which states they can do this, but she said there is nothing I can do unless I take a full contract!

I spoke to the BDA who said that the PCT cannot cancel the contract like this and I should speak to the PCT again- if they maintain the stance then the BDA legal dept will take it up. I also rang the LDC chairman- he has spoken with the PCT too, and they basically told him we can like it or lump it.

He suspects the Eddie Crouch case has encouraged the PCTs to believe they can do whatever they want- his advice was to take a small NHS contract to compensate for the loss of the children-only contract income. I thought that this may be a way around the problem, and that I could just see children as before, telling the adults trying to get an appointment that we are full, but the LDC chair was told by the PCT that they will be closely monitoring the claim forms put in to ensure no discrimination takes place.

I am quite concerned about this, as it will cause a drop of £720 per month in our income. I know I can take up a children’s plan with Practice Plan but I doubt it will be very widely taken up. More worrying is that the local private dentists I spoke to on Friday all seem to be resigned to going back into the NHS system to a fair degree. If this happens we could lose quite a few patients again.

 What would your advice be in this situation?

Posted: June 24th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: 5

What would it be like if many of the UK’s PCT’s were to contact those dentists who held children-only contracts and demand that:

1. any underperformance was cleared within 60 days and

2. failure to do so would result in withdrawal of the current contract and redirection of the children?

Pure speculation, of course.

But if that did happen - it would be wonderful!

You would have the perfect excuse to offer your patients a childrens membership scheme - and a perfectly incompetent and unpopular Government to blame.

Lemons to lemonade.

Cross your fingers.

Posted: June 19th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: none

You can read a fascinating article here about the new private owner of Boots, who wants the company to provide “global healthcare” that will include “helping ladies to look more beautiful”.

His words, not mine - and maybe another player back in the market?

Posted: June 16th, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: none