Step-by-Step Outline: Preparing Your Orthodontic Practice for the New Year
Starting a new practice or business can be overwhelming. While each business is different, here is a checklist to offer support as you navigate the many steps of launching your practice. Whether you’re an orthodontist or dentist, we hope that this checklist makes planning a little easier.
Operational & Administrative
Goals: Create the foundation for all departments to build from with accurate information and goals for the coming year.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Reviewing holiday and office closure schedule for the year
- Confirm fee schedules and verify active contracts
- Review practice policies for updates
- More outlined in the downloadable checklist
Team & Training
Goals: Make sure your team is up to date on their duties, patient care standards, job training and schedules.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Schedule annual team meeting or kickoff retreat
- Review job descriptions and role responsibilities
- Confirm training and certification renewals for all team members
- More items outlined in the checklist download
Clinical & Compliance
Goals: Ensure clinical technology and tools are running smoothly and all clinic team members are compliant on regulations.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Review and update sterilization logs and protocols
- Review infection control protocols and make updates if needed
- Schedule annual OSHA walk-through and compliance review
- Find more in the checklist
Technology & Communication Systems
Goals: Protect you patients, business, and digital assets through a security refresh and confirm communication systems are accurate.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Update passwords and review cybersecurity protocols
- Refresh website content, office hours, and contact info
- Test all equipment (scanner, x-rays, cameras) for functionality
- More outlined in the downloadable checklist
Financial & Strategic Planning
Goals: Create a series of goals, based in data, to guide team’s efforts, set pricing and incentives, review spending, and create a quarterly review plan to track progress.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Review last year’s production, collections, and starts
- Set financial goals and monthly targets
- Prepare for tax season (coordinate with CPA/bookkeeper)
- More items outlined in the checklist download
Marketing & Growth
Goals: Set your practice up for a year of success by reviewing the success of past marketing efforts, considering historically slow months, and mapping a year-long plan.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Set a new patient and start goals for the year
- Update marketing calendar with events, promos, and campaigns
- Re-engage observation and pending start patients with a “New Year” message
- More items outlined in the checklist download
Patient Experience & Culture
Goals: Review ways to make your office a great place to work and receive care. A happy team lends to happier patients.
Some items on the checklist include:
- Refresh welcome packets and in-office
- Review patient feedback from previous year and make improvements
- Review community involvement calendar (schools, sponsorships, events)
- More items outlined in the checklist download