In the second part of this insightful series, Dr. Brett Beckman, a board-certified veterinary dentist, continues his conversation with Annie Mills, LVT. They discuss actionable steps for building or improving a dental service in general veterinary practices, even when resources and equipment are still in development. The focus remains on education, team building, and fostering a quality-over-quantity approach for exceptional patient care.
Guest Information:
- Host: Dr. Brett Beckman, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC, DAAPM
- Guest: Annie Mills, LVT
- Veterinary Technician Specialist with extensive expertise in dental care.
- Educator offering live, virtual, and on-demand courses tailored for veterinarians and technicians.
Main Talking Points:1. Building a Dental Practice Without Full Resources:
- Education First: Encourage staff to attend seminars (live, virtual, and online) to build a strong foundation of knowledge.
- Form a Dedicated Dental Team:
- Identify passionate team members (ideally 2-3 technicians and 2 veterinarians).
- Invest in continuing education for this small, focused team.
- Prepare for Equipment Integration:
- Train on key skills like dental x-rays, pathology recognition, and nerve blocks in advance.
2. Recruiting and Retaining Skilled Staff:
- Utilize the VTS Network:
- Leverage the growing community of Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS) in Dentistry.
- Access resources through the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (ABDT.us) to find qualified candidates.
- Promote Specialized Credentials:
- Highlight VTS expertise in marketing to demonstrate advanced care.
3. Learning from Experience:
- Key Lesson: Dental x-rays are indispensable for comprehensive care. Early pathology detection prevents unnecessary suffering and improves outcomes.
- Cautionary Tale: Practices operating without dental x-rays often miss critical issues, resulting in poor patient quality of life.
4. Overcoming Challenges in Dentistry Services:
- Quality Over Quantity: Start with no more than 2-3 patients per day to ensure thorough assessment and treatment.
- Patient Scheduling Tips:
- Avoid scheduling multiple periodontal cases in one day.
- Gradually scale up as team efficiency improves.
- Practice-wide Buy-In:
- Have conversations with managers and owners to ensure proper time allocation and support for dentistry cases.
5. Encouragement for General Practices:
- Take the pressure off by focusing on providing quality care.
- Recognize that building a successful dentistry service is a gradual process that requires dedication and teamwork.
Key Quotes:
- “Dentistry is one of those services that just can’t be rushed.” – Annie Mills
- “It’s about quality, not quantity. Three patients a day is a great starting point.” – Annie Mills
- “Without dental x-rays, we’re leaving patients to suffer in silence.” – Annie Mills
Episode Timeline:
- 00:00-04:00: Preparing for dentistry services with limited resources.
- 04:00-08:00: Identifying and training the dental team.
- 08:00-12:00: Recruiting VTS-trained technicians and their impact.
- 12:00-18:00: Lessons learned and the value of dental x-rays.
- 18:00-22:00: Addressing challenges and adopting a quality-first mindset.
- 22:00-28:00: Encouragement and actionable advice for general practices.
Key Takeaways:
- Education: Prioritize staff training before investing in equipment.
- Team Focus: Build a small, passionate dental team for maximum efficiency.
- X-Ray Integration: Use dental x-rays to detect early pathology and improve care.
- Gradual Scaling: Start with a manageable caseload and grow as skills improve.
- Practice Support: Secure management and owner buy-in for proper time allocation.
Learn More:
Explore the Veterinary Dental Practitioners Program:
Veterinary dentistry education, Building a dental team, Veterinary x-ray importance, VTS dental technicians, Quality dental care tips.
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