Hi and welcome, or welcome back. You are listening to the Perio Hygienist Podcast, a podcast for folks interested in the treatment of periodontal disease and how to manage it most effectively for patients and the office environment — and anyone else who cares to listen.
I put that last part about “anyone” and everyone is welcome to listen because perhaps this area, for some reason, is of interest to you.
You might be a periodontal patient – in which case, sure, go ahead and listen here, but also there is a podcast just for you called The Perio Patient Podcast.
You might also me someone interested in dentistry, dental hygiene, or even the specialty of periodontics. Great. Welcome. If you have specific questions feel free to drop me a line. There is a way to do this through the podcast, or if this is coming to you via email, then write me back with any questions you might have. A good way to find out all about me is to go to the website that is my full name with middle initial .com. It’s benjaminwyoung.com.
My name is Dr. Ben Young and I am a periodontist in private practice in San Antonio, Texas. I have worn other hats prior to this which you can learn about in earlier episodes. This one is number 65 and the title is Update for March 2023 – perhaps a boring title, but let’s go with it anyway. No need to overthink things.
I have been reading an interesting book. Its title is Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller.
It’s interesting and useful in helping me think about what I do in terms of working with people of all sorts in all different situations. One of its useful features are a number of templates for analyzing and scripting out what it is we think we are about so that our websites and our verbal skills are centered on what the patient needs. It’s shifting the focus more toward the other person, not ourselves. This simplifies life for them because they are usually needing or looking for something, and when we put things in ways it meets this need if enables them to make decisions more efficiently.
In a little more detail – and I’m guilty of this – is I describe what I do but I don’t necessarily link it all that well with what someone is seeking.
For example, I might go into the benefits of using a laser in the treatment of periodontal disease. I see this as interesting.
The problem for the patient is that it takes a lot of mental work for them to determine if it is interesting or important to their search or not.
If they have to study and read things in too much depth they may drop away. So I need to help them quickly understand that the way I treat using a soft tissue laser in the treatment of gum disease will make their lives easier, better, and likely allow them to save money. Once we all understand how something will benefit our lives we are more inclined to stick with the process of understanding things at more depth.
The same with you and me as we discuss things here. I certainly hope that you have found listening to me in this context has been useful, but still, if I can simplify my message even here to give you back more time, that is a good thing.
So here is the essence of this particular podcast in just a few minutes more.
This is what I think I am about when it comes to working with your practice – whether you are the dentist, the dental hygienist or someone who is scheduling care back and forth.
I want working with me to be both easy and productive for your practice by turning periodontal patients and that problems are unnecessarily complicating your life around as quickly and simply as possible.
Yes, the laser helps with that.
Many of the generalized periodontal patients I treat are stabilized and back in your care after three visits here – first to meet them, second to treat them, and third to briefly make sure they are ready to head back to your office. After six months I generally measure their pockets again so I can give you a report and provide you recommendations on how their periodontal issues can best be managed going forward.
Give me a call or write me if you have more questions. Or send a patient who needs periodontal care and then compare what happens after that. Did they return to your practice and are you able to manage them easily for supportive periodontal care? Or have you lost them to another office indefinitely? Sure there are a few that are so problematic they will bog your practice down. For those you would want me to stay involved. For all the rest – you referred them in the first place. As you might need to in the future you can refer them again. The patients get this. Remember they have their own podcasts. That’s one of the things I discuss with them there – the importance of continuing care in your office.
That’s it for today. Happy Spring Time. You have been listening to the Perio Hygienist Podcast and I am still Dr. Ben Young. Bye for now.
No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.
