A New York state of mind

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics¹, there were 116,750 dentists in the US in 2015, the vast majority of which were general dentists Whether providing private, state or local services, each dentist and their team follow strict protocols to ensure the safe and effective delivery of treatment every day. We hear from office manager Vivian Manno, office manager for Kalmar Family Dentistry in New York…

An average day at the practice starts at 8am and, on three days a week, it ends at 8pm. The five dentists stagger their hours throughout the day, with different start times to cover the long working hours. The reason we begin our day early and offer extended opening hours is because many of our patients commute each day into Manhattan for work – we stay open later three days per week, and open on Saturdays, to accommodate these people. The team gathers for a ‘morning huddle’ each day, when we discuss the details of every patient due in. Each clinician has a scheduling sheet, containing all the information they need to help the dental team to deliver high quality care, including patients' medical history, current medication, treatment plan and any possible future treatment. We review the details together and make reminder notes. The ‘morning huddle’ ensures everyone knows what they and their colleagues are doing, helping the practice operate smoothly and efficiently every day.