Christmas Gifts

Happy Friday.

My wife is doing her annual girls' weekend this weekend, so it is just me and the four kids. Yeah, it is going to be bad. Heck, I don't even know for sure what time my 14 month old goes for a nap. Wish me luck.

Noah turned 7 a few weeks ago and I told you about the his party at the go-kart place. For about 9 months, he has been talking about his party and how he wanted it to be Monster Trucks. So my assistant made him a Monster Truck cake. I told you she makes specialty cakes, and she really overdid it this time.

The yellow thing on the bottom is a bus. Now that is cool.

He was like a pig in poop.

We recently took our family photos. I have to say that my family really did well. One of the real reasons I did the pictures is that I want to put my family in the reception area; I want people to know me. I want them to know that I am a dentist but I am also a son, a brother, a husband and a father. I am going to have a really nice display made of some great photos. I think it makes visitors feel a little more connected to me. And when I get the CD, I will do the same to you guys.

I've got to get my nose back to the grindstone, so I got a ghost writer to take over for today. It is really good stuff. Don't get ticked at me, I am just the messenger.

The holiday season is here. Have the cards started rolling in? This stuff gets me thinking. Every year, I probably get 50 cards from specialists I don’t know. I know they are saying, "I am still in business, so if your specialist starts to tick you off, then give me a shot."

I am good ok that. I actually think it is a good idea. But it is MY specialists that this blog is about. Take my oral surgeon, for instance. I send him ALL my wisdom teeth extractions, probably about 100 patients a year. Let’s say all 100 go to him, and 75 of them get the work done. If I extract a wisdom tooth, it is $250. But when they do it, the total is more like $2000-$3000. I don't know if it is the sedation or what... but this is not the issue. Okay, so 75 patients at the tune of $2-$3k each... carry the one… we are talking $150-$200,000 a year. Maybe I am too full of myself. Maybe I guess too high. Let’s say I only send him 50 patients a year and he works on 40 of them. That still is $80-$120,000 to my friend the Oral Surgeon.

Now what do you think an appropriate gift is for the conductor of this gravy train should be? I am not going to answer this question. I am just throwing it out there. I know this oral surgeon has a ton of referring dentists. But I am not talking about the dentist that is throwing this oral surgeon a bone (4 or 5 patients a year or something like that). I am talking about the loyal general dentist that has been faithfully referring all his wisdom teeth patients for the last 15 years.

How about the orthodontist? Let’s say I send him/her 2 cases a month (I send more); that is about $12,000 a month. That is $144,000 a year to their bottom directly related to ME. Now, what do you think an appropriate gift for someone adding $144,000 to the bottom line? To put it in perspective, last week I got a gift card to a fancy steak house from a specialist I DON'T EVEN REFER TO. It is an awesome gift and it is from a guy I haven’t referred even one patient to.

Now if you are a specialist, I am not mad, I am just thinking out loud. These are not actual numbers and I don't have any specialist in mind when writing this. But I know a lot of general dentists must feel this way. It is the main guys that I am calling out.

We know what kind of cars you drive. We have been to your houses. We sometimes go to your mountain homes. We have been to your hunting leases and driven your 4 wheelers and then you have taken us out on your Air Nautiques. And you send us chocolate covered pretzels for Christmas. Or you send us a basket of crackers and wine that I saw at the grocery store.

Again, I don't think of myself as that everyday guy. I am the one that talks so highly of your office. I am the guy that calls you to give you constructive criticism because I want you to do well. I am the one that likes you for you. I am the guy that is not leaving your practice. I think this kind of loyalty deserves more than your assistant’s trip to the local cookie store. Am I right, general dentists?

Now I know all you general dentists are thinking, "YEAH!” But I am going to through this right back at you. When was the last time you bought your specialist a gift? These guys/gals are cleaning up your messes all the time. They are the guys/gals you call to get you out of a hole that you have dug yourself into. These are the guys/gals that are defending you to your patients, telling your patients not to go to another dentist because the other guy is cheaper.

Oh wait! You don't know they do this. Dude, WAKE UP! Don't give me this "all my patients love me and they never have problems with me" crap. Get your head out of the sand and realize this is a symbiotic relationship. These are the orthodontists that see your kids. These are the oral surgeons that take out your kids’ wisdom teeth.

“NO!!” you are saying, "I send all that work to you, you should feel lucky to see my kids." But that is a slippery slope, my friend.

This year I want all specialists to make their general dentists to feel special. And I want all the general dentists to know how good they have it and send their friends a gift. They deserve it.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Good stuff from this guy. Like I said, don't get mad at me.

Have a good weekend.
john