Welcome back to Practice Talk! with your host, Lacie Ellis. Today, we’re thrilled to be joined by Pheebe Lafreniere, a seasoned professional in the orthodontic field. In this episode, Pheebe shares how her journey began in orthodontics and discusses the rewarding aspects of her job, like building lasting relationships with patients. Together, we tackle vital concerns, from motivating clinical staff to help with marketing efforts to managing the dynamics between front and back office teams. Plus, you'll hear practical tips on scheduling, patient care, and creating a positive workplace culture. Let’s dive in!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [0:34] Lacie introduces Pheebe, and she explains how she began her journey in the orthodontic space
• [4:06] Pheebe describes what her favorite part of the job is
• [7:25] A listener asks a question and has a concern about the clinical team not being enthusiastic about helping with marketing efforts
• [12:12] Pheebe discusses some of the hangups staff have regarding social media
• [13:47] A listener poses a question about the conflict between the front and back office teams
• [18:54] Pheebe describes why lack of hygiene creates her biggest frustration, and Lacie spoke about struggling with doctor time management
• [25:21] Discussion of working in columns, having morning huddles and other scheduling issues, and Lacie explains Patient Queue Technology, designed to coordinate with any website
• [30:55] Pheebe explains how her office works hard at valuing the staff/patient relationship and knowing something about each patient

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Looking at your staff’s and clients' families might be an excellent place to look for assistants. You should also keep your eyes open to friendly people who are interested in the orthodontic field.
• A great employee enjoys building relationships with patients.
• Working in the orthodontic field is rewarding because you change someone’s smile, which they will have for life.

RESOURCE LINKS

People + Practice - Website

Practice Talk Podcast - Free Downloads

Bloom Consulting - Email

Bloom Consulting - Website

QUOTES:

“Having a prize or any kind of competition always makes marketing fun. Staff always needs to know what is happening. Everyone should know why they do it and what they do on the marketing side. We had one competition where the patient wore a wristband that said the name of our ortho practice. They wore it for a week and would come back and we would remove it and their name would be put into a drawing for a $100 prize and nine-year olds would say, yes, I’m doing that.” Pheebe Lafreniere

“Cross-training can help when there is a conflict between the front and back offices. Everyone thinks they have the most challenging job, so if we get a little bit of experience in each other's areas, we can understand each other's struggles and give each other a little bit more cushion.” - Pheebe Lafreniere