You may have noticed our company logo has changed on our website, on our social media pages and even on header of this blog page. Bentson Clark & Copple, LLC is officially Bentson Copple & Associates, LLC. The name change has also affected the newsletter; the official name of the publication is now the Bentson Copple reSource. Don’t worry, everything about the publication will remain the same! You will continue to receive the highest quality news and information regarding the business aspects of operating a successful orthodontic practice! The newest edition of the reSource is no exception. We are excited to publish the largest newsletter in the history of the publication with a total of 16 pages and seven articles/interviews. Below is a sampling of the 2nd Quarter newsletter.

Align Turns Twenty – Why You Should Care
By: Chris Bentson
Our first article in this edition of the reSource focuses on Align Technology, Inc. As the company reaches its 10-year anniversary, Chris Bentson offers insights into their industry relevance. The article provides a glimpse into the company’s history and leadership, offers a brief analysis of the company’s stock price and shares general information pertinent to the orthodontic community. With consolidation and competition in the specialty accelerating and Invisalign’s growth rate four times above the market, who knows what the future may hold for Align Technology!

Let’s Chat: Insights from Marketing Experts
An Interview with Jeff Wilson & Scott Hansen
Our team recently ‘chatted’ with Scott Hansen, Owner of OrthoChats and Jeff Wilson, Founder of Ortho Engagement, who are both leaders in the marketing channel of online chat. This side-by-side interview offers insights into the quickly expanding world of chat and what services are available and which companies offer them. Both Jeff and Scott reveal how and why this form of digital marketing can help to improve the overall patient experience. Their unique backgrounds and their marketing perspectives offer readers awareness into why live chat can easily become a successful part of your orthodontic practice’s marketing plan.

What You Need to Know about EasyRx’s New Ownership
An Interview with Todd Blackenbecler
Chris Bentson speaks with Todd Blackenbecler, President and CEO of EasyRx as he reveals his new role in this company and the ways it can streamline and organize the prescription and lab process in one’s orthodontic practice. Dr. Marc Lemchen, founder of Dolphin Imaging, is onboard helping to create a product that improves the practice-lab prescription process, which ultimately positively impacts the bottom line of the practice. The 100% cloud/browser-based system has recently announced integrations with popular practice management software and the team looks forward to what the future may hold.

Highlights from the 2017 ADSO Summit
By: Doug Copple, CVA & Shannon Patterson, CPR, CMSR
There are many questions when it comes to Dental Service Organizations (DSOs). In order to learn more, two Bentson Copple & Associates team members attended the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) Annual Summit – a two and a half day meeting featuring a variety of speakers from diverse backgrounds, both inside and outside the dental marketplace. Doug Copple and Shannon Patterson share their eye-opening takeaways from the meeting in this article. Shannon discusses the focus on patient experience and the DSO employee/associate model. Doug also examines the patient experience, as well as continuing education & professional development, technology, access to capital and efficiency ethics & regulations.

Five Year Follow-Up: What’s New with Mari’s List?
An Interview with Mari Sawtelle Dunn
Mari’s List is an elite orthodontic buying group and study club celebrating its 5-year anniversary! The company, founded by Mari Sawtelle Dunn, has negotiated deals individual orthodontists are unable to obtain on many of the best quality products and services available. This interview is focused on the growth of the company and the four core benefits of Mari’s List – evaluation of current spending, buying list, coaching and the Facebook study group, where questions are asked and ideas are shared. Mari’s core value of providing exceptional savings and customer service, while maintaining one-on-one service is evident throughout the interview.

Lifecycle Design for Your Orthodontic Office
By: Joyce Matlack
Each doctor needs to consider the current and future needs of one’s office space while focusing on the long-term return investment. When preparing for your ideal future orthodontic practice, Joyce Matlack explores a variety of options available in selecting and building your perfect office. This article explores six paths an orthodontic career may take in regard to office design: academics to private practice, start up to successful flagship, or opening a satellite (or two), bringing on an associate and reducing days in the office, selling your practice and building a semi-retirement office or moving to a satellite.

The Competition Has Changed
By: Angela Weber
Many industries, including orthodontics, have felt the forces of ‘disruption.’ In a recently conducted OrthoSynetics study, it was found that 68% of consumers don’t understand the difference between the role of a dentist and the role of an orthodontist. Angela Weber discusses several steps an orthodontist can take to educate potential patients and address the changing landscape today – by simplifying the orthodontic treatment process, becoming an educational source, making personal connections and reflecting on the competition.

Click here to read a sample version of the second quarter 2017 Bentson Copple reSource. Not a subscriber and want to learn more about the publication? Click here to visit our website.

Bentson Clark reSource is now available. Each quarter, the reSource publishes articles focused on the business of operating an orthodontic practice. The newest edition includes six non-clinical articles. The lead article is the highly anticipated valuation review containing data that is often used by doctors to benchmark his/her individual practice. This edition also rounds out a 5-part series focused on marketing to Millennial mothers, a 2-part series concerning insurance benefits and a 3-part series regarding personalized marketing/branding.

Looking Back at the Practice Valuations of 2016
By: Chris Bentson & Doug Copple, CVA
As a tradition, the first quarter edition of the Bentson Clark reSource begins with the annual review of practice valuation metrics seen during the previous year. This year marks the eleventh consecutive year Bentson Clark & Copple, LLC has published this data set. The information presented within this article is compiled from several high-level statistics extracted from the orthodontic valuations completed by the company during the 2016 calendar year. The averages addressed in this article include net collections, practice income, overhead rate and practice value.

Management of Insurance Benefits – What’s to Like? – Part 2
By: Tina Byrne
In part two of Tina Byrne’s article, she discusses the remaining three “P’s” of an insurance system – preparation, process and punctuality (part 1 focused on plans/participation and practice policy). Tina offers insurance tidbits regarding practice management software utilization, insurance forms, patient education materials, verification of benefits, claim submission, benefit payments and the urgency of handling delinquent patient receivables. Identifying and addressing internal deficiencies will bring about positive change for the practice and patients while assisting the insurance coordinator in handling patient benefits.

Financial Mountain Climbing: What is the Goal?
By: Mart McClellan, D.D.S., M.S. & Tim Streid C.L.U.
Ascending and descending a mountain with a Sherpa is a perfect analogy when it comes to understanding financial success. When orthodontists focus on their own financial efficiency, they will reach their maximum financial potential and make it back to financial base camp successfully! Dr. McClellan and Mr. Streid provide insights in understanding efficiency as it pertains to financial decision-making. Efficient money decisions allow orthodontists to accelerate their wealth and not simply accumulate it. These advisors are the only firm in America who utilize a macroeconomic model for financial decision-making and have an orthodontist as an advisor.

Choosing an Orthodontic Site in a Competitive Environment
By: Scott McDonald
Orthodontists need to think more strategically than ever about what makes a good, bad or simply acceptable site for an orthodontic practice. There are many important variables that factor into selecting a location. Some of which include the following: median household income, educational attainment scores, type of housing, family culture, population growth and competition rates. After examining hundreds of orthodontic offices throughout the United States, Scott McDonald discusses evaluating the metrics of acceptable locations. All of these issues can be operationalized through psychographic data that will define in a rational way what makes one community more “ortho-friendly” than others.

Be You-nique, Not Just Unique: Establishing a Brand-Centric Culture
By: Adam Mead
While being unique sounds great and easy enough to do, it’s actually quite difficult in practice. It really takes guts to give yourself permission to be unique. Adam Mead, founder and owner of brand strategy agency yogg & brand design agency KARV, speaks about branding, the importance of making it unique and how it represents you and your practice’s culture. When used correctly, branding is a “relationship development tool rather than simply a marketing tool.” His experience with orthodontists and many other industries offers eye-opening ideas for doctors to consider.

Reaching Millennial (and All) Moms in 2017 and Beyond
By: Maria T. Bailey
Did you know that less than 15% of Millennials and only 19% of GenX mothers want to actually speak on the phone to a customer service agent (i.e., scheduling rep or office manager)? To maximize mom engagement efforts and get the most out of an $11 billion annual market, Maria Bailey offers tips to consider when marketing to a Millennial Mom. Using significant research and data, this article dives into upgrading customer service options, social media mantra, social listings and audits.

Click here to read a sample version of the first quarter 2017 Bentson Clark reSource. Not a subscriber and want to learn more about the publication? Click here to visit our website.