The Business of Dental Hygiene


	"And then there's Debbie Hartley, the highest producing hygienist in the world. I call her 'Hurricane Debbie' because she's the most energetic and motivating hygienist I've ever met. She does $250,000+ per year and her doctor does $1-million plus with only one hygienist - Debbie. If you can get your hygienist to hear Debbie, I promise she'll show them how to do the same"

--Dr. Woody Oakes, DDS Founder The Profitable Dentist


	"I have heard nothing but raving comments and positive responses regarding your lecture from our members. I am sure that we all took home something because of your informative presentation...Your knowledge of the subject matter was great. Your excitement in presenting that knowledge to us really made us feel equally excited while absorbing that information"

--Richard D. Knowlton DMD, MAGD


	"Deborah is a must see, her motivation and message are a great jump-start to a more productive and profitable practice. She will have your hygienist and staff electrified."

--Anthony J. Vocaturo, DDS, Accredited Member AACD Member ASDA Cofounder of genR8TNext


	"Your hygiene department is an integral part of your practice I was told many times. Until I experienced Deborah Hartley's seminar, I never believed how important it could and should be. Her energy and passion are both contagious and motivating. Her philosophy and approach are practical. She has a true understanding about the business of dentistry and dental hygiene. This is a must see seminar for the entire dental team."

--Larry Rosenthal, DDS, New York Founder Aesthetic Advantage


	"Many thanks for your contribution in making the Aesthetic Advantage program so successful. Your presentation to staff members certainly rated high marks from everyone in attendance. Your energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Your presentation should be an important part of many programs here at Baylor."

--Ann Seals, Executive Director for CEU, Baylor College of Dentistry


	"You are the highest producing hygienist I've ever run across and put that on top of the dentistry you sell, and the grand total is enormous."

--Kenneth James, DDS, Magnum Opus Management Kent, Washington


	"Your training seminar has revamped our hygiene department to be not only more productive in periodontal care but also in educating our patients on the importance of restorative and cosmetic dentistry. The enthusiasm and value you created was invaluable to our practice. The team approach has increased our staff's value of self-worth and our patients benefit from much needed treatments. The 3 hour trip was worth it."

--Peter Masci and Tim Hale, DDS Walden, NY


	"If you're looking for rave reviews and a memorable presentation, there's only one choice: Deborah Hartley. I've seen her speak at two different meetings. She is the "Tony Robbins" of hygiene, motivational with hundreds of bottom-line tips that will make a real difference in anyone's office Monday morning. She is the "real thing" of dental hygiene, and an inspiration to all who meet her."

--Patrick Wahl, DMD, MBA www.officemagic.com


	"Your program was very good! There is a definite need for someone like you to motivate other hygienist. In fact if more hygienist had your positive attitude, many dentist wouldn't be so frustrated with their hygiene department."

--Anita Jupp Dental Practice Management Ontario, Canada


	"I have had the extreme pleasure of working very closely with Deborah Hartley over the past several years. We specialized in both periodontal and implant dentistry and Debbie has had a direct and positive impact on production of both areas in my practice. We have enjoyed having her as a major referral source through her hygiene patients. In addition, her technical skills shine above and beyond. We are blessed to have Debbie as one of our top referring hygienists, due to the astronomical boosting in sales of our implant dentistry and the quality of care she takes with each of her patients."

--Richard Rassussen, DDS, Tampa, FL

A Forward from Deborah's employer

"The time has come for a paradigm shift in the way we view our hygienist. Ideally, they are the ones who can make or break our business. Deborah Hartley is employed at the same level that I would employ an associate dentist, only she is more valuable. She educates the patients by raising their mental and dental value IQ, creating value for the services both she and I offer.

She has already indicated to the patients where their problem areas are and has explained fully my treatment procedures before I even walk into the room. By the time I get the patient back for treatment, they have excellent oral hygiene and tissue health, and understand the value of maintaining their dental health. It's a slam dunk!

Deborah is paid on a percentage basis with a guarantee of $25/hr minimum. She has worked for me for three years and has always far exceeded the minimum of $25/hr with her percentage.

She NEVER complains about 4 quads of root planning in one day, she does this routinely on a single patient.

Think about this, we charge $180/per quad x 4. This takes Deborah anywhere from 2-3 hours to complete and she makes 33% of this. Now, if she does just two of these a day, she and I both come out ahead.

This is akin to our philosophy of doing more treatment on fewer patients.

To maintain this, Deborah puts her patients on 3-month recall. This is easier on her and because she has created such value for her services, her patients would not dare miss their appointment with her.

Intersperse about 4 of these 3 month recalls with her 2 RPC's and she has an $1800 day in production. Deborah takes home $600/day and in addition she averages sales of $2,00-$5,000/day (production for me).

This is a win-win situation for everyone! Deborah, our patients and me.

However, it takes Deborah's skills as a hygienist along with her phenomenal scripts.

Her skills are something that she doesn't talk about much in her lectures but she is phenomenal. I was a hygienist before becoming a DMD and I did not achieve or even understand the tissue response to gingival curettage as Deborah does. She has saved many a patient from the knife!

I must admit I had my share of complaining hygienist in the past. I had several hygienists before Deborah that I offered this same percentage to but they complained because it wasn't their fault if MY patients didn't show up or I just didn't have the right mix of patients with periodontal needs.

Obviously, Deborah has proven that this can work in any practice and in anyone's hands.

I forgot to mention that only once in the 3 years that Deborah has been employed with me have I had to go in and administer anesthesia to her patient. She does all of this with Noven patches (and I suspect a little psychology).

So, I am not bothered all day with hygiene checks. Of those 6 patients I might see two. Not bad for the numbers!

But this is it folks, this is 6-9 hygiene patients a day, not high volume."

	--Diane Wright, DMD Clinical instructor for LVI, AACD secretary FL

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