Client: Isam Estwani, DDS, Practice Owner
Practice: New Horizons Dental Center

Challenges: Dr. Estwani opened his practice in 2002. Despite being busy treating many patients, practice income continued to decline while production figures increased. There was no collection system in place and so fees were not paid at the time of treatment, insurance claims were not chased up due to lack of staff and, most significantly, the doctor himself would grant patients permission to pay later.

Consequently, practice income fell short of expenses. Personal and business credit cards were used to cover the shortfall by paying staff first, then other business expenses and then, on occasion, Dr. Estwani. The credit card balances mounted and spiraled out of control.

To address the finances and straighten out the practice, Dr. Estwani did Sterling’s Executive Booster Program in November 2008, and then continued with ongoing one-on-one customized consulting.

Implementation of Sterling’s Custom Consulting Program:

A policy was immediately implemented wherein fees were required at the time of treatment. Insurance co-pays were accurately calculated and collected. Rather than dealing with patients’ requests to postpone payment, Dr. Estwani removed himself from the payment line and referred all such requests to his Finance Director. A second employee was hired to chase up the insurance claims.

Another portion of Dr. Estwani’s consulting program addressed paying off the credit card balances and called for the establishment of a reserves fund with regular deposits being made to it. 

Dr. Estwani’s practice was sharing office space with another practice and this was creating conflict. His consultant drafted a straightforward, doable plan to split the two practices. Dr. Estwani moved his practice into its own quarters in 2010. The new office was in a better location and brought in more new patients.

After the move, Dr. Estwani’s consultant recommended a SPEEDO for the practice. (“SPEEDO” stands for Specialized Program for Expansion and Efficiency Delivered in Office). The SPEEDO consultants arrived at the doctor’s practice and over a 5-day period implemented Management by Statistics, conditions formulas, streamlined the workflow and trained the staff. The SPEEDO got all the staff on the same page, increased their productivity and efficiency and resulted in a smoother-running office. 

Through the course of his consulting, Dr. Estwani’s consultant recommended the doctor do specific one-on-one customized workshops to help him strengthen his executive skills. The first such workshop was Communication and Sales which was done at Sterling's offices in Glendale, CA. The communication portion of the workshop raised Dr. Estwani’s confidence and ease in talking with patients and managing staff. The workshop also focused on the doctor’s ability and willingness to give directions to patients and staff and ensure his directions are followed. Finally, the sales portion of the workshop gave Dr. Estwani the tools to boost the number of patients accepting full treatment.
 
Over the next year, while continuing his consulting, the doctor did three more one-on-one custom workshops via videoconferencing. Using videoconferencing enabled him to receive the workshop in the comfort of his own practice with the workshop consultant at Sterling’s offices.

The first was the Dreams Workshop which helped the doctor examine his life, goals and objectives and planned out how to accomplish them. Then the Executive Drills Workshop boosted the doctor’s executive skills and introduced him to new ones which increased his certainty and ability as an executive managing others. Finally, the Statistical Analysis Workshop showed Dr. Estwani how to analyze statistical trends to uncover the true source of a declining situation or to find and strengthen the source of affluent statistics.

Results of Dr. Estwani’s Customized Consulting Program:

Dr. Estwani reports that his customized consulting program completely turned his practice around. Within one year of signing up, almost all credit card debt had been paid while the practice was still able to expand. 

Since starting Sterling’s consulting program in late 2008, collections have nearly tripled and production has more than doubled. The number of new patients has increased by 50%.

Dr. Estwani Says:

“My consultant is very sincere and very willing to help. What is best is that she wants me to be successful.”

Summary:

The Sterling consulting program took a practice on the brink of financial disaster and turned it into a viable, thriving practice.