A Foundation of Trust

Dental Group Practice SummitEGPs Dental Group Practice Summit unites industry leaders and vendor partnersEfficiency in Group Practice, together with Share Moving Media, sponsored the Dental Group Practice Summit last November 8-9, at the Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia. The Summit hosted a plethora of talented speakers, each bringing a unique voice of experience to the audience. Their message, however, was shared: Manufacturers and dental service organizations are more likely to establish a healthy partnership when the relationship is built on a foundation of trust, training and support. Indeed, DSOs work hard to provide a fair and productive vetting process for potential manufacturer partners, and their guidelines and requirements should not be taken lightly. As for price? For the most part, the consensus suggested that price is only one of several factors, and is probably less influential than some might presume! Speakers and topics Following a welcome and introduction, the sessions opened with a presentation by Dr. Michael Acierno, co-founder and chief medical officer, DecisionOne Dental Partners, and Dr. Jason Genta, vice president of clinical affairs, DecisionOne Dental Partners. The doctors discussed building effective relationships with group practices and competing with private labels, and shared their experience regarding what buyers look for. Later that day, Mortenson Dental Partners CEO Bill Becknell talked about the procurement process within Mortenson and its dental group practices. And, TruFamily co-founder and president Brandon Halcott spoke about the growing DSO, focusing on such points as vendor partnering opportunities, reasons for growing a DSO and strategies for navigating the purchasing process. Day One wrapped up with a panel discussion moderated by several key leaders, including Acierno, Genta, Becknell, Halcott and Kristine Berry, senior consultant, Dental Management Innovations, LLC and CEO, Women Rocking Leadership. The following day featured a presentation by Berry, who addressed selling to groups, dentists and hygienists in an increasingly female-driven business. She also discussed myths about marketing to women and offered advice for lowering sales resistance and setting your organization apart from other businesses in the marketplace. Berry raised a number of important points, including:

• Sales teams should be mindful, adjusting their approach and style for each customer.
• Every situation calls for a new set of decision-making strategies.
• Active listening is key to any sales teams success.

Final speaker Clair Diones, vice president of marketing and communications, Dental LifeLine, discussed how organizations can help provide care to those in need. The Summit concluded with a recap and Distribution Viewpoint Roundtable hosted by Share Moving Media.