Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

13Business Management TribuneMarch 28-April 3, 2011United Kingdom Edition A t the BDA Conference in May the BDPMA will host a seminar or, rather, a panel of experts (it’s on Satur- day 21st May thanks for asking). We’re loosely modeling it on the BBC TV programme Question Time but without the politics and panel member sniping. I’ll be doing my best David Dimble- by impression as chairman and the rest of the panel will com- prise four experts. For me, their range of exper- tise illustrates the developing role of today’s practice manag- ers. We have the proprietor of a business services and sup- port consultancy, a social media guru, a marketing expert and a dental business consultant. We could have had more experts – a team development coach maybe, a personal development advisor perhaps, an accountant, an IT systems guru, a PR person and so on. We’ve bravely (perhaps reck- lessly) entitled it Everything you ever wanted to know about den- tal management – all your ques- tions answered. But will we be able to answer all the questions posed? I believe so, but to be ab- solutely certain, I’d like the op- portunity to call a friend – many friends indeed. Ironically, perhaps, there will no doubt be members of the audience capable of providing solutions to problems that catch out the panel members. I say this confidently because of the BDPMA’s experience with Twit- ter. Not only do practice man- agers need to have a vast range of skills these days, they need instant answers to problems. What sort of ultrasonic bath do I need to comply with HTM01- 05? How do I track referrals to the practice website? Who offers good CQC training? Twitter provides the answers or, rather, is the conduit to a raft of instant expertise. Add in the Facebook page and our web- site and we can probably claim an active network of more than 1,000 people directly or indi- rectly involved with dental prac- tice management. I suppose the BDPMA could say that while we don’t necessarily know the an- swer, the chances are somebody who knows us will. I know what the cynical among you are thinking – that the BDPMA provides an over- load of expertise that practice managers simply don’t require. Well, let’s look at a typical practice management diploma course. The subjects covered are: leadership and manage- ment, personnel management, marketing, patient care, opera- tional management, financial management, health and safety and quality assurance. I think I’ve made my point, and if you’re a dentist princi- pal now feeling sorry for your manager or a practice man- ager feeling overworked I rec- ommend visiting the BDPMA website (www.bdpma.org.uk) and looking on the News & Events page for the Practice Man- agers’ Training Retreat, which is being organised by BDPMA member, Joanna Taylor. Regular de-stressing should also be part of the modern practice manag- ers’ role! DT All in a day’s work Amelia Bray calls some friends for instant answers About the author Amelia Bray joined the industry as a dental nurse in 1994, having pre- viously worked in veterinary and chi- ropractic clinics. In 2000 she assisted her boss (now hus- band) to relocate the dental practice from a town cen- tre premises to a converted barn in the middle of an apple orchard in the Tamar Valley and at this point assumed the role of practice manager. Amelia completed the Diploma in Professional Practice Management in 2004 and has been involved with the BDPMA since 2000, starting out as Treasurer of the Devon & Cornwall Region before join- ing the National Executive as Assistant Secretary, Secretary then Treasurer and now Chairman. For more information or to subscribe please call Joe Aspis on 020 7400 8969 or email joe@dentaltribuneuk.com What’s missing? implants Fill the gaps... implants, the international magazine of oral implantology, delivers the latest thinking in this fast-moving area of the dental profession. User-oriented case studies, scientific reports, meetings, news and reports, as well as summarised product information, make up an informative read You got the look... cosmetic dentistryYou got the look... cosmetic dentistry - beauty & science presents the most significant international developments in the world of cosmetic and restorative dentistry. With an editorial mix of speciality articles, clinical studies, case reports, industry reports, reviews, news, and lifestyle articles, cosmetic dentistry leads the way Enjoy Endodontics? rootsDown your canal... roots is the place to keep up with the latest developments in the endodontic arena. A combination of comment, studies, case reports, industry news, reviews, and news, those professionals with an interest in endodontics will find roots invaluable £30 each for a yearly subscription or as a special offer take all three titles for just £50 per year