WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT NETWORK?
The Independent Dentist Network was established in response to health funds and corporates increasing involvement in the management and ownership of dental practices.
There are many independent dentists who want to be free from external influences and be able to lead and run their own successful practices. They want to have control over how they care for patients, what treatment options they offer, what innovations and evolution they bring to dental care, how they engage with patients to build loyalty and local community engagement.
IDN is about ensuring dentistry remains an honourable and viable profession that is patient centric.
What is our philosophy?
That Independent Dentists believe in the freedom of choice and delivering patient-centred healthcare that’s in their patients’ best interest.
Who do we work with?
Direct: Independent Dentists
Secondary: Consumers (patients)
Channels to market: Direct to Dentists via direct marketing and social media, phone calls, F2F visits; via Practice Consultants advising, Product Suppliers.
What is the aim of IDN?
- To promote and assist IDN dentists to operate successful dental practices that are patient centred. We help independent dentists attract and retain more patients making it easier for dentists to remain independent and prosperous
How do you benefit from working with us?
By partnering with IDN, as a dentist, you will be able to…
– Use the marketing power of a national network to promote your independent dental practice to patients looking for local dentists they can trust
– Attract and retain more of the patients you want, to help grow your practice
– Run a viable patient-centric practice that delivers quality treatment choices and payment options giving you a competitive advantage; IDN is about making it easier for dentists to remain independent and prosperous.
WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT NETWORK?
The Independent Dentist Network was established in response to health funds and corporates increasing involvement in the management and ownership of dental practices.
There are many independent dentists who want to be free from external influences and be able to lead and run their own successful practices. They want to have control over how they care for patients, what treatment options they offer, what innovations and evolution they bring to dental care, how they engage with patients to build loyalty and local community engagement.
IDN is about ensuring dentistry remains an honourable and viable profession that is patient centric.
What is our philosophy?
That Independent Dentists believe in the freedom of choice and delivering patient-centred healthcare that’s in their patients’ best interest.
Who do we work with?
Direct: Independent Dentists
Secondary: Consumers (patients)
Channels to market: Direct to Dentists via direct marketing and social media, phone calls, F2F visits; via Practice Consultants advising, Product Suppliers.
What is the aim of IDN?
• To promote and assist IDN dentists to operate successful dental practices that are patient centred. We help independent dentists attract and retain more patients making it easier for dentists to remain independent and prosperous
How do you benefit from working with us?
By partnering with IDN, as a dentist, you will be able to…
– Use the marketing power of a national network to promote your independent dental practice to patients looking for local dentists they can trust
– Attract and retain more of the patients you want, to help grow your practice
– Run a viable patient-centric practice that delivers quality treatment choices and payment options giving you a competitive advantage; IDN is about making it easier for dentists to remain independent and prosperous.
IDN MEMBER’S VALUES AND ETHICS
a) The care and welfare of our patients is our primary concern
b) We respect our patients’ autonomy and their right to make final decisions concerning their dental and overall health care
c) We acknowledge the need to treat our patients with respect, openness, trust and to maintain good communication
d) We respect our patients’ right to privacy and to confidentiality, other than as required by law
e) We work within the limits of our individual training, qualifications and experience:
a. We maintain compliance with all required legislation including registration with appropriate Boards and regulatory authorities
b. We recognise the need, in appropriate circumstances, to refer our patients for specialist care
f) We acknowledge our patients’ rights to request second opinions
g) As individual dentists we are completely financially independent of all Dental Industry third parties
h) We do not enter into financial or non-financial arrangements with any third party in order to gain status or advantage as contracted providers of dental care
i) We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability or infectious status (including HIV).
j) We operate our practices to ensure full compliance with all Australian healthcare standards applicable to cross-infection control
k) We make all possible efforts to provide our patients with urgent care in emergency situations
l) We maintain Continuing Professional Development
m) We work to remain Registered and of Good Standing with the Dental Board of Australia or Current Governing Dental Body
n) That all patients will be well informed about costs before treatment commencing and patients be provided with written estimates for recommended treatments.
o) We undertake to inform patients of available treatment options and keep them informed of costs during treatment phases,
p) We will always endeavour to make treatment recommendations irrespective of health fund rebate level constraints.
q) We undertake to maintain clear and accurate record
r) We will always endeavour to make treatment recommendations irrespective of health fund rebate level constraints.
s) We have a commitment to developing a supportive and patient centric culture for our staff
Dear fellow clinicians,
I have recently joined the “Independent Dental Network” (IDN)
You may ask – “Why have you made this decision, John Carrigy ?”
Answer =
1. The dental corporates are multiplying in number and are rapidly expanding.
2. The larger health funds are using increasingly aggressive tactics (and in my personal opinion) unethical behaviour to ‘entice’ or ‘coerce’ long-term loyal patients away from their traditional dental clinics. Many skilled, experienced, ethical and hard working referrers of my specialist practice are seeing their life’s work seep away – or they are having to work longer and harder – when they should be easing back towards a well earned retirement. The patients in turn are losing access to the ‘best’ in the market and are often being corralled towards the least experienced.
4. The ‘older and bolder’ of our profession that hold the ‘corporate knowledge’ for the small business aspect of dentistry are disappearing as they accept the ‘cheque’ and head into early retirement.
5. The dental specialist clinics are now also a target for the corporates as they try to achieve vertical integration as well as regional reach. As such, the specialist practices have also begun to slide down the same path as the smaller independent general dentist – so yes – it will start to affect my own specialist service at Foundation Dental Services (FDS Perio & Implants) – with the result being increased marketing and business costs to expand our geographic footprint to maintain a viable referral base and a secure business income.
In Summary, unless the “small guys” who enjoy offering a service based on trust, integrity, value and personal relationship band together – then divided they will fall.
- The care and welfare of our patients is our primary concern
- We respect our patients’ autonomy and their right to make final decisions concerning their dental and overall health care
- We acknowledge the need to treat our patients with respect, openness, trust and to maintain good communication
- We respect our patients’ right to privacy and to confidentiality, other than as required by law
- We work within the limits of our individual training, qualifications and experience:
- We maintain compliance with all required legislation including registration with appropriate Boards and regulatory authorities
- We recognise the need, in appropriate circumstances, to refer our patients for specialist care
- We acknowledge our patients’ rights to request second opinions
- As individual dentists we are completely financially independent of all Dental Industry third parties
- We do not enter into financial or non-financial arrangements with any third party in order to gain status or advantage as contracted providers of dental care
- We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability or infectious status (including HIV).
- We operate our practices to ensure full compliance with all Australian healthcare standards applicable to cross-infection control
- We make all possible efforts to provide our patients with urgent care in emergency situations
- We maintain Continuing Professional Development
- We work to remain Registered and of Good Standing with the Dental Board of Australia or Current Governing Dental Body
- That all patients will be well informed about costs before treatment commencing and patients be provided with written estimates for recommended treatments.
- We undertake to inform patients of available treatment options and keep them informed of costs during treatment phases,
- We will always endeavour to make treatment recommendations irrespective of health fund rebate level constraints.
- We undertake to maintain clear and accurate record
- We will always endeavour to make treatment recommendations irrespective of health fund rebate level constraints.
- We have a commitment to developing a supportive and patient centric culture for our staff
Dear fellow clinicians,
I have recently joined the “Independent Dental Network” (IDN)
You may ask – “Why have you made this decision, John Carrigy ?”
Answer =
- The dental corporates are multiplying in number and are rapidly expanding.
- The larger health funds are using increasingly aggressive tactics (and in my personal opinion) unethical behaviour to ‘entice’ or ‘coerce’ long-term loyal patients away from their traditional dental clinics. Many skilled, experienced, ethical and hard working referrers of my specialist practice are seeing their life’s work seep away – or they are having to work longer and harder – when they should be easing back towards a well earned retirement. The patients in turn are losing access to the ‘best’ in the market and are often being corralled towards the least experienced.
- The ‘older and bolder’ of our profession that hold the ‘corporate knowledge’ for the small business aspect of dentistry are disappearing as they accept the ‘cheque’ and head into early retirement.
- The dental specialist clinics are now also a target for the corporates as they try to achieve vertical integration as well as regional reach. As such, the specialist practices have also begun to slide down the same path as the smaller independent general dentist – so yes – it will start to affect my own specialist service at Foundation Dental Services (FDS Perio & Implants) – with the result being increased marketing and business costs to expand our geographic footprint to maintain a viable referral base and a secure business income.
In Summary, unless the “small guys” who enjoy offering a service based on trust, integrity, value and personal relationship band together – then divided they will fall.