"I didn't say they could extract THAT MANY TEETH!"

Sorry it has taken me a while to post the next blog.  Right after I posted the first, I was in the midst of a whirl wind pet sitting for a dear friend, speaking to a class of sophomore and junior high school students, speaking at Rau Animal Hospital's  client education seminar and preparing to travel to Las Vegas to present at the Western States Veterinary Conference.  The wind has settled and I have poured a cup of coffee to sit and catch up with you.  Can I refill your cup before we chat?

I had the opportunity to speak to a large group of technicians while in Las Vegas about developing a thriving dentistry department.  One of the discussions we had concerned dentistry admissions processes and consent forms.  I shared that when I visit practices often I see that the consent form has three selections from which to sign off:

Some look like this:

If further problems are detected while my pet is under anesthesia (initial all that apply)
__________ Do whatever is needed to give my pet a healthy oral cavity, but not limited to tooth extractions.
__________ Do only what is authorized
__________ Please contact me before doing any additional procedures.  if I can not be reached while my pet is under anesthesia then:
                         ___________ Perform whatever procedures are needed
                         ___________ Do only what I have authorized

I would like to challenge this form of consent.  I understand that this is an attempt to handle problems that occur every day in practices across the country.  Our patient is under anesthesia, the mouth is cleaned, charted and all X-rays have been taken.  We now know that there is much more pathology than originally expected.  A call is placed to the pet's guardian and they can not be reached.  This leaves the veterinarian in a quandary and a state of frustration.  Do we do whatever is needed or not?  With this form of consent many feel they have "informed consent" to proceed with therapy and surgery or at least it gives them guidelines and client expectations under which to proceed. 

I also know from having talked to many employing this type of consent, that clients are still disappointed with the bill.  They feel they did not give consent to spend "that much money" and they are shocked at the number of teeth extracted.   And, unfortunately, it is common practice for the receptionist to present the client with the total bill and it is often she/he that has to take the initial heat...in front of all of the other clients.  So, in many cases, the person that has the least amount of dentistry training on staff, the person that was probably not involved at all, the person that has no power to amend the bill, often bears the brunt of the client's disappointment.  And we wonder why practices find it hard to keep wonderful customer service representatives and why some our front line staff members can get surly with our clients!

So, my question is, if we asked these clients; did we meet your expectations, do you think they would say "YES!"  Do you think they are going to be apt to provide the same services next year?  Do you think these clients are going to recommend this experience?

Did I just say YES?

Thirty two years working as a veterinary technician and what an exciting journey that has been.  

In 1981, I first worked for a very small veterinary practice.  A mom and pop practice, if you will.  I thought I was happy.  I answered the phones, cleaned cages, ran stool samples and sterilized instruments.  I thought that was what a veterinary technician was supposed to do and not knowing differently, I did that with all my heart. 

Then I was in a bad automobile accident and suffered 2 fractured cervical vertebrae and was told I had to take 8 weeks off to heal.  As the only technician on staff, it became obvious that the practice would need help to function.  I needed to look elsewhere for a new job.

After recuperation  I saw an ad looking for a veterinary technician in a larger practice.  The name of the hiring veterinarian was Dr Fox. After the interview, he offered me the position. I believe my first bit of marketing secured the position for me.  I found a fox horn lapel pin and secured it to my tweed blazer.  The pin was noted and I had just gotten hired not only as a technician in this practice but as the supervisor of all in-patient care.  

Just between you and I, I was ill prepared for this position.  I had not anesthetized a patient since my externship and I had never supervised a soul.  But, I said "yes", knowing I had a lot to learn and I was ready for the challenge.

A few years later, Dr Patricia McManus, director of the Manor College Veterinary Technician program called and asked if our practice could be an externship site. We discussed expectations but I really did not know what I was getting into or if I really wanted to teach.  This would be a lot of work on top of a full time clinical position, but I said "yes".  

Not long after that, program directors changed.  Dr Beth Thompson asked me if I wanted a position as an adjunct instructor.  I really didn't know how much work was required of an instructor and what was involved in course creation and what leading people right out of high school would be like...but, again, I said "yes".

During this time, Dr Fox asked if I wanted to go with him to a dentistry wet lab at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine.  I had been performing crude dental cleanings but I had little to no training.  Always willing to learn and grow I said "yes".  

I began to read articles about veterinary dentistry and many were written by Dr Jan Bellows, DVM, Dip AVDC.  I called him and asked if I could work for a week for him for free in return for being able to learn as much as possible about dentistry.  He said "yes".

A few years later, Dr Bellows emailed me and informed me that there was a group of like-minded technicians meeting in Las Vegas to create an academy of veterinary dental technicians so that certified technicians could obtain training and credential as technician specialists in dentistry.  I had never been to Las Vegas and was not the savvy traveler.  Nervous and scared, I said "yes".

As a member of this group, it became obvious that we each would need to become speakers at the national meetings so that others technicians would have additional training in dentistry.  Public speaking was a greater fear for me than spiders and clowns (can't stand either).   Petrified, I said "yes".

After a number of public appearances, I realized that I loved the experience of speaking.  I was invited to speak at Harcum College and the event was sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health (now Zoetis).  Susan Weber, CVT, a former classmate was the attending Pfizer rep.  She approached me after the meeting and asked if I would be interested in teaching in-house for some of their key accounts.  I wasn't sure what all it entailed, but it sounded exciting.  I said "yes'. 

In my career, I have said "yes" many times.  That single word and passionate curiosity has enabled me to speak in 14 states, publish numerous articles and chapters of books, and has let me teach and interact with thousands of people in over 39 practices.  It has also taught me many things about myself I would have never known otherwise.  I have learned I love to teach.  I love to travel. I love to meet new people.  It also taught me that I love to write from my heart and not so much, clinically.  

Now, at this point in my career, there is another calling.  My heart is asking me to take a leap and expand on the joy experienced when I see the light of understanding turn on in another's eyes.  It is calling me to take all that I have learned about myself by the simple act of saying "yes" and expand the scope of my work.  Instead of helping a few pets a day in our dentistry department, I hope to teach many people to be able to help many pets.  

So, once more, I am going to say YES and make a leap of faith with PetEd Veterinary Education and Training Resources. At first, the plan is to provide dentistry training and hold the hand of practices hoping to expand their dentistry services.  But, the vision of PetED is to be the resource for respected  and experienced trainers in a wide range of educational and training needs for the general practice.