In this document, Chris Burand tells a modern-day fable that offers a valuable lesson from the world of dentistry. What can you possibly learn from those who pull teeth and cause such great anguish? You’re going to have to read it to find out.
In the early 1900s a dentist, Dr. J. Daniels in San Pedro, California had a thriving practice. His clientele, for a variety of reasons — including a lack of fluoride in municipal water supply — had bad teeth. He was pretty good at pulling teeth. Whiskey was a very adequate sedative.
Toward the beginning of WWII, another dentist moved to town. He started preaching and practicing dental hygiene. He worked with schools to teach children to brush properly. He hired a dental hygienist to clean patients’ teeth regularly.
As the 1950s approached, Dr. Daniels’ business began to decline. His clients were switching over. The new dentist’s business expanded. Preventative care was catching on. People began to realize that good dental hygiene was preferable to missing teeth, whiskey or no whiskey.
Today, most independent insurance agencies are like Dr. Daniels. He pulled teeth and effectively solved his patients’ problems, just as agents help get claims paid. But isn’t it better to avoid a cavity in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better if our insureds avoided incurring the claim? It’s time to start practicing preventative care for our clients before your competition takes them, even if you have the best whiskey.