Dentaltown September 2013 - (Page 42)

sesame communications corporate profile by Benjamin Lund, Editor, Dentaltown Magazine Dentaltown Magazine sat down with Diana P. Friedman, CEO of Sesame Communications, who has a successful 20-year track record in the dental profession. Friedman tells us all about the company, what makes it tick and the ever-evolving research that goes into its products. First of all, tell us about the role you play at Sesame. How and when did Sesame start? Friedman: My role at Sesame is to lead the company’s strategic direction and its ongoing transformation into a high growth, cloud-based SaaS enterprise. Every day when I walk through the doors at Sesame, I am gratified to see us leveraging technology to connect the right patients with the right practices, while educating them about optimal dental care. The power of the solutions we offer to grow practices and dramatically impact their profitability is what makes our efforts worthwhile. Friedman: Sesame was started in 1999 by Dr. Brian Povolny, Frith Maier and Dr. Jerome Baruffi. Our first solution was the launch of automated appointment reminders for orthodontic practices. From day one, Sesame has based all of its decisions and innovations on the needs of dental and orthodontic practices. If you were to meet a dentist in an elevator who didn’t know about Sesame Communications and you only had a few floors to tell him/her about your company, how would you explain it to him/her? Friedman: Sesame helps dental practices like yours harness the power of the Internet to accelerate new patient acquisition, build patient loyalty and transform the patient experience. Your patients live, work and play online. They use search engines and recommendations to find your practice. They want easy online access to care options, billing information, appointment reminders and treatment suggestions. They want an easy way to refer friends and share their great experiences on social networking sites. And they want to do all of this from tablets, smartphones and computers. Dentistry is all about great relationships with your patients. Sesame solutions will help your practice deliver the same outstanding experience online that patients receive in your office, which in turn increases practice production and profitability. 42 SEPTEMBER 2013 » dentaltown.com What is Sesame’s corporate philosophy and how does your team adhere to it? Friedman: The entire Sesame team wants practices to be delighted with the services and outcomes we deliver. This philosophy directs all of our strategic and operational corporate decisions. The company creates amazing software and outstanding services, but the true testament to our success is the long-term relationships we sustain with our members. There are a lot of companies in the dental market that focus on obtaining new patients for practices. How does Sesame effectively do this, and what does Sesame do that no other marketing company does? Friedman: There are plenty of organizations that provide components of the Sesame 24-7 Patient Engagement Management system. However, Sesame 24-7 is the only solution today that effectively helps dental practices manage every aspect of patient engagement. We understand the patient engagement lifecycle in its entirety and ensure we optimize the communications of the practice with prospective and existing patients throughout their interactions. Accelerating new patient acquisition is a very important part of this equation but it is only one http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown September 2013

Howard Speaks: Getting Poised for Growth
Professional Courtesy: Say Hello to Great Service
Second Opinion: Why Won’t My Practice Sell?
Advice Regarding #8 RCT and Large Apex
Patients Who Refuse Perio Treatment
Corporate Profile: Sesame Communications
Office Visit: Building Bridges in Dentistry
Enhancing a Smile with Cosmetic Dentistry in the New Economy
Top 10 Questions Dentists Ask When Buying or Selling a Practice
Women’s Time in Dentistry Has Come
The Benefit of Associate Agreements in Dental Practice Sales
Retirement Transition: “Mr.” Instead of “Dr.”, What Do I Do Now?
Paperless is NOT the New Black
Simple Safe Gingivectomy Around Implants Prior to Impression
Laser-Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure
In This Issue: Close Your Mouth
Perio Reports
Profile in Oral Health: Nose Breathing for Good Health, Fitness and Correct Craniofacial Development

Dentaltown September 2013