We start off with a TCO Audit of your practice. Working with our expert mentors, you create a tailor-made business plan to prepare you and your practice for the launch of your TCO service. Your trainee TCO will complete the ‘Introduction to TCO’ course as part of this process to ensure they are committed to the whole process.
Once your TCO audit is complete, we’ll be guiding and supporting you and your team every step of the way. At the end of the Blueprint programme, you will have an independently assessed TCO who will be confident and competent to deliver a TCO service in your practice.
The TCO Audit costs £497. This amount is deducted from the final fee when the TCO progresses to the rest of the programme.
Book a Discovery Call with one of our team to make sure this programme is right for you.
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For the Gold Service we use a blended learning approach consisting of:
1-1 Zoom Mentoring with your TCO and Manager
Exercises and assignments
Comprehensive Course Resources available through our online learning platform
Comprehensive one-to-one tutor support
Our Platinum Service includes all of the above along with an impactful 1-day in-practice training session with one of our Expert Mentors. Please contact us for details.
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140 hours GLH (Guided Learning Hours).
This means we allow a student nine months to complete the programme.
The TCO Blueprint Programme is split into 6 key steps:
- The TCO Audit:
- complete our short questionnaire to evaluate your current resources for your practice’s TCO service (time, space, people, materials and equipment).
- The type of service to be delivered initially is also determined using the Skills Scan.
- First, decide exactly which tasks your TCO will deliver in the Invisalign Patient Journey – from First Inquiry to Retainer Review. We have included a comprehensive list of tasks, such as those normally associated with the Invisalign Assistant role. Simply tick the box for the tasks you want delivered. (If you have any additional tasks not listed, please get in touch and we should be able to add them to the training programme).
- Next, evaluate your TCO’s prior experience against this list. This step identifies gaps in knowledge and experience which will form the basis of your TCO’s Professional Training Plan (PTP). For instance, if they have already worked in surgery, then they will not need training in cross-infection control or patient confidentiality. Perhaps they have been working as an Invisalign Assistant, so will already have a good knowledge of the Invisalign product. They may not have any experience of DISC Personality Profiling, though, so study of this system will be entered into the PTP.
The third step is completion of the initial PTP. This involves prioritising which of the skills/knowledge gaps needs addressing first, followed by a list of ‘Research’ tasks (see below for details).
- The Survey is reviewed on a Zoom call with your Expert Mentor who will also help you prepare your initial Business Plan along with your Practice Manager.
- To help you choose the right team member for the role, the future TCO will complete a short assignment to help them understand the role of the TCO and how they can positively impact the care of patients in your practice. The assignment is submitted online and marked by one of our qualified tutors and will ‘test’ their commitment to the programme (optional).
- Following completion of these stages, you will review the progress and decide whether you are ready to move on to the full TCO Blueprint programme.
- Research Phase: your TCO will work through the Research tasks identified in their PDP. These tasks will include accessing appropriate videos on www.alignertco.com, articles and web-based research. The TCO uses a Learning Journal to record their reflections on each task. Many of these tasks will also assist the TCO complete the Diploma Units.
- Observation Phase: the TCO will observe a number of consultations and evaluate them with the in-Practice Trainer using the TCO Consultation Standards Document and Checklist. The TCO’s reflections on the consultations are recorded in the Learning Journal. These consultations may be conducted in-practice if there is an existing TCO, or by watching videos of Expert Mentors in action. The Observation Phase is reviewed with the Expert Mentor and amendments made to the PTP if skills or knowledge gaps are identified.
- Supervised Practice Phase: when the TCO is ready, they will conduct their own consultations whilst being observed by their in-Practice Trainer. The first few consultations are conducted as skills-practice sessions with members of the practice team, friends, family etc. They are recorded for training purposes and will be reviewed by the Expert Mentor. The TCO and in-Practice trainer will review the sessions using the Standards Document and Checklist as a guide. The TCO completes a Portfolio of Experience (PoE) after every session and uploads this to their learning Journal. Strengths and weaknesses of the sessions are identified and amendments made to the PTP if skills or knowledge gaps are identified with the help of the Expert Mentor. Once the TCO and in-Practice Trainer are happy, it’s time to go it alone!
- Independent Practice Phase: the TCO will record their reflections in their Learning Journal after each consultation. Monthly Zoom calls with the Expert Mentor are used to review progress and amend the PTP if skills or knowledge gaps are identified.
- Evaluation: We know that ‘Assessment Drives Learning’! This final step will ensure your TCO has embedded their learning and be thoroughly competent and confident in their new role.
The TCO’s practice is evaluated using the following tools:
- Video recording of a recent consultation to be evaluated by the Expert Mentor
- Evaluation of the TCO Learning Journal by the Expert Mentor
- Audit of the last 10 TCO records
- Patient Satisfaction Survey of the last 10 patients
- Reflection on the Training Programme by the TCO (1000 words +/-10%)
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The TCO’s practice is evaluated using the following tools:
- Video recording of a recent consultation to be evaluated by the Expert Mentor
- Evaluation of the TCO Learning Journal by the Expert Mentor
- Audit of the last 10 TCO records
- Patient Satisfaction Survey of the last 10 patients
- Reflection on the Training Programme by the TCO (1000 words +/-10%)
There are none. Your final result will be based on assessment by our Expert Mentors and a Certificate of Competence issued by The Dental Business Academy.
