Megan Schulte runs her dental practice alongside her husband, David Schulte, DMD. She is a mother of three and loves all things Louisville, from basketball to the Kentucky Derby. Once a social worker, then a stay-at-home Mama, and now Practice Administrator; she is an expert in pivoting and knowing where her gifts are most needed. She is a lover of people and a lifelong learner.
For more content by and for dental office managers, visit AADOM at https://www.dentalmanagers.com.
We've all been there. It's Monday morning at 6 am. The alarm goes off, and the phone starts ringing, or the text comes through… "I'm sorry, I have been sick all night, and I won't be going to work today." You take a deep breath and make a plan B. Your wheels begin to turn, working to find a solution to this problem. How can we fill the gaps and keep production? What team members can we count on to pick up the slack? These are the responsibilities of running a dental office.
The Reality of a Dental Practice
Being a leader in a dental office is overwhelming at times, and it tends to focus on what is going wrong rather than what is going right. Working in the dental field is rewarding. We are in the business of creating healthy smiles! We treat periodontal disease, which helps treat the body as a whole. We eliminate decay and find healthy solutions so our patients can save their teeth. This improves their quality of life, allowing them to chew and smile with pride. We replace teeth to improve self-confidence, chewing, and smiling in wedding pictures, class reunions, and family pictures. We straighten teeth to create beautiful, straight smiles for senior pictures and graduation. The dental office gets a front-row seat to the healthy smiles our patients receive, but oftentimes, behind the scenes, it is overwhelming.
Time to Pivot
It truly takes teamwork to make the dream work. If our teams have a positive mindset, the day-to-day moments when we need to pivot in the office are much easier. Often, our brains see negativity when the day doesn't go as planned, and we allow it to affect our mood and make us grumpy. Why do we focus on negativity vs highlighting the wins that create healthy mouths for our patients? Humans often focus on the negative due to a cognitive bias called "negative bias." It's a trait where negative experiences have a greater impact than positive experiences. When I was in grade school, and we got caught teasing a classmate, my teacher would make us say three positives to our negative comments. Our brains focus on the negativity we experience, affecting our brains more than positive experiences. (*https://www.verywellmind.com/)
We show up each day for our patients, and we need to show up for our team, too, bringing the best versions of ourselves to work. Pivoting when things go awry is what we do in the dental field and life. How can we help our team stay positive when patients are late, cases don't come in on time, a doctor is sick, etc? It starts with the leader's attitude from the moment we walk in the door.
Setting the Tone for the Day
First, our morning huddle needs to be upbeat. Start with a smile and take five minutes to discuss opportunities for the day. Where could we implement same-day treatment? Can we move a doctor's patient over to hygiene for a cleaning? Instead of pointing out obstacles in the schedule, ask where the team needs help throughout the day and ask the team who can step in to help. Name that team member and put their name on the schedule next to the appt. This creates responsibility. Take the second five minutes to share personal wins and shoutouts to a teammate or multiple teammates who deserved it. End with a joke! Jokes can be funny or corny and can come from the doctor or a team member, but everyone walks away smiling!
Love On Your Patients
Pass out note cards to each team member on Mondays so that they can write a quick note to their favorite patient of the week and tell them how they appreciate them. Hygiene may choose a periodontal patient who has kept their mouth healthy after treatment. The assistants and doctors also pick a patient to write a thank you for continued trust. When patients bring treats, send a note in the mail and post a quick story on social media. A personal note goes a long way!
Take Care of Your Team
Take small bits of time each day to look your team in the eyes and chat. Ask them about their kiddo's soccer game last night. Ask them about their weekend or what they made for dinner last night. When people feel seen, it develops trust. Allow 15 minutes in your schedule each week to meet with one team member. Start with how you have seen them add value to the team. This is a good time if they need to discuss anything privately with you. If there is controversy with another team member, encourage them to talk with them first. Our job as leaders is to support but not always fix. I still struggle with wanting to fix teammates' issues, and it never helps. As Brene Brown says, "Clear is Kind."
Keep Your Positivity
If we can stay positive and pleasant, our team will follow. This is often easier said than done, but it is possible. When you sense grumpy teammates, have a 30-second mini-dance party in the operatory with your team. This will create a smile regardless of whether they feel it or think you are silly! Celebrate the good things they do. Pass out "Good Job" stickers. Send them a postcard or note in the mail celebrating the good teamwork you witnessed. Tell people, "Thank You! Your team will appreciate working for you more than you realize. Humans crave appreciation and feedback. So, give it to them!
We quickly forget to have fun at work. Implement a "Fun Committee" where several teammates volunteer to plan easy outings for us each month. Sometimes, it was after work or even an easy potluck lunch with no meeting, just hanging out. This is a good relationship builder and helps new teammates get acquainted. Combining these ideas will create a positive work environment and retention!
