Three Slumps Dentists Face--And How to Beat Them

It happens to even the best athletes and sports teams. It also happens businesses that involve performing basically the same tasks each day. Everything is going fine, and then you hit a slump. However, in dentistry a big part of getting out of a slump is recognizing what kind you are in.

Some dentists are stuck in low-energy slumps where they just haven't mastered the operational values of the practice. They struggle to figure out how to grow, and have limited resources to tackle new opportunities. These dentists need education and mentoring to help them implement the right strategies and seize those opportunities.

Some dentists are slumped at the opposite end of the scale. They are in high-energy slumps. The operational value of the practice is rock solid, but they are so busy they can't keep up with everything, and ultimately they are being held back because they haven't mastered the transition value of the practice. These dentists need help in leveraging the success they have created to reach the next level.

A third kind of slump, to which everyone is vulnerable, is the comfort slump. This occurs when your practice is running so predictably that you can almost put it on autopilot, and you stop looking for ways to improve the practice. When that happens, your passion inevitably diminishes and it can be very hard to get that energy back when you need it.

That comfort slump is perhaps the most worrisome, because it is so easily avoidable (these are usually dentists with lots of resources and experience, after all) and the implications are so huge, since the ultimate exit value of the practice is on the line.

The good news is it's never too late. If you find yourself in one of these slumps, take action now. If you're in a low-energy slump, start implementing the strategies you need to jump-start the practice. They are out there and they work. If you are in a high-energy slump, start planning the next phase. You can't keep spinning your wheels forever. And if you are in a comfort slump, shake yourself out of the routine now and take the steps to rejuvenate your practice and your career. Enhance your clinical skills. Reconnect with what made you want to be a dentist in the first place. Get out and engage with your peers and get energy from them. Grow. The rest of your life depends on it.