Three Strategies for Moving Forward

Every dentist has issues they have to deal with—whether they are team issues, patient issues, facility or business issues, time or economic issues. This is true no matter who you are, because nobody creates an ideal environment on day one. Improvement is a process, but it is a process with fairly clear rules.

For instance, if you feel there is an issue that is compromising your ability to be the best practice you can be, there are really only three courses of action:

Some things you have to tolerate (at least for awhile). Less-than-ideal working conditions during a renovation for example, is something you just have to deal with for awhile in the name of progress. The problem arises when you find yourself tolerating things long-term that should not be tolerated, such as team members who habitually arrive late, or patients who are chronic no-shows. In situations like that, what you tolerate becomes the standard, whether you like it or not—and you probably won't.

Some things you have to disassociate yourself from. If it's something that should not be tolerated, you should not have to be continually dealing with it. That is the cold truth. This goes for toxic people who cannot be reformed, as well as for your own bad habits. Once you recognize that someone or something is a force that is holding you back—like when you are creating treatment plans based on insurance limits— you must cut your ties and move on.

Some things you have to evolve. These are issues that can only be solved over time, with patient and methodical attention. A surprisingly large number of issues can be dealt with quickly with the smart application of money, but when you are talking about changing people, such as patients who don't fully appreciate dentistry, you are talking about creating value and changing values, and that takes time. These often turn out to be the most worthwhile and satisfying issues to solve because it means you have succeeded in reaching hearts and minds. It also often represents the biggest opportunity for you, because the most common source of untapped possibilities lies in the patients who have said no in the past.

So take a moment to do a mental inventory of the issues that are occupying your mind right now and decide which of the three categories each belongs in. Just performing this exercise will help you have clarity for what you need to do to move forward.



 

If you want to learn more about practice management strategies to build on your success, check out the practice management category on Spear TALK. Don't have access to Spear TALK? Sign up for a FREE Basic membership.