How Are YOU Different?

It isn't a stretch to say that every dentist that spends time with Spear Education is different from the dentists who populate the majority of our profession. They believe in continually raising the bar for themselves, for their team and for the patients that they are privileged to serve. That's why they invest in themselves on an ongoing basis, embrace change, continue to challenge themselves and want to learn for the rest of their lives.

I try to surround myself with people who I enjoy listening to, talking with and learning from. One of those friends recently sent me some thoughts about what differentiates a Spear dentist – what sets him or her apart from the crowd. I have always known that Spear dentists are different, but as I read, I realized his observations were appropriate for all of the successful and happy people I've met in my life. I've shared my interpretation of the things he wrote about below.

1. They plan and design their time, their energy and their organization, with intent,on activities that create the most value for their patients.


2. They focus on creating a unique experience and a personalized relationship with every patient, every time.


3. They transform the unique abilities of everyone on the team into a unique process that creates the experience, the value and the relationship.


4. They continually seek excellence in their technical ability, their organizational systems and their relationship-creation skills.


5. They have a strong bond with their spiritual side, with their God or Higher Power that lets them see the value in others.


6. They have the strength of character and courage to take the right actions with each and every person they are privileged to be involved with, in every interaction.


7. They see quality as the constant and time as the variable when assisting a patient's progress to a place of health and in helping them stay there.


8. They actively invest their lives in creating what matters most to themselves, to their family, to their team and to their patients – rather than reacting to what they don't want.

I continue to work diligently in my life toward the principles outlined above, because the people I know who embody them are usually happy. And when it comes to happiness, I agree with Aristotle, who pointed out that it is THE thing that all of us seek.