Dr. Don Deems, the Dentist's Coach - Free Newsletter: Hard-Earned Pearls from the Front Line: Lessons to Save You $100,000+

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Hard-Earned Pearls from the Front Line: Lessons to Save You $100,000+
April 11, 2006

My article this month is a story about an all-too-typical example of a dental practice wanting to do well, wanting to evolve, wanting to become successful, and the trials and tribulations in doing so. In fact, I'll break the news to you now: it's my practice. I share with you some of my story, because I believe there is plenty to learn from it, whether you are a new doctor or one who has been practicing many years. I do promise you the pearls, but you'll have to understand the context and their application first.

After finally getting the courage to hire a consultant to come into my practice (it's difficult exposing both the good and not-so-good sides of your practice), I ran into several roadblocks that are all-too-common. Initially, we were able to make many changes easily and quickly with a little knowledge from our consultant, and we got very "fired up" about the changes. They were fun, simple, and effective. We wanted more! It was an exciting time for most, and the end of employment for others. Those that no longer fit in or who were amenable to change either left or were let go on the advice of the consultant. (Of course, I did the "dirty work" and he left town.)

The next wave of change was slower - much slower. They were more difficult and time-consuming. Some of the changes involved me and the way I did things. I was open to the changes, but they didn't feel natural to me. I tried following scripts, and so did my staff. It was awkward. We made some progress, but soon the year had passed and all we had experienced was a minor increase in production and quite a few staff turnovers. The practice was changing, and I wasn't sure it was for the better. We knew we needed to keep after it, so I signed up for a second year with the consultant. Surely another year would get me and my practice where I wanted us to be!

Year Two With The Consultant was a waste. Production barely increased, and we got somewhat frustrated with our lack of progress, but the consultant was a really great person, so we kept trying. New employees were hired intentionally and with focus, and some of us were getting more comfortable with the relatively new systems we had established. However, as the second year wore on, we seemed to be repeating the same old materials over again. We experienced some "wins", but we didn't quite seem to "get it" yet. We were motivated with each visit by the consultant, but nothing seemed to last. The quarterly staff meetings with the consultant were good, but as the practice leader, I wasn't being very effective, and I wondered if I should change the direction of the practice.

I have no idea why I signed up for Year Three With The Consultant. Seriously. I guess we had become such good friends, that at least the visit by the consultant would be a good excuse for a dinner party or two. It was pretty much a repeat of Year Two, and in fact, production decreased. There were some positive changes that took place, but by now I knew that I had to take the reigns of leadership. For one, we had good systems in place that everyone knew about, and we were monitoring our efforts accurately. Regular meetings were being held to discuss our progress, and well as to assess what was working and what wasn't. The money and time weren't wasted; I had learned valuable things about running a practice. I was just slow to realize that I needed to be in charge!

In fact, my approach to practice improvement and management was one that systems would be the way to change my practice into my dream practice. I thought that once systems were in place, and everyone was following those systems, everything would be okay, possibly even perfect. (Such naïveté) After all, I had invested three years with a consultant of very high respect. Wouldn't that be enough?

These systems made our office more efficient, but I knew there was even more room for improvement. I just didn't know where or how to get it. So, I hired a different consultant. (See, I told you I was slow.)

The New Consultant's approach was different - very different. Between more staff turnovers, there was increased clarity about what I wanted my practice to look like, be like, and act like. Day long staff retreats with the New Consultant sometimes ended with staff members crying, sometimes hugging. It wasn't a good fit. I had had enough - and spent way too much.

After lots of changes and lots of money, I knew I could do better. I got tired of looking outside myself for changes, and I began reaching inside me for the wisdom to take my practice to the proverbial "next level". This insight only came as a result of my dogged determination to grow myself personally and professionally.

When I looked inside myself and started telling myself the truth, things began to change, this time for good. In fact, a year later I had lead my practice to its all-time production level, and we took three months vacation on top of that (including the staff getting paid for it, too). We were riding high and felt we had figured it all out. We were arrogant. We were cocky. We began choosing only the "right" patients for our practice, and letting go any that didn't fit. We were smug. We thought we were so good.

Then things changed. There was a dip in the production. The pace of new patients coming into the practice slowed to a crawl. I got nervous, and I quit listening to myself. I sought outside counsel to evaluate what was going on. How could we have been doing so well and now be experiencing a downturn? The Next New Consultants we turned to knew less than their predecessors did or we did. Their advice was stale. What were we to do? What was I to do? How would I turn things around?

After I dismissed the Next New Consultants, I blamed the economy, then 9/11, then the President- oh, and of course, The Insurance Companies. Surely there wasn't anything wrong with MY practice, right? I kept blaming whatever else showed up, and we all would sit around our staff room table, shaking our heads, worried, and shooting our blame-throwers.

Then we decided to take action. We talked. We brainstormed. We listened to each other. We committed to growing ourselves personally, not just professionally. We knew that we were the only ones that understood our practice, better than anyone else in the world. It was time to chart our own course.

We examined every system in the practice. We threw out systems and monitors that had no meaning, added new ones that really meant something to us. We developed standards and protocols and supported each other to reach them. We vowed to be the best communicators around. We listened to our patients; we became their partners in helping them becoming as healthy as they wanted to be. More time was allotted for conversations with patients and with each other in more regular meetings. We revisited some of the concepts and ideas given to us earlier to see if there were any appropriate for us to adopt. Staff meetings and retreats took on a new feel and experience as each person began reaching inside themselves for their own knowledge and intuition, and as they began sharing it with other staff members. We all trashed our blame-throwers and took responsibility for our actions and the results of those actions. We became a team, and we did it without anyone telling us what to do.

For me, I threw out my old notions of leadership and applied new ones, ones that would not only be supportive to my team, but ones that would also be flexible to change with the times. I began really listening. I got rid of My Agenda. I was both a team player and a leader when needed.

It's been years since turnover has happened, and I can't think of the last disagreement we've had. Life is good, and this time it isn't measured by production or collection or any other markers that outsiders would understand. We know we're capable on our own to handle whatever comes our way.

So the story - my story thus far - has a happy ending. Times were tough, times were ugly and frustrating. Lots of money was spent asking for advice, hiring and training employees, trying new things. Was it worth it? Yes. Will you have to go through the same process as I did? Hopefully not. An emotional rollercoaster is not a good one to ride.

So I want to share with you the pearls you've been so patient to wait for, in the hope that you'll take them to heart, even if you've heard them before or not.

1. You've GOT to grow yourself in more ways than as a technician.
2. Get help with understanding how to run a business, then stop paying for the service as soon as you've got what you need.
3. Spend more time defining your dream and sharing it with your team than searching for it blindly alone.
4. Listen to heart; trust your intuition.
5. There is not one dream practice, so don't try to emulate anyone else's practice, or be someone you're not. You're fine the way you are.
6. Focus on developing incredible communication and relationship skills.
7. Provide the vision for your team and get out of the way - quickly! They'll come to you when then need your guidance.
8. Work with only the best professionals out there, preferably ones who understand dentistry inside-out, and those who will draw out your energy, innate wisdom, and abilities.
9. Never, never, never let your ego make ANY decisions.
10. Always tell your truth, always act in complete integrity.

Dentistry is an awesome profession and an awesome opportunity for you, your team, and the people you care for. Here's to your success!

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