What is the Relentless Challenge We Share as Dental Professionals?

Regardless of how long we have been in practice, as dental professionals we have a constant, relentless challenge that demands to be dealt with… or else. In many ways, it is similar to being in a raft together, straining on our paddles as we plunge through the white-water rapids. Refusing to contend with this challenge or manage it wisely will reap a host of unpleasant consequences.

Put bluntly, HELP! My Practice Needs Staff!

During the 30+ years in our orthodontic practice, we first attempted to manage this challenge without realizing the full scope of it. We just hired at will, placing people in whatever positions were open. But then we were sorely disappointed when they turned out to be a Hiring Disaster or they didn’t want to stay, or they created a tense and stressful office environment. So honestly… we didn’t want them to stay either…

In brief, our Relentless Challenge is actually three-fold:

1. We require Staff – it is very difficult to practice any kind of dentistry by ourselves. In a fully functioning office, a wide variety of roles are required to sustain the practice and thrive. Understanding the gifts and strengths needed for each of these office roles makes all the difference. Learning to pull together, like navigating white-water rapids, is essential.

2. We need to avoid the Villain of Turnover – this villain steals our time, our money and our sanity. Having to rehire and retrain only adds incredible stress to our workday as well as our office environment and the rest of our staff. Eluding it should be top priority.

3. We have a Serious Responsibility – it truly is on us to provide a work opportunity that utilizes our staffs’ individual gifts and strengths; to give them a place to function that truly fits them.

The great news is that there are clear, specific answers to this three-part challenge. I’ll be blogging about these answers in future posts, as well as the simple steps involved in accomplishing them. My goal is to use these segments to write my book, HELP! My Practice Needs Staff!

I invite you to please give me your feedback and thoughts as I share this process. I want to make this book as applicable and practical as possible.

QUESTION: Have you experienced any part of this challenge in your practice? Have you been frustrated by the Villain of Turnover? How have you handled it in the past? Please let me know in the comment section below.