The Practicon Viewpoint by Ann Page Griffin

CONVINCE YOUR TEAM THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT

Several years ago, as I sat on an airplane awaiting takeoff, I overheard the initial conversation between a pair of strangers seated behind me. After introductions and the exchange of pleasantries, one seatmate asked the other, “What do you do?” Her response came in a resigned, timid tone of voice: “I’m only a dental assistant.” I immediately began listening intently instead of being vaguely aware of the exchange. The young assistant went on to belittle her career in an almost apologetic manner as her seatmate asked about details of her job.

Her answer, emphasizing the word only, and her disparaging remarks that followed rattled around in my mind during the entire flight. Obviously. this young woman had not been made to feel the importance of her role and responsibilities in the overall functioning of the practice. At the time, I was years into my practice management teaching and consulting career, and I knew beyond any doubt the mega-importance of a skilled, dedicated dental assistant in any practice.

As we deplaned, I waited for the assistant in order to share with her my conviction that hers was a key role in her practice. After I introduced myself, with her agreement, we paused just inside the terminal to talk a few minutes. I told her I had watched hundreds of dental assistants at work and that theirs was a key role in both patient care and patients’ opinions of and feelings about the office. In fact, if an assistant performed her duties well, she could positively affect how efficiently and effectively her dentist delivered dental treatment and overall care to patients. I emphasized the importance of each assistant, as well as the importance of other team members, to the growth and viability of the practice.

We parted friends; she, with a smile on her face and an apparent new enthusiasm for her career, and I, with a renewed determination to inspire all team members with whom I subsequently worked to feel pride and joy in their contributions to patient care and the functioning of their office. My thoughts on this topic were consolidated into the following handout we used in seminars and consultation work. Please feel free to share this piece with your dental team:

LOOKING FOR THE POSITIVES IN DENTISTRY

WE HAVE A CAREER THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

In their book Creating the High-Performance Team, authors Steve Bucholz and Phillip Roth told of a study conducted across several industries a number of years ago in which people were asked, “If you had plenty of money, would you still work?” Ninety percent of respondents answered, “Yes, I would.” In answer to a second question, “Would you stay in your current job?” just as many said they would not. When asked what kind of work they wanted to do, most said they wanted to work with people, to make a contribution, and to do something meaningful for others.

THE DENTAL PROFESSION SATISFIES ALL SUCH NEEDS.

WE TREAT AN AREA OF THE BODY THAT IS THE SOURCE OF COMMUNICATION, FEELINGS, AND NOURISHMENT.

An often-quoted host of a popular children’s television program once said: “When it comes to our development as human beings, our mouths are one of our most important body parts. Just think: when we’re babies, our mouths bring us nourishment, comfort, information, and the ability to communicate and express affection. Our mouths also bring us one of our first experiences of persistent pain—the pain of teething—and one of our earliest times of lasting anxiety as we try to learn to control the urge to bite. We grow to have strong feelings about our mouths when we’re little, and those feelings stay with us throughout our lives.”

WE DENTAL PROFESSIONALS CAN TEACH PEOPLE TO VALUE GOOD ORAL HEALTH FROM INFANCY THROUGH ADULTHOOD.

DENTISTRY HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT ON TOTAL BODY HEALTH.

For years Dr. Charles Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota has been quoted: “Preventive dentistry can extend human life 10 years.”

DENTISTRY IS IMPORTANT WORK WITH EXISTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES.

Please scroll back to the beginning of this article to read the title again: CONVINCE YOUR TEAM THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT. The most successful dentists with whom I have worked convince each team member that he or she is key to the viability of their practice. Furthermore, the doctor insists that team members work with rather than for him or her. Suggestion: consider how you can implement such concepts into your practice.