I was visiting with a doctor that wanted me to take a look at his hygiene production and the cost of employees in that department. In most offices, as it was with his, the hygienists were paid similar hourly wages. Their accounting procedures made it impossible to be certain what their adjusted net production was. Benefits and any other salary ...

What? There is nothing I don’t know about hygienists. Not so. If you don’t know these four things you are destined to have hygiene turnover, poor productivity and, worse, poor patient retention. Few doctors take the time to craft a great hygiene department. Too many use it as a “loss leader” and/or a necessary evil that is way too ...

You’re poised at the edge of a fast-flowing tributary. You need to get to the other side, but you are uncertain about the depth, current, and your ability to forge this water. The prudent traveler would look for a better path across. The problem is that there are no bridges or roads to take advantage of. About that time, you spy a rock just down ...

While there is no one size fits all strategy for leadership in a dental practice, I want to give you 6 simple steps to start being the leader that changes the culture of your practice. Be accessible: Set aside quality time for direct communications on a regular basis with each staff member. Use the time to mentor, inspire, boost morale and ...

Situational awareness is one of those learned skills we all should be skilled at. You should always be taking stock of your situation and surroundings. Struggling practices always like to blame it on their location, lack of good staff, or the patients themselves. I was speaking to a doctor the other day that averaged 6 months employment for all of ...

More than ever, I believe that doctors have a functional blindness to their own defects (kind of like the commercials on TV about people going “Nose Blind”). These doctors are not struggling because they cannot resolve these shortcomings. They struggle because they don’t see them. Perception is everything. One thing we all need to accept is ...

When you are like me and you’re closer to your use before date than born on date, knowing your numbers hovers around blood pressure, cholesterol, PSA, lipid panels and weight. For the rest of you regular Dentists it means something altogether different. I am writing this article because I had a doctor give me a call and ask me about bonuses. He ...

There is a tried and true process called the “Management Circle” that can set you on the path for great leadership. The Management Circle (empower, verify, follow up, adjust) demonstrates how we can approach the day-to-day organization and running of our practices. This management style places emphasis on individual performance and focuses on ...