How Strong Is Your Team?

Having a strong team is directly proportional to how successful you are. You may consider yourself to be the best clinical dentist in the state, but if you don’t have a team who supports you, no one will ever know that. So, how do you know if you have the right players in your office? Here are three questions to ask yourself so you can check in on how effective your team is:

1. Does each individual believe in your practice philosophy? This question is the most important. Every single person who you employ must value and demonstrate your mission statement. You shouldn’t employ anyone who doesn’t buy into your goals, your beliefs, and what you are trying to achieve. I’m not saying that your employees should be replicas of you. However, your team is an extension of who you are professionally, and your team members should be the reflection of your mission statement. When your office is reviewed, it’s not just about you or your quality of care. The review is based on a patient experience with you and your team. If you have a mission statement written down, review it monthly as a guide to see if everyone is following the set goals.
2. Are you delegating responsibilities to team members and empowering them? In my opinion, the only thing a dentist should do in the office is take care of the obligations others cannot legally do. In the most productive and efficient practices, you’ll find the dentist has delegated as much responsibility to his or her team as possible. The assistants and hygienists have their own schedule, while the dentist comes in and addresses only what he or she is clinically responsible for. This model of practice frees up the dentist’s time while simultaneously creating production for the assistants and hygienists. Of course, every person must be trained appropriately and feel mastership of the procedure the dentist has delegated to them. This means countless hours of hands-on training and traveling for continuing education. I find this type of investment in people to be priceless. It brings greater success to a practice and inspires dental professionals to grow.
3. Do you enjoy working with your team? I believe you must like being around each person in your office. Every member in my practice is a completely different person than the other, and each one brings a unique perspective and experience to the office. I love that about my team. I genuinely enjoy spending time with everyone, whether it’s as a group, chairside, or individually. I won’t ever work again with someone who I don’t like being around for any reason. Most people spend more time at work than anyplace else. Isn’t it important to be around people who make you happy?

As business owners, we need to be leaders and innovators. Our teams need to be comprised of managers, producers, cheerleaders, and cultivators. If you try to do it all yourself, you may find one day that you are all by yourself.

Pamela Marzban, DDS, FAGD