Most businesses, including dental practices, are relatively complex. The key to reducing complexity is to implement highly specific, documented systems that function as a training guide for the team. Practices with systems excel. This may be the single biggest difference maker that we see between financially successful, efficient, and enjoyable practices, and those that are not. There are seven mistakes that we commonly observe in practices.
7 Mistakes You Do Not Want To Make
Avoiding these and implementing solutions will allow your practice to increase production by at least six figures in under nine months.
- Outdated systems
As mentioned above, systems are the key to a successful practice. But so is keeping those systems current and relevant. Systems need to be overhauled approximately every three to five years, depending on the rate of growth of the practice. The faster the growth, the sooner the systems need to be overhauled.
Practices with outdated systems will perform just as poorly as practices with no systems at all.
- Micromanaging the team
Micromanagement is nothing more than a symptom that either the doctor doesn’t trust the team, or the team cannot really do their jobs. People who must be micromanaged are not really managed. They are controlled and constantly watched to see if they are doing the job correctly, or to ensure that the job gets done at all.
Micromanagement is a debilitating behavior that leads to a breakdown in trust between the doctor, office manager, and teams.
It is one of the more common mistakes.
If you are micromanaging, you are doing someone else’s job and not the job you should be doing.
- Not knowing your numbers
You don’t have to know a lot of numbers, but you do need to know the most important and impactful. Production, collection, overhead, profit, income, production per provider, production per patient, and production per chair are a great starting point. There are other secondary numbers that are critically important as well, but these are an excellent starting point.
Practices that do not know their numbers are operating in the dark.
- Not building a positive culture
We hear so much about positive attitudes that we are almost immune to the phrase. However, cheerful outlook and positive culture are two of the most powerful means to create a five-star customer service environment. Practices that truly achieve five-star customer service differentiate themselves from other practices and typically attract a higher level of new patients and create higher patient satisfaction. Five-star customer service is one of those unique components that can truly help build a practice to higher and higher levels.
- Holding traditional performance reviews
Everyone hates performance reviews. They are generally seen as negative opportunities to criticize people. Most staff members simply can’t wait for the review to be over.
Instead of reviews, start having more routine conversations. Make sure the team member does at least 50% of the talking and use the review to build up a more powerful relationship, understand the team member better, and create positive feelings. Certainly, if there’s something that needs to be discussed, it should be part of an open, honest, and safe conversation.
Make the review more about understanding the team member and the team members thoughts and opinions by asking questions such as…
- How do you feel about your job?
- What do you like best about your job?
- What do you like least about your job?
- What area would you like to see improved in our practice?
These questions create an open conversation that inspires trust and confidence in a team member.
- Inconsistent leadership behavior
Forget leadership for just a moment. Let’s focus on the day-to-day behavior of doctors. Team members love consistency. Although we like positive behaviors, you’re probably better off having a neutral behavior consistently, as opposed to on again/off again positive/negative behavior. The Jekyll and Hyde leader, as we refer to it, is one of the most destabilizing factors for a team. They never know which type of doctor or office manager is coming in to work that day, how they will respond, and what might set them off.
You want to avoid Jekyll and Hyde behavior and focus on being a consistent, positive leader that inspires, motivates, and encourages those around you.
- Not having a strategic plan
Levin Group has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of offices to create five-year strategic plans. Very few dental practices engage in strategic planning, which is a standard and essential component of success in the business world. In the past, practices did not need strategy as much as just showing up and having the right supply of patients.
However, as dentistry in the world changes, as insurance reimbursements are less stable, as we face varying economies – a strategic plan becomes the GPS or compass for a practice to know where it is going. In our observation, practices with well-designed five-year strategic plans are far more successful.
SUMMARY
There are many mistakes that any business (including dental practices) can make. The seven discussed above are the most impactful mistakes.
If these are addressed over the course of twelve months, the practice will automatically increase in production, profit, and enjoyment.
About the Author
Roger P. Levin, DDS is the CEO and Founder of Levin Group, a leading practice management consulting firm that has worked with over 30,000 clients to increase production. A recognized expert on dental practice management and marketing, he has written more than 60 books and over 4,000 articles and regularly presents seminars in the U.S. and around the world.
To contact Dr. Levin or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit www.levingroup.com or email rlevin@levingroup.com
