When it all comes right down to it, dental practices are basically comprised of phone answerers and money handlers, spit suckers, tooth scrapers, and hole drillers. Don't go crazy, I said basically. If you don't go beyond the basics, that's pretty much true. It's what you do beyond the basic description that makes you what you really are.
Let's start with the phone answerers and money handlers. They have so much impact on how people feel about your practice. You have to build on just picking up the phone and saying, "Dr. Jones office." Believe me, I've heard phones answered this way at other offices when I call. I usually sit there like a goof, waiting for more and then realize, "Oh, that's all she's going to give me." And "give me" is what I mean. Anything beyond the basics is what is given, what is chosen, what is offered from one person who understands that there is another person on the other end of the line, not just a patient. A blunt office identification just never does cut it. It's cold and barren and that's how the caller is left calling. It also strips away any desire to call that office again. On the other hand, I often have the pleasure of talking to an absolutely wonderful, upbeat, loving person in another office that I call frequently. I love having a reason to call and I'm never disappointed. She cares and she makes you feel it. She is a treasure to her employer and to anyone who comes into contact with her. She is not just a phone answerer, she's a blessing to all.
Moving on, let's think about those spit suckers and tooth scrapers. If they don't build on the basics, they can make you feel like a piece of meat. Luckily, I don't run across too many of them, unless they are in the wrong profession. Clincal dental professionals are a unique group of people. We go to work every day, and we just can't wait to get our fingers wet. Now, I'm not saying anyone enjoys scaling a kernel of corn out of anyone's molar, that's just gross, but we like seeing someone leave a little better off than they were when they arrived. We like seeing improvement in plaque scores, or knowing that we've been able to relieve someone's pain. We know that no one really wants to be here, we get that, but we learn not to take it personally. What if an assistant or hygienist is burned out, or is just not really into what they are doing? You can feel it in the air just as clearly as you can feel it when she's caring. A good assistant or hygienist has to have the ability to find the uniqueness of the person in the patient, and that's who she addresses herself to.
The dentist creates the culture and makes it all come together. Even if there is a manager in the office, the dentist decides what the culture will be, even if it's just by virtue of allowing the manager to work with the staff to develop a caring, loving atmosphere. It's best when the dentist and manager present a united front and lead by example. In my experience, you can fake it for a while and it will be ok, but the real thing is unforgettable. And is that what you want to be to your patients? Unforgettable. You have to work for it. That's what it's all about.
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