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Show Notes
Have you considered how your team members influence customer satisfaction and affect your bottom line? If your dental assistant is unhappy, it can reflect on your entire practice, costing you sales and tarnishing your reputation.
Can a dental assistant affect your profit? The answer is a resounding yes.
Today's guest is someone who understands the role of dental assistants, and how they can make or break your practice.
Kevin Henry is the co-founder of Ignite DA, an online community that enlightens, engages, and empowers dental assistants to help them have better careers.
Tune in to this week's episode to find out how to create a dream team that will make customers smile and increase your bottom line.
Time-Stamped Show Notes
- 4:35 Introduction of today's guest, Kevin Henry
- 6:06 An interesting background of Kevin's career from Managing Editor of Dental Economics Magazine to co-founder of and how he loves his current project.
- 7:15 Kevin discusses his 2016 partnership with Dr. David Rice, the sister-company, Ignite DDS, and the goals of raising up young dentists and dental assistants.
- 10:20 The entire team needs to know your numbers in the office to know how to meet the goal.
- 11:50 What to do if you're afraid to share your sales numbers with your team.
- 13:25 How to get your team invested in the success of your business.
- 14:20 A discussion on mutual respect.
- 15:05 How to address issues before the customer senses the discord.
- 15:35 How to create a safe-zone for employees to talk about ideas.
- 17:17 Addressing the "Me" Culture.
- 20:10 Creating a solid mission statement for your company's culture.
- 22:26 How to deal with employees that drag everyone else down.
- 23:30 The one thing dentists should not be open about when talking to employees.
- 26:37 Are you doing a good job of accompanying patients from the back office to the front office after the appointment?
- 27:30 How to stop the high turnover rate of dental assistants.
- 32:50 What Ignite DA does to bring dentists and their assistants together successfully.
- 35:28 What you know (or don't) about state requirements will either get you into trouble or grow your profit. Go to DANB for dental assistant state laws.
- 39:00 Closing
3 Ways to Develop a Dental Practice Culture that Thrives
- Run your practice like a business. It's stressful for everyone involved when your profit is slipping, and your customer will probably sense it too. Your business is not only about you, the dentist, but about the dental assistant, the hygienist, and the front office too. If everyone is aware sales are dropping, they will be more inclined to pull together and help as a team.Get everyone involved in the company by having open communication policies. Form regular morning huddles to discuss sales numbers, ideas, and anything else that might be an issue. A free communication zone might be just what you need to solve problems and make your business grow.
Get everyone involved in the company by having open communication policies. Form regular morning huddles to discuss sales numbers, ideas, and anything else that might be an issue. A free communication zone might be just what you need to solve problems and make your business grow.
- Dental assistants are one of the most important aspects of your practice. If you treat them well, you could have a thriving dental business. Disrespect them, and your practice could fail. No one wants to be stressed as they go to bed each night or dread facing another day at work. People yearn to enjoy the place they work and the people they work with.
One way to make your team feel great is by offering a simple thank you. You could thank them for getting the room ready for the next patient, or give appreciation that they come to help you with your business every day. A small amount of gratitude will go a long way and remember, customers can see whether there is good office rapport. Showing clients that your practice is a happy place will convince them to sign up for the next appointment.
- Develop a great company culture by incorporating a mission statement and sticking to it. Post it on the wall and have everyone memorize and live by it. It's the best way to discourage any me culture from forming.
Like Kevin says, If everybody is just in it for themselves only, then that's something that can tear a business or practice apart in a heartbeat.
When you have employees that feel good about where they work, they will become invested in making your operation a success.
Resources of The Week
- Kevin Henry's online community to empower dental assistants - Ignite DA. Contact Kevin at kevin.henry@igniteda.net.
- Website to find out more about state dental assistant regulations - org.
- David Rice's continuing education company for dental students - Ignite DDS.
- Mentioned Books - Zero to One by Peter Thiel and E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.
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