A Guide to Spring Cleaning for the Hectic Dental Practice
This spring, streamline and eliminate loose ends in your practice by utilizing these easy approaches. There’s no better time than the present to strive toward greater success and make changes to achieve your goals.
As of Monday, March 20th, it is officially Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Our friends on the East Coast (and most people in Northern regions) will probably categorize this change as doubtful based on the weather.
We still think the arrival of spring is a sign to dust off the simultaneously hectic and resolutions-based frenzy of inter. You should stay committed to your goals (and those New Year’s Resolutions), but it’s a good idea to re-energize your approach. Spring is for new beginnings, revitalization, and changes.
What does ‘Spring Cleaning’ look like in the dental practice? You’ll be happy to hear it doesn’t involve any actual cleaning. Below, I’ll explain 2 simple ways you can energize your mind and professional work environment. These are strategies for longevity.
Give a Surprise Spring-Themed Gift
Sometimes it’s the simple, unexpected things that can make your team members feel appreciated. And it’s important not to forget how essential they are to ensuring your success. My advice: Arrange a surprise gift for every person on your team as a way of recognizing their value and showing how much you appreciate their effort.
Come in to work one morning with a flower for each person. Or if you know your team isn’t big on flowers, boost their morale with Starbucks cards. If you enjoy big displays, get them tickets to a group event like a baseball game. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but just the effort of thinking about and giving a gift demonstrates your support. It can increase their job satisfaction and thereby enhance your ability to lead a cohesive team capable of enacting your 2017 vision.
This also works great for other professional contacts. Send a gift to your referring docs (a la ‘welcome to spring’ gift baskets or flower arrangements) to shore up your relationships. This may have a level of hilarity if you live in an area with temperatures below 50 degrees.
Review Your Progress & Strategize
To reach our goals in the future, we often need to look back at the past to get a grasp on our failings and successes.
Check how you did as far as your first quarter production and evaluate if you’re on track for the year. It’s not enough to think you have a sense of the practice’s financials and the number of patients. Make sure you have the definitive numbers at your fingertips and actually analyze them.
If you’re on track to bring in as much or more than last year (or whatever production goal you have), then use that knowledge to fuel your excitement for the months to come. You can release some of the worry and anxiety you might normally cling to. But if things aren’t set to proceed the way you would’ve liked, re-think and strategize accordingly.
Could your marketing be updated or changed? Is there a miscommunication piece with your team that is affecting patients? Have you walked through your waiting room recently to get a feel for how welcoming the environment is? Is case acceptance low for one reason or another? In this way, just looking at your production will boost your production. It forces you to optimize and reconsider.
You can also register for a CE course in the second or third quarter of the year to add a new procedure to your practice offerings. Don’t be afraid to try out new things this season if it means bringing in more patients.
What steps are you taking to embrace spring and achieve your 2017 goals? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
