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Volume 2 Issue 2
CDA
at
W
ork
6
5
One of the most important investments you
can make in your dental practice
is staff training. Because they are
often the first point of contact in
a dental office, they should be
knowledgeable in customer care
and satisfaction. “Invest time and
resources in staff training and in
your personal relationships with
your staff. Treat them with respect
and as partners,” says Dr. Levin.
Be flexible
and accept change
Dentists can be perfectionists but, in
practice, not every outcome is perfect.
From overbooked schedules to unexpected
treatment results, sometimes life can throw
you a curve. Don’t let it throw you off your
game. “It’s difficult for dentists to go with
the flow,” says Dr. Cameron. “Try to learn
how to be flexible early on in your career.”
In an ideal world every treatment would
be successful. But in reality, sometimes not
every dental case works out perfectly.
“Even with your best intentions
and efforts, cases can fail for
a number of reasons,” notes
Dr. Cameron. “It’s important to
acknowledge these failures, do
your best to rectify them, and
learn from them, but try not to
beat yourself up over them.”
7
8
Dr. Larry
Levin
Dr. Margot
Hiltz
Dr. Paul
Cameron
Dr. Maureen
Lefebvre
Maintaining harmonious personal and professional
lives can be a balancing act. “It helps to think of
the dentistry profession as a lifestyle, and not just
a job,” says Dr. Maureen Lefebvre. “The office is
my second home—much time
and effort has been put into its development
and growth.”
Spend as much time celebrating your
successful treatments as stressing about
those outcomes that are less than ideal.
“Not every patient is going to be delighted
with your results,” says Dr. Levin. “Try
to find a way to deal with occasional
disappointment and rejection without it
affecting your psychological balance.”
Building a successful practice with satisfied staff and
patients takes a lot of time and effort. However, make sure you
strike a balance between work and play. “It’s important to take
some guilt-free time off,” says Dr. Cameron. “Work will always
be there but your children have a funny tendency to grow up
on you.”
Most patients like to have
as much information as
possible. Full disclosure
is an important part
of a positive patient
experience. “A proper
discussion of procedures
and costs before treatment
starts builds trust and increases patient
acceptance of treatment as well as reduces
patient dissatisfaction following treatment,”
says Dr. Hiltz.
4
While providing professional advice is a valuable part of the job, it’s
also important to spend as much time listening to patients. They
can give valuable information about oral health habits, symptoms,
and lifestyle to help make your treatments even more effective.
“Listen to your patients,” says Dr. Hiltz. “Often the answers you
need to make your diagnosis can be revealed in a well-directed
conversation.”
Be transparent
Staff members are
teammembers
Listen closely
Balance is key