I'm Watching Out- For You!

I can honestly say I was never going to be a person who wrote a blog.  But lately I've realized that I'm in a unique position that allows me to share my experiences and insights with other dental professionals that don't have the opportunities I do.  And I'm thinking this may be the best medium available.

What's my unique position? I'm in a new dental office almost every day. What does that have to do with you?

Early on in my career, the dentist I worked for (more about his amazing influence on my life later) wanted to update his office.  He was looking for a new look and better ways to serve his patients.  Time was one thing he didn't have. so he sent me out to observe 4 or 5 of what he considered to be the best offices in our valley.  You would think that it would pose some kind of conflict of interest, however the dentists who owned these offices were excited to share and were honored that we would ask. I spent many hours with a notebook in hand, observing, asking questions and reporting back what I saw. We took the best of the best of what I observed and the worst of the worst and all the in between. We used it to make a clear vision of what he wanted his practice to become. 

We then looked at where we were and made clear steps to implement changes that would get us where we wanted to be.  We made a list. And then we went to work.

Throughout my years in that office we used this same pattern over and over, always looking to improve.

Today, I am still in dentistry but not working in just one office, but as I said before, I'm in a new office almost everyday. I train offices how to use high tech equipment and software.  But the observer in me is still very much alive. Everyday I see successful, creative approaches to dentistry and unique ideas for solving universal problems in dentistry.

I also see approaches that are failing miserably, some which might surprise you.  I find myself mentally collecting this data and having only my wonderful husband, who is not affiliated in dentistry in any way except that he loves me and has teeth, to share it with.
Thus this blog. I'll observe as I go about doing my job and share with you what I see. I'll offer how good ideas can be implemented and how some pitfalls can be avoided. 

I won't however give out the names of anyone I work with or observe. You may be left wondering, "is she talking about me?"  The answer is, probably not- but see what you can learn anyway.
The goal is for you to take the observations and let it help you build a vision for your practice and then make that vision a reality. If you already have a vision then glean  what you can to help make your vision even better.

The truth is your vision will always have fluid elements that will change and evolve as you do. That is what keeps it all interesting!

*This blog is being written for all of us involved in dentistry. Whether your a dentist that owns his own practice or one working for a corporation or involved in community health.  Or maybe your a hygienist or assistant or the front desk goddess :)  or a dental consultant. You can influence the vision of the team your on. But just as important, you can and should have a vision for yourself and how you are going to be involved in this great service industry we call dentistry.