Dental Tribune US Edition, Vol. 5, No. 19

By Sally McKenzie, CEO Dental career or daily drudgery? Practice Matters DENTAL TRIBUNE | September 20106A Recently, I was sitting with a small group of dentists during the lunch break at a dental meeting and they were commiserating, divulging their war stories from the “front” if you will. Obviously, in my line of work it is not uncommon to have dentists willingly share their often painful experiences. This was no exception. The dentists were talking about some major problems they were having in their offices. One of the dentists, I’d say he was probably 45 years old, a mid-career guy — let’s call him Doc No. 1 — was asking Doc No. 2 (I’d put him around 55 years old and should be nearing retirement) about how his office schedules patients. Doc No. 1 explained that his days are a string of frustrations, stops and starts; frantically running until everything comes to a screeching halt. There was no rhyme or reason to how his scheduling coordinator is organizing the day. In addition, his practice’s produc- tion was nowhere near where he thought it should be, regardless of the current economy: one day it’s $5,000 the next it’s $1,000. Doc No. 2 asked him if he’s talked to his scheduling coordinator and Doc No. 1 replied with an emphatic, “Definitely. I’ve probably told her 100 times that I want to be busy.” He notes that when he brings it up, things will improve a little for a while but then it’s back to the same erratic production. Well, it’s true that misery loves company because Doc No. 2 pro- ceeded to open up about the staff conflict and collections nightmares he’s been experiencing for the past three years. Thus, this has been going on far longer than the current economic downturn. Suffice it to say that Doc No. 1 was certainly feeling much better about his scheduling woes after hearing Doc No. 2’s blow-by-blow account of the turf wars and serious financial worries he’s facing. Worn down over time It’s true: you can become cynical as the years pass. You deal with disap- pointments and frustrations. People you count on let you down. Prin- ciples you once believed in become hollow, and the professional dreams and goals you once had lose their luster. I see this happen to too many dentists. I hear it in your voices when you call me, and I see it on your faces at dental meetings. Even after all the years I’ve worked with dentists, I still cannot understand why you are so willing to settle for a practice that you don’t want. That being said, I do understand how this happens. The reality is that most dentists are committed to being truly excel- lent clinicians. You are dedicated to your patients and to providing what is best for them. But you don’t come out of dental school with manage- ment degrees or human resources experience. Most of you have never even considered writing a business plan for your practices. You are not experts at guiding your scheduling coordinator in developing the best systems to cre- ate the most effective and profitable schedule for your practice. You see conflict on the team and want to run in the opposite direction. You want to pay your staff a fair salary, but overhead is a nightmare. As committed as you are to pro- viding the best for your patients, you cannot do so effectively if your own systems are struggling, your teams are dysfunctional little fiefdoms, or you are stressed out from the worry of paying bills and dealing with staff problems. All the while I’m thinking to myself: Why are these dentists liv- ing their careers in such misery? Suffering is truly optional. These dentist desperately need the help of an outside management consultant. It doesn’t have to be McKenzie Management, but they need some- one to help them identify a plan of AD g DT page 8A If walking through the door of your practice creates instant anxiety, it’s time to ask for outside help