Dos and don'ts for managing your practice

Work through your team ... see more growth!

As practice leaders, many dentists feel they need to be involved in all practice activities, including administrative tasks. But this mentality is counterproductive for any dental practice. Dentists who busy themselves with nonclinical duties head down a path of lost production, higher stress, and frustrated team members. Here are some practice management suggestions ...

Spend 98% of your day in direct patient care. Dentists who spend the majority of their day diagnosing and treating patients rather than filling out paperwork or adjusting the schedule are more productive each day. After all, dentists went to school to be dentists, not bankers or customer service representatives.

Don't be afraid to delegate! Delegating to properly trained team members allows dentists to stay focused on what they do best: providing exceptional care to patients. Specific duties must be assigned to the appropriate team members to maximize the practice's productivity. Delegating reduces stress and shows confidence in the team's ability to run the administrative side of the practice.