15 Minutes to Excellence: Surviving rough and tough times

In these challenging times, the best way to ensure that your practice not only survives but thrives is to get back to the basics, according to Dr. Don Deems, a professional personal and business coach and a practicing dentist in Little Rock, AR.

In this latest episode of "15 Minutes to Excellence," Dr. Deems shares his thoughts on how to adjust to changing times and refocus your attention on your patients.

"One of the things that people can't forget, there is an old saying that says 'don't forget about who brung you to the dance' -- in other words, don't forget about the basics," Dr. Deems said. "I get a stack of mail or load of emails every day, all telling me how I can be successful. But I encourage doctors to get back to the basics of what got them where they are. In this day and age, you gotta have a lot of grit to hang in there and work harder."

Dr. Deems also emphasizes the importance of paying attention to your patients' experience when they come to your practice, and ensuring that your team members do as well.

"Make sure you are walking in your client's shoes," he said. "What is their experience in coming to your business? Most of the time we just look at them from our perspective rather than looking at how can we best serve them and take care of them. People do business with people they know and they like. It is really that simple -- there is no magic bullet."

Dr. Deems, known as the Dentist's Coach, he has been annually named to Dentistry Today's Top Leaders list since 2005 and is the author of several books, the most recent titled The Dentist's Coach: Build a Vibrant Practice and the Life You Want.

Watch this episode of "15 Minutes to Excellence" to hear more of Dr. Deems' great advice for running a successful dental practice. The video is free to all DrBicuspid.com members.