3 powerful tips to not let your CE investment fade on Monday morning

In a world of DSOs and big corporate dentistry, the desire for relationship-based comprehensive care, that patients pay for, still exists. With a plethora of continuums and courses out there that empowers dentists with the skill sets to achieve this, the task of implementation can still feel crippling.

When the enthusiasm fades, when you're back home to work on the perpetual Monday morning after dental training at one of the many fine centers, what are the first steps you can take without becoming overwhelmed? Remember, it's about progress, not perfection. Implementation helps ensure that you are not only achieving the style of practice you desire but that you are getting the best return on investment on your best asset: you and your education.

First, take time after your course on the flight home or the next morning with your cup of coffee and identify what are you going to implement, how you are going to implement it, and why you are going to implement it. To break it down further -- and not get overwhelmed with distilling down several hours of lecture and concepts into rewriting your entire office workflow -- stick to the powerful No. 3.

What are three concepts from what was taught that you believe would be fairly easy to implement quickly in your office? Choose items that are the building blocks of what you learned -- foundational items that will move the trajectory of the way you practice toward your goal. This can be as simple as updating your dental history questionnaire, as an example, to better gather information needed for more comprehensive dentistry. As another example, it may be taking an intraoral scan on every new patient for data-gathering and to use as patient education.

How is the implementation of your three goals going to happen? Do you require new supplies? A new piece of equipment? Or a new workflow outlined? Gather the necessary information and recruit a point person within the office to assist with gathering this information along with you. Will this new system require some training on a new technique for the staff? Identify your needs and commit to purchasing the supplies, equipment, or detailing a workflow in writing so that implementation is possible.

Why are these three concepts important for the development of the practice, your philosophy, patients, and staff? Set aside time for a meeting (at least one hour but ideally longer) to introduce the overview of what you learned and highlight your "why" in this change. Identify for your staff members the three items you selected as a starting point for implementation, how they are going to be implemented, as well as your staff's role in supporting this goal. Remember to keep it simple: Change management is one the hardest things to manage in organizations, so remember to keep it simple to help minimize discouragement.

Next, creating a new habit does not happen overnight and, in fact, can take approximately three months, according to a study about habit formation. Consistency was a key factor in creating the new habit and can easily be applied to dental practice.

If the three areas of focus can be implemented daily, consistently, and for a sustained period of time, eventually the habit will stick. Encouraging team members and highlighting a reminder of your new goals at the morning huddle are great ways to continue to cheer each other on and keep the sustained energy for implementation. Is it something that is expected for each patient, for a particular workflow, or for new patients only? If so, highlight the day where this new strategy will be applied and to which patients or workflow. After the first week, take a look back and see where there could be room for improvement. Keep the focus on progress, not perfection.

Lastly, a three-month check-in from the first meeting is a great opportunity to review with your team what worked well and what needs improvement. What of the three areas of implementation have become automatic for the practice, and what areas still need more consistency?

Celebrate the small wins and highlight how this has improved the practice. Of the three areas of implementation that were first identified, if a sufficient level of automaticity has been achieved, they will no longer need intense focus and new goals can be created for the office. Go back to your continuing education notes and select new areas that can continue to be added to the practice. If there happened to be areas in your original three goals of implementation that need to be reworked, remember to evaluate why it didn't fully implement, give new thought to that goal, and keep it on the list.

Aside from dental education being a great way to connect with our peers and give inspiration to our daily practice, we all want to manifest those ideas we learn to help shape our practices for the better. Investment in our education is a way to enrich our practice life, our patients, and our teams. It only works, however, when we find a way to bring it home. Taking small bites, being consistent, and reflecting on your progress are the keys to making implementation practical and attainable. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

Dr. Crystal Schneider is a comprehensive restorative dentist who practices in Mentor, OH. She is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, after which she attended an advanced education in general residency at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital in San Antonio. She established her private practice in 2010 and maintains staff privileges at the university hospitals. Visit DrCrystalDental to learn more.

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