The story we published last week titled "TikTok famous ‘The Twin Dentists’ allegedly mocked patients" drew a lot of attention from DrBicuspid.com readers. Between the page views and comments on the story, it's clear that the allegations of what happened not only had people talking but also wondering what happened next.
A friend of mine texted me after the story came out and asked, "How can we ensure things like this don't happen in dental practices?" Well, that's why this article was constructed.
From an HR perspective
I asked frequent contributor Alan Twigg of Bent Ericksen & Associates for his thoughts on the article from a human relations perspective.
"This appears to be a classic case of top-down culture," Twigg said. "Every practice has their public values posted on a wall ... and then there are the real values and the real culture.
"Some say culture is what happens when no one is watching. Even in today's world of short attention spans, reputation matters. What happens behind the scenes is just as important as what happens in the treatment room. Every leader should create a culture of safety and respect for others while allowing a healthy degree of venting or blowing off steam. It's a tricky, yet crucial, balance to get right," Twigg said.
How do we strike that balance?
I asked AI for its recommendations on not creating a toxic culture in a dental practice. Below is what AI believes can be done to mitigate it. What about you? Let us know in the Comments section below.
Based on the allegations involving "The Twin Dentists" at Smile White, where staff members allegedly shared patient photos and mocked patients in internal group chats, made racist comments, and created a toxic workplace culture, here are five tips dental practices should follow to avoid similar problems.
Establish clear patient data privacy protocols.
Patient photos, clinical images, and personal information should only be shared among staff members for legitimate clinical purposes. Create strict policies that prohibit sharing patient data in nonclinical group chats, on personal devices, or on social media platforms. Ensure that all team members understand that violating these protocols is a terminable offense and potentially illegal under data protection laws like HIPAA in the U.S. or the General Data Protection Rule in the European Union and the U.K.
Foster a culture of respect from leadership down.
Culture starts at the top. Practice owners and leaders must model respectful behavior toward all patients, regardless of one's background, appearance, or financial status.
If leadership engages in or tolerates disrespectful comments about patients, that behavior permeates the organization. Establish core values around patient dignity and hold everyone -- including owners -- accountable to those standards.
Create safe reporting channels for employees.
Whistleblowers in the Smile White case reported feeling conflicted about what they witnessed but had limited ways to address concerns. Establish anonymous reporting channels, where team members can flag inappropriate behavior without fear of retaliation.
Take all reports seriously and investigate promptly. When employees see that concerns are addressed, they're more likely to speak up before problems escalate.
Train staff on professional boundaries and ethics
Regularly train all team members -- including nonclinical staff like salespeople and receptionists who may have access to patient information -- on professional ethics, patient confidentiality, and appropriate workplace conduct. Make it clear that mocking patients, making discriminatory comments, or sharing patient data inappropriately violates professional standards and will result in disciplinary action.
Separate social media success from operating an ethical practice
"The Twin Dentists" built a massive social media following while allegedly maintaining toxic internal practices. Don't let external marketing success overshadow the internal culture.
Regularly assess the workplace environment through anonymous employee surveys, exit interviews, and culture audits. A polished public image means nothing if it's built on a foundation of disrespect toward the patients you serve.
What's the bottom line?
Every patient deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their appearance, background, or financial situation. Building a culture that honors this principle protects patients, employees, and, ultimately, the practice's reputation and viability.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
