5 Traits For Successful Associate Development
The practice of dentistry can be emotionally, mentally, and physically taxing on a person. It requires long working hours that are hard on the body, patience in dealing with people, and business acumen to be successful. I learned after a few years of practice that being tied to the chair for 35 years was not the route for me. So many dentists must retire for health reasons, and I did not want to go down that path. I needed to find something that allowed me to sharpen my clinical skills, expand my outreach to patients, and give back to the profession. Mentorship was the answer.
It’s important to be a part of something bigger than yourself. In the book, The Compound Effect, Darren Hardy writes that a person’s value or worth is directly tied to the number of people he or she can influence. Therefore, if you want to increase your level of success, you must find a way to reach more patients and doctors. This principle, combined with my passion to teach and deliver clinical excellence, drove me into coaching dentists and resulted in multi-office ownership.
By assisting the growth and development of doctors, I’ve been able to develop my leadership skills, rest my body, and improve the quality of care thousands of patients receive. Regardless of the level of coaching I provide, some associates have qualities that help them succeed faster than others. When I am selecting candidates to coach, I look for individuals with the 5 qualities below as they almost certainly guarantee success.
Top 5 Tips for Associates to Become Successful
1. Stay Humble, Stay Hungry
Although dental associates have gone through an extensive amount of schooling, there is still so much they don’t know about working at a dental office. There is often a difference in clinical practice between dental school and private practice, and doctors need to understand that this exists. They must stay humble and remain open to receiving critique and feedback from more seasoned professionals.
It takes nearly 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything. All too often, dentists graduate and immediately seek out four-day work weeks and limited working hours, so they can enjoy the good life. While that is an option, the ramp to clinical mastery takes a significant amount of time. I suggest these associates work as hard as they can and gain the most knowledge possible before trying to enjoy the good life. The harder you work, the sooner the good life will come!
2. Be Prepared
As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure”. Dental associates must come to work not just on time, but early so that they are prepared for the day. Many associates complain of not having enough opportunities in their schedule to be productive. This is usually not the case- they are just missing what is right in front of them. By showing up early and staying late, they can comb through their schedules, identify possible areas of treatment, and work on acquiring new patients.
It is important for associates to participate in the morning huddle. By speaking up and adding value, the staff will begin to show more respect to the associate. If you want additional opportunities, show your team you are worthy of them!
3. Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel
Too often I watch as associates create stressful situations for their patients and themselves by seeking to reinvent the wheel, rather than taking the advice of their owner doctor. If you are lucky to be paired with a successful, experienced mentor, take advantage of their knowledge and experience by listening to their advice.
Too often I will have an associate ask my clinical opinion on a case, only to do the exact opposite. This also happens with the handling of patient situations. Associates sometimes feel that what they learned in school or what the gold standard research says is better than the advice of experienced professionals. It is only a matter of time before that approach ends in failure. Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, find a mentor you trust and be open to taking their advice.
4. Discomfort = Growth
If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing. Some food for thought- athletes are uncomfortable every day during training. That is the only way they can improve their performance! Discomfort is a good thing, as there are new things to learn every single day. I tell my doctors that they must get used to feeling uncomfortable because that is the only way they can know that they’re becoming better dentists.
I’m looking for dentists who go above and beyond the status quo. I look for excellence, and you only get excellence if you are willing to get uncomfortable and grow. Ways of growing include trying new procedures, reducing your prep times, doing more treatment at one time, and working more columns. You must get comfortable with being uncomfortable every day.
5. Find your Motivation
What motivates me day-in and day-out is my commitment to clinical excellence. When I was a teenager, I was in a horrific ATV accident that left my face mangled and my jaw non-functional. My first surgeon did the best he could but unfortunately made some crucial clinical errors that left my mandible fused shut for almost 4 years. I had to undergo 8 additional surgeries to correct his mistakes.
My experiences as a teenager have provided me with the passion to deliver the best possible care to each of my patients so that none of my patients will suffer the way I once did. I also want to ensure that every doctor I am associated with will deliver the same quality of care. No matter what your motivation is- find it, harness it, and let it drive you every day. You will always be successful if you stay true to that driving force.
There are many different types of successful associates in the field of dentistry. Above are the characteristics that I have found to be a recipe for success in my practices. It is important to note that every practice is different and has different needs. It is imperative that owner dentists create efficient means of developing associates, and by focusing your time and attention on developing associates with the above characteristics, you will see substantial results within your practice.
