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Are you looking for ways to bring your dental team together and take your practice to a new level? The secret may not be in the latest dental technology or marketing strategies. New clients are great, but if your internal team isn’t thriving, you can guarantee your practice won’t grow.
Every dental practice owner dreams of having a high-powered, top-performing team. One that’s aligned day in and day out and is fully committed to providing excellent client care. Yet, many still struggle with team dysfunction, high turnover rates, and low results.
In a recent Dawson Academy webinar, we looked at some proven strategies to help you take your team from merely “functional” to truly exceptional. Let’s look at the top nine strategies you can use right now to upgrade your people and culture.
Want to learn more? Check out The Dawson Academy for more great content and resources to help you become the dental industry leader you know you can be!
Every high-performing team needs direction. Your practice vision is the North Star that will determine every decision and action – even the small ones.
A vision isn’t just a statement hanging on your wall. It becomes the destination everyone in your practice is heading toward together. When team members understand where the practice is heading and why their role matters in getting there, they’ll naturally become more engaged and motivated.
How do you start creating that North Star? Ask yourself:
The most powerful visions are those created collaboratively with your team. Consider holding an annual off-site “New Year’s Summit” where you and your team can reflect on the previous year and set goals for the coming one.
Once established, your vision should be integrated into every aspect of your practice – from your job descriptions and role reviews to your team meetings.
Trust is the cornerstone of any high-performing team, period. So how do you start to build that trust? You begin with transparent and open communication.
Open, honest communication means sharing both successes and challenges with your team. Your team members know more about your practice than you might think – they know what you charge for procedures and understand basic business operations.
Bringing them into the conversation about practice performance can transform their perspective and level of engagement.
Traditional job descriptions usually fall short in giving a clear vision of what “success” looks like in each role. Creating a “role scorecard” can help you create a practical way to approach accountability and outcomes rather than just tasks.
For example, instead of listing “answer phones” as a front desk task, a role scorecard might include “maintain a cancellation rate below 20%.” Being measurable helps your teams see (through honest data) how their performance impacts the practice’s success.
Remember: Role scorecards should be used as growth tools, not punitive measures! Use them to empower and engage, never as a tool for forcing change.
“I don’t know how I’m doing.“
You won’t always hear this complaint, but it’s likely there under the surface. Regular progress reviews address this issue by providing structured feedback and recognition.
Unlike traditional annual reviews that often feel intimidating, effective progress reviews are ongoing conversations focused on growth and improvement. You can start by building consistent meetings such as:
For each role, develop specific metrics to track. A scheduling coordinator may track cancellation rates and schedule utilization. Dental assistance could focus on case acceptance or schedule productivity.
During these conversations, focus on collaborative problem-solving. For instance, if cancellation rates are high, work together to identify three strategies to reduce them by 2-3% in the next 90 days (rather than simply pointing out the problem).
What is the most effective way to motivate and retain top performers? Empower them with the appropriate levels of autonomy.
Your high performers thrive when they’re trusted to make decisions and innovate within their areas of responsibility. When they feel they aren’t trusted, they will jump ship to find other teams to grow in.
Remember that empowerment is a gradual process requiring both sides’ patience and trust. You can gradually expand their autonomy as each individual proves reliable with smaller decisions.
Communication is one of the most important things a dental team can master. Beyond sharing information and data, practices must build structured communication systems to ensure alignment and collaboration.
You’d be amazed at how you can push the needle with a short daily check-in that prepares everyone for success.
Even one hour a week can help keep everyone on the same page. At a minimum, schedule an hourly weekly team meeting to discuss practice development. Keep them on track with an agenda, keep everyone involved, and focus on a specific aspect of the practice. Always encourage engagement and open contribution.
Regular individual meetings build stronger connections and provide space for personal development discussions. Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns.
Dental professionals want more than just a paycheck. They want opportunities to grow and develop their skills. Make sure you are investing in their ability to grow in and outside their roles.
Dental professionals thrive when they are able to sharpen their skills. Provide continuing education that enhances their clinical skills, such as:
Do you have particular team members who stand out for their leadership qualities? Hone those! Create ways to help those individuals thrive, whether it be mentorship opportunities, external leadership training, or graduated leadership opportunities within the practice.
Eventually, you’ll need someone to step up and into another role. Create space for contingencies by training team members to cover for each other.
Document systems and processes so that if your front office team “won the lottery tomorrow,” other team members could handle essential functions.
Remember that leadership is a journey, not a destination. Even the most successful practices constantly refine their approach to internal leadership development and culture because a changing world requires a nimble team.
At The Dawson Academy, our Complete Care Consulting program provides personalized guidance on implementing these strategies in your practice context. With customized coaching, we help practices balance clinical excellence with business acumen that leads to sustainable growth.
Take your first step by evaluating your current team dynamics and identifying opportunities for growth. Your journey toward a truly high-performing team begins today.
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9:00 am – 4:00 pm EST
Phone:
727.823.7047
ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.
Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at ADA.org/CERP.
