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Practice Solutions: Learning to Lead by Ashley Spooner, DDS

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by Ashley Spooner, DDS

Dr. Ashley Spooner graduated from University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. She owns a PDS-supported practice in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Spooner is a subject-matter expert on patient and team retention and serves as a faculty member for the PDS Institute. She can be contacted at spoonera@pacden.com.

One of the biggest challenges you're going to face in your career will not come in the form of clinical competency, but in knowing how to run a business.

Generally, dentists experience a similar progression in our career path—from completing residencies to becoming associates and perhaps owners. However, our education did not prepare us for the responsibilities and challenges that come with being a practice owner. We are confident in our clinical field, but how do we respond when patients say no, or our staff is upset?

It is difficult to be successful if you have patients and support staff continually walking out the door. So—like any small-business owner—dentists need to learn and understand how to establish success through retention and leadership.

Pack mentality
You might not think that some great business advice could come from Cesar Millan, who is known from his television show, "The Dog Whisperer." But he ends up describing the functional workplace precisely when he states, "In a pack of dogs, there are essentially three groups: those in the front, those in the middle, and those in the back. While each plays a significant role, no group is superior. The dogs in the front … give direction and offer protection. These are your leaders. The dogs in the middle…keep order and ensure that things run smoothly. Those in the back…are responsible for alerting the others to potential threats."

When building a team, adopt a pack mentality. It's just as important ?to find people who are happy being in the back as it is to identify strong leaders. It's a good idea to work toward maintaining a balance of these respective personalities to promote cohesion.

Drop the doctor
My favorite piece of advice: leave the "doctor" title at the door.

The attitude that everyone should listen to you and do what you say because you are the doctor will quickly create tension and alienate people. The sooner we can let go of the doctor ego, the better. Dragging, forcing, pulling and persuading may work on a few people, but in the long term it is a recipe for disaster. Instead, concentrate on building cohesiveness by creating an even playing field and leading from behind.

Employees and patients alike are looking for a gentle and compassionate leader who understands people as individuals and values what they bring to the table. Utilizing a gentle leadership style will not be viewed as a weak approach. You can express concern and urgency without being aggressive and dominant. This method of leading from behind allows your employees and patients to feel a sense of control over their own development and treatment. In turn, this gives them confidence in themselves—and boosts their confidence in you.

Constructive criticism
Leading from behind does not equate to being too lenient. This approach still requires critical conversations. When addressing employees, be constructive rather than harsh: "Sally, I have a few concerns I want to talk with you about. I am most concerned about my schedule. I know we have talked before regarding this, but I really need your help. We need more patients coming in each day for the office to be successful. How can I help you with this?"

This philosophy also extends to patients. Understand your patients and their feelings in order to help them: "Tom, this tooth really concerns me. We have put this off for some time and I would hate to see you face the consequences of waiting any longer, such as a root canal or an extraction. Can we schedule you for this, or do you have time today for me to fix this for you?"

Final note
People innately want to improve and take care of themselves, but their acceptance will not come from hearing harsh criticisms or responding to fear. Guide individuals for whom you have concerns and recommendations, by offering solutions. In the end, you are creating a relationship that exemplifies your genuine care for the individuals with whom you are interacting. This connection leads to trust and acceptance of your leadership, optimizing the retention of both your staff and your patients.


Dentaltown Magazine
April 2024
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