As dental consultants who've worked with hundreds of practices, we constantly get asked: "What makes a successful dental practice?" While strategies and systems are crucial, the answer often starts with one key factor: leadership.
At our recent Dental A Team Virtual Summit, we pulled back the curtain on what distinguishes thriving practices from struggling ones. We asked: what common themes do we consistently see in the most successful leaders?
Here's what we found.
Traits of Not-So-Great Leaders
These might be hard to hear, but identifying and eliminating these habits is the first step to leadership growth:
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Lack of trust in their office managers or leadership teams.
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Poor clinical quality that reflects in reputation and team morale.
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Chronic team turnover due to unclear expectations, micromanagement, or gossip.
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Poor implementation of strategies or coaching suggestions.
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Emotion-driven decisions instead of using data and logic.
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Avoidance of numbers and key performance indicators.
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Blaming and excuses that prevent self-reflection and accountability.
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No follow-through and being only "half in" with coaching or initiatives.
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Ego or fear-based decisions instead of long-term strategic thinking.
Traits of Highly Successful Dental Leaders
Now let’s talk about what high-performing leaders consistently do:
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Implement quickly and consistently — they execute without delay.
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Empower their teams with clear expectations and freedom to create.
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Decide with confidence, not paralysis.
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Follow through on commitments and maintain integrity.
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Keep calm under pressure, avoiding highs and lows.
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Retain long-term team members who love their culture.
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Demand excellence, never tolerating mediocrity.
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Use metrics and data to guide every decision.
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Inspire with clear vision that rallies the whole team.
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Practice discipline — from physical health to time management.
Which List Are You On?
We challenge you to pause and assess: which list do you most identify with? And where can you shift to lead your practice with more confidence, clarity, and consistency?
Being a successful leader isn’t about being perfect — it’s about learning, adapting, and showing up every day for your practice, team, and yourself.
If you’re not sure where your leadership currently stands, we’d love to help. Start with a FREE Practice Growth Call—we’ll help you identify where the gaps are and exactly what to do next!
Because at the end of the day—your team, your patients, and your future need the best version of you leading the way.
Don't forget to check out our podcast for more tips.
