Something is lurking in your dental office. It is unseen and harmless, so you often miss it completely. It is like an invisible fog; it permeates every aspect of your work. I want to bring it to your attention, so that you can begin to see it, and begin to see how alive it is and how it affect your work as a CDA, a hygienist, a receptionist, or a dentist!
Dentistry is a fine balance between art, science and business. The creative, right-brained approach to treatment plans, chairside manner, holistic patient care and beautiful restorations is indeed art. I call this the heart of a dental practice. Then surely, the high level of technical skill, as well as the vast knowledge of biology, chemistry and physiology is all science; the brains of a dental practice.
What then, makes it all go? What keeps it all running? Business. Business is the life-blood of a practice; it courses through every aspect of a healthy, vital practice, turning your hard work into cash, which is redistributed back to you as supplies, infrastructure, security, insurance, and provides you with the tools you need in order to be able to do the work for which you were all trained.
No, you are not a work-horse for the business of dentistry. It is a work-horse for you! It is the invisible life-blood that supports you and enables you. The key is finding balance and realizing that ‘production’ is the tip of the iceberg in regard to the business of dentistry and Business, the B-Word, is not a dirty word.
To reconcile the values of healthcare and business in dentistry, one must be able to see the full role that business plays and how it works for you. To hear more about The B-Word, be sure to attend my presentation at Pacific Dental Conference on Saturday, March 10, 2012, 1:00pm. I look forward to seeing you all there!
