3 Common Barriers to an Effective Dental Team

A strong team is the backbone of a successful dental business.

Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, there can be miscommunication’s between dentists and dental staff.

Whether you are looking to sell your practice, or you are interested in having a cohesive operation in the short term, an efficient team is important.

Here are 3 common barriers that can get in the way of an effective dental team.

1. You’re trying to hire (and not train) the best team

This is one of the most common mistakes in dental practices.

It’s easy to assume that there are always enough people out there that are competent at the job that you’re offering.

More often than not, however, it’s difficult to find staff that are well trained in all areas of your business. And even if they are trained, they’re not familiar with your particular protocols and won’t yet know how to be efficient in your office.

Fortunately, staff are easier to train than most managers assume, so if you make an effort to hire intelligent and ambitious people with potential, it will go a long way to the establishment of an effective team.

2. You’re not looking at training as a never-ending process

A second error that’s often made by dentists is when new staff members are brought in and their training is limited.

While there is something to be said for letting staff members stand on their own two feet when it comes to responsibilities, it’s common practice that dentists will not invest enough time in truly training their staff.

They may point them in the direction of a resource, or they may show them a practice and then expect them to get on with it, but to empower staff you must be willing to put in the hours to help them develop their skills.

3. You don’t have clear communication protocols in place

Communication is vital to keeping your operation running smoothly.

You must constantly ensure that your team is aware of any changes and advances in the practice. Weekly meetings are advised to keep the team on the same page.

It’s important that every member of staff goes to work knowing what is expected of them and what is happening in the practice that day.

Implement a clear hierarchy and protocols with which all staff members are familiar, so issues are brought forward to the right people at the right time. Clear expectations are key to limiting personal issues between employees and minimizing operational mistakes.

An effective dental team is important for a prosperous practice. And if you are going through a dental practice transition, some buyers may want to keep the same staff, in which case their chemistry becomes a huge asset.