I am sure all of us have dreamed up or imagined what our practice will be like when we are actually done with school and confident to start out on our own. Whether it be the classic family practice with popular magazines next to comfortable couches and children’s toys in the corner, or the cosmetic dental spa that offers pedicures and massages while you are in the dental chair.
I have heard of lots of ideas out there of how to run a practice and what to do to make it a welcoming atmosphere for your patients. I have even heard of an office that bakes cookies in the back kitchen to cover the unpleasant aroma of certain dental materials. While I think the spa treatment and cookie baking cheapens the dental industry, others have made it work for them and their patients. This topic is good for another day.
Have you imagined what your practice will be like?
I would like to start keeping notes of the things that make practices run so that I can implement them or at least try them in the future. I think it is important to look at where we are today and then figure out where we want to be tomorrow. Do you want to specialize? Do you want to run a family practice or a ‘cosmetic’ practice. Some things are still too early to decide and this is why goals are changed and revised frequently.
There is an old story about a ship that at first is only off course by 1 degree. The first 5-10 miles makes this a harmless mistake, but after several hundred miles of being off course by one degree, the ship was hopelessly far from its target. I hope you see the metaphor.
So we here at DMDstudent.com would like you as a reader to please post comments below on what you would like to implement in your private practice. Anything from customer service to technological gizmos. What have you specifically seen done in other private practices that you would like to do in your future practice? Specifics are a must, as “A nice front desk manager” doesn’t really help anyone out. What does the manager do that is so wonderful? Those of you who are practicing dentistry, please feel free to chime in on what works for you and what doesn’t.
We will keep a running list and hopefully compile it together in the future. Here are some ideas:
- Equipment
- Staff Habits
- Computer Programs
- Instruments
- Publications
- Waiting Room
- Office Setup
- ANYTHING!
- Please be specific!
Start writing!
Photo Courtesy of: Dr. Hoskyns used without permission. I will remove it if desired.
