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unified_office.jpgAny conflicts that arise in your dental team can make you want to throw your arms up in despair and retreat.  But the need for collaboration is here to stay, and while it\’92s not the easiest thing, it will put more minds on the prize:  to produce better results.  

If your dental team has frequent arguments, or you simply aren\’92t a unified office, how can you get things back on track?  

The Great Divide Between Front and Back Office

Dental practices who successfully blend their front and back dental staff will not only provide exceptional patient service, but also enhance operational performance, improve team morale and reduce costs.   

Here are some of the most common struggles between the front and back office:  

The schedule struggle.  The schedule is the one thing in the dental office that affects every team member and every patient.  If someone doesn\’92t follow the schedule, it can create chaos behind the scenes.  The schedule should be on everyone\’92s radar and doesn\’92t \’91belong\’92 to just the front or back office.  Have your schedule mapped out and available to the front and back office to discuss.  Then, watch some magic happen and the unified office can schedule together harmoniously.  

Treatment planning tug o\’92 war.  Clearly establish who enters the treatment plan, when, who presents it and who schedules it.  

Regardless of why your team isn\’92t getting along, or if there is an office divide, following a few simple guidelines can help you to resolve disputes quickly and work towards a more unified office.  

Step in early.  Emotions run high when there is tension or a dispute starts, the sooner you step in the better.  If conflicts are left unresolved, they will fester which can result in lasting resentment and hurt feelings, making it difficult to diffuse the situation.  

Establish a shared goal & agreement.  An important step is ensuring that whole dental team is focused on the same thing:  the patient.  Whenever possible, connect the resolution back to the dental team\’92s shared purposes, values or identity.  This will help the front and back office see eye to eye.  

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Remember These Key Principles

DO:  

  • Set up conflict management procedures before a conflict arises
  • Step in early if a disagreement happens between dental team members
  • Get the team working together as quickly as possible

DON\’92T:

  • Assume that your dental team knows or agrees with its shared purpose, values or vision
  • Let conflicts fester or be left unattended
  • Move on from a disagreement without first talking to the team about the conflict

Ultimately, a unified dental team means a happy patient – which means a successful dental practice.  Follow these simple guidelines to work towards your dental office functioning like a well-oiled machine with happy and satisfied team members.  

Wondering how to deal with stress at your dental office?  What it boils down to is not letting stress take control\’97learn how to control your stress. Here are 3 ways we like to highlight for how to deal with stress at the dental office.

Create a patient experience for your dental practice that gets the ‘wow’ response every time! Download Your Guide to the Ultimate Patient Experience today!  

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