Dental Practice Wellness

While I was on a phone call the other day, Dr. Schuster placed a document on my desk that he had written.  He told me later he got the idea from his chiropractor and modified it to fit our dental patients.  I read the “Four Steps to Wellness” and immediately began to see how this fit with our Center Students as well.  Here it is… 

Step One: STOP THE DISEASE PROCESS

First, you must acknowledge when disease exists.  If your practice isn’t healthy, you begin to feel the negative effects but you may not know exactly what is going on.  Your practice analyst helped you to see where some of the problems may be.  Then you attended Retreat 1 of the Management Program at The Schuster Center and that began to help you see more clearly. You began to sort it all out.  You looked at each of the engines that drive the practice and produced step-by-step policies and systems to begin the change process toward health.  You started to look at what health is relative to your dental practice.  You decided to stop doing things the way they have always been done and start reflecting on a better way to practice. 

Step Two: THE HEALING STAGE

This is where Policies and Systems are put into place and the implementation begins.  The dental practice embarks on a journey of healing.  This healing process in most cases will require the entire management year and sometimes beyond that year.  Healing requires change. 

Step Three: THE CORRECTIVE STAGE

Once healing has occurred, the stress level in the dental practice will be reduced and the team can now begin to focus on the goals set forth for the future of the practice.  This requires the commitment to continue working on your practice even after the management year is complete.  It is important to continually review your Policies and Systems and make revisions as you change and grow.  The statistical data collected monthly can be utilized to determine where change is needed.  Corrections are made based on objective data.

Step Four: THE MAINTENANCE STAGE

It is far easier to maintain a healthy practice than to correct one in the disease process.  Once the doctor and team have created the practice they desire and are reaching their goals, the ability to maintain them is dependent upon their commitment to the doctor’s vision of the practice.  Continuing education through advanced development will assure the practice maintains growth.  Maintaining health takes the effort of all involved.

Practice wellness takes life-long dedication just as your patient’s dental health and wellness requires commitment for a lifetime.

Happy New Year to everyone!

–The Schuster Center offers top practice management education for the dental industry. For more information, go to www.SchusterCenter.com