A Tale of Two Dentists

Dr. Whitecoat is a devoted clinician. She loves being a dentist and she’s driven to provide the best care for her patients. She’s always up-to-date on the latest treatments and technologies. However, when it comes to matters such as financial appointment procedures, patient payment policies, and team training, she tends to defer to her office manager. For her, being a dentist is about what goes on inside patients’ mouths, and that’s where her focus remains.

Dr. Pinstripe knows how to run a practice. He knows how to lead his team, is excellent at developing and refining systems that maximize efficiency, and consistently seeks growth opportunities. However, he typically only completes the minimum mandated amount of CE each year, and his clinical skills have not advanced significantly since graduating from dental school.

Yes, these portraits are caricatures of two extremes, but I think the point is clear: Great Dentistry requires both mindsets. It requires both clinical success, which is based on excellent patient care, and business success, which is based on excellent practice management.

You can be a great dentist in terms of your level of education and your ability to diagnose and treatment plan. Still, suppose your practice doesn’t provide an environment where this level of care can be readily embraced and accepted. In that case, you’ll never reach your full potential.

Likewise, if your level of clinical mastery isn’t always evolving, no matter how well you manage your practice, you’ll feel unfulfilled. There will always be that feeling that you’re missing out on bigger and better things.

To really have a great practice, you’ve got to have clinical success and practice success in equal measure. You can’t truly aspire to Great Dentistry without a commitment to both.