Is Something Missing on Your Office Walls?

Do you keep family photographs on display in your home? In my house, I have pictures in many rooms, on walls, tables and countertops – even on the piano. Of course, I have most of the photos in digital form as well, but I like having some of my favorites on display because they bring a human, personal touch to the home and they generate fond memories.

They also are natural conversation starters when guests visit. I point out who the people are in the photos, or where and when the pictures were taken, and that often inspires discussion.

The same philosophy applies to creating "walls of fame" in your office. I have heard a number of dentists say that they have all of their best material available in digital form for the patients to look at. This is great, accessing that library of images to show patients is a terrific way to drive case acceptance.

But the walls of fame serve a different purpose. They're all about creating the opportunity to have a casual hallway discussion, where a team member giving a tour can stop and point to pictures and say things like:

"That's our hygienist – she's been with us for 10 years now. There she is with her kids."

"Let me tell you about the last course that we took as a team – that's us there."

"Let me show you this great new before-and-after case we've added..."

These are ways to make people feel at home, and to give them a sense of the energy and culture of the practice. It's not just about what is shown in the photos, it's about starting a conversation.

So by all means, keep an up-to-date digital archive of all your photos and use them whenever you can. But don't neglect the walls. I'm all for digital technology, but this is one situation where the old-school solution really works best.