You did not enter dentistry to run a business, but every practice is a business. Acknowledging this does not diminish your mission as an oral health provider, nor does it compromise your goal of helping people. By embracing your entrepreneurial side, you can unlock the resources and strategic vision needed to make a prevention-led practice a viable and beneficial choice.
Key takeaways
When facing change, mindset is everything
Habits are hard to break. Whenever you notice an issue and feel the urge to say
“But we’ve always done it this way!”
it is a sign that there is space to reassess. This may mean taking everything apart and reassembling it in a new way. However, if you approach this situation with a mindset that sees it as an opportunity, rather than a setback, you will be better equipped to challenge your status quo bias and take action.
Oral health is a service-based industry
To see a patient, they must choose to make an appointment. If they do not have a good experience, they will not come back. And if they do not perceive value in your prevention services, they will not seek them out. You have to look at it from a service perspective to identify the gaps in your patients' journey.
Market research will help you
- Who are your patients?
- What is happening in your area?
- How is your practice engaging with the community you serve?
Looking into these questions will help you recognise gaps and weaknesses in your services. Once you have identified them, you can start to work on solutions one step at a time.
Up next: Understand the treatment-first traps (and how to get out of them)