Every project, no matter how big or small, has it's own share of variables and potential problems. Although it would be my hope that everything always goes as planned, my own experience has been that critical thinking is usual necessary somewhere along the line. Thinking about my own projects (as well as in dentistry) the more people, the more moving parts, Read More

In the hustle and bustle of every day life, sometimes the best that any of us can do is simply survive. This is exactly why taking a moment or two to gain perspective on progress can be both enlightening and rewarding.  It can be super hard to appreciate that all the hard work is actually paying off unless there is focus and attention on just how far the Read More

One of the common threads that brings this particular community together is that we all work really super hard. In my own response to the long and intense hours I find it imperative to plan for breaks at least once a quarter. My brain needs to stretch in different ways and I crave the opportunity to connect with people outside of my immediate sphere of Read More

It's so interesting to sit back for a moment to consider the people in my life that have had the most significant influence, and today I'm especially thinking in terms of my work. There was the first dentist that I ever worked for, and the one who who introduced me to fine dentistry and comprehensive care. Let's not forget the women who introduced me to Read More

One would think that when people work together all day every day that communication would be easy. Unfortunately, that is not usually the case! It takes intention, patience,  and lots of courage to engage in conversation that really matter.  One creative way to encourage healthy dialogue is to work together as a team to create some agreements around HOW you Read More

Getting to know our patients is the key to success on many levels. It's fun and rewarding to anticipate their preferences and desires, and follow the rhythm of the patterns that we have established together about how to be in relationship. It is also true that that on any given day your patient just might have a different  mood than you expect, or a change Read More

I've always said that there is a huge difference between a happy patient and a raving fan. I LOVE it when I hear about a patient screaming from the rooftops about how great a practice is! Many years ago I remember our dental team creating a goal that we would raise the bar on what is possible in terms of hospitality, service, and relationships in all of Read More

Although it might sound good in theory, the reality is that human beings cannot actually "leave everything at the door" when they come to work each day. What we CAN do is intentionally and deliberately choose to focus our attention at will. It may not always be easy, and at times maintaining presence may be extremely difficult. The question is...what tools Read More

I know that everyone is looking for that super secret magic bullet on what it takes to have an extraordinary team. What if the answer lies in a simple definition that someone created a long, long time ago?? Read More

Since so much of practice coaching involves helping dentists and team members work through challenges, it is always cause for celebration when things are going really well!  One practice in particular is doing the happy dance as their production/collections have demonstrated an increase of nearly double what they were doing only 2 1/2 years ago. Hats off to Read More