ORTHODONTIC PEARLS patients the tools to talk about you. If you want more ideal patients in your practice, ask your favorite patients to send you individuals just like them. As you determine your ideal patient, realign your external marketing efforts to communicate the right message to the right audience. As you evaluate your online presence, patient experi-ence, messaging, appearance, and brand as a whole, ask yourself whether your efforts attract the right type of person and whether they move forward to become a committed patient. Inspect what you expect, and measure your new patient flow. Are you investing the right effort into bringing ideal patients to your door? Make the correct changes to induce a more consistent new patient flow to help you achieve your overall practice goals. values, vision, and expectations. Leaders that consistently communi-cate, train to, reflect, and hold team members accountable to the practice’s vision will experience a higher level of success than those that leave the culture of their busi-ness to chance. The first step you can take to strengthen your practice culture is to answer one important question: What does “right” look like? Answer this question for your prac-tice systems, your patient experi-ence, your team’s relationships with each other and patients, each role’s responsibilities and expectations, and the goals you have for the prac-tice overall. Communicate the answers to your team and put the resulting communication on repeat. Repetition is the key to learning and retention. If you want your culture to improve, be more inten-tional about establishing the pillars of your practice that are most important to you. If you do not currently have regular and productive daily huddles and team meetings, insti-tuting them could vastly improve your current practice systems and results—not to mention be a critical pillar in employee engagement. If you want your existing team meetings to go from a waste of time to a powerful catalyst for growth, plan ahead. Structure team agendas that are consistent, allot time for training or practice-build-ing conversation, and rotate meet-ing responsibilities throughout the team over time. Cathy Jameson says, “a great team is a group of leaders working cohesively toward a common set of goals.” Time spent in training and development can strengthen buy-in and commitment within your team while also building confidence and competence in processes and skills. Do not underestimate the time you invest in your team working on the business, rather than just in the business. Overcoming the energy and productivity vampires in your prac-tice can reignite your love for your career while giving you the momen-tum necessary to help you achieve your ideal practice vision. Whether your energy vampire is treadmill dental days, a disengaged patient base, or an unhealthy practice culture, start digging into where you can improve and make a commitment to positive change. Evaluate where you are today, deter-mine where you want to be tomor-row, and build a plan of action that will allow you to move forward one positive step at a time. ᕣ “Accidental” Practice Culture Wondering why you continue to struggle with team motivation and engagement? Is your team turnover too high? Do you feel like you must sail the ship all alone? You likely have an accidental practice culture. Team members need to under-stand and align with your practice www.orthodontics.com Summer 2025 9
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society Summer 2025: Page 9
