Working as a Team – Be Open to Change

People are creatures of habit, and we all have our routines, from the smallest things, like the way we like our coffee to the way we approach our work. However, stability and predictability are not what life is made of. Being able to adjust is one of the essential skills we need to maintain in order to thrive. Sometimes we want the change, and sometimes the circumstances force us to take it. Whatever the case may be, it is coming our way, and we should be prepared to handle it.

Some people are quite resistant to change and tend to come up with excuses for why they can’t adjust. To develop your capacity to lead changes within your dental office, you need to understand human behavior and what motivates people to go through a change. If we want to advance as a team, we all need to be open to change. Moving from paper to paperless, from charts to chartless, and from traditional to digital radiography are all forms of changes that can affect your dental practice.

Understanding the Circumstances

We need to understand all the issues that the status quo presents, that it’s not an option, and that there’s a need for change. Once we do that, we can begin to embrace change. Everyone needs to be motivated to work and break the cycle they’re to which they’ve become accustomed. It is during these times of change that people feel discomfort and stress. To avoid creating those situations, everything about the current conditions needs to be transparent. Everyone in the office must know why it’s important to implement a certain change.

How the Changes Will Solve the Problems

After making sure that everyone is on the same page, people need to know how the changes will solve current issues. For example, if the problem is losing customers and poor customer satisfaction, you need to explain what the team has to do to improve their customer satisfaction rate. Otherwise, you might create resistance among employees.

Why is Change Good for the Practice?

1. Patients demand and deserve the most optimal treatment. As dental professionals, you cannot provide it without using the latest techniques and modern technology. For example, dentists can make certain procedures shorter and less painful. To implement the change, the office will need technology as well as certified, skilled dental assistants to handle it.
2. It’s good for the team. Dental assistants need to be open to change and see change as an opportunity for growth. They need to learn new skills to stay ahead of the game and keep the team and patients safe.
3. It’s good for the practice. We can’t expect to make progress if we don’t stay on track with new developments in the dental field. The team must not only be ready to accept the change but to embrace it. Thanks to continuing education available to dental assistants, they should use it to learn, grow, and gain confidence in themselves. Once the team builds enough confidence, they’ll be ready to take on more responsibility and bring more informed decisions, which chases away the fear of change and growth.

The fear of change should not keep a dental practice from growing, so there must be a sense of community cultivated within the practice. With open communication, transparency, and continuing education, the change will bring a positive impact to both the personal and organizational levels. Since 2000, Dental Specialties Institute, Inc has been building a strong reputation as a trusted provider of continuing education for dental assistants in California. For more information, feel free to visit our website or contact us.