5 Top Tips for Transforming the Culture of Your Dental Practice

By Jamie MorleyJune 6, 2024

Have you ever felt frustrated with some of the behaviours that you see from the team members in your dental practice? Discover 5 top tips for transforming the culture of your dental practice and creating the culture that you want. Read, watch or listen!

What do we mean by culture?

The dictionary definition of culture is as follows:

‘the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society’

So, the ideas, customs and social behaviour of your dental practice. In essence culture is about the values (which are lived out in the behaviours of team members) and beliefs (thoughts) of your team members. Our beliefs heavily influence our behaviours.

Culture is critical to the success of any business and is the thing that will create a truly unique competitive advantage. It is widely associated with high levels of business performance by researchers and practitioners over many years. Yet, it is often forgotten about or seen as being of secondary importance to say introducing a new piece of kit of developing a new process when all the research shows it is of primary importance to drive performance.

Article in Forbes about the importance of culture

Simon Sinek defines culture as being values + behaviours. He is emphasising the point that values are played out as behaviours.

Simon Sinek Video

I think this is true, but in essence certain behaviours are being demonstrated whether it is deliberate or not. These are the values. 

What also exists are people’s beliefs. These influence and sit alongside their values to create the culture. It takes time and deliberate effort to work on your culture. Here are 5 top tips for working on your culture:

1. Articulate and define clearly the culture that you want

When I speak to people about the culture of their dental practice they will often start with statements such as:

“We need to change the culture of the practice”

“Their attitude sucks!’

“They need to be more productive”

The problem with such statements is that they are far too general. You cannot say to people that the culture needs to improve. This doesn’t really mean anything to anybody in the practice. All they know is that you are not very happy with them and that is it.

There are many suggestions out there as to what a ‘good’ culture should look like but ultimately this is for you as the leader to define and be able to articulate. Cultures vary from place to place. As a leader it is down to you to be proactive in shaping that culture.

You need to be able to answer the following question:

If you were to wave a magical wand so that your dental practice did have the culture that you want, what specific behaviours would you be seeing? Give clear specific examples.

Example

I would be seeing team members always putting the patient first. They will be showing and paying attention to patients from the moment they contact the practice. Always listening and paying attention to them.

What are the specific behaviours that you would not want to see?

Example

Team members not answering calls quickly or not paying attention to the patients. Team members not being distracted or on their phone but fully present with patients.

When you think of something that frustrated you and made you think about the culture of the practice what was it specifically that the person was doing? What had you just observed or noticed.

From this create a list of specific behaviours that you want to be seeing or noticing along with behaviours that you specifically don’t want to be seeing.

2. Communicate and engage in dialogue

You cannot over-communicate.

I have yet to ever come across a dental practice or business where team members are complaining about too much communication coming to them about the business and what it is trying to do and where it is heading. On the other hand the regular complaint is that they don’t know what is going on and are not clear about what is important and the future direction of the practice.

When I talk about communication this isn’t just a one way thing. Part of that communication is about listening to and understanding your team members. Helping them to understand their own values and beliefs and how these relate to the culture that you are trying to create.

There are many different ways and opportunities to communicate with team members about the culture of the team. You can do this formally or informally. Individually or as a group. Verbally or in writing. Using all the different forms of media at your disposal.

Example

Take time to have 1:1s with your people. To talk and focus on the culture of the team. To define this with people and to get their input and feedback into that culture. 

• What do they understand to be the culture currently?
• How do they feel about the culture you have articulated?
• What do they see as living that currently?
• What do they see which is not part of the culture you are looking for?
• What examples can they give of creating that culture?
• What examples can they give that are not creating that culture?
• What have you witnessed from that person? Give them specific examples.

3. Target specific key people in your team

There will be individuals within your team who are very influential with the other members of your team. Whilst we may naturally think this is somebody who may sit within your leadership, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Yes, your official leaders are key to this but people within the team are often even more impactful as they are not seen as part of ‘management’ and can be highly influential. These people should be:

• Highly competent in their roles
• Very credible with other team members

By spending time with these people and engaging in dialogue on a one to one basis to bring them on board it is highly likely that they will influence the peers around them, meaning that you are spreading that buy in to the new culture quickly and effectively.

The temptation sometimes with this is to focus on the person who is likely to be most resistant. Be careful not to mix the two up. Sometime we can waste a great deal of time on individuals who are the most challenging to change. Do they actually influence the rest of the team? Are they highly competent and respected? If yes, then ok. If not I wouldn’t focus on these people initially. Eventually the group will cause others to adapt to the change otherwise they will be out on a limb and potentially leave. This is ok. Don’t spend all your time on the ‘difficult’ people.

Example

There may be an associate dentist who is well respected by their colleagues. They are seen as being highly competent. The other dentists will go to them for advice.

Engage with that associate on a one to one basis. Articulate the culture with them. Get their feedback and input as given in the above example.

4. Make a big deal of positive behaviours!

When you notice the behaviours that you are wanting to see make sure you recognise them! Make a big deal of those positive behaviours.

As human beings we demonstrate a widely known cognitive bias which is confirmation bias. This means that we see what we want to see. If we have seen behaviours in the past then we are likely to believe that we will see these behaviours in the future. If we are looking to change the culture we need to wipe the slate clean and give everybody a blank sheet to start from. This will enable us to see any new behaviours that are demonstrating the culture that you are looking to create.

When you see those new behaviours or beliefs be sure to recognise them. Do that in a way that is very specific and makes a big deal about it! Do it so that other people in the team also hear it. Talk to the specific thing that you noticed and explain how this is creating the culture you want to see and the impact of that.

Of course, when you notice things that are not living the culture and you don’t want to see then you need to speak to the individual privately and talk to the specific example. It is risky to do this in front of everybody as it can create some strong feelings of shame, embarrassment and feeling stupid so I would have these conversations privately on a one to one basis. 

However, reinforcing in public when people have done things that are really living the culture makes sure that everybody hears this and recognises that person publicly.

Example

You notice an associate dentist going above and beyond to take care of a patient who was clearly being upset and difficult. They were patient and caring. You speak to them directly and even send out an email or message to the group highlighting what happened and the impact.

5. Lead by example 

This is probably pretty obvious, yet it is sometimes the case that the individual leader forgets themselves how important it is. You as the leader must be very aware of your own behaviour in the culture you are trying to create.

If you demonstrate a behaviour that goes against that culture then the whole idea of creating that culture loses it’s credibility.

Be extremely careful to notice your own behaviours to make sure that you are leading by example. If you demonstrate something that isn’t living that culture, then admit to it, share it as an example of what not to do and reflect on how you can not do that again moving forward.

Example

You are wanting to create a culture of accountability and follow through. You don’t follow through on your own commitments. Yes you may be extremely busy, but ultimately people will see this and believe it is ok to do the same.

Summary

The impact of the culture of your dental practice on the overall success of your practice is highly significant. It is of primary importance. 5 top tips for transforming the culture of your dental practice are as follows:

1. Articulate and define clearly the culture that you want 

2. Communicate and engage in dialogue

3. Target specific key people on your team

4. Make a big deal of positive behaviours

5. Lead by example

Pay attention to the culture of your dental practice and proactively query on that culture!

Want help with creating the right culture in your dental practice?

Book in a complimentary call