What is THE most important skill everyone in the dental practice needs to know?

Coaches,

My New Year’s Resolution is to keep things more simple. Talking to patients, training my team, doing procedures, whatever it is, my motto for 2018 is “Keep It Simple!” So here is my question.

What is the ONE most important skill in the dental practice for both the dentist and team?

Dr. John “Simple Simon” Murry
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

John –

That’s a great question and a nice way to start the year. It’s a tough one too because there are so many skills necessary to running a successful practice.

But there is ONE skill that will absolutely make everything you do better. It will improve your treatment plan acceptance, your collections, your new patient counts, your clinical outcomes, your team relations, and just about everything in your practice and your life. This goes for docs and team members. And it can all be summed up in one word. The skill is this.

Listen. 

Really listen. Do it before you speak. Before you treatment plan. Before you interrupt. And do it with both ears and a clear mind.

Think about it this way. How can you ever know what is really best for a patient if you don’t listen? How can team members settle their differences fairly if they don’t listen? How can a dental practice function if people don’t listen? You can’t. They can’t. It can’t. So listen!

One of the things about our coaching that separates us from the rest is that we don’t have pre-written modules, or phases, or policies. We can’t. Why? We listen!!

So want to do one simple thing that will make 2018 amazing? Listen!

Coach Rich
Coach Dave
 

Dr. David Madow and Dr. Richard Madow are actual dentists who have been helping dental offices become more successful for over 28 years. They are down to earth, real people who personally connect with their clients and are proud to call them friends. If you have a question for this column, please write to them at coaches@madow.com. We are now offering a complimentary 30-minute coaching session! Please CLICK HERE to schedule yours. Doctors only please.