By Sheri B. Doniger, DDS It’s time for the dreaded daily meeting. Or, as some of you would say, the dreaded “b” session. Who is going to complain about what? Who did something wrong? No one is allowed to talk except for the doctor and, for the most part, it is a one-way conversation. Why does it always have to be confrontational? Team meetings should be productive and cohesive, not argumentative and fragmenting. Our office has a strategy. Since we start at staggered times during the day, we carve out time at the end of the day for a meeting. Our topics? Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Sound strange? It’s not. Let’s check it out. We talk about yesterday. Every time we see an operative patient, we call to see if the person has any questions about care or future dental needs. We do not ask, “Does it hurt?” or “Are you uncomfortable?” We simply ask if the person has any questions. For the most part, as with recare or appointment confirmations, we leave messages on emails, voice mails, or send texts that go unanswered. This is a good thing! If we receive a callback, that usually means there’s an issue. When we speak to the rare patients who are available when we call, they are very appreciative of the time we took to contact them. Then we talk about today. How did all the procedures go? Were there any surprises? This helps us plan for future care of patients, and we become aware of potential future treatment issues. Are there any phone calls that are pending? Any faxes to check out? Any benefit or payment issues? None of these things should be brought up during the treatment day. These are for “after clinical hour” conversations. No one wants to hear about Sally’s difficulty with a benefit company while they are in the treatment chair. Billing and recare should be pro forma and not discussed during team meetings unless there are specific issues with patients. Also, daily goals and production should be discussed. Did we reach our goal? If not, there is always tomorrow. Especially with this economy, offices may still be feeling the economic pinch and may not have recovered to 2008 levels. So, not reaching a goal does not need to be punitive to the team, only informational. It is important for the dentist to share this information with the team for several reasons. First, it motivates everyone to try to do a little more. Second, it demonstrates that the economic slowdown is real and it affects the office. Finally, we discuss tomorrow. Who is on the schedule for the day? Do we need a lab case delivered? Is it ready? Do we have all the supplies for the day? Do we need to order supplies? Are there any potential emergency patients or medical needs that need to be addressed? Do we need to contact a physician to discuss dental treatment for a new patient prior to care? Are any team members going on or returning from vacation, and if so, what is the backup plan? The lists for these topics are endless. But as you can see, nowhere do we discuss any personnel issues, unless there is a family leave or vacation to confirm and alternative arrangements need to be made. Personal issues should be discussed in private. The daily meeting should be for keeping the team informed so all areas can work cohesively. It is so simple to create harmony with these three simple words — yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Try it in your office, and let me know how it works!Author bioSheri B. Doniger, DDS, is a leading dental clinician, author, educator, and consultant who currently practices dentistry in Lincolnwood, Ill. Dr. Doniger has written numerous articles on topics ranging from periodontal disease to effective communications, and has presented many lectures with an ongoing focus on women in the dental industry.
