Being a dental practice owner at any time is super difficult, but it’s even harder in a pandemic-influenced world. As dental practice owners, the whole pandemic thing is driving us nuts. It’s creating confusion. It’s creating stress. If you’re feeling this way, know that it’s across the board for those of us in the industry. While you can’t change what’s happening as a result of the pandemic, you can make a few moves to get your practice in better shape for the future.
Feeling Chained to Your Chair?
Even before the pandemic, it’s been well-known that many dentists struggle with the business side of dentistry. You were trained to take care of teeth, not all the stressful parts of owning a business.
So, when you find yourself running your own practice and being the sole dentist, it’s typical to end up feeling like you’re chained to your chair. Without the right guidance, it’s tough to build a practice that supports the life you want to live. With the right planning and processes in place, however, you can seamlessly go from confusion to clarity.
Asking the Tough Questions
In many cases, practice owners have a general confusion surrounding why they exist. We hear from a lot of dentists who ask themselves questions like:
“Why do I go to the practice every day?”
“Why am I even doing this?”
“What does my practice stand for?”
“What am I trying to impart on my patients, my team members, and in my personal life?”
“Where am I going?”
“What’s my long-term vision for my practice?”
“How am I going to get there?”
But, at the end of the day, they don’t know. They don’t have answers. Sound familiar? We get it. We talk to dentists all the time, and we know that you have a lot going on. You want to answer these questions, you want to get a plan in place, but you just don’t have the time! So you’re left feeling confused and stressed.
The Strategic Planning Program: Timeout Time
When you’re feeling completely overwhelmed and in over your head, it’s time to get with a professional who can help you iron out the essentials as a practice owner. It’s a time and money investment for sure, but one that will set you up for less stress and more success at your practice over time.
Here’s how we do it at Duckett Ladd:
We get to know you. We ask and answer five key questions (listed out below), and then put together a one-page, strategic plan that you can go in and implement in your practice.
- Why do we exist?
- What do we stand for?
- Where are we going?
- How are we going to get there?
- Who’s going to help?
Obviously, there’s a lot that goes into this, and if you’re going to make it work, you have to take a timeout and work ON the practice instead of IN the practice. By doing this, you’re going to make huge strides in your practice because you’ll go from:
- lack of execution to consistent execution
- no accountability in your team to systematic accountability
- no intentional structure to intentional structure
- confusing communication to clear communication
Make It Happen Today!
There’s no time like the new year to make moves in your practice, to start fresh, and to try something new. If you’re thinking, “This sounds like too much. I don’t think I can do this,” know that our team is here to help. Our team exists to help increase your morale, improve your profit, and help your practice run more efficiently. We’ve done it for tons of dentists across the country, and we’re ready to help you, too. All you have to do is reach out and ask!
At Duckett Ladd, we know you want to successfully run your practice and achieve your ideal quality of life. Our accounting, tax planning, and business strategy services can help you do it. To find the fastest solution to your business challenges, get in touch with our team today!
Duckett Ladd, LLP does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This content has been prepared for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. Also, tax law is ever-changing and every effort should be made to seek out the most current information. Make sure to check the date of published content to ensure the most current information.