How much do you need to talk?

Every practice has systems that they operate by. The systems can be efficient and smooth as silk all the way to wildly inefficient and chaotic and everything in between.

I'm going to give you a way that you can use to work out how good your systems are. It will let you know whether you are at the smooth as silk end of the spectrum or the chaotic end of the spectrum.

How often does the dentist need to tell the staff to do something?

If your practice systems are solid and well thought out then the dentist should only need to give instruction to the staff very, very seldom or not at all. Everything should just happen when and how it is meant to happen.

If your systems are chaotic or not well worked out then the dentist will need to ask for things constantly:

"Is the lab work back for Mrs Jones?"

"Please get me some reamers."

"Why have we run out of ... ?"

"Have you called the patient to see why they aren't here yet?"

Etc. Etc. Etc. Tiring and stressful for all concerned.

And, totally unnecessary.

• Lab work should be checked the day before and followed up if it hasn't arrived.

• When a dentist is starting a root filling the reamers should be put out automatically.

• When someone takes the second last of something it should be re-ordered.

• If a patient is 5 minutes late they should be called to see where they are.

Systems take a bit of work to set up but once they are in place they make everyone's life much easier – and quieter.