Chris Barrow explains how you and your team should handle the revolution.
Much has been and is written by experts about digital dentistry, which has moved from the “innovator” through “early majority” to “early adopters” in the adoption cycle.
There is predictable excitement about technology and software that can be used to improve speed, accuracy, and quality of clinical work.
Equally, I’m one of those at the forefront of evaluating the positive effect a digital workflow can have on the commercial performance of a dental business. Digital means “more profit in less time, with no decrease in quality” – surely a magical combination in a world of rising costs and inflation?
However, what I want to focus on here is the positive effect that digital workflow, correctly introduced, can have two communities, namely team members and patients.
First a word of warning – people are reluctant to change (in this context I’m going to use the word “people” to embrace team, self-employed clinicians and patients going forward). Most people prefer a comfort zone. A place where they can feel secure in the knowledge that everything is going to be easy and stress-free, that habits and routines can be established, that there are no surprises.
Imagine a situation in which a practice principal attends a conference at which the opportunities created by digital workflow are explained (evidence) and demonstrated (proof) – and various items of kit and software are presented, perhaps with a special offer.
The principal returns to the practice with a maniacal expression (often after a few late nights at the conference!) and announces to the team that “everything is going to change!”
No big surprise that an emergency meeting is called in the staff room at lunchtime to announce: “She’s been to a conference – she has that glare – just say “yes” and humour her – hopefully, like all the other conferences, she will forget and settle back into her routine in a few days.”
And, of course, the team are usually right.
If, however, you are committed to the changes necessary to implement digital workflow in your business, you will need to begin by carefully planning how you intend to introduce this to your team without creating anxiety, panic, and barriers to entry (“that’ll never work here”, “our patients won’t want that.”, “over my dead body.”).
Crushing logic suggests that the team will need to hear and see the same evidence and proof that you saw at your conference.
Much has been and is written by experts about digital dentistry, which has moved from the “innovator” through “early majority” to “early adopters” in the adoption cycle.
There is predictable excitement about technology and software that can be used to improve speed, accuracy, and quality of clinical work.
Equally, I’m one of those at the forefront of evaluating the positive effect a digital workflow can have on the commercial performance of a dental business. Digital means “more profit in less time, with no decrease in quality” – surely a magical combination in a world of rising costs and inflation?
However, what I want to focus on here is the positive effect that digital workflow, correctly introduced, can have two communities, namely team members and patients.
First a word of warning – people are reluctant to change (in this context I’m going to use the word “people” to embrace team, self-employed clinicians and patients going forward). Most people prefer a comfort zone. A place where they can feel secure in the knowledge that everything is going to be easy and stress-free, that habits and routines can be established, that there are no surprises.
Imagine a situation in which a practice principal attends a conference at which the opportunities created by digital workflow are explained (evidence) and demonstrated (proof) – and various items of kit and software are presented, perhaps with a special offer.
The principal returns to the practice with a maniacal expression (often after a few late nights at the conference!) and announces to the team that “everything is going to change!”
No big surprise that an emergency meeting is called in the staff room at lunchtime to announce: “She’s been to a conference – she has that glare – just say “yes” and humour her – hopefully, like all the other conferences, she will forget and settle back into her routine in a few days.”
And, of course, the team are usually right.
If, however, you are committed to the changes necessary to implement digital workflow in your business, you will need to begin by carefully planning how you intend to introduce this to your team without creating anxiety, panic, and barriers to entry (“that’ll never work here”, “our patients won’t want that.”, “over my dead body.”).
Crushing logic suggests that the team will need to hear and see the same evidence and proof that you saw at your conference.