Why Gratitude In The Workplace Matters

Why Gratitude In The Workplace Matters

Hello Friends,

November is Gratitude Month

Why does gratitude in the workplace matter? Gratitude helps to strengthen and motivate your team, encouraging employee loyalty and engagement.

Yes, your employees may show up each day physically, but are they engaged? Are they there mentally and emotionally?

One of the most common issues I hear from dental employees is that they don’t feel appreciated. Feeling a lack of gratitude is often the main reason why they leave their employer or suffer a decline in positivity and productivity.

Hint: Sadly enough, I hear the same thing from the employer – my team doesn’t appreciate me, and/or my team is unthankful. So if you’re an employee reading this you’ll find that these same ideas for showing gratitude may be used for showing appreciation and gratitude to your employer.🙂

Don’t assume they know that you appreciate them just because you give them a paycheck every week. Show them by your words and actions that you value and appreciate their contributions to the success of the practice.

Here are several ways to express and show gratitude for your dental team

Invest in them – Thoroughly train your employees (new & old) on your practice goals, systems, expectations, software, telephone skills, dental procedures, protocols, etc.  Include regular continuing education – you can do this with in-office training, webinars, lunch and learns, and seminars/classes outside of the office.

Give them your attention – Conduct quarterly commendation and performance evaluations. This also allows them to share with you how things are going for them and their ideas to improve the office.

Don’t Overwork them – If you regularly overwork your employees they will eventually burn out before that happens though, negativity and feelings of being underappreciated will set in. Avoid working into their lunch hour and after their scheduled end time.

Accountability – Hold each employee accountable to uphold the same high standards of performance and attitudes.  It’s been said that “what you allow you encourage.” Once you make the decision to no longer tolerate or allow poor behavior and attitudes in your practice, you’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief and the rest of your employees will know just how much you care and appreciate them.

Greetings – Say hello & goodbye to your employees at the start of the day and the end of the day.

Use your Manners – Say please and thank you. Make it a habit to say please every time you ask for something. Saying thank you improves your office, your health, and boosts morale.

Thank you notes – a thoughtful handwritten thank you note will go a long way in helping someone feel appreciated and valued.

Praise – Commend and praise your employees in front of and to your patients.

Feed them – Bring in breakfast, snacks, or lunch.

Gifts of Appreciation – Surprise your team with thoughtful gifts of appreciation (gift cards, cash, treats, etc.)

Work Anniversaries – Acknowledge work anniversaries. Don’t take their loyalty for granted. Make sure they feel wanted and appreciated.

Encourage Creativity – Host “Brainstorm Sessions” with prizes for creative marketing ideas, solutions to improve office efficiency, welcome more new patients, patient retention, and how to have more fun as a team.

Work Environment – Show your team just how much you care by providing a nice work environment for them to work in. Is your office due or past-due for a good cleaning and organizing? Maybe even some remodeling or redecorating?

Give them your time – Spend time outside the office with your team engaging in fun team-building recreational activities. Do this at least quarterly.

Be Consistent – When gratitude becomes a habit, so do its benefits.

These are simple and inexpensive ways to let your team know how much you care. I encourage you to put them into action. When you do you’ll quickly learn that it is a triple win – a win for your team, a win for your patients, and a win for you (you’ll not only enjoy better health but practice growth too).

Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life“. —Northrup Christiane

Have you signed up to receive my complimentary dental marketing and practice management ideas sent to your email inbox each month? If not, take a second and sign up.

Practice Owners, if you would like to grow and improve your dental practice…please feel free to reach out to me to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation coaching call at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com.

Did you enjoy these tips and ideas?   I would love and truly appreciate it if you to please take a second to leave a review/recommendation for me here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK – Thank you!!!

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty (Dental Coach)

Dental Practice Management, Leadership, and Team Building Ideas for September 2023

Dental Practice Management, Leadership, and Team Building Ideas for September 2023

Hello Friends,

How are things looking for your office in September? Do you have holes in the schedule? Or are you booked solid? Are you on track to have your best September ever?

No matter if your schedule is full of patients or full of holes there are things we can do to improve the practice – things that show the team how much they matter and things to show your patients that you care.

The ideas that I am sharing with you for September will help you reactivate and reappoint patients, attract more new patients, build relationships within the community, as well as exceed your current patients’ expectations. You’ll also find ways to show your team how much you care and appreciate them.

For Practice Growth, Marketing, and Social Media Content for September 2023 -please visit: September 2023 Dental Practice Growth and Marketing Ideas

Please follow and say hello to me on  Facebook and/or  Instagram

Team Building and Appreciation Ideas…

National Taco Month  – Mexican Fiesta Lunch. Take the team for lunch or have a taco fiesta potluck lunch at the office.  “Taco ‘bout an awesome team!”

Random Acts of Kindness Day or Be Kind Day: 1st  – Do something kind and unexpected for your team. Give a thank you note and/or a small gift of appreciation to your employees.  It could be a gift card or actual gifts. (i.e.: spa products, chocolate, books, essential oils, teas, water bottle, etc.)

National Coffee Day: 29th – Starbucks or Coffee Gift Cards or Bring in a special coffee/tea drink for the team.

Office Manager Appreciation Month – Take this opportunity to put a spotlight on your office manager this month (in-office and on social media). 

 


Do you know that I share complimentary dental marketing, practice management, social media content, leadership, and team-building tips and ideas every month? Before you leave today be sure to follow/subscribe to my blog. This way, you won’t miss a single idea

Practice Management Reminders and Ideas for September…

Pre-Appointment Chart/Schedule Review – Prior to the appointment, look for patients with unscheduled restorative treatment, family members due, unscheduled hygiene patients, and same-day treatment (ex. bite-guards, sealants, fluoride, whitening, etc.). Look for opportunities to help more of your patients smile healthier.

Insurance Renewal Letters – Send out your Insurance and HSA/FSA “Use it or Lose it” reminder texts, emails, and letters. Make calls to patients with unscheduled treatment plans and/or due in hygiene.

Dental Service Special/Feature

Mouthguards – September 4th is Mouthguard day. Consider, offering special pricing for custom mouthguards during the month of September.


Think beyond what you’ve always done to get by or your current perceived limitations– get creative with your methods for staying in touch with your current patients, reaching out to inactive patients, welcoming more new patients, and learning new things as a team to keep things fresh and motivating.

With your actions lead your team in the direction you want your practice to go and grow.

Practice Owners – If you would like to grow and improve your dental practice and have wondered what it might be like to work with me and what coaching is all about or would like to discover areas of opportunity for your practice … please feel free to reach out to me to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation coaching call at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com. (Plan now to smile more in 2024)

“Being held accountable is an act of generosity and compassion. It is a gift that someone gives us to correct our wrongs, unlearn, and do better for the sake of our own growth. It might be uncomfortable, but it is worth the discomfort.” – Minaa B.

I would LOVE to hear from you! If you appreciate and enjoy the complimentary ideas and content I share each month – PLEASE leave me a review/recommendation on Google or Facebook. Simply click the following links…  GOOGLE   and/or  FACEBOOK– Thank you so much!!  

Have the BEST September!

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty – Dental Coach

Please follow and say hello to me on  Facebook and/or  Instagram

Dental Office Management, Leadership, and Team Building Ideas for August 2023

Dental Office Management, Leadership, and Team Building Ideas for August 2023

Hello Friends,

There is still time to make 2023 a great year for practice growth. As always, my goal in sharing these ideas each month and while coaching my dental teams is to help you all stress-less and have more fun at work!

If you’re looking for marketing, social media content, and other practice growth tips and ideas for August – Visit here: August 2023 Practice Growth Ideas

Here are your Management, Leadership, and Team Building Ideas for August. Enjoy!

Practice Management Reminders and Ideas

Schedules – If your office schedules typically slow down in August/September, what plans have you made to fill holes in the schedule, increase same-day services, and keep the working day productive?  Don’t leave it to chance. Make a list of productive tasks that may be done during any slower times.

How many visits are scheduled compared to capacity? Too many holes? Do you have time reserved for new patients? How are you planning to stay in touch with unscheduled patients? Consider offering some type of gif basket/prize that your patients can enter to win during the months of August & September when they come in for their appointment.

Emergency Medical Plan – Is your office and team prepared and equipped to handle a medical emergency? Is your emergency medical kit up to date?

The components of a sound medical emergency plan for the dental office should include:

  • Medical emergency prevention
  • Development of an action plan
  • Recognizing a patient’s distress and management of medical emergencies
  • Emergency drugs and equipment

Source: https://www.ada.org/en/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/medical-emergencies-in-the-dental-office

Leadership Tips

If you want to see a positive change in your practice, you must consistently lead by example… be the change. It starts at the top. You set the tone for the day, and make certain that it’s a happy & productive one. This includes any employee in a management position – if you have employees complaining about your office manager, take it seriously. A toxic (toxic negativity and/or toxic positivity) office manager will destroy your practice over time, at the very least, cause a staff turnover nightmare.  In fact, any employee that is toxic to your vision, to your team, and/or your patients…needs to go. It’s not easy to make the decision to terminate someone’s employment, yet absolutely necessary if you want to improve your practice.  It’s been said that “what you allow you encourage.” Once you make the decision to no longer tolerate or allow poor behavior and attitudes in your practice, you’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Practice Owners, if you would like to grow and improve your dental practice and have wondered what it might be like to work with me and what coaching is all about… please feel free to reach out to me to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation coaching call at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com

Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less-than-perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful.”

 –Mark Victor Hansen

Hope you enjoy these ideas and can use some of them to help make the month of August a productive and happy one for you, your team, your patients, and the community.

If you appreciate and enjoy the complimentary ideas and content that I share each month – I would LOVE for you to PLEASE leave me a review/recommendation on Google or Facebook. Simply click the following links…  GOOGLE   and/or  FACEBOOK– I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much!!  

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty (Dental Coach)

Dental Practice Management, Leadership, and Team Appreciation Ideas for July 2023

Dental Practice Management, Leadership, and Team Appreciation Ideas for July 2023

Hello Friends,

Here you’ll find some tips and ideas for how you can enjoy healthier, more productive schedules during the month of July and beyond.

Leadership & Team Building / Appreciation Ideas

It’s been said, “Whatever you’re not changing you’re choosing.” What are you choosing for your dental practice? Do your choices bring you closer to your goals or further away? If you’re not changing the things you know you need to change I encourage you to get the support you need to make the changes necessary to choose success.

July is National Picnic Month – Go on a team picnic for an extended lunch break or enjoy a picnic-style lunch in the office.

July is also National Ice Cream Month – Bring in a sweet ice cream treat for a nice afternoon pick-me-up for the team.

Practice Management Reminders –

December/Holiday Season – Look ahead to your hygiene schedules in November & December to make sure you set aside/reserve some appointment times for New Patients, College students, and Patients that wait until the last minute to use their insurance benefits. If you haven’t done this already, please set aside some time to do it as soon as possible.

Cell Phone Courtesy Month – a good time to review your employees’ personal phone use during work hours guidelines/arrangements.

Practice Owners, I would love the opportunity to work along with you and your team to help you uncover areas of opportunity, and set and exceed your practice goals. If you would like to schedule a no-obligation, complimentary consultation to learn how my coaching programs work, please email me at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com.

Looking for Summer Marketing and Social Media Content Tips and Ideas? Check them out here: July 2023 Dental Practice Growth Ideas

It would be AWESOME to hear from you! If you appreciate and enjoy the complimentary ideas and content that I share each month  – I would LOVE for you to PLEASE leave me a review/recommendation on Google or Facebook. Simply click the following links.    GOOGLE   and/or  FACEBOOK Thank you so much!!

Hope you’re enjoying your summer!

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty (Dental Coach)