Navigating the Challenges of Reopening

Duane Tinker is a compliance consultant who helps dentists and SDOs establish and maintain their compliance and risk management programs. He originally joined us for Episode #41 to explain how dental compliance consulting makes dental offices safer for patients, dentists, and their staff. Duane joins us again on the Progressive dentist podcast to share his expertise and talk about what practices should do to keep their staff protected during the initial phase of reopening.

Coming Up for Air

The last time Duane and I spoke was before the pandemic hit. As we navigate through these difficult times, there are a number of things practice owners should be doing to stay in front of all the changes. The biggest thing is to make sure you are coming up for air. As practices reopen and patients rush in, you need to take a step back and make sure you have systems in place that are actually working. Your old processes likely haven’t accounted for all the changes brought forth by COVID, and without addressing them, your team will struggle to perform. You need to ensure your staff feels protected in your workplace so they can focus on serving your patients and operating the practice efficiently.

Communicate with Your Staff

It all comes down to communication. Have an open dialogue with your staff so that everyone is on the same page, because they might not have the same information that you used to make certain decisions about reopening. Be patient, explain your rationale, and be willing to listen to your staff’s perspective so you can alleviate any problems or doubts they may be harboring. It is a good time to brush up on all of the CDC guidelines so you are operating in compliance with new and old regulations alike. This is the new normal, and it is your responsibility to prepare your practice for it. As always, please visit me at www.theprogressivedentist.com for more informative podcast episodes with other remarkable business leaders.