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Dentists Should Play To Their Strengths

Dentists Should Play To Their Strengths
by Colin Receveur

Have you ever heard of the halo effect?

It’s a psychological phenomenon where someone who is perceived to be an expert in one area automatically is perceived as having the “halo” of expertise in another area. It’s like expecting an accomplished Cajun chef to cook a restaurant-quality four-course Italian meal. Or an experienced auto mechanic magically being considered an expert in the repair of steam engines. Or expecting your general practice doctor to be an expert in autoimmune disorders because, after all, he or she is a doctor.

It would be wonderful if that expertise actually transferred over, but it doesn’t. Or it does, but only very rarely. And that’s a problem for quite a few dentists.

Dentists are highly trained, advanced-degreed professionals, and many are also small business owners. They’re experts in their own discipline. But the vast majority of those dental practice owners don’t have training in practice management, any more than they’ve gone to electricians’ school.

Unfortunately, a whole lot of those dentists fall victim to their own halo effect. After all, they might think, if they mastered a discipline as technically demanding as dentistry, how hard could running a business be?

The short answer is plenty.

When Determination Goes Wrong

It takes drive, commitment, determination, and even sheer stubbornness to complete dental school. Running a successful business requires the same traits. But an unyielding determination is rarely a business owner’s friend.

Let’s be clear. There are a few dentists who are talented amateurs at running and promoting their practices. However, they’ll almost certainly never equal the expertise or insight of an experienced practice manager or an expert in dental marketing.

It’s typical for dentists who are just starting out to wear multiple hats while getting their business off the ground. It’s not optimal by any means, but financial considerations usually drive that multi-tasking. At some point, wise dentists will delegate non-clinical responsibilities and play to their strengths.

Read full article on Dentistry Today.