Summer has come and gone. Pumpkin spice latte season has begun. School is back in session and our clinics seem a bit calmer than usual. We have our seasons in this profession and it seems to me that September along with March are some of our not-so-chaotic months. Could back-to-school be the main culprit? Or would that be too easy of an explanation? Whether the lull is good or bad, there are many ways we can practice resiliency through the times ahead and find ways to improve.
Dentistry is a difficult profession because it is, in fact (whether we like it or not), manual labor. All businesses have their own set of challenges, and dentistry is no different when it comes to experiencing seasonal changes. The slower weeks are upon us, and we all could use a gentle reminder that there are more to our profession than filling cavities.
If you’re like me and own a small practice, resiliency is key during these times. We have to remind ourselves that our profession is amazing, and be grateful for the opportunities dentistry has given us. These are the times we can use to re-evaluate the direction of our businesses, re-evaluate our own practice and grow. Does our data show our practices are headed in the right direction? Are we providing the best up-to-date care for our patients? Always collect the data and make data-driven decisions in order to improve the quality of care we deliver for our patients. For most, this can be a time for rest and relaxation. It can also be a time to work on skills not so familiar. We can use this time to develop our social media presence, improve patient experience and most importantly improve our mental health.
Whether we agree or not, social media offers platforms that allow us to reach an even broader audience. There are many avenues we can explore, for many Facebook and Instagram are already used in their daily lives. So why not leverage these outlets to grow our businesses? A Google presence is also a great alternative. I personally check Google reviews before I visit restaurants and filter through the reviews. We can show our patients why they should choose our small office versus big chain DSOs.
Patient experience can also be improved. Many of us have patients without insurance, and what better way to increase patient retention than by structuring a loyalty program to the people that have always been loyal to us. I believe programs like this open our clinics to patients that may not otherwise go to the dentist. In the long term, retention and referrals should keep our practices growing.
Finally, mental health is key. We can use our idle months to work on our mental health. Take that vacation, go on a fitness journey, start a new hobby. Clear our minds from the daily struggles we go through, reset, and enjoy that pumpkin spice latte. Work on family relationships, friendships, and understand that our businesses can wait. We are in this profession for the long run. While our business and the quality of our care is important, our own mental health will always be just as important. Just as pumpkin spice always comes back in the fall (filled with sugars and all), dentistry will also have its seasons and we’re all in it for the long haul.