10 Dental Leadership Principles to Elevate Your Team’s Success

Dental professionals who are eager to achieve often find themselves in leadership positions. But, leading a team to organizational success isn’t the same as leading yourself to the pinnacle of your career. Leadership skills take intentionality and integrity to learn and instill in others.

In working with hundreds of dental practices and DSOs, we’ve found that highly effective leaders have a knack for inspiring others in a unique way. In this blog, we’ll explore the impact of leadership skills and which specific skills you can use to align with your employees.

Why Is It Important to Maintain Strong Dental Leadership Principles?

Let’s look at an example outside of dentistry for a moment. When you drive from your own neighborhood into another, you might notice a subtle shift in the way the environment feels. In the case of neighborhoods, this is often because of zoning that dictates how properties should be kept. In the case of your dental practice, how patients (and employees) feel in your office environment will be dictated by how your leadership skills shine through your team.

And how do you get those skills to ‘shine through’ exactly? By ensuring your team’s success. Leaders who uplift and inspire their teams aren’t doing it just for the sake of building their ego — they’re building a culture of care and collaboration.

Dental leadership principles can become an integral part of the way everyone works in your practice, not just the senior members, dentists, and specialists. As you review our top ten dental leadership principles, consider how you might embody and practice them so that they become contagious to your team members. 10 Dental Leadership Principles to Elevate Your Team’s.

10 Dental Leadership Principles Every Professional Should Follow

#1 Align Your Leadership With a Vision and Mission All other leadership principles come back to a vision and mission. When you know what the purpose of your practice is, you’ll have a focal point to rally your team around and revisit yourself. Don’t make your vision too abstract. Set a mission that is attainable and agreeable. Praise your staff when they are exhibiting behaviors that align with your vision and mission.

#2 Empower Your Team Each individual employee may take a different approach to work and be incentivized in different ways. Look for ways that your employee’s personalities, priorities, and values align with your vision and mission. Then, empower your employees to become better versions of themselves through working with your company. This empowerment can be both professional and personal.

#3 Foster Trust With Patients and Staff Trust is not given, it is earned. Practicing leadership principles, following through on your word, and being an attentive listener are just a few ways to build trust. Don’t rush the trust-building process. Take the time to understand your patients and staff and the trust will naturally follow.

#4 Manage Your Emotions One of the most underrated leadership skills is managing your emotions. Leaders who remain regulated, calm, and confident even in stressful situations garner more respect from their employees and are able to maintain an objective point of view that serves all. Especially in the dental industry, where many patients face medical fears, having a calming demeanor can help build long-lasting relationships.

#5 Prioritize Top Quality Work When it comes to ensuring the success of your team, prioritizing top quality work is paramount. By setting high standards for the work produced, you are not only fostering a culture of excellence but also instilling a sense of pride and professionalism within your team members. Encouraging them to strive for the best results in everything they do will lead to increased productivity and overall satisfaction.