Managing Your Time Between Multiple Dental Practices
There may come a time in your career when you decide to work for a company or dentist that has more than one office. Retail dental clinics are on the rise because they offer patients more affordable fees and more convenient hours, and with the way the economy is and factoring in so many people do not have dental insurance, these clinics are becoming extremely busy and popular. More dentists are also opening up multiple practices due to the addition of an associate or because they may want to expand their dental practices to other demographic areas. Being a dental office manager over several offices is very rewarding, but it can also be extremely stressful. There are several ways to alleviate this stress, and they are as simple as managing your time and having the right dental team behind you.
Time Management
Sometimes it is not always possible to follow a set schedule when you are managing dental offices. As difficult as it is, you should try to set a schedule that puts you in each office at a particular day and time. Of course things do happen that we cannot control leading to changes, but overall it is best to try and stick to a schedule. When you are in the office, you need to prioritize your duties and manage the time spent on them. You need to be able to use your time efficiently while ensuring your team is also completing duties in your absence and using their time productively.
Appoint Someone to Manage in Your Absence
If you work for a dental practice that has multiple practices all running at the same time, you should consider appointing someone at the front desk to manage in your absence. If you are twenty miles away, someone needs to know how to handle situations as they arise. When choosing someone for this responsibility, you want to make sure that they have the experience to back it up and that it is someone trustworthy. Keep in mind, whoever you choose, represents you. It would be a good idea to invest in a dental practice management program that can train your team in all aspects of the front office.
Be Available
Being a manager of one office is a commitment, taking on more than one is a huge commitment. You need to be available for all offices. Phone calls and emails need to be answered in a timely manner and issues need to be addressed immediately. If you are given the responsibility of managing multiple dental offices, it would be best to have a cell phone that is just for work that you are able to answer emails from. This will keep you connected when you are in other offices or on the road. Set limits to when you are to receive calls, this phone should be reserved for business hours or emergencies only.
The most important thing is to have confidence in yourself and your team. Knowing your job and knowing you have a great team behind you will help ease the stress you may be feeling. Make sure you add office meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page and all offices are consistent in their policies, procedures, and training. Take the time to prioritize and manage your own time and you will succeed!
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