Dental News - Eleven tips for success in your dental clinic Part II: CAPS & CLIMB

Eleven tips for success in your dental clinic Part II: CAPS & CLIMB

Dr Anna Maria Yiannikos

Tue. 14. February 2017

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Today, I will share with you the knowledge I have gained within the past 25 years of managing and evolving my clinic so you can always be one step ahead and avoid mistakes I have made in the past. The third very important tip that I am going to share with you today in order to be and remain successful at your clinics is how to regain your power.

We learn a lot of things during our studies in the dental schools. We learn how to make the best fillings with great contours and biocompatible materials; how to treat a tooth that needs a root canal therapy, but do we really learn anything on how to find the best employee that will make our life and daily routine easier?

Firstly we should make a job analysis by listing the CAPS of the candidate. If we do not take the time to complete this process, we will not know from the beginning exactly what we are looking at and by this we will increase the risk of making the wrong choice.
If, for example, we go to the supermarket without our shopping list, what will we end up doing? We will most probably buy unnecessary things or even forget the things that we went in the beginning there for. My point here is that when we decide that we need to hire an employee we should know upfront what we are looking for, otherwise we might make mistakes that will cost us money and time!

Let’s have a look now what does CAPS stand for:
– Capacities: The mental and physical abilities required to do the job. How smart and how strong (physically capable) must the successful applicant be?
– Attitudes: such as customer service, orientation, team player, reliability, honesty, willingness to follow rules, problem-solving, loyalty, safety-consciousness, ability to follow through—Imagine having a receptionist who, although she is doing the job without a mistake, complains about everything all the time. Is that a person that you would love to have as part of your team?
– Personality: traits such as competitiveness, assertiveness, attention to detail and sociability—Also search whether the person will manage his or her personality to get the job done, since as social scientists declare about 60 per cent of our personality traits are inherited and most of them are set by age nine. In other words: personality can’t be taught and it doesn’t change much over time.
– Skills: Expertise required to do the job—Skills are the easiest job requirements to identify. We could do that by asking the candidate to perform certain tests. For example, if we are trying to find a receptionist we could ask her to translate an article, or through role playing to check how she responds in certain scenarios.

Have always in mind the quote ‘we hire them for the skills but we fire them for their attitudes’!

So finally we found our A-star employees and now what do we have to do in order to keep them?
The fourth very essential tip of today’s article that I would love to share with you is the different ways that we can use to retain our A-star employees.

Apply CLIMB to retain your team!

Now let’s explain a little what does exactly the acronym CLIMB stands for:
– Challenge: Studies have shown that the main reason that our employees resign is that they are dissatisfied with their tasks. That’s why we should give them challenging duties to accomplish. And what will the result be? They will feel useful and they will find it difficult to leave from a job that offers them different and unique experiences.
– Loyalty: Be human with your employees and do not be afraid that you will lose your power. Show interest in their problems and lay back in times that they cannot handle any more pressure.
– Investment: Invest time and money to them so they will feel appreciated. During my lectures I get regularly the question that we reward them by giving them bonus and still they are not motivated enough, what shall we do? My answer here is that you must renew your reward system regularly.

Sometimes you can give them cash (as bonuses) or maybe you can offer them other kind of incentives, like buying them a free trip for vacation on Christmas, for example. Research has proven that the more powerful and effective incentives are the ones that are specific, tangible and non-cash.

Also please remember to ‘Reward not the best in sales but the best’ A major mistake that we usually do is to only reward the ones that bring money to our clinics. Instead we should reward the best in our practices, the ones that are completing their tasks in excellence unconditionally to what this task is.
– Measurement: Conduct a fair performance appraisal every six months.
– Building: Demonstrate your commitment to them by showing them opportunities of career development.

During the next issue we will analyse two new tips that will reveal new opportunities and potential of our dental clinics. Till then, remember that not only are you the dentist in your clinic, but you are also the manager and the leader.

You can always send me your questions and request for more information and guidance at:
dba@yiannikosdental.com or via our Facebook account.

Looking forward to our next trip of business growth and educational development!

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Dr Rubén Rosenberg from Chile was recognised for his humanitarian dental work on Easter Island.

Humanitarian service: Dr Rosenberg brings over 300 smiles to Easter Island

Winner of the award in the Humanitarian Service category, Dr Rosenberg has provided charitable service in several countries in Latin America, his most notable project being on Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui. As it is one of the world’s most isolated inhabited territories, many members of its community are faced with limited access to dental care and severe financial restrictions.

Leading a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, prosthodontists, dental technicians and volunteers, Dr Rosenberg has provided free implant treatment to 337 patients in need, nearly half of whom received full-arch restorations on the day of surgery. To date, close to 1,000 implants have been placed by Dr Rosenberg and his team, transforming lives in one of the world’s most remote communities. The Easter Island project began in 2018 in partnership with Dr Kenji Higuchi, an award-winning oral and maxillofacial surgeon from the US who has since retired from practice.

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Dr Holger Zipprich from Germany was recognised for his innovative work in the field of implant interface mechanics and materials science.

Integration of basic research and clinical application: Dr Zipprich has translated multiple technological concepts

Dr Zipprich, who received the award in the category of Contemporary Innovation and Discovery, is a recognised researcher in implant interface mechanics and materials science. He first gained recognition at Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany for pioneering imaging of micro-movements at implant–abutment interfaces, improving understanding of implant stability and connection design.

Building upon his academic success, he went on to translate scientific discovery into real-world clinical innovations and is named on a remarkable 240 published patents and patent applications. His notable contributions include the trioval geometry of the Nobel Biocare N1 implant system. The company states that the trioval implant neck reduces stress on cortical bone and promotes osseointegration and that the trioval conical connection allows abutments to slide into place and form a strong and tight connection. He also helped develop an electrochemical method for the intra-oral decontamination of implants to facilitate the management of peri-implantitis, as well as sand-blasted, acid-etched implant surface technology for ceramic implants. The award honours Dr Zipprich’s achievements in elevating scientific discovery into today’s clinical practice, helping to continue advancements in implant dentistry.

A shared commitment to advancing implant dentistry

Nilsson said: “The Medal of Excellence in Implant Dentistry was created to celebrate those who make outstanding contributions to implant dentistry and inspire others to shape its future. We are proud to honour Dr Zipprich and Dr Rosenberg, whose achievements exemplify the highest ideals of our field, pioneering innovation and compassionate care that changes lives. Their work sets a powerful example for the next generation.”

“We chose individuals who set enduring standards of excellence and inspire future progress in implant dentistry. Dr Zipprich shows how scientific discovery can become clinical reality, and Dr Rosenberg reminds us that innovation ultimately serves humanity. They both reflect Prof. Brånemark’s vision of putting science into practice for the benefit of patients worldwide,” said Prof. Albrektsson.