It’s Office Management Apprecia-tion Month (OMAM). Those who work in practice management are acutely aware of just how demanding the job can be, which is why CareCredit, in partnership with the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM), is making the OMAM celebration bigger and better! The associated website has been updated to include a curated list of tips and tricks from colleagues, coaches, and consultants that may make your life easier.
Time-saving office management tips
The list of time- and effort-saving suggestions on the OMAM website is our way of being helpful and celebrating office teams, especially as many practices are still understaffed, leaving the existing team to carry a bit more of the load. The following are just two tips you’ll find on the OMAM website (omam.com/carecreditvirtual.com).
The first helpful hack might seem like an obvious one, but you’d be surprised by how many practices do not employ cross-training as a routine part of their process. Beverly Wilburn, DAADOM and practice administrator, suggests, “Invest time in cross-training your team. This can make your life a lot easier when you’re down a team member because of turnover, vacation, or sickness.” Life happens, and sometimes situations can arise with little warning, so you and your team need to be prepared. Cross-training results in effortless flexibility when necessary. Beverly adds, “Cross-training can be done during morning huddles and weekly meetings. But I’ve found it’s best to set aside an hour or two a week. For example, we cross-trained my dental assistants to present treatment plans. I’ve seen skills in them that I didn’t necessarily expect. They are good at discussing the value of treatment because they really believe in what the doctor is recommending.” When cross-training is done preemptively, it reduces the opportunity for added stress later, while ensuring a consistent, high-quality patient experience.
The second hack to highlight is from Carrie Webber, president of Jameson Management. “Life is easier when you are intentional about improvement.” One way to apply this advice is by frequently creating space for the team to practice new skills or bond as colleagues. She explains, “In addition to daily huddles and weekly team meetings, we have quarterly ‘brain trust meetings.’ These meetings are specifically where we work in-depth and intentionally on a system, a piece of technology, verbal skills, or an element of the practice that needs attention, so we can all continue to improve together.” In addition to more ideas and insights, the OMAM website also has social media templates and other resources to help the entire team celebrate this September.
Heather Colicchio, president of AADOM, has one more suggestion to add to the list of tips: “I want to encourage our office management teams to prioritize self-care and self-celebration in September and all year long. You pour so much of yourselves into your teams, practices, and patients, and need to remember to take a moment to recharge and appreciate your own talents and strengths.”
Let’s make OMAM 2024 the biggest and best yet, celebrating the unsung heroes who keep our practices running smoothly every day! Working in office management requires you to think about a million little things at once, as you already know. So, if there are ways to reduce that number, OMAM is the optimal time to practice self-care and begin to implement new strategies that lighten the load. Read the updated list of resources at omam.carecreditvirtual.com.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the September 2024 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
