Staff Issues: Onboarding dental employees: A hero-focused journey
Onboarding new team members is a critical step in setting them up for success. However, many offices still rely on a bare minimum approach at best, or a sink-or-swim approach at worst. Often, new hires receive little training and are left to figure everything out on their own. While this might seem like a timesaver, it often leads to disengagement, high turnover, and more wasted time in the long run.
What if onboarding could be much more than just short-term training? What if it could inspire new employees by connecting them to the bigger mission of the practice? What if we used storytelling to guide onboarding? What if we made the patient the hero of the story and the employee the guide who leads them to success?
Traditional onboarding: Sink-or-swim
In a sink-or-swim model, new hires are given little guidance. They receive a basic tour of the office, a stack of paperwork, and a vague idea of what’s expected of them. This approach often leads to:
- High turnover: Poor onboarding can send employees running because they don’t feel included, motivated, or confident in their choice of employer.
- Low engagement: Without understanding how their work impacts the practice, new hires can quickly become disengaged.
Lost productivity:
- Employees who don’t fully grasp their role or the practice’s mission are slow to get up to speed, resulting in lost production and a greater burden on the rest of the team.
Onboarding: A patient-centric approach
Consider, instead, an onboarding approach like the StoryBrand framework created by Donald Miller in his bestselling book, Building a Story Brand.1 This approach positions the customer as the hero of the company’s story. The practice and its employees act as the guides, helping the patient achieve success.
Applying this concept to onboarding makes the process more meaningful and shows new hires that their role is part of a larger, patient-focused mission. Here’s how this works.
The patient is the hero: In this model, the hero isn’t the new employee, nor is the hero the practice: it’s the patient. The patient has challenges and goals, and the practice guides them to success. From day one, new hires are introduced to the idea that their role is to help the patient win.
The practice and employees are the guides: The practice and its employees are the trusted guides who provide expertise and care to patients. New hires are not just completing tasks—they’re part of a team working together to serve. This reframes the onboarding process as something purposeful and exciting. There are challenges to overcome, problems to be solved, success stories to be created.
Have a structured plan for success: Story onboarding should include a clear roadmap, such as a 30-60-90-day plan with defined goals and regular check-ins to ensure new hires are on track. Fun inclusion activities should also be included: team lunches, gatherings, and spending time with employees in other departments and roles. New hires are integrated into a team that collaborates to help the patient.
Celebrate patient successes: A powerful aspect of story onboarding is celebrating patient wins. When a patient receives treatment or finishes a big case, thanks to the practice’s guidance, it’s a win for everyone, especially the employees who helped make it happen. Sharing these successes with new hires reinforces the importance of their role and builds pride in their work.
Why this onboarding works
One of the biggest problems with traditional onboarding is the lack of intention. The unspoken intention is to save time and move on. Story onboarding isn’t the only way to onboard, and other models might be a better fit for your practice. The takeaway, however, is to approach your onboarding from a place of intention.
This strategy might take more upfront planning, but the payoff is worth it. Your new employees will feel more connected to the practice’s mission, more invested in their role, and better equipped to contribute to the practice’s success.
In today’s competitive labor market, where employee retention and engagement are crucial, stack the deck in your favor. Give your new hires a clear path, a meaningful mission, and the opportunity to help your patients succeed. Then watch both your employees and your practice thrive.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the March 2025 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
Reference
- Miller D. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen. HarperCollins. October 10, 2017. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=building+a+story+brand
