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Dental Business

How We Turned Culture into Measurable Practice Results

Episode 79 · · 37 min · Hosted by Phil Cole

Show notes

A dental practice’s long-term success is driven by the quality of its team and the leadership behind them; not simply by having great systems in place.

In many practices, the owner sets the ceiling for what the team is capable of achieving. When the team isn’t performing at its potential, the solution often starts with the owner taking an honest look at their own leadership and being willing to change their behavior.

Two key tools can help raise that ceiling:

Everything DiSC helps team members understand their own behavioral styles and learn how to communicate more effectively with one another.

The Five Behaviors framework focuses on five building blocks of a high-performing team: trust, productive conflict, commitment, accountability, and results. Each builds on the one before it to create stronger teamwork and better performance.

These concepts need to become part of the practice’s daily operations. We recommend:

  • Daily: A short, focused team huddle to align priorities and address immediate needs.
  • Weekly: A leadership meeting focused on communication, challenges, and accountability.
  • Monthly: A 90-minute paid team meeting focused on one shared practice scorecard and the behaviors that drive results.
  • Quarterly: A strategic reset to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and establish priorities for the next quarter.
  • Ongoing: Clear roles, clear expectations, and a culture where team members hold one another accountable, not just the owner or manager.

Start With 90 Days

The process doesn’t have to be complicated. Begin with a focused 90-day plan:

  1. The owner completes the DiSC assessment and gains a better understanding of their leadership and communication style.
  2. Identify one personal behavior to change and openly share that commitment with the team.
  3. Rebuild the daily huddle so it becomes a meaningful communication and accountability tool.
  4. Create an environment of trust and vulnerability where team members can have honest, productive conversations.
  5. Establish one shared scoreboard so everyone can clearly see how the practice is performing and understand their role in the results.

When culture is turned into specific, teachable, and measurable behaviors, it becomes something a practice can intentionally improve.

The result is a stronger, more accountable team, less turnover, greater productivity, and a practice that can continue to perform well even when the owner steps away from the day-to-day operations.

Looking to try and implement these strategies in your own practice? Let's talk!

Visit: klasdentalcoaching.com -or- klashealthcarecoaching.com to learn more!

#DentalCoaching #HealthcareCoaching #PracticeTransitions #DentalEducation #KLASSolutions

About the show

This podcast is a community of dental professionals who share their knowledge, expertise and experience in order to provide value to you and your dental practice. Our topics will cover practice management, transitions, real estate, accounting, law, financial planning, dental product reviews, marketing and much more! We welcome you to visit us at to learn more about how we can help you build your dream practice.

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