Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the show. I'm your host, Sarah Beth Herman. And today we're talking about something that can make or break your career. And I think every dental professional is probably thanking me for this episode or wishing there was more content just like this. And maybe that sounds a little conceited because, hey, it's my podcast and my episode, but I think you're going to like this one. 

I know that every dentist out there. You, the one that's listening to this episode right now, you worked really hard to get here. Years of school, exams, clinicals, it's all led to this moment right here.  Your first day in a new practice. It's exciting, but let's be real, it's also nerve wracking. You're stepping into a new environment, meeting your team for the very first time and trying to make the best impression possible. 

And maybe you aren't brand new at a school. Maybe your story is a little different. Maybe this is your third or fourth office and you just need a little bit of wisdom. The same thing I just said goes for you. I know you've worked hard to get here. Years of school, exams, clinicals. It's all led to this moment.

Yes, you are just the same. So this is for any dentist that is on their very first day of this new journey, this new job, this new path. I want you to know that even with all of your preparation, it is really easy to make mistakes that can set the wrong tone. I've seen it happen. A dentist walks in thinking their degree or their title is enough and by the end of the day the team is frustrated, their confidence is shaken, and the patients they can feel that something is off. 

This episode is about helping you to avoid these very things. I'm going to share some really important advice, a personal story from my career that completely shifted how I view leadership, and even a book recommendation that I think can guide you as you work through this first day, this first week, this first month.

And by the end, I trust that you will feel equipped to walk into your first day, ready to lead, ready to connect, and ready to succeed. And before we get into it, I want to let you know that I offer mentoring services for dentists. And no, I'm not trying to give you a sales pitch, but I want you to have a way forward because sometimes it's just knowing the resources that exist out there.

How do you find someone that actually gets dentistry? How do you find someone that gets business? How do you find someone at all?  I want to help you and I want to guide you on navigating your career, building your practice, building your business. And if that sounds like you, I just want you to check the show notes.

So let's talk about what not to do on your first day as a dentist. Your first day starts long before you step into the doors of this new practice.  It begins in your mind, how you prepare mentally. It shapes your entire day, your entire week, your entire livelihood.  It shapes your interactions, your decision making, and how your team actually perceives you. 

I might say some things that you might feel like, wow, that's rude. That's pretty pushy. That's pretty forward.  But if someone doesn't say it, how do you know? And I think part of our mindset is learning that.  We are responsible. We're responsible for how we talk, how we guide people. We're responsible for the words that come out of our mouth.

And sometimes we're so good at something that we just don't even realize that we come across arrogant or like our ego is the most important thing. And so for right now, for the next 20 minutes or so, I just, I want you to set it aside while you listen. And I want you to think about how all of these things I'm going to share with you today.

could actually change the way you move forward.  First, I don't want you to let your ego drive you.  You've earned your degree and that's something that I want you to be proud of. But walking into this practice thinking I'm the dentist, so I'm automatically in charge. It's a mistake.  Respect doesn't come with your title.

It's earned through your actions and how you treat others. Instead, I want you to approach your first day with humility. Show your team that you value their expertise and that you are ready to collaborate with them.  It sounds funny, and maybe some of you, 50%, are thinking duh, yeah, duh. But maybe some of you are thinking, no, I need to command my space. 

But I want to teach you a different kind of leadership, a different way to actually get the leadership you want. which is not by controlling the situation.  Next, I don't want you to aim for perfection. Trying to be perfect is exhausting and unnecessary. Your team and patients don't expect you to know everything.

They expect you to care about them. Your first day is about learning and connecting. It's not about proving yourself. I promise you the sweeter and the kinder you are, no matter what your skill set is in dentistry, people are going to love you. I have met many dentists who didn't have skill at all, but they are the nicest people I've ever met and we're still friends today. 

Don't overlook the team's perspective. Maybe this should have been number one, but I'm not numbering these on purpose because I think that they all carry the same weight. They're all number one. 

Your team has been running this practice without you. They know the patience, they know the workflows, and they know the quirks of the office better than you do. At least for now. And if you walk in and you try to change everything immediately, you're going to create unnecessary tension.  Before you walk in, I want you to take a deep breath and remind yourself. Today, I am going to lead with humility. I'm going to listen with intention and contribute to our shared mission of the patient experience.  Your team is the backbone of the practice. How you interact with them on day one is going to set the tone for your working relationships moving forward. 

I have a few big mistakes that I see dentists make every year. I see them constantly, and it isn't because I want to stand on this pedestal and shout from the rooftops about all the mistakes dentists make. It's because I think dentistry can be a lot better, and if we don't start talking about the ways it's not working, we aren't making it better together. 

These next three things, they're not in any particular order, but they are so important.  Don't assume authority. 

Try to ask questions like, how do we usually handle this? What's worked well for you before? These questions show that you value your team. You are unknowingly staking your claim as a leader by asking questions.  Don't overstep your boundaries. It's really tempting to try to fix everything on your first day, but take time to observe and learn how the practice operates

and, you can suggest things in the future. You don't have to keep your mouth closed and be a little fly on the wall all the time every day for the rest of your tenure here.   Don't forget to build relationships. On your first day, it's not just about the patients.

It's also about your team. Take time to introduce yourself. Ask about their roles.  Express gratitude for something that they do. Just pick one thing.  A simple thank you can go a long way in building rapport with your team. 

Let me share a story that taught me one of the most valuable lessons about leadership and teamwork.  Years ago, I was working as an office manager at a dental practice in middle Tennessee. I was young, driven, and determined to create a structure and determined to minimize chaos because I knew What was going on in this office long before I got there? 

Morning huddles were strictly for discussing goals. They weren't for eating breakfast or making coffee. I believed in running a tight ship, and I was young and I was adventurous, and I was willing to stake my claim.  Did I do that all right in the beginning? No, I don't think so. But listen to this story for a moment. 

The dentist at this practice was also new. He had over 20 years of experience, and to say he wasn't thrilled about taking direction from someone much younger than him would be an understatement.  At first, it felt like there was a divide between us, the front office versus the back. But over time, we realized we both wanted the same thing, a practice where patients felt cared for and a team that could thrive. 

One day his wife came into the office and she told me something that changed my perspective. She said, my husband talks about you every day.  I pour him a cup of coffee and we sit at the table. And we have breakfast together and then he leaves for work.  At first, he couldn't stand you. But now he says you've completely changed how he approaches work.

He's less stressed, he's more organized, and he's happier because of the order you've created here. For more information, visit www. FEMA. gov  That moment solidified for me that leadership isn't about control, it's about collaboration.  When the front and the back office work together, the entire practice benefits.

And I remember about four months into us working together, I sat down because I just felt the tension and I didn't want to sit down with him and I was really scared to sit down with him, but I knew I needed to. I knew I needed to just say what was on my mind and make it better. 

When we sat down together.  I told him that this dental office isn't a battlefield. It's a mission we're on together. And I needed him to join forces with me. I heard him out on things he didn't like that I did with the schedule. I heard him when he said he wanted to come in at 8 o'clock and leave at 5 o'clock.

And he didn't want to have to come in early for a meeting or stay late for a patient because we overbooked him.  And he heard me when I said, if we don't meet before that first patient, your day is not going to go the way you want. I provided value in the way that we were all on the same page before anything started. 

And by a year in together, he was showing up the same time as me, which was an hour early every day. So that we could talk about what was going on. So we could Set the stage for what needed to happen. We could establish the tone for the entire team, the entire week, the entire month.  A dental office isn't a battlefield.

It is a mission, and when you approach your team with unity and respect, everybody wins, and mostly the patients do, and that's what dentistry is all about. It's about the patients.  If you're serious about becoming a better leader, one of the best books I can recommend is the Five Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell. 

He explains that leadership starts with position, your title, but it grows through permission, earning trust, production, delivering results, and people development, helping others grow. The ultimate level is influence,  where people follow you because of who you are and what you represent.  People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

And this principle is critical for your first day.  Focus on building trust and showing that you care about your team and your patients and everything else will follow.  Now, if you are someone who hires dentists, this may be an episode that you want all of them to hear before they start their first day.

And I would highly encourage you to do that because it will set the tone for how this new provider is received in your practice.  Before we wrap up, I want to share an opportunity that can transform your career. I offer virtual training sessions designed specifically for dentists and their teams. These sessions cover everything from leadership and team dynamics to patient experience strategies and practice efficiency.

I'm talking billing, eligibility, insurance, medical billing for dental, credentialing, leadership, all the things. The demand for these sessions has been incredible and we currently have a wait list. If you're ready to change, if you're ready to grow, if you're ready to step into where you've always belonged, check the show notes for the link to join the waitlist, and don't miss out on this chance to take your career and your team to the next level. 

Our that's good moment for today is all about these five things.  One, don't let your ego drive you. Two, avoid perfectionism. Three, build unity with your team by asking questions. Showing gratitude and fostering collaboration for remember your team and patients will care about what, only after they see how much you care and five, elevate your leadership skills by reading, get yourself in front of a book.

The first one I'd tell you to go to is the five levels of leadership by John Maxwell don't let your leadership journey stop right here. We constantly need to be poured into. We constantly need new things that we're hearing and listening to and trying out so that we can evolve into who we were always meant to be. 

Thank you for joining me on this episode of Dentistry Support the Podcast. If today's episode resonated with you, check the show notes for mentoring opportunities, virtual training sessions, and other resources to help you grow as a leader. Until next time, remember you have everything you need to succeed.

Show up, lead with heart, and make every day count. I'll catch you on the next episode.   📍  📍