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Show, don’t tell
COMMENTARIES
LETTERS
J
ADA welcomes letters from readers on articles that have appeared in The Journal. The Journal reserves the right to edit all communications and requires that all letters be signed. Letters must be no more than 550 words and must cite no more than five references. No illustrations will be accepted. A letter concerning a recent JADA article will have the best chance of acceptance if it is received within two months of the article’s publication. For instance, a letter about an article that appeared in April JADA usually will be considered for acceptance only until the end of June. You may submit your letter via e-mail to [email protected]; by fax to 1-312-440-3538; or by mail to 211 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-2678. By sending a letter to the editor, the author acknowledges and agrees that the letter and all rights of the author in the letter sent become the property of The Journal. Letter writers are asked to disclose any personal or professional affiliations or conflicts of interest that readers may wish to take into consideration in assessing their stated opinions. The views expressed are those of the letter writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of the Association. Brevity is appreciated.
SHOW, DON’T TELL
As a dentist and a coach, I think the answer to the question that Dr. Roger Levin received in his March JADA column, “How Clear Communication Can Improve Practice Performance” (JADA. 2015;146[3]:211-212), was embodied in the question itself. The question was this: “I tell my staff what I want them to do, but the message does not seem to be getting through. What am I doing wrong?” Perhaps because the focus was on improving performance metrics, as it often is with practice management experts, the issue of linguistics and the form of communication often gets lost. I am reminded of the Pogo cartoon where he says, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” My point is that the dentist should not tell staff members what to do; rather, the dentist has to show them what to do. The dentist has to demonstrate proper communication skills (both verbal language and body language) and—what is important and mostly overlooked—has to take into consideration the issue of tone. The way we say something either demonstrates weakness or power, and the dentist has to teach that. I suggest that role-playing in staff meetings may be one effective way of doing this sort of coaching. High-pitched and
squeaky tones are a sure-fire way of diluting the message; ergo, poor practice metrics are sure to follow. Alan Goldstein, DMD New York, NY
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2015.06.012 Copyright ª 2015 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
provides an opportunity to connect with the patient, offer superior customer service, and build value for continuing (or beginning) a relationship with the practice. But scripting only works, as he mentions, when team members practice through role-playing. Running through the script repeatedly allows staff members to grasp its underlying concepts and gradually learn how to make the necessary points using their own words, as well as the appropriate body language. In the process, they gain confidence and the ability to stay on message. Again, I appreciate Dr. Goldstein’s letter expanding the discussion on the importance of communication, which cannot be overemphasized. Roger P. Levin, DDS Founder and Chief Executive Officer Levin Group Owings Mills, MD
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2015.06.013 Copyright ª 2015 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
DENTISTRY IN THE MODERN ERA
Author’s response: I thank Dr. Goldstein for his thoughtful comments on my article. I could not agree more that effective communication between the dentist and the team requires both telling and showing. Dentists should not only clearly convey their expectations to each staff member but also demonstrate the professional demeanor that the team should emulate. By exhibiting the following behaviors, for example, practice leaders guide their team by setting the tone for the practice: - remain calm when confronted with unexpected challenges; - treat patients and team members with respect and consideration. As Dr. Goldstein mentions, how we say things requires careful attention as well. That is why I have long recommended that all practice– patient interactions be scripted for effectiveness. Every conversation
I am writing regarding Dr. Marko Vujicic’s March JADA article, “Of Lawyers, Lattes, and Dentists” (JADA. 2015;146[3]:208-210). Although his article does touch on some key points and sheds light on some data that need to be recognized and understood by dentists, I find that there are a few things that were not addressed that ought to be in order to put the downturn in dental spending into context. First, from an historical perspective, dental spending has had less than a century of growth from levels that were, at one time, much lower than they have been in past decades. One hundred years ago, most people did not even brush their teeth. Excellent quality dentistry was available, and there was affluence to support it, but people chose not to have it. The public interest in spending on dentistry in the 20 or so years leading up to the 2007-2009 recession was more of an historical
JADA 146(8) http://jada.ada.org
August 2015 567
LETTERS
J
ADA welcomes letters from readers on articles that have appeared in The Journal. The Journal reserves the right to edit all communications and requires that all letters be signed. Letters must be no more than 550 words and must cite no more than five references. No illustrations will be accepted. A letter concerning a recent JADA article will have the best chance of acceptance if it is received within two months of the article’s publication. For instance, a letter about an article that appeared in April JADA usually will be considered for acceptance only until the end of June. You may submit your letter via e-mail to [email protected]; by fax to 1-312-440-3538; or by mail to 211 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-2678. By sending a letter to the editor, the author acknowledges and agrees that the letter and all rights of the author in the letter sent become the property of The Journal. Letter writers are asked to disclose any personal or professional affiliations or conflicts of interest that readers may wish to take into consideration in assessing their stated opinions. The views expressed are those of the letter writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policy of the Association. Brevity is appreciated.
SHOW, DON’T TELL
As a dentist and a coach, I think the answer to the question that Dr. Roger Levin received in his March JADA column, “How Clear Communication Can Improve Practice Performance” (JADA. 2015;146[3]:211-212), was embodied in the question itself. The question was this: “I tell my staff what I want them to do, but the message does not seem to be getting through. What am I doing wrong?” Perhaps because the focus was on improving performance metrics, as it often is with practice management experts, the issue of linguistics and the form of communication often gets lost. I am reminded of the Pogo cartoon where he says, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” My point is that the dentist should not tell staff members what to do; rather, the dentist has to show them what to do. The dentist has to demonstrate proper communication skills (both verbal language and body language) and—what is important and mostly overlooked—has to take into consideration the issue of tone. The way we say something either demonstrates weakness or power, and the dentist has to teach that. I suggest that role-playing in staff meetings may be one effective way of doing this sort of coaching. High-pitched and
squeaky tones are a sure-fire way of diluting the message; ergo, poor practice metrics are sure to follow. Alan Goldstein, DMD New York, NY
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2015.06.012 Copyright ª 2015 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
provides an opportunity to connect with the patient, offer superior customer service, and build value for continuing (or beginning) a relationship with the practice. But scripting only works, as he mentions, when team members practice through role-playing. Running through the script repeatedly allows staff members to grasp its underlying concepts and gradually learn how to make the necessary points using their own words, as well as the appropriate body language. In the process, they gain confidence and the ability to stay on message. Again, I appreciate Dr. Goldstein’s letter expanding the discussion on the importance of communication, which cannot be overemphasized. Roger P. Levin, DDS Founder and Chief Executive Officer Levin Group Owings Mills, MD
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2015.06.013 Copyright ª 2015 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
DENTISTRY IN THE MODERN ERA
Author’s response: I thank Dr. Goldstein for his thoughtful comments on my article. I could not agree more that effective communication between the dentist and the team requires both telling and showing. Dentists should not only clearly convey their expectations to each staff member but also demonstrate the professional demeanor that the team should emulate. By exhibiting the following behaviors, for example, practice leaders guide their team by setting the tone for the practice: - remain calm when confronted with unexpected challenges; - treat patients and team members with respect and consideration. As Dr. Goldstein mentions, how we say things requires careful attention as well. That is why I have long recommended that all practice– patient interactions be scripted for effectiveness. Every conversation
I am writing regarding Dr. Marko Vujicic’s March JADA article, “Of Lawyers, Lattes, and Dentists” (JADA. 2015;146[3]:208-210). Although his article does touch on some key points and sheds light on some data that need to be recognized and understood by dentists, I find that there are a few things that were not addressed that ought to be in order to put the downturn in dental spending into context. First, from an historical perspective, dental spending has had less than a century of growth from levels that were, at one time, much lower than they have been in past decades. One hundred years ago, most people did not even brush their teeth. Excellent quality dentistry was available, and there was affluence to support it, but people chose not to have it. The public interest in spending on dentistry in the 20 or so years leading up to the 2007-2009 recession was more of an historical
JADA 146(8) http://jada.ada.org
August 2015 567