Tips for Managing Your Team When Acquiring a Dental Practice

When you purchase a dental practice, you aren’t just responsible for the building and equipment, but you also have a big role to play in making sure that new and existing team members come together smoothly. This can be a delicate process and quite difficult to navigate on your own, but there are a few tips you can follow to make everyone’s lives a lot easier.

Value Your Acquired Team Members

It should never be a case of “out with the old, in with the new” when it comes to putting together a dental team for your newly bought practice. The acquired team members have a lot of value and are an integral part of the relationship the practice has with the patient base. They may also be a big reason that many patients decide to stick with the practice. It’s essential to let existing team members know that they are important and take the time to communicate any changes on how the office will be run. Try to be patient if the transition seems slow, because this will make things much more seamless compared to trying to implement whole new systems right off the bat.

Prepare for Bumps

Some of the team members at your newly purchased practice may have been there for decades or done things very differently under the previous owner. Any big changes you make will almost inevitably lead to some dissatisfaction and conflict, so it’s important to be mentally prepared that not everyone is going to like your decisions, even if you know they are in the best interest of the practice. Make it apparent that the lines of communication are always open so that team members can express grievances through the right channels. It’s also important to let your incoming staff know that they may need to help the acquired team acclimate to any shifts in day-to-day operations (they should be instructed on productive ways to do this).

How a Dental Consultant Can Help

Before you find yourself dealing with a mixed dental team, it’s important to work with an experienced consultant when buying a practice so that the transition can be as quick and harmonious as possible. They can help you choose a practice that aligns with your business and personal goals, show you how to train and retrain team members, and help you find the right people so the practice starts on the right foot.

Achieve Your Goals with Next Level Consultants

Michael Dinsio has literally helped hundreds of dentists start, buy, and grow countless practices over the years, and Paula Quinn is a practicing hygienist and international speaker with over 30 years of experience as both a dental team member and business owner. Between the two of them, they have comprehensive knowledge of the dental industry inside and out.

Whether you’re thinking about buying a practice or are already in the process of doing so, they can help you get to the finish line with your budget, goals, and sanity all in great shape. If you’re ready to make your life easier, contact Next Level Consultants today.