Daniel Midson-Short, May 2018 - When was the last time you stopped to think about all the tasks a Practice Manager does?
There has been a shift in the culture of dental practices worldwide over the past five years.
Dentists are becoming more consumed with clinical work; the work that they were trained for. In their place, a new leader has emerged in the practice.
It used to be that a dentist ran their business with an assistant and somebody to answer the phone. This was in simpler times before there were complex appointment schedules, financial arrangements, stock ordering, marketing, hygienists and OHTs, orthodontics and cosmetic cases, and a ton of other tasks that make the modern practice work.
Today, Practice Managers are the ultimate go-to person when things need to get done and important choices need to be made.
The Dentist’s name might be on the door, but Practice Managers run the show.
Our work with thousands of dental teams has shown us just how much of an impact an effective Practice Manager can have on a dental practice.
The Practice Manager is the nerve centre of the business - they have a feel for everything that is happening. They are constantly working to refine the patient experience, manage the logistics, and work with each team member to make sure everything flows.
No wonder so many dentists tell us “Without my practice manager keeping me on track, my business would literally fall apart.”
The responsibilities of a Practice Manager can be extensive:
- Team roster scheduling
- Pre-blocking the appointment book for high-end dentistry
- Computer file management (patient records and X-rays)
- Financial tracking of income and expenses
- Managing third party patient credit facilities
- Monitoring patient satisfaction
- Hygiene appointment reminders
- Marketing for the practice including social media and website management
- Planning, scheduling and conducting team training
- HR tasks including recruitment, performance reviews and promotions
Juggling these tasks while navigating a high pressure, clinical environment is no small task.
This is the reason why we have so much reverence for the Practice Manager. If they aren’t able to do their best work, then the place falls into chaos.