De-Stress Your Mess!

We recently had the opportunity to work at another dental office as temporary assistants.  We weren't sure what to expect from the office or the situation that we were walking into. But to our pleasant surprise, we were warmly greeted by a great dental team and a doctor who was appreciative that we were ready to help. 

One thing that immediately struck us was how different things were from East Berlin Smiles.  Different doesn't mean bad - this office just struggled with organizational systems.  We would like to think of ourselves as easy-going, totally flexible people who can be thrown into any given situation and come out victorious.  But we have to say, when it comes to our career and the position we hold as dental assistants, there are quite a few things that we are not willing to compromise on. 

Normally, someone who is "set in their ways," may not always be viewed in a good light.  But, what your office may need is an assistant who will uphold high standards, implement organized systems, and refuse to compromise on quality patient care.   We were reminded how critical it is to have organizational systems in place, and when they're not, it effects the practice in several ways:

*  Running behind in the schedule - It's important to your patients to stay on time and not make them wait to be seated.  Occasionally, you may run behind, but do not make your patients wait more than 5-10 minutes. Be courteous by having your front office associate communicate the reason for the delay.  It is also a good idea to meet with your clinical team to discuss a set amount of time needed for specific procedures in the schedule.

* Not reaching targeted production goals - Let's face it, hopefully everyone on your staff strives to be their best and cares about your patients, but at the end of the day, your dental office is a business.  You have to produce more than your overhead and the key to this is having a productive schedule that's effectively carried out by both the front and back offices. 

*  Stress levels - When stress is brought on by someone or something, there is a trickle-down effect that quickly takes place.  Before you know it, the whole office is feeling it and don't think for a second that your patients won't notice - they do.  The last place they want to be is in  your dental chair when you're under stress and your mood is affected. Clear communication between the front and back office is critical to keep the schedule flowing smoothly, to ensure your patients are seen on time, and to alleviate a stressful  environment. 

Your roll as an assistant to implement organization takes place in your operatories, sterilization room, and lab.  Not only do you need to know where items are located, and what specific items are necessary for procedures, but you need to implement a system for each area that is logical and consistent.  One way of beginning this process is to write SOPs (standard operating procedures) for each procedure.  The purpose for SOPs is to be able to easily train a new-hire in the set-ups and organizational systems that are specific to your office. 

Some other systems we implement in our office are procedure specific bins that contain all necessary materials for that procedure (i.e.crown/bridge,
composite,root canal and extractions). These bins can be carried from room to room as needed. We also have bur blocks prepared for composite and crown/bridge procedures that are sterilized after each patient. In our practice we have a restorative tray set-up that can be used for all restorative procedures and a basic set-up for emergencies. If your doctor uses more than one operatory, they should mirror each other in where items are located and stored. The overall idea is to keep things simple and organized so that items you need are readily available in each operatory eliminating the possibility of cross contamination and needless  "jump-ups" to retrieve materials.  Don't feel overwhlemed if your office is in need of an organizational make-over......start small and eventually you will reach your goal.  Your efforts will benefit you as an individual and your practice as a whole.