2 Steps to Become the Appreciation Hero of Dental Hygiene Week!
How are you planning to celebrate your hygienist or hygiene team during Dental Hygiene Week? We were recently asked this question and thought we would share several areas to consider in order for you to be the “Appreciation Giving Hero!” Consider these two easy steps before making the best decision for your team.
Step 1 – Consider the receiver
Showing your appreciation to your team builds a culture that drives them to do great things. It increases team engagement, loyalty, and retention. Truly knowing your team is the first step to becoming the “Appreciation Hero!” There are many assessments and programs that can help you find your team members’ inner self, who they really are. They reveal your individual team members’ emotional intelligence as well as what really makes them tick. Using one of these analysis’ tools can help you discover ways to connect with each team member on a more personal level and help to determine the best ways to show them appreciation.
If you have not worked with personality assessments and tools, consider what you know the most about the person. Appreciation gifts should be just for them, not a work related item.
Ask yourself, what does your team member enjoy?
- Gardening
- Reading Books or Magazine Subscription
- App Games like Candy Crush
- Travel
Step 2 -Determine your budget
Contrary to some beliefs, showing appreciation does not need to be expensive! First, determine your budget for team appreciation. You can budget by event, for the quarter, or the year. Here are some Dental Hygiene related ideas for Hygiene Appreciation Week!
Under $15
- Dental Hygiene Blanket
- Dental Life Coloring Book
- Tooth Planter/ Pen Cup
- Dental Sign
- Wine Glass
- Tooth Cookie Cutter
$25-50
You may also show appreciation by supporting local businesses or charity organizations you team members enjoy. Buy gift cards to your local coffee or sandwich shop, give your team gift cards to a petstore so they can buy items for the local humane society. Think outside the box!
Turn your appreciation to team appreciation. If your team loves being together and wants to enjoy the nice weather, get a picnic table for them to enjoy lunch together. Make it into team bonding by having the team paint the picnic table and write words of encouragement and praise to their team!
Mark your calendar for upcoming appreciation days!
Pro tip: Mark a month ahead to give you ample time for planning!
- Dental Hygiene Appreciation Week: April 9th- 15th, 2023
- Administrative Professionals Day: April 26th, 2023
- Office Manager Appreciation Month: September
- Boss’s Day: October 16th, 2023
- Dental Assistant Appreciation Week: March 3rd-9th 2024
- National Dentist Day: March 6th, 2024
About the Authors
Emme Sanders, RDH
Emme brings over 25 years of leadership experience and concierge-level service to the dental community through speaking, coaching and writing. By applying her chairside clinical and presentation skills outside the operatory, Emme reached higher in her profession to become a trainer for Dexis Digital Radiography and Imaging, achieve ACE Certification, and develop a thriving coaching career.
With hands-on experience in dental practices from boutique to bread and butter, Emme understands the delicate balance of clinical periodontal therapy coupled with esthetic dentistry. Emme is an expert at treatment coordinating and case presentation skills to help patients say yes to optimal care. Her greatest passion is activating dental teams to realize their potential, strategically developing goals, and achieving higher levels of success.
Jennifer Steadman, BSDH, RDH, DAADOM
Jennifer is a hiring and transition expert that also specializes in business operations, team development, and communication. Her career has evolved from dental assistant to hygienist, practice manager, Director of Operations of a mid-sized DSO, to Director of Operations for Inspired Hygiene. In 2020 she was named AADOM’s Practice Administrator of the Year!
After seeing fellow managers’ challenges with the hiring process, managing through transitions and going through changes of ownership herself, she founded Steadman Onboarding Solutions in 2022. She has navigated teams through positive practice transitions. Her mission is to help business owners and managers hire the right team members that align with their unique culture and maintain their team during a transition.
