AADOM Featured Member – Sarah Hamlin
Harbor Hill Dentistry and Airway Center
Gig Harbor, Washington
Email: sarahh@harborhilldentistry.com
Phone: (253) 857-6778
Harbor Hill Dentistry and Airway Center is a General Dentistry practice and I have been with them for 2 years.
I have really enjoyed my evolution into management because it has given me an opportunity to teach and invest in my team. I’ve always been eager to help make patient visits go as smoothly as possible, but as a manager, I also get to help my staff members enjoy their jobs and make sure the Doctor is getting the most out of the practice as well. I always say that my job is to make sure that everyone else’s job feels as smooth as possible and I mean that!
Food is our office love language! We celebrate each other and our achievements (birthdays, weddings, baby showers, work anniversaries) by coordinating potlucks. We all love to cook and bake so we try to arrange a potluck theme based on the request of the team member we are celebrating. Some of our best themes have been: ice cream sundae bar, backyard bbq, dill pickle feast, and a whole snack table!
What advice would you give to a new office manager just starting out?
Don’t lose sight of how it feels to be managed! Most of us started out in a non-management role in the dental office and we know how it feels to be on the receiving end of feedback or changes in the office. Taking a minute to empathize with your team and remember how you would have felt in their situation will help you connect with them on their level and can help you tailor your communication/management style to get the most effective growth from your team.
All About AADOM!
Are you a member of a local AADOM chapter?
I don’t have a chapter local to me, but I am a West Coast member of the Boston Chapter!
Have you attended an AADOM conference?
Yes! Arizona was a lovely experience last year and I’m looking forward to Florida this year.
Do you hold an AADOM distinction (FAADOM, MAADOM, DAADOM?)
I will be inducted as a FAADOM this September in Orlando!
How do you feel AADOM helped you to learn, connect or grow?
One of the biggest benefits of AADOM is helping all of us realize that there are many ways of doing the same job! Dental admin positions can become very insular since many of us were trained on the job, by someone else who was trained on the job, and often times team members have only ever worked in one dental office. Getting exposure to other offices and a fresh perspective on our daily duties is priceless!
