The Choas Coordinator: Tips for New Practice Managers
Congratulations, rockstar! You just got the gig as a practice manager. You’ve dreamed of this and worked your way up in the dental world. Life should be all rainbows moving forward, and you are so ready. Wait, you’re ready, right? “The Chaos Coordinator: Tips for New Practice Managers” is here to arm you with strategies to navigate the complexities of your new position with grace and efficiency.
Day One Starts with a 5 am Text from Your Doctor: Bing! “I Can’t Come in Today.”
No worries, this is managing a practice, and you can handle it. You hit the shower, dress the part, and head to work a few minutes early. The light is on; why isn’t the compressor working? Wait a minute, why isn’t the compressor working? Your team is trickling in, getting ready for the day, and looking for you to solve it. OK, you’ve got this. After ten minutes of flipping circuit breakers, the compressor is finally up and running; thankfully, your team is as well. You are the rockstar you thought you’d be. Quickly pat yourself on the back because it’s your time to do your job. Let’s see, do you start with A/R, call on insurance benefits, or pre-emptively call Mrs. Johnson (she’s that interesting patient the boss just won’t dismiss, so you find it easier to call her in advance to let her complain each day)?
Settle in; there’s tons to accomplish. OK, wait, maybe you should keep answering the phones and put those daily goals on the back burner for a bit. New patients are blowing up the phone line, and you know you manage a great practice. You finally have time to take a sip of water. Well, you thought you did until your star performing hygienist tells you she thinks she might start selling cleaning products on Instagram as a career. OK, well, you had the talk, and she has decided she is back to hygiene as her career, and everyone should be just about to go home pretty soon, right? NOPE. The clock on the wall just ticked 11 am. WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?
While this is intended to be a little funny, there is some truth to the stress of wearing so many hats. An effective practice manager can propel the practice to great heights, take the doctor’s vision, and make it work from a business standpoint so they can do what they love: Dentistry. You are a rockstar and made the right choice, but you need to be strategic moving forward. Let’s get you there.
Tip 1: Find a Mentor
Whom can you go to with questions, your concerns, your tears? Who has been there, done that? For me, it’s my doctor. We meet regularly; he discusses everything with me, challenges me, trusts me, and values me. Who can you find like that?
Tip 2: Keep Educating Yourself
Athletes don’t perform without practice. Managers don’t grow without education. You are part of AADOM, so I know you care. Utilize all the benefits of the AADOM Community. Keep pushing, set a goal, and kill it!
Tip 3: Keep It Consistent
Be consistent, whether you are turning on the lights or rocking the phone center stage. Keep yourself calm, caring, and professional. You are a leader, and leaders don’t get frazzled. (Well, maybe a little, but we don’t ever tell anyone 😊).
Tip 4: Resolve Conflicts Effectively and Efficiently
Dealing with conflict may not be something you were prepared for or comfortable with when you accepted your office manager position. But that does not mean you cannot become the best conflict mediator there is! Give yourself the grace while you learn to master this.
- Find the source
- Create a safe space
- Actively listen
- Provide a solution
- Document, Document, Document!
You will quickly learn this new role comes with many new tasks and responsibilities, including putting out the daily fires. From experience, these four tips I went over with you ultimately set me up for success. Find a mentor you trust and have the same values, continue to educate yourself, keep things consistent, and practice the crucial conversations for conflict resolution.
Remember, YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR! You will make mistakes and learn from them. There will come a time when you surprise yourself by becoming a Master Chaos Coordinator!
About the Author
Nikki Babcock, CDA, CDBP, FAADOM
Nikki has served in the dental field since 2006, when she started as a Dental Assistant out of high school. She is the Practice Manager at Rockford Downtown Dental, Dr. Chad Conlin, FAGD. Nikki is a lifetime AADOM member. She received her AADOM Fellowship designation in 2023 and is currently on track to be inducted into AADOM’s 2024 call of Masters. Outside of the office, Nikki enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
