Five ways to overcome barriers to growth
Like any other business owner, dentists who run their own practice are responsible for long-term growth. Here are five common barriers to growth and ideas to overcome them.
1. Problems attracting talented staff
As your practice grows, so does your need to add additional employees. When you struggle to find qualified candidates, it can feel like you’re spinning wheels. While the pay and benefits package you are offering could be one of the reasons why qualified applicants aren’t submitting their resume, issues with hiring can indicate problems with your hiring protocol. Read our post Best Practices for Hiring Dental Practice Staff for further insights and don’t be afraid to outsource recruitment until you develop a system that works well for you.
2. Lack of technology
Not staying up to date with technology can create a drag on your practice’s rate of growth. Investing in the software and equipment that makes your practice run more efficiently is important.
3. Poor tracking of progress towards goals
Setting targets only works when you have a system in place to monitor progress and make changes. Be sure to integrate all relevant elements of running your practice into your goal tracking process.
4. Insufficient internet presence
Keeping up with the latest in digital marketing can be challenging, but ignoring it can be an obstacle to growth, as more patients conduct their search for a new dentist online. While some larger offices may have the resources and skill set to successfully manage the practice’s web presence, social media accounts, digital advertising and SEO in-house, most dentists will need to budget to get outside help.
5. Operational inefficiency
Operational inefficiencies make growth challenging. If it feels like your practice is in troubleshooting mode every day, then you may need to get better systems in place before adding more work to the schedule.
Growing a successful practice doesn’t happen overnight. It can take years to get from where you are today to where you’d like to be. This is why setting growth targets is important. Educate staff on your long-term vision, and keep your team motivated by celebrating the small wins that add up over time.
