What profession has to make the most?

Throughout my career I’ve spent time in all aspects of business which has allowed me to learn about many different industries.? One day it struck me. There’s one industry - career profession that requires making far more decisions than any other career - position.

Some might even ask, “Why become a dentist?” Because they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on education and their practice, only to end up with a reputation as being the doctor that is most feared.

Being a dentist certainly has its challenges but if you ask every dentist, they will tell you that it was and is their destiny.? Even retiring dentists that are selling their practice to younger associates are negotiating to work one or two days a week.

Yet no other profession is required to make more decisions than a dentist.

Should I be an associate, join a DSO, open a new practice, acquire a practice? And…it only starts there.? Should I buy a laser, a CAD CAM, should I do Invisalign, and should I learn how to do implants?

Next it's who do I hire, should I add a hygienist, can I add an associate?

Then there’s the tedium, such as what gloves should we use, what bibbs, what water cups.

Of course they also have to decide what brands to choose as their primary instruments such as handpieces, loops, burs, etc.

Let’s not forget about patient comfort.? Dentists need to worry about how the waiting room and the front desk look and feel.? They need to select the most comfortable dental chairs - many now come with massage elements.

Certainly choosing what insurance companies to network with is critical as is what type of financing the practice might offer.

Selecting what clinical services to promote is another factor.? Do we promote hygiene, whitening, implants, same day crowns, emergencies, facial aesthetics, or sleep apnea?

Sterilization and cleaning the office, lead to more decisions about who, what, and how.

Technology also plays a significant role.? What patient management software should we deploy?? Do I need a practice management coach?? Who’s handling scheduling, recalls, collections and dealing with the insurance companies?

Thus I ask you, what profession is faced with making more decisions than a dentist.

To generate new patients beyond the old school word of mouth method, dentists now need to understand the complexities of websites and digital marketing.? The big question for the vast majority of dentists is, what works and what doesn’t work?? More decisions, tough decisions.

Now, I can’t help dentists with most of the issues noted above.? But during that same lengthy career I’ve learned that the best organizations are built around proven formulas for success.? They don’t always start there, as even the best go through growing pains. Yet at some point the best of the best develop a repeatable and scalable formula for success.

We see the outcomes of successful formulas demonstrated by companies like Nike, Apple, Yeti, Coach and others as they found their path to success and simply make minor tweaks to maintain excellence and market dominance.? Simply stated they don’t guess anymore.

At the company I work for Firegang, we use data driven formulas that have been tested and proven for 13+ years.? There is no guesswork, yet we are constantly tweaking and modifying to stay ahead of the curve.? It’s rewarding to help dentists and their practices achieve new levels of production.? It’s also rewarding to help them make one less decision.