Creating the Ideal Service Culture in Your Practice

If you want to thrive in a challenging environment, then the solution is to focus on your customers.

Updated 6/30/20

Many dentists and their team members are worried about increased competition, corporate dentistry, insurance participation, or economic challenges. The question they most often ask is: Can we continue to not only survive, but be successful?

The answer is simple but oh-so-difficult to implement! If you want to thrive in a challenging environment, then the solution is to focus on your customers.

Customers who are completely satisfied are–to a surprising degree–much more loyal than satisfied customers. Patients will only remain rock-solid if they are completely satisfied. Satisfied patients will leave if they feel there is a viable choice between dentists.

Think about brands like Disney or Ritz-Carlton. Their success comes from creating a service culture and experience that is designed to completely satisfy. Where can you start to create that kind of service culture in your practice?

  • Create a customer service vision statement/credo. Make sure it includes the quality of your service and outcomes, how each team member interacts with your patients, and why team members should WANT to go above and beyond.
  • Once you have the vision, walk your talk! Create the “systems beyond the smiles” as per the Ritz Carlton’s Gold Standards. The heart is the only place service comes from. How are you going to engage and empower your team to engage your patient’s hearts? This has to include anticipation and fulfillment of your patients’ needs and desires.
  • Engage and empower your team! Follow the Ritz promise, “By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment, we nurture and maximize talent to the benefit of each individual and the company.”

If you can’t honestly say that, if asked, your patients (or your team) couldn’t imagine a world without you, then focusing on expanding your service culture has to be your goal!


Learn More

For more ideas about expanding your customer service culture, read Tips to Create the Ultimate Patient Experience.

Discover tools and solutions to help you engage with your patients at www.dentrix.com/solutions/patient-engagement.


By Amy Morgan, Chief Executive Office, Pride Institute

Amy Morgan is CEO of Pride Institute, a nationally acclaimed results-oriented Practice Management consulting company. Amy and her team of highly qualified consultants have revitalized thousands of dental practices using Pride’s time-proven Management Systems, resulting in dentists becoming more secure, efficient and profitable. Pride Institute, founded in 1974, is dedicated to substantially improving doctor’s professional, financial and personal lives. Specifically, Pride has taught over 20,000 dental offices how to excel in effective Leadership, Staff Management, Treatment Presentation, Scheduling, Patient Financing, Cash Flow/Goal Setting, Social and Traditional Marketing and Transition Strategies.


Published as part of a collection of key takeaways from the 2017 Business of Dentistry Conference, along with:


Originally published in Dentrix Magazine, Winter 2017