Though all dental practices exist to support patients’ oral health, they must also run efficiently as businesses. With so much going on in the practice every day, it can be difficult to keep an eye on every aspect all of the time and this can lead to silos developing across the business. Addressing these and preventing them in the future is crucial for building up business resilience and achieving long-term success.
What are business silos?
Business silos are parts of a business that are working independently from the rest. They typically develop over time and can result from an inconsistent or lack of business strategy – so people end up doing their own thing within their respective departments. In the dental practice, this might mean that the dental hygienist and dentist work in isolation, without effectively collaborating in appropriate cases. It could also involve a lack of coherence between stock management or ordering and what the clinical team actually need. Another example is when the business development or management team have different goals and perceived business needs than the clinical staff.
The result of business silos is inefficient processes, duplicative work, under-utilised skills and higher financial costs.
Bringing the business back together
To address silos or prevent them altogether, it’s important to create united and cohesive processes. The tools and technologies used are often just as important as how people are managed. Some simple steps to bring the business together again may be:
Establish business objectives
These business goals will be critical in successfully steering the practice in the desired direction. They will also provide clarity for staff and make it easier for all decisions to be made with the ultimate business objectives in mind.
Review your internal communication
Communicating your business strategy and goals is crucial to ensure that everyone understands where the practice is heading and what the priorities are. Even more than this, effective internal communication is important for creating a culture of transparency and cooperation. There must also be a two-way conversation, giving all team members an opportunity to share their own thoughts, concerns and requests.
Standardisation
Of course, not all areas of dentistry can be standardised – every patient is different and their clinical care will need to be as unique as them. However, many processes can be made uniform, from the decontamination workflow to the ordering system. This allows different staff to complete the same tasks in the same way and therefore maintain consistency throughout the business.
Review your systems and technologies
By implementing technologies and platforms that facilitate collaboration among professionals, you can enhance teamwork, optimise patient care and increase daily efficiencies. There are a myriad of systems available on the market today that can support and improve everything from practice management to diagnostics and treatment planning. Make the most of them to create a more connected team and business.
Training and professional development
It is just as important to ensure that team members have access to ongoing training and education, especially as you introduce new technologies. This enables everyone to evolve together and continue operating cohesive systems. It also provides an opportunity for individuals to develop in their careers, which boosts job satisfaction,[i] team morale and staff retention,[ii] and willingness to go that extra mile for patients.[iii] Professional education can also help staff to better understand their colleagues’ skills and capabilities that, in turn, will increase skill mix utilisation.
Promoting togetherness
To further encourage a sense of community and togetherness among the practice team, it’s necessary to provide socialising opportunities for individuals to join. The better people know each other and the more comfortable they are, the better they will work together. That’s why attending professional events is so important – they enable the whole team to learn new skills, be exposed to exciting new technologies and enjoy some time outside the practice with their colleagues.
BDIA Dental Showcase remains the largest and longest-standing dental exhibition in the UK, making it the perfect platform for the entire dental team to learn, network and advance in their careers. Several exhibitors are entirely unique to this show, giving you an exclusive chance to engage with industry-leading brands and discover game-changing technologies designed to elevate your business. There will also be various business experts on hand to offer bespoke advice and guidance, helping you take your practice to new heights. Plus, this is a great opportunity to have some fun with colleagues and even perhaps take the team out for a meal after a day of learning to say thank you for their hard work.
To build your business up, it’s important to first break it down. Identifying and addressing silos across the practice is the first step to creating a coherent and collaborative culture.
BDIA Dental Showcase 2025
14th-15th March
ExCeL London
Register your interest for 2025 at https://dentalshowcase.com/register-interest-pr
[i] Hollar, Nicolette & Kuchinka, Daniel & Feinberg, Joshua. (2022). PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND JOB SATISFACTION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RESEARCH. Journal of International Management Studies. 22. 10-19. 10.18374/JIMS-22-1.2.
[ii] Reininghaus U, Priebe S. Assessing morale in community mental health professionals: a pooled analysis of data from four European countries. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2007;42(3):237–243
[iii] Department of Health. NHS Health and Well-being: Final Report. 2009.
