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Dr. Ron’s BLOG Challenge

Linda Zdanowicz provided an interesting response to my BLOG challenge last week regarding the “flirting” hygienist.  In addition she provided some interesting suggestions to “down-time” work assignments.  Below is her post.  What I want from you is your thoughts on her ideas for keeping the hygienist busy; what additional ideas can you suggest; as well as how do you feel about looking the other way while the hygieinst flirts a bit.  Is it or is it not good PR from your perspective? Remember, there are no “right” or “wrong” answers….only ideas.  Read her post now and then leave your comments…..

Dr. Ron, THE DENTAL COACH

Hi Dr. Ron, Does your client state his expectations clearly to the hygienist or does he sit and seethe and rant to you later? I find that people will live up or down to your expectation of them. We once had a hygienist that would leave the office to go home at 3:30 if she had no other pts. for the day, all the while expecting to be paid till 5:20 like the rest of us who were actually working. In her eyes she came to work to clean teeth, period. Now that I manage the office I have a list of downtime chores, I have taught the hygienists some basic lab work and they are also encouraged to use the internet to research new products and topics. They are also expected to give a hygiene report at our monthly staff meetings on what they find out. There is room for abuse there but I think they feel more personally accountable because they know they are looked at as part of the team. They are also expected to help assist with crown cements if I need them to. They will set up and clean up treatment rooms as well. When you make hygienists feel like part of a team where everyone has equal value, they live up to that, in my experience. Also, what your client sees as flirting may actually be good PR. Let’s face it, he wouldn’t have liked it any better if she just dismissed him and sat around reading People magazine.
Linda

Dr. Ron is the only Master Certified Dental Coach (MCC) on the planet. He has blended 20 years of clinical dental practice with executive roles in financial planning and investment management along his graduate business training to provide his clients with the tools, support, and accountability to accomplish more. About Dr. Ron, "I count you as one of life’s best finds", says Dr. Gary Imm of Reisterstown, Maryland. He has authored many articles; manuals; ThinBooks ^tm; TeleClasses and if you visit http://www.drarndt.com you can receive one of his FREE reports, "9 Painful Mistakes Dentists Make in the Hiring Process"

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2 Responses to “Dr. Ron’s BLOG Challenge”

1. linda zdanowicz Says:
   November 7th, 2006 at 6:46 pm

   Hmm…I don’t think I sent the message I intended to. I didn’t mean to suggest it was ok for the hygienist to flirt with her patient in the office. I think that sometimes the way someone handles a patient who is flirting could be mistrued. I think what the dentist saw as her flirting back may have been her trying to handle the patient’s behavior without causing an awkward scene. If the dentist was feeling annoyed, he might have been more inclined to see her actions from a negative perspective. I don’t think it’s ok to seriously flirt at work. I would say that he should discuss it with her and set some guidelines if he felt she was behaving inappropriately.
   Linda

2. Dr. Ron, THE DENTAL COACH Says:
   November 27th, 2006 at 11:39 am

   Linda, thanks for the clarification. I love it when a post generates several points of view.
   Dr. Ron, THE DENTAL COACH

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