Your staff are the heart and soul of your dental office. They greet patients, remind them about upcoming appointments, answer questions, and so much more.

You value your dental team, but how can you make sure they know it? Learn how to improve dental staff morale and meet your dental office goals with tips from Dental Intelligence.

Hire a Team That Works Well Together

Have you ever hired an employee that just didn’t gel with the rest of the team? One bad hire is all it takes to poison the well, and it’s hard to recover from the aftermath. Gossip, petty fights, and backstabbing should have no place in a professional dental office.

To avoid this situation, it’s important to hire people who work seamlessly as a unit. Your employees don’t all have to be friends, but they do need to work together and support each other when the going gets tough.

Don’t simply hire the first person who walks through your doors. When a candidate comes for an interview, take note of their energy and personality. Do they smile and seem friendly? Do they seem interested in what you have to say?

A working interview is a great way to evaluate candidates and see how they interact with the rest of your team. Just be sure to pay candidates for this (the law requires this in some places).

Train Employees the Right Way

Without proper training, you’re setting employees up to fail, which can sink dental team morale. When mistakes pile up because employees don’t know how to handle them, they may begin to think that they can’t do anything right and develop a negative attitude.

Avoid this by setting aside time for a formal training period. Make sure all employees know what to say when patients call, and explain who employees should go to if they have questions or problems.

Stay Accessible With an Open-Door Policy

Many dentists wall themselves off from their staff, often because they think they’re just too busy to engage with employees. But ignoring your dental care staff can put a big damper on morale, so ensure that your employees know they can always come to you with any questions or concerns.

It’s also smart to schedule brief periodic meetings with each employee to ask them how they’re doing. These meetings can reveal problems and grievances that you otherwise would have missed.

Promote a Good Work-Life Balance

Your staff have lives outside of work, and it’s important to support that. Try to be flexible with scheduling and accommodate requests for time off, within reason. If an employee needs time off for school, a wedding, or a dental appointment to take care of their own oral health, say “yes” as often as you can.

Remember Important Events

Do you know the birthdays of your dental team? If not, find out! Telling employees “Happy birthday” and giving them a card or small gift is one of the best ways to show that you care.

It’s also a good idea to keep track of workplace anniversaries. You could say something like, “Thanks for sticking with us for another year. I really appreciate all you do for our practice.”

Offer Rewards for Exceptional Work

When an employee goes above and beyond, reward them with a bonus, gift card, or extra paid time off. Recognizing great work helps your employees feel valued. It encourages the rest of your team to do their best, too.

Delegate Responsibilities

Doing the same thing at work every day can be boring, and that can make morale drop like a rock. Consider giving employees new and important responsibilities to spice things up. Your staff will feel like you trust them and be more motivated as well. Just be sure not to hand out extra responsibilities to employees who already have too much on their plates.

Host Team-Building Events

Team-building events are a fun way to boost morale and help employees get to know each other better. Just order a few pizzas, play some games, and watch staff morale skyrocket.

You could also encourage your team to participate in volunteer work. Corporate volunteering has been shown to boost morale and help bring team members closer together.

Support Your Practice With Dental Intelligence

If you’re looking for ways to make your staff feel valued, check out our practice management software solutions. Features like online scheduling and staff communication tools can increase the efficiency of your practice and make life easier for your dental team.

To learn more, schedule a Dental Intelligence demo today.