Thursday Troubleshooter: I dread going to work in my dental office
QUESTION: I'm writing from New Zealand. My dental office stress is making me anxious and I dread going to work. I don’t know how to get my coworkers to listen to me or give me respect! Here is an example of how my peers don't listen to me or have respect for me. Lately our X-ray films have been getting stuck in the digital processor. Yesterday the film I tried to process actually got stuck so we had to send the machine away. We had a meeting later that day, and a staff member said this happened because I have been told to use tissue paper instead of wipes, but I do use tissue! They didn't ask me about this before the meeting and just shrugged off my defensive comments. Help!
ANSWER FROM AMY SMITH, Amy Smith Consulting, LLC, www.amysmith.biz:
There appears to be several separate issues involved here, so let’s look at them one by one. First of all, to whom do you report? It is normally the doctor or office manager. Request a one-on-one meeting with that person and express your concerns. Do not point fingers or blame another person. Be honest and candid and ask for feedback as to what you could be doing better (if anything), or ask if you should be doing something that you’re not. Secondly, let’s look at the X-ray machine. Do you need additional training? Is there a problem with it that is out of your control due to its age or service history? And finally, is there an unresolved issue between you and any other staff member that could be leading to your feeling of stress and anxiety? The conversation you have, and the feedback you get, from your doctor or office manager should help resolve the situation in a positive manner. It is their responsibility to see that everyone who works for their practice is treated with courtesy and respect.
ANSWER FROM JAN KELLER, Jan Keller & Associates, www.jankellerassoc.com:
Stress and anxiety in the workplace is not only bad for the individual involved, but for the practice as well. Unhappy employees are not as productive as they can and want to be, and low morale in one person is often contagious, leading to a work environment that is unhealthy for all. The poor environment is probably apparent to patients as well. Without knowing more about your office or your fellow employees, I highly recommend you talk directly and privately to the staff member involved. It’s likely that person is feeling stress as well, and taking it out on the people around them. If this does not bring about a resolution to the problem, talk to your manager, again in private. Be as honest as you can about your own behavior. No one is perfect, and everyone will appreciate the maturity it takes to acknowledge this. Please understand that I am not saying you have done anything wrong — on the contrary. But asking, “What can I do better?” or “Can you help me resolve this?” will go a long way toward a quick and mutually rewarding outcome.
ANSWER FROM DEBBIE CASTAGNA, The Practice Source, www.thepracticesource.com
I'm so sorry to hear that the stress you feel is making you dread going to work. No one should spend their days that way. You can't force people to listen to or respect you, but you can be the type of person that others listen to and respect. It takes courage to first look within yourself and ask, "Am I a respectful listener? Do I believe I'm worthy of respect? Do I treat others fairly? Am I courageous?" Commanding respect starts with you. If you can say that you do treat others the way you want to be treated, then you may want to start looking for another job. I wish you nothing but the best.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PAST THURSDAY TROUBLESHOOTERS:
The dentist won't pay for my CE courses
My fee-for-service practice is slowly declining
Are patient names on dental lab labels a HIPAA violation?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do YOU have a tough issue in your dental office that you would like addressed?
Send your questions for the experts to answer. Responses will come from various consultants associated with Speaking Consulting Network, Dental Consultant Connection, and Academy of Dental Management Consultants. Their members will take turns fielding your questions on DentistryIQ, because they are very familiar with addressing the tough issues. Hey, it's their job.
Send your questions to [email protected]. All inquiries will be answered anonymously every Thursday here on DIQ.
