PSP Winter learning opportunities using the Spear Platform
Hello Friends and Colleagues:
Thanks for your interest in picking up some CE credits through this venue. Claire and I have curated this list with the hope that you will value the CE credits less than the actual information that is contained in these videos. Spear has been a great resource of information and coaching on various topics that reach all areas of dentistry and experience levels. Our intention in introducing you to this venue is so that you too can find valuable information to help you succeed in your journey as a dental professional.
My journey in dentistry has driven me to focus on how well my practices are operating. On a spectrum from 1-10, whereas 1 is a new graduate prior to starting in his or her first associate position and a 10 is a automated practice where every team member knows his/her role, performs it ideally, technology is integrated throughout the practice, scheduling is done to maximize provider time, patient time, and practice profitability, and collections are 100% and profitability is excellent, I feel I have achieved an 8 on that spectrum. I’m very proud of achieving an 8, I believe it's rare and I continue to drive to achieve a 10!
My practice life started 14.5 years ago as a novice, new perio graduate who opened up a scratch startup practice just before the downturn in 2007. The list of mistakes I have made over that period of time has been considerable, yet, I will also say none of them came without significant lessons learned which I have applied and continue to invest in myself and my team over this period of time. I have been a quick study in negotiation, asking for what I need while working hard to position myself as a voice for our profession in our community. With time, the addition of Kevin, Allen, Shoko and Jessica has given me further learning and mentoring opportunities.
As many of you know, I enjoy the role of providing connections and creating new relationships with the people in my extended network of professionals, friends, and colleagues. I never miss an opportunity to connect with someone new, deepen a relationship, mentor a junior colleague, or create more value in someone’s eyes when it comes to working with me. I am emotionally available to my staff while keeping our shared best interests in mind. I want to be someone in your dental professional network that stands out as going the extra mile and does so promptly, with a smile and sincerely, whenever we are needed.
Cultivating this persona comes naturally to me. I enjoy all these connections, all these opportunities to make myself and my practice valuable to you. In return you’ve blessed me and the doctors in my practice with your referrals and the opportunity to care for your patients. I want this to be a mutually beneficial relationship and one you hold as an important one in your professional life. I invite you to strive to whatever number you feel is appropriate for you on the spectrum referenced above. Together we have the hope of going even further and neither of us can do it alone.
Upon completion of these SPEAR videos if you find yourself as inspired as I am to be the best dentist and leader of your team, I would like you to let me know. I would like to invite you to attend a informational meeting for a SPEAR dental study club. The reason why I gravitate towards this program is more for the leadership lessons and curriculum embedded in the teachings shown throughout their content. People remember how you made them feel, more than what you did for them.
This pandemic won’t be here forever, and once it is past, I envision a group of 100 Puget Sound Dentists traveling to Scottsdale together with our teams, creating our vision for success and prosperity on our journey in becoming the best version of ourselves possible.
Thank you,
Tom, Kevin, Allen, Shoko, Jessica, and Jenna
Learning Opportunity #1:
Giving and Receiving Feedback – How to express care for your staff while being open and direct in your critique of their performance.
This video will be excellent for any doctors who feel that they struggle with giving and receiving feedback, connecting with their teams in a way that engenders both loyalty and respect and helps make their position in your office about more than the paycheck they receive.
Total: 2 units for completing video and attached exercise (on google form at bottom of the page)
Learning Opportunity #2:
Life Planning: Creating Clarity for Your Future – I am comfortable saying at this point in my life I reached a certain level of success. (There are certainly more successful people, this is only to say that I’ve done okay for myself and this has been helpful for me and maybe it can be for you too). I believe strongly, the success that I’ve enjoyed is that I understood what is both important and urgent to do and have attended to those needs. I have also known what is important but perhaps not urgent which also allows time to tackle those tasks which are easily kicked down the road. Katie has been an excellent planner and I have been a good doer. As such we have a plan and have executed on it over the last 14 years. This video will be good for anyone who would like to shape a framework for themselves that creates a structure for life success, where practice success is part of it.
Total: 3 units for completing the video and attached exercise (on google form at bottom of the page).
Learning Opportunity #3:
Exit Planning: Thinking with the end in mind. I never realized while it was happening that my wife was exit planning from the day we opened our practice. Debt reduction, investment strategy, practice growth, education planning, retirement planning, financial literacy and plan execution. This video walks us through five phases of existence. Dependence, Interdependence, Independence, Self-Reliance and Self Fulfillment. This video talks about how Exit Planning looks different for different people and helps us to determine what our exit strategy looks like, even if it doesn't mean you stop working. Creates a framework for you to get the most out of what you’ve created and what that means to different people. We have added both sections #1 & #2, which will encompass creating the context for exiting and the exit timelines and strategy.
Total: 4 units for completing videos and attached exercise (on google form at bottom of the page).
Learning Opportunity # 4
The Spear Model for Practice Growth: Identifying Patient Types and Setting Expectations: This program, #1 & #2, will provide an overview of different types of patients: Emergency, reactive, proactive, discretionary and regenerative. You will learn how to accommodate all new and existing patient types by systematically clarifying expectations while creating exceptional experiences that result in clear patient conversations and improved case acceptance.
Total: 3 units for completing videos and attached exercise (on google form at bottom of the page).
