Keeping the Office Smiling: Strategies from a Seasoned Orthodontic Manager

Lacie Ellis: [: 00:00:00

Welcome to Practice Talk, brought to you by People in Practice, where we specialize in digital marketing, website development, SEO, and so much more. I'm excited for today's conversation where we will be discussing strategies from a seasoned orthodontic manager with my guest, Tricia. Tricia has always been driven by a clear sense of purpose.

s dental assisting program in: 2009

Trisha began her career as a surgical assistant at an oral maxillofacial surgeon's office, where she spent eight years honing her skills in a fast paced, specialized environment. Seeking new challenges, she transitioned into orthodontics, initially joining the team as the treatment coordinator. Over time, she took on the role of office manager, Where she had the opportunity to leverage her natural leadership abilities while she enjoyed patient interactions.

She found her true calling in fostering a supportive high performing team culture. Welcome, Tricia. Hi, Lacey. Nice to see you. Nice to see you as well. Thank you so much for doing this. We really appreciate it. You're

Trisha LaRue: very welcome. I've had worked many years with people in practice, so happy to do

Lacie Ellis: this. Thank you.

o Tricia, I know that you've [: 00:02:00

So I just want to be upfront about that. However, I was personally able to visit the practice that you, um, were in at the time as an office manager, and I was able to see your skills in action for myself. And so I genuinely want to thank you for taking the time to share your insights because I know how much you Care and how much heart and intention you put into your office management role.

And so these insights are just extremely valuable. So thank you.

Trisha LaRue: You're welcome. I wish I would have had access to somebody to lean on, um, as well, just to ask advice and just kind of mentor me. But

Lacie Ellis: here we are. Here we are. So what are some of the most challenge, um, like what are some of the most common challenges that you faced in managing a busy orthodontic practice and how did you handle them?

a ton. Right. Um, but truly, [: 00:03:00

They never miss a day, snow, kids, whatever that looks like. They're never sick. And then you have the polar opposites where there's the habitual, you know, grandma passed away or kids are sick or I need to do this. And it's kind of like there's, there's one side or the other. And. What's hard is when someone calls in whatever their reason and I'm sure they're real.

for whatever that reason is, [: 00:04:00

This person's not going to be here for a certain reason, and this is what we're going to do that way. They have a couple minutes to, okay, this happened and still walk in fresh. Uh, and if again, not that you needed to tell everyone in the, in their brother who was not going to be there that day, but at a team huddle right in the middle, this person's not going to be here.

This is what we're going to do, because sometimes when they're not there, or you're just kind of are looking for them, people start to panic. Where's this person? Are they here? What are we going to do? So just trying to get ahead of that, I think has been, um, it really just kind of had people be able to walk in the door and still have their game face on because they already knew and we already have a plan.

positions I've worked within [: 00:05:00

And I, you know, I think the office was very lucky to have you as long as they had you in that office manager role. And this is exactly why, because you see a problem and you don't see it as a problem. You see it as like, okay. What's the, what's the workaround? What's the solution? How do we spin this? So it's not this explosion of, um, you know, anxiety that happens right up front.

Cause I've been there. I've been the team member who's like, what? So and so's not coming now. We're going to have to cover her column. And then you're stressed out and that's all you can think about. And so just that open communication and your willingness to just be like, This has happened and here is a solution or let's work out some solutions together.

[: 00:06:00

Um, as you were saying that I was thinking about how sometimes I've got something I don't really want to tell my husband. And I'm like, maybe if I text him before he gets home, he can like digest it. And then we can have a real conversation without a reaction. And I think this is a similar situation that you're talking about is now we can deal with it instead of react to it.

So. I, I think that is really valuable insight. Um, so I get asked several times a week, how office managers and doctors can keep their teams motivated and ensure a positive work environment. And I just really love to hear your thoughts on this part.

ry loaded question. Um, very [: 00:07:00

And then there's others like myself or the doctors I work for, and they are motivated. Like they're there, this is their life. This is their future. They believe in it. We, we used to say we bleed, you know, our brand and it was real. And it was really hard to find that happy medium or bring people up to your level.

And it's definitely challenging. And there's no perfect way to do it and it's not going to, but it's something you do every day. You truly have to motivate people every day in so many different ways. Um, one thing that we did was have a morning huddle. I think they're very important, but you're kind of setting the tone right then and there we would do, you know, obviously the stats of what's going to come in today, all the things.

free coffee. We've done like [: 00:08:00

And when then we always ended it with a quote. And normally a couple of people would be the ones that have that quote. Um, or if someone heard it, they can say, I have one today, but you're kind of saying like, this is today's This is what we're going to do today. You might've had a rough week and now we need to pick ourselves up or it's Monday.

We're going to tackle this, whatever that is. I think it's huge to always set the tone in the morning and then keep that motivation going. Uh, we definitely had the music going. So that was like, I know that's kind of little to say, but it really keeps people going. You would look over and you'd see somebody just happen, their foot or kind of singing along and it kind of just.

think starting the day and, [: 00:09:00

Lacie Ellis: I really appreciate that again, because I think that's a real honest way to come about, uh, what we're talking about here, because it is this, um, This word culture just keeps coming up over and over and over again with practices that I talked to. And they're like, how do we create culture? How do we create this positive environment?

And I'm like, man, it starts at the top first, like you said. And I think it's embracing that we're all human. All going through our own human experiences outside of the practice, but trying really hard to leave some of that at the door and just like dig in huddle. I think is a great way to do that first thing in the morning.

t gets you, um, in the right [: 00:10:00

And I'm just starting to worry that these little things that should be Part of your job are somehow getting lost in the mix of incentives. So I know that's kind of a tangent into this, but I'm just wondering, did you experience that? Did you guys use a lot of incentives to help with that positive culture and maybe some thoughts on how that worked for you?

Trisha LaRue: Yeah, um, that is definitely something that has molded over the years. It kind of started incentives, like how many same day starts. And if you hit a number, everyone would get lunch or a bonus, a number. Um, but then it kind of turned into, well, the treatment coordinators didn't hit it, so we didn't get it.

, the pressure was put on an [: 00:11:00

It was more quarterly based. You had time to kind of see your progress and go financial. They were more like delinquency rate, getting it below here. You'd get a percentage or if you could fill the schedule, like no shows being able to reschedule them. So they, the front desk had complete control over that.

office, but I do agree with [: 00:12:00

So, you just kind of, we would change it up a lot. We even had just like a parking spot for employee of the month, just random things. It didn't cost money. But it was fun. And he had front row and just little things like that.

Lacie Ellis: I think those surprise and delight things to me is more motivating than, you know, you get a 5 gift card.

If you send a thank you card, like those are just things. I just feel like if you're hiring the right people, those are things that those people are going to want to do because it's It's like a feel good part of your job. You know, it's building the brand. Like you care about the practice more than just on a paycheck level.

And I know it's hard to find those people. And like I said, I know we're human. We all just have a lot going on outside of the practice, but I think you've got to find the people that care just a little bit more deeply than what am I going to get out of this? It's, you know, it's gotta be, how am I supporting the practice?

So, um, yeah. [: 00:13:00

So, um, so we like to get questions or, uh, comments from our listeners and from our people in practice clients about our topic. So let's listen to our first

Guest Question: question. The discussion of uniforms and what to wear in the office seems to come up every six months, and I feel like we are in a battle every time with the team over what is appropriate.

Any insights into what worked for you? Thank you.

don't feel like their voice [: 00:14:00

I think a lot of it is just going to be, what is your brand and what is your office and what are you trying to portray to your customers For me, uh, we started in, you know, scrubs, business professional on, on the complete opposite sides of, you know, the clinic versus administrative. And then it transitioned into those stuffy branded dresses, slacks, um, sweaters, and you could tell.

When, when we transitioned into that people's body language changed and they're just their behavior, just the way they felt, you could tell it really was like a topic that they focused on. And I know that the idea is to look clean and professional, and I'm not trying to downplay that, but we ended up going to a, like a conference and the team there, when we walked in was wearing.

ing, like clothes like this. [: 00:15:00

And you kind of just looked at them and everyone. Was smiling and I'm sure the show was on right, but we ended up coming back and we incorporated dress a new dress code. That was a very casual look and some of that. There might be some hypocrites to go against that. But to be honest with you, we're playing to what our brand was.

We were new. We were modern. We were hip. We wanted to have cutting edge technology. Our customers, not everyone in ortho is a child, but majority are children. You know, it can be a little intimidating coming in and seeing everybody in strict uniforms. The minute we would come in and you'd have matching like air force ones with one of the kids.

They would be, they just [: 00:16:00

We're here. We're just like you. We're wearing the same stuff, but I'm still a consultant. I'm still the expert. I can still help you. And let's get past my uniform. And I honestly think this is real. When you put on an outfit and you just Yeah. Feel good. You look good. You know, it, it portrays into your behavior, whether you're at a wedding or a friend's house, whatever that looks like, but I think you could bring that same thing into work when girls or guys felt good about themselves and they were together.

t firsthand and then we left [: 00:17:00

That's just real happens. Um, but. The clinic was allowed to wear jeans on Fridays. And then again, we always had the shirts or long sleeve shirts and we had sweatshirts. And every six months we got new ones. So there was always something new coming in and fun. And it, it was one of those things that we definitely saw their confidence level change with something so simple as their clothes.

But it's real.

Lacie Ellis: It is real. And again, uh, I just, I love you. I love, I love, I love your honesty and I love your energy. And I just love how, how you can put all of these thoughts together in this way, because in my mind, it really does come down to, to two things with uniforms. It's what fits the vibe of the office, right?

and the rest of the team is [: 00:18:00

And does it like fit the vibe of what we put out there? Um, but I also think it does come down to what people are comfortable in. And I think you have to trust that if you know. Your stuff. If you know what you're talking about in the TC room, if you're a great assistant chair side, really, the uniform is going to come so much secondary to, yes, first impressions are important, but like what's coming out of my mouth and my expertise and my knowledge and how I care for you is going to outweigh what color my shoes are.

suit jacket for some people [: 00:19:00

But if that doesn't again, fit the office vibe, it makes zero sense there. Or if somebody is super uncomfortable in that outfit and that's what they're focusing on instead of their knowledge, it's just so distracting. So I see why it's this thing that keeps coming up over and over. And I just think.

Offices want, uh, an answer that they can tell their team. Like, this is what the consultants or the experts out there say. And I just don't think that it really exists. I think you need to know your brand, you need to know your team, and then you need to listen to what your team's telling you. And what, like you did, what their body language is saying, you know, you probably spent a ton of money getting those branded uniforms, uh, and cardigans and things.

l, this is just what we were [: 00:20:00

So again, your insights are just perfect.

Guest Question: Um, all right, let's listen to our next question. As an office manager, I think one of my biggest challenges is managing everything that's on my plate at one time between overseeing the team, the doctor and the flow of the office and the patient experience. I feel like I'm always getting pulled in several different directions.

Any advice on how to better manage my time? The holy question, right? Um,

Trisha LaRue: that is, if you were to look up a good office manager description, I think that's what it is. And I think understanding the job description Is that it's being pulled in a million ways and being able to hold yourself up to the standard you want everybody else.

always going to be an upset [: 00:21:00

And I think when you embrace that, and then you say, this is my niche. This is what I can do. This is how I help. I think that's when you can take it to the next level. Um, to really fine tune little details of how you get there. I've lived by a checklist. I had a daily checklist and it's like everything you got to get done, right?

Whether it's schedules or payroll or it's, it's this report, it's, it's that and the marketing and whatever that is, you put it all out there. So when, not if, when The fire happens, you need to put it out. You can easily come back to that checklist or it's a, I just, this is going to have to wait until tomorrow.

just knowing that's, that's [: 00:22:00

And that's why they believe in you

Lacie Ellis: see, and this is exactly why I wasn't ever an office manager is because of this one. This, this perfect point is I, um, I tend to run pretty high anxiety and I think the unknown and just like embracing the chaos of an office manager's job, you have to hire the person that can do that, right?

You have to hire the person who can be like, my hair's on fire and nobody knows. Right. Because when my hair's on fire, everybody knows that my hair is on fire. So that's why I, I don't thrive in that environment. Um, but I have worked with a lot of office managers and what I have seen over and over is really similar to what you're talking about.

ow, you look at your day and [: 00:23:00

And sometimes you have to take those eventual items and move them into your block and be like, I have to make time for this today. It's a must do today. Um, but that's usually the way that I've seen it work, you know, the best for office managers. It's the um, Scheduled things. It's the have to get done today's.

And then it's my eventuals that have to get usually moved into a must get done today slot eventually. Um, and that seems to work pretty good to manage some of the chaos, but I, I think then they have to have your personality where they say, Bring it. Let's go. Like, we've got this. Like, what else do you have for me today?

eally helpful. So thank you. [: 00:24:00

Trisha LaRue: I think that that you can improve stuff for, like you said, patient efficiency or the schedule or whatever that looks like, but, um, probably one of the most.

Impactful things that we did was cross train and for, for many reasons, like I commented earlier about people not being there, not being able to come in that day or calling it or just being out for maternity leave or vacation. I think cross training is huge. We went plenty of times where someone, a machine was down, whatever that was, that people work through lunch and you're just kind of like, well, you I get my lunch, you don't, or we're just not going to be able to do that.

something. We said we could, [: 00:25:00

The clinic is behind go in and spend five minutes when you you've got a few minutes at the end of the day or right before lunch. Same thing with the clinic. We taught all of them how to answer the phones and it was very simple, but if you're walking by. And both are on the phone and there's somebody that needs checked out.

You can't just walk by and wave like, what does that look like? Um, you know, the patient might wonder, like, can they help me? What can they do there? So we taught everyone just how to put people on hold, how to do this simple, like intro of welcome to my name is how can I help you to listen for that first question.

ctions. They might just need [: 00:26:00

Um, and that was something where. It then had this divide between the clinic in the front and we all of a sudden we're becoming a team you had this last like, well, we're out for lunch, but you're not because you're running behind. We then have, like, we all come together. We all leave together because everyone knew.

A little bit of how to do someone's job and you don't need to master it, but it was very much, um, something that kind of brought the team together and patients couldn't see patients. Didn't know if this machine was broke. So we had to do a quick turn. They didn't know the doctor stepped out and we need to adjust this real quick before he comes back in the parking lot.

Um, it was. Uploading an x ray. It's anything of the sort you can list, but having more than one person that can help. It was, it was game changer right there.

Lacie Ellis: [: 00:27:00

I was actually, um, speaking with a team member on. It was either the last episode of the podcast or the one right before and she's a clinical team member. And she said something that this is exactly why cross training is important on so many levels. But she said, um, she loved being able to share with other people when she mastered something.

So there's something really empowering as humans when we feel like, Oh, I've got this down and you can be the one that gets to teach somebody else how to do it. I think that's a big part of maybe why we're even here. Here on this spinning little dot of an earth is that we get to be like, we learned a lesson and then we get to share that experience with somebody else.

team. Like you said, to know [: 00:28:00

Right? Like it's putting that confidence in your team, in yourself. The patients feel that confidence then when they come in. So, um, yeah, I think if you could implement anything in a practice as a creative solution to multiple problems, um, I think that is that cross training is. One of the best. Another thing I saw the office I worked in the longest.

We had an office manager who was just watched a struggle with our doctor flow and our schedule so much that she finally advocated to bring in a consultant. Who specialized in helping with the schedule and she literally sat in the office. I can't even remember her name. She was great. I wish I could remember.

it existed at the time. And [: 00:29:00

It was like, this is the why she asked us questions. We all had a little bit of input. And then by the time it was all said and done, our schedule just flowed so beautifully. And that. Was one of those creative solutions where I was like, yeah, I know it costs money to bring her in, but the stress that it alleviated from the team and the doctor was worth every single penny.

So cross training, finding those things that are maybe not going great, not working well. And just like you were saying earlier in finding a solution to that problem, I think those are the, those are the keys to the secret sauce to making your office kind of happy.

Trisha LaRue: We, we too used a consultant for scheduling and you don't realize when you break it down how long the doctor's at the chair.

nd when you start to look at [: 00:30:00

Lacie Ellis: Yes, I completely support that as well. So, how did you collaborate with the orthodontist and other team members to ensure smooth operations within the practice? What was your kind of secret ingredient to making things run well?

Trisha LaRue: Um, you know, I, I think meetings are important. I definitely think scheduled meetings are important and then following up with those meetings.

up of this is going well. Or [: 00:31:00

So I think continuously having those and blocking them out on your schedule is huge. And I know for a doctor taking away an hour long is, is losing production, do it over lunch. It's worth paying for their lunch. Um, having those set meetings with something that. We planned out, you'd build it. What were we doing?

What do we need to do? And getting people's feedback, I think is huge. And then just circling back to it, because if you don't, and you think it's going okay, but you don't hear the mumbles, then you're not really making things better. So I think one thing we did was we really got away from meetings at first when I first started, and then it was scheduled.

g this? Are we missing this? [: 00:32:00

Don't reschedule if you can't make, um, um, but it definitely made everyone feel like they weren't in the dark, you know, the office manager and the doctor talk, and then they just implement stuff. They don't ask us. This was. Here's what we're going to do. What's your guys thoughts? Here's the why. And, and then coming back and really caring about that.

So I think, um, just being open and honest of what's to come. And then again, like I said, just, just always coming back and seeing how's it going.

Lacie Ellis: Yes. Um, it would have been my number one answer as well. Um, to that same question, I think it's the meetings and it's, Not just the meetings of everybody together, which I do know are valuable and important, but then those subgroups.

hen bring their thoughts and [: 00:33:00

Let's just review how that's going. Going now and kind of do a little temperature check and just make sure that, you know, things are, you know, we implemented this thing. Is it working? Cause like you said, the same things aren't going to work well for each practice. And so we've got to try these things and then be like, is this working for us?

How can we tweak it? So it fits us because again. There's no cookie cutter or anything. So, um, and I just think the meetings though, in my opinion, they have to be collaborative and they have to be open discussion. I think if you go into those meetings where it's just the doctor and the office manager talking the whole time and nobody else has a say or ever, some people are too scared to speak up because the last meeting that person got like, no, we're not going to talk about that.

to just be like here at the [: 00:34:00

on the team, maybe has a role in that meeting. So everybody has something to say, because I've been in those meetings, like I said, where it's one person talk the whole time and you're like, I was doodling on my, I don't even know what they were talking about half of the time, to be honest, because it just like became like, you know, droning.

I don't know. You, I think our brains just need to hear like different perspectives and different thoughts and different tones of voice sometimes to like snap us out. Back into the moment, um, you know, after 30 minutes, let everybody get up and get a drink of water. So you kind of move a little bit or something like you have to really watch your team, listen to your team and then have that open communication.

ngs are. Incredibly valuable [: 00:35:00

And you know, it's like, it's really healthy. I think sometimes to be like, Hey, This thing sucks. How are we going to fix it? Like, let's all talk about a solution to this. So I think those meetings are a good place to do that. So love, love that thought. Um, so my last question is, what advice would you give to a new office manager just starting in an orthodontic practice?

would truly, truly advise is [: 00:36:00

Become an office manager. That's the best because you've got production high and no one called in. You get it when they know you're gone. They feel it when you're gone, whether you're 2 hours going to be behind because you're at the dentist, um, or they just, there's a piece of you that's missing when you're not there.

And I truly think. You have to sit each of them down. You've got to understand them. You've got to know their families. You have to learn their love language. It's not going to be yours all the time. I would constantly follow up with people. I'd check in. Hey, how are you? They'd leave. I'd be like, hey, you know, are you, is everything okay?

ey know they can come to you [: 00:37:00

Or they'll go to the doctor and I'll get fired and, and I really just tried to just be there for them. I tried to understand and know, learn them. Not all of them want to be, you know, just sat down at a review and told the good and the bad. Some people need positive affirmation like daily and that's okay.

Know that, learn that and do that walk by, you know what you did great last week. I saw that heart patient. That was so awesome. It's the things that they don't expect and you, but you noticed, and I just think you have to be aware that is your family. They're not your employees. They're everybody there has a role.

ould. And I think the key is [: 00:38:00

And even if you don't give advice, I, I do think that's. It's probably something that people told me I was, I was great at and I don't ever feel like I'll be good enough, but it's the things of when you're gone that they realized they had. And I, and I do think that that's very important and it will help keep things running smoothly.

Lacie Ellis: Um, as I'm hearing you talk about this, I'm picking up on the thing that I know you're great at is that, um, I know you really care. Right. I think that's where it really comes down to being a really good leader is that you really care about your team. And I think, um, you've embodied that the whole time that I've ever known you.

ou support them and care for [: 00:39:00

So thank you for putting you out in the world because I think you're spectacular. And thank you for sharing these insights because I know, um, I know somebody is going to benefit from hearing you say all of these things. So thank you very much. So I really hope that you enjoyed our conversation today as much as I did.

Thank you for your time and for sharing your valuable insights, Tricia, you are a gem and very much appreciated.

Trisha LaRue: You're welcome. Thank you guys so much. Seriously.

ate the voices of the people [: 00:40:00

We'd love to hear from you about topic or guest recommendations, as well as questions or comments about the things that you're dealing with in your practice. Send us your anonymous questions or non anonymous. You can. Put yourself out there, um, send us your questions and stories to practice talk. com.

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Until next time, thank you for joining us on practice. Where your voice has value. Thank you for listening to the practice talk podcast. Head over to practice talk. com to ask us questions or tell us your stories. Until next time.