Creating a tech-savvy dental team

Power up your practice: Alan Clarke explores strategies to effectively train your dental team in embracing and harnessing innovative solutions.

In today’s digital age, integrating cutting-edge technologies into dental practice has become essential to remain competitive, provide the best possible care and disrupt the market in your area. 

But how do you transform your team into tech-savvy superstars? How do we take tenured staff out of their traditional mindset? How do we enthuse Gen Z new hires to stick with our business and culture for more than six months? 

Start with the right mindset

As a leader of your clinic or team, you are vital in bringing the energy and passion to the team. They will listen and feed off this and believe in the ‘why’. 

Begin by fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability. Encourage your team to view new technologies as opportunities for growth, rather than threats to the status quo. 

Reinforce the idea that AI and advanced tech tools are allies, designed to augment human expertise and enhance patient care. 

How do we do this? Blow their mind by showing them how their own favourite brands are harnessing tech to directly market to them or address their needs. 

I use the reference of Go Forward Healthcare, a US start-up that changed the game in terms of tech-driven GP practice. Its approach is about wellness first, rather than treatment of disease: a simple but profound shift in how we view our role. 

Share these examples of game changers with your staff. Perhaps take them on a field trip… eat somewhere that encourages playful ordering through iPads, or take them to the arcade and have fun with the video games there. 

Anything that makes tech feel real and provoke an emotional response is key. We took our staff to a tech-driven escape room to give them a fun-filled experience and bonding time. They were able to see how tech enhanced that experience, made them jump and laugh at the same time.

Assess your team’s strengths and needs

Identify the individual strengths and weaknesses of your team members. 

This will enable you to tailor your training efforts to address specific knowledge gaps and ensure that everyone feels confident and competent in using new technology. 

I personally feel this shouldn’t be a blanket approach. We all have strengths, weaknesses and areas we enjoy working in more. Lean into this: let them excel in their strengths, and demonstrate your commitment to them and their enjoyment. 

We have staff who hate computers and others who adapt so quickly! Buddy them up so they can learn from each other. Everyone has a smartphone, and spends a few hours daily interacting, so old excuses wear thin: if they can do Instagram competitions, they can learn to use our dental tech!

Choose the right technology

Invest in AI and technology solutions that align with your practice’s needs and goals. Consider factors such as ease of use, integration with existing systems, and scalability.

Pearl AI and Chairsyde have been an amazing tools for us in Belfast at Paste Dental. With real-time radiographic analysis and 3D patient animations discussing exactly what our treatment looks like, we have been able to empower our patients and take our team’s dental knowledge to a new level. 

We were super early adopters of this tech and now when the team sees how visionary we all were they have a sense of pride. 

The team’s capacity for change and adaptiveness has increased at the same time: I am blown away by how keen they are to move forward, so I harness it, listen to their ideas and plan the vision together.

Organise comprehensive training sessions

Collaborate with tech providers to offer hands-on training sessions that cover both the theoretical and practical aspects of using new equipment. Rather than fear change, let’s instead equip ourselves with the correct tools to use it effectively and really understand how to integrate this into our daily workflows successfully.

Foster peer-to-peer learning

Encourage team members who are early adopters or more tech-savvy to act as mentors for those who may be less confident. 

Peer-to-peer learning can help to create a supportive and collaborative environment. Gen Z can teach baby boomers lots of things – and that goes both ways. 

Set achievable goals and celebrate progress

Establish clear objectives for integrating AI and new technology into your practice and celebrate milestones as your team becomes more proficient. 

Recognising these achievements will motivate your staff and create a sense
of camaraderie.

Encourage continuous learning

The landscape of dental technology is constantly evolving. 

Encourage your team to stay updated with industry developments by attending conferences, webinars, or workshops, and sharing their knowledge with their colleagues.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll empower your dental team to become tech-savvy, adaptable professionals who embrace AI and cutting-edge technologies as integral components of modern dental practice. 

Ultimately, this transformation will lead to more efficient workflows, better patient outcomes, career progression, job satisfaction and a forward-thinking culture that embraces innovation as the key to success. 

Catch up with more columns from Alan:

Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.

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