The Value of Team Work in the Dental Office with Kevin Henry

Do I have a powerhouse guest today? Yes I do!

My friend Mr. Kevin Henry from IgniteDA is here.

How are you today, Kevin? 

Kevin Henry  

I am great. I'm honored to be here and thank you so much for asking me. This is going to be a lot of fun. 

Heather-Dawn  

I think so too. But before we get started Kevin, can you tell us a little bit about you and what you bring to the world? 

Kevin Henry  

Well, you know, above everything else. I'm a very proud husband and dad. That's the biggest thing in my life. And right behind that is trying to help dental assistants in any way that I can. I've been in this industry for over 20 years.

I have spoken to dental assistants and written for them since 2005. So, like you, they have a special place in my heart, and anything I can ever do to help advance the profession forward, count me in. 

Heather-Dawn  

Wow, that's wonderful. You have been championing the cause for many moons. So today, Kevin, I want to pick your brain about a really important topic. What do you think makes a good team? 

Kevin Henry  

You know, I think teamwork is the biggest thing. I think that you've got to lose the individual side of things.

You've got to put aside what's best for you and put forward what's best for everybody involved.

And, whenever you talk about a team and a dental practice, I believe it all starts with the dentist as the leader of the practice.

But we're not going to throw everything on the shoulders of the dentist to make a team come together because the hygienist, the assistant, the office manager, and everybody else in their practice have to say yes, count me in, and yes, I believe in this vision.

So dental assistants will come, and they'll talk about how the hygienist is doing this or how the dentist is doing this, and one of the biggest questions I ask is, "What are you doing?"

You know, I believe that's where true teamwork stems from. Is everybody doing their part to make the whole so much better? 

Heather-Dawn  

So, Kevin, I have a little different spin on leadership. I do believe that the dentist is at the helm. But I also believe that everybody is a leader in their own right.

The front desk personnel has expertise in that. I just need to listen to their thoughts to know how to improve that area.

Or the hygienist—there are things that the hygienist really does well at and would be able to evaluate far better than me. So what do you think about this feeling that everybody is a leader in their own right? 

Kevin Henry  

I could not agree more. I will tell you and I think that everybody in the practice or in any business has to own the space that you have.

You have to really take control of it.

You have to be proud of it.

You have to nurture it almost like a child and really help it grow and prosper.

That's one thing that makes my skin crawl a little bit. Whenever people say, "Well, that's somebody else's job," no, it's your job to be the leader.

It's your job to do a lot of things to make things better in the practice.

Don't rely on somebody else to be that. So while, as you said, the dentist is at the helm, everybody's got to be pushing things forward and being responsible. 

Heather-Dawn  

You see, that's why it's so important to drill down and talk about a team because, in a team, everybody's job is important. Right? I heard this story once.

This gentleman's job was to wind up the organ for Sunday morning. You'd never see him, but that's what he did.

And one Sunday, the organist was getting all kinds of compliments about the lovely rendition of whatever the song was. And you know what happened the next Sunday.

On Saturday night, the organ winder decided that he was not going to do his job. Sunday morning, my well-established organist went, and nothing happened.

The story is that everybody's job is important. There are some that may be seen more than others, but it really takes the team working together and doing what they do well to pull the whole picture together. 

Kevin Henry  

I love that story. And I love the fact that there are people who thrive in the shadows. They don't need to be seen.

They don't need to get a lot of kudos, but they still need to be appreciated for the role they play.

Now there are some folks on the team who want the spotlight, who want the kudos, who want all this stuff.

But I think it's really important, as you just said how important those people in the shadows are, that you honor the job that they're doing to make the team move forward. I couldn't agree more. 

Heather-Dawn  

Absolutely. And that's why I think respect and trust are so important because everybody needs to feel respected. And nobody's job is so small that they don't deserve that. You know, and people will try to convince you that your job isn't as important as mine, or vice versa.

And at the end of the day, if we don't have trust and respect, the team can't function well. 

Kevin Henry  

I agree with you. And I think respect really starts on the inside of us. You and I have talked about the English word that I hate most, "just." You know, and you've heard it so many times: "I'm just a dental assistant," or "I'm just that."

Immediately, that demeans us in the other person's mind.

So I think that respect is absolutely important, and mutual respect is critical.

But respect really starts with us respecting ourselves, knowing that the job we have is important, and really believing that every day. 

Heather-Dawn  

Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more. But a team helps to nurture that even more because, as you know, we have different personalities.

Some people will always come in and step in, and the room lights up. Others can be in that room forever, and you have no idea.

So it's a message of everyone's personality and what they bring to the table in order to create a dream team. 

Kevin Henry  

And I think in that dream team, you've got to be able to pick each other up whenever that is needed as well because, let's be honest, not every day is going to be perfect.

Not everybody's attitude is going to be 100% every day.

But that's where, as a team, you help boost the other person up, or if they're having a bad day or need something, you hop in, realizing that one of these days you're going to need that as well.

And so, I think that's something that we don't talk about enough with team members: that not every day is going to be sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns.

And how do we respond and work with each other on those days when the schedule is falling apart, you can't find a lab case, the handpiece is in the trash, whatever it might be?

How do we work better together on those days? 

Heather-Dawn  

I had to chuckle because I've experienced that. What you're saying is so true. And I think what we also have to understand is that there is strength in diversity. And let me explain to you what I mean by that. I'll give you a story.

I used to be the one sitting in meetings, and I could say, "Oh my God, don't let Kevin open his mouth because he's going to be the one that's the fly in the ointment."

Everybody says yes, and Kevin says, "Well, wait a minute."

Until I realized that everybody's perspective helps to build what we're trying to build.

Because while I see the big picture, Kevin may see the details, and it's important for both of us to be in the same space and feel comfortable enough to share that.

So I'm bringing something different. You're bringing something different,

Sue, Mary, and everyone else, and when we come together and shake it up. We come up with something fantastic. 

Kevin Henry  

I couldn't agree more. You know, I love to teach about personality styles and all the different things—as you said—the different views we bring to the table, you know, whatever they might be.

And so often, we think, "Well, wouldn't it be great if everybody was like me?" That would just make things easier, right? And honestly, it wouldn't, because, as you just mentioned, there are so many things that will be overlooked.

I will tell you that one of my biggest weaknesses is math. That's why I got into the whole writing side of things in the first place, so hopefully, I wouldn't have to deal with numbers.

But I have an amazing wife, and numbers are her strength. So we fit together well because my weaknesses are one of her strengths, and I think that's what we've got to look at in the dental practice as well.

Especially during the hiring process, that is, what hole can that person fill? What piece of the puzzle can they be?

And, yes, they may have a different point of view, but that is frequently required when trying to grow a business like a dental practice. 

Heather-Dawn  

Now, let's take it a step further.

Most of us have offices that serve a wide population. You know, you have gender differences and racial differences, and we can't all see through everybody else's lens, but if we're going to provide quality care for everybody that steps through the door, we want to be able to understand everybody.

We may not drill down into the details, but there are things that a diverse team can think about that a very homogeneous team might overlook and, honestly, may not mean to create a problem, but end up creating one. 

Kevin Henry  

Well, I think that you know, we have to be a tolerant society for society to grow and to move forward. And I think that's race. I think that's gender. I think that's sexual orientation.

There are a lot of patients who walk through our doors, and we don't know their entire story, but we always have to make them feel safe and included.

Because that's when they really open up to us and talk about their fears, pain, or whatever it is, and to have a diverse staff so that maybe this assistant connects better with this patient than this hygienist.

Okay, that's fine. Let's figure out how to maximize that relationship if you really find what works. 

Heather-Dawn  

That is such a key point, but it can't happen unless you have open honest communication. Unless the team feels comfortable sharing without feeling that they're going to be judged.

There's not much room for us to bring different things to the table for the team to think about and determine which direction they want to go in. 

Kevin Henry  

And I will say, you know, as corny as it may sound, what the office's mission statement is.

I think this is really important because it lets your patients know what your business stands for.

But it also lets your team members know that if you're choosing to work here, this is what we believe in. Not me, not you, but we.

So let's make sure that we hold up to those ideals, and if it says you're working with the latest technology or treating people like family, then I think those are words you need to live up to. 

Heather-Dawn  

Absolutely, it must be clear to the whole team what's important in this space. What our objectives are, what our mission is, and what our vision is.

I think offices that spend time in the morning just talking about the day and then sharing their mission and vision to remind themselves of why they make certain decisions or do or don't do certain things are important. 

Kevin Henry  

I know there are some practices that start with a morning huddle. 

I know some start with a morning prayer. 

I know some people start with an inspirational moment, a reading, or something like that. I think it's really important that everybody be there.

Everybody is there and participating and is actually present.

You're not on your phone. You're not already thinking about what's going to happen at 10 o'clock.

But absolutely something like that every day where you can say, as a team, here's what we're doing. Here's what we believe those things are really important. 

Heather-Dawn  

So here's the million-dollar question: There may be a dental assistant listening at this time and saying, "Well, oh my gosh, we are a set of misfits. We just don't gel together.

What can I do? I'm just one person." You know, do you have any suggestions for somebody who may be feeling that way? 

Kevin Henry  

Actually, I do, and I will tell you that I've worked with some practices that everybody thought were so different.

And I think it's easy for us, especially in today's society, to focus on what makes us different. And that's where you've got to find those things that pull you together.

Are there things that you're doing in the community?

Like the "Give Kids a Smile Mission of Mercy," you know, things like that. Many times, dental practices will take part in something that is important to everyone. I'll go back to my mission statement.

And I think that if there's nothing else that you can agree upon as a practice, there should be two things.

Number one, helping your patients, always comes first, no matter what. But the second is that mission statement, and if you're going to work in these doors, that's what you believe.

So I really think that that's a common denominator that you can use as the foundation and then hopefully build from there and find other things that each person believes and just keep building that house. 

Heather-Dawn  

I fully agree, but I also think that there are little things, just personal things, that we can do to make other team members feel a little relieved.

Maybe a cup of coffee for somebody who was running late, or, you know, I'm in the room so Mary can grab a quick bite to eat and return.

It's just being a good team member and teaching those people for whom it doesn't come naturally how to begin to care for each other. 

Kevin Henry  

From the time that we were really young, we were taught to treat others as you want to be treated.

I think that we forget that sometimes when things get busy. And I think we forget that sometimes we don't necessarily feel like we're gelling with that other person.

But, as you mentioned with that cup of coffee, I believe that hey, I got this, you take a minute to go to the bathroom or whatever it may be, those things are really important in practice, and I believe that they pay dividends in terms of building that team. 

Heather-Dawn  

Right? So here's where I go back to that original thought: everybody is a leader, and we can lead ourselves well and set the example for other teammates who may learn to be led by us without even realizing that they're being led by our leading by example. Do you know what I mean? 

Kevin Henry  

You know, I can't control you, and I can't control that patient who's coming in five minutes.

There are a lot of things in this life that I can't control, but I can control my reaction and my attitude.

And I think that's what we've got to keep remembering: that as leaders, you set the example. As leaders, you set the tone.

And so if I'm going to get flustered every time something bad happens, well, what does that say to the other folks who work in the practice?

So I think if you control your emotions and your mindset, that goes a long way towards not only being a leader but also really setting the tone you want to see in the practice. 

Heather-Dawn  

Absolutely. So with your years of experience working with numerous offices and advocating for so many dental assistants, is there a message that you'd like to leave us with today? 

Kevin Henry  

I think the most important thing that I always tell dental assistants is that the doctor's name may be on the door, but everybody builds the business, and everybody is just as important as the other person.

Going back to the story about the organist that you told, we don't realize how important other people are until they call in sick or until they're no longer at that practice and you're trying to fill that position.

So I think let's never say, "Oh, she's just" or "I'm just," but rather make sure everybody knows that they're important, including ourselves, and then really build upon that.

So that's the biggest piece of advice I would give: treat others as you want to be treated, as well as look at each other and see how valuable each person is every day. 

Heather-Dawn  

Absolutely. That "V" word it's very important.

When people perceive themselves to be valued it makes a big difference. I have a secret to tell you.

Everybody is important but the dental assistant is the connector. 

Kevin Henry  

I'm not arguing that with you at all. There are so many things that, if you are a dental assistant listening to this and you don't think you matter, I guarantee you are the exact opposite of that.

You matter more than you know.

And I hope that you will take a few minutes to really look at all the ways that you impact not only the business of the practice but your patients every day. I think you'll realize just how valuable you are. 

Heather-Dawn  

So I normally end our discussions with a quote, and today's quote comes from Henry Ford. And he says,

"The success of teamwork- Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is a success."

Yes, you and I both wish success to every office that is listening in today. 

Kevin Henry  

Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me on. It's been a pleasure. I'll talk about dental assisting anytime, all the time. So thank you so much. 

Heather-Dawn  

It's been a wonderful time of sharing, Kevin. God bless. And one thing I'm going to ask is whether you'd be willing to come back at another time. 

Kevin Henry  

You say when, and I'll be there, I promise you, my friend. Thank you. 

Heather-Dawn  

Awesome, awesome. I tell you, I love talking to my friend Kevin Henry of IgniteDA. We have such similar views on so many topics that it is just such a wonderful experience. The dental team is important to him and equally important to me.

We know for sure that a well-oiled machine team has to have leaders in their own right in every department, right?

And to be able to do that, we have to have the trust and respect of our team members. Because if we don't feel like we can trust people, guess what?

We're not going to communicate; we're going to keep our thoughts to ourselves. And you would not imagine how many buried ideas unspoken that we carry around daily that would make such a big difference if we felt comfortable sharing. Yes, there's going to be conflict, but conflict is good.

Conflict means that we don't agree and shouldn't. There needs to be diversity if we're going to come up with a winning combination. So don't shy away from conflict.

Conflict is good, especially if there is trust and respect.

Most times, you know, we all know what the goals are. The mission statement is usually shared, as is the vision, and if it's not, start looking at it on a regular basis.

Come together in the mornings and discuss how it unfolded with your regular morning huddle, and as you set the pace for the day, say your mission, your vision, and your goals together so you remember why you do this. You know what it's all about.

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This is Episode 17 of my Irreplaceable Dental Assistant podcast.

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