Emma Wilks is a Business Development Consultant at DPAS and has over six years’ experience in dentistry, mainly supporting dental teams to become more efficient and grow their income.
She is particularly passionate about building strong relationships with her customers and helping them find solutions to challenges.
In this blog, Emma discusses the need to stay ahead of both regulation and the competition, and the importance of communication when it comes to expressing expectations for your team and listening to your patients…
What is the most challenging experience you faced while working in dentistry?
The most challenging experience, was when I first came into dentistry six years ago not knowing anything about the industry or teeth! But I was given six weeks’ intensive training and I took the time to study and learn, listened to more experienced colleagues and immersed myself in everything in the dental world, and soon fell in love with this wonderful profession.
What has been your most memorable experience whilst working in the profession?
It’s probably more like most enjoyable, rather than most memorable – working the Hertfordshire area, where I met some of the kindest dentists who helped me to learn the industry and were so supportive in helping me succeed in my job role.
What are the biggest issues facing practice teams today?
The biggest issues stem from the constant requirements to keep up-to-date with compliance and the regulations. Dentistry now involves more paperwork than ever before; the days of a dentist being able to run the practice, treat patients and do all the admin without the support of a manager, and, indeed, a wider team, are long gone.
What advice do you have for practices looking to grow their business?
Really listen to your patients; this is the best way to grasp what their needs are and how your practice can become the solution they’re looking for.
If you could only pick one thing that practices should be doing in order to succeed, what would it be?
Nowadays there is so much competition, it is vital to understand what the other players in your market are doing so that you can stay ahead of the game and be the practice of choice for patients.
What key business lessons have you learned from your time in dentistry?
Firstly, make sure everyone in the team is aware of what’s happening in the practice at both a ‘big picture’ level (such as the vision and mission) and also at a more day-to-day level (such as patients due in that day, special promotions or offers that are running). This can help team members feel more motivated and invested in the practice, and also means they are aware of what’s expected of them and the impact of those expectations not being met.
Secondly, keep up-to-date with industry changes. Dentistry is a fast-changing, ever-evolving profession, and with the backdrop of compliance and regulation, it is vital for everyone, whether your role is in a practice or as an external consultant, to stay on top of these requirements.
What do you enjoy most about working in dentistry?
Every day is different, the industry is constantly shifting and it’s an enjoyable challenge to keep up with the changes. I also enjoy being the point of contact that a practice trusts to help them navigate through such a landscape and continue thriving.
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