One of the more important things Frank and I have done recently is develop what we call the “Spear Framework.” The idea came about as we were thinking about how success in dentistry is created and how to outline the big picture factors that allow clinical success and practice success to go hand-in-hand. What we ultimately crafted was a story that is actually defined by three interdependent, equally vital frameworks.
First of all, every practice has a Clinical Framework that is centered around you, the clinician, and your standards of care for records, diagnosis, treatment planning, and delivery. This is the heart of the practice: the ability to deliver the best care possible for patients. It’s about believing in ideal care and believing that ideal care is what patients ultimately want, it’s just a matter of getting them to value it—and that can just be a matter of time.
That brings us to the Value Framework. As every dentist knows, you can be the best clinician in the world, but if patients don’t understand and value the choices you present, they’re not going to make the best decisions for themselves. So the Value Framework is about educating patients and giving them a vision they can get excited about, helping them prioritize their investments in their oral health, and helping them select the best course of treatment based on their long-term needs and goals. Sometimes this can happen in a single visit, sometimes it can take five or even 10 years before a patient is ready to make those good choices. The key is to have them see enough value that they develop a trusting relationship with the practice so that you’ll both be ready when the time is right.
Finally, there is the Optimization Framework, which is made up of everything else that supports and enhances those first two frameworks. The equipment and technology you use, how your team is organized and the training and education they get, strategies for scheduling, collections, patient retention, marketing, etc.—all the things that help to optimize the business of dentistry and allow care and value to co-exist with a profitable practice.
By recognizing that all your efforts at growth and improvement fall into these three components, you can simplify your life and your goals in a powerful way. It is a context in which to think about everything that goes into making a practice successful in the current economic climate and consumer-driven society.
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