Are You Comfortable Showing the Backstage of Your Dental Practice?

In every dental practice, there are two areas: the front stage and the backstage. Both are crucial to the overall success of your practice, but they serve very different purposes. The front stage is what your patients see, while the backstage is where all the behind-the-scenes action happens. Today, we’re going to talk about why it's important for these two areas to be aligned and how maintaining cleanliness and organization in both can elevate your practice.

Understanding the Front Stage and Backstage of Your Dental Practice

Let’s start by defining the front stage and backstage in the context of a dental office. The front stage is what patients experience. It's the parking lot, the building, the staff at the reception, the waiting room, and even the magazines available for patients. These are the aspects of your practice that patients see and interact with when they first walk in.

On the other hand, the backstage refers to the parts of your practice that patients don’t see. This includes the sterilization room, the dentist's private office, the cabinets, and even the bathroom. These areas are equally important, although they often go unnoticed by patients. Maintaining a clean, organized backstage is just as vital as the front stage because it affects how your practice operates and the quality of care you provide.

The Importance of Cleanliness and Organization

I’ve seen many dental practices, and when I tour another office, there are a few areas I always check. One of the rooms I focus on is the sterilization room. Is it clean and organized? How does it look during the day, not just at the end of the day when everything is tidy?

Another area I always pay attention to is the dentist's private office. Are the papers scattered all over the place, or is everything neat and in order? I even check behind the scenes in the administrative areas, where I often find things like mints, paperclips, and other personal items. Is this space cluttered or well-kept? The cleanliness and organization of these backstage areas are directly linked to the overall success and reputation of your practice.

Why Alignment Between Frontstage and Backstage Matters

In our book Treating People Not Patients, we emphasize that in any practice, your “insides” must match your “outsides.” This means that how you operate behind the scenes should reflect the professionalism and care your patients experience in the front stage.

When your backstage is messy or disorganized, it sends a subtle message that you might not be paying attention to detail in other aspects of your practice as well. When I’m at my practice, I’m comfortable knowing that my patients could see any part of my office, including the backstage areas. This level of transparency builds trust and ensures that I’m always operating with integrity.

Transparency and Trust

I believe that transparency in both the front stage and backstage areas is essential. When patients sense that something is being hidden, it can create doubt about the care they are receiving. If your office has a cluttered backstage that you wouldn’t want to show your patients, it could be a red flag.

For example, I take great pride in how my office looks, including areas like the bathroom. It's one of the most expensive rooms in the practice, featuring marble and high-quality amenities. One day, a patient, who was a real estate agent, told me he’d visited my basement. He explained that as a real estate professional, he knew how to find places in a building most people wouldn’t, including basements.

He went on to tell me that he was impressed by how clean and organized my basement was, which, in turn, made him trust me. This is a great example of how even areas not seen by patients can impact their perception of your practice. The cleanliness of my basement gave him confidence in my ability to manage every detail of my office, and he ended up undergoing a full-mouth rehabilitation with me.

The Connection Between Cleanliness and Your Professional Image

It’s important to note that no one expects every space to be immaculate all the time. But when your backstage areas are consistently clean and organized, it reflects your professionalism and attention to detail. This consistency builds patient confidence and trust in your practice.

A well-maintained backstage is also a reflection of how you operate within your team. If your team sees that you’re committed to cleanliness and organization, they’ll likely follow suit, creating a more efficient and productive work environment.

Final Thoughts: Keep Your Backstage as Impressive as Your Front Stage

At the end of the day, the cleanliness and organization of both the front stage and backstage in your practice are critical. Patients may not see every room, but they can certainly sense when something is off. By keeping your backstage areas neat and professional, you’re ensuring that your practice operates smoothly and that your patients feel confident in the care they receive.

Take the time to inspect your practice from both the front and the back. If you find areas that need attention, take action to improve them. When your backstage and front stage align, you’ll be creating an environment that reflects your professionalism and dedication to providing the best care for your patients.