The Importance of Your Attitude in Dentistry

Not that important—that’s the message I want to share. As dental professionals, we’re often focused on the tasks at hand, but what truly matters is the people we take care of. And that doesn’t just refer to our patients; it also includes our team. Whether you're a team leader or a team member, the energy you bring to your workplace significantly affects those around you.

The question to ask yourself is: Are you aware of how much your attitude impacts the people around you? I wasn’t always conscious of this. I used to think that everyone around me was there to serve me. I even wrote out my own big play, directed it, and thought everyone else was acting in my show. But, here’s the reality: everyone is acting in their own play. We all want things to go a certain way, but it doesn’t always work that way. Life unfolds as it will, not as we script it.

Be a Gift to Others

I always end my videos with the phrase, “Be a gift.” What does that mean? It’s simple: if I am present and fully engaged, I can be the gift to everyone I serve—patients, team members, family, friends. The way I show up makes all the difference. When I am at my best, it creates a better experience for everyone, and my life becomes a reflection of that positivity.

When we focus on giving, rather than receiving, we enhance not only others' lives but our own. It’s a lesson we often learn as adults, although we might not grasp it when we’re younger. I’ve found that giving is always more fulfilling than receiving.

Morning Meetings: A Key Ritual in Our Practice

We start every day with a morning meeting in our practice. I was speaking with someone today who works in healthcare, and they said they don’t have time for a morning meeting. They described their practice as doing a quick check-in, but I believe this is not enough. A quick check-in means you’re not truly present with your team, and that can leave people feeling unimportant.

In our practice, we take time to meet as a group—a group of individuals who care about each other and are committed to making the day a success. We go out into the office each day prepared to help people who often come in stressed out about their dental visits. Most people don’t look forward to their dental appointments, and that stress can be overwhelming.

Creating a Fun, Relaxed Environment

To alleviate that anxiety, we work to create a relaxed, easygoing atmosphere. It’s important not to take everything too seriously. When we create a sense of lightheartedness, it helps our patients feel at ease. One of our team members, Alex, shared a dad joke on Instagram today. It was a silly joke, but starting the day with a bit of humor goes a long way in creating a positive environment. We use dad jokes daily in our practice—it’s a fun ritual that brings us together and reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously.

We also start our mornings with something spiritual. This year, we’re using Seth Godin’s “Make Ruckus” calendar to guide us. If you don’t know Seth Godin, I highly recommend checking him out. He writes a daily blog, hosts a podcast called “Akimbo,” and has written over 50 books. He inspires creativity and leadership in a way that can positively impact your life and work.

What We Do Isn’t About the Procedures

What we do in our practice has little to do with the procedures we perform. People come to us for things like root canals, fillings, Invisalign, periodontal surgery, and dental implants, but the experience they have with us is what truly matters. It’s about how we make them feel, how we treat them, and how we show up each day.

Just like an artist creates an experience for their audience through music or drama, we are creating an experience for our patients. Our goal is to provide them with more than just a dental procedure. We want them to leave feeling heard, cared for, and supported.

The Power of Being Free and Easy

The message today is simple: be a little freer, a little more fun, and tell more jokes. If you can show up in your dental office as a gift to others, you’ll create an environment that benefits everyone. As I mentioned before, we start every day with a dad joke, and we even make up our own. For example, one of our team members, Danielle, came up with a great one: “What did the zero say to eight? Nice belt.” And then, “What did eight say to zero? You got nothing on me!”

Feel free to use that joke in your own office. It’s a fun way to lighten the mood and create a positive atmosphere. The key is to be the gift to everyone around you, and by doing so, you’ll see the gift come back to you.