3 Things to Organise Before Your Next Clinician Meeting

Clinician meetings. They can be really useful. They give everyone a chance to get together, talk about what’s happening in the practice, share ideas, solve problems and make decisions as a team.

But they can also feel like a complete waste of time and effort when they’re not done right.

And as the Practice Manager, you’re often the person making the whole thing happen. You’re the one trying to find a time that works around the patient diary, organising the meeting room, working out whether lunch is needed, putting together the agenda and contacting everyone to see if they want to add anything.

Then there’s the preparation. You gather the numbers and information, find the notebook, print the paperwork and make sure everyone knows when and where the meeting is. You’ve put the work in and, hopefully, you’ve created a meeting that will actually be useful.

Then, as you’re heading off to the meeting, one clinician is running late. Then another. The meeting starts 15 minutes late, people aren’t engaged, someone is checking their phone and someone else is answering an email.

And you’re sitting there thinking, “Why am I bothering? This is supposed to help them, and they couldn’t care less.”

I hear you, sister. 💚

I remember this feeling well. And, if I’m being completely honest, there were times when I just wanted to cancel the whole thing, throw my hands in the air and ask, what is the point?

But eventually I realised something.

The meeting didn’t have to be complicated. It just needed to have a purpose.

One of the biggest things that helped was learning to separate what belonged in a team meeting from what was better handled in a one-on-one conversation.

Not Everything Needs to Be Discussed in the Group

When you’re putting together an agenda, one of the most useful questions you can ask yourself is: Is this something the whole team needs to discuss, or is this something better handled one-on-one?

Your clinicians may get much more out of 20 minutes sitting down with you individually to discuss their numbers, their personal journey, their patient care and where they need support. You may get much more useful information from that conversation too.

In a group setting, people aren’t always comfortable sharing everything. They may not want to talk about something they’re struggling with, they may have an idea but feel uncomfortable saying it in front of everyone, or they may need help with something but not want to raise it publicly.

That doesn’t mean the information isn’t important. It simply means the group meeting may not be the right place for it.

If you’re going to have those one-on-one conversations, though, you need to come prepared. Have the numbers. Have the patient feedback. Have the Dental Assistant feedback. Understand what has been happening in their surgery and where they may need support.

How can you help someone improve if you don’t understand what is actually happening?

The goal isn’t to catch someone doing something wrong. It’s to understand what they need and help them find their happy place.

And when your clinicians feel supported, that can have a positive flow-on effect for the whole team. Happy clinicians can contribute to happy Dental Assistants, and happy Dental Assistants can contribute to a happier clinical environment.

But that’s a conversation for another blog. 😉

So, What Actually Belongs in the Clinician Team Meeting?

You don’t need to bring every number, every problem and every individual issue into the room. Instead, think about the big picture and the things that affect the whole practice.

1. Bring the Broad Numbers

Yes, numbers are important. But you don’t necessarily need to go through every clinician’s individual performance in a group meeting.

Instead, look at the overall practice picture. This might include new patients, FTAs, cancellations, practice revenue and other key practice targets that are relevant to your team.

You can explain where the practice is sitting overall and then let everyone know that individual numbers will be discussed in more detail during one-on-one meetings.

This keeps the group discussion focused while still making sure everyone understands how the practice is tracking.

2. Discuss Things That Affect the Whole Practice

This is where a clinician team meeting can be particularly valuable.

Think about the things that affect everyone. Are there equipment issues? Problems with materials? New products the team needs? Recurring issues with burs or instruments? Areas where Dental Assistants need more training or support?

You might also need to discuss referral follow-ups, upcoming leave, changes to processes or anything else that is having an impact across the practice.

These are the conversations where having everyone in the room can actually make a difference. Someone might have noticed something you haven’t. A clinician might have a solution. A Dental Assistant might have a completely different perspective.

That is the value of a group discussion.

3. Ask Questions That Encourage Group Discussion

A good clinician meeting shouldn’t just be you talking at everyone.

Ask questions and give the team an opportunity to contribute.

What’s working well? What isn’t working well? Is there anything making your day harder than it needs to be? Are there any equipment or material issues? Is there anything the team needs more support with? Is there anything we could change that would make things run more smoothly?

You’re looking for group ideas, group feedback and group solutions.

Keep the personal issues for your one-on-one conversations.

Keep the Agenda Short and Sweet

Not every meeting needs to be 90 minutes long.

Sometimes, getting everyone away from the surgery for a little while can actually be beneficial. Go somewhere different. Let everyone take a breath. Have some lunch. Have a quick chat and then get back to work.

A meeting doesn’t have to be long to be productive.

If you can cover the important things, make some decisions and leave with clear actions, you’ve done what you needed to do.

And sometimes changing the environment can make a bigger difference than we realise. Stepping away from the surgery, even briefly, can give everyone a chance to reset and approach the conversation with a little more space.

Don’t Forget the Follow-Up

This is one of the easiest parts of a meeting to overlook.

You have the discussion. Everyone agrees that something needs to happen. Then everyone goes back to their day.

Two weeks later, someone asks, “Wait, who was doing that?”

Write it down.

For every action, where possible, record what needs to happen, who is responsible and when it needs to be completed. Then follow it up.

And yes, it’s okay to ask clinicians to take on a task when it is relevant. You don’t need to do absolutely everything yourself.

You will probably still be doing a lot of the follow-up. That’s part of being a Practice Manager. But you’re also part of a team, and teams work better when everyone contributes.

A Good Meeting Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated

The next time you’re organising a clinician meeting, don’t feel like you need to bring absolutely everything into the room.

Ask yourself: Does the whole team need to know this?

If the answer is yes, put it on the agenda.

If it’s about an individual clinician, their personal numbers, their patient care or something they may not feel comfortable discussing publicly, save it for the one-on-one.

Keep the team meeting focused on the things that affect the team. Bring the broad numbers, ask questions, listen to the feedback, give everyone an opportunity to contribute, write down the actions and follow them up.

Because a clinician meeting shouldn’t leave you sitting in your car afterwards wondering why you bothered.

It should leave everyone knowing what was discussed, what needs to happen next and who is doing what.

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll even get to eat your lunch while it’s still warm. 💚