Dental Practice Management Archives - Page 4 of 14 - Practice Solutions Blog Practice Solutions Blog

July 1, 2020

The WE Team!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Gossip,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, dental office, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, Habits, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, Patient experience, performance, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:09 am

The We Team!

I refer to the leadership in a practice as the We Team! The We Team may consist of the owner doctor or doctors, practice administrator, manager, team lead and any other leadership roles in the practice. However, I will be focusing my message on the doctor/practice administrator relationship. It is imperative to develop a cohesive We Team. Without cohesive leadership performance expectations will be ambiguous and the team will conform to the lowest standards or expectations. Before you hire a practice administrator (PA) make sure you are ready to support them. I do not mean just financially. Consider the following questions before starting the hiring process:

· Can the practice financially afford?

· Are you ready to let go of some tasks and not micro-manage?

· Will you take the time to empower someone else co-lead your team and practice

· Will you support your PA in front of the team (any disagreements need to be behind closed doors away from the team)?

The relationship between the doctor and PA will be confusing without open communication and clear expectations. Many doctors hire a practice administrator without having clear expectations. They believe the PA can manage without direction. The only guidance given to the PA is to let them know when they are doing things wrong. This lack of leadership sets the PA up to fail as it is confusing for them and the team. I receive a plethora of different answers when I ask doctors and team members what they think is the role of a PA. The role varies greatly from practice to practice.

Doctors make a list of the tasks you would like your PA to do before you start the hiring process. This will enable you to write and ad that clearly defines the role. Or if you already have a PA and have not defined their role do it now. You can also use this list to discuss strengths and future expectations.

Clearly define your goals and expectations. I would suggest creating a task management list that include the following. For a more detailed list email me at judykay@practicesolutionsinc.net.

· Personnel/team management

· Overseeing patient management

· Practice management/productivity/promotion

· Property/facility management

· Any additional duties

Doctors and PA’s before agreeing to work together discuss the following:

· How well do your core values match?

· How aligned are your passion and purpose?

· How well does the PA’s strengths match the expectations of tasks and responsibilities?

· Do you both understand and agree on the role?

· Does the PA really want the role, and have the capacity to excel in the role?

I am blessed to have worked with hundreds of dental teams nationwide to help them build a happier, healthier, and higher performing culture with my Culture Camps. Here is a link to my Rise & Shine Culture Camps (https://www.practicesolutionsinc.net/culture-camp.html) The best results are dependent on having an aligned and cohesive We Team.

Start by clarifying your roles as a We Team.

Doctor’s Role:

The doctor’s role is to create a clear vision for the practice. Choose four core words that reflect the core values you want to have in your practice. They are important to define what they mean to you and prioritize. These core value words will help guide you and your PA in decision making. I have found that four core words are much more powerful and effective than a rambling vision statement. Email me at judykay@practicesolutionsinc.net if you would like my Core Values sample list.

PA’s cannot meet your management expectations without ongoing communication. Every doctor and every office are unique. How could the PA possibly know what you want them to do? Schedule adequate time to meet with your PA on a weekly basis. This will allow and opportunity for the doctor and PA to:

· Focus on the big picture and long-term goals

· Share thoughts and ideas

· Discuss and problem solve

· Review practice statistics and adjust goals

· Share patients and team kudos and growth opportunities

· Define marketing opportunities

· Discuss current projects and timelines

· Give feedback on PA’s performance

· Support your PA when confronted by a team member

PA’s Role

The PA’s role is to support the vision of the doctor in words, actions, and attitude. Support by inspiring, engaging, and empowering the team to implement the doctor’s vision. Which is why it will be imperative for the We Team to meet on a weekly basis to get and stay aligned.

A PA’s role includes the following:

· Sharing new ideas with the doctor

· Monitoring practice statistics

· Introducing new ideas to the team in a team meeting setting

· Utilizing a process/system to implement the new ideas

· Creating accountability processes

· Resolving issues

· Communicating with the entire team individually and as a group to keep everyone in the loop and aligned

· Creative problem-solving schedule obstacles

PA’s capitalize on your first 90 days by meeting with each team member individually to build relationships. Review current systems and processes and ask for feedback from the team on what is working well and any obstacles. Implement new ideas that are a positive for the team and easily achievable. This will help your team view change more positively. Take time to communicate with the team daily to keep everyone aligned and in the loop. At least 30% of your time to be spent working with team members. Be transparent and follow through with what you said you would do to build high trust relationships. Schedule time for social outings to have some fun together which will go a long way in building good will for stressful times. Share your knowledge and expertise and provide resources to empower your team to succeed!

The We Team relationships that soar are those that consistently take time communicate what they need from each other to successfully co-lead.

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June 1, 2020

The Human Side of Dentistry

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Gossip,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental management, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dentistry, drama, Empathy, energy, experience, focus, gossip, Habits, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, success, sustain, team, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 5:00 am

I am blessed to have the privilege of working in the dental industry since the early 1980’s! Working in the dental industry for many can become just a job! We must never, even for a moment, disregard that we are human beings caring for the health of other human beings. It is not just about fixing teeth. There are humans attached to those teeth! It is important that we focus on the human side of dentistry and become advocates for our patients’ health.

I would love to see every medical and dental team instilled with an advocate mindset. However, many of us have experienced a caregiver objectifying a patient by treating them like an object than a human being. For example, they make decisions for the patient instead of educating and asking questions to understand what matters to them. They have conversations about them in front of them and act as if they aren’t present.

I had a not so human experience during a recent visit to a radiology department. It started out great with the x-ray techs introducing themselves as they ushered me into the room and explaining the process. However, all manners and niceties stopped when the doctor who was going to be taking the x-rays entered the room. He did not slow down enough to take a moment to introduce himself or ask me if I had any questions before he started. He proceeded to rapid fire commands at me and then walked out of the room without further discussion. There was no compassion or connection. I felt objectified. As if I were just a task that he was in a hurry to complete. I understand that this may be a daily routine for him, but it was not for me.

It is vital that we remember when we are caring for our dental patients that they are more than just a task to complete to get on to the next one so we can finish our day. We are dealing with their health. What may be routine for us may seem scary or concerning to them. It is essential that we recognize the human side of what we do. It is our responsibility to take time to develop meaningful relationships with our patients, which allow will allow us to provide better and more comprehensive care. When we do this, we become an advocate for our patients’ dental health.

Here are five essentials to help you become your patients’ advocate.

Be happy to serve. Do you seem happy to the people you serve, both team and patients? Think about it for a moment. Would your patients and team describe you as happy? Do you greet others warmly with a smile? Are you happy to come to work and grateful for what you get to do? Do you focus on the positive and celebrate daily?

Get to know the human attached to the teeth. Ask questions to get to know more about what’s important to your patient. What has been their past experience? What are their goals and desires for their dental health? What are their concerns about treatment and what matters to them?

Educate your patient by having a conversation not giving a presentation. That means asking and answering questions as you go along to avoid assumptions. Stop the data dumping and present information in bite size pieces. Avoid industry slang and communicate on their level. Verify time, sequence, cost and compliance (what they need to do to support).

Focus on the WIIFTP (What’s in it for the patient). Show up 100% by being present in the moment. Always contemplate what would make your patient feel more welcome, more comfortable in the moment and help build a stronger relationship? Keep your patients in the loop by informing them what you are doing and why. It’s what we say or don’t say that creates the patient’s perception. We lose value when we don’t let our patients know what we are doing. If we don’t say it to the patient it doesn’t exist. For example, when you do an oral cancer exam explain to your patient what you are doing and the reasons why. Even for those patients you have seen for many years. Inform them every time. The why must always be a value statement highlighting the benefit for the patient not the practice or the team.

Address complications as soon as possible. Come from a real place of care, concern and curiosity versus judgment and criticism. Always consider what it might feel like if it happened to you. How would you treat them if they were a family member? Let me clarify, a family member you like! LOL! Start out by asking, “How may I help you?” Then be present, listen and hear what they are saying. Share with them how you can help them by saying, “I can help you and this is how.”

When we focus on being advocates for our patients, we will develop more meaningful relationships that will enable us to provide better and more comprehensive care to our patients. A win for the patient, practice and team!

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May 1, 2020

Communication to Stay Safe & Sane

Filed under: Accountability,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 7:00 am

Whew! What a year 2020 has been so far! I don’t know about you, but I feel like the rug was pulled out from under my feet. All my hard work and carefully laid plans disintegrated when the Covid-19 storm hit. My emotions were like a roller coaster ride ranging from anger and frustration to fear, confusion and sadness. That’s just to name a few. Normally I maintain a very positive equilibrium and I was definitely off kilter. I knew I had to get a handle on the negative emotions to get back on track. Otherwise, the negative would crowd out my optimistic outlook.

After some reflection, I realized I needed to search out the positive in the current situation; and let go of the negative that I could not control. I focused on the positive upside of more “time. I now had time to:

Spend with my husband and dog
Call and zoom with family and friends
Social distance with neighbors
Complete projects around the house including organizing and cleaning
Work in my yard
Take more walks
Work out more
create newsletters, articles, webinars and presentations
Volunteer complimentary help to my clients

I stopped focusing on the downside and things I couldn’t control such as:

Uncertain future
Loss business and income
Limited interaction with others
Restricted travel

I am sure I am not the only person struggling with trying to stay positive. There will be a wide range of emotions when we go back to work. The wheels are going to fall off if we pretend nothing happened and we just bury ourselves working to catch up. It will be critical to schedule time to communicate daily as a team. This includes the doctor(s). A huddle, first thing in the morning creates the perfect opportunity to check in with each other.

Have the entire team share their emotions. How are they feeling in the moment and why? Do they have feelings of fear, anger, judgment, sadness or hurt feelings etc.? What does the team need from each other to feel safe and work together better? What can they do to help each other more? It is important for the team to be sensitive to each other’s needs. We tend to think others have the same feelings and needs. Avoid judging and criticizing if someone is more emotional and needs more reassurance to feel safe and comfortable. There is not a right or wrong way to feel. Feelings are feelings!

Trying to stuff our emotions and pretend we are all okay will lead to meltdowns. If we don’t discuss our emotions, we will eventually burst, and everything will come spewing out. When we reach that level, we are often no longer coming from a place of care or concern, but instead a place of anger. When we act out in judgment, criticism, anger or negativity we can expect a like response. This is what I refer to as an emotional reaction cycle.

We can avoid emotional reactions by taking time to start our day with a team huddle. Initially we may need to extend our normal huddle time to accommodate discussing our teams needs and emotions in addition to our patients.

Be mindful of tone and body language when asking questions. The questions I suggest are:

How are you feeling about being here today?
Tell me why you feel this way?
What leads you to believe…?
Tell me more about…?
Help me understand why…?

These questions work great at home as well.

Do a recap of the prior day to discuss and fine tune systems and processes. This will help build clarity and confidence among the team. What worked and what didn’t? Define action steps to overcome obstacles. Avoid the blame game. We are all in this together and the more we help each other the better off we will all be. Practice verbal skills, role playing and the physical walk through to be proficient when interacting with patients. This will help the team feel confident which will ensure the patients feel confident and safe under their care.

Together we will rise up!

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March 24, 2020

Covid-19 Resources to Stay Safe and Sane

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Energy,Fear,Focus,Goals,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Rise & Shine,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, communication, conflict resolution, Covid-19, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental office, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 4:06 pm

Covid-19 Resources to Stay Safe and Sane

Emotions are running high and there are many different opinions on the severity and treatment. Dentists our burdened with decisions regarding patient care, their practice and team. It is imperative that we not go into panic paralysis. Instead let’s focus on steps we can take right now.

The lifter in me always looks for a rainbow after the storm. The good news is that this storm will not go on forever. We live in a very resourceful country. There is a national focus (government and private sector) on generating an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, respirators and ventilators. Our leaders are deploying ships and transitioning buildings to help beef up the health care delivery system. Scientists are working on medicine to treat and prevent Covid-19 in the future. Our current status may seem daunting. However, we will not only survive this pandemic we will thrive and be more equipped to handle any potential future outbreaks.

I am saddened and frustrated and even angry at times. Maybe you feel those same emotions as well. Those of you who know me well know that I am not one to stay in the poor me victim mentality. Instead I prefer to be a creator and act. Therefore, I have spent the last week reading and watching videos to learn as much as I can about Covid-19 to help keep teams and patients sane and safe.

Here are suggestions and resources (ADA, OSAP, CDC and Judy Kay) that you may find helpful in staying safe and sane!

Step away from the T.V. – limit to 15 minutes in the am and pm.
Consult with your accountant to understand your financial options. I recommend the following resources who specialize in dental practices.
- Kate Willeford – https://thewillefordgroup.com/
- Allen Schiff – https://www.schiffcpa.com/
- Chris Mahan – https://mahanassociates.com/
Road to Recovery: COVID-19 Info Hub https://www.dentalpost.net/covid-19-recovery/
- Clear Information for the Dental Industry from Trusted Sources
- As well as great resource to hire additional team members when back up and running

Create a patient flow protocol with your team for when you are back up and running.

Consider what will make our patients feel safe, welcome and comfortable?
- What do they see, hear, touch, smell and taste and is it convenient?
- Here is a FREE power point training module that will help – https://stcart.smarttraining.com/cart/product?industryid=4
- Scroll down and click on CoronaVirus (Covid-19)
Intake protocol questions to ask
- Have you traveled outside of the country in the last 14 days?
- Have you had contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
- Have you had any of these symptoms in the last 14 days?
  - Fever greater than 100
  - Difficulty breathing
  - Cough
- “Remember Mrs. Jones, if you’ve had the flu or a cold in the last 14 days or you’re not feeling well before your next appointment, please call and we’ll reschedule so you have time to recover.”
- “If you have flu-like symptoms, or if you’ve been exposed to a sever cough or cold by someone you know, please call to reschedule your appointment to a later date.”
Utilize posters, signs & floor decal communication
- Communicate hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
- Place a sign at the entrance to your office and strategic locations to let patients know they can reschedule if ill
- Use personalized floor decals to create social distancing. Create a unique positive message about your safety on each decal. https://www.stickeryou.com/products/indoor-floor-decals/689
Emergency care of patients – if more than one doctor – create mini-teams that work separately in case of exposure. It will prevent the need to quarantine the entire team.

Engage your patients during your down time – Try to touch base with your patients on a weekly in the following ways.

Contact (call yes call on a real phone) all patients that have been affected by the shutdown (canceled appointments). Reassure them that you will be there in the future to take care of their needs. Reinforce what you are doing to keep them safe in the future. Share the protocols and patient flow processes you are implementing.
Share the same information in short bite-size pieces on social media and a blog on your website. Take videos of team members utilizing standard universal precautions as well as new precautions.
Send an email and or letter to all your patients sharing this same information

Here is a great example of a letter my client emailed to their patients.

Coronavirus Update‼️‼️

Due to the recommendations from the President and the American Dental Association, we have updated our office hours and protocols to keep our patients and community safe. Read a list of our updates below.

Effective through _______, our office hours will change to _____________ for emergency/essential treatment only. Our goal is to help keep our patients healthy, keep dental patients out of the emergency rooms so that doctors can keep their spaces open for Coronavirus cases, and minimize the potential risk to our patients and staff.

We will continue to communicate to our staff and patients regarding our plan to return to normal business hours. Appointments will be rescheduled until April and May with additional dates/hours being opened based on the need to accommodate our patients in a timely manner once we return to a normal schedule.

Our practice has always followed the strictest protocols regarding infection control in the dental practice. During this time, we have increased our disinfecting protocol for waiting rooms and patient areas. Patients will be asked to utilize a “virtual waiting room” by calling the office upon arrival. They will be taken directly to a room, and our lobby will remain empty to prevent any unnecessary contact.

We have limited staff at this time and will only see one patient at a time to minimize exposure risk. Patients will be screened via phone, and those who are experiencing symptoms will be not be seen. Upon arrival, we will take patients temperature to make sure that those that we see are not experiencing any infection. We have phone lines open to handle your dental concerns until our schedule returns to normal.

We will do our best to accommodate you and ensure that you stay healthy and pain free! For dental pain, please contact the office at _______________

We appreciate your patience as we manage this unprecedented time. Our goal is to keep our patients safe and healthy. We are in this together! We look forward to serving you again soon!

Engage your team during down time – try to touch base with the entire team on a weekly basis.

Have weekly remote meetings (I like Zoom)– to connect and check in as well as discuss new protocols once you are back up and running.
Create clear protocols for airborne, droplet and contact precautions for clinical and business area. What will do in addition to Universal Precautions?
Practice verbal skills, role playing and the physical walk-through.

Clinical team
- Putting on and taking off PPE
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syh5UnC6G2k
- Room turnover and lab cases, techniques and disinfectants for Covid-19 (ADA & OSAP)
- Room and lab case sterilization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SiO-wLfAT0&feature=youtu.be
- Disinfectants that work with Covid-19 – https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
Business team
- - Intake experience
  - Check in experience
  - Consultation room experience
  - Check out experience

We are all in this together. The more we stand together and support one another the quicker we will rise above this storm.

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“What If” Panic!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental office, Dental Practice, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, Habits, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 3:30 pm

“What If” Panic!

The Coronavirus has created a state of panic. The dictionary defines panic as; a sudden overwhelming fear, with or without cause, that produces hysterical or irrational behavior, and that often spreads quickly through a group of persons or animals.

We are reaping the results of panic behavior hoarding, which is triggering shortages of disinfectants, food and even toilet paper. The shelves are bare in many stores. Some are even limiting shopping hours to allow their team to catch up with the restocking demands.

The more we allow our imagination spin fears of what if, the more panicked we will feel. We can spin ourselves into a frenzy. A constant state of panic can spiral us into a depressed mental state. It is vital for our mental health to change from fear-based thoughts to more positive action-based thoughts.

The average person has 60,000 thoughts a day. Ninety five percent of our thoughts are redundant. The same thoughts we had yesterday will be the same thoughts we will have today and tomorrow. Eighty percent will be negative unless we are mindful. What do you think about now on a day to day basis? Our doubts, fears and worries can paralyze us. What we think today, tomorrow and next month will determine our future health. The stories we tell ourselves become the life we live.

When we have faith in ourselves, we follow our gut instincts that we are born with. We become more powerful when we trust ourselves. Decisions become very clear when we trust our gut instinct. Ask yourself, what is factual and what is fear?

How many times have you changed your mind about doing something because of saying to yourself, “But what if this happens”? You just “what if’d” yourself right out of action. How many times has the fear of “what if” stopped you? The ironic part is that fear is only a negative prediction of the future. In most cases, what we worry about doesn’t happen. What happened, we didn’t even think about or worry about, and yet we still survived. It’s proof that worry is a total waste of energy and time. If we can learn to evaluate the real danger, as opposed to the perception of danger (what if), we will get a more realistic viewpoint and we will be less afraid to act.

Whether or not we act is based on our confidence in being able to handle the situation. Instead of worrying, think about an action plan. Having a clear plan will empower you with the confidence needed to act.

Imagine how much happier you would be right this second if the fear of “what if” did not rule your decisions. What would you do differently?

Action Plan – Here are action questions to help you stop the fear from stopping you. I suggest writing your answers down to make your plan of action more concrete

What is the worst-case scenario?
What is the best-case scenario?
What is the most likely thing to happen?
What action steps can I take if the worst thing happens?
What action steps can I take if the best thing happens?
What action steps can I take if the most likely thing happens?

Define measurable daily action steps. Then breathe and take the next step!

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March 1, 2020

False Assumptions!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Gossip,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental management, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, gossip, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 8:09 am

False assumptions run rampant and are often negative. Mary leaves at the end of the day without saying goodbye! I know what that meant! She must be upset! How do I know? Because I would never leave without saying goodbye – unless I was upset!

What happened here? I judged her behavior and assigned meaning based on what it would mean if I exhibited that same behavior. Maybe, just maybe, Mary had an important appointment she was in a hurry to get to…or maybe she had a hot date!

Consider these other familiar interactions:

A co-worker with whom you normally have lunch doesn’t make room for you to sit with them. Do you assume something must be wrong? In their reality, they likely assume that you would have asked them to make room or would have made room for yourself if you wanted to join them.

A co-worker asks you to do something in a different way. You’ve tried it that way before and it didn’t work. Do you refuse?

You have an encounter with a brother, sister, parent, child or spouse where there is a disagreement because of a difference of opinion. Of course, you believe you are right, and they are wrong!

We have surely all experienced scenarios like these! They are all examples of false assumptions based on our personal truths.

False assumptions based on our personal truths are the number one breakdown in communication. When we interact with others, we are always coming from a place that is dominated with our own experiences. Our expectations differ because of our unique and individual beliefs, opinions, and assumptions based on our experiences. These expectations become our personal truths upon which we base judgments of right and wrong. (Think B.O.A.T. – Beliefs, Opinions, Assumptions become our truths.

We all have unique and individual experiences, yet we expect each other to think, act and respond in the same way that we would. These false assumptions get us into trouble when we think others must behave in the same manner as we do, or their behavior is wrong. We think others must believe what we believe, or they are wrong. Once we understand that our personal truths, how we judge the world and what we believe to be right and wrong, are based on the unique and individual experiences we have, we can no longer believe that our answer is the only right answer.

It is important to understand and respect other personal truths to communicate effectively. Here is a three-letter word that will resolve 90% of your communication problems. ASK! When you get that twinge in your gut and you think… “Hmmm…I wonder what they meant by that?” or you find yourself saying “I think they meant this” – you don’t know! Stop yourself immediately from wondering and speculating and ASK! You will be surprised how many of your initial beliefs, opinions and assumptions are incorrect once you hear their intent.

Once you ask, listen to them with an open mind. Let them share why they feel the way they do or did something a certain way. We must stop judging with a mindset of right or wrong. Some things may seem 100% right to me and to you they may seem 100% wrong. Who’s right? The reality is that in many cases there is no right or wrong. Our judgment is based on our past experiences. If something I experienced in my past was positive, I will believe it will be positive again. Another person may have had the same experience, but it was negative. They will assume it will be negative again. Therefore, if we both described the same situation, it would differ greatly.

Let me give another example. I went on a hot air balloon ride in Napa Valley when I turned 50. It was a gorgeous day and I did not want it to end. I look forward to going again someday. Another friend of mine went on a hot air balloon ride, the weather was terrible, and the flying was scary. She has no desire to ever go on another hot air balloon ride again. I think balloon rides are awesome, she thinks they are awful. Who is right and who is wrong? See what I mean?

In your office, one team member may have had good experience doing something a certain way while another did not. It is important for them to come to an agreement to create a consistent process, system or protocol. They can start by sharing their personal truths about the experience. They must listen openly to each other and agree on an answer or solution that works for both. To come to an agreement, we need to understand it will never be perfect for anyone but can be good or effective for everyone. If we want our version of perfection, we will have to work alone!

It is important that we as individuals make a personal commitment to be open, respectful and understanding of each other’s personal truths. This is what enables us to communicate and interact effectively with others. Our success depends greatly on how well we communicate in our personal and professional lives. When we communicate openly, positively, and effectively we inspire connections and build sincere, strong, sustaining relationships. Our ceiling for success is instantly raised and the sky’s the Limit.

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February 3, 2020

Love Your Heart to Health!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,Rise & Shine,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental office, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, service, show your shine, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 8:51 am

February is Heart Month! Most of us focus on the love part. I am going to switch it up and focus on the health part. It is the perfect time to learn about your risk for heart disease and the steps you can take to be healthy. The perfect time to love your heart to health!

This has become extremely important to me as my husband Steve had several heart attacks in November. We felt blind sighted. He eats healthy and works out most days. Steve feels and looks healthy and goes to the doctor annually for checkups. We were hiking daily in the hills of Sausalito two months prior to his heart attacks. He felt great. Everything seemed to be good. We were utterly shocked when we found out that what we thought was indigestion was really a heart attack.

We feel very blessed that he survived. The surgeons performed an Angioplasty resulting in placing two stents and opening other areas. They refer to the 90% blockage Steve had as the Widow Maker.

We are so appreciative that several of my clients and colleagues suggested we read “Beat the Heart Attack Gene by Bradley Bale, MN and Amy Doneen, ARNP, https://beattheheartattackgene.com/. Reading the book has created a much better understanding of heart disease. I followed up with reading “Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!”. which supports the same information. The standard of care is geared to treat end stage disease. Who wants to wait until end stage? Instead, “Beat the Heart Attack Gene” focuses on prevention and what causes heart disease.

A quick checklist to see if it is time for you to request more thorough tests.

Waist measures 35 or more for women and 40 or more for men. (no this does not mean your belt size.) Use a flexible (sewing) tape measure to measure.
High blood pressure – 130/85 or higher
Low HDL – less than 50mg for women and less than 40 mg for men
High Triglycerides – greater than 150
Fasting blood sugar greater than 99

If you have 3 or more of these symptoms don’t delay schedule an appointment today! It likes 3 strikes in baseball…you are out!

The following tests are highly recommended by Amy Doneen and Dr Bale if you strike out.

A Cholesterol Test. A high LDL has been the focus on cholesterol as standard of care. The more important cholesterol number is your total cholesterol and HDL ratio (TC/HDL ratio). Divide total cholesterol by HDL. Based on studies they consider a TC/HDL ratio of 3.5 a desirable target and number below 3 to be optimal.
An Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) to monitor how your body responds to sugar after fasting.
A Carotid IMT test to check plaque levels in arteries.
A blood test for Lipoprotein A
A Coronary calcium scan
A Genetic makeup test to test for the heart attack gene 9P21

Doctors will be able to take a more preventive approach once they know the results of these tests. The treatment will no longer be based on the average person but instead customized to your specific health needs.

Love you heart to health!

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January 1, 2020

New Year! New Attitude! New Life!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Gossip,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental office, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, gossip, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 9:30 am

I love January and the start of a fresh new year! A year of positive possibilities and opportunities! You might want to check your attitude if you aren’t happy with your current status. Your lifestyle reflects your attitude. What is your attitude about life? Do you just get up, go to work, come home and go to bed? Or are you looking for something more out of life? Change your attitude change your life! Just as you can’t plant squash and expect to harvest carrots, you can’t have a negative attitude and expect a positive outcome.

One of the best ways to change your lifestyle is to change your attitude in how you start your day. How do you think and feel when you first wake up in the morning? Your thoughts set the tone for the day. If your first thoughts in the morning are: “Oh, I’m so tired. It’s too early to get up. My eyes won’t even open. I’ll just hit snooze and lay here . . . just fifteen minutes . . . just fifteen more minutes,” you’re off to a slow… negative start.

Instead, change your story. When the alarm goes off immediately jump out of bed. Tell yourself and anyone listening, I am going to make it an awesome day. I am ready for whatever comes my way today. Your brain believes what it hears. Look for things to celebrate in the moment. Focus on what is good or positive.

It’s time to step across the threshold into your office. Be mindful of your attitude as you enter. Stop at the door and give yourself a pep talk if necessary. Whatever attitude you bring to work affects the culture and the entire team. Smile and warmly greet your coworkers. These are the people who have your back! Treat them with kindness and respect. Just because you can get by with unfiltered behavior doesn’t mean it’s okay. The better you treat others the better you will feel!

Happily, help others throughout the day. It doesn’t matter how well you do your job if you don’t support your team when needed. Everyone loses if a patient leaves the practice because of a bad experience. It’s not for us judge whether a coworker is worthy of receiving our assistance. For example, being unwilling to help because we think the other person doesn’t work as hard or as fast as we do. Our job is to do whatever it takes as long as it is legal, ethical and within our licensure…from the moment we check in to the moment we check out. Even if it means helping others that we may not necessarily like. We are to treat people based on who we want to be as a team instead of judging whether they are deserving.

We must never forget that it is a privilege and an honor to be able to work in the dental industry. Don’t get lost in the muck of the mundane of daily tasks. Instead focus on the opportunity to change peoples’ lives. We help create beautiful smiles. A smile is the number one connector in any language! Our patients become more confident when they have a beautiful smile. We help people chew food which enables them to maintain better health.

Check in with each other at the end of the workday. Does anyone need help before you leave? A fond farewell is just as important as warm greeting in the morning. A warm greeting and appreciative farewell are great bookends to help make it an awesome day!

When we mindfully choose a positive attitude, we create a positive path of thinking. Our positive thoughts today create a positive reality tomorrow. We do create our own lifestyle!

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December 2, 2019

It’s Time to Celebrate!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,Gossip,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,Practice Time,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Respect,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, dental, dental management, dental office, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, focus, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 7:36 am

December is the perfect time to remember to celebrate our gifts. I am not referring to the gifts under the tree. It’s time to celebrate all the things already in our life. The more we celebrate the more joy we will feel. We truly get happier when we celebrate life every day. There is a power in celebration. Celebration lifts our spirits and empowers us to instantly feel happier. Celebrate even in the little things in life instead of taking them for granted.

Our health is a big gift! Many of us go through each day without even thinking about our health let alone feeling grateful. We focus on and complain about the little aches and pains. It isn’t until we really get sick or injured that we truly appreciate our health. The moment you wake in the morning give thanks and praise that you woke up. Live each day celebrating the gifts of health and life!

Our work is a gift that gives us purpose. Instead of seeing it as a gift, we may get lost in the muck of the mundane. Work becomes something to survive until the weekend. It isn’t until the normal days and simple activities are taken away, that we change our outlook. Celebrate the blessings in your work every day!

Our family and friends and colleagues (including the furry ones) are gifts that are often taken for granted. We act as if they will always be with us. We take the filters off and treat them disrespectful or unkind. Don’t miss a moment to show your people and pets how much you love them and appreciate them. Celebrate the gift of them being in your life!

We have been given so many gifts. What would you miss if it was no longer? Whatever it is, stop and take a moment to give thanks and praise. Whatever you would miss is a gift. Get in the habit of celebrating all the gifts in your life. Making a list of our gifts is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season. Take a moment to start and end your day celebrating what you are grateful for each day.

“Everything is here until it’s not… celebrate every second!” ~ Judy Kay Mausolf

Let’s take a moment and practice celebrating by doing a TA-DAH together! On the count of three, I want you to smile, throw your arms into the air and shout with passion in your loudest voice… “TA-DAH!”

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November 1, 2019

The Power of S.P.F.!

Filed under: Accountability,Affirmations,Appreciation,Attitude,Behavior,celebration,Change,cohesivness,collaboration,Communication,Conduct,Conflict Resolution,Constructive Conversation,constructive criticism,Criticism,Culture,Customer Service,Decision Making,Dental Practice Management,Eggshells,Elephants,Energy,Fear,Fly-bys,Focus,Goals,gratitude,Habit,Happy,Inspiration,Judy Kay Mausolf,Leadership,Leadership Matters,Meetings,Mindful Talk,Mindset,Motivation,Orange Energy,Patient Experience,Patient Focused Practice,Performance,Philosophy,Positive Psychology,Positive Thought,Practice Solutions Inc,R.I.S.E. Philosophy,Relationships,Rise & Shine,sarcasm,Smile & Shine,Strategy,Stress,Stress Monsters,Success,Sustainability,TA-DAH,Team Building,Team Meetings,Team Relationships,thought leader,Trust,Uncategorized,We Team,WOW Philosophy — Tags: appreciation, attitude, change, Coaching, communication, conflict resolution, cusotmer service, Decision making, dental, Dental Coaching, dental management, dental office, Dental Practice, dental Practice Management, Dental Team Performance, Dentistry, drama, energy, experience, focus, Habits, Judy Kay, Judy Kay Mausolf, leadership, Manager, o.r.a.n.g.e, Patient experience, performance, Philosophy, positive energy, practice management, Practice Solutions Inc, purpose, R.I.S.E., service, show your shine, success, sustain, team building, Thoughts, value, weeds, wow — Judy Kay Mausolf @ 6:40 am

The Power of S.P.F.

“Every moment you make a choice of what you want to keep, and what you want to let go of

…and that’s how you write your story!”

~ Judy Kay Mausolf

Here is the biggest secret about staying positive in difficult times. It does not take superpowers. It is simply a clear understanding of the power of focus. “Our focus creates our attitude.” If we focus on the positive, we will have a positive attitude. If we focus on the negative, we will have a negative attitude. Life seems positive when we focus on and our grateful for what is already in our life. Life seems negative when we focus on what we believe we are missing. The reality is we can find a reason to be happy and feel good every day. It is simple but not easy to do. Focus on what is good and right regardless of how simple, normal or mundane it may seem. See the value even in the little things. Don’t take anything for granted for it could be gone in a heartbeat. Practice giving thanks and praise daily for what is already in your life.

It is human nature to emphasize the negatives and downplay the positives. We are drawn to the negative! Just look at the news and the shows that get coverage in the newspaper, magazines and TV! Drama and negativity draw the biggest following. There are very few shows that highlight the positive. Negative is what sells! The sad truth is it is not in our nature to focus on the positive!

However, we can shift and change by developing S.P.F.! A Super Positive Focus! Focus on what is already in your life and your world and appreciate it. Think of three positive things in your life right now. It becomes much easier to do this if we embrace these simple facts:

Life is uncertain
Life is unexpected
No one owes us anything
Life changes in a moment

Once we embrace these facts, we will learn to appreciate what we have and what is regardless of what has happened and what isn’t. Regardless of how difficult a situation may get you can always find something positive to focus on. Even if the only positive is the lesson learned.

I am often asked how I stay happy and positive. I will share with you that it is not only because I meet nice people. I meet some of the same people that you meet who are not always so lovely! It’s also not because my life is perfect or that everything is easy. I have had many difficult times and things don’t necessarily go my way. Instead it is a choice I need to make every day! It’s a mindful choice to focus on finding the good in every moment.

I created two orange power bands as a reminder that we can choose to be positive and happy! One reads “Smile & Shine” and the other reads “TA-DAH”! I give out thousands to my clients and audiences every year. I wear one every day as a reminder and ask others to as well. They are available on my website at www.PracticeSolutionsInc.net. Wearing a power band can help us create a positive attitude. A positive attitude is extremely powerful and wide spreading. A positive attitude uplifts the mindsets of the giver, the receiver, and everyone in the vicinity.s

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