Good enough is the enemy of great?

Michelangelo's Moses

I just read a post  by Chris Salierno, editor in chief of Dental Economics, tittled "What makes us great dentists makes us bad business owners" It's clever and well written but it makes me a little sad. I know which way the wind is blowing and at the moment  the bean counters and insurance companies are filling our profession's sails.  Saving money while delivering healthcare is the message being delivered  by those in charge of healthcare planning. This implies that  time is money and we are running businesses that should supply affordable dentistry to consumers.

Running a  dental practice that participates in most dental insurance plans can be a great way to generate new patients, but the fees allowed by many plans will not financially reward dentists who are spending extra time trying to provide their best dental services. To remain profitable many offices may feel the need to streamline their procedures so they take less time to perform and/ or make maximum use of their auxiliaries.

Essentially Chris's tittle speaks the truth, because sometimes being a great dentist may not be time efficient or terribly good for business. Creating dental masterpieces that last for decades is probably not a move that most graduates of business school would think of as good for business, but most really good dentists would be proud of work that is long lasting. Planned obsolescence is not an idea that dentists should be comfortable with,  since we are honor bound to do our best to help those under our care. No one promises us that our license should entitle us to make truckloads of money .

Although our society seems to worship those who are successful in their fields, does this mean that success has to be measured by money earned? I don't think so. Although young dentists may want the best that life has to offer, what we have is always sweeter when it is truly earned by our best efforts.

from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2019/04/good-enough-is-enemy-of-great.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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