Part 2. Systems Control – Turning Chaos Into Consistency
By: Dr. David Rice
When a dentist shares they’d like more money and more time off, my first thought is, of course. My second thought is what I know they’re really after: freedom.
When most new practice owners feel overwhelmed, it’s rarely because they’re bad at dentistry. It’s because their practice controls them, rather than them controlling their practice.
If your day depends on everyone remembering what to do, who to call, and how to follow up, you have what most dentists have, chaos disguised as progress.
Systems Control is how you take back your time, your sanity, and your scalability.
Step 1: Understand Why Systems Equal Freedom
Systems aren’t bureaucracy. They’re leadership written down.
- They allow you to take what works and make it repeatable.
- They give your team structure, confidence, and direction.
- They free you from being the bottleneck in every decision.
Step 2: Diagnose the Health of Your Practice
Just like a patient exam, you and I can’t fix what we don’t measure. Start with these 6 KPIs that reveal the truth about your systems:
- New patient flow
- Case acceptance rate
- Hygiene reappointment %
- Doctor and hygiene production per hour
- Overhead ratio
- Collection %
If you’re a new owner within 5 years and you haven’t already, look at them weekly. If you’ve been at this for some time and have a handle on them, look at them monthly.
The next step is critical and often missed: discuss them in your team huddles. As they say…
Out of sight … Out of mind
So keep them in sight and in focus.
Step 3: Systematize the Patient Experience
Every practice thinks they have great service, but few can define what happens with every appointment type step by step.
Map your patient journey like a relay race.
- Who answers the phone … how … and for how long?
- Who owns the handoff from hygiene to doctor? From doctor to team? From front to back and back to front? And how long should it take?
- Who ensures every patient leaves with their next visit scheduled … from doctor side? Hygiene side?
Document each touchpoint. A 1% improvement at each step multiplies your production and minimises your stress exponentially.
Step 4: Create SOPs That Stick
Stop overcomplicating this. Use the 3-D Method:
- Document the task (write it clearly).
- Demonstrate it (show your team).
- Debrief it (let them practice, then review and decide what needs to evolve).
Every time a system breaks, go back to one of those 3 Ds. And if you need help, drop us a line here.
What feels very foreign to you is what we do all day, every day, in practices all over the US.
Step 5: Technology That Simplifies
Use tools that reduce friction. This is not about working harder. It’s about working smarter.
- Practice dashboards for KPI tracking
- Automated reminders for re-care
- AI caries detection for consistency
- Digital workflows for handoffs
And remember, your tech should serve your system, not replace your leadership.
Step 6: Leadership Lesson
A system is a promise you keep to your future self. Every SOP you write today is one less fire you’ll have to put out tomorrow.
Your Ignite Next Steps
- Choose one system that frustrates you daily. Document it … Demonstrate it … Debrief it.
- Review your KPIs weekly as a team.
- Run a monthly “System Audit” — what’s working … what’s not … what needs reworking?
The more consistent your systems become, the more control you have over your destiny. Next time we’ll hit the 3rd major control we all need: Financial Control.
If you need us before then, shoot us a message HERE.
Missed Part 1? Check out “Part 1. Clinical Control: Leading People to Clinical Excellence“
Together We Rise,
Dr. David Rice, CEO IGNITEDDS
