I have become inspired by the book “Work Clean” by Dan Charnas. The book takes a look at the idea of “mise-en-place” which is taught to cooks, culinary students, and chefs around the world.
“Mise-en-place” essentially means everything in its place, but Dan Chanas’ book takes a deeper dive into how this principle transforms the lives of chefs to make them more productive and efficient and how implementing these principles in our own lives can transform the way we work and live.
Upon reading this book, I believe that bringing these principles from the kitchen to the operatory can transform our dental practices.
Much like the culinary world, dental procedures have their own specific set of tools and “ingredients” so it feels like the idea of “mise-en-place” can seamlessly apply to the dental office. Instead of chopped herbs, our ingredients are bond and etch, but the principles apply much the same.
Charnas discusses 3 many principles that make up the idea of “mise-en-place.” These principles are the 3 P’s:
1. Prep
Anyone who has worked in the dental field long enough, knows the value of preparation.
In the dental office, preparation often begins with a “team huddle.” This is an opportunity for the team to look through the schedule together and make sure everyone is on the same page.
It’s the opportunity to identify concerns with patient treatment plans, outstanding account balances, or simply to remind the team which patients that day may require additional care during their appointment. Failing to plan is planning to fail, as they say.
For clinical staff, preparation goes a step further.
They need to ensure the proper instruments and tools are ready for each patient. There is nothing more frustrating to a dentist than having their assistant leave the room during a procedure to obtain a forgotten item for the procedure.
Preparation is important not only for efficiency but also for patient experience. Patients notice if the team is unprepared and it impacts how they view the practice and the confidence they have in those providing their care.
2. Process
Process could be synonymous with systems. We do not need to reinvent the wheel for every appointment. The team should have standards for everything they do.
Extractions should be set up with the same instruments each time. The most impressive dental teams are the ones who can read each others minds. Every dentist dreams of the assistant who hands them the next elevator without them ever having to ask for it.
Processes ensure nothing is forgotten and no time or unnecessary energy is wasted during an appointment. It makes everyone’s days run more smooth and it gives the patients an incredible experience that keeps them coming back to your practice.
Systems and processes should be written down. Business and Clinical team members should have operating procedures that can be referenced if they have questions about the practice systems. This prevents unnecessary interruptions during the day for team members to ask questions and frees up mental energy for more important tasks when the most common situations are already discussed in existing sets of documents.
3. Presence
Before reading this book, the idea of presence seemed irrelevant. I’ve seen so many people preach the benefits of mindfulness, but felt like multitasking was more impressive.
However, Charnas discusses that intense focus and presence during each task allows chefs to work efficiently. Presence in this example means being all in on the task at hand.
Dentists and Chefs alike are constantly balancing many tasks at once. Dentists need to be able to go from preparing some fillings to meeting a new patient in the hygiene chair minutes apart. Chefs need to fire meat for their entrée and plate their appetizers so that the meal gets to the customers on time. No task is more important than the other. Each task requires and deserves full undivided attention. Additionally, this intense focus allows you to think through the next step in the task so that you can be most efficient.
For example, Charnas discusses that if a chef is present and focused on their task while preparing their ingredients for service, they will not waste any energy- not even a single step. A great chef will realize all that is required of them, so that when they go to the pantry for potatoes, they will obtain all other ingredients housed in the pantry so they aren’t making another trip to the pantry later in their preparation session. This saves them from wasting time and energy crossing the kitchen multiple times.
The only way to achieve true presence and focus, however, is if you are well prepared ahead of time. In my practice, this would mean thinking through every step of the procedure and knowing what things can be delegated while you go to a hygiene check. Can your assistant finish curing the composite and remove the matrix band while you go check hygiene? If you were not fully focused on the task at hand, you may get up at a less than ideal moment to check hygiene and leave your assistant and patient wasting precious time.
Presence is increasingly difficult in a world full of divided attention and social media, but if we can work to plan and prepare ahead of time and give all of our focus to each specific patient and procedure we will be more successful. This can be easier said that done, but working towards more presence can only benefit your team, your practice, and your staff.
Keep Reading: Dentistry is about a TEAM
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
