Many dental executives see flexibility as one of the most important skills for leaders in the dental and healthcare industries as these fields continue to rapidly evolve over time.
Several leaders recently joined the Becker's Dental + DSO Review podcast to discuss the trends they're following in the dental industry and the skills effective healthcare leaders will need to be successful.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: What will the most effective healthcare leaders need to be successful in the next two to three years?
Rose House. Regional Director of Operations – Illinois at P1 Dental Partners (Indianapolis): I would say flexibility. As we are embracing technology, I think it's important to keep an open mind and really figure out how that works for your patient base, as well as your providers and team members.
Caitlin Reen. Clinical Director of Hygiene and Assisting at Tend: In the next two to three years, healthcare providers will, first and foremost, need to be adaptable to keep up with the ever-evolving landscape of the field. Change is the only constant. New technology and innovations are booming in healthcare right now, and the ability to pivot and adapt is crucial. Stay curious and explore the up and coming trends. Ask questions and keep an open mind. Welcome change. Healthcare leaders also need to maintain a clear vision. I had a great former leader once tell me, without vision, people lose their way. Define your vision. Know who you are, what your end goal is, and what you want the journey to look like for achieving that goal. Keeping your long-term vision in mind will also help you navigate through inevitable change and challenges that arise. Surround yourself with great mentors and a great team and the sky truly is the limit.
Mahtab Sadrameli, DMD. Smiles of Naperville (Ill.): For the very first time in this country, we have four different generations in the workforce, and each generation has different wants, needs and desires. As a leader, [it's important to understand] these generational differences, knowing that a boomer or a Gen Xer may want to stay with the same office in the same field throughout their career and grow with that office, while Gen Zers and millennials may want short-term employment because to them, changing careers may be a stepping stone for a better future job. So understanding the objectives, the priorities and the mindset of each generation is vital for the leaders when it comes to staffing. So much has changed since the pandemic, and leaders need to remain adaptable and think outside of the box to find solutions.
Ben Hernandez. CEO and Managing Director of Skytale Group: The technology and business models continue to evolve and they're going to serve providers and patients. The leaders who are going to be comfortable with that and effective with implementing this change are going to thrive, and we're already seeing it. There's a big differentiation between the ones who are able to adapt to change, get comfortable with change, and accept that this change is here and it's coming and it's going to continue to be here. The ones who solve for that are just going to ultimately have more margin to be able to continue to succeed and continue to grow.