🚨 Conflict is NOT the enemy—Avoiding it is 🚨
Let’s be honest for a second.
If your dental practice proudly says, “We don’t really have conflict here,” I’m going to gently call BS.
Because what that usually means is:
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People are swallowing frustration.
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Side conversations are happening in hallways and text threads.
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Everyone’s being “nice”… but nobody’s being honest.
That’s not a conflict-free, happy practice. That's what we call 'artificial harmony', and it's dangerous.
And just like in dentistry, ignoring it doesn’t make it go away — it turns into something much harder (and more expensive) to fix later.
Ever feel like your team is walking on eggshells? 🥚 Nobody wants to bring up the tension, so it just sits there… quietly rotting like an untreated cavity.
Here’s the truth: Practices with “no conflict” are actually the highest risk practices.
Because unresolved issues WILL show up — and not subtly.
Here's how they show up:
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Short tempers
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Passive-aggressive behavior
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Emotional exhaustion
- Burnout
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And declining case acceptance
Patients feel that energy the second they walk in.
💡 Key Takeaway:
If your team isn’t thriving, neither is your practice.
You can have the prettiest office and the best technology in town — but if your people are burned out or resentful, your numbers will reflect it.
Why Conflict-Ready Practices Win
High-performing practices don’t avoid conflict.
They get good at it.
They create a culture where:
✅ Hard conversations are normal
✅ Feedback isn’t a personal attack
✅ Issues are addressed early (not six months later in a meltdown)
✅ Everyone knows how to resolve tension instead of stuffing it down
Because team dynamics directly impact revenue. Period.
You can’t separate culture from production.
You can’t separate communication from case acceptance.
To Resolve Conflict, First Consider: You Might Be Wrong
This is the part nobody loves.
When conflict shows up, our brains immediately go to:
“I’m right.”
“They’re wrong.”
“Why can’t they just see it?”
We feel our rightness deep in our bones. So deep that we stop listening.
Here's a true story about a practice I currently coach -
Over time, the office quietly split into two camps. The assistants felt like no one else was pulling their weight, so they stopped helping.
The rest of the team got tired of the assistants’ attitude, so they stopped pitching in when things got hectic.
Resentment grew.
The front desk felt constantly criticized: “All you do is yell at us!”
The assistants thought: “We’re just pointing out obvious mistakes.”
Same situation. Totally different stories.
The result?
Zero trust.
Zero teamwork.
And a noticeable drop in patient experience.
The Turning Point
We got everyone in the same room for an honest conversation.
Not finger-pointing.
Not defending.
Just listening.
Slowly, people started recognizing how they were contributing to the problem.
They realized:
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They were making assumptions.
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They were misjudging intentions.
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They were justifying their own behavior.
Once they let go of their need to be “right,” everything shifted.
Comments that once felt like personal attacks started sounding like helpful observations.
People began talking to each other instead of about each other.
And the impact?
Night. And. Day.
Now when an assistant points out a scheduling mistake, the front desk fixes it — and the assistant thanks them.
Same scenario as before.
Totally different energy.
Because now they understand each other.
So… Are You Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
Conflict doesn’t destroy practices.
Avoiding it does.
If you want a strong team, you must:
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Create a conflict-ready culture
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Have a clear plan for resolving issues
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Teach your people how to communicate like adults
Your patients are watching.
Your numbers are listening.
And your culture is either helping you grow — or quietly holding you hostage.
🔍 Team Reflection Questions
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When tension shows up, do I address it directly — or do I vent to someone else?
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What story am I telling myself about this person or situation… and what’s another possible explanation?
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How do I personally contribute to stress on this team (even unintentionally)?
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When was the last time I owned my part in a misunderstanding?
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Do I listen to understand — or listen to defend?
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If I were a patient walking into our practice on a tough day, what energy would I feel?
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What’s one behavior I could change this week that would immediately improve team dynamics?
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Who on the team do I need to have an honest conversation with — and what’s stopping me?
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Am I more committed to being “right”… or to making things better?
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If everyone communicated the way I do, would this be a healthier workplace?