The Why: Teaching Dentists What They Didn’t Learn in Dental School
Canada boasts some of the world’s premier dental schools. Students graduate from Canadian universities equipped with the clinical knowledge and technical skills essential for becoming exceptional dentists. However, there’s a crucial gap in dental education and business acumen. Dental schools often fall short in providing dentists with the necessary business skills, leaving many to struggle when establishing or managing their own clinics.
It is necessary for dentists to upskill in these key areas where dental schools typically don’t provide training:
- Human Resources Management, encompassing aspects such as hiring and personnel management.
- Financial Management, including budgeting and financial planning.
- Business Strategy, essential for long-term success and growth.
- Negotiation Skills, crucial for dealing with suppliers, partners, and stakeholders.
- Leadership, which is vital for effectively managing a dental practice akin to a mini-hospital.
These skills are paramount for dentists navigating the complexities of clinic ownership, from leasing agreements to equipment procurement and patient loyalty initiatives.
The How: Dentist Business Leadership Programs
Recognizing the urgent need to enhance dental business education, I partnered with Schulich ExecEd, Schulich School of Business at York University, to introduce Canada’s first Dentist Mini-MBA Program. This innovative program is tailored specifically for busy dental professionals and is delivered entirely online, eliminating the logistical challenges of travel. The program’s design, crafted by dentists for dentists, ensures relevance, with dentistry-specific case studies reinforcing practical application.
Key highlights of the program first launched in 2021, include:
- Immediate Application of Learning: Concepts taught in class are directly applied in clinical practice.
- Convenient Schedule: Sessions are conducted via Zoom on Thursday evenings, minimizing disruptions to clinical commitments.
- Expert Instruction: Renowned Schulich ExecEd instructors and industry experts deliver engaging sessions in a collaborative online environment, drawing participation from dentists across Canada.
- Comprehensive Curriculum: The program integrates fundamental MBA topics such as leadership, finance, and strategy with dentistry-specific subjects including dental law, practice management, and leading transformative initiatives in the field.
- Capstone Action Learning Project (ALP): A centerpiece of the program, the ALP enables participants to tackle real-world business challenges within their own practices, fostering hands-on problem-solving skills.
I’ve kept in touch with many of the students after graduation. Many of the graduates tell me they enjoyed the networking and the capstone ALP.
The capstone project that our dentists perform throughout the program has really revealed their motivations in attending the program. They choose their own project to work on either by themselves or in teams.
They each have their own ways of doing this. Some want to add new services, increase patient loyalty, improve patient experience, boost their brand or prominence in the community, or formulate innovative ways of building a multi-practice company. Others are looking to start a consultant business. In all cases they are using the project to learn and practice the business-oriented approach to build a practical plan to achieve their goal.
They draw on classroom learning, on a variety of business topics, and coaching advice as they work through their project.
The Results: Practical Curriculum to Help You Successfully Manage Your Business
Below are some of the comments from past graduates of the Schulich Dentist Mini-MBA Program. The graduates share their thoughts and experiences during their 6-month learning journey.
“This was an amazing journey of learning from experts and experienced classmates. I wish this was available 15 or 20 years ago, but all good things happen when their time is due,” says Dr. Christopher Blair, owner of Palermo Village Dental.
“I thought the instructors were amazing,” says Dr. Sarah Hulland, owner of ABC Pediatric Dentistry in Calgary. “Schulich ExecEd put a collective of individuals together who complemented each other and created a very good overall experience.
She adds, “I encourage future dentists to consider this program as a ‘Must Have’ next step in their educational journey.”
Conclusion: Take Your Business to the Next Level
Programs such as the Schulich Mini-MBA Program redefine dental education by bridging the gap between clinical proficiency and business savvy, empowering dentists to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. By cultivating a new breed of dental leaders equipped with comprehensive skills, these programs pave the way for enhanced patient care, practice efficiency, and professional fulfillment.
To Find Out More about the Schulich Mini-MBA: Dentist Business Leadership Program and its upcoming session, please visit the Schulich Dentist Mini-MBA website or contact Robert Lynn at rlynn@schulich.yorku.ca .
About the Author
Dr. Michael Glogauer is a dental entrepreneur, clinician and scientist. In addition to holding patents for health devices and being an inventor of a soon-to-be-marketed diagnostic rinse for periodontal diseases, he has been an active member of scientific boards of start-up companies. He is Program Director of the Schulich Mini-MBA: Dentist Business Leadership Program and the head of Dentistry for University Health Network and Chief of Dental Oncology at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. He has received awards in recognition of his research excellence (more than 250 peer reviewed publications) and is a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.