How do you navigate a challenge?

Every dental office will face challenges throughout the life of their practice, but some events can have a massive impact on the owner and the team. Some of these could be the unexpected loss of an employee, embezzlement, a cyber-attack, or any number of other things. How your practice responds to the event can determine your long-term success. The key to recovery lies in leadership, communication, and an organized plan.

When an office has a sudden loss of a team member, it is one of the most heartbreaking events your practice can face. In a close-knit office, your coworkers often become family. When a team member passes away or leaves due to illness, the emotional effect can reach every part of the practice—personally and professionally.

The same is true when experiencing an embezzlement or cyberattack, and these are more common than you realize in a dental office. As with anything, it is all in how you respond that defines your practice’s strength. If you act quickly, provide honest communication, and improve your systems, you can not only recover—but come back stronger than ever.

Let’s talk about handling these events and how you push through the crisis easier:

1. Recognize and Evaluate: Don’t ignore or downplay the situation to the team, but also in your own eyes. Act quickly to gather facts, document what occurred, and assess the scope of the impact—operationally, financially, and emotionally.

If the event is a loss of a team member due to death or illness, be sure to give your team space to grieve. Acknowledge the loss openly and sincerely. Recognize the individual’s contributions and the emotional connection they had within the team and with patients.

If the event is an embezzlement or cyber-attack, be sure to involve the support team that is needed, this may be your accountant, a certified fraud examiner, your IT company, or a cybersecurity firm. They will immediately want to identify the monies taken, information that was accessed, what systems were affected, and whether patient data was compromised.

2. Communicate Openly and with Compassion: Once you have verified information, inform your team and—if necessary—your patients. Reassure them with facts, provide assurance about the actions being taken, outline the plan for moving forward, and be open about what is known and unknown.

   
   

If there was a security breach or an embezzlement you will also want to notify the proper authorities.

3. Lean on Your Systems: Strong systems and protocols become essential in times of crisis. Whether it’s data recovery, insurance claims, or HR procedures, having documented protocols speeds up the balance in the office.

   
   

This may be the time to either implement or review your protocols. Be sure to provide training on the protocols and accountability to protect the practice in the future.

Also understand that productivity may take a dip. Reorganize your schedule, lighten the load where possible, and allow flexibility as your team processes the event. Many times, with embezzlement, the owner is dealing with a lot so they don’t realize the effect it has on the team as well.

4. Seek and Provide Support:  Involve consultants, legal counsel, or financial advisors when needed. Third-party perspectives can offer clarity and help you avoid reactionary decisions. Having a proactive approach as you move through the event is going to pay dividends when it is all over.

You may want to provide access to grief counseling if this is due to the loss of an employee. Crises often affect team morale. A strong, cohesive team is your most valuable asset.

Cyberattacks and embezzlement can create a lot of fear and confusion. You will need to train your team in how to answer patient questions as well as to know what to look for going forward. 

5. Lead with Purpose: Once your practice has stabilized, reflect on what happened, why it may have happened, and how to prevent it in the future if possible. Use the experience as a foundation for a stronger, more resilient practice.

   
   

Your leadership sets the tone. Do it with empathy, be present, available, and patient. Check in with team members individually and let them know their well-being comes first.

Experiencing a major event in your practice—whether it is due to loss of a team member, embezzlement, a cyber-attack, or any number of other possibilities—can threaten the stability of a dental practice. But these setbacks, while difficult, can also become turning points that lead to greater strength, structure, and accountability. Move forward with intention and it will all work out in the end.

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Janice Janssen, RDH, CFE, Consultant

At age 14, Janice Janssen got an after-school job working for her dentist. Twenty-something years later, she is the co-founder of Global Team Solutions and an expert in practice consulting. Besides hands-on experience, Janice has gained professional recognition for her hard work and commitment to excellence. She is co-author of OMG! Office Management Guide, the “bible” used in GTS training workshops. She is a member of the Academy of Dental Management Consultants (ADMC), and is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), which positions her as an expert in educating dentists to deter fraud and embezzlement in their practice.

Janice can be reached at: janice@gtsgurus.com