Q
Recently, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the day-to-day operations of my practice and all of the administrative responsibilities. I’m spending less time practicing dentistry, and I’m becoming unhappy. What should I do?
A
Unfortunately, you are not alone. I’ve spoken with far too many colleagues who are unhappy, stressed, or even burned out because of the pressures of running a practice. If you want to enjoy dentistry again, I have two words for you: delegate everything.
Imagine walking into the office each day with one primary responsibility—seeing patients. You don’t have to answer administrative questions, order supplies, manage financial issues, or attend endless meetings. Instead, you spend your day moving from patient to patient, room to room, and hygiene check to hygiene check. At 4:30 p.m., you go home, then come back the next day and do what you do best.
Delegating allows you to focus on caring for patients without worrying about everything else because your team is handling it.
That is what the philosophy of delegation is all about. Read your state board regulations. If you are doing anything other than what only a dentist is legally required to do, stop doing it and delegate it.
So where do you begin?
Change your mindset.
Too often, dentists tolerate behaviors they shouldn’t because they don’t want to invest the time to hire the right people and hold them accountable. In my experience, this is one of the biggest leadership mistakes dentists make.
Recently, we worked with a client who introduced new hygiene technology, and the hygienist refused to use it. We challenged the dentist to ask three simple questions:
- Who is the leader of this practice?
- How much are you willing to tolerate?
- Are you going to let your team determine your success, income, and retirement timeline?
When you accept a team member’s refusal to follow direction, you’re essentially putting that person in charge. Remember, you are the practice leader and CEO. You make the decisions, provide the training, delegate the responsibilities, and move the practice forward.
This isn’t about being tough, difficult, or arrogant. Think about any successful company. The CEO doesn’t ask employees what they feel like doing. Leadership sets the strategy, communicates the direction, and delegates the work. Most employees embrace that structure because they value their jobs. And if someone chooses to leave because they won’t support the vision, it may ultimately be what’s best for the organization.
Of course, Levin Group’s philosophy has always been to treat people with respect, and the vast majority of team members are hardworking professionals who want to succeed. However, a small number of employees can hold a practice back, and you cannot allow that to happen.
As a positive leader, begin training your team to embrace delegation. Create a list of responsibilities you expect each team member to own. A highly trained office manager should oversee the administrative side of the practice. The dentist has one primary responsibility: delivering excellent clinical care and taking care of patients.
Summary
Many dentists eventually realize how much time they’re losing—and how much unnecessary stress they’re creating—by performing tasks that should be delegated. That realization becomes a wake-up call. Adopt a philosophy of extreme delegation, and your days will become easier, more productive, and more enjoyable. In many practices, dentists can increase clinical production by 10%, 20%, or even 30% simply by focusing on dentistry instead of administration.
We’ve implemented this philosophy in practices across the country, and we’ve seen the results firsthand. There’s every reason to believe it can work in your practice, too.
Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the CEO and Founder of Levin Group, a leading practice management consulting firm that has worked with over 30,000 clients to increase production. A recognized expert on dental practice management and marketing, he has written more than 60 books and over 4,000 articles and regularly presents seminars in the U.S. and around the world. In 2025 Dr. Levin received the Fauchard Gold Medal from The Pierre Fauchard Academy for his contribution to dental practice management. To contact Dr. Levin or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit www.levingroup.com or email rlevin@levingroup.com.
