Onboarding vs Training!

I’m writing this as I fly back from London, where we hosted an incredible launch event for our AI-based education platform called EduStack.  EduStack is the culmination of a years-long effort to improve what I view as one of the biggest black holes in the dental industry right now: dental team training.  

I have long held the belief that hiring in the dental industry is a zero-sum game.  One practice hires a solid RDA, while the other practice down the road loses one of their most important team members.  I understand that the hiring practice could perceive this as a win, but that is a provincial mindset.  Dentistry already has a trust issue when it comes to patient perception.  It’s our responsibility to do everything we can to enhance the image of our industry, lest we be lumped in with the general discourse on the state of healthcare in America.  

"I believe that dental team training is the silver bullet."

Every practice I speak with, every affiliate we bring on board, all rate one thing as their single biggest point of frustration: their team.  Both dental assistants and hygienists have been exiting the dental industry in record numbers.  This problem is compounded by some of the lowest rates of enrollment in dental assisting programs in over a decade.  Shrinking supply coupled with increased demand has increased average wages for these positions by more than 30%, but the efficiency of these positions (measured as production per team member) has not increased at all.

Two things need to happen to reverse this downward pressure on profitability.

The first is that we need to turn dentistry into a career, not a job. I’ll be writing a separate article about that because it’s such an important concept for us to embrace as an industry.  

The second is that we need to change how we view the concept of training and education in the dental practice.  Wages will not be returning to pre-pandemic levels. They are permanently elevated. The only way to recover the increased cost is by increasing employee efficiency.  Digital workflows, systems, and the selective deployment of AI tools can get us part of the way there.  But the real opportunity lies in team training.

First, let me be clear on what training is. Training is the consistent and continuous application of a well-designed curriculum with measurable outputs, facilitated by a trained individual. FYI: I have yet to discover a practice (besides ours) that has a training program that meets this standard.

The reality is that what most practices consider training, I consider onboarding. Onboarding consists of one or two weeks of shadowing another team member, granting access to systems, reviewing handbooks and policies, and generally getting to know the culture of the practice. Onboarding is not training.

Training starts after onboarding is completed. Training is consistent.  Training is structured, meaning it is based on a curriculum, not just whatever fires were perceived by the practice manager last week.  Training is built into the schedule, a minimum of twice per week. It’s embraced by management and required of team members. Training continues in perpetuity – there is no finite end to it.

Several years ago I brought in a team of adult education theory experts to create a training program specifically for the dental industry.  We have spent tremendous amounts of time and effort and invested a huge sum of money in this initiative.  I believe that five years from now we will look back on this as the single most important investment we have made in the company. We have reduced turnover, improved productivity, and most importantly, have had a positive impact on the patient experience.

I’m not writing about this topic to brag on Alcan.  I’m writing this article because doctors and owners need to understand that their employees are absolutely the most productive asset in the entire office.  I get frustrated when I hear owners complain about their team, when in reality they haven’t given these individuals the resources to become better versions of themselves.  Dentistry is not the business of teeth, it’s the business of people.  The practices that embrace a culture of education and empowerment will undoubtedly steer the course of the industry over the coming decades.

PS I apologize about the extended delay since my last article.  We have begun to accept applications for potential Alcan Dental Cooperative affiliates again.  We have already filled the majority of open slots for 2026, and we have roughly 3-5 more slots available.  If you would like to have a conversation about joining Alcan, please reach out to Randy sooner rather than later as I’m expecting them to fill quickly.