Time management practices for the dentist.

Many people have been trained from childhood up through dental or professional school to depend on others to structure their time. Dentists cannot afford to rely on someone else to decide how their time should be used. As an executive in charge of your own business, learn the behaviors that your new role requires. Learn appropriate skills for taking charge of your responsibilities. This will require experience-based training in small group dynamics and interpersonal communication along with the usual business skills. This does not mean you need to become an expert in these areas. It does mean you must enhance your personal development to the point of being able to separate what is comfortable behavior from what is effective behavior. Plan and organize your duties and work assignments to get the results you want and to get rid of the stress that occurs with crisis management. Coordinate your activities so that you are clear how they relate to the results you get. Control the different factors that may influence your ability to choose how you use the time available to you. The crucial factors are your objectives and priorities. Focus on developing the ability to lead and direct your auxiliaries for effective use of time.