Welcome to another episode of the Private Practice Playbook. Today´s conversation with Jaclyn Dunn focuses on a hard truth facing private dental practice owners: the perfect hygiene team isn't coming. Instead of waiting for the "right" team before making improvements, practices should prioritize building intentional systems that ensure consistency, accountability, and quality patient care — regardless of staffing challenges. One concept discussed was the tendency to delay growth initiatives in hopes of future stability, when in reality, progress is made by taking action with the resources at hand. The discussion explored how even average team members can excel within strong systems, while talented individuals will struggle if processes are lacking. Several points were raised, including the dangers of waiting for ideal conditions, the critical role of systems over individual talent, and why accountability should be a celebrated component of every high-performing hygiene department.
If today's conversation got you thinking differently about your hygiene department, imagine what could happen if you applied that same systems-based approach across your entire practice. That's exactly what we help private practice owners do every day at Practice Growth Institute. Visit mypgi.com to schedule a discovery call. We'll learn more about your practice, where you want to go, and help you determine the program that best fits your goals.
Timestamps:
00:00 Challenges in dental practice staffing
06:02 Addressing Hygiene Staffing Challenges
09:28 Never a perfect time for kids
13:50 New clinicians gaining confidence
15:58 Importance of patient retention
19:29 Challenges in hiring staff
22:27 Importance of communication in dentistry
25:04 Building a resilient hygiene department
30:51 Cost of inconsistency in practices
33:08 Importance of Effective Training
37:35 Importance of consistent patient communication
40:20 Improving patient care and retention
43:25 Improving team consistency and patient care
45:08 Building adaptable, resilient teams
The Perfect Hygiene Team Isn’t Coming
Are you waiting to hire the “perfect” hygiene team before making changes in your dental practice? According to the latest episode of "The Private Practice Playbook," this might be the very thing holding your practice back. In a candid conversation, Jaclyn Dunn, Clinical Training Manager at Practice Growth Institute, shares hard-earned insights from working with more than 800 dental practices across the country. Here’s what you can learn to grow a resilient, high-performing hygiene department — regardless of staffing woes.
Why Waiting for the Perfect Team Holds You Back
One of the episode’s main messages is the danger of delaying progress while waiting for the perfect hygiene team. As Jaclyn Dunn explains, many practice owners think once they hire a superstar hygienist or achieve full staffing, everything else will fall into place. However, this rarely happens. Practices often continue to juggle part-time, temporary, or even over-tasked associate doctors to fill hygiene roles. This staffing patchwork is common everywhere, not just in your office.
More importantly, waiting creates a holding pattern where other essential improvements stall too. Enhancements to patient communication, accountability, education, and critical business systems are all delayed, making inconsistency and inefficiency even more entrenched.
Building Systems Beats Chasing Superstars
Jaclyn Dunn shares from real-world experience that the practices thriving today are not the ones with fully staffed, long-tenured teams. Instead, winners are those who stop waiting and start building. They focus on creating intentional systems and clear processes so that anyone — whether a seasoned hygienist or a new graduate — can step in and perform well.
She notes that excellent hygiene departments aren't built on the talent of one or two "rockstar" team members. Rather, they depend on shared expectations, clear standards of care, patient communication protocols, and consistent accountability.
The High Cost of Inconsistency
One hidden drag on your practice’s profitability is inconsistency. Every instance where a patient fails to fully understand their treatment plan, doesn’t schedule their next visit, or receives mixed messages from different providers is a missed opportunity. These “micro-moments” accumulate over days, weeks, and years. While payroll costs are easily measured, the ongoing cost of inconsistency is a silent and expensive drain on your practice.
Jaclyn Dunn advises that the wisest investment isn’t just in hiring but in building reproducible, effective systems. When systems are in place, the departure of any single team member doesn’t derail the department. New hires step into a supportive environment and can quickly become productive.
Training: More Than Just a One-Day Effort
Many practice owners confuse information with true training. Jaclyn Dunn stresses that effective training isn’t about a single workshop or CE course. Lasting change requires creating action plans, setting standards, and following up with coaching and accountability. Successful offices don’t just hope that new knowledge sticks; they implement, build on each improvement, and track progress.
Practice-wide calibration and communication generate a trustworthy, homogeneous experience for patients. When every provider delivers the same high level of education and recommendations, patient trust and treatment acceptance soar.
Accountability: Not a Dirty Word
Accountability is often misunderstood. Rather than being about punishment, it brings clarity. It is about measuring results, celebrating successes, and coaching for continuous improvement. Healthy practices use accountability as a tool to align the team and ensure that high standards are being met, making every member feel supported in delivering exceptional care.
Start Now: Small Steps Lead to Big Results
The most actionable advice from this episode is simple: Don’t wait to start improving. Jaclyn Dunn recommends bringing your hygiene team together and honestly assessing if patients receive the same high-quality experience regardless of which provider they see. Identify one area to improve — be it patient education, perio conversations, or handoffs — then implement change and build from there.
Your practice’s future success is not dependent on finding the “perfect” team. It’s about creating resilient, supportive systems that allow anyone to thrive and every patient to consistently receive outstanding care.
Ready to build a stronger hygiene department? Don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect hire. Start today and invest in the systems that set your practice apart.
For more insights and strategies, listen to the full episode of The Private Practice Playbook featuring Jaclyn Dunn.