A Progress Report: Getting the Plan to Come Together

August has arrived. And we’re now five whole weeks into 2020, Part II. And looking back at our three-month temporary step back due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic, I haven’t stopped wondering about the A-Team. At first, I didn't understand.

We’ve invested in safety. We’re adapting to a new dynamic. We’re finding our groove. Our purpose remains, "Making a world class difference for others and making dentistry fun."

As we prepared for our return from an absence that began on March 16 and ended on June 22, we were meticulous. We stayed in communication throughout the entirety of spring; Team Leader Dani worked remotely from Day One. Four of us planned for over a month in May and June. All hands were on deck for a dental bootcamp staged a week prior to our official return. As usual, our office remained my home away from home.

We waited for our Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to become available and then delivered. We worked with our awesome contractor Jason to order, receive, and install the interior design changes that would meet all the necessary precautions. We applied for SBA loans. Don’t know about you, but I also tuned into Governor Cuomo’s daily briefings, in search of hope, leadership, and some humor.

During our first fully attended onsite meeting and even during some of the later scheduled Zoom conferences, I got in the habit of quoting Mike Tyson. “Iron Mike” once famously observed that “Everyone has a plan…until they get punched in the mouth.” The punch in the mouth we all continue to absorb is Covid-19. The punch with which my Team and I continue to deal is planning for the unknown and then adapting to it.

But we’ve planned for the unknown before; and we’ve grown. We explored the unknown when we began traveling the U.S. to train and learn. We grew when all our providers (Hygienists included) began providing laser dental care more than 22-years ago. We began providing Invisalign care just as soon as GP dentists could be certified. We doubled the size of our team and (only 2-years ago) our space.

So, with Covid-19, we’ve had to adapt and continue to do so. We’re all in this together. Having our oral health and a more robust immune system have never been more important. And our team, patients, and community are family.

As I’ve shared with our team, I’ll share with you; we’re going to experience some awkwardness, be surprised at times, and be challenged to adapt. We’re all human; no one in the family is perfect. And each imperfection offers the chance for a breakthrough and an opportunity to grow.

Let’s work together and spend some time in one another's shoes. Empathy guides us all toward being our better angels. And again, we’re all in this together.

We’ve been punched in the mouth, but we remain in the ring. Why not help one another be great?

Plus, who doesn’t love it when the plan comes together?