If you're a dental professional, you've probably experienced the growing pains of success. You’re finally getting new patients consistently, but there’s a catch: your hygiene department is full, or you simply can’t find qualified RDHs to help with the influx. On top of that, the growing number of patients is pushing your team and systems to their limits. The waiting room is fuller than ever, appointments are getting harder to schedule, and the stress is palpable—for both your staff and your patients.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone! The good news is there are ways to manage a booming practice without sacrificing your peace of mind or the quality of care. However, it’s important to remember that no single solution will fit everyone. Let’s explore some strategies to help you regain control and reduce the stress of an overbooked schedule.

1. Pause and Consider Closing the Practice to New Patients

This might sound counterintuitive, but if you're drowning in new patient requests, consider limiting or "closing" the practice to new patients—at least temporarily. Nothing makes a practice more desirable than a “closed to new patients” sign! This creates demand and allows you to focus more deeply on the patients already under your care.

If you're not ready to completely shut the door to new faces, you can always limit the number of new patients you accept per month. This gives your team some breathing room and helps maintain quality patient care.

2. Shift from Symptom-Driven to Comprehensive Care

When you’re constantly busy, it’s easy to fall into the habit of treating only the most pressing issues your patients have—addressing one toothache at a time instead of focusing on overall oral health. By resetting your treatment planning systems and adopting a more comprehensive approach, you can streamline patient care and increase case acceptance for bigger, more involved treatments. This way, you're helping patients in a more meaningful way while potentially reducing the sheer volume of appointments.

3. Evaluate Your Insurance Contracts

This is a tough one, but if you’re constantly overwhelmed and feel like the financials just aren’t matching the effort, it might be time to re-evaluate your PPO insurance contracts. Dropping a few (or all) of these contracts could allow you to spend more time with each patient, improve the quality of care, and reduce the stress of having to see a high volume of patients just to maintain profitability. It’s a big decision, but it can be a game-changer for practices that feel bogged down by low reimbursement rates.

4. Dream Bigger: Sell the Practice or Pursue a Specialty

Sometimes, a practice outgrows your original vision. If your booming practice no longer aligns with what you really want for your career, it might be time to think about making a big change. You could sell the practice and take this as an opportunity to open a new office more aligned with your dream setup, or even pursue that specialty residency you've always wanted.

While this path isn’t for everyone, it’s worth considering if your current practice is no longer fulfilling your long-term goals.

5. Reset Profit Expectations

In the race to keep up with demand, it's easy to get swept up in the desire to constantly grow profits. But more patients don’t always mean higher profits, and burnout is a real possibility if you're not careful. Take a step back and reconsider your expectations for profitability. It might be time to prioritize balance—fewer patients but better care, better margins, and less stress.

6. Restructure Your Team and Systems

As your practice grows, your team and systems need to grow with it. This could mean bringing on more staff, but it could also mean rethinking how tasks are delegated. Are there procedures or services that you don’t enjoy doing but feel obligated to? Restructure your systems to focus on the work you love, and delegate the rest.

Sometimes, referring out certain procedures can actually improve your profitability and your team’s efficiency, especially if it frees you up to focus on high-value treatments you enjoy more.

7. Don’t Go It Alone: Hire a Coach

Last, but certainly not least, hire a coach. This is one of the most important steps you can take to navigate a booming practice successfully. When you're buried in the day-to-day details of running a busy office, it can be hard to see the bigger picture and find the way out of the chaos. A coach or mentor can provide you with an outside perspective, guide you through the changes you need to make, and keep you accountable.

Having someone in your corner who is as invested in your success as you are is invaluable. It’s easy to feel stuck or unsure of your next steps, and that's where a trusted coach comes in—helping you find clarity and focus when you need it most.