The Strategic Thinker

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The Strategic Thinker

Watch every episode of The Strategic Thinker, a web series created by the Spark leadership team with insights and strategies for running a highly profitable dental organization.

This series is designed specifically for executives of group dental practices and DSOs to increase the value of the dental enterprise.

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Mid-Year Check-In: How to Evaluate Progress and Revisit Financial Goals

8.20.21

Most practices set goals once at the beginning of the year, but as months go by, the circumstances of running the business usually change. Costs shift, capacity shifts, and the overall market changes. So, as you look back at the goals you set months ago, is performance still on track to reach those financial goals by the end of the year? Does the strategic plan need to be updated with fresh numbers? What mid-year changes need to be made in order to have a strong finish to the year? And, if you need to make some adjustments, what’s the best way to go about it? 

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A Matrix for Successfully Onboarding Employees

6.17.21

In this episode of The Strategic Thinker, Drs. John Meis and Jason Howell map out the important priorities when onboarding new team members. Onboarding is a process that is often neglected in dental offices, but it’s crucial to the success of new hires. Without proper onboarding, productivity suffers, the patient experience can be affected, and turnover can quickly worsen. Watch this week’s episode to learn a simple system to create a great experience every time you hire someone new. ‍

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A Model for Hiring Team Members (Even in a Tight Labor Market)

6.3.21

In this week’s episode of The Strategic Thinker, Dr. John Meis and Drew Schaefer talk about how to navigate hiring decisions in your group dental practice in today’s climate. Even in a tight labor market, it’s possible to fill positions and grow your team with talented people. Watch this week’s episode to learn what to prioritize and how to handle difficult hiring and practice management decisions.

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How to Handle Compensation and Pay Raises in Your Dental Group

5.28.21

This week, Heather Driscoll and Drew Schaefer talk about how to build a company strategy around compensation, and how to communicate skillset tiers, pay bands, and the details of compensation with your team members. The most important element in compensation is clarity, being clear about how your compensation structure works, where the limits are, and where you can be flexible.

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Lessons We Learned From Our Favorite Leaders

5.6.21

This is a special episode of The Strategic Thinker. Dr. John Meis and Melissa Thomas are sharing the greatest lessons they learned from the leaders in their careers. Leadership is often a hard-won skill, and the greatest lessons we learn from exceptional leaders stay with us throughout the years. Learn the biggest takeaways from their favorite leaders in this conversation.

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Every week at Spark, our executive team releases Strategic Thinker videos, blog posts, and live broadcasts with strategies and insights into running your dental organization.

Once a week, we send out an email compiling all of the resources that have been released throughout the week. If you'd like to receive this email, click below to provide your email address and we'll send it out to you.

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