Pursue dental consulting
If you are part entrepreneur, part practice advocate, and love the idea of being an agent for change, then consulting might just be for you. by Merry Greig Cosgrove, RDH, MS
I would not have made the transition from dental hygienist and dental hygiene instructor to dental consultant if it had not been for the prodding of one of my students. She thought I would make a great consultant and encouraged me to give a presentation at the local periodontal study club. That meeting changed my life.
At the break, a woman approached me, handed me her business card, and said, “If you’re ever interested in changing from education to consulting, please call me.” The woman was Sue Larsen, a dental hygienist who had become a senior consultant at Pride Institute. Six months later, I was the newest member of the Pride consulting team.
THE SKILLS
Consulting is the business of providing advice to a practice or a dental professional on how to improve systems, techniques, or processes. Dental professionals who love the business side of dentistry usually enjoy consulting. But the job also requires excellent communication skills; you need to be able to listen to your clients, as well as to communicate how to implement significant changes in the practice. Change is often difficult to bring about, so would-be consultants should be able to handle resistance, objections and disagreements.
An important subset of communication, is presentation, and those skills also are tremendously helpful in pursuing consulting. Being able to present your ideas and solutions to problems is essential to assisting a dentist and staff. Many dental consultants work with teams, small and large, so the ability to clearly present information to groups is essential. Effective verbal skills, listening skills, team communication skills, and facilitation skills are the foundation to a successful, winning career.
Other skills to consider: becoming computer savvy with word documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and e-mail programs; as well as developing your analytical skills and current dental industry knowledge.
THE SMARTS
Education is one of the best investments you can make in your future consulting career. For many consulting companies, a BA or BS is considered entry level. Education can include formal training, degrees, specialty training, previous consulting and advanced degrees. Ongoing education is essential for successful consulting.
Of course, when joining a consulting team, it is not always the degree, but the creative new ideas that will make you desirable to a potential employer. The ability to “think outside the box” and to learn new ideas, concepts, and methods of effective consulting allow clients to benefit from the best that your education has to offer. Being a learner as well as a coach makes you a winner.
THE PLAN
If you are interested in pursuing consulting:
• Develop your resume or curriculum vitae.
• Consider earning the educational credentials that will enhance your consulting opportunities. Or, determine the additional business courses that would be valuable to you—accounting, marketing, conflict resolution, etc.—and enroll in them.
• Attend courses given by a consulting company and make it a point to network with the people you meet there.
• Make a list of your skills, strengths, and areas that you need to work on and develop an action plan.
Merry Cosgrove, RDH, MS, is a member of the Modern Hygienist Editorial Advisory Board and a Senior Consultant for Pride Institute. You can further your education and meet Merry as she teaches one of Pride Institute's popular seminars in a city near you. Call Pride Institute today at (800) 925-2600 to enroll in one of her upcoming AGD-accredited courses, or visit www.prideinstitute.com.
