Numerous studies, and our experience coaching thousands of dental practices, shows that the patient’s perception of a good dental practice and dental provider is founded on how they see and experience your CONFIDENCE.

Patient’s service expectations rank confidence as the number 1 thing they expect in their dental experience with clear communication, time management, friendliness, listening and operational efficiency.

What is Confidence?

It is a term that describes a behavior of how someone acts, based on how they see themselves and their ability to perform roles, functions and tasks. Keep in mind that confidence is not a static measure and can increase and decrease based on the situation, events, fear, change or mistakes.

Confidence is deeply rooted and is a result of a person’s own self-esteem; what they think and feel about themselves and how they accept themselves physically, intellectually, mentally and if they feel worthy or valued.

Generally, people are attracted to high self-esteem and confident people; confidence is one of the main characteristics of charisma; demonstrated and evident in a person’s appearance, words they use when speaking, writing style and listening skills.

Low or High Confidence?

All of us can have periods of high or low confidence. We are often most confident when we are performing what we are capable of that is predictable, familiar, normal and routine in our role and tasks. We can be positive, productive, and fearless and accomplish great things when we are highly confident.

We risk sinking into low confidence if we are not aware when we feel inferior, or are learning something new, don’t practice, are negative in our mindset, over-critical, resentful, have a lack of trust, mishandle mistakes, or let our fear of the unknown win.

How to Keep Confidence HIGH!!

• Optimism – Be Positive – The basic rules of positive thinking are to highlight your strengths and successes and learn from your weaknesses and mistakes.
• Know your Strengths and Embrace Them – Know what you are good at and things that you know need improvement.
• Remove the Negativity – Very damaging to your ability to achieve goals
• Don’t Dwell on the Past – forgive and move on with what can’t be changed.
• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – what hill do you want to conquer today?
• Accept Compliments and Compliment Yourself – When you receive a compliment from somebody else, thank them and ask for more details; what exactly did they like?
• Face Fears – Head on as events that have not occurred yet and created by imagination.
• Break Down Large Tasks – Chunk into smaller sub-tasks and accomplish one at a time.
• Research and Learn New Knowledge – An eternal student breeds confidence.
• Evaluate Results and Goals – Move obstacles out of the way
• Recognize Your Own Achievements – Celebrate them by rewarding yourself and telling friends and family about them.
• Planning and Preparing for the Unknown – Everyday.
• Practice, Practice, Practice – Focus and progress.
• Manage Stress – Find coping strategies.
• Breathe Deeply – Get oxygen to the brain in upset or irritation.
• Begin Each Day with Doing – What you don’t like FIRST.
• Learn from Mistakes – Admit to your mistakes and be prepared to laugh at yourself as they are inevitable, especially when doing something new.
• Being Assertive – Standing up for what you believe in and sticking to your principles.
• Avoid Arrogance – As confidence grows and you become successful, avoid feeling or acting superior to others as we all learn differently.
• Stop Watching the News at Night – Read something positive before sleep.
• Learn from Criticism – Everyone sees the world differently from their own perspective; what works for one person may not work for another.