Dental Marketing - Tyson Steele Associates - Advanced Dental Marketing Concepts

Written By: Tyson Steele on 2010-02-12

As most of you know, our dentists are coached to utilize a unique framework for improvement in their practices. We call this framework "The Slight Edge Principle." Essentially, The Slight Edge Principle is based on the concept that most dental practice improvements are the result of many small, slight improvements consistently applied over a long period of time.

Unfortunately, many dentists try to make exaggerated improvements in their practice too quickly. Or they tend to go overboard, implementing improvements that can't be maintained for the long term. In a way, many dentists approach their practices the same way many Americans approach weight loss.

Six out of ten Americans are currently overweight or obese. For the most part, the extra pounds many of us carry around are not the result of three months of binge eating. Instead, those pounds are the result of many years of just slightly bad habits. (Think of it as the Slight Edge in reverse!)

Unfortunately, instead of changing long term habits, the most common approach to losing the weight is going on a diet. And diets do work in the short term. However, recent studies show that fewer than five percent of dieters actually keep the weight off in the long run. The key to successful long term weight loss isn't found in some magic sports equipment, binge diets, or New Year's gym memberships. The key to long term weight loss is simply a matter of changing your habits over many years.

So the next time you want to put your practice on a "binge diet," remember the Slight Edge principle. Work on your habits and they will work on you.