Real Leadership, Real Systems, and Real Growth. If you’re a dentist trying to scale without losing your mind, or an office manager wondering how to take ownership of the practice, this blog is for you!

Too often the office manager title means “person who handles all the problems” rather than “leader who runs the business side of the practice.” But when an OM steps into true leadership, aligned with the doctor’s vision and armed with the right systems, the whole practice shifts.

Here’s how a practice grew production by $800,000 in a single year with one doctor, two hygienists… and one empowered office manager.

What Happens When an Office Manager Leads Like an Owner

This OM came from outside dentistry. No clinical experience. No dental software background. But he wanted to lead. And the doctor? He wanted to spend more time doing surgery—not running day-to-day operations.

With guidance from the Dental A Team, this OM became the integrator the doctor desperately needed: someone who could take big ideas, filter them through the practice goals, and implement them without derailing the team.

Instead of reacting to every fire, he started leading proactively.

Step 1: Clarify the Vision Before Building Systems

The reason most OMs struggle to “run the practice” is because there’s no clear destination. No North Star. No clarity on what kind of practice they’re trying to build.

So we started with the vision:

What kind of patient experience do we want?
What does success look like?
How do we want to operate as a team?

Only after those questions were answered did we roll out our proven systems:
✅ NDTR
✅ Block scheduling
✅ 5-star handoffs
✅ Role avatars
✅ ICRP
✅ Communication pathways

Because systems without vision just create busywork. Systems with vision create momentum.

Step 2: Shift from Manager to Leader

This OM learned the difference between:

Managing tasks vs. leading people
Doing the work vs. owning the result
Reacting to chaos vs. preventing it with structure

We coached him to:

Have honest, direct team conversations
Delegate with clear KPIs
Empower department leads
Make data-driven decisions
Coach and replace team members as needed

He started treating the practice like it was his. And it showed.

Step 3: Take Work Off the Doctor’s Plate

The doctor trusted the OM to lead meetings, manage the team, and make operational decisions—freeing himself up for high-production procedures.

No more decision fatigue. No more back-and-forth approvals.
Just aligned leadership and a clearly defined structure.

And here’s the kicker: the doctor didn’t work more hours. He just worked on the right things.

The Results: $800,000 Growth in 1 Year

In just 12 months, this practice:

Increased production by $800,000
Built out a roadmap for facility expansion
Laid the groundwork for adding an associate
Replaced toxic team members with aligned hires
Created department-level leadership and accountability
Reduced doctor stress without increasing hours

5 years later, they’ve built a new facility, transformed their community impact, and built a team of leaders, not just employees.

How Do You Get Your Office Manager to Run the Practice?

Start here:

Share the vision—What are you building and why?
Invest in leadership training—Don’t assume it’s instinctive.
Clarify systems—Use NDTR, avatars, block scheduling, etc.
Empower with KPIs—Let your OM own results, not tasks.
Get out of their way—Let them lead.

And if you need help? That’s what we’re here for.

Ready to Turn Your Office Manager into a Leader?

At The Dental A Team, we coach office managers to think like owners and lead like pros. If you want a team that:
- Solves problems
- Runs with systems
- Hits production goals
- Loves their work

Reach out at [email protected] or Schedule a call.

Don't forget to check out our podcast for more tips.

How to get your Office Manager to Run the Practice