The Dental Balance Academy comes to town

Well-known Melbourne dentist George Klein has set up the Dental Balance Academy to help dentists navigate through the process of achieving a balanced, profitable and fulfilling career in dentristry and life in general.

"Some Dentists seem to know how to be successful, to set up their life so it works, to be happy and have a highly profitable practice," Dr Klein said. "But this was not my experience, either as a dentist or as a person. I graduated from University and I thought my life would be rosy. I was well-trained, dedicated to providing excellent service to my patients and thought I had the ticket to success. Yet when I went into private practice I hit a brick wall.

"I imagined my patients would automatically appreciate my years of training and accept what I recommended for them. Many of them didn't and I was left asking myself why my patients wouldn't listen to me. Why didn't they appreciate how much effort I put into their treatment and how technically superb my work was? Why didn't they trust me to know what is right for them?

"Over the years, I experienced many problems. I was putting my best effort into providing excellence in care but something was missing. I became more and more disillusioned. I felt like a failure. The harder I tried, the less I succeeded. Disappointment and discontent were the 'norm' and began affecting the rest of my life. I almost walked away from the profession I knew and loved."

Desperate to find the key to success, Dr Klein attended more and more CE programs and scoured the world exploring many disciplines. This was both expensive and time-consuming.

"I spent a lot of money with consultants who offered solutions I was unable to implement. It took many years before I arrived at answers which really worked for me.

"I eventually realized that at the heart of the solution were my feelings. I began to explore my feelings, accept they were legitimate and use them to guide me to make the right decisions. I also learned to manage my negative thoughts and feelings to prevent these from undermining my success. As I learnt to integrate head and heart, my success grew.

"I changed my focus and began exploring other questions: 'What really makes me happy?' 'Could I really create my life around joy and happiness?' 'How would this work within my practice?' 'How does this tie in with practice productivity and patient acceptance of optimal recommendations?' I thought about the kind of practice I wanted and what services I really wanted to provide. 'Should I provide a broad spectrum of service?' 'What were the qualities of the team I wanted to work with?'And the most important question of all; 'How did I want my patients to feel?'

"I found that by using my head and my heart, I could be happy and successful. Most importantly, I could actually hear and feel what my patients really wanted and began creating optimal treatment plans that worked for my patients, my staff and for me.

"I recognised that these principles can be readily learned, not in a didactic lecture where a speaker talks, and we all listen. They can be learned in safe, fun, interactive workshops, held over several days and led by role models and leaders in their fields. We learn principles intellectually, but we can only change our behaviors through positive experiences and interactions.

"I am passionate about helping others to fast track the success process so that dental professionals can claim their passion for dentistry and for life. This led me to establish the Dental Balance Academy to complement existing dental education and provide dentists, dental specialists and their teams opportunities to learn fundamental principles of having an optimal practice... a practice, which enables them to be and do their best and delivers exceptional financial remuneration within an environment, which nurtures excellence, empowerment, authenticity, and inspired service.

"In the understanding that meaningful and lasting change begins in our heads and hearts and radiates outward into our practices and lives, the Dental Balance Academy is designed with feelings at it's core. Workshops cover many of the challenges dental professionals face, including business, leadership, technical, preventive dentistry and life issues. The academy provides unique opportunities to participate in events that have the potential to make a lasting difference in your professional and personal life."

While lecturing in the United States, Dr Klein met Dr Aalt Brouwer, who's work he had followed for some 20 years.

"We share a common mission to make a significant difference in the lives of those who practise dentistry. Aalt's education and experience make him uniquely suited for his work with dentists and their staff. His doctoral research explored the lived experience of success among dentists. He brings a fresh perspective on how to define, attain and sustain success. It is my pleasure to offer a unique opportunity to experience Aalt's one-of-a-kind approach at the DBA workshops The 'How To' of Exceptional Productivity scheduled for September and October this year where you and your team can discover how to develop your own exceptionally productive practice.

"People who achieve great things do so by reaching out to those who have the tools to help. This has worked in my life. I invite you to join Aalt and I as we explore what we hope will make a genuine difference in your practice - and in your life."