Guided coaching program leverages Spear’s proven approaches to address common workflow challenges, align dental teams, and accelerate practice growth
You’d need a compass to navigate all the places Dr. Andy Janiga’s career has led him so far. A New England native, he earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania, completed a 1-year AEGD with the U.S. Army in Washington state, and was later stationed at a military base in Virginia. These days he’s back in New England, where he’s set to own The Center for Dental Excellence in Nashua, NH, next year.
Navigating practice ownership requires a compass of its own, and for that, Dr. Janiga turns to Spear Education’s Navigator, a new program designed to boost dental practice performance through structured coaching, educational resources, and self-directed and coach-guided tools.
“We’ve been slowly growing into a 2-doctor operation, and when you’re increasing the size of the practice, there are a lot of things to consider,” said Dr. Janiga. For example, systems and equipment might need to be updated, and processes that have been in place for years could likely be improved upon.
“The biggest benefit for me is our dental practice coach, Shayna, who gives us an objective view of what she sees and what we can work on to become better clinicians and also a better practice.”
Dentistry Is a Team Sport
Navigator’s skill-enhancing and team-building tools have helped Dr. Janiga’s office better understand patient dynamics and create a more collaborative team.
“We had a patient who was hesitant to move forward with treatment and pushed us off for years. We sat down and had a discussion with the whole team—assistants, hygienists, front office, and doctors—about what’s happened with this patient over the years,” Dr. Janiga shared. “With all our unique perspectives, we fleshed out a lot of really good ideas on how to connect with them, and as a result, the patient has since pursued treatment.”
Less than 10 years out of dental school, Dr. Janiga feels that Navigator is especially beneficial for newer dentists or team members who haven’t had much experience with running dental practice systems. “It’s given me a lot of insight into how metrics play into maintaining a successful practice,” he said. “When I’m fully owning the practice and in charge of the day-to-day operations, I’ll have a stronger foundation than the day that I left dental school.”
