So, one of the taglines that we have is “Where you’re treated like a guest and not a patient,” but underlying that is that we have a discussion with our staff and with our patients that we always want to do something for someone and not to them. So we’ll have a catchphrase back and forth that we’ll talk about: four is greater than two. It’s always greater or better when you do something for someone instead of to someone, and I think that people know what that feels like, to have something done to you rather than for you. Extended beyond dental care—not dental care, medical care, whatever service that may be, and what that does is, it changes the intent initially. It changes your focus. What is the motivation for this? Am I doing it for someone, or am I doing it to them? And very quickly, when that’s done, you see people as not a means to an end. You see people as an end in and of themselves. It relates to the service model.
That’s the purpose. People, mission, vision statements, and all that can be helpful, but your main purpose is to serve, and so if you’re doing something for someone rather than to them, changes the complete motivation of the practice.