How to reset your dental practice when everything feels broken

Start small, fix one thing, and rebuild with purpose

The Client

“Dear Chris,

I hope you had a lovely holiday and are feeling refreshed.

I’m reaching out because I’m feeling completely overwhelmed at the moment. It honestly feels like all of our systems are either broken or falling apart, and I don’t know where to start to get things back on track.

If you have any quick wins or simple tips to help reset things this week, I’d be truly grateful.”

The Coach

First of all, thank you for your honesty – it’s something I hear more often than you might think, and I admire your willingness to reach out rather than soldier on in "quiet desperation".

When everything feels broken, the key is not to fix everything at once. That only leads to more overwhelm. Instead, why not take a look at the following reset framework to help you get your head above water in the next week:

1.        Stop. Breathe. Look at the map.

Book 30 minutes with yourself (ideally first thing tomorrow) and ask:

• What are the three most painful bottlenecks right now?

• Where is time, money or energy leaking most?

• What’s falling through the cracks that directly affects my confidence, the patient experience or team morale?

Write them down. It's one of those pen and paper moments.

Don’t solve them yet — just name them.

2.        Start with your daily rhythm

When systems are broken, the best place to begin is with the working day. This week:

• Hold a 15-minute morning positive focus. One goal. One priority. One win from yesterday.

• End the day with a 5-minute check-in: what worked, what didn’t, what needs attention tomorrow.

• This gives your team (and your mind) structure, even when everything else feels chaotic.

3.        Reset your five core systems (just one per day)

Use Michael Gerber’s E-Myth structure, but only one per day next week:

• Monday: Financial – What’s unclear? Can you review cash flow? What KPIs do you need to know?

• Tuesday: Lead generation – What’s happening this week to attract new patients? Are you visible on Google? Are reviews and social posts up to date?

• Wednesday: Lead conversion – Do enquiries get answered quickly? Is your front desk/TCO clear on how to convert leads, not just process them?

• Thursday: Operations – What’s causing stress in the daily workflow? Find one fixable task.

• Friday: People – Have you spoken with your team, not just at them? Any unresolved issues brewing?

You don’t have to fix each system this week. Just give it attention.

4.        Ask for one small improvement from the team

Invite each team member to suggest one thing we can fix or improve this week. You'll likely uncover small, manageable changes that give you momentum — and help your team feel part of the solution.

5.        Remember: broken systems are not a sign of failure

They’re a sign of growth. The systems that served you 6 months ago might be creaking because the business has moved on—and that’s good news in disguise.

You’re not starting from scratch — you’re starting from experience.

But for now — pick one thing from the above and act on it. That’s the best way to begin again.