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When things go wrong in Practice: Error, Mistake and just Culture in Dentistry
- Chris Barrow
- 15 hours ago
- 1 min read
In this month's newsletter, I’m delighted to share a guest contribution that I felt was too important not to include.
From time to time, something lands on my desk that makes me stop, re-read, and think: every practice owner needs to see this. This is one of those pieces.
When things go wrong in practice — and they will — our response as leaders determines whether we build a culture of learning or a culture of fear. The distinctions explored in this article are subtle, but absolutely critical: the difference between human error, poor judgement, corner‑cutting and recklessness.
As you read this, I’d encourage you not to skim. Reflect on your own leadership style. Consider how incidents are handled in your practice. Ask yourself whether your team feel safe to speak up — or safe to stay quiet.
It’s a powerful piece, and I’m grateful to our guest contributor for articulating something that matters deeply in modern dental leadership.
— Chris
Read the March 2026 newsletter HERE.
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By the time things go wrong, it is a bit late. Good leaders can pre empt what may happen and do the learning BEFORE things go wrong. Good leaders understand their ecosystems and situations, and also empower their teams to be able to respond to situations in ways that pre empt these. Unfortunately in a busy clinic, most firefight, quickly resolve an issue as time is tight, superficially resolve. The quick fix patches over the issue. Then the same issue resurfaces again in the same form or in a different form. Those who do learn from it, may resolve the issue BUT we live in unpredictable, non linear, no standard circumstances. The next issue is not the same as th…