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Vision Statement
Imagine this.
It's Saturday night, about 9:30.
You have decided to watch the late version of the local evening news. You are comfortably nestled in front of your TV waiting to hear about the events of the day. The news broadcaster is standing with microphone in hand in front of a place you recognize immediately. You know this place well. Very well, in fact. You are taken somewhat by surprise. Why in the world would the local news be taping a segment about this place, this rather normal place, where you work, this place called the Longfellow Practice?
Your interest is piqued. As you scoot even closer to the TV, the reporter begins.
"We are reporting from Tempe this evening to tell you about a rather unique approach to, of all things ... dentistry. Not JUST dentistry, but dental care for children in an atmosphere and under conditions of compassion, care, comfort, and education that simply doesn't exist anywhere else in Arizona, or perhaps in the entire Southwest."
The reporter goes on to say, "In just a few minutes we'll be enjoying a tour of this new and innovative facility, and we'll even see members of the Longfellow Practice at work. At work in a place perhaps destined to become a center for the application and advancement of children's dentistry. Simply stated, according to those who work here . . . 'a children's place.' Don't go away, we'll be right back."
"How cool" you think to yourself. Quick, get to the phone. With fingers racing, you find yourself dialing as many friends and family as you can.
Your message is short and to the point, "Turn on channel 3, right now, we're on the news, bye!" "It's amazing," you think to yourself, nestling back into your favorite place on the couch, "to think that all the work we went through actually made the news, how fantastic!!"
For an eternity, a Toyota commercial touts the excellence of the latest 4-wheel truck, followed neatly by a Monday night football ad, a few words for Diet Coke, and 30 seconds devoted to discovering how to finally defeat hemorrhoids.
The tension is mounting.
"What are they going to say?" you wonder as the TV screen finally, reluctantly, gives way to a continuation of this rather remarkable story, one which you helped create.
The reporter continues as she walks to the Longfellow Practice's entry, where there are two doors, one for 'big people,' and one for 'patients.'
"Here at the Longfellow Practice, a child is considered far more than just a patient. They are something special." As the camera scans the uniquely warm, creative, and inviting lobby, the reporter continues, "Children and their parents receive not only high quality care, they receive information.
Important information. Anxiety and tension settling information. Information obtained through conversation with patient care coordinators, dental assistants and hygenists, the dentists themselves, and a host of others, all extremely knowlegeable not only in the dental needs of the children they serve, but the natural curiosity and concern of their parents."
Looking a bit more businesslike as she sauntered through the operations center of the Practice, the reporter continued, "Questions related to dental services, research, health and hygiene, insurance coverage, and financial arrangements are answered on the spot with the aid of high tech office equipment. No waiting, no unanswered questions, no 'There's nothing we can do" excuses. Everything here operates, believe it or not, like a dream. The stereotypical 'waiting room' simply doesn't exist at the Longfellow Practice. "
By now, you are sitting on the edge of the couch, your face seems just inches from the screen. The camera is sweeping around the interior of the office. Your workplace is on the news! All that talk about changes and making the Practice a place of compassion and high quality care, research, education, and community service actually caused so much of an impact that the media believe it newsworthy for over a million people. "Not bad ... not bad at all," you think to yourself as the reporter continues.
"Here at the Longfellow Practice." she says, "the staff meets regularly in an open forum of dialogue to evaluate not only their high-technology approach to children's dentistry, but their ongoing training, research, and community service efforts. Employees here enjoy a family-like atmosphere and are eagerly encouraged to get involved in the functions best suited for their career path, whether it be dealing directly with children in a clinical and educational setting that has as its additional goal increasing the child's' sense of self-worth, or getting involved in an array of research activities designed to discover key relationships between customer satisfaction and emerging high-tech approaches to the delicate art and science of children's dental services."
Right at the wrong time, the phone rings. "Who could be calling now?" you wonder.
Keeping your attention glued to the TV, and after a long stretch to a phone nearby, your rushed and somewhat annoyed voice says "Hello."
"You guys are on TV. You know it? Is your TV on?"
"Yeah, it's on." Your reply rushed and simmering slightly with deliberate inattention. "What's this all about?" the voice inquires.
"Just listen, I'll call you back ... bye"
"OK, but right away, OK?"
"OK, bye"
Somewhat proud of yourself for handling a phone call during the hottest news broadcast you've ever seen, without losing a beat, you reconnect solidly with the broadcaster, now walking casually through the newly decorated building.
You decide to leave the phone off the hook.
She continues. "What is particularly interesting about the Longfellow Practice is how they got to where they are. Over a period of more than a year, planning sessions that involved members of the Practice, focused on how to transform a vision, a dream really, into what we see here today.
Staff members formed teams and collaborated to redesign the way work is done and how patients and parents are treated. These 'design teams' continually sought new ways to build a culture of unsolicited contribution among the employees. In other words," she continued, "this place has become such an enjoyable experience for its staff, that many members extend extra time and effort to build a working community that passes the ultimate test."
"Ultimate test," you think to yourself. "I guess that's a good way of saying it."
"The ultimate test" she continues as the camera scans Longfellow members attending to patients, and generously providing information and support to parents, "is to create a workplace where you would like your own children to work. It's sort of a litmus test of job satisfaction" she goes on to say. "If members of the Longfellow Practice are so satisfied and fulfilled here, that they would recommend it to their own children as a workplace ... well, that just about says it all."
"And there's more" she says.
"The Longfellow Practice's success has enabled them to not only apply what they have learned over the formative years of their work, now they even teach others what they have learned. Formal education and training services are available, and, from what we've learned from our own research, are being actively pursued by many other dentist's offices throughout the Valley."
By now, your heart rate has slowed a little from all the excitement, and you notice yourself contemplating the journey. What a challenge it was.
And the work? Well, it sure appears as if it was worth it. TV exposure! But even more that, you remember with a slight chill, all the effort, even the frustration, involved in finding the time and the people it took to get so involved in community affairs, to become recognized not only for the service you provide, but the contribution you make to the lives of the children you serve and their parents as well, especially in areas not typically found in a dentist's office.
You easily recall how you felt more than a year ago when the words "self esteem" first made their way into conversations at the office. Who would have ever guessed? And that first research project. Wow. Clearly, not many people were excited initially, especially with all the resistance to the extra effort and time it took. "It was worth it though" you contemplate, "because it allowed us to develop a way to provide new, important information to the community. And it sure wasn't bad for business either." The research uncovered very special relationships between the application of compassionate care for children in clinical settings and increased feelings of self-worth. Not only did the research serve to increase visibility for the Practice, but a very meaningful contribution was made to the science and art of "holistic dentistry."
As for community service, that's another exciting story. You find yourself remembering the first few projects designed to help families in need, especially the children. All those extra hours!! However, when the city of Tempe recognized members of the Practice at a formal banquet honoring the additional education you afforded the community, it seemed to make it worth it. "Not the kind of contribution one might expect from a dentist's office" you ponder.
By now the newscaster is finishing her story. Her closing comments seem especially moving to you.
"You know, Bob," she says to her anchor reporter back in the studio and now sharing half of the TV screen with her, "this place, the Longfellow Practice, is truly a special place. I've never seen anything quite like it. And a closing thought ... I only wish I had this type of care as a child, and I'm sure my parents would have been thankful as well. These people here, every one of them, are truly blessed and as far as I see it, and in a very important way, they represent a special gift to us, a gift to be held and embraced, for quite some time, you know?
From the studio, "Yes, I do. I would love to have been there as a child.... such a place this Longfellow Practice. Thank you for such a meaningful story."
And just like that it was over.
Her closing comments, "Good night, from Tempe, and the Longfellow Practice.
And as they say it here... Good night from the 'children's place .' "
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Children's Dental Village
7360 South McClintock
Tempe, AZ 85283
(480) 838-6949
tlc@childrensdentalvillage.net