Episode 59: Toolbox Tuesday - Doctor vs. Dental Assistant Drama

From Pivot Dental Solutions by Jennifer Paxton

November 5, 2025 · 16 min

About this episode

Jennifer and Sten discuss the dynamics between doctors and dental assistants, highlighting observations from Sten's recent clinical experience.

Welcome back to Toolbox Tuesday! After a short hiatus, Jennifer and Sten are back to tackle a recurring pain point in dental practices: the relationship and perceived issues between doctors and their dental assistants. Sten recently spent time back in the clinical chair—something he hasn't done extensively in years—and gained a fresh perspective on the day-to-day operations and team performance that associate doctors have been complaining about. The recurring theme? "The assistants are always messing things up!" In this candid discussion, Sten shares his surprising observations and reveals where the real "slop and holes" in the system might actually lie. What We Discuss: The Intentional Hiatus: Why we took a break from Toolbox Tuesday. Red Teaming Your Practice: Proactively finding holes and inefficiencies before they become major problems. Doctor's Perception vs. Reality: Sten's on-the-ground experience working with the same team that our associate doctors have expressed frustration with. The Leadership Look in the Mirror: Why doctors—whether an owner or an associate—are the leaders in the operatory and need to set the standard. Unreasonable Expectations: When doctors expect the…

People in this episode

Host: Jennifer Paxton

Guest: Sten

Topics covered

doctor-dental assistant relationship
team performance
leadership in dental practices
efficiencies in dental operations
expectations in dental teams

Keywords

dental assistants
doctor expectations
team dynamics
leadership
practice efficiency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Toolbox Tuesday, dental practices