When Your Team Starts to Bicker and How to Handle Growth Anxiety

Dental Team Conflict

Two long-time dental assistants worked like siblings—solid, dependable, and aligned for three years. Then, almost overnight, their relationship turned sour. Gossip, snapping, complaints. The owner of the practice tried one-on-ones, getting them to share positives, and even got a hug out of them once. But the negativity kept coming back. Here’s the truth: conflict like this isn’t solved by venting sessions. It’s solved by clarity and vulnerability. 

Sometimes the most powerful move is for you to sit both people down and be honest, “This is killing me. I can’t imagine practicing without you, but the way you’ve been treating each other is draining my energy, my joy, even my home life. We need to get to the root of the issue.”

Once the stage is set, ask the straightforward yet challenging question, “What specifically changed six weeks ago?” Often, the “lazy teammate” narrative is just a misunderstanding. For instance, one doctor was always late, so the assistant remained chairside while the other was closing down operations. Resentment grew, but the reality was workload imbalance, not attitude. The fix wasn’t therapy—it was clarity, task redistribution, or even hiring a sterilization tech.

Growth Anxiety 

You can address growth anxiety the same way. A doctor has a beautiful, expanded facility with seven operating rooms (room for nine), a part-time associate, and big ambitions, but the doctor is stuck in fear and keeps second-guessing  growth decisions. “What if I hire and can’t keep them busy? What if I lose money?” That scarcity mindset has killed more dreams than bad luck ever did. 

Advice: Get crystal clear on your three-year vision. Not vague goals—specifics. How many days do you want to work clinically? What’s your target income? Do you want one practice or two? Then reverse-engineer from there.

And use the data. For doctors, the sweet spot is about 150–175 exams a month or 40–50 new patients per doctor per month in a bread-and-butter practice. For hygiene, track how far out your next new patient slot is. If it’s more than three weeks, it’s time to expand hygiene. These numbers enable you to move forward with confidence, rather than fear. Shine a light on the root issue, define what winning looks like, and take the next step with courage. 

Want to learn more about this strategy? Listen to the Dental Lighthouse Podcast for additional insights.