The Power of Coaching: From Stuck to Thriving
Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
by Dr. Thomas Detert — Certified High Performance Coach.
Early in my career as a dentist, I worked in a medium-sized group practice that—on paper—looked like a success story.
The owners were good people. Honest. Sincere. Deeply committed to their patients and their team. They had spent more than two decades building trust in their community, and their hearts were fully invested in the work.
But despite all of that, the practice was stuck.
We were operating out of a cramped space in a shopping mall. The team felt underappreciated and underpaid. Systems were inconsistent or nonexistent. There was no structured approach to communication, no intentional periodontal recare strategy, no clear roadmap for growth.
What struck me most was this:
The dentists knew they were capable of more—but they didn’t know how to get there.
They weren’t lazy. They weren’t unmotivated.
They were simply operating without clarity.
When Effort Isn’t the Problem
Dentistry rewards hard work, consistency, and precision. But effort alone doesn’t create momentum.
At the time, everyone was working harder, not smarter. We were reacting instead of designing. Solving daily problems without addressing the underlying patterns that kept us stuck.
Then something shifted.
We were introduced to formal coaching and mentorship through a program called Dental Bootkamp (some of you may remember it). For the first time, we were exposed to structured thinking about leadership, communication, and growth.
Not theory—application.
We learned how to communicate treatment in a way that actually resonated with patients.
How to lead with empathy instead of frustration.
How to build systems that supported the team rather than drained them.
But more importantly, we learned how to think differently.
What Coaching Actually Changed
The external results were impressive—we doubled production and expanded into a brand-new facility, moving from a crowded mall space into our own mini-mall.
But that wasn’t the real win.
The real transformation happened internally.
The team felt valued and aligned.
Patients felt seen, heard, and cared for.
And the practice finally reflected the values and vision of the people who built it.
That didn’t happen because of a single tactic or script.
It happened because coaching closed the clarity gap—the space between where we were and where we wanted to be.
The Lesson That Stuck With Me
That experience reshaped how I think about growth—not just in dentistry, but in life.
Most professionals don’t lack ambition.
They lack direction.
They keep producing, managing, and pushing—yet feel strangely unfulfilled. They confuse being busy with moving forward. They assume exhaustion is just the price of success.
It isn’t.
Coaching isn’t about fixing what’s broken.
It’s about helping capable people see what they can’t see alone.
It’s not therapy.
It’s not motivation.
And it’s definitely not fluff.
At its best, coaching provides structure, perspective, accountability, and clarity—so you can stop living on autopilot and start intentionally designing your life and career.
So Let Me Ask You This
What’s the next level for you?
Not just in your practice—but in how you want your life to feel.
Not more output—but more alignment.
Not survival—but fulfillment.
If you’re sensing that something needs to change—but you’re not sure what or how—that’s usually the moment coaching matters most.
And if you’re ready to explore that next chapter with intention, clarity, and purpose, I’d be glad to help.
Because “doing fine” isn’t the same as living fully.
And you don’t have to figure it out alone.