Defining a mission statement and setting goals.

When I began my career in dentistry twenty-five years ago, the "fee-for-service" practice was by far the most common approach for delivery of care. Time was not taken to define individuality and purpose, and outside factors such as insurance did not attempt to dictate the direction we took toward a treatment plan. Marketing was not mentioned and practice management as we know it was just beginning to surface. And yet, we were so busy on a daily basis, it was a relief when a patient missed an appointment.