Dr. Don Deems, DDS, FAGD, ACC is a certified professional coach since 2001 and a practicing dentist since 1987 who helps dentists achieve success professionally and personally.
Dr. Deems has been awarded the prestigious Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry, Diplomate in the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and Diplomate in the American Academy of Pain Management. He holds memberships (past and present) in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, the American Academy of Periodontology, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Association, the Arkansas State Dental Association, and others. He is a credentialed member of the International Coach Federation and a co-founder of the Dental Coaches Association. Dr. Deems has served as a consultant to the Dentist Well-Being Committee of the Council on Dental Practice of the American Dental Association.
Dr. Deems is also a certified professional personal and business coach, having completed his comprehensive coach training at Coach U. One of only a few dentists nationwide to share the distinction of being both a certified professional coach and a practicing dentist, he coaches dentists and other solo professionals towards personal fulfillment, balance, and success in their personal and professional lives. Dr. Deems presents keynote addresses, workshops, and lectures of interest to a variety of groups and organizations.
Dr. B and Dr. Deems talks about:
- Dr. Deem’s coaching process
- Coaching vs Consulting
- When is it appropriate to work with a coach?
- What Don sees as up and coming in dentistry
Best advice Don has ever received:
“Get a coach. I picked that up by listening to an interview from the CEO of Google on an interview on CNN. And I was like, “Yeah, that’s the best advice right there.” And he attributed his success to having his own coach. I know that that sounds self-serving. I can’t be everybody’s coach. I’m not going to be everybody’s coach but I think that we as solo professionals can greatly benefit by having somebody who is on our corner who can listen to us, who can help us in our own uniqueness and individuality to be successful. So, work with a coach. Quit trying to go into the get rich quick schemes and trying to fit everybody into a certain way of being, whether it’s your staff members or patients.”
Clinical/practice management pearl:
“I want doctors to remember that their team is their biggest asset. A lot of times, we hear that the team is the biggest asset and the biggest liability. And we focus on them on being liabilities. In practice, we can’t be with every patient all the time. And the truth is that most patients will leave a practice not because of the doctor but because of the staff. So I think I would say, don’t forget about your team; they’re your biggest asset. How are you developing them? How are you communicating with them? What’s your workplace right? Do you have a healthy workplace? Do you work on training? Do you involve them? Do you help them become partners in what you do?…”
Technology/knowledge that excites Don right now:
“Caries Detection Device. That thing is a jewel and I find it to be extremely accurate.”
One must-read book right now:
“Flight of the Buffalo: Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let Employees Lead (by James A. Belasco and Ralph C. Stayer). It’s a classic book on employee empowerment.”
One piece of advice:
“Know yourself. Take the hard journey of looking inside and figuring out who you are. I know that that doesn’t sound glamorous. It doesn’t sound fun and it may even sound confusing. But unless you’re willing to take that look at who you are, what your values are, what your integrity is, why you’re doing what you’re doing, answering those really critical questions, you’re never going to end up where you want to be. Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t get there.” So the first step is really to look inside. Quit looking outside yourself and looking to other people to tell you what to do.”
Dr. Deem’s contact info:
- Phone: 501-413-1101
- Email: drdeems@drdondeems.com
- Website: DrDonDeems.com