Problem Solving and Trust: How Dental Teams Navigate Daily Challenges

Problem solving is the second building block of trust. Dental teams face constant challenges — scheduling gaps, wait time issues, emergencies, communication breakdowns. The way a team responds to problems, analyzes their root causes, and anticipates future issues directly shapes trust. Effective problem solving strengthens reliability and teamwork; poor problem solving erodes trust.

Key Questions This Page Answers

• Why is problem solving a core part of trust?
• What types of problem solving build trust inside dental teams?
• How can teams use crisis response, root-cause analysis, and anticipatory planning?
• What are common dental practice challenges that require strong problem solving?
• How can daily huddles strengthen trust and prevent issues?

Episode Snapshot

• Hosts: Dr. Matt Allen and Dr. Cory Scheer
• Topic: Problem solving as a building block of trust
• Part of: Most Trusted Dentists Mini-Series

Key Topics Covered

• Crisis and emergency problem solving
• Root-cause analysis
• Anticipatory problem solving
• Daily huddles as a trust-building habit
• Communication around delays, expectations, and wait times
• Structural issues (like unanswered calls)
• Using data and collaboration to solve problems

Episode Highlights

• Practices make 35,000 decisions a day — small breakdowns compound
• Daily huddles are a simple and powerful preventive tool
• Long-term ignored issues become cultural liabilities
• Solving root causes builds far more trust than creating workarounds
• Teams that problem-solve together build psychological safety

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