There's a lot to celebrate in September. School is starting, pumpkin spice is back in stores, and it’s time for Office Manager Appreciation Month (OMAM)! OMAM is supported by CareCredit in partnership with Heather Colicchio and the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM). Dentists, teams, and office managers are invited to visit omam.carecreditvirtual.com to join the festivities.
When I think of all the office managers (OMs) I know, from the time I worked in a practice to my current role at CareCredit, I see equal doses of flexibility, persistence, and patience combined with exceptional organizational skills. One of the most common characteristics of an awesome OM is the ability to multitask.
Related reading:
Heather Colicchio: I agree. The stories I hear from OMs across the country demonstrate just how powerful they are as leaders in their practices, personal lives, and communities. What’s somewhat surprising is how often we don’t take the time to recognize the strength and resiliency we see in others—and in ourselves. We need to celebrate each other, but we also need to do a little self-care and self-celebrate!
Angela Martinez: We also tend to focus on the big successes, but all those big successes are really made up of a series of small successes. Small wins like having no cancellations (win!), no holes in the schedule (win!), and finding a great candidate to add to the team (win!). All of these are individually important and culminate in a successful practice. The morning huddle is a great time to celebrate small wins. Take a few minutes to have everyone share one small thing they did that helped someone else or made them happy. When you share the “small stuff,” it can inspire others, spark ideas, and often give a new perspective when things don’t go exactly as planned. Alternatively, at the end of the day before everyone transitions to home life, take a moment to talk about the good things that happened, and, whenever possible, recognize people who contributed to the day’s success.
Heather: Celebrating the OM doesn’t mean that all team members don’t contribute to practice success, but it’s a great time to recognize OMs as practice leaders. CareCredit and AADOM have some big plans for OMAM 2023. Last year many industry leaders, companies, practices, and teams recognized office managers in unique and positive ways. Each year the celebration gets bigger and better!
Angela: In past years, thousands of OMs were celebrated by their teams with flowers, cakes, parties, and more, and hundreds of office managers and administrators joined AADOM. This year, the word has gotten out, and we’re expecting big things again this September as additional organizations want to align with and participate in this event. CareCredit has created a website (omam.carecreditvirtual. com) where teams can get free resources and ideas to help them celebrate their #AwesomeOM. And on the same site, OMs will be able to access an amazing experience created just for them that includes daily affirmations and a virtual experience with fun and games.
Heather: You mentioned cakes, parties, and flowers. And those are all good ideas. I’d like to share a few more. The team could write “love notes” to their OM/administrator that share what they love about them, like their sense of humor or ability to handle stress. Or everyone could get together after hours for an “Our Office Manager Makes Us Happy Hour.” How about getting a “We have an #AwesomeOM!” banner for the reception area so patients can get in on the fun too.
Angela: I think we both agree there are a lot of big and little ways to show your OM that they are appreciated. We would love to see all the practice celebrations, so make sure to use the hashtags #OMAM and #AwesomeOM and visit the OMAM website for free resources during September.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the September 2023 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
