By Dr. Jasmin Henville, DDS

I knew early on that I was going to be a caregiver— but I just wasn’t sure what kind.

Born on a small Caribbean Island with limited access to dental care, the industry itself was pretty foreign to me. But I was always captivated by the artistic component of dentistry, so I volunteered to assist with hospital dental care, and that’s where I truly fell in love and began my journey.

Diving into dentistry

Around the time I became a certified dental assistant, something significant was occurring in the world – the HIV/AIDs epidemic. By 1993, more than 2.5 million cases of HIV/AIDs were confirmed worldwide. By 1995, AIDs was the leading cause of death for Americans. Hysteria ran high, and far too few practitioners were willing to help, leaving HIV-infected patients discouraged from seeking dental treatment.

I knew that I wanted to play a role in helping those patients.

The dentist I worked for at the time applied for and received the Ryan White Grant, allowing us to provide dental treatment for HIV/AIDs patients in a hospital setting. We were a team of two working together for several years, taking care of these deserving but forgotten patients.

This experience fueled my desire not just to become a dentist, but to touch the lives of as many patients as possible, especially those who lacked access to proper health care—much like I once did.

I took on dental school and gratefully returned to these patients as a dentist during my residency program at that same hospital. It was again rewarding to be part of an effort to help hundreds of people who needed care so badly—the elderly and underserved especially.

And this is when (and why) I said YES to Aspen Dental. From day one, they gave me the platform to bring my vision to life for the last 15 years. And they shared my vision to reach these vulnerable populations every day.

A new world, again

Fast forward to early 2020, as the pandemic began hitting the U.S. hard. I truly didn’t know what would happen. I just knew, once again, I wanted to help. I was beyond humbled at how my team stood by my side, facing the unknown but sharing my passion for doing our part as providers. We decided to stay open for a few hours a day during the pandemic and provide emergency access to care—this filled a huge need. We often had patients driving from completely closed states for acute dental treatment.

During a time when team engagement was easily slipping across industries, we reopened our doors for routine dental treatment and every member of my team returned, bringing with them a new sense of urgency to rebuild!

In 2021, my team beat their own record, month after month. And for the 7^th year in a row, my Auburn practice was the top performing office for Aspen Dental.

But how did we get here?

Culture, culture, culture

We talk a lot now about AspenONE, but truthfully, we’ve been functioning as ONE for more than a decade now. Work became an extension of our home, and teammates became an extension of our family. This connection is the glue that kept us together and has been key to our survival. Even during the pandemic, we kept in touch with each other on a daily basis, organizing group calls and checking in on each other.

This is one of many reasons each team member returned to work more motivated than ever before. They feel valued, wanted and they clearly see how they make an impact on their patients. When you treat your people right, when you develop that deep and personal relationship, they will show up for you—and your mission becomes their mission, organically and passionately. Sure, words are important. But consistent actions speak louder than words, and I make it a priority to show my team their value every single day.

Set, meet and exceed goals together

When setting goals, I of course keep in mind our organization’s YES culture! But first, I make sure the team is included in the plan to achieve that goal. I always aim high but start small. I want to make sure every member of the team understands the value of that goal and how it benefits us at the office level and the organization as a whole. I focus on people, and I work on setting individual goals for each team member, always making sure to connect the teamwork to the business goals.

For maximum engagement, each team member must have a sense of purpose—they must know their “why.” This is undoubtedly their driving force for consistent behavior. These behaviors are then set, not just to achieve goals, but to develop talent as well. Over the course of my career with Aspen Dental, I have developed 8 office managers who became regional managers; 4 regional managers who became directors; associate dentists who became MCDs; MCDs who became owners; patient service representatives who became managers; and assistants who became hygienists!

The goals become (and must be) personal. When team members have a stake in attaining their goals, urgency is maintained. Once these goals are set, the behaviors must be engaged on a daily basis. One way I ensure this is through a Microsoft Teams chat group with all of my team members which starts as early as 6 a.m. from eager teammates (I rarely have the need for an alarm!). This allows me to engage in the moment all day long. The group helps translate their vision and goal into reality and raise their performance to a higher level. We hype each other up, share great experiences, challenge each other with friendly competitions, share motivational quotes, wins, feedback and coaching, problem solving, ideas, accountability, a rewards system aligned with results, and of course well-deserved recognition.

Owning three offices, it’s impossible to be physically present all the time. The Teams group allows me to connect with everyone at the same time and share the same message. It also allows teams from different offices to build and nurture a strong relationship with each other, despite not working together in-person. And now they are invested in helping each other and we truly become ONE!

Have fun, keep emotional health top of mind

You forget how hard you’re working when you’re having fun. And my goal is just that, to create an extremely productive but happy environment. I am each team member’s biggest cheerleader. Yes, our days are long, extremely productive and can be stressful. But I strive to minimize that with creating a fun environment filled with laugher, fun pranks, water gun fights, Nerf gun fights, games at lunch time, surprise breakfasts and lunches, surprise deliveries, spa days at work with a massage therapist, gift bags, parking lot parties with food truck and so much more.

My overall goal here is to appreciate in the moment. This is a high-performing team, they deserve a reward every single day. It’s not nearly enough to pay someone to support your vision as their own. And it’s not enough to just say “thank you.” You must SHOW them how appreciated and valued they are to you. This also creates a more personal connection that engages them to go above and beyond their paid role.

Emotional health in the workplace is essential, and perhaps not talked about enough. I have turned my office into a spa-like environment that is open to all team members for a quick recharge. We’ve created flexible hours for work-life balance and blend. We build what my doctors need into the schedule—whether that’s time for rest or going for a run during the workday. This flexibility creates a wellness environment that reduces stress and create balance. My goal is to make them look forward to coming to work, and our low turnovers and sick days are proof of just that.

Rewarding teams in a big way

After setting yet another record in Aspen Dental history this year, I am beyond grateful for this incredible team—but that’s not enough. A few months from now, we will all head to Barbados for a few days in paradise designed for relaxation and fun, steps from the white, powdery sandy beaches. The team was utterly in disbelief when I told them. They were ecstatic with joy. It reminded me of watching children open their gifts at Christmas… the best feeling in the world.

In the past, teams were surprised with a trip to Cancun, including team-building activities like hiking, ATVs, zip lining and day trips to Mayan ruins. Another surprise trip included Jamaica, where we tubed down white rivers, ziplined over waterfalls, rafted down rivers and had team activities at the resorts. Weekend trips to Miami, spa trips for managers and doctors and long weekends in Vegas are other forms of appreciation and rewards over the years that truly engaged the teams in a way I never could’ve dreamed about before.

No. 1 for a reason

With an engaged team, the sky is the limit. If you want your patients to have an incredible experience and say YES to you, then you must create an environment for your team that is personal, fun, built on friendship, fosters growth and engages and brings value to every member. Purpose and vision are the beginning, and the engagement feeds purpose daily. That is my single daily goal: to stage remarkable experiences for my team and build an infectious culture for both my teams and patients.

Simply put, we are stronger together. From the call center to the field support, to our partners and other Aspen Dental practices, we succeed the greatest when we are ONE.