September is Office Management Appreciation Month (OMAM), supported by CareCredit in partnership with the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM). OMAM is a wonderful opportunity for dentists and their teams to celebrate and show appreciation for all the important work done by their front office team. The theme for OMAM 2025 is Accelerate Your Growth Journey—personally and professionally.
Everyone’s growth journey is different, and insights often come from coaches, mentors, and a community of friends and colleagues. Ideas and resources can also come from unlikely sources. The key is to get connected to those who can accelerate your growth and, as a true partner, understand your challenges and opportunities because they have shared similar experiences.
Celebration Ideas for the Entire Team
For 2025, the OMAM website (omam.carecreditvirtual.com) has received a refresh with exciting features, including a virtual experience for the management team that focuses on ways to grow professionally and personally, along with daily affirmations. Resources and celebration suggestions are available for providers and the rest of the team so they can make the most of the month of celebration. The OMAM website is available now for dental teams to access thoughtfully curated celebratory assets, and then on September 1 the virtual experience with growth ideas and resources will be available to office management teams.
Penny Reed, executive vice president of AADOM, finds OMAM to be the perfect time to accelerate growth. “AADOM is excited to add personal growth inspiration to the OMAM virtual experience and share great ideas from our members and consultants,” Reed says. “True growth happens in relationships. One of the most helpful ways to grow is to get connected to others who have the same goal so you can shorten the learning curve. That’s what the AADOM is all about: helping our members be their best—at home, in their communities and, of course, at the practice.”
There is so much to celebrate this OMAM and plenty of reasons to participate. “Celebration is simply a form of positive affirmation and recognition, which may significantly boost personal and team morale,” says Angela Martinez, vice president of strategic associations and dental health policy at CareCredit. “Celebration and appreciation should not be reserved for the big things but instead should be a part of our daily routine.”
Martinez points out that recognizing the smaller achievements is just as important as celebrating the big wins. “Often we tend to celebrate the big successes, but all those big successes are really made up of a series of small successes,” Martinez emphasizes. “These wins, like a full schedule and motivated team, deserve celebration daily.”
If you want to go above and beyond in celebrating OMAM, there is a plethora of affordable options for communicating your gratitude. Hosting a special team lunch, whether potluck style or catered, creates space for team bonding and further boosts morale. Alternatively, bringing in an unexpected treat for your management team, such as their morning coffee order or a box of cookies from a local bakery, is a sweet way to say thank you. And if someone on your team has transcended the duties of their role and deserves extra praise, you can never go wrong with flowers.
Way to Grow!
As you say, “Way to Go!” to your practice management team, the brand-new section in the OMAM virtual experience features ways for them to grow. Here are two helpful growth tips:
Schedule time to improve
For Carrie Webber, president of Jameson Management, continuous improvement starts with intentionality and team connection. “Life is easier when you are intentional about improvement,” she says. One way Webber recommends doing this is by frequently creating space for the team to practice new skills or bond as colleagues. She explains, “In addition to daily huddles and weekly team meetings, each quarter we have what we at Jameson call ‘Brain Trust Meetings.’ These meetings are specifically where you and your team work very in-depth and intentionally on a system, a piece of technology, verbal skills or an element of the practice that needs attention. That way, we can all continue to improve together.”
Look at your practice partners
Lili Colin, AADOM member and office manager at A Brush Above, highlights the value of a long-term partnership in driving practice growth. “We have a unique growth partner—our CareCredit practice development manager, Heather, who is a great resource for us, especially when it comes to practice growth,” Colin shares. “She’s been with us for over 10 years, and we consider her part of our team. She makes sure we have all the latest marketing materials and practice growth resources from CareCredit, has helped us with implementing technology, has shared best practices from other dental teams that we were able to implement, and so much more.”
Celebrate Growth, Gratitude, and Your Incredible Team
Celebrating and recognizing the work done by others is crucial in creating a positive professional environment. OMAM offers the perfect opportunity and reminder to acknowledge and reflect on the growth made by your team over the past year. From daily affirmations to sweet treats, your guide to celebrating this September can be found on the OMAM site. And with that, happy Office Management Appreciation Month! May yours be filled with an abundance of gratitude and fun!
