The Evolution of a Dental Practice: A Story of Growth Through the Graves Drives
Every dental practice has a hidden engine beneath it: the thinking patterns and motivational drivers that shape how the practice grows, how the team behaves, and how the leader leads.
This blog tells the full story of one dentist’s journey through seven Graves Drives. Each one begins as a superpower, but when overused becomes a saboteur. Many principals, associates, and managers will recognise themselves somewhere along this journey.
Once Upon a Time: The Beginning – Safety and Security
Once upon a time, there was a dentist who was really unhappy in the practice where they were working. It was chaotic—nobody knew what was happening, materials were unpredictable, and patients were unhappy. There was just no sense of security. Patients often complained, staff meetings were rare, and the team seldom met together, not even at lunchtime.
The dentist felt that this situation was unsustainable and they had no choice but to go out on their own and build their own practice.
What is it that drove this dentist to set out on their own?
What do you think they were really looking for?
Who do you know who is driven by the need for security, safety?
Graves Drive 1: Safety and Security
Superpower: The desire for safety gives courage to leave dysfunction and create stability.
Saboteur: When overused, it creates rigidity, fear of change, reluctance to grow.
But safety gave this dentist the push to start again.
A New Practice, A New Driver – Power
After some time, this dentist successfully found their own practice and set about building it. To create the security they were seeking, they wanted it to be the best. Determined that the practice would be a place of safety and security where people would feel at home, they would establish traditions and knew exactly how things needed to be set up and run.
After all, they were the boss—it was their name on the outside of the practice, and their reputation was on the line if things went awry. They chose the materials, the equipment, the colours, the hours—everything. Nobody else’s point of view mattered. After all, it was they who had the courage to strike out on their own.
At this point in the dentist’s journey, the driving force has now changed and evolved. What do you think is important to them right now?
Do you know anyone who is motivated by power?
Graves Drive 2: Power
Superpower: Clarity, strength, decisive leadership, a willingness to take charge.
Saboteur: Domination, fear-based compliance, no collaboration, team silence.
Power builds momentum, but it cannot sustain a practice alone.
The Turning Point – Duty and Order
As time went on, running the practice from a position of power—where everyone was expected to follow commands—the dentist realised that things were not working as well as expected.
Team members were leaving.
Those who stayed were sullen and withdrawn.
Mistakes were happening, and no one spoke up.
They were too scared of being bawled out.
The dentist recognised they had become a dictator-leader, and it wasn’t working. They needed to come up with a different approach.
After attending a course, they learned that the solution lay in a practice manual—a bible, something that explained how everything was done so that all tasks could be done predictably by anybody.
It made sense—a simple step-by-step process for the practice to run smoothly and efficiently, allowing them to take a backseat. Something everyone could become involved in and share the responsibility of creating and following. It was the simple concept of rules and regulations that everybody could easily follow. As long as everybody knew what needed to be done, they could do it predictably, reliably, and dutifully. The hard work encountered in creating this document would definitely pay off in the end.
At this stage in the dentist’s journey, what was really important to them?
Who do you know who is motivated by duty and order?
Graves Drive 3: Duty and Order
Superpower: Systems, standards, consistency, predictability.
Saboteur: Bureaucracy, rigidity, blind rule-following, loss of initiative.
Structure is essential, but structure alone does not inspire excellence.
The Next Chapter – Winning
By now, the practice was growing and developing, but it still wasn’t as good as the dentist wanted it to be. Duty and order were working, but it still wasn’t enough. Something else had to change.
They needed to have a new focus and new motivation that would keep them going. After flicking through the journals, they found the next answer—it was all about prizes.
They must need key performance indicators, results measurements, goals, and rewards. Something to aim for, targets to hit that would keep everyone on their toes and get the practice to where they had always wanted it to be, right?
At this stage in the practice development, the answer must be raising the bar. Surely everyone would want to join in so they could be the best, beat the competition, and be recognised.
What is the dentist’s driver now?
Who do you know for whom life is a competition to be won?
Graves Drive 4: Winning
Superpower: Achievement, ambition, innovation, brand strength.
Saboteur: Burnout, ego-driven decisions, team resentment, unhealthy competition.
Success without fulfilment always leaves a void.
The Realisation – Community and Togetherness
So, the dentist and the team worked hard—they achieved so much. Profits were great. They had all the prizes and awards they could want. Patients were flooding in. Team members wanted to join.
And yet, there was still something missing. The sense of achievement felt hollow. The dentist seldom saw their family. They were tired and overburdened. Two team members had left, feeling unseen despite the awards and salaries.
They realised winning had come at too high a price. And if honest, the dentist felt the same way.
So, they asked themselves: there must be another, better way.
Looking back, they recognised they had driven, wanted power, wanted to win—and to a great extent, it had all been about them.
Now, they wondered: how could they create a structure based on community, harmony, where everybody could be heard? How could they build a practice that focused on us rather than I?
In this stage of the practice’s incarnation, what is the motivational driver?
Who do you know who is motivated by community and togetherness?
Graves Drive 5: Community
Superpower: Collaboration, connection, shared responsibility, psychological safety.
Saboteur: Avoidance of conflict, lack of direction, endless discussion without action.
Community works best when guided by clarity and purpose.
The Frustration – The Call for Learning
Having focused on building community, the dentist realised they actually had no idea how to do it. Every intention to build the team, communicate, understand, motivate—it fell flat.
The team could not see what they were trying to achieve. They did not feel like a cohesive team. So, back to the drawing board.
The dentist realised they did not know what they did not know. Dental school had taught clinical skills, but not:
finance
time management
marketing
sales
organisational systems
leadership
team management
No wonder they could not sleep at night.
They needed a new motivational driver—one that would enable them to think differently, be open-minded, and recognise how the team could grow together.
What do they need to prioritise?
Who do you know for whom learning is the key driver?
Graves Drive 6: Learning
Superpower: Growth, innovation, adaptability, curiosity.
Saboteur: Overthinking, constant change, lack of implementation.
Learning changes everything, but only when applied with direction.
The Final Evolution – The Earth as a Whole
The dentist went on a quest to learn. They attended seminars. They invested in team training days. They grew together.
Then they found a wise coach who helped them think differently.
The practice was performing well, the team was happy, patients were thriving—but still the dentist sensed something missing.
They had all the puzzle pieces but could not see the full picture.
What was the missing way of thinking?
Who do you know that thinks in a holistic way, seeing everything as interconnected?
Graves Drive 7: Holism
Superpower: Integration, big-picture thinking, connection, sustainable growth.
Saboteur: Delay through reflection, complexity, decision hesitation.
This final driver ties all others together.
The Moral of the Story
The dentist reflected on their journey, recognising that building the practice was not just about providing dental care but about integrating values and drivers into every aspect of the business.
The steps along the way were:
- Safety and security
• Power
• Duty and order
• Winning
• Community and togetherness
• Learning
• Holism
Every step was essential.
Every one created progress.
Every one caused problems when overused.
Only when the dentist appreciated and embraced all seven drivers—and the diversity of thinking within the team—could they create a balanced, resilient, successful practice.
