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OMS and Other Dental Specialists

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PMOD10 - Bullies, Cliques and Lunchroom Politics: The Workplace as a Recess Redux

On-demand
CE: 1.0 CDE
On-demand<br><i>On-demand session available beginning Sept. 28.</i>
Childhood playground dynamics – power plays, secret alliances and the occasional mean girl maneuver – often reappear in adult workplaces, including OMS offices. This session reveals how playground behaviors manifest in team interactions and how they can influence communication, accountability and overall culture. By recognizing these dynamics, participants can develop practical strategies to defuse conflict, enhance communication, foster genuine trust. Attendees will walk away with actionable steps to transform cliques into collaboration and bullies into team players. An OMS team that plays well together works well together, and patients notice the difference.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
  1. Recognize common playground-style behaviors that resurface in OMS office politics, from red rover alliances to dodgeball blame games.
  2. Transform divisive dynamics into collaborative strengths that elevate both patient experience and professional satisfaction.
  3. Apply practical conflict management and communication strategies to reduce stress, improve teamwork and foster harmony across front- and back-office teams.