A well-reasoned strategy alone cannot guarantee success. Ultimately, for any organization, culture is the determining factor. In your dental practice, the success of every system — from marketing and patient intake to hygiene and restorative procedures — depends on your leadership to develop a team that is committed, motivated, and clear about their purpose. Without this foundation, even the most carefully designed systems will fall short of their potential.

After practicing general dentistry for twelve years, I changed my direction and have had a long and varied career working with some of the leading companies in the dental industry. But whether I was with Henry Schein, Nobel Biocare, or any other market leader, there seemed to be periods of ups — technology leadership and rapid growth — and periods of stagnation. Those different periods produced major differences in company performance and were always associated with different styles of leadership and the culture that emanated from that leadership.

Not so at Glidewell. Since its founding 55 years ago, the company has benefited from the steady vision and leadership of Jim Glidewell. From a one-person, one-room lab to over 5,000 employees and over one million square feet of space, Jim’s leadership has been consistent, and the mission has been clear: Improve the technology and systems so that dentists can deliver better and more efficient care to their patients.

Since being named CEO in 2022, Stephenie Goddard has led a management team committed to fulfilling Jim’s vision. Because she started at Glidewell almost 20 years ago as head of Human Resources, Stephenie’s mark can be felt throughout the Glidewell culture.  

And while this Chairside^® issue celebrates Glidewell’s 55th anniversary and Jim’s 80th birthday, my interview with Jim and Stephenie was far more about the future than the past. Our newest products — like Fusion with BruxZir^™ Zirconia and our antimicrobial denture resin — are developed here on our campus by our own scientists and engineers to fulfill Jim’s vision for better and more efficient care. And we’re all excited about Glidewell TV and the opportunity to provide greater access to our library of educational content.

And speaking of educational content, the educational programs that fill our calendar and bring thousands of doctors to our campus each year are great examples of our culture in action.  Attendees invariably make two key observations: the amazing technology they see in operation and the warm hospitality shown by our team members in making them welcome on our campus. Be sure to attend one of our courses or symposium events this year!