Coaching for a winning dental team

In 1943, Abraham Maslow, the "father of humanistic psychology," formulated his "Hierarchy of Needs Theory." Maslow proposed people have needs that must be satisfied, and these needs will motivate until they are satisfied. The needs are arranged in a hierarchy or pyramid ranging from basic needs to higher needs with an individual needing to satisfy a lower need before a higher need can motivate. The five needs of the hierarchy are: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization. This article discusses adaptation of the hierarchy of needs to the dental practice to motivate staff to perform at a higher level.