J Dent Educ. 70(3): 216-224 2006
© 2006 American Dental Education Association
Milieu in Dental School and Practice |
Changing an Organization’s Culture: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry’s TigerCare Program
Rebecca G. Pousson, B.S., M.B.A.;
Eric J. Hovland, D.D.S., M.Ed., M.B.A.
Key words: organizational culture, staff development, teamwork, communication, personnel evaluation, reward and recognition, evaluation, feedback
Submitted for publication 11/04/04;
accepted 08/18/05
Studies have shown that the culture of an organization could be the difference between success and failure in achieving its overall corporate goals and mission. Although some aspects of an organization’s culture are visible and tangible, such as the physical structure or overall cleanliness of the facility, other aspects are less tangible but just as apparent, like the helpfulness of the staff and the overall "attitude" of the organization. Private industry discovered many years ago that the key to creating a friendly and productive culture lies in the hands of the employees. TigerCare is a program that engages the civil service employees and provides them with the knowledge and motivation necessary to excel in their jobs and deliver the highest standard of customer service and job performance. It has helped the LSUHSC School of Dentistry develop employees who deliver excellent customer care. This article reports on the specific steps taken to improve the customer service culture and describes the results of the program after two years of implementation.
Copyright © 2006 by the American Dental Education Association.
