If I had £250,000 spare I would open a brand new private dental practice.
Why?
- because that’s how much it would cost to do a “proper job”
- because new-starts don’t have any “baggage”
What do I mean by “baggage”?
- “baggage” is existing patients that have been trained to expect something for nothing and to expect the principal to deliver
- “baggage” is a maintenance book that the principal feels obliged to maintain
- “baggage” is team members who are resistant to change
- “baggage” is existing clinical and common area facilities that need to upgraded
- “baggage” is associates, hygienists, therapists and auxiliaries who are in their comfort zone
- “baggage” is the absence of marketing and a patient journey
- “baggage” is the absence of tight financial controls and effective monitoring of financial KPI’s
- “baggage” is less than 20 new quality patients per month, per full-time dentist
- “baggage” is a membership scheme with declining numbers
It’s simply amazing how well “new starts” are doing in the current climate, offering what I described in last week’s ezine as “the shortest route to the money” in retail dentistry:
- tooth whitening
- facial aesthetics
- invisible braces
- white “anything”
- dental implants
- membership
- KEDO’s
as long as it’s delivered concierge class in a way that suits the chosen demographic niche.
I’m meeting principals whose businesses and booming.
Every week.
And I’m off to Glasgow in 48 hours to network with more of them – I wonder if the mood of the BDA conference will be about “confidence”?
And if you already have a dental practice – what do you do?
Close it down this Friday afternoon – do what General Motors have done – but without the Chapter 11.
Forget the past – and re-open your business next Monday morning with all “baggage” exorcised – and start again, knowing what you know now.
