Let’s face it, being a dentist has its good days and bad. Five years into my own dental adventure of owning, running, stumbling and growing, I thought, “Is this really going to be it for the next 30 years? Arriving early to work every morning to grind out another day of backbreaking labor?” Don’t get me wrong, I really love dentistry. But I worried about going on vacations, staying competitive with benefits, paying my staff, being current with equipment and techniques, saving for retirement, and training my front desk when I knew nothing about scheduling or insurance.
I was on an island. Gone were the days of stimulating conversations with colleagues about cases, or office work flows; instead, we were measuring each other up, and I didn’t want that to be my life. So I decided to make a change.
I set out to create a company that would help make every- day business decisions, thereby allowing me to spend more time with my family. I discovered early on that it was not go- ing to be easy. I look back now, and realize how fortunate I was to find partners that shared my vision. They are honest, hardworking and exceptional dentists. Together we began to make our vision a reality.
A decade later, I can honestly say we have created a company that provides the balance we were seeking. We have more stress-free time with our families. Our office staff are trained and competent. Our businesses have grown as we have worked together instead of in competition. Our offices now have a group of like-minded dental colleagues, to interact with, on a daily basis. The culture we have created allows us to continually grow as a company, and to generate financial security for all the doctors and staff. We now have time to appreciate dentistry, while enjoying the journey.