Dentaltown April 2016 - (Page 60)

practice management feature (Your Own) Practice, Made Perfect Ready to strike out on your own? Following these steps should help prevent dentists from ... well, just striking out Establishing your own dental practice might be easier than you think-especially if you take the process one step at a time. Use this checklist- adapted from Benco Dental's publication "Independence Guide: Setting Up Your Dental Practice"-as a reference when breaking down the process into manageable steps. 9-12 MONTHS Before Office Opening * Evaluate your personal financial position. * Identify your personal goals and preferences for a practice. * Develop a personal budget. * Evaluate potential practice alternatives in relation to your personal goals, preferences and needs. * Develop a philosophy of practice. * Conduct a preliminary appraisal of communities and a demographic analysis. * Evaluate alternative locations within the community. * Finalize the selection of a city/ community. * Review leases with attorney. * Confirm that the location meets all zoning requirements. 60 APRIL 2016 // dentaltown.com From Scratch: A Guide on Starting a Practice Chonway Tram, DDS chon2617 Rancho Cucamonga, California If you could go back and do something differently during the startup process, what would it be? Not hiring a consultant right away. Most consultants deal with practices in transition, and with startups you'll have a lot of time in the beginning to deal with aspects of marketing and system building. What was biggest challenge you faced in starting up a practice? The most daunting aspect is having a zero patient base and growing it. Other than that, hiring and training the staff who will see your vision and execute your plan for the office is the next-hardest thing. What's one piece of advice for a dentist about to start a new practice? Don't pay in advance for anything that relates to construction or interior design. Spread the payments throughout the buildout, until the work is done and you are happy with it. Also, know your demographic. If your demographic target is younger, advertising dentures doesn't mean much. What were the top products or services you used or discovered when starting up your practice? Patientpop.com. Website creation and SEO management. E4D/Planmeca. System for crowns in a day. Adds to the technology and cool factors. Six Month Smiles, Clear Correct or Invisalign. Broaden your scope of practice. Open Dental. Cheap, easy to use and customizable. Breakaway Seminars. Needs no introduction, but super helpful in systems building. http://www.Patientpop.com http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown April 2016

On Dentaltown.com
HOWARD SPEAKS: Lessons from Asia
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY: Today’s Active Topics
Continuing Education Update
Industry News
Love It!
Poll
What Do You Use to Calculate Offi ce Metrics?
When’s the Last Time You Googled Your Practice?
How is My Curing Different From Pulse Curing?
OFFICE VISIT: Family Ties
Breaking the Cookie Cutter: Finding Our Way Back to Individuality with Shape, Form and Texture
Choose Your Weapon: Finding the Best Fluoride Option for Your Patient
(Your Own) Practice, Made Perfect
Braces vs. Aligners: The Science of Picking the Best Appliance
You Be the Judge: The Case of the Lazy X-Rays
Product Profile: Premier
Principles of Flap Design and Closure
Any More Tips on This Extraction?
Dentistry’s Great Marketing Untruths
Product Profile: CreoDent Prosthetics
Product Profile: Ivoclar Vivadent
You Should Know: Dental Planet
New Products
Ad Index
Bio-Minimalism: Trends and Transitions in Endodontics
Material Classifi cation and Shade Selection Protocol for All-Ceramic Restorations
Dentally Incorrect

Dentaltown April 2016