Part 2: Taking the leap to practice ownership? These ADA resources can help

By | June 2, 2015

Let me start off by saying that opening my own practice from scratch was one of the scariest moments in my life thus far. I knew I had a good portion of dental knowledge amassed over the last few years, but what did I know about running a business? I could sit down and talk to patients about decay and occlusal wear; however, could I sit down and talk to a team about the goals of the practice and how to achieve them? What about how much my fees would be for my services, and what insurances I should take? How would I go about preparing my office for HIPAA and OSHA protocols?

Dr. Sinclair

Dr. Sinclair

Many of these questions I later found out could be answered through various departments and locations through the ADA’s resources. In this article, I will be discussing several of those resources that can be huge assets when you decide to make the leap into practice ownership.

The Center for Professional Success

There are very few places where one may find legitimate answers to questions that arise when opening a practice. One of the best resources I have found is the ADA’s Center for Professional Success (CPS). Here you can find several must-know items such as: how to design your office if you are building a new building or remodeling an older space; how to adhere to government regulations regarding human resources issues and employees; and how to navigate the world of filing dental benefits for patients.

Personally, I used this resource to help with the initial design of my office as well as coming up with an employee manual. Furthermore, the CPS also includes articles that discuss items outside of work that are still just as equally important.

One section I highly recommend everyone check on a regular basis is the link that gives suggestions on achieving a work and personal life balance. As the owner of a business, I have found it very easy to be consumed by dentistry alone and not make time for your personal life. With all of these amazing resources under one roof, the ADA is truly aiding in setting dentists up for both personal and professional success.

To read Part 1, click here.

This blog post, reprinted with minimal edits and permission, originally appeared in the Virginia Dental Association journal. Dr. Cappy Sinclair is a New Dentist Now guest blogger and a 2009 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Sinclair currently serves on the Board of Trustees at the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, as member of 3M’s Council for Innovative Dentistry, and as an ambassador for the Dawson Academy. He started his own practice Coastal Cosmetic Dentistry 3 years ago from the ground up and is more than happy to share his success and failures with fellow new dentists. He is a member of the American Dental Association and the Virginia Dental Association. To contact Dr. Sinclair, email him csinclair@smilevabeach.com.

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