Dentistry |2 min read

Top 10 Questions Every Dentist Asks When Opening a New Dental Practice

We’ve all either been there or are headed there. Opening a dental practice is one of the top stressors in any dentist’s life and usually comes with the thrilling (yet terrifying) rush of having complete control.

The top 10 questions dentists have when opening a dental practice. This post is designed to put the worries into words and provide resources for battling the doubts of business ownership.

There are ten questions that every dentist has at this pivotal moment.

Top 10 Questions of Building or Purchasing a Dental Practice

It takes bravery to run your own dental practice. But bravery doesn’t mean avoiding fear.

1. Am I going to get any patients?

When you’re starting from scratch, your mind will run a thousand miles a minute trying to figure out where to procure patients. And when you buy a practice from another dentist, you think: Will the patients stick around?

2. Am I going to be able to pay off my loan?

Borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars would weigh heavy on anyone. Hyperventilating is perfectly normal.

3. Am I going to find good specialists to work with?

Once you have the patients, you’re going to have to send them out to reliable folks. But determining who is reliable is another can of worms.

4. Will I be able to create an awesome team?

You need to love the people you’re going to see 4-5 days a week.

5. How do I manage the practice in addition to doing the dentistry?

As far as you’re concerned, you got a DDS degree not an MBA. Filling out tax forms and all that money nonsense seems like another frustrating responsibility.

6. How do I market the practice?

You have to figure out how to let the community know there’s a new dentist in town without running through the streets yelling ‘LET ME HELP YOU’ at the top of your lungs.

7. How many hours should I work?

This is what you’ve been waiting for since the early years of dental school. The ability to work how you want when you want.

8. What materials should I buy?

It’s your job to research materials that will help make you look good.

9. What procedures should I offer?

You have to weigh the pros and cons of certain treatments based on profitability and your enjoyment of them.

10. Am I going to love this a little too much?

Sure, opening a dental practice is kind of like a rollercoaster that never seems to ease up. But most of all, it’s wonderful to be the mastermind of your own destiny.

What worries plague you about opening or continuing to run your dental practice? We’d love to hear from you in the comments! 

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