New Dentist Winter 2012

THE #1 JOURNAL FOR NEW DENTISTS

What Was I Thinking?

New Dentists’ 5 Major Location Regrets

PLUS Can YOU get a Loan?

American Eagle Instruments Never Sharpen Again WINTER 2012

Easy Dental Ad

©2012 Henry Schein, Inc. A-EZDNW-Q412

Jason P. Wood & Patrick J. Wood Attorneys at Law

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

W I N T E R 2 012 PUBLISHER

Sally McKenzie Sally@thenewdentist.net DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Dear Readers,

Picante Creative http://www.picantecreative.com

Welcome to the winter issue of The New Dentist™ magazine.

Tess Fyalka Tess@thenewdentist.net

Managing Editor

I

t is widely acknowledged that dentists emerge from dental school with enormous debt, often in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet, many new dentists want to open their own practices within a few years, if not right away. In fact, 60% of dentists in the first five years of practice seek to establish their own offices. But what are the chances of securing a loan in this economy with an already sizable debt load? We spoke to key lenders in the dental industry to get their take on the current financing market and what new dentists need to do to get a practice loan.

But before you settle on where you want to build, buy or even associate, make sure you read Scott McDonald’s article on p. 16. After working with new dentists for several years, he has sound advice on what not to do when choosing where to buy, or practice or associate.

If you’re looking for a way to deliver truly painless injections, you’ll want to read Dr. Steven Goldberg’s story on p. 22. He gave up a successful practice and sold almost everything he owned to bring his invention, the DentalVibe™, into the marketplace.

Also in this issue, American Eagle Instruments® CEO Brad Heckerman gives insight into what makes this company, which is known for inventing instruments that never need to be sharpened, successful.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that Viva Learning™ is the exclusive continuing education provider for The New Dentist™. Viva Learning™ is an ADA CERP provider that offers hundreds of FREE continuing education opportunities using interactive web-based training. Learn more at www.thenewdentist.net And while you are on The New Dentist™ website, take a moment to explore. In addition to regular practice management and clinical blogs, you’ll discover a wealth of FREE information and materials to guide you at every step throughout your dental career.

Fondly,

Sally McKenzie, Publisher

New Dentist™ Advisory Board

Dr. Josh Austin San Antonio, TX UT San Antonio Dental School 2006

Dr. Charley Cheney III Dr. Katie Montgomery Newnan, GA Marysville, OH Tufts University School Ohio State College of Dental Medicine of Dentistry 2004 2006

2 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

SALES AND MARKETING

For display advertising information, contact ads@thenewdentist.net or 877.777.6151. Visit our digital media book at www.thenewdentist.net/ mediabook.htm The New Dentist™ magazine is published quarterly by The McKenzie Company (3252 Holiday Court, Suite 110, La Jolla, CA 92037) on a controlled/complimentary basis to dentists in the first 10 years of practice in the United States. Single copies may be purchased for $8 U.S., $12 international (prepaid U.S. dollars only).

Copyright ©2012 The McKenzie Company. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by The McKenzie Company for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center.

Disclaimer – The New Dentist™ does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication and cannot take responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers’ reliance on such content. The New Dentist™ cannot be held responsible for the safekeeping or return of solicited or unsolicited articles, manuscripts, photographs, illustrations, or other materials. The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and contributors in this magazine or on the companion website, www. thenewdentist.net, do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of The New Dentist™ magazine or The McKenzie Company.

Contact Us – Questions, comments, and letters to the editor should be sent to Tess@thenewdentist.net. For advertising information, contact ads@thenewdentist. net or 877.777.6151. Visit our website at www.thenewdentist.net to download a media kit.

Dr. Kevin Rhodes Round Rock, TX UT San Antonio Dental School 2005

Dr. Mary Shields Louisville, KY University of Louisville Dental School 2011

Dr. Jared Simpson Bakersfield, CA UT San Antonio Dental School 2005

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

WINTER 2012

F E AT U R ES

6 Practice Financing:

Can YOU Get a Loan?

Tess Fyalka, Managing Editor

10 What is Carestream Doing for Today’s New Dentists?

14 Been There, Done That: Guru Urges Dentists to Expand Services

16 What was I Thinking?

5 Major Location Regrets Scott McDonald

Josh Austin, Advisory 20 Meet Board Member

22 Dental Inventor Delivers

6

Totally Painless Injections

Eagle Instruments: 24 American Made in America

26 New Dentists Increase Online Presence

Michael Mosley, Smile Reminder

DEPARTMENTS 2 Publisher’s Message 12 Dental Students:

What’s on Your Mind?

32 Skinny on the Street 32 Index of Advertisers

32

14 4 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

32

20

Tess Fyalka, Managing Editor

Y

PRACTICE FINANCING:

CanYOU Get a Loan?

ou walk into the building and it instantly feels like the perfect place to create your new practice. You want it.

You deserve it. But will the bank lend you the money to buy it? Certainly, it seems that all the conditions are right. After all, interest rates remain at an all-time low. Commercial property is readily available and many sellers are eager to negotiate. Given the current market, who wouldn’t want to purchase or build their practice as soon as possible? In fact, dental lenders tell us that 60% of dentists in the first five years of practice seek to establish their own offices, up 10% from just a couple of years ago.

Jason Tyson is vice president of Bank of America (BOA) Practice Solutions in Southern California. He and other lenders note that the timing may be perfect for some new dentists to pursue the dream of owning or building their own practice, but it’s a critical career decision that will affect the success of the doctor and the practice for many, many years.

In general, lenders encourage new dentists to devote the first couple of years in practice to working as associates before they take on the responsibility of purchasing or building their own offices. “We like to see the general practitioners wait a year or two and work as associates because they can get experience in an office and increase their hand speed as well as build a track record in terms of production and managerial experience,” explains Mr. Tyson.

Allison Farey, president of Wells Fargo Practice Finance, concurs. The majority of new dentists typically work as associates before purchasing or building their own practices, but she notes that Wells Fargo also works with new dentists coming out of dental school who want to establish their own practices immediately.

In these cases, the company looks at the candidates’ other dental practice experiences such as dental internships or working in family practices in the past.

“We look for those experiences that make these doctors much more prepared coming out of dental school than a typical new graduate might be. We will support a doctor just out of dental school with a smaller loan, in the area of around $300,000. (The process) is very specialized, and the applicants have to convince us that they have some special reason to start their own practice immediately.”

Student Debt? No Problem While it is widely acknowledged that dentists graduate dental 6 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

school saddled with exorbitant student debt, generally speaking, dental lenders don’t bat an eye. As Keith Merklin, senior loan officer, Live Oak Bank, explains “Any lender that specializes in dental practice loans should understand that dentists will have debt.” The critical piece of the approval process is the cash flow analysis. “We look at all debt – student loan, car loan, home loan, etc. We will add up all the payments and determine if the dentist can afford to make the payments back to the lender.”

Moreover, it is common for dental lenders to finance 100% of the purchase price as well as working capital. “The dental industry has one of the lowest default rates and produces some of the highest cash flow. The combination of those two items is well recognized by banks all over the country, and because of that banks will be more aggressive with their lending to the dental industry. Whereas with other industries, a borrower would have to come to the table with 10-20% down,” explains Mr. Merklin.

Red Flags While dentists may be among the most financially responsible borrowers, there are no guarantees, and past financial indiscretions can quickly come back to haunt them. “Where new dentists get into trouble is if they have a poor track record of repaying debt and/or taking on too much debt,” explains Mr. Tyson.

“Short sales or foreclosures will, in most instances, prohibit financing. When we see multiple late payments, we look at that as a possible indicator of how you pay your bills. High credit card debt is another red flag. If you have excessive credit card debt and you are a new dentist, in most cases, that’s going to be a problem. It’s typical for a new dentist to have $200,000 to $400,000 in student debt. They may have a new mortgage, a couple of credit cards, and a new luxury car payment. That’s a typical credit report. We don’t make our decision to approve or deny a loan just on a credit report. We also need to review the doctors’ production, their assets vs. liabilities, and also the build out or acquisition.”

As Ms. Farey notes, in addition to a poor financial history, if a dentist wants to purchase a practice that shows negative trends, meaning production is now lower than in the past, that may be a red flag to lenders. A desire to relocate can also signal the alarm for lenders. Ms. Farey explains that if a dentist is moving across the country to a location where s/he has no family or other connection to the area, that may not be well received by CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 >>

Buying A Practice Shouldn’t Be Painful.

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Practice Financing continued from page 6

the lender. “We find that when that happens, dentists don’t have a commitment to the community. They don’t know people in the area, and there is nothing other than the dental practice that is keeping them there.”

A new dentist that wants to purchase a high end practice also may find it challenging to get a loan. Mr. Merklin explains that lack of experience can be a red flag. “If a dentist with minimal production experience wants to purchase a $700,000 practice, how are they going to handle that level of production? I want to see that the borrower has experience as an associate.

I want to look at what their production is with that practice, how many days a week they are working, and if they have management experience.”

Disciplinary actions or probationary periods also are cited by lenders as potential hurdles to securing practice financing.

Loan Options

plans. And some, including Bank of America, offer a 20-year option. In addition to fixed loan payments, some lenders offer a tiered plan, meaning that the payments would increase over time as the practice grows. For example, if the dentist borrows $450,000, with an amortization period of 10 years s/he would pay $0 for the first 4 months, $1,610.45 for the next 8 months, $3,220.91 for the following 12 months, $4,831.36 for another year, and $6,441.82 a month for the remaining seven years.

John Tonjes is executive vice president of Midwest Business Capital; he encourages new dentists to consider an SBA loan (U.S. Small Business Administration), with a preferred SBA lender. “An SBA Loan is a loan provided by the bank that has a government guarantee. Most SBA loans have a 75% guarantee, which makes the bank more compelled to be more aggressive in their underwriting or take more risks when it comes to a start-up scenario.” The advantage of working with a preferred SBA lender is that the approval process is similar to that of conventional lenders.

Mr. Tyson explains that the majority of dental practice

Most dental practice lenders offer 10 or 15-year fixed payment

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 >>

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8 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

What is Carestream Dental Doing for New Dentists?

The New Dentist™ recently spoke to Dr. David Gane, Vice President of Digital Imaging for Carestream Dental, about the company’s digital imaging products and how they can help dentists who are just starting out in their careers.

How important is it for new practitioners to consider their imaging options and choices when starting their dental career?

Dr. Gane: The importance of deciding which imaging systems to use, and how to best implement them cannot be overstated. Imaging is fundamental to every practice, and all options must be considered thoughtfully and thoroughly when starting a new practice or joining an existing one. Choosing the right intraoral cameras, X-rays, digital imaging systems—including phosphor plate, direct digital, pan, ceph, 2D/3D—and integrating them into your practice management system and workflow can make all the difference when it comes to diagnosis, treatment planning, and communicating treatment needs.

How can Carestream Dental’s digital radiography products benefit a new dental practice?

Dr. Gane: Almost every single patient requires some form of radiographic examination. We have a broad portfolio of digital radiography products to suit every type of practice. Intraoral, extraoral, direct digital, phosphor plate, 2D, and 3D—we really have it covered. So we have great choices, and all of our products are designed and manufactured to meet our three key philosophies: diagnostic excellence, workflow integration, and humanized technology. Whatever product is chosen, the customer can take comfort that—like most of their colleagues—they have invested in the very best in product, service, and support.

What Carestream Dental products are essential for new dental practices today?

Dr. Gane: Every new dentist needs a great intraoral camera—like the CS 1500—to enable patients to understand their treatment needs. Also, they need our RVG 6100 digital sensors. Delivering the highest image quality available in three sensor sizes, the RVG 6100 sensors are immersible, so they can be properly sanitized and safely used in all clinical situations. They can also be used with Logicon caries detection software for computer assisted

interproximal caries diagnosis. For extraoral imaging, our new CS 8100 panoramic system is also a great fit for the new practitioner.

What educational opportunities does Carestream Dental provide for new dentists to learn more about their products?

Dr. Gane: At Carestream Dental, we are dedicated to raising the bar on education—especially for new dentists. In addition to sponsoring Dental Users Conferences in Atlanta and study groups across the country, we offer a number of webinars from leaders in the dental industry on our website. We are also partnered with Dental XP, which offers a number of educational articles, videos, and more.

Are there any innovative features and benefits of Carestream Dental products that would appeal to a younger generation of dentists?

Dr. Gane: Absolutely. Our CS 3D imaging software, which is available for complimentary download on our website, should be a huge hit with new dentists. Our CBCT systems really are game changers and our RVG 6500 has Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing dentists to enjoy a cable-free operatory. And, our Logicon caries detection software is also an innovative program used to uncover and diagnose interproximal caries.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 >>

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DENTAL STUDENTS: What’s on Your Mind?

UofL Dental Students Provide Free Care in Southeastern Kentucky

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uring a two-day Remote Area Medical (RAM) event Sept.

8-9 in Somerset, Ky., nearly 80 University of Louisville dental school faculty & students were part of a team of volunteers that helped treat more than 680 patients with services that included 1352 extractions, 326

fillings, 140 cleaning, 59 exams and dozens of denture realignments and repairs.

The UofL dental students came equipped with new LED head lamps bought with funds from the American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation Bud Tarrson Dental School Student Community Leadership Award. The head lamps improve vision and subsequent quality of the clinical care at RAM events, which serves the Award’s purpose of enhancing student service learning and outreach to underserved populations. The UofL students won the $5,000 award in 2011 for their humanitarian outreach. The dental school started incremental involvement in RAM events in 2005 and became

Carestream Dental continued from page 10

How many dental offices currently use Carestream Dental products?

Dr. Gane: Carestream Dental products are used by seven out of 10 dental health professionals across the globe. In fact, more than 800 million dental images are captured each year with our products. That level of market penetration comes with the responsibility to constantly provide innovative products that raise the bar on image quality and work flow, and we don’t disappoint.

As an established dentist, what advice would you give to young dentists opening their own practices?

Dr. Gane: Differentiate yourself from the crowd by your service offerings, technology, and your unique personal style. Find a good mentor and never stop learning. Learn to place and restore implants—it’s the future. Become a great 12 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

annual participants in the Pikeville, Ky., RAM clinic in 2008.

The ADA Foundation award was created in 2003 to honor Bud Tarrson, former chief executive officer and owner of the John O. Butler Co. and an oral health philanthropist. “Our students are making a difference through their participation in Remote Area Medical events,” said John Sauk, DDS, MS, dean, UofL School of Dentistry. “The Tarrson family had a great experience witnessing the impact of our student outreach for America’s underserved.”

RAM is a non-profit organization that serves people in remote areas of the United States and around the world.

Information courtesy of the University of Louisville.

Our CBCT Systems Really Are Game Changers And Our Rvg 6500 Has Wi-Fi Capabilities, Allowing Dentists To Enjoy A Cable-Free Operatory. listener. Invest in enabling technologies that will make your professional life easier and more rewarding. Let your major guiding principle be to always do what is the right thing for the patient.

How can new dentists learn more about Carestream Dental products and services?

Dr. Gane: You can learn more on our website at CarestreamDental.com, or email me directly david.gane@ carestream.com to set up an in-office visit from one of our representatives, or call 1-800-944-6365.

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BEEN THERE, Done That

Guru Urges Dentists to Expand Services Dr. Richard Golden is perhaps best known as the inventor of the Physics Forceps, dental extraction forceps that enable dentists to simply and predictably extract virtually any tooth in any condition, in a very short period of time, while preserving the buccal bone and socket.

A

s a successful entrepreneur, dentist, and company founder he has a bit of advice for new dentists seeking success in today’s marketplace. “New dentists need to work toward becoming “the ‘Target’ of dentistry. In other words, dentists need to offer as many services as possible under one roof for their patients.”

That being said, Dr. Golden acknowledges that for dentists early in their careers, it’s essential that they recognize that dental schools provide the basic building blocks for a dentist’s career. “Much of a dentist’s learning will be obtained after they graduate and start practicing, like many other professions.” He notes that performing extractions is a good example. “Students are often taught by specialists who may overly complicate the methods, or teach instruments they may have learned many years ago, and make extractions seem like a hard or stressful procedure. In general, newer dentists have only performed five to 10 extractions in their dental school career. All it takes is one bad experience upon graduation, such as breaking a root tip, and a new dentist may give up doing them. In my experience from teaching my live-patient hands-on CE course, many dentists are terrified to extract certain teeth, but with the right instruments they often learn that extractions can be a quite simple procedure.”

Dr. Golden emphasizes that continuing education is critical to helping new dentists increase their comfort level with various procedures that will enable them to expand their services. “Even specialists are offering a wide range of services in today’s economy that I have not seen in the past. More and more specialists are attending our CE courses to learn

14 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

extractions. Many periodontists and endodontists still have to do extractions.”

And for that, Dr. Golden naturally recommends the Physics Forceps. What is unique about the Physics Forceps is that it requires a different approach than most doctors expect. “For those doctors that can change the way they perform extractions, instead of squeezing the instrument and moving their arm, which is what they are used to or how they were educated, the Physics Forceps works simply and easily by using only your wrist. When doctors first start using the instruments, they need to take a little time to learn the proper technique to be successful.”

In addition to the Physics Forceps, Dr. Golden recommends that new dentists equip their operatories with high-speed instruments, digital radiography, and a complete surgical set.

“I wouldn’t urge a new doctor to invest thousands of dollars in equipment they don’t know if they will use. Once you are comfortable and efficient in the basics, start expanding your services and becoming comfortable in other areas – like root canals, extractions, implants, perio. Those are adjuncts to basic dentistry.”

Even after practicing for many years, Dr. Golden is still learning himself and recently incorporated a new service, Six Month Smiles, into his own practice. “I took the two-day course and I could not believe how easy it is to do braces for adults.

It’s a learning experience, but after taking the course, they work with you, and I’ve had great success. It’s been a great way to provide a service that people want and to make more money.”

Beyond equipment and services, Dr. Golden has found that three other key factors have a direct influence on doctor success.

“Make sure you have a well-trained staff. Learn about marketing and advertising. Marketing and advertising are essential to attracting new patients on an ongoing basis. And always have a positive attitude. You are there to perform a service and to make patients happy. This is a business, even though you are a doctor, you have to treat it as a business. If you let your ego get the best of you, you stop building your practice and start destroying it.”

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What was I Thinking?

5 Major Location Regrets “Honestly, Scott, I don’t know what came over me!”

1

The caller is a young dentist, five years in practice. He is trying to figure out how to fix some of the problems he had created for himself during his first few years in practice. He believed and was following the advice he had been given by friends and others in school.

The simple truth is that there are many well-meaning “experts” and myriad friends who can get you into trouble.

Here are some of the most common regrets that new dentists suffer when choosing where to practice:

“I Went for the Easy Money” You have received an offer to associate with a practice in a major metropolitan area in the downtown region. The owner of the practice is a dentist who is NOT onsite and will do little to supervise your work. He has chosen the staff. He controls all aspects of the fees, insurance, billing, supplies, marketing, and other “business” aspects of the practice. He needs to use your license, however, to finalize the insurance contracts coming into the office but, as he explains, “this is only a formality.” You will be paid a base salary and a percentage of all production for the office. And, to be honest, this is the best financial deal you have been offered. Yeah, the money seems good.

You have independence! You have money! You have a practice!

You also have significant liability AND a covenant not to compete in an area covering a million people AND almost no control over your future.

The practice of using an employee’s (your) license to potentially defraud insurance companies is well documented and you probably have already found out about this trap. I won’t talk about it more here for that reason. But the other aspects of this situation are less well-known and can be equally devastating. The first is regarding the definition of the “covenant area.” Many new doctors will become blinded by the big money that is going to be rolling in - at least it seems like big money at this moment - and they tend to forget that a

16 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

By Scott McDonald

practice is not a short-term venture.

Ideally, your career in the profession will last 30 years or more. By allowing yourself to get into a situation in which you cannot benefit from the long-term fruits of your labors (such as building upon the patient relations) because of an extremely large and poorly defined covenant area, you are losing out on one of the biggest investments you can make to a practice: time and effort. You will be there for your patients on weekends and holidays. You will get them to refer their friends and families to the practice. You will be everything that a young dentist can be. And if the owner decides that you are “out” for any reason whatsoever, you are “out.” Even if the practice has never drawn a patient from within the neighboring towns, if they fall within the radius, you may be precluding your potential to practice for the foreseeable future.

Then there is the issue of “control.” There is much to be said about moving into a practice situation where all of the business issues are managed for you. But there is also an inherent problem with your professional development if you never learn about practice management on your own and you have no say in how the office is run. Even if the arrangement is entirely honorable, many dentists eventually find another place to practice because they feel that they have missed something. When it comes to “controlling your destiny,” the most common way that this can occur is through ownership. When there is little or no chance to control their professional destiny, many dentists regret having “gone for the gold.”

“I put down roots right away.”

Hardly a week goes by that a young dentist doesn’t ask me to find a place to practice “within a 40-minute drive of my house.” Certainly, wanting to work near where you have your “roots” is common. But it is also a potential mistake.

Many young dentists decide that they want to live in a “nice home” near where they work. And so, after getting a nice job offer in a second-tier market, you decide to call a realtor and start looking at homes. You figure that you can always sell

2

3

the house when you want to leave this area for your “dream practice.” You estimate that will be in about five years.

And during those five years, something happens. You may have a baby or TWO babies. Your spouse gets a nice job. The value of your home drops through the floor and you cannot sell. One of your kids starts school. The local congregation has made you a deacon. In short, without meaning to do so, you put down roots.

Let me be emphatic here: There is NOTHING WRONG with putting down roots. But when you made the decision to move to this area, did you consider the long term? Did you research this “market”? With the illusion and assumption that you weren’t going to be a permanent resident, it didn’t matter.

That is why so many young dentists regret not researching the potential of an area even though they were just taking a job as an associate for “a couple of years.” Regardless of your intentions, roots get established and they are hard to pull up.

Do your research even if you don’t plan to remain long term. A demographic report about the area and its long-term viability will be money well-spent. It will keep you from having to stay in a place with no future.

“My debt calls the shots.”

At some point, everyone comes to the conclusion that their car is a “beater.” It isn’t that it doesn’t run well. It is more an issue of “style.” The car isn’t cool. You are a doctor now and should drive a car that says you are successful. And you love golf (or tennis or skiing or fill-in-the-blank) so you join the “Club.” And now that you have a license, you start acquiring “stuff.”

For others, the tremendous student loan burden for undergraduate education and dental school adds to the dominating power of your debt service. I worked with a wonderful young couple of soon-to-be-married dentists who had a combined monthly student loan payment of $7,100.

Add to this amount consumer debt they had accrued since graduating. And that gave them a “nut” of about $12,000 even BEFORE they got into practice. So, what is really calling the shots on their future choices? Yes sir, it is their debt.

Their options for choosing where they were going to practice and how they were going to practice were greatly reduced by their debt. When they found a practice they wanted to purchase (and it really was a great location), they couldn’t qualify for the loan. Dental school is expensive. That is a given. Unfortunately, adding to this mountain of debt by making significant purchases before you have the money to support the lifestyle is perilous. The problem is that we often see young doctors acquiring debt that is “lifestyle” based rather than “necessity” based.

The less debt you have, the more freedom you have to

make decisions that are in the best interest of your career.

“I fell in love!”

WAIT! I am not talking about falling in love with a person.

I am referring to falling in love with a building, a city, or a practice.

Maybe the breakfast you had before visiting was especially good. A patient you met during your tour was particularly charming. The place has a covered parking space.

Sometimes, the reason for falling in love with a particular office, practice, or even city may defy logic. In one real-life example, a dentist bought a practice that was in the same strip mall as a tavern that featured exotic dancers. The cabinets were absolutely gorgeous (the seller was an amateur carpenter). The office was really impressive physically. As the tavern opened only after 9 PM, he could see no way in which this “business” could possibly hurt his practice. Yes, they shared a parking lot in theory, but their hours were so different, no conflict could possibly result. And, after all, the practice price was very low. There was simply nothing else for sale on that side of town, and the seller could certainly be classified as “motivated.” Need I go on?

Another dentist we know purchased a practice very close to a resort. He had in mind that patients would be easily attracted from the resort for “dental spa treatments.”

After all, the facility’s grounds nearly surrounded the office.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t thinking logically. No one came to this “resort” for dental care. They were mainly there to get off drugs.

There are myriad attractions dentists cite. The hard thing is trying to be decidedly dispassionate.

Be objective and factual. Put your emotions aside and look at what could be the flaws that will be present in EVERY practice, office, or community. If you don’t see them, keep looking.

“I am BIG now.”

My granddaughter is four. One of her favorite expressions is “I am BIG now.” The implication is that because she can walk, and talk, and go potty by herself, she can make all of her own decisions. Actually, it is quite cute. Her wrong decisions, like putting a right shoe on her left foot, are not too big a deal.

After a while, she figures it out. She is remarkably bright; she

4

5

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 >>

Scott McDonald is president and owner of Scott McDonald & Associates, Inc. The company is the largest and oldest provider of demographic data and analysis in the U.S. for healthcare. His products and services can be found at www.

DoctorDemographics.com. You can reach him by calling (800) 424-6222.

W I N T E R 20 1 2

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loans Bank of America offers are conventional term loans designed to keep the payments low. “We are trying to keep these doctors in the best cash-flow situation possible, keep their monthly payments down, so that they can invest in marketing, payroll, technology, whatever they need to invest in to grow the practice. If they are able to make a higher payment the extra amount goes directly toward the principle.”

Additionally, each of the lenders we spoke with indicated that loans typically include the purchase or build out of the practice as well as working capital – monies necessary to keep the lights on and the staff paid while the practice grows.

“A typical practice loan from Bank of America includes $75,000 in working capital and an additional $25,000 if the dentist is planning to work with a practice management company. So the dentist would be eligible for at least $100,000 in working capital. The balance of the loan will be anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000. Those funds will go for tenant improvements or construction and to equipment. For a startup, the amount will be between $400,000 and $450,000,” explains Mr. Tyson.

Aside from securing financing for a new practice, lenders urge new dentists to take a few other factors into consideration. “Location is key,” says Mr. Tyson.

“They really need to think about where they want to live and raise a family. In addition, they need to think about the type of practice that they want to have.

They also need to think about creating a business plan, from there, they need to determine if they want to buy an existing practice or, if it is a growing market, do they want to do a start-up.”

Ms. Farey explains that in addition to determining where the dentist would like to practice, it is essential that dentists develop their vision for the practice.

Her company walks new dentists through a series of questions to help them identify their career goals, personal skills assessments, and other steps to help them to determine if practice ownership is right for them.

Where and When to Buy or Build p10 WINTER 2011

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When applying for a practice acquisition or start-up loan, dentists should be prepared to provide specific information. The lenders we spoke with will request some or all of the following: tax returns for multiple years; copy of the dental license to practice; resume or curriculum vitae; production reports; application package from the bank; personal financial statement, which will include all financial assets and liabilities; business plan; an explanation of how the practice will be staffed; demographic information about the location of the practice; financial information about the practice to be purchased, marketing plans; and projections. Additionally, the borrower’s credit score will be checked.

Firms we spoke with noted that they like to see practice finance applicant scores in the high 600s or above.

Once the lender has all the information, dentists can typically secure preapproval in about three to seven days.

thenewdentist.net/Subscribe 877.777.6151 18 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

visit www.thenewdentist.net #1 Web-site for New Dentists

Bank of America Practice Solutions Promotes Opportunities Purchase an existing practice or start a practice from scratch.

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Call Jason Tyson at 1.877.541.3535, or send an e-mail to jason.m.tyson@bankofamerica.com. Mention Priority Code ADDMCK12. You can also visit us online at www.bankofamerica.com/practicesolutions. * All programs subject to credit approval and loan amounts are subject to creditworthiness. Some restrictions may apply. Bank of America Practice Solutions may prohibit use of an account to pay off or pay down another Bank of America account. ♥ Bank of America Practice Solutions makes no express or implied warranties with respect to any aspect of the Practice Heartbeat® program, nor does it guaranty any success or promise any results, and hereby disclaims the same to the extent allowed by law. The opinions of Bank of America Practice Solutions are based upon prior experience, and it makes no promise or guaranty that you will achieve any particular measure of success or results by participating in the program. You are not bound by any recommendations provided under this program and retain full responsibility for the results achieved by your professional practice. † Bank of America Practice Solutions engages Scott McDonald & Associates, a national marketing firm specializing in demographic research, site analysis and profile reports for health care professionals to produce a demographic report to assist health care professionals in evaluating where to locate their professional practices. Scott McDonald & Associates charges a fee for this service, which is passed on to the customer.

Bank of America is a trademark of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America Practice Solutions is a division of Bank of America Corporation, N.A. ©2012 Bank of America Corporation

Meet Dr. Josh Austin, Advisory Board Member The New Dentist™ welcomes Dr. Josh Austin to the magazine’s advisory board. Dr. Austin has been a regular contributor to the publication for the past four years, offering his perspectives on the practice of dentistry and observations about various products that he has used in his practice.

D

entistry has always been a part of Dr. Austin’s life.

Growing up in a household where his father was a dentist and spending time working in the practice, it’s not surprising that Dr. Austin knew early on that a career in the profession was what he wanted to pursue. Just seven years into his dental career, this San Antonio, Texas, native has a thriving practice in his hometown and is actively involved in organized dentistry at the state, local, and national levels.

A 2006 graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Dental School (UTHSCSA), Dr. Austin notes that one of the greatest pleasures of dentistry is that sense of immediate gratification. “I like to solve problems and see immediate results. I love to look at a restoration and know I did it well.”

Beyond that, it is the connection with people that Dr. Austin finds most rewarding. “I have to say that the relationships that I have formed with patients has to be one of the most gratifying aspects of dentistry. But that’s what dentistry is, the business of relationships. You form a bond with your patients, and if it is positive, they are likely to stay with you and your practice. When I was an associate, I built relationships with my patients, and then when I opened my own practice they followed me. That’s very rewarding.”

As a sole practitioner, Dr. Austin is candid about some of the challenges that he faces as a new dentist. He considers

Dr. Austin’s Go-To Products Isodry/Isolite www.isolitesystems.com Scotchbond Universal http://solutions.3m.com LumaDent Headlamp http://lumadent.com/ Photo courtesy of LumaDent

20 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

two in particular to be significant: staff and fees. “Managing the employees, getting them to buy in, to understand what we are about and to be part of the team is an ongoing challenge. I find it’s hard to keep them happy, and it seems there are always issues going on. The other major challenge is figuring out what to charge. I’ve found that it takes a long time to feel comfortable charging people for your time. Even still today, I have trouble charging a fair market value for my services.”

He urges fellow new dentists to “Get into an ownership situation as soon as you are ready. You have to establish yourself. It’s really important to begin building some sort of equity in your own practice. You can’t be an associate for 15 years. Also, get involved in the Academy of General Dentistry, and improve your skills. Take an active role in organized dentistry. It just helps get your name out there, and it helps you attract new patients. Many of my patients are referred by specialists who are in the society. Being involved in organized dentistry helps everyone in the profession and ensures that we are able to continue to practice as we want to practice.”

In practice for just seven years, Dr. Austin already has achieved significant success and is actively involved in several dental organizations. He is a member of the prestigious Seattle Study Club, which is a network of professional dental study groups dedicated to ideal comprehensive dental care. Dr. Austin’s other professional memberships include the Academy of General Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, American Dental Association, and American Dental Education Association.

He also serves on the board of directors for the San Antonio District Dental Society, the San Antonio chapter of the Academy of General Dentistry, and the Texas Dental Association. In 2009, the Texas Dental Association honored Dr. Austin by naming him Young Dentist of the Year. Dr. Austin was recently appointed to a position on the American Dental Association Council on Communications.

Dr. Austin can be contacted at jaustindds@me.com, by phone at (210) 408-7999 or visit his practice website at www.joshuaaustindds.com.

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practicing dentist for 24 years, and there is one thing about the profession that he absolutely hates: inflicting pain on a patient. “When I gave my very first injection ever to a patient in the endo clinic, I thought, ‘I now have to inflict pain on this person to get them numb, so that I can treat them to get them out of the pain they are suffering from.’ It just didn’t make sense to me that to help people I had to hurt them.”

D

entistry’s reputation for pain has never served it well.

“When you think about it, dentistry doesn’t hurt. A filling doesn’t hurt, an extraction doesn’t hurt, even a root canal doesn’t hurt because the patient is anesthetized.

However, the impression a patient has of you is the pain you inflict on them with a needle before the procedure.” It became Dr. Goldberg’s lifelong dream to change that impression.

This graduate of New York University Dental School spent 20 years trying different products and methods to alleviate the pain associated with giving injections to patients.

In 2004, he began working on what is now known as the DentalVibeTM. He had found that shaking the lip while administering the injection did work somewhat, so he wanted to explore the research behind the method.

“I spent hundreds of hours researching it and found the ‘gate control theory of pain.’” According to the theory, the touch sensation travels so quickly to the brain that it gets there before the sensation of pain. “So if both are occurring at the same time, the touch sensation, or vibration in this case, will get there first and that shuts what’s called the ‘pain gate,’ and you can’t feel the sensation of pain. It cannot reach your brain. That’s the principle that DentalVibeTM works under.”

Instead of shaking the lip, the vibration occurs at the point where the needle is going in.

With the help of a toothbrush, Dr. Goldberg began test22 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

ing the idea. “I took a vibrating toothbrush, put a rubber tip on it, placed it in the patient’s mouth in the area where I was going to give the injection. She had her eyes closed. I gave her the injection, and when I was done she said, ‘I’m really numb.

How do you know how much vibration to use?’” Dr. Goldberg continued testing the method on several patients each day. Consistently, patients marveled that they did not feel the pain. He knew he was on to something.

It was time to turn his idea into a reality. “Once you have an idea, you have to go through the prototype process.

I searched the country until I found a group of engineers in Philadelphia who really understood vibration. I knew that vibration worked, but it had to be at a very distinct frequency to allow the sensory receptors in the mouth to react. At too high a frequency or too low a frequency, it wouldn’t work.”

Once the prototype was thoroughly tested, the next stage was manufacturing and approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Today, the device is manufactured completely in the United States in Florida. The process sounds as if it were simple and straightforward. In actuality, it was a long and arduous journey that took years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, emphasizes Dr. Goldberg.

“You have to understand that the practicality of taking an idea and bringing it to market takes millions of dollars. I didn’t know that in the beginning. We sacrificed everything.

I had a very successful practice in Boca Raton and was doing very well. But we had to sell four cars; we got rid of our home. I even got rid of my watch. I was driving my mother in-law’s Camry. We got rid of everything. We sacrificed everything. We had to sell everything to be able to afford the patent process.”

In addition to making a sizeable investment out of his own pocket, Dr. Goldberg had to find investors who believed in the DentalVibeTM as much as he did. And who better to ask than those with firsthand experience. “I chose investors who were patients of mine. They swore by it and would never let me give them a shot without it. They said they wanted to be a CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 >>

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American Eagle Instruments:

MADE IN AMERICA

Brad Heckerman, CEO

Montana is well known for its magnificent parks, Glacier National Park and Yellowstone in particular. It also happens to be home to one of dentistry’s leading instrument manufacturers, American Eagle Instruments (AEI). The company, located in Missoula, is said to have “the best customer service” in the industry. It has been in operation for 21 years and manufactures more than 2,000 instruments. The New Dentist recently had the opportunity to tour the headquarters and sit down with company founder Brad Heckerman to learn more about what makes this dental instrument company unique.

TND: What does it mean to be CEO of this company, i.e. your vision, philosophy, etc.?

Mr. Heckerman: First, my formal title within AEI is CES, which is also on my business cards. It is Chief Executive Servant. Our vision has never been to be the largest company in the categories where we compete, but to be the “best” company, with the “best” products in those areas.

We truly are focused on “better Dentistry by Design™,” thus we are focused on the dental professional who will use our products. We want to make their lives and the lives of their patients better. We view our AEI team members as our most important asset, as the finest at what they do in dentistry. Our vision is to continue to make our products in the United States, in Missoula, Mont., to transform AEI into a world-class manufacturing company that can compete against any other, with products we make here in the United States.

TND: Is it common for dental instrument companies based in the United States to manufacture products that are “made in America” or is it typical to outsource the manufacturing process overseas?

Mr. Heckerman: Some of the companies build their instruments mostly in the United States, and some, of course, outsource, usually handles, but it can be points, etc. Many of the surgical products are sourced from Germany, or some companies buy from Pakistan, China, and Brazil.

TND: What is the most important fact that dentists should know about your company that they currently don’t?

Mr. Heckerman: I would say the facts about out XP Technology™, and those products that use this technology.

Having an instrument that does not have to be sharpened for the life of the instrument is the largest technical breakthrough in hand instruments since the Gracey line of curettes.

24 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

TND: What makes AEI unique in the dental industry?

Mr. Heckerman: I would say the quality of our products as the world’s finest, our innovation, our customer service, as well as our commitment to “Made in America,” and our commitment to our employees.

TND: How has the dental instrument industry changed in the past 10-15 years?

Mr. Heckerman: I think the most obvious change has been in the area of consolidation of the distribution channel over the years. For hand instrument companies, I think the main change is the movement to larger, lighter weight handles, which AEI innovated. The main game changer has been XP Technology™.

TND: Where do you see the company five years from now?

Mr. Heckerman: We see AEI as being known not only as an instrument company but the best in that field. We also see ourselves entering the endo market, and becoming known as a company with innovative cutting edge products that make for better endo procedures, saving the doctors time, effort, and achieving better patient outcomes.

TND: What makes the company unique as an employer?

Mr. Heckerman: I would hope it would be the way we treat our team members. They are our company and that is how management views them. Our focus is on a corporate culture that is more about people than profits.

Many of our team members think of us as a family, and I suppose in many ways we are like one big extended family. We tell them at least twice a year that we know how well AEI would do if no one but the managers CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 >>

New Dentist Winter Issue.pdf

1

10/1/12

1:35 PM

ADVERTORIAL

New Dentists Increase

Online Presence New dentists, it is time for a checkup. When a potential patient enters your name into a search engine, is the outcome equivalent to a toothless mouth without dentures? If you have not yet taken the initiative to secure a positive and substantial online presence for you and your practice, you are

By Mosely, Smile Reminder most certainly falling behind.

W

ith so many technological advances in today’s world, individuals are relying on online search results more than ever. Just as a person may research reviews of a restaurant before making a reservation, so are patients seeking reviews of dental professionals before booking appointments.

If your name and practice is producing little to no results online, you are losing potential new patients. Even more detrimental: a patient enters your name only to receive negative reviews from unsatisfied patients of your past. If you are not taking charge of your online presence and reputation, you run the very real risk of someone else doing it for you.

On a more positive note, gaining control of your online presence and reputation is one of the easiest and most effective ways for new dentists to increase practice revenue and broaden their patient base. Consider the reward when a potential patient creates a search for a dentist in their area and finds substantial information and feedback, which reflects your practice in a positive and accurate light. Chances are, those optimistic search results just earned you a new patient, or maybe even a family of new patients.

So, why do so many new dentists still neglect their online presence?

Certainly, it is not from a lack of want, but more likely derived from a lack of understanding how. After opening a new practice or beginning a new career, the task of building an online presence can seem daunting. However, it is much easier than one would suspect, especially if you enlist the help of a

26 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

•

patient engagement system, like Smile Reminder, to do it for you.

In an effort to help streamline the entire process, we have designed the new dentist’s checklist for building a strong online presence…

• Create/ update your website.

A dentist’s website should act as a hub of information for the practice.

It can provide links to other sites, educational resources or articles, and include any press or accolades that may improve the practice’s credibility. Additionally, the website should feel modern, streamlined, and easily navigable. If your website seems out-of-touch, so will your practice.

• Get listed in online directories.

By solidifying your place in online directories you are ensuring your visibility when a person runs a local search. A directory listing links the patient to your location, practice website, phone number, and other important information. You can manually submit to be included in the thousands

•

of searchable directories on the web, or you can enlist a platform like Smile Reminder’s Active Presence, which uses a feature called Active Push to automatically submit to directories for you.

Be a part of online reviews. With a plethora of patient review sites across the web, maintaining awareness of what is being said about your practice allows you to reinforce positive reviews and do damage control for negative reviews. By being present on these sites you can join in the conversation and ensure your practice is reflected accurately and is not subject to slander. Sound like a headache to take on? Smile Reminder’s Active Presence is able to ease this process as well. The “Active Monitor” feature routinely combs through the web to notify you when and where your practice is being reviewed, while “Active Review” allows you to build up positive reviews across the web.

Be active with social media.

Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are a great outlet to regularly engage with patients by relaying relevant practice news and other pertinent information to interest new, established, and potential patients. Smile Reminder allows practices to manage their social media accounts through their program and even offers the convenient app, Schedule Me, which allows patients to easily request an CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 >>

Painless Injections continued from page 22

part of it because every dentist should have this device. When people say that, you know it’s a viable product.”

Today, thousands of dentists use the DentalVibe. It is available in the United States and 25 countries around the globe. “Dental schools are beginning to incorporate it. The hospitals are beginning to use it. It’s a thrill for me because it’s a dream come true. I feel that I am making dentistry a better profession. Years from now, people won’t think of dentistry as a painful experience. The pain won’t be there at all.”

For more information, visit www.dentalvibe.com.

to be our team members, but not just for AEI, this is true for any company.

Another example is that we pay the salary and benefits for any employee if they, their spouse, or one of their children has a life threatening illness, and the employee must leave work for treatment, recuperation, etc. for as long as it takes for them to come back to work. We have done this numerous times and have paid salary and benefits to one family for over three years in the past. We believe there is a direct relationship between stress and wellness, and we want to remove economic and family stress as much as we can when one of our families is going through a life or death illness experience.

Exclusive Provider of CE for The New Dentist

American Eagle Instruments continued from page 24

LEARNING

TM

showed up for work tomorrow! It would only take days before our customers would see the effects in a significant manner. We also tell them if they showed up but the managers did not, we realize the company would run month after month and never miss the management team. So, who is really important to the company? It has

Interactive web-based training www.vivalearning.com FREE CE Credits Online • Instant Certification • ADA CERP Provider

DOUBLE THE PERFORMANCE, ZERO RE-SHARPENING Double GraceyTM Innovation The Double Gracey™ is the latest innovation from American Eagle Instruments. Two instruments combined in one. This allows the operator to follow the Gracey technique, but with the economy of using universal curettes. The face of Double Graceys™ are raised, thus creating two cutting edges on each end.

Benefits for You and Your Practice + Stay in one ergonomic position during scaling without shifting positions + Maneuver between mesial and distal surfaces without switching or flipping instrument + Scale from light to heavy calculus + Rounded toe provides safe access for subgingival scaling + Thinner blade design + More comfort and less fatigue + Saves time and money (NO SHARPENING) + Satisfaction guarantee Available in four seperate patterns or as a kit. To learn more or to order your set of Double Graceys call Customer Service at (800) 551-5172 or visit www.am-eagle.com

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27

Locations Regrets continued from page 17 is MY granddaughter, after all.

Dentists often come to regret saying the equivalent, “I am BIG now” professionally. They assume that because they have been to dental school, passed their Boards, and even secured a loan that they know the essentials of practice. I have even heard faculty members at dental schools warning students against trusting consultants and other experts in the field.

“They don’t really understand dental practice as you will,” they caution.

Many, many young dentists come to regret that attitude.

But wise professionals, particularly those who want to be successful early in their careers, will try to learn what they don’t know FAST. And they will seek assistance from those

visit www.thenewdentist.net #1 Web-site for New Dentists

Practice Made Perfect

Dental school is expensive.

Unfortunately, adding to this mountain of debt by making significant purchases before you have the money to support the lifestyle is perilous. who DO know. Then they must trust them.

True, you may not need a dental consultant throughout your career. You probably won’t need to put an accountant or attorney on permanent retainer. You may only need the help of a demographer once or twice over the years. But you have to know that you WILL need their help, especially at the beginning. So hiring a solid practice management firm, an attorney who specializes in dental practice issues, a reputable accounting firm with a large list of dental clients makes sense.

There are so many young professionals who make “penny wise, pound foolish” decisions that haunt them unnecessarily throughout their careers. Choosing good advisors to put systems in place FIRST will allow you to grow and flourish much faster than you could if you were making all the mistakes (and putting your shoes on the wrong feet).

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appointment through their Facebook accounts.

Start a blog. Regular blogging is another great outlet for new dentists to communicate with patients. Not only will it increase your search engine visibility, but it can provide an extended platform for you to connect through. You can comment on new services, new trends, case studies, post before and after photos and more. The point is your voice is being heard!

• Capture video testimonials. A new dental trend is to use popular video sites, like YouTube, for visual patient testimonials. These virtual patient surveys are an ideal way for potential patients to actually see the great work you are doing. Smile Reminder’s in-office video testimonial service, SR Video, captures patient reviews after an appointment and can immediately upload them to YouTube, the second most searched website behind Google! This provides even more positive results for your practice.

Checking these items off your list will guarantee a patient’s search for your office is not only successful, but also accurate.

Michael Mosley is Director of Marketing at Smile Reminder and can be reached at 866-605-6867 or visit www.smilereminder.com” •

Business Management Training for the Dentist/Ceo The difference between “I think” and “I know” View course curriculum at www.mckenziemgmt.com/atc-dentistCEO.htm 16 HOURS OF AGD CE CREDITS

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• Appraisals • Practice Sales and Purchases • Associateships, Partnerships and Mergers • Retirement Planning • Business Structure Consulting

Speak with a Henry Schein Practice Transitions Consultant today!

1-800-730-8883 Henry Schein Financial Services is not a bank, does not represent itself as such, and does not conduct banking activities. © 2012 Henry Schein, Inc. No copying without permission. Not responsible for typographical errors.

or e-mail: ppt@henryschein.com www.henryschein.com/ppt

SKINNY

on the Street

The latest news on products and services for new dentists and their practices 3M™ True Definition Scanner The 3MTM True Definition Scanner is redefining the economics of CAD/CAM dentistry with an unprecedented price – making it a feasible investment for any practice.

The system provides predictable, clinical outcomes through a secure cloud-based platform utilizing STL files, offering dentists and labs more ways to store clinical cases, share, and connect. The system is more consistently accurate than leading systems on the market. The wand provides familiarity with its small, lightweight handpiece design and reliability because it never needs to be calibrated.

It’s possible to capture and simultaneously view a true replica of the oral anatomy, giving the flexibility needed for quadrant dentistry and the accuracy needed for full arch dentistry. For more information visit www.3M.com/TrueDef

MacPractice Clipboard App for iPad

GC FujiCEM™ 2 Resin Modified Glass Ionomer Cement This next generation resin modified glass ionomer luting cement powered by F2 Flex Fuse Technology, incorporates new high elastic, cross-linking monomers with a modified filler-surface treatment to increase strength properties. GC FujiCEM 2 delivers superior bond strength while allowing you to do more restorations in less time.

With F2 Flex Fuse Technology, GC FujiCEM 2 Automix improves indirect restorations with increased strength, high fluoride release, low film thickness, and excellent marginal integrity. The automix paste pak dispensing system ensures a consistent mix every time.

MacPractice has updated MacPractice Clipboard App for iPad including a new ability to accommodate customized forms. Data entered by new patients on the iPad is automatically incorporated into their account in MacPractice DDS v. 4.2 on the Mac where insurance plan information is easily accessible and may be reviewed before acceptance by staff. MacPractice Clipboard App streamlines registration, saves paper and saves staff time, and reduces the risk of data-entry errors.

Patients also can sign HIPAA consent and release forms as well as confirm or change their own account information. MacPractice Clipboard App is free for MacPractice support subscribers to download from Apple’s App Store.

For more information, visit www.macpractice. com or call (402) 420-2430.

INDEX O F A D V E R T I S E R S Advertisers in this issue of The New Dentist™ have made it possible for you to receive this publication free of charge. Please support these companies. Contact information can be found below, or visit the Resource section at www.thenewdentist.net to receive information from more than one company.

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McKenzie Management....BC, p. 30 www.mckenziemgmt.com 877-777-6151

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Golden Dental Solutions...p. 11 GoldenDentalSolutions.com 877-987-2284

Midwest Business Capital...p. 5 www.midwestbusinesscapital.com 877-751-4622

Henry Schein Nationwide Dental Opportunities........ IBC www.dentalopportunities.com 866-409-3001

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Dental Vibe...................... p. 21 www.dentalvibe.com 877-503-VIBE (8423) Dentcubator..................... p. 30 ideas@dentcubator.com

Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions......... p. 31 www.henryschein.com/ppt 800-730-8883 Keller Laboratories, Inc... p. 29 www.kellerlab.com 800-325-3056

visit thenewdentist.net/resources.htm

FREE information from our Advertisers 32 WWW.THENEWDENTIST.NET W I N T E R 20 1 2

Live Oak Bank................... p. 9 www.liveoakbank.com/newdentist 866-484-1223 MacPractice...................... p. 15 www.macpractice.com 402-420-2430

Scott McDonald & Associates.......................... p. 8 www.doctordemographics.com 800.424.6222 Six Month Smiles.............. p. 3 www.sixmonthsmiles.com 866-957-7645 Smile Reminder............... p. 25 www.smilereminder.com 866-605-6867 Wood & Delgado Attorneys at Law............... p. 1 www.dentalattorneys.com 800-499-1474

Henry Schein Nationwide Dental Opportunities:

The perfect solution for your Dental Associate

search and placement needs.

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1-866-409-3001 To see a complete listing, visit www.dentalopportunities.com

‘‘

This is an Absolute must for any new start-up. This course not only gave me the confidence to start my practice from scratch but also provided a lot of material to help manage staff and run the practice efficiently.

The 2-day course compiles years of McKenzie Management’s expertise in the business of dentistry, which is a huge bonus for dentists planning to own and run a practice. Totally worth it.

Thank you so much for everything.”

— Sasha Bhor DDS San Diego, CA www.oasissmiles.com

ENROLL TODAY

and receive Realizing l, The Practice’s True Potentia a 5-Hour DVD Set

FREE

Practice Start Up Program Practice Acquisition Program 2 Days, one-on-one training. | Preferred time 3 to 18 months prior to opening or purchase.

6 Months of follow up support. | Training location - La Jolla, CA or your city.

Training and support materials. | 16 Hours of AGD CE credits.

Available for General Dentists and Specialists.

View course curriculum at www.mckenziemgmt.com/cons-startup.htm and www.mckenziemgmt.com/practiceacquisition.htm

1.877.777.6151 info@mckenziemgmt.com