Understanding the business of dentistry

Whilst University education and ongoing clinical study is very strong in Australia and New Zealand, there remains a need to help many dentists understand that as well as being clinicians, they are also businesspeople requiring advice and assistance across all aspects of dental practice.

With this as its mandate, new company Dental Advantage Consulting Group has emerged to help dentists with all aspects of running a successful dental practice. Directors Dr Brad Wright, Geoff Parkes and Bettina Purcell come well credentialed to become a leading resource from which practitioners can obtain advice.

Dr Wright is a well known dentist who has successfully owned, developed and operated dental practices over 25 years; Mr Parkes has over 11 years experience in dentistry as Director of Equipment for Henry Schein Halas; and third Ms Purcell has enjoyed considerable success as a dental corporate account manager, and in private practice and university dental clinic management.

Rather than spruik a particular "one size" method or a sales technique, the Dental Advantage model is to work with dentists to establish specific areas of need and to tailor a program to suit. This may result in working with dentists on a single aspect only, for example hygienist integration, or perhaps how best to deal with a staffing issue, right through to full consultancy and mentorship to substantially lift the financial performance of the practice.

Dental Advantage is presenting a series of Dentelligence seminars in coming months and look forward to working with dentists to help steer them through what is often the most difficult and least enjoyable part of being a dentist.

Do any of the following apply to you?

• You want to achieve better harmony between clinical dentistry and achieving good business outcomes;
• You want to get more out of your practice but don't know how;
• You plan to open a new practice soon or in the future;
• You're frustrated by not being able to match return for all your effort; or
• You suspect or fear that dental practice will become increasingly competitive and difficult.