How was your vocational training in Essex?
I selected a particulary supportive clinic. There was about a cohort of 12 other newly qualified graduates and this was an important point in the start of my career. It was nice to know that I could lean on my colleagues for support and discuss certain scenarios especially in difficult cases. Your first clinic placement is crucial and really determines the trajectory of your career, the type of support you get and how that builds you as a clinician and instills you with clinical confidence is important. It is through this that you gain empowerment tools to start out on your own or expand as an associate.
What would your early careers advice be?
I would say that for the first 2/3 years, it would be best trying to see as many practices as you can. Try and develop your strong points. Find your passion in the find and it is great if you can get a postgraduate to give you a bargaining chip when you buy a clinic. A corporate clinic initially is better because with the way the system is heading, the therapist will be doing a lot more NHS and children work.
Do you think it is necessary to specialise in today's world?
These days the standards are quite high and demands made from the public are a lot higher- things like Endodontics is much different from what it was before. Im not sure if a single handed practice with one dentist and a hygienist can survive in our competitive environment.
How did you select the first practice you wanted to buy?
I went to practice in South Hampton for a year and I found it quite fast developing and constantly growing. I looked at the map and just across South Hampton is Isle of Wright and I ended up selecting a practice there.
What sort of research and questions did you ask yourself when buying this clinic?
When you want to buy a practice, these are some of the key questions I looked at:
1) NHS contract value per patient- 50% NHS, you do need a % of NHS patients to private services and you can if you wish buy an entirely private practice- however the expectations for private is really high
2) Where are you going to buy this practice- how far are the patients travelling from- if they are travelling over 20 miles, be aware that if you are buying from another practitioner, their loyalty may be to their former dentist.
3) Location of the pratice- rural, need to know the location in terms of postgraduate courses, reasanoable travelling distance
4) Gross income
5) What the rent is
6) What the competition is doing
7) How many staff and hygienist are employed
8) Will the earnings of the practice cover your bank interest.