What did you learn about managing the practice?

 

Biggest thing was the support that my  mother gave me. She made sure I did the books correctly- She told me where I need to cut down and where I need to expand and it was through her financial guidance that I made it.

 

I picked an amazing team of staff- I was working with these nurses in my first ever job out of dental school and I hired the 3 women I was working with. I have worked with this team for over 20 years and this was my second family, we got through the tough things such as loosing a brother or a husband together.

 

You then had to select a partner to manage the demands of the practice, how did you do that?

 

I was still in contact with the dundee dental hospital and asked that im looking for a young guy that wants to settle down and is capable. He worked with me as an associate dentist for 3 years and he then approached me later to become a partner.

 

Later, we discovered that there was a plot of land next to the clinic and my partner at that time wanted to buy the land and expland the clinic. In 2014, he became the senior dentist.

 

Why didnt you open more practices?

 

I can make a perfectly good living, be my own boss. My priority was to make what is mine good. I managed to put 3 children through private education and im also putting them through university without paying loans. I was happy and content with the life I had.

 

According to you, what makes a clinic successful?

 

The way you run a successful practice is through the personal touch. Both your employees, clients, you need to have that personal connection. Its you and them- it reaches a point that you become this interdependent unit.

 

What is your biggest life advice?

 

If you know its right, do it. If the system says its wrong ,get out of the system and find better alternatives.