Becoming a dentist is a journey. We spend years learning how to prevent, diagnose and treat oral diseases, in addition to how to meet the continuously changing dental needs and demands of our patients and the public. Dental education is essential because it allows us to gain the necessary knowledge and technical skills to care for our patients. But is it really enough?
In this edition of Treloar Talks, I speak with Dr. Matthew Walker, a general dentist in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Dr. Walker earned his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University and his dental degree from Oklahoma University in 2001. He has maintained a commitment to continuing education and has pursued advanced training in laser gum surgery (LANAP), cosmetic reconstruction and dental implant dentistry.
Few things are as professionally rewarding as opening your own practice. Leading a team. Seeing your branding vision come to life. Your name on the sign. But the process isn’t all enjoyable. It comes with some challenging questions: How many employees do I need? How do I find a good employee? And, once they’re in place, how do I keep them?
Empathy is defined as “the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another.” For dentists, empathizing with patients is not only good practice.
Dr. Jordan Bower, Temple ’13, started his practice, Fresh Smiles, in 2018. Here he shares the lessons he learned throughout the process, along with his advice for dental students hoping to go into private practice.
Dr. Mark Costes has a wealth of experience in leadership and practice management, having owned more than 15 dental practices and employed hundreds of people throughout his career. He now has a group of seven practices and a consulting company in the Dental Success Institute. What qualifies him to be a coach? “Having made all the mistakes in the book,” he says. He urges dental students to learn from his experiences, immerse themselves in all of the free self-education resources out there and get out of their comfort zone.
In this episode of Let’s Talk, Christian Pearson, National Director of Dental Partnerships at Treloar & Heisel speaks with Stephen Trutter, Director of Consulting & Partner at Ideal Practices, a national consulting firm focused on the needs of private practice dentistry.
