The dental industry has never been more demanding and burdensome than it is currently, and so much of this burden or weight falls on the shoulders of the dental practice owners. For instance, dental practices are in never-ending competition for patients, experience challenges in their schedules, and go through bouts of low productivity.

When you qualify as a dentist, two paths open up in front of you. You can take one path that leads you down the road to opening up your own dental practice and working for yourself. Or you can take the other path and work as a dentist in someone else’s practice. 

From your specialist dentist who is a master at a handful of important tasks and your dental hygienist who does a thorough cleaning quicker than anyone else to your dental assistant who is incredible at placating anxious staff and your dental receptionist who tries to make sure everyone attends their appointments on time, there are many moving cogs in the machine that is your dental practice.

According to dentistryiq.com, a career as a dental hygienist offers one of the best work-life balances there is. But no matter whether you’re just starting out in your path as a newly-qualified RDH (registered dental hygienist) or whether you’ve done the job for years, things can get on top of you and you can quickly lose the wonderful work-life balance that first attracted you to the role.

Deciding to sell your dental practice is a big thing. But making sure you get the best deal that makes all the time, skill, money and effort you invested into your practice worth it is an even bigger thing. This is why it’s important to prepare yourself both mentally and financially, so you can reap the biggest possible rewards from what is likely to be your entire retirement nest egg or at least a significant part of it. 

It’s no secret that people don’t enjoy going to the dentist. This is especially true for those who’ve let their oral care slip. But even if your patient takes really good care of their teeth, there are definitely some things they do inside the dental practice that drive you crazy. 

In the modern world, dentistry is changing much more rapidly than it did years ago. And with it, insurance plans, benefit schemes, reimbursement rates, rules and regulations are all changing at a fast pace, too. Keeping on top of the seemingly endless changes can feel like an impossible task, but it’s something you’ve got to do in order to maintain a successful dental practice. 

Although the dentist is often the person who steals the show, a dental practice simply couldn’t function without at least one competent dental hygienist and dental assistant. While these two roles are distinctly different, they’re both incredibly important when it comes to patient care both in the dental practice and after the patient walks out the door.

Running a successful dental practice can be incredibly challenging for anyone new to practice management. There are many different facts you need to take into consideration, from employing experienced dedicated professionals and prioritizing patient satisfaction to ongoing dental training and maintaining a realistic pricing structure. 

More people than ever are searching for brighter, whiter teeth. But before you get your patient settled in the dentist chair, it’s important they understand the ins and outs of professional teeth whitening so they know what they’re getting themselves into. The next time someone walks into your practice requesting a Hollywood-white smile, here’s what you should let them know.