Independent Dentists worry-Are there too many dentists?
Independent dentists often ask at professional meetings “why are there too many” dentists?
While the economy is in a very unfair state, Dentistry remains a great profession ESPECIALLY for those working to accumulate advantages in their local area. This entire topic of how to create advantages that allow any dentists to win out over market unfairness is the subject matter of my latest book available at Amazon.
Here are some signs of the times:
*Dental school enrollment is UP. Dentists’ kids and those in dentists’ circles of influence still want to be dentists.
*Private dental schools are making money turning out dentists and doing quite well financially. Pricing for education is out of control and that is an entirely different topic on what that means for patients and dentists. Long term it does not forebode well.
*Regardless of enrollment levels and mounds of tuition dollars being paid, students aren’t being taught what it takes to succeed in the niche economy that we operate under. Any elective specialized service and all full fee general dentistry is a NICHE. My program members know this all too well and most as independent dentists are well versed in how to rise above the competition.
*Freshly minted dentists graduate thinking the world is their oyster; all it takes is an SBA loan on top of the mounds of educational debt, passion, technical skills, and ability to “educate” their patients on how great dentistry is and of the dangers of sugar, smoking, and not flossing. If ONLY it was that simple.
It’s easy to see why many people believe that we have enough Dentists already but upon careful analysis quickly finds this complaint is really a simple cop out since there’s far more undone dentistry than the profession can handle and consumers are happily spending on all kinds of things that aren’t dentistry, that are more elective, and that are at the same price points. My sales system and marketing tools attract those consumers regardless of the competition.
The reality is we have TOO many dentists who aren’t working on their practices, aren’t 100% pain-free or have hygienists who aren’t (jeez…is that one simple thing a market differentiator!), and aren’t training their teams and themselves in how to sell and market their preferred niches (e.g. procedures they love and can do for their entire lives). The item they are missing is an ethical selling sales system based on up to date behavioral data and a check-list which helps the patient and doctor make the best choices.
Knowing all of these things as an independent dentist, what are you going to focus on this year? Complaining that there are “too many dentists” or fixing your foundation in marketing and selling?
Why not start here ?
