The American Dental Association states that in 2020, out of 100,000 Americans, 61 are dentists. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also gives a comprehensive list of dentists by state. Based on these numbers, the number of dentists is simply not enough, especially in the next few years.
By the year 2030, the demand for dentists is likely to increase by 8 percent. This is because more and more people are becoming more concerned about their dental health.
Importance of Dental Health
Taking care of one’s dental health is important not only because it keeps an individual healthy, but also because it contributes greatly to one’s appearance and impression on others.
A person’s dental health can be taken care of by an individual or a dental health expert. Dental health experts include dentists, dental hygienists, as well as orthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons. An orthodontist specializes in improving teeth alignment and bite by fitting braces or other dental devices; a periodontist, on the other hand, is a dental specialist focused on treating severe dental health problems.
Addressing dental problems is important because it affects how an individual performs in his or her daily life. For instance, teeth problems may result in problems in speech; it can also affect how a person eats and ingest food. Additionally, when a tooth is infected, it can be extremely painful for a person and can sometimes lead to more serious problems.
When gum disease is not treated, it can result in teeth loss as well as other complications. Some extreme dental cases are said to result in heart and lung complications, as well as diabetes and stroke. Therefore, having good dental health is important to avoid these complications.
Starting a dental practice
An individual’s partner in keeping good dental health is a group of reliable dental health experts. With the increasing demand for these dental professionals, setting up a dental practice is not a bad idea at all. Starting your own dental practice is even a better idea; you can be your own boss.
However, starting up any kind of business on your own may be difficult. This is why one must first understand the basic areas of starting up a business before putting up a dental practice.
Budget
When setting up a business, one of the most important things to think about is capital. Currently, the price for starting up a dental practice is around $350,000 to $500,000. This is a big amount of money. Because a lot of money is at stake, careful planning is required to ensure that one does not lose his or her investments.
In estimating the needed capital for the business, one must also consider expenses for the next few months. Also, one must have reserve capital for unexpected expenses that may arise along the way. Doing so ensures that one does not have to seek funding from other sources; this is to avoid incurring debt instead of gaining revenue.
Location
Most of the money need for your capital will go to paying for real estate. Hence, when choosing a property to establish your business, the location must be at its prime. Prime location is indeed pricier, but it also ensures that you will have enough traffic and customers for your dental practice.
Before picking a location for your practice, research is important. You need to know if there is a need for your practice in the area. You must also consider if the location you are picking is accessible enough for your future clients.
Additionally, avoid areas with the competition; most probably, they have already established a customer base in that area. You want to establish a practice where people really need a dentist because it is lacking in their community.
Staffing
A business is nothing without its employees, and if you’re starting your own dental practice, you must consider how many staff you need to hire, too.
It’s not only the dentist who works in a dental practice. Dental assistants and laboratory technicians can be part of the practice, too. Additionally, outsourcing IT professionals is important in the dental practice so that the staff within the clinic can focus on their own functions; agencies such as JCIT IT Solutions can help with a dental practice’s IT needs.
When thinking about hiring people, a business owner must not only think about their schedules and skills but the benefits he or she can give to these employees.
Aside from location, staffing, and budget, a person who is looking to open up a dental practice must secure the proper licenses, buy the right equipment for the clinic, as well as employ the proper marketing strategies to attract patients.
By considering these basic elements, as well as doing further research, you are ready to go and begin your dental practice journey.
