In case you didn’t know, I happen to work with the best specialists in North America. Of course, I may be biased, but they are a hardworking, successful bunch.
There is this idea that Specialists are suffering because General Dentists are doing more and more in-house. While that is true, the General Dentist part, it is not true that Specialists are not doing well.
In fact, there is a big resurgence and boom happening with Specialty Practices right now and for those who step up and embrace the idea of running a real business (and not just a referral based at-the-mercy-of-others practice), you can control your own destiny.
I’m probably known most for the Sleep and TMJ specialty practice, where we launch from scratch or from within a general practice.
I also have incredible Periodontists among others, whether Endo or Oral Surgery and many Prosthodontists, a group of Pediatric Dentists and even Orthodontists.
I run the scope of the industry because it is not just about the type of practice you have or the procedures you do. It’s far more about how entrepreneurial and ambitious you are. It’s about how serious you are about your own success and taking responsibility for it.
Colleagues of mine have thrown the term Super Dentist around for years (while I’d argue who said it first), describing the idea of a General Dentist expanding their procedure repertoire and bringing more things in house. This in fact helps specialists – not hurts them.
The reason is simple: because of the (truer now than ever before) principle that YOU ONLY DIAGNOSE WHAT YOU KNOW. If you don’t know it, you sure as heck aren’t going to refer it because you often neglect it or don’t even recognize it.
When General Dentist become educated, they become better referrals for Specialists. They also learn more about what they love doing and what is worth their time.
Doing things you aren’t great at isn’t profitable for you. Things you don’t enjoy aren’t worth suffering yourself, your team and especially your patients through.
I always encourage my Dentists to stick to their sweet spot and stay in their lane. Even if – for some, albeit few – that’s everything all at once in their office in a comprehensive big case full mouth reconstruction treatment plan.
Still, I don’t know any who never refer a single thing out. I know some who say they don’t but then they don’t offer everything either.
Here are the three reasons why I attract a lot of specialists (all of which are important to you)…
One – I know how to make their general dentists much more valuable to them so they get double the benefit. Growing their practice plus growing the practice of their referral offices. The more success they have, the more patient they refer. General Dentists tell me all the time how their specialists respond with ‘what on earth are you doing…do you have so many more patients now or what?’
Because no one gets referred when practices don’t know how to get solid and comprehensive case acceptance.
Two – Additionally, I really focus on a relationship based approach not one based on transactional dependency (which isn’t good for either party). If you have the relationship, you have security. Plus, you shouldn’t be dependent solely on referrals anyhow. Your patients should multiply.
Three – Hands down, no one makes any niche specific specialty practice more profitable than I do. We grow through leverage and value just like our general practices. In specialty practices, because of the specificity, it is much easier to accelerate growth without increasing overhead.
If you are a specialist (whether by education or by practice model and choice) and reading this, I have something very special for you that I have been working on. It’s not quite ready yet, but you will be first in line to get it. Of course, no credit card required, I’m selling nothing – just something you will want to have.
Reserve Your Copy of Specialty Practice Rules of Success
Oh and next week, FOR EVERYONE – pay attention – I’m going to share with you some important secrets to the fastest moving trend dentistry has ever seen and that you really must know about.
Lastly, remember this: we all work together. The enemy isn’t each other – not general dentists nor specialist. The enemy of the independent practice is corporate dentistry trying to discount and commoditize you. The enemy is insurance trying to control you through your fees and protocols.
Stick together. Stay strong together. Stand up together. And remember, when any of us wins we wall win. The general dentists and specialists are a rising tide for each other – never forget that.
