Athena Consulting: Dental Practice Solutions

If you want to own and operate a dental practice, you have two options: Buy an existing practice or start a new one.

It never fails that when I ask an associate if he or she would rather own a practice, he or she always answers ‘Yes, but … “

The “Yes, but” as it applies to purchasing a practice is the part the doctor doesn’t know:

• How to assess whether a practice is going to be a good purchase.
• What is “due diligence.”
• How he or she should be represented.
• How to operate and manage a business.

The “Yes, but” as it applies to a new start is always:

• Can I qualify for a loan?
• Will the banks underwrite my loan?
• I need a business plan but don’t know how to write one.
• Where should I locate my practice?
• When I open my doors, will the patients come?
• How do I market myself?
• How do I run the business?
• How do I hire good staff?

In other words, “I was trained in dental school how to do dentistry but I don’t have a clue as to how to provide myself with an office where I can work and be my own boss.”

You must possess these skills in order to own and operate a business. That’s why Athena Consulting works with recent graduates and young doctors in business consulting and training. You must start somewhere, and the best place to start is with a knowledgeable and experienced consultant who will mentor you through the entire process and educate you on business ownership. The cost of mistakes far exceeds the cost of doing it right the first time!

If you choose to work with Athena Consulting on practice ownership, you must learn to make your own decisions based on the information we teach you and the guidance we offer. If you make a habit of listening to well-meaning friends, relatives and school mates, you will become overwhelmed, start second-guessing yourself and probably make a lot of costly mistakes.

You made it this far. Finish the job the right way. Request a consultation regarding your career choices and take it from there. You’ll have a lot fewer headaches and be more profitable much sooner.