Is that a dirty word?

Not that long ago being an entrepreneur in the dental practice world was taboo and not regarded very highly.

“Dentalpreneur” was considered a dirty word.

Entrepreneurs were mavericks. Unconventional. Rebels, even, and often perceived as unprofessional.

I once overheard two dentists talking. One of them referred to another dentist as an “entrepreneur”.

They two dentists clearly didn’t see this as good thing. They even considered it unethical to a degree.

Why?

They believed that the entrepreneurial dentist wasn’t focused on the health of the patients.

In the old economy, that is before the GFC, dental businesses ran on the sheer fact that there were more patients than dentists … and dentists got lazy.

This was a problem.

But the bigger problem was that they never really learned how to run a business.

There were surplus patients so dentists could wallpaper over the cracks in their business.

They could hide the flaws in their dental management practices, systems and processes and even their dental marketing strategies.

Secrets of Dentalpreneurs

After the GFC, the market became tighter. Some dentists realised there were not enough patients to go around. And that’s when dentists realised they really needed to hone their business skills.

While entrepreneurialism was a dirty word, “dentalpreneurs” were adapting, changing their ways and doing things differently.

The shocking truth is that dentalpreneurs ran businesses that flourished.

An entrepreneur is not a cowboy. They may be unconventional, but more importantly – they’re successful.

Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are entrepreneurs. So is Sir Richard Branson, so is Gina Rinehart and James Packer.

Love them or hate them, they’re incredibly successful, savvy, business people.

Being an “entrepreneur” is a great thing, and we should embrace being a “dentalpreneur”.

Dentalpreneurs are visionary. They lead a team, seek to deliver wow customer service, and multiple moments of connection.

They run their own race, create value, and they build a profitable and successful business.

They want to create a dental practice that outlasts them and becomes their legacy.

So if technically that’s what an entrepreneur is, what’s so bad about it?

Great Dentistry Doesn’t Equal Success

It’s all very well to be a great dentist, but in today’s world it’s not enough.

We must adapt and embrace opportunities to grow and combine the best of what it means to be a health professional.

So what is a dentalpreneur? 

  • A resilient, forward-thinking professional.
  • Someone who is approaching the future with confidence.
  • A dentist who adapts as the market conditions change.
  • A professional who has creative and innovative dental practice management and systems.
  • A person who thinks outside the square.

In short, a dentalpreneur embraces the very best of what it means to be a health professional as well as the best in entrepreneurial thinking.

Step Into The Limelight

Now more than ever dentists should be proud of being dentalpreneurs.

Wear this title as a badge of honour.

Be one of the leaders of our profession.

Step up, and step into your role as a successful, strategic, professional dentist.

Because the world needs you.

Now.