The Key to Running a More Efficient Dental Practice
Did you know that on February 21, 1828 that the first dental school opened? The source of this information does not specify whether this was the first dental school in the United States or the first dental school in the world. However, further research reveals that said dental school was the first of its kind in the world when Dr. John M. Harris established the school in Bainbridge, OH. The first recognized dental college, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, was founded in 1840.
Since that time, there have been many amazing advancements in dental technology, and most Americans now consider dental visits as essential as medical checkups. This is true despite the fact that only around 60% of American adults between the ages of 18 and 64 have visited a dentist over the past years.
The good news is more Americans than ever are making regular dental visits a basic part of their lives. Thus, there is a high demand for more young people to attend dental school and become dentists. Although becoming a dentist requires around eight years of post high school education. The good news for aspiring dentists is that the average dentist in the United States earns a salary was approximately $163,000 as of 2012. The highest paid dentists earned around $188,000.
As good as those salaries sound to most of us, that is not a dentist’s take home pay. Because running a dental practices requires the payment of numerous expenses. These include paying for rent or lease, expensive dental equipment, dental tools and supplies, staff salaries, utilities, and costly dental liability insurance. Then you also have to factor in paying back dental school loans that can range from $120,000 to $200,000.
Given the many different responsibilities with which new dentists are face, many choose to enlist the services of dental consultants. There are different types of dental consultants, including dental marketing consultants and dental practice management consultants. Dental consultants can provide new dentists with the assistance they need to streamline their practices. This allows them to spend more time focusing on their patients and work, and less time on the nuts and bolts.
While the “nuts and bolts” of running a dental practices are essential, they should never interfere with the services with which dentists are providing their patients. By hiring leading dental consultants, new dentists can rest assured that they will not have to worry about unnecessary distractions.