Answering Dentistry’s Trick Question

Which is more important to you – running a high-quality practice that provides quality clinical care administered by a quality team that delivers a quality experience in a quality environment—or running a profitable practice?

To be honest, I think it is a trick question. As honorable as it may seem to put considerations of patient care ahead of business interests, the fact is quality and profitability should not be in a tug-of-war. On the contrary, any genuinely successful practice knows that the two must go hand-in-hand.

A practice that pursues profitability at the expense of neglecting quality is operating in an ethically-questionable way and any success they enjoy is likely to be short-lived. On the other hand, a practice that sacrifices economic realities in the name of focusing more on patient care is pursuing an unrealistic, unsustainable dream.

After all, how can you afford to maintain a modern facility, keep up with clinical advancements and pay a dedicated team of high achievers if you haven't mastered the profitability question?

This is why the philosophy of Spear is all about bringing those realities together. Anyone who is familiar with our courses and workshops knows that Frank Spear's standards of quality are front and center. Those standards have inspired many dentists to great heights. At the same time, everything that is taught in our curriculum is taught within a practical real-world context—one that recognizes that a great dentist must be a profitable dentist.

And there is a third factor that comes into play once you have mastered the quality/profitability balance – growth. Once you are on track with serving your patients to the highest level while achieving the right economic return, you don't have to chase growth opportunities because they will occur naturally, in a pure and exciting way.

It's not a question of being either a great clinician or a great business person. The very best dentists know that you can't be either unless you are both.


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