The right location can be the difference between a business that flourishes and one that fails. Dental practices are no exception. Whether you are an early career dental professional or further along, your talent and personality can always be augmented by being in the right place.
This makes selecting one worthy of considerable thought before you put up that shingle. Some introspection is necessary here. How do you see your practice developing over the years? Where would you like to work? Who would you like to work with?
Some of the information you’ll need to figure things like this out include:
Your professional goals
Do you want to work with the wealthy? People who can afford elective cosmetic surgeries. Or do you prefer to work with children? The location you are going to need will differ according to which choice you make. One group will prefer visiting a dentist in an office that is understated and well-appointed. The other will require you to set up in or near a neighborhood with young families.
Maybe you’re a transition from one point of your career to another. You could be a younger dentist just starting on his own, or a retiring one readying to wrap up his practice. If you’re looking for something different, https://griggspracticetransitions.com/dental-practice-for-sale-florida/ is one place you can begin looking to see what your options are. Instead of starting anew, you can purchase a thriving practice at an established location. You can also sell one.
Where do you see working?
When you left dental school, what was the picture in your head of your ideal setup? Did you want big-city energy? The homey feel of a small town? Or perhaps you saw the beach and palm trees, with time for long afternoon lunches? Do you want to walk or bicycle to work? Maybe you prefer a short commute of 10-20 minutes. What you want matters. While the clients are important, there’s no point in selecting a location that makes you, the dentist, unhappy.
Legal considerations
Career growth sometimes means that we move on from where we would have started. In many cases, a non-compete would have been part of your employment contract. Non may compete clause would have included not setting up your new practice too close to your former employer’s location. Failure to comply could result in expensive litigation for you.
How many other dentists are there in the vicinity?
The level of competition you’ll face entering your new location is important. The American Dental Association (ADA) suggests that one dentist for every 1,500 patients is an adequate ratio. It may be difficult to enter an area with several dentists who already have established practices. Search for locations that present opportunities. Is there a community nearby that is underserved and has to travel too far to the nearest dentist? It may make sense to capitalize on their need and set up nearby.
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Demographics
Let’s go back to your professional goals a bit. Let’s say you’ve identified an opportunity near a suburb that is primarily populated with professionals who have young children. You want to build a career in pediatric dentistry. Those details, professionals who have young children, the fact that they live in a suburb, that’s demographic information. You’ll need to decide on the demographics of the people you want as clientele and go to where they are.
Real estate information
Along with the demographic details of your ideal clientele, you may benefit from doing some research into the traffic patterns and population density of your prospective location. Going back to our example, a mall is a focal location in any suburb. Most of the things its residents need are located there.
You decide to locate your practice at the mall. But it’s possible that for some reason, the suburb’s residents tend to forgo this mall and drive to the nearby city to shop. You may not know this unless you research the area before investing in a location and you may lose out.
Accessibility and Advertising
Convenience is king. None of your clients are going to want to spend 15 minutes driving around looking for a place to park. Your location’s accessibility is something you’ll want to give some thought to. Your location should also allow you to place signage prominently to let potential clientele know where to find you.
Your location has the potential to propel your dental practice in a positive direction, almost as much as your technique as a professional. Spend some time to make sure you choose the right one.
