After a few months or a few years of substitution, most dentists are tempted by the idea of creating their own practice. This is a very exciting prospect which requires a phase of reflection and anticipation. Setting up a dental practice, whether it is a solo practice or an association, or even a takeover, involves an investment of time and money. Discover our advice to optimize your efforts and thus your chances of success!
Before you start, define your project precisely: do you want to orient your practice towards periodontology, implantology, orthodontics or endodontics? Do you prefer to be a general practitioner or a specialist? Do you want to work in partnership with a colleague or do you prefer to work alone? Is the idea to create a practice, to buy a practice or to become a partner? The answers to these key questions are decisive for the years to come and are of course linked to your deep professional aspirations.
Administrative formalities to create a dental practice
Regardless of the exact nature of your project, setting up a dental practice begins with a few administrative formalities, starting with these:
- registration with the Conseil départemental de l'Ordre des chirurgiens-dentistes of your place of practice;
- declaration and registration of your liberal activity with the Health Insurance ;
- Membership in the Caisse autonome de retraite des chirurgiens-dentistes and professional liability insurance.
You will also need to find an accountant you can trust, a banker who is willing to follow you in this adventure, and possibly a lawyer who will be able to give you the legal advice that will allow you to start your business as serenely as possible. Do not skimp on the efforts made to find trustworthy partners for these financial, accounting and legal aspects.
The key elements to get your business off to a good start
Whether you are setting up your own practice or taking over the patients of a recently retired colleague, you will need to build your reputation. This reputation depends on the quality of your practice, in terms of architecture, ergonomics and hygiene. But also, and perhaps above all, your attitude towards your patients: your punctuality, the attention you give them, your behavior, your appearance and your empathy skills are decisive. Your dental assistant's skills are just as important. It is therefore essential to recruit the right person to support you on a daily basis.
Quality of care and equipment
The quality of the care you provide is, of course, just as fundamental. If your skills are of course decisive, it is essential to express them through quality equipment. Your basic equipment (chair, lights, instruments) must be of impeccable quality: choose your equipment partner carefully. If you are loyal to your partner, he will most often offer you attractive prices. In the same way, do not skimp on the quality of your radiography equipment. Among the points of attention of new dental practices: new technologies. Artificial intelligence tools, such as patient understanding and communication tools, and those that facilitate appointment scheduling, treatment definition and report transcription are all supports for your activity, your daily comfort and that of your patients. If you are perfectly equipped, you will save precious time in managing your administrative tasks, in defining your treatments and will naturally optimize the quality of your care by devoting more time to your patients. As you know, it is by developing a relationship of trust with them that you will gain their adherence to treatment and their loyalty.
Get help to get started
Setting up your own practice or a partnership requires significant investment and determination. And if the training curriculum for dentists has probably not helped you to create or take over a practice, you can count on the support of consulting and training companies that will help you to ensure the sustainability of your practice, to develop it and, ultimately, to achieve your goals. Among these, the Binhas Global Dental School, a partner ofAllisone and founded by the dental surgeon Edmond Binhas, offers organizational training for dentists. Knowing how to surround yourself with the experience of seasoned professionals is a major asset for optimizing your chances of professional success and personal serenity for a dental surgeon!
