Sweat equity is the magic formula for growing your business. As a leader, commit to researching the latest technologies and groundbreaking advancements in your field. What you know
can and will help you gain a competitive edge. That sounds almost too simplistic, when in reality it’s anything but. In my world, time and resources are the two competing forces I have to manage to stay in the know. It boils down to where you want to take your business. I’m committed to keeping up with technology to provide my patients the best care available in the dental field. This means I must I stay abreast of the latest techniques, use top of the line equipment and consistently enhance the patient experience. I also think it’s imperative to know every aspect of your business. How can you assess what you need? How else do you know if you’re getting quality? My field requires annual continuing education and I routinely invest in 10 times the mandated amount. In making learning a priority, I pursue whatever piques my interest – honing my skills as a prosthodontist, a business owner and leader, or learning new procedures and how to deploy advanced technologies in my practice. Because I’m so attuned to what makes my practice tick, I’m able to deploy what’s necessary to consistently provide premium care versus basing my decision how much something will cost. Using the best technologies as part of my care model is a proactive step helping me identify potential issues in their infancy stages rather than waiting until a real problem arises. However, it’s easy to get excited about a new, promising technology. Often the concept is brilliant, but the kinks need to be worked out. For example, a technology we now use in my practice was one I studied for nearly six years, offering feedback to the manufacturer until the product met my objectives. And during this time, I worked through lunch to the tune of $118,000 in annual savings that I reinvested in the business. Now two years later, this technology’s revolutionary capabilities represent a win-win for my patients.
What are you willing to sacrifice to learn how to gain the competitive edge? By Dr. Ashley Curington
Dr. Ashley Curington is the founder of North Atlanta Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, P.C. BufordDentist.com.