by Peter & Hema Gopal

What works for one practice or one dentist won't necessarily work for you. Likewise, what works for you won't necessarily work for your friend.

A fee structure that works in one part of the country may not work in another.

Even though other dentists may claim outrageous success with a particular procedure or service, demand for that type of dentistry may not exist in your neck of the woods.

An ad campaign that works in one part of the country won't necessarily work in others. This is why every ad needs to be tested. There are no free lunches.

Dentists often take a recommendation from a well-meaning friend, an article, or the Internet message boards, and apply it without careful thought. Subsequently, they find that it does not work for them. This is a rather painful lesson that many dentists learn.

A concept works for a particular dentist in a particular area when a number of appropriate, favorable factors converge. These factors may not exist for your practice. Consequently, the concept may not work for you, even if it works for thousands of other dentists.

In evaluating whether a particular idea or concept will work for you, consider all of the following:

• Your values and your personality
• Your clinical skills
• The strengths and weaknesses of your staff
• Your management style
• Your financial situation
• The demographics in your area (i.e., average income and population/dentist ratio). The notion that people are all the same everywhere is baloney. People may all want the same thing, but their willingness and ability to pay for it varies widely. Regions with higher incomes will be more inclined to desire and accept cosmetic work. The population/dentist ratio is a crucial factor as well. If this ratio is unfavorable in your area, there will be a much greater presence of managed care.
• The equipment and facilities you have
• The reputation you have within your community
• Your openness and willingness to learn and grow.