Dentists are excited about expanding their practices and seeing patients return for treatment after delays during the pandemic. But there is still concern about scaling up the business and making sure all patients are comfortable coming back into the office for treatment.
Three dentists answer two questions about what is going well, and where there are challenges in their practice today.
Question: What are you most excited about today?
Oksana Boycheko, DMD. Shingle Springs, Calif.: I am moving to a bigger office, from two patient rooms to five, which I own versus rent. I am most excited about setting up a new office with new equipment and a modern feel and making our work more efficient. We will also organize and improve workflow.
Thomas Matanzo, DDS. Wintersville, Ohio: What I am most excited about in my practice is seeing patients come back to the office for dental care. Many have delayed treatment for months due to the pandemic and are finally comfortable receiving treatment. Getting patients back to stability and wellness as it pertains to their oral health is exciting. It brings joy to be able to restore a patient's smile or improve their overall oral health.
Edwin Boy, DDS. Bellefontaine, Ohio: I am most excited that our practice continues to thrive as a nonparticipant in all PPO plans. We are also excited that two current dental students will be joining our practice upon graduation, and our small-town practice will continue beyond our retirement.
Q: What keeps you up at night?
Dr. Boycheko: Difficulty finding good assistants, the ones that care about patients and are excited to be at work.
Dr. Matanzo: What keeps me up at night is the thought of being shut down again and patients deteriorating their oral health because of this pandemic. I worry for all my patients now who are still afraid of receiving care and their oral health is getting worse.
Dr. Boy: Nothing keeps me up at night.