After graduation from Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Dental School in 2006 I worked for a couple of years within the NHS, before moving on to a private practice for about four years until I bought my own practice. My background set me up to become the dentist that I am today. I come from a family of dental practitioners, and my father runs his own practice as well. I believe that seeing my father do it gave me the courage and the mindset to go ahead and purchase my own practice at a relatively young age.
Once I decided to move into practice ownership, I looked around and narrowed my choices down to three potential purchases. In the end, a well-located practice in the heart of London won out.
When I first viewed Hermes London Dental Clinic its ideal location appealed to me very much. Situated on Vauxhall Bridge Road in Westminster, close to Victoria station, the clinic experiences a great amount of footfall traffic every day.
Although the practice was suffering a bit of a bad reputation in terms of the service provided, I knew I could turn this around by consistently making patients happy.
Refurbishment and new equipment
The physical appearance of the old clinic was not too bad, but I saw that it could use some refurbishment. I purchased new chairs for the reception area, put smarter shelving on the walls, and installed a new dental chair system in one of the two surgeries as the original unit broke soon after the practice was purchased. I also invested in new phone and computer systems, and a new X-ray system from Sirona. To make the clinic more attractive from the outside, I had fresh imaging and logos placed and filled a whole glass panel with an eye-catching poster.
New image
Aside from the physical refurbishment that the practice went through, I decided that it needed a change of image as well. I believe that one of the major problems with the old practice was that it didn’t really have any unique selling points; they simply offered general dentistry, and that of a basic quality. Since my career has taken me towards cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics, I decided to rebrand the clinic and specialise in offering these two branches of treatment.
Our clinic still offers general dentistry, but concentrating on cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics has given our brand more direction and makes us more memorable to patients seeking these types of treatment in the central London area.
Two years of improvement
Since I purchased the practice two years ago, I’ve found that the reputation of the clinic has improved and we’re now receiving a number of good reviews from satisfied patients on our website and other consumer sites as well.
This has been our main source of marketing since 2011: word of mouth. Satisfied patients who are really pleased with the treatments they receive are the best adverts, we find they will not hesitate in recommending services to their friends and family.
By making sure that I always carry out ethical cosmetic treatments, I’ve built our reputation as a clinic of good standing. I also make sure that every treatment I provide is a clear and transparent process: that the patients are fully aware of what every treatment plan entails and that every part of that plan is followed honestly and to the best of my ability.
Teamwork
I also contribute our success to the team I currently have. Kalsi-Sehmi, our general and sedation dentist, specialises in treating nervous patients and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Our dental hygienist, Terza, has a particular interest in oral health promotion and providing preventative treatment for a healthier, whiter smile. We also receive great support from Victoria, Rachna and Kalsuma – our treatment co-ordinators.
Aside from a great dental team, it’s also very important to find suppliers that you can count on. The Dental Directory, whom I order virtually all of my dental and facial aesthetic products from, always deliver whenever I need them to. Because I never have any trouble chasing them up for supplies and deliveries, I can concentrate more on practicing dentistry and keeping my patients happy.
Looking to the future
Hermes London Dental Clinic has gone through a lot of improvements since 2011. But of course, there is always room for further growth.
At the moment, the most common procedures we execute at the clinic are Botulinum Toxin injections, dermal fillers, veneers,
tooth whitening and orthodontic treatment.
Future plans for my clinic include expanding the range of aesthetic treatments I provide. These include facial volume and cheekbone treatments, and underarm and laser treatments. I’d like to offer more difficult procedures to give my patients increased options, and to challenge myself as well. I believe that if I keep up-to-date with all the latest techniques in cosmetic
dentistry and facial aesthetics, and if I keep advancing my career with further training and knowledge, this will result in the further growth of my practice.