Business skills

Dentists have always required and often demonstrated a large degree of entrepreneurial nouse. This is partly due to the fact patients have always had to pay at point of service. Unlike other services provided by for the NHS, dentists have to consider marketing and practice promotion as part of their core skill sets. There is real competition within the sector and therefore many dentists have to combine clinical skills with business ones. Corporate and group dental providers are able to provide dentists with particularly strong support in developing and applying business acumen. This is especially welcome to those dentists who want to focus as much as possible on dentistry, confident that the business is being well run. A growing number in the profession have reservations about the burdens and liabilities of the traditional owner–equity partner model. As in other professions such as the law, a proportion of highly qualified and experienced professionals prefer the associate or non-equity partner option.