Suki Singh talks to Kate Cummings, a dental therapist and the manager of Hanford Dental & Implant Centre, about her practice’s decision to go private.
SS: What was the reason for deciding to go private?
KC: We had a large NHS contract at the time, and it just got to a point where it became too much. Our staff and my husband, who is the principal dentist, had become overwhelmed, and we decided it was time to get off that NHS conveyor belt.
So, we approached one plan provider, but we just didn’t get the right feeling from them. However, when we spoke to Practice Plan we felt that we had found our perfect partner to help us make the move.
With other providers, they are very much focused on the dentist, whereas what we found with Practice Plan was that conversations were geared towards what was right for the whole team, and that’s exactly what we wanted.
SS: Can you tell us about the guidance and support you’ve received when moving away from the NHS?
KC: It’s been 13 years since we made the move, and throughout that time the support and guidance we’ve had has been nothing short of amazing. It felt like a giant leap when we first decided to leave behind such a big NHS contract but from the start, Josie Hutchings, our regional support manager, has been so supportive and helpful with all of us.
The team training around how to talk with patients and explain why we were going private was brilliant. It filled us with such confidence, and it really worked because most patients didn’t bat an eyelid when we told them we were going private.
The workshops that we have access to are always great, and we take so much away from them. Additionally, through a WhatsApp group for practice managers, set up by Josie, we’re able to interact and connect with other practices, share knowledge and ask questions of each other.
We have all the support from our RSM and, on top of that, the staff are always on hand to answer and deal with queries, and it feels like everyone wants to play a part in making our practice a success.
SS: How has your practice grown since you made the move?
KC: We noticed a growth in the practice from the very start, and three years after making the move we purchased our second practice, which we’re in now.
From there, we’ve seen an increase year-on-year in terms of patient numbers, and since reopening in June last year we’ve actually seen the practice grow by 10 per cent, which we were pleasantly surprised by.
As we know, there has been an increased demand for private dentistry, and a lot of our new patients have come through word-of-mouth referrals, and that’s nice because it shows us that we’re doing something right.
SS: Can you describe how the move has benefitted both you and your team, and what would your advice be to other practices considering going private?
KC: Making that move in 2008 is the best thing we’ve ever done, and it has changed our lives really. Looking back, we probably wish we’d got the ball rolling a little sooner than we did.
It was quite a giant leap to leave a big NHS contract behind, so initially there was a bit of worry attached to making the move to private. Now though, we look back and have absolutely no regrets about the decision because every single aspect of it has been positive. We feel much more fulfilled at work and we haven’t got a big NHS contract to worry about.
In practice, one of the benefits for all of us has been spending more quality time with patients, and that not only allows us to provide a top level of care, but also to build relationships with our patients and get to know them, something that is very hard to do in the NHS.
Having that extra time in practice that we wouldn’t have had previously has led to both us and our team having a better work-life balance, and a better quality of life outside of the practice. So, like I’ve said, the move has been nothing but positive. If you’re thinking about making the move, then my first piece of advice would be to go for it.