Saturday, May 1, 2010
Are Demographics Destiny?
If you listen to anyone on the lecture circuit and most consultants, they’ll tell you that it doesn’t matter where you practice…it matters how you practice.
True, mostly.
I have certainly seen the substantial difference good management can make wherever you’re practicing,
However, after 30 years of doing this I have come to think that even the most virtuous, capable dentist with a well-managed office can be hurt by crummy demographics.
The toughest demographic—a low population to dentist ratio.
Many dentists locate with the income of the population in mind and little attention to much else. That’s why there’s very high dentist to population ratios in affluent areas such as Wayzata, Edina and North Oaks.
It’s been my experience that these are some of the toughest, most competitive places in the state to practice. The high per capita income does not overcome the high dentist population ratio.
Dentists have an easier time of it if they’re located in a place with a lower dentist population ratio even if the population’s income is not in the top tiers.
On the other hand, there’s a point where the population’s income can be so low that no matter if you have a low dentist to population ratio (e.g. lots of patients) it isn’t worth it because you find yourself doing less and less on more and more people—a version of dental hell.
You can see more info, stats, even charts in our May news letter on the Advanced Practice Management web site.
Posted by Bill Rossi at 10:08 AM
Labels: Advanced Practice Management, Bill Rossi, Dental Consultant, Economic news for midwest dentists, Practice Management
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Your Practice Area Demographics
If you listen to anyone on the lecture circuit and most consultants, they’ll tell you that it doesn’t matter where you practice…it matters how you practice.
True, mostly.
I have certainly seen the substantial difference good management can make wherever you’re practicing,
However, after 30 years of doing this I have come to think that even the most virtuous, capable dentist with a well-managed office can be hurt by crummy demographics.
The toughest demographic—a low population to dentist ratio.
Many dentists locate with the income of the population in mind and little attention to much else. That’s why there’s very high dentist to population ratios in affluent areas such as Wayzata, Edina and North Oaks.
It’s been my experience that these are some of the toughest, most competitive places in the state to practice. The high per capita income does not overcome the high dentist population ratio.
Dentists have an easier time of it if they’re located in a place with a lower dentist population ratio even if the population’s income is not in the top tiers.
On the other hand, there’s a point where the population’s income can be so low that no matter if you have a low dentist to population ratio (e.g. lots of patients) it isn’t worth it because you find yourself doing less and less on more and more people—a version of dental hell.
You can see more info, stats, even charts in our May news letter on the Advanced Practice Management web site.
