Look at where you are wanting to head towards and ask yourself, is this issue going to inhibit me from getting there or can we navigate around it?
Dr. Brett Moore attended The School of Dentistry at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, from where he graduated in 2010. He joined the U.S. Navy upon completion of dental school and served in the military as a Dental Officer for four years on active military duty and continued as a Reserve Dental Officer upon leaving active duty. During his time in the military, Dr. Moore chose to further his dental education by undertaking an additional one-year residency through an Advanced Education in General Dentistry at U.S. Naval Hospital Portsmouth, VA. He spent time aboard the USS Harry S Truman providing dental care to sailors and marines. Upon completion of his commitment to the U.S. Navy, Dr. Moore and his family wanted to return to Minnesota to practice dentistry and be closer to the family. Dr. Moore joined the team at Smile Design Dentistry in August of 2014 and he became a partner in the practice in January of 2016.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I start my day with an all-staff meeting to review what lies in store for the day. Once that is completed I begin my patient care. I provide care for procedures ranging from basic fillings, to crowns, cosmetic care, and oral surgery. The variety in my day keeps me fresh and engaged, it also keeps me flexible to the demands of the day. Productivity for me stems from this flexibility, by approaching each case from various vantage points; it allows me to provide comprehensive care to my patients.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I am very contemplative. As I look and plan to the future I like to brainstorm with others at the outset and hash out details for the plan for the future. I feel this brings a unified goal to the group and ultimately results in the realization of the original idea.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Digital dentistry. We have already incorporated digital impressions into our practice. In our experience, this makes the process more comfortable and predictable for the patient. As this technology continues to advance, creating beautiful and predictable dentistry will become more streamlined.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Spending time with my family. It always allows recharge, refocus, and reevaluate the items which matter most to me in life. I am at my most productive when I take the time to prioritize these items out of the office and focus on work and growth in the office.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you get too caught up in some of the minor or pettier details it can derail the grander vision. Look at where you are wanting to head towards and ask yourself, is this issue going to inhibit me from getting there or can we navigate around it.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
My jokes are funny. Dad humor is the best medicine for time in the dental chair.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Continue to check in with my team. They are my support and see different vantage points than I do on a daily basis. Feedback and buy-in are important to the success of my business, without those we are ultimately not successful in producing our practice vision. Trying to keep open and honest communication between the team promotes better patient experiences, better clinical outcomes, happier staff and ultimately faster growth for our business.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Honesty and relationship building have been factors in my business growth. Dentistry is a very personal business, and patients need to trust you have their best interests at heart. Building that trust and rapport with a patient not only keeps the patient coming back over the years but through their relationships, brings in other new patients through referral.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
We attempted to use a marketing firm to build our brand and attract more patients. While we learned a number of things from this firm, we ultimately failed to bring the team on board with the concepts, realized the vision of the firm and our visions and values were not parallel and ultimately were forcing us into areas that would have ultimately changed the practice feel and philosophy. To overcome this we have to move away from the firm and some of the financial investment we had made. It was a tremendous learning experience for me about business vision, team buy-in and building, and business values. Ultimately pursuing growth that promotes our core values and supports our staff will be a litmus test for the future.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
The delivery of dentistry is changing. While dentistry will forever be local, large corporations have moved into the Twin Cities and making the marketplace more competitive. I truly believe the experience at a large corporate practice is different than that of a small practice and that holds us apart. However, patients value convenience and location. Expanding our practice model to reach more patients will be needed for long term growth and success.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
The gas to go see the Total Eclipse in Missouri. We had perfect viewing weather and it really was a remarkable thing to see. I highly recommend it next time around for those that can make it happen. It also provided me with a brain break from work. Recharging my mental battery is as important to me as what I do on a daily basis for my business
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Eaglesoft is our practice management software, without it our efficiency would be drastically decreased. It allows us to seamlessly work between operatories, communicate to the front desk treatment needs, track patient treatment progress and recall. It really is invaluable in the office.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Traction by Gino Wickman. This is a great book about taking ideas in your business from infancy to realization. By setting clear goals and defining the vision of your business, it will allow you to be more successful and track that success. It really is a fantastic book to further develop and define the goals and values of whatever field you are in.
What is your favorite quote?
“My goal is not to be better than anyone else, but to be better than I used to be” Wayne Dyer. For me, this sums up what I try to do everyday in my personal and professional life. If I take a moment to assess how I have done and how I can improve, it will be the driver of my success for years to come. It is always said if you aren’t growing you are declining. I want to keep myself on an upward trajectory.
Connect:
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.