Practice management doesn't have to be big and scary. Bruce Stephenson, DDS shows that it might be easier than you think to do it well.
 
I graduated from dental school in 1977 and opened a practice from scratch. We grew over the years and in 2008 one of my associates bought half the practice with the understanding that I would retire in 5 years and sell him the second half. Well, it actually took 6 years but now my former associate, then partner, is now my landlord! I continue to practice in the same office, renting space for my 3-day per week Invisalign only practice. At one point in my dental career I also founded an IT company just for dentists (a lot more work than fixing teeth!) so part of my “rent” now is doing IT support for his practice. 
Over the years I became interested in not only computers but practice management and have been lecturing and consulting on these subjects since about 1986. I have spoken at the ADA and AGD annual meetings and continue to do (occasional) seminars and webinars. 
Since I “retired” in June of 2013 and have become even more involved in our practice management consulting business with my former office manager. We currently have clients all over the country that we “meet” with using Skype and GoToMeeting. It’s fun and very interesting. Although each practice is unique, it seems we are all stumbling over many of the same rocks in the road. 
 
Last year we published our first book, “How to Run a Dental Practice,” which has not made it to the best seller list yet but does get very positive feedback from dentists. We discuss just how dramatically dentistry has changed in the last 5 years and how practice management systems need to change to keep a practice profitable. Our next book (if we ever get around to it!) will be titled “Dentistry 3.0,” to further reflect these changes.
 
BruceStephensonDDS@gmail.com
www.TodaysDentalConsulting.com
 
209-603-9944