For years, a trip to the dentist looked something like this: 

You head to the clinic for your regular six month appointment. You receive a new toothbrush suggested by the hygienist. You use it to brush your teeth twice a day. Then you go back in another six months to repeat the process all over again.

This pattern has been more or less the same for a long time, regardless of where you live and who your dentist may be. What most experts don’t know is this: Most clients prefer a more personalized approach where they are treated according to their particular dental needs.

Unlike most large industries in the world, the dental industry has very few disruptors. The dental industry lacks individuals that can see beyond the conventional approach. This is one of the biggest factors in why people avoid visiting a dentist.

Dr. Nicolas Porter, Founder of Risas Dental and Braces, is a visionary with an adept appreciation of the business challenges currently faced by the dental industry. Through his successful practices and media influence, Dr. Porter has used his experience, skills, and knowledge to enlighten others. Here are a few tips that he believes can transform you into a disruptor in the dental industry.

Disruption, an Entrepreneurial Buzzword

Disruption requires resolve and creativity. Disruption is doing what others don’t or won’t do and giving patients a better option with which to work.

A disruptor is someone who goes above and beyond in giving customers a convenient, cheaper, and simpler alternative to an existing product. Remember, it is not the products but the business models that are disruptive.

There is no denying that corporate dentistry causes a lot of stress among independent dental professionals, which cannot be ignored. It is both intriguing and disheartening that a number of private practitioners are suffering from this and are under extreme stress.

So how can an independent practitioner survive in such a corporate climate? The reason why so many private practitioners are quickly dismissed is that they have a short-sighted view of their patients.

The primary purpose of any professional in the healthcare sector is to help the patient and give him or her the liberty to choose the right treatment from a variety of choices. Many potential patients will never consider visiting a dental clinic without help. Even when they do, they often hold off treatment in the hope that their savings or insurance could cover whatever price is quoted to them.

If one wishes to counter the corporate disruption epidemic, the need is to make the operations and procedures affordable to the average family. All policies should revolve around customers and not based on how much money one can pull.

No business can function successfully without generating sufficient profits. However, this should not be the primary purpose of a business. As a medical professional, your job is to give the people a means to increase their standards of living while giving them value for their money. This same rule can be applied to all businesses, not just the dental industry.

Independent practitioners need to generate value for themselves. They need to become considerate towards the needs of their customers; especially the ones that aren’t addressed by corporate dentists. When businesses take care of patients first, the patients notice. Being customer-friendly is being business friendly. Don’t hesitate to disrupt practices that don’t serve the patient first.