Getting started with supplies
Placing an initial supply order for a start-up practice can be a challenge because the doctor often doesn't know what types of materials work best. So Matz sat down with Dr. Barker and helped her with her first supply order. "Our catalog has thousands of products and she didn't yet know what she likes to use, so we just sat down and started going through the catalog," said Matz. "The first thing I did was open the catalog to private label. You can almost run an entire practice with that because the quality is great."
Matz worked with manufacturer representatives to get sample bags of impression material, crown and bridge and restorative products for Dr. Barker to try out. As Dr. Barker started seeing her first few patients, she was able to identify the products she liked best. She missed about 50 items in her first supply order, but with Patterson's next-day ordering, it was easy to order these items and have them delivered immediately.
Creating a family-friendly environment
Instead of paying an interior designer to decorate 32 Pearls, Dr. Barker opted to do it by herself, which allowed her to allocate more funds toward her equipment and technology investments.
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The practice's color scheme, a palette of blues, tans and grays, was inspired by both form and function. Dr. Barker learned in dental school that she could take better shades on a blue background, and she also wanted colors that were kid-friendly, yet elegant and soothing for adults.
The entire family is at home in 32 Pearls' waiting area, which has a separate nook where children can play and watch videos. Whimsical illustrations and sophisticated black and white artwork on the walls appeal to patients of all ages. To make trips to the dentist less intimidating for little ones, Dr. Barker included a special small door from the waiting room into the clinical side of the practice just for them.
A successful start
In August 2010, just three months after construction began, 32 Pearls Family Dentistry started welcoming patients. Dr. Barker has marketed the practice through brochures in nearby businesses and a local television sponsorship; however, she relies heavily on word of mouth to drive business to the practice. This strategy has been a huge success: "I had planned in my proposal to the bank to produce between $1,000 and $2,000 in the first month and we did over $7,000 for the first month," she said.
Dr. Barker is grateful for the flexibility and family time that her new practice affords her. And her son appreciates being able to spend time with his mom at the new practice after school. "One of my main motivating factors was creating an office where I knew that my son would feel safe," said Dr. Barker. "This is his second home."
She says she couldn't have created her new practice without her Patterson team's help. She continues to count on them for her day-to-day practice needs. "I love the customer service of Patterson," she said. "I'm able to call and have any issue addressed immediately. Regardless of how small it is or big it is, I'm treated with respect and it just gets fixed."
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