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Here’s a more detailed overview of our discussion…

The Real Meaning of Comprehensive Lifetime Care

Craig thoroughly enjoys working with Dr. Bruce B. Baird at Granbury Dental Center because it’s a highly productive practice that has been providing dental care in the area for over 30 years. One of the aspects of the practice that he particularly admired is the fact they offer patients Comprehensive Lifetime Care.

Most people hear “Comprehensive Care” and immediately think about advanced or “fancy treatments” like full mouth restorations, but that’s not the case. To me, it’s about getting your patient to say YES to the best treatment plan for their oral health.

Since Craig works with a DSO (Dental Service Organization), we talked about how they tend to “pump patients through” to get as much work done for that day as possible before moving onto the next day. However, with Dr. Baird’s practice, it’s about developing and maintaining a relationship with the patients. He focuses on building trust and his patients always stay with him, some for as long as 30 years!

Learning Implantology in Dental School

Craig’s interest in dental implantology grew when he began working with Dr. Baird, which has been a fantastic learning experience for him. However, I was intrigued to know if he did much with implants while attending dental school.

Craig talked about the minimalistic approach that his dental school took towards implants. Yes, he had a few opportunities to watch and restore implants on occasion, but he never had the physical practice of actually placing an implant.

People in situations like this can benefit from CE, which is why Craig decided to enroll in the Implant Pathway Course and the Live Patient Program to develop his skills and gain more practice and experience where it counts.

Why Join a DSO?

When Craig graduated and began working for a DSO, he entered the position with a short-term mentality, but because he enjoyed it so much, he stayed longer than he initially intended.

I asked Craig what made him go with a DSO and he explained that at the time of his graduation, he left dental school broke. He had the opportunity to go to Texas and potentially work in a great dental practice there, but he couldn’t afford the flight.

However, Heartland offered him the chance to work with them, and they flew him and his family to the mid-west. They gave him a sign-up bonus and Craig confirms that it was the right decision for him and his family. It just made sense.

Around 60% of all dental school graduates join a DSO and one of the most common reasons why is because it supports them financially.

Multiple Practice Ownership

Like many young dentists, Craig once had dreams of possibly owning multiple dental practices. However, he soon realized that owning a number of practices wasn’t as awarding as it seemed.

In my opinion, there isn’t much point in owning multiple dental practices because only a select few will actually make more money out of it. In the end, you only stretch yourself thin, give yourself a raging headache, and the reward isn’t significant. It’s just not worth it!

What Stops People from Joining a DSO?

As we previously discussed, there is a negative stigma surrounding DSO’s, and I was interested to hear Craig’s thoughts on this in more detail.

We discussed the common decision that many practitioners face at some stage in their career as to whether or not they should open their own practice or remain working as an associate or with a DSO.

As Craig put it, “everybody wants to be the king on top of the hill” without realizing how much work and effort it takes to open and maintain a successful practice.

This made me think about why people aren’t more open-minded about working with a DSO. If they are doing the dentistry they want, they see a path of progress before them, they have excellent service and support, and they can make the income they want then what is the allure of owning your own practice?

Regrets and Missed Opportunities

Before our conversation ended, I wanted to circle back to the missed opportunity Craig faced when he had to turn down the chance to work at a practice in Texas because he didn’t have the funds.

I asked him if, looking back, did he wish he had have told the doctor the truth and ask if he could have potentially helped him out with travel costs.

Craig was very honest with his response, saying that he was just too embarrassed at the time to ask for help. He also advised those of you who may find yourselves in a similar financial situation to be upfront and honest because… what’s the worst that could happen?

To watch a video of our discussion, hit play below:

Get in Touch with Craig

If you would like to get in touch with Dr. Craig Lambourne, you can send him an email at lambourneusc@gmail.com.

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If you’re interested in finding out more about the Implant Pathway Course or any of the courses we offer at 3D-Dentists, check out the website: 3d-dentists.com.

This article originally appeared on TBoneSpeaks.com.