Dr Scott Waghorn has been a dentist for six years. After five years of study at the University of Otago, Scott, of Ngäpuhi descent, moved to Auckland to work in a dental practice and gain experience from professionals in the industry. While the move was successful in helping him achieve more hands-on knowledge, he was looking for something more.
In 2008 Scott decided to go into business. Now, at only 28, he is the owner of Dental Care West in Glen Eden, west Auckland, and manages a staff of 13.
“I really enjoyed biology, anatomy and sciences at school and I enjoyed helping people, so dentistry was a good fit for me. “When I graduated I got some great experience opportunities with two dental practices, but I always wanted to be my own boss.”
Scott decided to buy a business that had been running for 43 years; moving from a one-chair practice to owning an established business with quality staff and an existing client base.
“I started talking to people who had bought and sold practices and they suggested this one to me. Everything was already set up, so we had a loyal patient base to continue caring for.” Medical Assurance Society decided to loan Scott the funds to purchase the practice, despite being only 25 years old and possessing no business experience.
“I’ve always wanted to do things the correct way. I wanted to have the best accountants and the best lawyers. I have seen businesses that haven’t opted for the best and they have suffered problems as a result.”
Before jumping into business Scott made sure there was a proper due diligence process. He also spoke to experienced dentists about his options. Many people had little faith in his ability to take on such a huge task at such a young age, looking back, he says, “they were probably right”, but his determination saw his dream become a success.
“I always believed in myself, and that’s all that really matters.”
That’s where the Te Puni Kökiri Mäori Business Facilitation Service came in. They paired Scott with a business mentor who assisted with finding an accountant and business manager to take his dental practice to the next level. There was also assistance to put processes in place to reduce any compliance and personal risk to the business and Scott personally. They also helped incorporate a system that would produce cash flow and management reports to give Scott better visibility of business performance.
Clever staffing also helped.
“My practice manager JoAnne handles all the rosters, purchasing, book keeping and wages for me,” says Scott. “All I have to do is do dentistry, the job I love. I think it’s difficult for business owners to try to do too much themselves. This situation works out great for me.”
Scott’s biggest tip for business owners, especially in an industry where the relationship between client and professional requires a lot of personal trust, is internal marketing and keeping the customers satisfied. He says the best type of advertising in this business is word of mouth and referrals by happy clientele.
As a family dentist, Dental Care West offers general dentistry, orthodontics, hygienist services and preventative and cosmetic dentistry. And they are one of the few who do free dental work for Under 18s.
“It’s great to still be able to look after our younger people so they can keep their teeth for life,” says Scott. “I just want to have a really upstanding practice that delivers great dental care.”
While his immediate focus is getting everything right for this clinic and increasing business, Scott’s future hope is to see all his patients continue to keep their teeth for life.
www.dentalcarewest.co.nz
