• Canadian Dental Hygienists Association |
  • Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene.ca |
  • Dental Hygiene Canada.ca |
  • Dental Hygiene Image Bank.ca |
  • CFDHRE Foundation

business plan for dental office

  • Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene |
  • Image Bank.ca |
  • About CDHA CDHA Beliefs Mission
  • Our History
  • Past CDHA Presidents
  • Message from our Founding Members
  • 2022-2023 Annual Report CDHA's Annual Report
  • Board of Directors
  • Board Meeting Highlights
  • CDHA Advisory Committees
  • Education Advisory Committee
  • Healthy Workplace Advisory Committee
  • Independent Dental Hygiene Practice Advisory Committee
  • National Service Code Review Committee
  • Professional Development Advisory Committee
  • Research Advisory Committee
  • Contact Information
  • Membership Feedback
  • CDHA Online Community Member Blogs, Forums, Wiki's & More
  • Provincial Associations
  • DHAA (Alberta)
  • BCDHA (British Columbia)
  • MDHA (Manitoba)
  • NBDHA (New Brunswick)
  • NLDHA (Newfoundland & Labrador)
  • ODHA (Ontario)
  • PEIDHA (Prince Edward Island)
  • FHDQ (Quebec)
  • SDHA (Saskatchewan)
  • Join or Renew Today!
  • Membership Add-ons
  • Student Upgrade
  • Membership Benefits
  • Membership Means More
  • Free with Membership
  • Free Webinars
  • Professional Development
  • Insurance Programs
  • Support for Practice Success
  • More Discounts & Savings
  • Membership FAQs Membership Support and Frequently Asked Questions
  • 2023 Indigenous Student Bursary
  • Membership Prize Draws
  • Public Perceptions Survey
  • Independent Practice Network (IPN)
  • Claim Forms & Billing Set-Up
  • Business Insurance
  • Insurance Claims Support
  • National List of Service Codes
  • Connections Café - Presentations
  • Exclusive Group Discounts

Business Plan

  • Market Research
  • Partnerships & Incorporation
  • Long-Term Care Resources
  • Oh Canada! Magazine
  • Info for Contributors
  • Sponsorship and Advertising
  • Oh Canada! Readers' Choice Award
  • Oh Canada! Archives
  • Dental Hygiene Research Agenda
  • Dental Hygienists with Doctoral Degrees Directory
  • Canadian Foundation for Dental Hygiene Research and Education
  • Research Funding
  • Cochrane Health Evidence
  • Canada Dental Care Plan Permanent government benefit program
  • Canada Dental Benefit Interim Financial Support Measure Administered by the CRA
  • New Federal Investments
  • National Oral Health Care for Seniors
  • Advocacy Responses
  • Advocacy Resources
  • Collaboration
  • CDHA Parliament Hill Day
  • Taxation of Health and Dental Benefits
  • Federal Election
  • Fact Sheets and Resources
  • Position Papers, Statements & Guidelines
  • Ethics Corner
  • Client's Bill of Rights
  • Supply Data
  • Awards & Recognition
  • CDHA Scholarship Program
  • CDHA Life Memberships
  • CDHA Distinguished Service Award
  • CDHA Award of Merit
  • Explore the Career Centre Dental hygiene is more than just a job...
  • Career Opportunities
  • Search Career Opportunities
  • Post Your Free Listing
  • Regulatory Authorities
  • Career Search Tips
  • Career in Dental Hygiene
  • Working & Volunteering Abroad
  • Dental Hygiene Practice FAQ
  • 2023 Job Market & Employment Survey
  • Vision of a Healthy & Respectful Workplace for Dental Hygienists
  • 2023 CDHA Healthy & Respectful Workplace Survey
  • Workplace Wellness Corner
  • Healthy Professional Worker Partnership
  • Healthy Workplace Matters
  • Video Series: Conversations to Build Collaborative Workplaces
  • Physical Health & Ergonomics
  • Psychological Well-Being
  • Contracts & Policies
  • Practice Questions
  • RDH Inspirations - Upload Your Video
  • 2023 Summit Wrap Up
  • Recommended Resources & Reading
  • Summit Experience Sponsors
  • Thank You to Our Sponsors
  • Tourism & Venue
  • Exhibitor & Sponsor Prospectus
  • Upcoming CDHA Events
  • Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program Overview
  • Introduction
  • Join/Renew/Upgrade Student Membership
  • Student Writing Competition
  • Top 20 Tips to Graduation
  • Student Leadership Program
  • Bachelor/Graduate Degree Programs
  • Studying Abroad
  • Guide to Researching
  • Transfer Credits
  • Dental Hygiene Schools & Programs
  • CJDH Between The Lines Engaging Video Conversations Between Author & Editor
  • Course Library
  • Business Growth: Invest, Expand, Evolve
  • Oral & Oropharyngeal Cancer Screening for Today’s Population
  • Business Fundamentals: Ready, Set, Launch
  • VEGA Family Violence Education Resources
  • Lifelong Smiles for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
  • Self-Initiation for Dental Hygienists in Ontario
  • Self-Initiation for Dental Hygienists Nova Scotia
  • Dental Hygiene Practice in Nova Scotia: Jurisprudence
  • Negotiation
  • Difficult Conversations
  • Online Courses FAQs
  • Upcoming Webinars
  • Available Webinars
  • Webinars Ending Soon
  • How CDHA Webinars Work
  • Reports Reports and Competencies Related to Education
  • Dental Hygiene Quarterly DHQ is Available Online & in DVD Format
  • News & Press CDHA In The News
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Updates About COVID-19
  • Colouring Contest
  • Put Your Purple On!
  • Landmark Lighting
  • Celebration Ideas
  • Free Promotional Materials
  • Media Resources
  • Multimedia Files
  • In The News
  • Oral Health Events Calendar
  • Submit Your Free Listing
  • What CDHA Provides Your Connection to Oral Health Experts
  • Sponsorship and Marketing Opportunities 10k+ Targeted Impressions /month
  • CDHA Partners' Circle Firms Dedicated to the Advancement of the Dental Hygiene Profession
  • Third Party Guidelines CDHA Relationships with Third Parties
  • eStore The CDHA Online Boutique

Skip Navigation Links

A business plan, the first step in planning your independent dental hygiene practice, is a document that summarizes the operational and financial objectives of a business and contains the detailed plans and budgets for how the objectives will be realized. The following describes the major components of a business plan.

Executive Summary & Mission Statement

The executive summary gives the reader a brief overview of your business and of your proposed plan. It should capture your passion and enthusiasm for the project. The mission statement outlines your business philosophy and your vision of what your business will become. Include the name and address of your business and a short description of why you have chosen your location.

Recruiting and hiring the right staff is crucial to the success of your business. Remember that your staff represents your business and vision when you cannot be in the office. The following is a list of some key positions you may be considering:

  • receptionists
  • dental assistants
  • dental hygienists
  • dentists (chair rental agreement only)

Include a brief summary of your proposed staff members duties and how they will be paid.

Describe your proposed schedule for getting your practice up and running.

Advertising & Promotion

What are the advertising and promotional tools you will use to attract clients? These may include stationery, business cards, a website, signage, and radio, television, and newspaper advertisements. Describe which tools you expect to use and their costs. Also consider personal-networking strategies such as joining service clubs, introducing yourself to local businesses, and visiting schools, retirement homes, and community centres. Become visible! Volunteer to speak whenever possible, or set up a booth at local health fairs.

Contingency Plan

Describe your plans for insurance in case of illness or disability. Do you hold sufficient life insurance? What will you do if construction goes over cost or takes longer than expected?

What services do you plan to provide? Do you plan to add additional services that differ from what is currently available? For instance, are you planning to promote custom mouth guards or teeth whitening procedures? Are you interested in naturopathic medicine and plan to use only natural products in your practice? Are you considering working with a massage therapist and including these services in your office? Describe your plan in detail.

Current Situation

What does your market look like? How large is the potential population base and what is their income, age, and education level? Are there any other dental hygiene practices competing with you? What trends can you identify in the market?

Marketing Plan

How do you plan to compete with other businesses and attract clients? What do you expect your competitors to do when you open? Also describe the technical advantages you provide over your competitors (fees, hours of operation, follow-up, customer service, etc.).

Business Planning

Before you can purchase equipment or start building your space, you need to ensure you have the following:

  • a business loan
  • a property lease
  • an agreement with a contractor
  • an agreement with a supplier

Describe your plans for acquiring the above.

Financial Plan

Describe your plans for financing the following:

  • construction and renovation
  • equipment, furniture, and supplies
  • business licenses
  • insurance, legal, and accounting fees

Provide the following revenue projections:

  • debt repayment

Group Purchasing banner

  • Policies & Terms of Use

Land Acknowledgement We acknowledge the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnabeg Nation as the traditional owners and guardians of the lands of the CDHA national office.

Nigì kikenindànànàn iyo nìgànì ondamitàwini wìbidikewogamig padakising Màmìwininì Anishinàbeg odakìwàng neyàgadawendamòdjig kaye ega wìkàd kàmìgiwewàdj iyo akì.

Don't bother with copy and paste.

Get this complete sample business plan as a free text document.

Dental Office Business Plan

Start your own dental office business plan

The Tooth Fairy

Market analysis summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">.

 While people of all ages require a general dentist, Dr. Extractor will be concentrating his practice on cosmetic improvements.  There are two distinct groups of people who use cosmetic dentistry.  The first group is young adults, a group of people that are concerned with their appearance.  The second group is seniors, equally concerned with their appearance, but for reasons, typically economic, have not had the ability to get the work done before.

4.1 Market Segmentation

The Tooth Fairy has two distinct groups of customers:

  • Adults . Younger adults, typically 27-39 who are concerned with their appearance. This group can be further defined as both male and female with individual incomes over $45,000 a year.  While some of the target group are professionals, a large segment of this target segment are-live-at-home spouses who do not have a full time job.  This group is more likely than not to consider cosmetic surgery as a method from improving their appearance.
  • Seniors . This group sees dental work as a safe way to improve they way they look. They prefer cosmetic dentistry over plastic surgery, which is viewed as a risky cosmetic surgery that this group is less likely to use.  The seniors typically live off of more than $50,000 a year in retirement savings.  This group is almost entirely retired and their day is mainly composed of leisure time activities.

Dental office business plan, market analysis summary chart image

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

The Tooth Fairy will target two different segments with specific strategies in the marketing campaign.  While the Yellow Page advertisements will develop visibility among both groups, the seminars will be specifically directed toward the “seniors.”

4.3 Service Business Analysis

The dentist industry is following a trend away from general maintenance toward cosmetics. There is less rampant decay of teeth now relative to five to 10 years ago so dentists are concentrating on areas where there is increased demand.

Please note that The Tooth Fairly’s growth rate is higher than the industry average.  This can be explained by the fact that Steve is concentrating on an emerging niche, and as he is starting a practice from ground zero, so higher than average growth rates can be expected.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

There are two forms of competitors:

  • The generalist . This type of dentist has a practice centered around general maintenance and does not specialize.
  • The specialist . This type of dentist will have a general practice, but in addition to the general practice, they have an area that they specialize in, such as cosmetics.

The buying patterns of patients are based on referrals and trust.  People will chose a dentist preferably based on a referral if that is possible. People new to an area may be unable to get a referral so they find a service provider based on advertising or the Yellow Pages and if they feel comfortable with the provider then they tend to form a long-term relationship with them.

Start your own business plan

Your business plan can look as polished and professional as this sample plan. It's fast and easy, with LivePlan.

Garrett's Bike Shop

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Flash Sale. 40% Off the #1 rated business plan builder

business plan for dental office

business plan for dental office

  • Branding , Business , Dental , Healthcare

Dental Business Plan for Your Dental Practice

  • May 5, 2021

Although being in the business of perfecting smiles is more exciting than most occupations, it’s still essential to develop a business plan that is detailed and well thought out so you can maximize your success. A dental business plan should include the necessary steps to help your business find a path to long-term success and growth. The best way to get your practice where you want it to be is to figure out where you are now. In the same way you create treatment plans for patients, you will make adjustments based on your needs to lead you to your desired results. 

As you begin drafting this plan, you should consider including details such as market analysis, cash flow projections, general marketing, competitive analysis, and more. By determining what factors impact the continued success of your practice and building a marketing strategy based on these factors, you can focus on taking the following steps to turn your goals into reality. 

Read a Sample Business Plan

Dentist Business Plan

Executive Summary for Your Dental P ractice

Every dental business plan should begin with an executive summary to provide the lender with an overview of the topics discussed within the document. This summary should be clear and concise so that your reader can easily interpret your plan and figure out the next steps. On average, this section will be about two pages long. 

The executive summary is a critical component of your business plan and serves a bigger purpose than providing an outline for your audience. While it should briefly explain your dental practice, it needs to go beyond utility and grab your reader’s attention and engage their interest, so they are inclined to read the plan all the way through. Make sure this section is well written and contains essential information that the lender needs to know.  

Not only should the executive summary be comprehensive and engaging, but it should also be easy to read. If the writing style is choppy, it will take longer for the reader to comprehend, and your message may be lost on them. 

Essentially, it should feature all of the important details in your plan that will be relevant to the lender. The details included in the executive summary can vary, depending on the needs and goals of your practice. However, every executive summary must include the following elements:

  • How you will go about implementing your business plan
  • How many employees you will hire
  • Budget and funding allocation for operations
  • Competitive market analysis
  • Services and products offered
  • What your target market is
  • The objective

Writing an Executive Summary

It’s critical that your executive summary is customized to your practice and the goals of your dental plan. Avoid using generic summaries you’ve seen online because they will come across as vague and not provide the necessary background information needed to understand the specifics of your practice. 

Because this section should only be two pages long, it can be difficult to sum up the most important aspects of your plan. To combat this, many professionals recommend writing the entire business plan and saving the executive summary for last so you can take note of all the details you want to highlight in the summary. 

An Engaging Introduction is Crucial

To capture your reader’s attention, make sure that you have an engaging introduction that is relevant to the dental field. As you begin your executive summary, you should state the objective of your dental business plan clearly and include high-priority information. In each section, include any statistics and relevant details that will back your plan and build credibility between your practice and the lender.

Edit the Document

Editing your dental business plan is an essential step in the writing process that will influence the success of your delivery. You wouldn’t go over a treatment plan with patients that has errors, unclear messaging, or other overlooked mistakes. If your thoughts seem scattered and your text is littered with poor editing, typos, and wrong punctuation, this will undermine your credibility and won’t inspire lenders to believe in the success of your business. To inspire trust in your reader, make sure you fact-check statistics, remove the passive language, and filter out any repetitiveness. 

Getting Help

Effective writing doesn’t always come naturally, and it can be a smart business decision to hire outside help, such as an editor or a professional content writer. These experts can also go over work you’ve already written to make it flow better and rid it of errors. Ensuring that your dental business plan is well written will give you extra confidence as you present it to lenders. 

Company Description

The company description should directly follow the executive summary and will outline what makes your practice unique, such as what you hope to achieve, what services you offer, how large your practice is, and more. This portion of the dental business plan will serve as a roadmap for your direction and vision for the practice so that a lender can establish a personal connection and gain a deeper understanding of you and your staff. 

Provide Basic Information 

  • Start by including the official name of your practice.
  • List the type of business structure
  • Include the names of all of the important people behind the practice, such as other dentists
  • List the exact location of the practice
  • Include your mission statement. This statement should clearly and accurately represent the purpose of your practice.
  • Add the target market and services, providing an overview of the services and products you will offer.
  • A vision statement will explain your vision for the future of your practice, such as expansion, offering higher-end services, etc.

How to Write a Company Description

Once you’ve gathered all the information you need to include in your company description, make sure you present it in a way that is interesting to the reader. Begin by telling vital details about your dental practice and give an overview of your practice goals. 

Your entire dental plan will be centered around your office and vision, so some of the information you give in this section will be repeated throughout the document. The company description will give an overview of these practice details for readers to refer back to for clarification. 

In this section, you can capture the personal interest of a lender by demonstrating your passion for dentistry through clear and meaningful writing. Explain why you felt the desire to start a dental practice and what you hope to accomplish through your work. 

Detailing the Dental Services Your Practice Will Offer 

Once you have included the previous information, you should detail the products and services your dental practice offers. If you’re purchasing an established practice, make sure you list any changes you plan on making to the services offered by the previous owner. 

Instead of a bullet point list of your services and products, make sure this section highlights the benefits and quality of your offerings and how these will propel your dental practice into becoming an authority in your area and in your field. 

You can use this section to explain how your practice will compete with other dental practices in the area that offer similar services and how your practice is a unique business that will enrich the community. 

When writing up this section, be sure to include:

  • A complete description of the services you’re planning to offer
  • How the services and any products will be priced
  • A comparison of the services offered by competing dental practices
  • Any type of literature you will use, such as information pertaining to how your website will play in your efforts to obtain new patients.
  • Include any needs your practice will have, such as desktop computers that will be used to store and update patient records
  • Any future services you plan to offer

Be Brief, Yet Engaging 

While this section may not be as exciting, it can still be engaging. After all, the services you offer are the tools you use to give people the smile of their dreams. This is your passion, so you should explain the services you offer and why prospective patients need your dental practice to live a higher quality of life and enjoy better oral health. 

Use this portion of your dental business plan to highlight the services that set you apart from your competitors. For variation, include the levels of services you offer or your price points for each treatment. Our goal is to make the reader feel well informed on what makes your practice unique by consistently engaging with the content. However, we advise that you avoid overwhelming this section with too much detail. Instead, try to keep your descriptions concise so you can clearly communicate your services and why your team is the most qualified to provide them. 

As a master of your field, you are knowledgeable about every aspect of dentistry and how to use your skills to help your community. However, your reader may not share the same background knowledge. Make sure you refrain from using too much medical jargon and focus on describing your services in layman’s terms. 

Dental Office Management & Daily Operations 

Behind every great practice is a great management plan. Include in your business plan a section that details how the practice will be managed and the structure of your business. A detail worth including is whether your practice will be structured as a corporation, sole proprietorship, or a partnership. This section is also a great place to include a list of your employees and professional advisors that will help lead your team to long-term success. 

Market Analysis

In the next section of your dental business plan, examine the market around you and include data about your competitors, such as their SEO ranking, digital content, online presence, and other relevant information. The more you study the marketing data of those around you, the better informed you will be as you craft your own marketing efforts. 

Where to Start 

You should begin this section by providing an overview of your intended dental marketing plan and your target patient base. Be sure to include information on their income level, age, and lifestyle. If a competitor in your area has a similar target patient, specify in your plan how you will customize your marketing plan to set your practice apart as an authority to attract a consistent and loyal patient base. 

This portion of your dental business plan is the perfect place to include a wireframe design and a sitemap regarding the plans for your website. If you decide to make vastly different design and content choices from your competitors, explain why your strategy will be more successful in communicating your message. 

Many dentists find this section to be challenging because it requires them to investigate and analyze their competitors. However, you are most likely already aware of your competition or can find them by doing a simple search online. 

Learn Everything You Can About the Competition

When you’re investigating your competition, you want to know:

  • What market segments the competition serves
  • What benefits they offer
  • Cost of sales
  • Assets to sales
  • Percent of sales
  • Why patients go to them

During your research, learn as much as you can about their promotions, sales, costs, services, pricing, and any products they sell. By doing this in-depth analysis, you will demonstrate to lenders that you’ve taken all the necessary steps to make your business a success and an asset to the community. 

Analyzing the Information

After you’ve completed your market analysis, you can use this background information about your competitors to create a plan that details how your practice will compete with them. Good information to include in this portion would be services you offer that they don’t or if they have higher prices than your practice for similar services. We want you to stand out from the crowd so prospective patients can see that you’re the clear choice for their treatment. In pursuit of this goal, it’s necessary to analyze this market information and identify what you have to offer that differs from the competition. 

Writing Format

To make your information easier for the lender to understand and follow, organize this section purposefully for your readers. In the first paragraph, outline who your competitors are and what portion of the market they attract. Your next paragraph will detail your dental practice’s advantage over the competition and how your office will achieve success. 

The goal of this section is to persuade the lender reading your business plan that you not only understand your competition but have also created an expert plan that will allow you to compete with other dentists in the area. 

Include Financial Planning in Your Business Plan

At the core of every effective business plan is a thorough financial plan. This section will be the most important to lenders and investors as they decide whether or not they can approve your loan proposals. As you write your financial portion, be sure to include great detail that will reassure your audience that you have the knowledge and skill it takes to craft a successful practice. 

Relevant financial and funding information that should be detailed include: 

  • A personal financial statement that details your current cash flow 
  • Marketing and other expenses 
  • Total funds required by your dental practice for two years
  • Projected income for the first one to two years.
  • Offered collateral
  • Historical financial analysis
  • How funds for your start-up will be allocated.
  • Any financial documents that can support your projections. 

As you complete the financial section of the document, include a paragraph that demonstrates that you’ve accounted for the impact of various financial influences. This may include seasonal variations, the economy, the competition, and other events that may impact your dental practice’s finances. You have taken the time to plan out every detail to bring your dream to life, and now it’s time to put this plan to paper and give lenders the answers to any questions they have. 

Dental Operations

The final section of your dental business plan should be the operations section. This section should be your longest and will include all of the details related to the day-to-day operations of your practice. 

You should provide the following information to lenders and investors with a clear picture of how your dental practice will function:

  • Days of operation
  • Hours of operation
  • Major supplies you need to source equipment from
  • Ideal patient flow
  • Maintenance schedules for equipment
  • Necessary equipment and supplies and suppliers
  • Dental insurances that will and will not be accepted
  • If you offer certain services, or if you’re a specialist in your field.  

While creating this section, envision what the main takeaways are of the information you’re providing. This will help you avoid adding unnecessary information in favor of using concise but informative language. 

Essentially, this section is designed as an outline that will include expense and capital requirements for your dental practice that you will need to operate daily. Take the opportunity to go into detail about your dental practice’s procedures, goals, and objectives, 

This section of the plan will outline each step you will take to accomplish your dental practice’s mission and should include answers to the following questions:

  • The cost amount that every department will require to complete their jobs
  • Deadlines for when goals and tasks will be completed
  • Information concerning where the daily operations will take place
  • A description for each department
  • Departments or people who will be in charge of completing tasks

Objectives and Goals

In your writing, you must include a clear goal and objective that everyone on your team will be focused on completing. When you state your dental practice’s operational objective, you give your team a standard to work toward, and you give lenders a benchmark to measure. 

Do You Need to Hire a Business Plan Consultant?

For your dental business plan to be effective, it has to be detailed and professionally written. Many dentists find that while they know everything about their practice, it can be difficult to produce written content like this on such a high level. For this reason, many dentists choose to hire a consultant to help them plan and write their dentist business plan.

A professional consultant would help guide you every step of the way, whether you are purchasing or selling a dental practice. Consultants with a focus on business planning have extensive marketing resources and networks of dental consultants that can help you develop a well-written plan for your dental practice. With this skill set, these consultants can also help you create an efficient marketing strategy for you to include in your business plan. 

When you work with a consultant on your business plan, you can have the reassurance that every section of the document is covered. A business plan that is written and developed by a professional can give you more confidence in your content as you give it to lenders for review. 

Know When to Get Help

If you are struggling to create an engaging business plan, then it may be time to call in the help of a professional. There are different experts to help you along the process, depending on which aspects of the document are proving to be challenging. 

business plan for dental office

If you are confident in your writing skills but would like guidance on what information to include in your plan, then you can hire a consultant who will go through and revise your work. However, if you are finding the actual writing of the plan to be your biggest roadblock, you can hire a consultant to take over the writing portion and help you communicate what your practice’s objectives and goals are to a lender. 

While consultants can be helpful in creating a professional business plan, no one knows your practice and its goals better than you. If you do decide to outsource work for the document, make sure you remain available while they work so you can understand the process and make recommendations for each section .

Tips from the American Dental Association 

According to the American Dental Association, your dental practice can follow the same basic guidelines as small businesses do to create an effective plan that aids your growth and reaches your audience. 

The ADA goes on to explain a few staples of creating an effective business plan, which includes:

  • Creating a growth strategy
  • Creating a payment policy and pricing
  • Knowing your market-do your research
  • Describe the dental practice in detail, including services, target customers, and products

If you’re purchasing an established dental practice, their business plan may need to be updated. 

An updated dental business plan should include:

  • A current cost analysis
  • Dental practice sales
  • Recent financial comparisons with other dental facilities in the area
  • Current lender terms and information
  • Financial statements
  • The financial position of the established dental practice

With this in mind, you can create a plan that incorporates all the fine details that a lender will look for in a well-rounded business plan.

Review Your Plan 

Writing a dental business plan may seem like a daunting task, but with a few simple tips, it can be an enjoyable process that leads to producing the document that will kickstart your dream practice. 

Know Your Audience

Something we’ve learned through our work is if you try to create a message that reaches everyone, you won’t be able to reach anyone. Instead, you may need to create a series of business plans that are adjusted to reach your target audience best. For example, if you are trying to secure funding, then you would need to provide the reader with proof that you will be able to make the loan payments. 

Thorough Research

A lender appreciates business plans that show the prospective borrower has extensive market knowledge. To demonstrate this, include market research in your document that is detailed and thorough . Be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses, and show lenders that you understand your limitations and see them as opportunities for growth. 

Know Who Your Competitors Are

As you enter a market, it’s important to understand who your competition is so you can adjust your business plan to set yourself apart. In your writing, describe your strategy to a lender that will explain how you plan to rise to the challenge. 

Be Very Detail Oriented

Your business plan should be concise and engaging, but make sure you don’t leave out any details your reader needs to understand your business. You need your audience to take note of your professionalism and begin to believe in your ability to run a practice. 

Include Key Facts

A well-written business plan should describe your strategy, goals, financials, your management team, competitors, target audience, services, and operations. Without these key factors, your plan may not seem as complete to lenders, and they will be less likely to understand your vision and goals for your dental practice. 

Accurate Financials

It’s essential that you provide your readers with accurate information so you can build credibility. This is especially true of any financial information given in the document. In your dental business plan, you will need to include both sales and costs. We know that it can be difficult to predict sales, so we suggest you hire an accountant to go over your financials if you run into an issue with projections. Don’t let a few numbers stand in the way of you securing important financing. Take the extra step and save yourself the hassle. 

Devote the Most Time to Your Executive Summary

The executive summary is considered among professionals to be the most important section of your plan. An experienced lender will head to this section first to learn about the important facts and figures included in the remainder of your business plan. While these details may seem dull, they actually paint the story of your passion for dentistry and how you plan to put this plan into action. Make sure you keep this in mind as you write, so your content feels engaging and encourages them to read through the rest of the document. 

Speak with a Business Adviser

To make sure your document is as effective as possible, hire a business advisor to review your rough draft and give you constructive criticism. A review of your rough draft will help you determine which sections need to be revised, cut, or added to in order to make your final product stronger.

Properly Implement Your Plan

It’s important that you view this document as a guide for your strategy that informs how your business will develop. Your dental business plan will include responsibilities and goals that are frequently updated as your business grows. By following a solid plan, you can ensure your practice stays on track and in pursuit of future goals. 

How a Dentist can Increase Their Chances of Getting Approved for a Loan

Your business plan is a great tool when trying to improve your chances of qualifying for a loan, but there are additional steps you can take to ensure success. For instance, we know that lenders want to see that a loan applicant has saved up a minimum of five percent of the loan amount and is not prone to living above their means. This will demonstrate your credibility and strengthen their trust in your practice. Many lenders will provide all of the financing for a start-up, but it’s important to them that they are taking a safe risk on a borrower who makes responsible decisions. 

Know What Your Loan Approval Will Be Before You Apply

Before you try to purchase a start-up dental office or established practice, you will need to get prequalified for a loan. While prequalification isn’t the same as loan approval, it can give you a better understanding of what your borrowing capacity will be. We know that starting your practice is an exciting yet stressful time, and we want you to have as few surprises as possible as you work toward your goals. 

Getting prequalified for a loan will give you an advantage as you begin bringing the dream of your practice to life. There are some landlords who won’t speak to a dentist concerning a lease if they haven’t been pre-approved for financing. Additionally, you will have more negotiating power when you speak to different parties so that you don’t feel cornered by circumstances into accepting deals that aren’t in your best interest. To ensure that this process progresses with ease, it’s important to know whether you qualify for a loan before you make any offers. While there is no guarantee you will be approved for a loan, it’s always better to know your options and limitations sooner rather than later. 

When to Speak to a Lender About Your Dental Practice 

The first step to take as you consider purchasing an existing dental practice or founding a start-up is to speak to a lender who can help finance your vision. Lenders can act as expert advisors that provide invaluable insight and help dentists get in touch with the right professionals to make their dreams a reality. The advice given by bankers is free, so you should take advantage of this resource as you move forward. 

We suggest that you contact a lender prior to negotiations for an existing practice and even before you begin drafting a business plan. During this time, a lender can pre-approve you for a specific amount. If you begin the process without speaking to a lender, you may find yourself overwhelmed and over budget. If you consult with this finance expert before you make financial decisions, you will better understand what you can afford with a new practice, and you will have more flexibility during negotiations. 

business plan for dental office

Final Thoughts 

Your dental practice is a unique business that has lots of specific services and functions that allow you to rise above the competition. One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to draft a thorough and descriptive dental business plan that showcases the best aspects of your practice. A dental business plan is a management tool that will help you track and evaluate the progress of your dental practice. This document is a roadmap that will keep you on track to reach your goals and help you gauge your progress based on your initial projections. 

In addition to helping you track your progress, a business plan is a marketing document that you will use to secure financing for your practice from lenders. This dental business plan will help you easily convince lenders that you’re a good risk for their financial backing. If you produce a document that is well-written and properly formatted, you will be able to demonstrate that your dental progress will thrive and join the ranks of other successful businesses. The best part of this document is that it serves as the written version of your dream. You aren’t just selling lenders on facts and figures but also the practice you’ve envisioned where you will use your skillset to craft life-changing smiles in your community. 

business plan for dental office

Master Your Attitude

In the vast landscape of life, one thing stands out as a significant determinant of our experience – our attitude. It’s like the lens through

The Best Dental Office Management Courses of 2023

The Best Dental Office Management Courses of 2023

The US dental care market is predicted to grow by over 41% by 2030, which means a lot more fillings, clear aligners, and root canals.

business plan for dental office

How to Implement Winning Strategies in Your Practice

Dr. Ann Marie Gorczyca, an orthodontist with over three decades of experience, has cracked the code to growing an orthodontic practice. After a year in

Work With The Growth Partner Behind The Nation's Fastest-Growing Ortho Practices

luke-conference-presenting

Are you ready for a growth system that’s proven to drive exponential results for orthodontic practices of all sizes?

We’ll help you transform your practice to serve your patients better, empower your team, and build a business and lifestyle that are 100% sustainable.

We only have the capacity to onboard a few partners each month, so don’t wait! Book your call today.

WHO WE HELP

Quick links.

2690 S Hwy 95a Cantonment, FL 32533

EMAIL 850.359.3081

business plan for dental office

  • Business Plan for Investors
  • Bank/SBA Business Plan

Strategic/Operational Business Plan

  • L1 Visa Business Plan
  • E1 Treaty Trader Visa Business Plan
  • E2 Treaty Investor Visa Business Plan
  • EB-1 Business Plan
  • EB-2 NIW Business Plan
  • EB-5 Business Plan
  • Innovator Founder Visa Business Plan
  • Start-Up Visa Business Plan
  • Expansion Worker Visa Business Plan
  • Manitoba MPNP Visa Business Plan
  • Nova Scotia NSNP Visa Business Plan
  • British Columbia BC PNP Visa Business Plan
  • Self-Employed Visa Business Plan
  • OINP Entrepreneur Stream Business Plan
  • LMIA Owner Operator Business Plan
  • ICT Work Permit Business Plan
  • LMIA Mobility Program – C11 Entrepreneur Business Plan
  • USMCA (ex-NAFTA) Business Plan
  • Franchise Business Plan
  • Landlord business plan
  • Nonprofit Start-Up Business Plan
  • USDA Business Plan
  • Cannabis business plan
  • Ecommerce business plan
  • Online boutique business plan
  • Mobile application business plan
  • Daycare business plan
  • Restaurant business plan
  • Food delivery business plan
  • Real estate business plan
  • Business Continuity Plan
  • Buy Side Due Diligence Services
  • ICO whitepaper
  • ICO consulting services
  • Confidential Information Memorandum
  • Private Placement Memorandum
  • Feasibility study
  • How it works
  • Business Plan Examples

Dentistry Business Plan Sample

MAY.04, 2018

Dentistry business plan for your own dental practice

Do you want to start a dental office business? If you are a dentist and want to earn lots of money while also serving the society, you should definitely start this business. But before you consider how to start a dentistry business , you must prepare a comprehensive business plan for it. The business plan will help you in acquiring the license for your business from the state and will also help you take important decisions for the startup. In case you don’t know how to write a dentistry business plan, you can take help from this sample business plan of a dentistry business startup named ‘Spear’s Dental Clinic’.

Executive Summary

2.1 the dental business.

Spear’s Dental Clinic will be a licensed, registered and insured dental consultancy clinic which will provide all sorts of dental consultancy and treatment services to its customers. The business will be located at a 10 minutes’ drive from the center of Boston and the location is ideal to open dental office .

2.2 Management of Dental Office

Spear’s Dental Clinic is a sole proprietorship owned by Dr. John Spear, an experienced dentist from Boston. The company’s main management framework comprises of sales executives, dentists, and nurses.

2.3 Customers of Dental Office

Our customers include people from all age groups such as children, teens, adults and senior citizens but children and teens will form the bulk of our customers since they are most likely to have dental problems.

2.4 Target of the Dental Business

Our business targets to be achieved within next three years are as follows:

Dental Office Summary

3.1 company owner.

Spear’s Dental Clinic is a sole proprietorship owned by Dr. John Spear. Dr. Spear is a famous dentist who has been practicing in Boston for more than 6 years.

3.2 Why the Dental Business is being started

Dr. Spear decided for dentistry start up to make profits in this industry while also serving the community.

3.3 How the Dental Business will be started

Spear’s Dental Clinic will be started in a leased location in Boston which was previously used as a small restaurant. The facility requires a lot of work so that it can be converted into a dental office and the company has already hired William Sons Contractors for this job. In addition to the usual inventory, the procured equipment will include high- and low- speed drills, an ultrasonic scaler (for removing prophylaxis), curing and placing instrument, dental seats and lights, x-ray film, filling material and the front desk equipment. The financial experts have forecasted following costs for the startup:

The detailed startup requirements are given below:

Services for customers

An important part of any start up dentistry business plan  is the services it will provide to its customers because the planning of nearly all subsequent things depend on the provided services. Spear’s Dental Clinic will be a licensed, registered and insured dental consultancy clinic which will provide following services to its customers:

  • Dental diagnostics services
  • Dental examinations & consultations services
  • Dental restorative & preventive services
  • Dental treatments including gap removal, tooth whitening, tooth removal and implants

Patients can make a reservation with us by either visiting our clinic or through our official website.

Marketing Analysis of dental business

The most important component of an effective dentistry business plan  is its accurate marketing analysis and a good dental practice business plan can only be developed after this stage. If you are starting on a smaller scale, you can do marketing analysis yourself by taking help from this dentistry business plan template or other dentistry business plan examples available online. If you are starting on a larger scale, it is always best to seek the counsel of marketing experts for developing a good dentistry business plan . The success or failure of a business totally depends upon its marketing strategy for business plan which can only be developed on the basis of accurate marketing analysis.Therefore, it must be considered before you develop your dentistry  startup business plan . Dr. Spear acquired the services of marketing experts to carry out the marketing analysis for his dentistry business plan . He also went through various dentistry business plans  available online before developing his own dental clinic business plan .

5.1 Market Trends

For learning the market trends of the dental industry, you will have to carry out an in-depth research. You can also take help from this dentistry business plan sample . The dental industry is among those industries who have a high propensity for profit and a very low failure rate. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), dental clinics are the 3rd highest category of the startup businesses which are most likely to survive. Dentists are among the highest earning professionals in the United States and their average income lies in the United States’ highest 8 percent incomes. According to IBISWorld, the dentist industry contributes more than £134 billion in the revenue of the United States every year. As of March 2018, there are 187,437 registered dentist clinics in the United States which are responsible for employing around 1,000,000 people. The industry’s growth rate is estimated to be 2.6 percent. This increase is contributed to many factors, of which one is the increase in education and prosperity of the population. The second factor is the increasing trend of dental insurances, due to which, many people became able to afford the dental services. According to a recent report, around 40 percent of the population has private dental insurance. In short, dental industry has a lot of potential and a dental clinic can be immensely profitable provided that you provide quality services and plan as well as market your business successfully.

5.2 Marketing Segmentation

Our target market is the residential community-based in Boston. As of 2016, there are more than 673,000 people in Boston which belong to varying backgrounds and most of them are financially stable. Out of the 252,700 households in the city, 20.4% contain children with age below 18 years, 25.5% contain married couples, 16.3% contain a female householder without a husband, and 54.0% are non-families. As per the population distribution, around 21.9% of the population is below 19 years of age, 14.3% are from 20-24, 33.2% are from 25-44, 20.4% are from 45-64, and 10.1% are more than 65 years of age. Analyzing the demographics is important since it gives you an idea of the market segmentation of your future customers. A successful and efficient marketing strategy can only be developed after we completely know our potential customers hence it must be duly incorporated in any dentistry business plan. Our business consultants have identified the following type of target audience which can become our future consumers:

The detailed marketing segmentation of our target audience is as follows:

5.2.1 Children & Teens:

Our first target group will be the children and teens aged below 19 years. This group is most likely to have dental problems like incorrect or misaligned jaw position, jaw joint disorder, under-bite, overbite, missing teeth, extra teeth, and crowded or crooked teeth. Moreover, due to their unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive intake of sweeteners, oral piercings for wearing jewelry, they are also frequently affected by other dental problems. That’s why this group will be the biggest contributor to our revenue.

5.2.2 Adults:

Our second target group comprises of adults aged above 19 years. This group contains people who are sensible and conscious of their dental health and, thus, seldom encounter a dental problem. That’s why they have the least contribution to our revenue.

5.2.3 Senior Citizens:

The third target group comprises of senior citizens. This group, due to its old age, is much likely to be affected by various dental problems like dental decay, gum disease, poor fitting dentures etc. and has, therefore, more contribution than the adults. The detailed market analysis of our potential customers is given in the following table:

5.3 Business Target

Our main business targets to be achieved as milestones over the course of next three years are as follows:

  • To become the best dental service in Boston within next five years of launch by providing high-quality services
  • To achieve the net profit margin of £10k per month by the end of the first year, £15k per month by the end of the second year, and £25k per month by the end of the third year
  • To balance the initial cost of the startup with earned profits by the end of the second year
  • To open another dental office in downtown by the end of the third year

5.4 Product Pricing

After considering the market demands and the competitive nature of this business, Dr. Spear has decided to price his services slightly less (10% less) as compared to that of his competitors. This pricing strategy has been carefully selected considering many factors, especially the competition provided by established dental clinics in the locality like Neo Dental Clinic. By setting our services in slightly lower range, we hope to target more customers during the initial period of our launch.

After you have identified the market demand, market trends, and the potential customers of the startup, you must now define an effective strategy for attracting those customers toward you.

Like marketing analysis, sales strategy is also an important component of a good dentistry business plan and it must be properly developed before thinking about how to open dental office .

High Quality Business Plan and Professional Support

It was amazing to work with OGS Capital for our business plan. They promptly responded our enquires and delivered document on time.The document was well organized high quality and content.We succeded with Alex and his team support. We thank you guys again for professional approach and easy communication.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

The dental industry is one of the most competitive industries since there are more than 187,000 registered dental clinics in the United States. Boston also houses hundreds of established dental clinics who are providing quality services, especially the Neo Dental Clinic which will be our main competitor in the locality. However, our economical services will be our biggest competitive advantage since our services will cost about 15% less than that of our competitors. Although the residential community in our vicinity is well-established, still, this factor will cause an increase in our revenue by specifically targeting those people who are not covered by any dental insurance. Our second competitive advantage will be our exceptional customer service which, we guarantee, will be the best in town.

6.2 Sales Strategy

After carrying out a detailed analysis, our experts came up with the following brilliant ideas to advertise and sell ourselves.

  • We will ensure a strong web presence by using SEO/SEM tactics.
  • We will advertise our dental clinic in health magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and social media.
  • We will arrange seminars and informational sessions in all local schools and other institutions to increase dental awareness among students and other people. These efforts will also result in the promotion of our business.

6.3 Sales Monthly

6.4 sales yearly, 6.5 sales forecast, personnel plan.

Personnel plan is also an important component of a good dentistry business plan  template so make sure to duly consider it before thinking about how to open a dental office . The personnel plan of our company is as follows.

7.1 Dental Office Staff

Dr. Spear will act as the General Manager of the company and will initially hire following people:

  • 1 Accountant for maintaining financial and other records
  • 2 Sales Executives responsible for marketing and discovering new ventures
  • 3 Dentists for dental treatments and checkups
  • 5 Nurses for assisting the Dentists and undertaking day-to-day tasks
  • 1 Technical Assistant for managing the company’s official website and social media pages
  • 2 Customer Representatives for interacting with customers
  • 6 Cleaners for maintaining a clean and hygienic environment in the clinic

All the employees will be hired by following strict testing procedures and will also be trained before onboarding.

7.2 Average Salary of Employees

The following table shows the forecasted data about the salaries of the employees for the next three years:

Financial Plan

After you have prepared the dental office marketing plan and the personnel plan, it is time for you to prepare a detailed financial plan. The financial plan should craft a detailed map of all the expenses needed for the startup and how these expenses will be met by the earned profits. It is recommended that you hire a financial expert for guiding you through all financial aspects needed to open a dental office .

8.1 Important Assumptions

8.2 brake-even analysis, 8.3 projected profit and loss, 8.3.1 profit monthly, 8.3.2 profit yearly, 8.3.3 gross margin monthly, 8.3.4 gross margin yearly, 8.4 projected cash flow, 8.5 projected balance sheet, 8.6 business ratios.

Download Dental Office Business Plan Sample in pdf

OGS capital professional writers specialized also in themes such as senior center business plan , business plans for pharmacy , medical marijuana dispensary business plan , medical business plan , massage business plan , hospital business plan and many others.

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than £1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

Add comment

E-mail is already registered on the site. Please use the Login form or enter another .

You entered an incorrect username or password

Comments (0)

mentioned in the press:

Search the site:

business plan for dental office

OGScapital website is not supported for your current browser. Please use:

Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance

business plan for dental office

  • My member dashboard
  • Edit your profile
  • Change your password
  • My dentist dashboard
  • Group dental insurance
  • Small businesses

Image Resize-1440x470-Office-worker.jpg

Small business

Small businesses like yours rely on great employees who work hard, excel at what they do and deliver strong results. Helping them stay healthy, happy and productive is part of your job – and great benefits make that easier. An affordable dental plan designed around the needs of your small business can keep employees smiling and help them be their best.

2 out of 3 employees consider dental benefits to be an important part of their compensation package. 1

The national network of Delta Dental companies protects more smiles than any other dental insurance provider. Our trusted experience, national access to the largest network of dentists and specialized expertise in oral health care make us the perfect partner to help protect your employees’ smiles. Focus on your business – and let us handle your dental benefits.

Contact us about dental benefits for your small business.

Enter the state where your company is headquartered or the state where your company's insurance-buying decisions are made.

You will be directed to the local Delta Dental website of the state you entered.

happy-business-owner-opening-the-door-at-a-cafe-picture-1200x683.jpg

Why dental insurance is a win-win for SMB and their employees

1 Employee Benefits Research Institute,  https://www.ebri.org/pdf/notespdf/EBRI_Notes_11_Nov-14_WBS.pdf

/content/dam/ddpa/us/en/icons/DD_signature_unbounded_RGB.png

© Copyright 2023 Delta Dental Plans Association. All Rights Reserved. "Delta Dental" refers to the national network of 39 independent Delta Dental companies that provide dental insurance.

Privacy Statement           Terms of Use           Social Media Policy

IMAGES

  1. Dental Office Business Plan Template

    business plan for dental office

  2. Dental Marketing Plan

    business plan for dental office

  3. Dental Office Business Plan Template

    business plan for dental office

  4. Dental Marketing Plan Template

    business plan for dental office

  5. Dental Practice Business Plan

    business plan for dental office

  6. 9+ Dental Marketing Plan Templates

    business plan for dental office

VIDEO

  1. Dental Office Life: Who Double Booked Appointments AGAIN!?!?! 👀

  2. DEBES OBTENER ESTE PLAN DENTAL.👀🦷 #segurodental #obamacare #openenrollment #latinos #aseguranza

  3. Ep. 101: Q&A

  4. Mastering Patient Engagement in Dental Offices

  5. Plan Dental Master

  6. LIVEcast: Maximize Your Role as a Dental Office Manager

COMMENTS

  1. Independent Practice

    Business Plan. A business plan, the first step in planning your independent dental hygiene practice, is a document that summarizes the operational and financial objectives of a business and contains the detailed plans and budgets for how the objectives will be realized.

  2. Dental Office Business Plan

    Start planning. Your business plan can look as polished and professional as this sample plan. It's fast and easy, with LivePlan. The Tooth Fairy dental office business plan market analysis summary.

  3. Dental Business Plan for Your Dental Practice

    As you begin your executive summary, you should state the objective of your dental business plan clearly and include high-priority information. In each section, include any statistics and relevant details that will back your plan and build credibility between your practice and the lender.

  4. Dentistry Business Plan Sample [Update 2023]

    Do you want to start a dental office business? Then professional business consultants will help in drawing up a dental office business plan. Download in pdf.

  5. Small Business Dental Insurance Plans

    RFP tool LifeSmile wellness program Small business Small businesses like yours rely on great employees who work hard, excel at what they do and deliver strong results. Helping them stay healthy, happy and productive is part of your job – and great benefits make that easier.

  6. DENTAL OFFICE BUSINESS PLAN

    DENTAL OFFICE. $ 180. Discover our business plan template for a Dental Office written by our experts. It will allow you to convince your funders of the solidity of the Dental Office project and to structure your thinking in order to put the odds on your side. Once downloaded, all you have to do is adapt it with the information specific to your ...

  7. Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey reveals early talks for downtown

    It's well-documented that the office market isn't returning to the Central Business District postpandemic. As the city works to overcome the lagging challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic ...