Starting a Dental Practice might be the next move for any professional dentist and the best way to establish a successful practice is to have an informed understanding of all the aspects of the dental business. This could range from how to choose the perfect location to all the support personnel needed for the smooth running of the business. The need for more dental awareness in Africa cannot be underemphasized as the dental industry in any country thrives on the people’s willingness to take charge of their dental health and dentition. By the Bank of America, “the failure rate for a dental practice is very low but could be a life-defining disaster professionally and personally when it happens”.

This guide seeks to help you in making the right choices when it comes to establishing a dental practice in Africa.

Building Your Network of Trusted Advisers

In deciding to establish or invest in the dental industry in Africa, the best strategy would be to build a team of trusted individuals to proffer solutions and give the best advice every step of the way. Here is a list of the professionals you will need in the course of setting up the practice and why:

a. Legal practitioner/Solicitor

For all legal requirements the practice has to comply with all the regulations and the legal practitioner will facilitate the drafting/reviewing agreements between the dental company and other personnel or contractors. The legal practitioner/Solicitor could also help in securing the property location for setting up and negotiating a lease agreement.

b. Building contractor and architect

Developing a business relationship with an experienced contractor in the state could help if you are building the dental clinic. An architect would help with the office design and space management regardless of whether the office is in a new building or a leased office space.

c. Real estate agent

Helpful in getting the ideal property for the practice.

d. Financial adviser

This individual will help in giving cost implication of each step in the establishment process and determine the capital needed along with cost implications. It might be tasking working with foreign currency and the forex conversions.

e. Local dental practitioner

Enlisting the help of a dentist in that country could help in determining what steps should be taken for best results. After all, the best way to avoid mistakes is to learn from the experience of another.

Obtaining The Necessary License And Permits

Each country has particular requirements to practice as a dentist in that particular region. Various councils and board regulate the dental profession and all registrations/accreditation like the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board of Kenya or the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). Most of these councils or boards have websites which could be very helpful with the process or in the alternative, you can employ a solicitor in the particular state who is familiar with the state ministries and necessary applications for obtaining the licenses needed. Also relevant is the incorporation laws and foreign investment policies in the state.

Create A Business Plan/Proposal

 The starting point of every successful business is the quintessential business model which has been designed and developed. This well-informed business plan will help in determining the capital implications of establishing a dental practice with debt and revenue projections. It will also assist in giving practical insight into how many months or years it will take to break even and start making a profit in the business. It should contain the vision and mission of the practice, the services and what the distinguishing factor would be to set it aside from all other existing practices in that state. The team of advisers would come in very handy in putting the plan together as it is a generic projection into the business, how it will be run and what the future could hold.

Funding

With your business model available, the amount of capital needed to set up the practice and keep it running will be easily determinable. Other factors that will need to be considered include payment of promoters and pre-incorporation professionals, the cost of location, payment or employees, purchase of dental equipment, overhead cost (electricity, water, cleaning, etc) and insurance. It might be wise to enter into a partnership with an indigenous business to save time and effort in starting up.

Location

This is another key component of a successful business, especially in Africa. A choice location might need a little more research for third world nations. For ease, getting an agent with knowledge of the real estate market in the country would be advisable. Consider the electricity situation in that location and the cost implications if a generator would be used regularly. One important thing to look out for is the neighborhood, similar neighboring business and potential visibility of the clinic. The competition in the neighborhood has to be assessed because the monopoly in that choice region would be great for immediate success. The location should also be safe and secure with an adequate parking space.

Equipment

This is fundamental to the business. There might be a problem with the availability of dental equipment which can be solved by importing from other countries. If there is no trusted local provider in the country, the equipment might also need to be imported to ensure the quality of products. Consider the purchase of dental chairs, RVG, Endo motor, scalers, compressors, dental mirrors and handles, drills, forceps, x-ray machines, infection control supply and protective gear. Investing in top-quality machines are needed for a success-boost in any new environment and to stay ahead.

Computer technology like the Electronic Health Record System (EHR) and internet service will also be required for ease of keeping records and interacting with patients. In some African countries, the internet network might be a little below expectations due to poor development in some areas and this is a factor to be considered.

Marketing

Getting a marketing firm or management consultant is crucial to developing your brand and deciding on the best ways to inform people about the practice. The best marketing strategy is one which allows the brand and services to reach the most number of targeted clients in the African country. The fundamental theme should be to educate people on the importance of optimum dental health and having good dentition. Take advantage of the top media form in that state to get the unique services provided by the practice and promotions available to drive traffic to the practice.

A website developer and front-end designer will be needed to create a world-class website for online marketing to potential clients. Another pro-tip is to pitch to new and old companies in that state looking for a dental clinic with the best package to put on retainer for their employee health care.

Staff and Office Personnel

Hiring competent and efficient management staff to help with running the business is vital as the lifeblood of the dental practice. Working with an indigenous human resource consultant or firm would ease up the process of hiring locals as administrative staff and help with carrying out necessary background checks on the employees. The practice will require a receptionist, lab technician, secretary, assistant, office manager, and accountant. The number of dentists that should be employed should be determined by the business projection and the available running cost. Training of the employees is essential to give them an understanding of the business and how the practice should be run. Telephone protocol, customer service, and efficient record-keeping should be taught and emphasized as key to growing the business to all administrative staff.

Insurance and POS service provider

Insurance is important in two ways. Insuring your dental practice is critical from the start of operations to reduce cost complications in the event of a loss or an action against the clinic. Also, in accepting insurance, ensuring payment of claims will require an effective system and management to prevent the practice from incurring a loss from the third party insurance companies.

The POS service provided by a bank in the African country would help with walk-in clients who need to pay with their bank card. Lack of an alternative payment option other than cash might only succeed in deterring clients from coming back to the clinic.

Ultimately, the success of the dental practice in Africa will be determined by the start and set-up of the business. Seeking autonomy as a dental practitioner or establishing a dental practice an investor in Africa could be hard work but, being as detailed and meticulous about the business plan, every step and procedure involved could go a long way. A successful dental practice is not just about the dental service available but also about the establishment and tools used to attract and keep clients in the business.

Initial Capital Outlay 

The initial cost of starting Dental Practice service is relatively in the middle ranges. Startup costs for Dental Practice services are the same as any startup business in Africa. ($20,000 – 200,000).