Interview With Atlanta Professional, Frank Roach Dentist
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1- First of all, Who is Frank?
I am a general and cosmetic dentist in the Atlanta area. I have been practicing for over 20 years, and I have a thriving business with many satisfied patients. In my spare time, I enjoy playing tennis, flying my private plane, and spending time with my Pitbull.
2- Cultivating a high-quality dental practice is not as easy as it sounds, what is your secret?
You’re right about that. The secret to running a successful dental practice lies in making every patient feel like your most important patient. Many dentists are disinterested in their patients’ lives outside the office, but I believe they are doing their patients a disservice. Having a cordial relationship with your patients is one way to ensure that they are compliant with treatment plans like exams and cleanings twice a year. If you lose that personal touch with your patients, you may lose them.
3- What do you expect of yourself?
I expect only the best from myself. I am proud that Frank Roach Dentist is associated with the best dental care in the Atlanta area. I hope that I will continue to educate myself and to learn about new techniques like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) that can help my patients recover faster and with fewer complications. I also expect that I will keep my friendly attitude toward my patients, but that I will be firm with them when it comes to home care and regular exams.
4- When it comes to your work and performances, what is the difference you aim to make?
I want my patients to commit to my dental practice. I want the service they receive to be the best they have ever had, so they have no thoughts of trying another dentist. I believe that I can meet this goal even though it seems quite ambitious. I think that my work is set apart from the competition because I use so many new techniques and because I have an excellent bedside manner.
5- What does “safety and sanitation” mean to you?
Safety and sanitation are incredibly important in my practice. Especially in today’s world, it is crucial to make sure you are taking care of your patients’ health in any way you can, and that means taking precautions to clean and sanitize our offices. Dentists were already very sanitary, so we had less of an improvement to make than certain other kinds of medical offices, but we have stepped up our cleaning procedures. We are also wearing proper personal protective equipment. Our patients can feel safe coming to our office and receiving the dental treatment they need.
6- If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career what would it be? And what would you change?
I would tell myself to believe in my abilities. I was nervous when I graduated from dental school. I had heard horror stories about starting a new practice and how long they take to become profitable. I had loans from dental school, so I wanted to get off the ground as quickly as possible. Happily, starting a dental practice wasn’t that hard for me, and I promptly attracted a good patient base. I have had setbacks over the years, but overall, I have had a happy and productive career.
7-According to you, what is your biggest achievement?
My most significant achievement is starting my practice as Dr. Frank Roach. I have built something from nothing, and I am proud of my work. I am also proud of my staff, who have educated themselves to provide the best possible service to my patients. Even our front desk workers have been expertly trained to provide for their needs.
8- From your experience, what advice would you give to young dentists just starting out?
It is a good idea to find a mentor. A mentor can be a dentist who is already practicing or a professor from dental school. Many times, a young dentist will be unsure about how they should run their practice and how they should treat their patients. Having an older mentor can help young dentists solve some of the problems that come about when they are just getting their careers started.
9- And what are you most excited about at the moment?
I am excited about the prospect of using PRP (platelet-rich plasma) in my practice. Frequently, patients need sutures, and PRP helps dentists reduce the number of required sutures while promoting faster healing. I think that PRP can make a huge difference in oral surgery, but also general dentistry. I am excited to see what this and other new developments in the dental field will have to offer.
10- Any final thoughts?
I think it is essential for all new dentists to decide upfront how they are going to treat their patients. In my opinion, it is best to have a family atmosphere where all patients feel comfortable, no matter their background and the amount of work they need to have done. Patients who need a lot of dental work often feel like they are no more than an expensive treatment plan in my eyes and that I can’t see past the financial gain, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I am interested in each and every patient’s dental and general health. I want to teach my patients healthy habits so that they will not need expensive work in the future.
I also want to make my anxious patients comfortable. Unfortunately, many people are afraid to let dentists see their teeth because they are embarrassed, or they feel that they are too far gone. I want these patients to know that I have seen it all and that I just want them to have the healthiest teeth possible.