Ruth Chatel, Associate

This month’s spotlight is brought to us by Ruth Chatel of Alumni Partner Heaps & Doyle, a comprehensive Practice Advisory and Transition Group.

Ruth has a passion and interest in smaller communities and the unique opportunities offered there to dental professionals. Moving from Vancouver to a smaller community several years ago herself has expanded the ‘interest’ into ‘real life’ experience.

Here are some of the highlights that Ruth has observed in regards to dentists practicing in smaller communities:

• Work Life Balance – this is the biggest advantage. In the city, many dentists work five or six days a week. In most rural communities dentists work four days and make as much as a dentist working five days in Vancouver.
• Build your Skillset – lots of opportunity to learn and practice a variety of skills, when there are a variety of patient needs and specialists can be hours away.
• Respected in the Community – Patients appreciate your services and dedication to the community. You really get to know the patients and their families.
• Camaraderie vs. Competition – colleagues tend to help each other. I have heard countless stories of someone that has had trouble with a treatment (ie: complicated extraction or maybe just things didn’t go as planned) and they called the other dentist in town and he walked over to give a hand.
• Staff – dedicated and loyal staff. If you treat them well, they stay and tend to work hard for the dentist. A position in a dental office is typically a good job in a smaller town and the staff know that. When offices re-opened last Spring, the offices that had the least staff issues during re-hiring were in smaller communities. When they were allowed to go back into the practices, everyone was waiting and ready.
• Financial Growth – In smaller communities, the key is to do good dentistry, and be good to the staff while earning an above average income doing what you love. Low overheads, lower cost of living, opportunities to own the property all contribute to increasing your bottom line. Double the investment (practice and property) = double the return.

Ruth concludes by saying “I have met the nicest people with some of the best practices in smaller communities. It is truly inspiring to see the lifestyles they have made while having a successful career they love.” For more information, or to contact Ruth: www.heapsanddoyle.com