.png)
🦷 Why Dentists Need to Think Like Business Owners
- Dr Wayne Hirschowitz
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
By Dr. Wayne Hirschowitz | Co-founder Active Aligners
After 42 years in dentistry — spanning private practice, forensic science, digital transformation, and entrepreneurial ventures — I’ve come to a realisation:
Clinical excellence alone won’t secure your future. Business understanding will.
You don’t need an MBA. You need clarity, structure, and the confidence to run your practice like a true business — whether you’re an associate or principal.
🔎 Dentistry’s Silent Struggle: The Business Blind Spot
Dentists are highly trained professionals… and often deeply uncomfortable with money, marketing, or management.
Too many dentists — brilliant clinicians — live paycheck to paycheck, feel trapped in the NHS system, or spend Sundays anxious about Mondays. It’s not because they dislike dentistry… it’s because they don’t understand their business.
"We are caught between overbearing regulation and rising patient demands — without a strong business foundation to fall back on."
Sound familiar?
📉 Why Most Practices Plateau or Fail
Let’s get real:
20% of new businesses fail in their first year
60% fail by year three
Only a third survive 10+ years
In dentistry, that failure isn’t always dramatic — it’s silent. Burnout. Stagnation. Financial bleed.The cause? Dentists acting as technicians when they also need to be entrepreneurs and managers.
💡 The Three Roles Every Dentist Plays
The Entrepreneur – Strategic, growth-focused, thinks long-term
The Technician – Hands-on clinician, delivering care, working “in” the business
The Manager – Operational, keeps the machine running, deals with people, systems, compliance
Most dentists are incredible technicians.But without strengthening the other two roles, your business works because of you — not without you. That’s not sustainable.
📈 How Active Aligners Fit the New Model
At Active Aligners, we empower dentists to generate high-margin private income, while still practicing ethically and confidently.It’s not about selling aligners — it’s about:
✅ Ethical treatment planning
✅ Delegation and team-wide confidence
✅ Understanding hourly value and business metrics
A moderate aligner case can generate an hourly rate of £500–£800 — with less clinical time and greater patient satisfaction than many routine treatments.
And that’s just the beginning.
👥 Team-Driven Growth: Not Just the Dentist's Job
Business success isn’t a solo act. Your entire team must be invested in the journey:
Receptionists who believe in your smile enhancement offering
Nurses who’ve worn aligners themselves and share the experience
Hygienists and treatment coordinators who are confident communicators
Practice managers who understand financial targets, not just compliance
"We can’t expect growth if the team isn’t on board. Motivate them, train them, reward them — and involve them."
🧠 What Dentists Need to Learn (but Were Never Taught)
Profit vs turnover
Hourly productivity
Break-even per surgery
Delegate vs abdicate
When to refer — and when to expand your own skills
SMART business decisions based on real audits and data
The biggest mistake? Starting a practice without a clear plan.If your dream is time freedom, income growth, or clinical focus — then your business needs to be designed from day one to deliver exactly that.
🚀 Final Thought: You’re Not Just a Clinician. You’re a Leader.
You don’t need to know everything. But you do need to ask the right questions:
What’s my return on clinical time?
Where are the gaps in my treatment offering?
Am I building a business that runs with me, or without me?
The future of dentistry belongs to those who think beyond the chair.
Let’s build practices that are financially sound, team-led, and truly enjoyable to be part of — for both patients and clinicians.
📣 Want to learn more about integrating aligner treatments, team leadership, or business strategy into your practice?Visit ActiveAligners.co.uk or connect with us at BizDentistry for hands-on education and clinical mentorship.
Comments