Starting a Dental Practice Checklist

Beginning a dental practice is a big endeavor. You’ve moved from your first musings on how to start up a dental practice and are now researching exactly what you need to do.

From planning the initial concept of your business and adding up the costs to stocking supplies, there is a lot to do and consider before you ever open the doors of your own dental practice. Understanding the scope of what needs to happen in each aspect of this new business may help you to better prepare and organize your efforts.

While many of the action items on our “Starting a Dental Practice Checklist” below appear simple, they may require hours of research, fees, professional assistance, committee approval, applications, and more. Though it may be possible to undertake a lot of these tasks yourself, many can also be completed by hiring professional services, such as a human resources solution service, to assist you. Consider tackling what you understand and enjoy, then seeking help with what you find more difficult, unfamiliar, or time-consuming.

Use this checklist to help you plan and prepare to start your new dental practice, one task at a time.

Starting Your New Dental Practice Checklist

Initial Considerations

• Choose between a startup and buying an existing practice
• Write a business plan
• Obtain financing
• Lease or buy space
• Consider the practice services you wish to offer.
• Determine practice hours and holidays

Your Team

• Hire an accountant
• Hire a lawyer
• Job advertisements
• Applications
• Interviews
• Reference checks
• License verification
• Hiring
• Employment eligibility I-9 forms
• Employment policies
• Employee medical benefits
• Human resource support
• Other employee benefits
• Orientation/training
• Work with an insurance and financial advisor

Insurance

• Disability income insurance
• Professional liability malpractice insurance
• Life insurance
• Business overhead expense insurance
• Business loan protection insurance
• Business owner’s protection insurance
• Employment practices liability insurance
• Data breach insurance
• Entity malpractice insurance
• Workman’s compensation
• ERISA bonds

Finances

• Establish credit
• Establish pricing
• Become a provider listed with major insurance providers (Insurance Company Credentialing)
• Obtain the required equipment, hardware, and software for accepting payments
• Consider payment plans offered
• Make arrangements to accept cash (banking, change, safe, etc.)
• Secure accounting assistance as needed
• Acquire a federal Employer Identification Number
• Establish federal tax accounts for employment taxes, estimated taxes, payroll withholdings, etc.
• Obtain a state tax identification number
• Establish state tax accounts for sales tax, payroll withholdings, unemployment insurance, etc.es

Clinical and Office Needs

• Stock supplies
• Purchase equipment and schedule installation
• Choose and partner with a dental laboratory
• Hire medical waste management service
• Subscribe to music and television subscription services for patient areas
• Consider which amenities you want to offer
• Determine and fill software needs (financial software, call tracking, scheduling software, dental (billing and coding, etc.)
• Hire an answering service

Marketing

• Practice website
• Digital listing of practice info wherever applicable
• Review site pages
• Practice newsletter
• Social media pages
• Direct mail
• Digital advertising
• Logo
• Branded Merchandise

Licensing and Regulations

• Local zoning permit
• Local building occupancy permit
• State dental license
• Controlled substance license
• HIPAA compliance
• Register as a provider with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Infection control standards compliance
• OSHA compliance

Planning for Success

An essential part of your success may come from the assistance of experienced and trusted advisors. When you need the expertise of professionals, from accounting help to marketing, choose wisely. After all, the success of your business may ultimately be on the line.

Once You’ve Started, Start Growing Your Practice

Once your dental practice is licensed and established, it's time for you to grow your list of regular patients and start getting patient referrals! 

You can take any number of approaches to growing your patient list. We assembled some of the most helpful into a complimentary ebook, Strategies To Grow Your Dental Practice Patient List, that you can download right now. 

Are you ready to take the first steps to growing your patient list? 

Download your complimentary copy of our guide today.

About Treloar & Heisel

Treloar & Heisel, an EPIC Company, is a premier financial services provider to dental and medical professionals across the country. We assist thousands of clients from residency to practice and through retirement with a comprehensive suite of financial services, custom-tailored advice, and a strong national network focused on delivering the highest level of service.

Insurance products offered through Treloar & Heisel, LLC.