My Story - Where I Was and Where I’m Going

Not long ago, I attended a class held by the local Dental Society in my county, and I was seated at a table with six other female dentists. Our ages spanned from 30-60 years old. Reflecting back on that evening, that table was a great representation of the different stages in a dentist’s career. There was a dentist who was close to retirement, and one who was just starting out. There was also a dentist who had relocated from Houston, Texas to Southern California and had sold her successful practice only to find herself struggling as an associate dentist working for someone else. There was a common story that resonated with all of us as we sat and talked about our experiences. Most of the skills we acquired as solo business owners or partners in a group practice were not skills that were taught in dental school.

My story is not all that unique from any other dentist. I sort of “fell into” being a solo practitioner in private practice. I graduated from UCLA Dental School 11 years ago, and I had my career mapped out for me. My plan was to graduate school and practice with my mother who is also a general dentist in her own private practice. I had this happy thought that she could be my mentor in the early stages of my career. However, as it came closer to graduation I became anxiety-ridden at the thought of being faced with the autonomy of “practicing” dentistry on “REAL” people. Thoughts of making a mistake during a crown prep, root canal, or worse yet, a tooth extraction filled my head; I worried about making a major mistake and being unable to finish a procedure. I spoke with one of my favorite professors, Dr. Lindeman, about this, and he suggested that a one-year residency in general practice at a hospital would really help me to connect the didactic information I learned with the practical skills I would gain in a hospital setting. He also shared his own experience as a young dentist faced with the same thoughts. So I applied and was accepted at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Los Angeles to further gain more experience and expand my knowledge clinically. It was the best decision I made in my career. It was incredible to have the guidance of the instructors in all the disciplines of dentistry whose sole purpose is to advise me on how to formulate a treatment plan for complex cases, or simply give me suggestions on how to

adjust a patient’s occlusion after a crown cementation; sit them up rather than leaving them reclined back since gravity changes their muscle function. I learned most of my clinical skills in my GPR program, which to this day I still utilize. I was inspired by Dr. Callahan, who taught me the most basic skill of being a dentist, the compassion and innovation that drives our profession. I can go on and on about all of the different tips and tricks that these amazing instructors shared with me, but I will get to the point of this part of my journey. This was the time in my career I was able to practice dentistry in the most ideal sense of treating a patient; it was without the constraints of patients’ finances or the pressure to produce a certain amount of dentistry for a healthy profit margin.

When I completed my program, I was fearless and confident to take on the most difficult and challenging patients this world had to offer. I also decided I wanted to gain more experience in diverse communities, instead of going to work with my mother, which sorely disappointed her. I worked seven days a week for the first six months after entering the work force. I practiced at a dental office one day a week in East LA, two days in Santa Clarita, another one in Pacoima, Canoga Park, and Lomita. Most of my friends thought I was crazy for doing this since I had such a great opportunity to settle into a small private practice with my mother. I don’t know how to explain it now, but my instincts told me I was on the right path.

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Fast forward to a year of working at multiple locations, I was offered a fiveday associate position in the Santa Clarita dental practice. It was a start-up private practice, which was owned and managed by a female dentist and her husband. He served as both IT specialist and office manager. I practiced in that office for almost nine years and helped grow her practice from a small six operatory private practice into 13 operatories! I learned most of my business management skills from working with her, but I left her practice to relocate to Orange County.

There, I worked for two corporateowned dental practices. I also tried working with my mother for five months, with the intent of entering into a partnership with her, running the family-owned practice. Through these experiences, I learned that I did not agree with the philosophy of the corporate-owned dental practice since it was driven by the profit margins. I also learned my mother and I had different philosophies in the business side of dentistry. We were both at different stages in our careers. I was pushing to grow her practice, and she was satisfied with how well it was doing. This was the time of my career that I started to understand the business side of the profession.

In May 2012 I made one of the biggest decisions in my career. I purchased an existing dental practice in Placentia, Calif. This opportunity was purely accidental. I was actually seeking professional advice from Mr. JW, an attorney who specializes in the dental industry, in considering two partnership opportunities with which I was faced. One was a partnership with the female owner dentist in private practice with whom I had been working with for the last nine years, and the other one was with a corporate-owned dental practice in Orange County. Mr. JW had told me about a private dental practice that was going to be put up for sale and asked if I had ever considered a solo private practice. I remember telling him that I had been holding off on the idea of starting or buybusiness skills required to run a practice.

Owning a solopractitioner private practice was the only way I could fulfill my long-term career goals.

It has been more than two years since I took over a 60-year old dental practice, and it has not been an easy process. I was a young female dentist replacing an older male dentist and was not well received by the staff I inherited and certain patients. I can honestly say that it’s probably been one of the most difficult times in my life and career, but it has also been the most rewarding. I have now found a team who believes in and shares my vision.

ing practice without a partner because it seemed like a daunting and risky business venture. I was experiencing similar feelings as I had when I was graduating from dental school. I knew from hearing about the struggles from my mother and friends that managing a business was not easy. However, after considering the advantages and disadvantages of a partnership in private practice or corporate dentistry, I realized there was only one choice for me;

Growing up the daughter of a dentist, Dr. Jaymie saw first hand the fulfillment and joy it brought her mother to help people not only have healthier teeth, but also gain more confidence in their smiles. Eager to experience the same joy, Dr. Jaymie earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology degree from UC Riverside, followed by her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from UCLA School of Dentistry. She further developed her skills during her general practice residency, where her training emphasized comprehensive dental care for medically compromised patients. During the program Dr. Jaymie completed advanced training in oral surgery, prosthodontics, and endodontics, as well as classes in dental practice management, medical emergencies, pharmacology, oral pathology, and advanced treatment planning. Dr . Jaymie enjoys providing dental care, hygiene, and education to Southern California’s underserved communities, volunteering with both UCLA and USC, as well as serving as a Latin American Dental Clinic Volunteer and a Regional Area Medical Volunteer. She has also traveled abroad to provide dental treatment and help increase access to dental care for low income and indigent families in Manila, Phillipines (University of The East, Phillipines Missionary Work).

Owning a solo-practitioner private practice was the only way I could fulfill my long-term career goals.

In my journey from where I started to where I ended up, I realized what was important to me. I wanted to be able to make independent decisions. I can only imagine that for a partnership to be harmonious, each partner’s philosophy in dentistry and business has to be in sync. I found that even with my own mother, our philosophies in business did not quite match up. Daily decisions on things like managing staff to purchasing dental equipment have to be deliberated and agreed upon by both partners. Becoming a solo-practitioner in private practice was the right decision for me. Owning a business in most industries is consuming, frustrating and exhilarating, especially when you are doing it on your own. When I acquired my dental practice, I hired a transition specialist, Teri McAviney, who coached me in managing my team and put some practice management systems into place. Having developed strong dental skills earlier in my career allowed me to focus more energy on developing the