Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Rich.
Brian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I graduated from dental school in 2017 from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. I spent the first four years of my career in the US Army at Fort Eustis, Virginia. I was fortunate to have a command team that understood the value of digital dentistry and its impact on improving the readiness and deployability of the soldiers we served. I was surrounded by a full support staff of specialists and experienced dentists who guided me whenever I faced challenges or had shortcomings with treatment plans. We held FTDR exam days, completing hundreds of exams on AIT students arriving to learn their MOS at Fort Eustis. I gained thousands of reps reading radiographs, diagnosing problems, communicating with patients, and creating treatment plans. I took pride in being the Army dentist soldiers wanted to see, treating every tooth as if it were my own. After four years of service, I fulfilled my commitment to the US Army and was ready for the next chapter: civilian dentistry.
I moved back to Knoxville with my pregnant wife, Anna, and our oldest child, Aiden. Initially, I worked with a classmate’s father with the intention of purchasing his practice, but we couldn’t agree on business terms, which led me to explore other avenues. That’s when I met Dr. Ashley Sullivan in East Knoxville. We immediately hit it off, and it felt like the perfect fit. My youngest child, Lillian, was born in June that summer, just as I began the process of acquiring Dr. Sullivan’s dental practice. Three months later, on September 17, we closed the deal, and I became a dental practice owner—one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I chose to reinvest all profits from the first year of practice ownership. Having saved nearly all my earnings from the Army, my family lived off our savings. We upgraded from film radiographs to digital, purchased a new dental treatment chair, updated materials, acquired intraoral cameras for every operatory, and, most importantly, invested in a Cerec scanner, mill, and furnace. Once we were steadily seeing patients and 90% of the patient base was aware of the transition, I hired a second hygienist and a second front desk employee.
We’re approaching the end of our fourth year as an office, and things are going very well. We’ve added advanced technology, including Modento patient communication tools, a 3D printer, a post-print processor, CBCT 3D radiographs, InLab design/manufacturing software with a design PC, a new endodontic motor with a built-in apex locator, second opinion AI radiograph software, and DS Core cloud technology for storage/data transfers. We’ve expanded to three hygienists, three front desk employees, and two dental assistants. I’m still the only dentist in the office and plan to keep it that way for the foreseeable future. I love fixing teeth, working with my amazing employees, and serving the patients we care for.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course, it hasn’t always been a smooth road to success. We’ve faced many stumbling blocks along the way but continue to be resilient and keep our sights on patient-centered care. We were once advised by a consultant to switch our patient communication software from Modento to Adit. The new company boasted similar functionality but at a fraction of the cost. We gave Adit an honest shot for about a year and ultimately decided it wasn’t ideal for our patients, so we reverted to Modento. We confirmed at subsequent monthly meetings that Modento was indeed working better than Adit, and the patient forms and communication tool were operating more efficiently. Money well spent!
As you know, we’re big fans of Brian Rich DMD. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I grew up playing computer games. I’ve always enjoyed computers and technology; my goal with my dental practice has been to incorporate my love for the tech world with my passion for dentistry. I’ve dissected every aspect of the patient experience and streamlined it as much as I know how. From filling out patient forms with Modento, to diagnosing radiographs with the assistance of 3D CBCT and second-opinion AI, to sharing treatment plans and radiographs through DS Core, to delivering on the treatment goals with as much same-day treatment as the industry is capable of, whether it’s in-office milling or printing. I’m extremely proud of the flexibility of my team and their willingness to learn new technology alongside me. We host monthly meetings the first Thursday of every month to talk about blind spots, patient frustrations, employee frustrations, technology training, and team-building exercises. We are dedicated to making your dental visit as successful and efficient as possible.
What does success mean to you?
Success is the effective implementation of a new policy or procedure that is consistently adopted by all staff and recognized as a positive change during follow-up monthly meetings. It’s not enough to tell my employees what to do; we have to see how it affects our workflows and patients. The changes must create lasting effects that improve the patient experience. We’re not doing things just to do them; we want to build on our existing systems in a way that adds value to the patient experience or improves the workflow of our office. Success only occurs when we all reconvene to discuss the results of the change or technology. We fail or succeed as a team. If the new implementation is a failure, we adjust course and try again.
Pricing:
- $400/year Child
- $470/year Healthy Adult
- $780/year Adult Perio
Contact Info:
- Email: brianrichdmd@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianrichdmd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrianRichDMD/
