I wanted to explore a topic by showing how you can completely flip the script from being a “general dentist” and figure out how to exploit a niche, and more importantly thrive in it.

But first, I must give you a disclaimer.

You will often hear me use the words “exploit” or “take advantage.” When I say this, I do not mean doing anything disrespectful to your patients which includes “taking advantage” of them.

What I DO mean is, as Google Dictionary puts it: EXPLOIT: “to make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource),” in this case the resource being a plethora of patients who WANT and NEED your help.

NOT forcing care on un-wanting individuals.

You see, the most successful people on this planet, no matter the background, up-bringing, age, sex, creed, or anything else that differentiates people, is the ability to SEE A NEED, and fight like heck to be the best at offering a SOLUTION to that need.

It’s the 101 Level Course on Sales – find a need and offer a solution.

The most successful dentists and support staff do this the best; and it happens in 4 steps:

1. Identify a chief concern through diagnosis and conversation

2. Ask Questions

3. Listen

4. Offer a solution

Now it doesn’t take long in your practice to see what the most talked about concerns are for your patients. And since most of you reading this are “general” dentists, you have the skills and abilities to pretty much tackle most of the concerns that patients have, less those you plan on referring.

But here is the problem with most dentists:

They try to be everything to everyone. Solve all problems by doing and trying all dentistry.

Have you been trying this? Are you where you want to be with your practice?

As you know, many of my stories can be paralleled with Apple and the legacy Steve Jobs has created. Jobs stated, “Our goal is to make the best devices in the world, not be the biggest.”

To compare to our dental world – what can you do really well? And what do the people want? Are you trying to be the Wal-Mart of Dentistry and offer everything? Or the Apple and do 1 or 2 things the best?

And since I’ve brought up Wal-Mart – what is the perception with Wal-Mart for a lot people? Do people associate Wal-Mart with “High Quality” or “Cheap and/or inexpensive”?

Which do you want to be?

Here is how to take the first step to finding a niche in dentistry to exploit:

In your dental practice, ask yourself these 2 questions:

1. What types of dental related issues are people concerned with and

2. What am I really good at?

Also, if you answer these questions, be sure to think outside of your normal box. For instance, if your best answer for number 1 is something you are not proficient in, maybe you can take a few courses to brush up on some skills.

And don’t forget – dentist can do a LOT for patient health outside of cleaning teeth. A good friend and client of mine has built a dental practice where 75% of the time is devoted to TMJ exams!

How do you think some dentists practice into their 80s? You think they are hunched over in a mouth for 50+ years prepping teeth? Do you think they dislike their career in Dentistry?

Of course not.

Investigate the areas of dentistry that can answer both questions above and you can excel at and exploit. There are plenty of patients out there, trust me.

Once you identify this, we can work together and put together an action plan to get in front of these people.