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The First “P” of Dental Startup Success—Practice



The 13 Stage Guide for All Startups
2020-04-07  • 46 min
The 13 Stage Guide for All Startups
The Startup Dentist
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Startup Practice Blueprint Podcast: The First “P” of Dental Startup Success—Practice

Welcome to the Startup Practice Blueprint Podcast, where we help dentists like you confidently launch and grow your very own dental practice. I’m Stephen Trutter, and through my work with Ideal Practices, I’ve had the privilege of helping over 900 dentists turn their startup dreams into thriving, real-world practices.

In today’s episode, we’re focusing on the first of the three critical Ps of dental startups: Practice. This is where it all begins—your vision, your systems, your space, and the decisions that will define the path ahead.

What This Episode Is All About

If you're just starting to think about opening your own practice—or you're deep in planning mode—you need a roadmap. That’s why we’re diving into the 13 foundational stages every successful startup should follow:

  1. Vision

  2. Financing

  3. Demographics

  4. Site selection

  5. Design and floor planning

  6. Equipment selection

  7. Construction bidding

  8. Permits

  9. Marketing / Hiring / Startup MBA

  10. Construction commencement

  11. Equipment installation

  12. Dress rehearsal

  13. Grand opening

These aren’t just tasks—they’re sequenced strategies. When followed with clarity, they help eliminate the guesswork, reduce risk, and build momentum from the ground up.

The Three Big Promises Every Startup Dentist Needs

Before we dig into the tactical steps, I want to talk about something foundational: the three promises that will shape your success.

  1. Clarity – You need to know what’s actually working right now for startup dentists. Not ideas from a decade ago. Not theories from corporate dentistry. Real-world strategies from people who’ve done it.

  2. Confidence – Studies show that the most important asset for business owners isn’t capital—it’s confidence. This journey will stretch you, but your confidence is what will carry you through.

  3. Good decisions – My role is to help you avoid costly mistakes by empowering you with the knowledge, frameworks, and stories of those who’ve gone before you.

Key Topics We Cover in This Episode

  • Where to begin and what to focus on early

  • What systems, sequencing, and planning really look like for a startup

  • The #1 mistake most startup dentists make (and how to avoid it)

  • How to actually boost your confidence through the startup process

  • The myth of startup marketing ideas that don’t apply to new practices

  • How to avoid a financing trap before it slows you down

  • Why "seeing your name on the door" is about more than just signage

  • The startup crew—a community of associate dentists walking this same path

Favorite Quotes from the Episode

“Sailing is, in some ways, a little like looking into doing a startup practice.”

“We need to get clarity about what's actually working for startups—not theories, not ideas.”

“A lot of times those ideas for marketing that sound so good from some guy and some podcast… they’re not relevant for a startup.”

Where to Go From Here

This episode is just the beginning. Over the next few episodes, we’ll dive deeper into each of the 13 stages and the other two Ps of startup success: Profits and Purpose.

In the meantime, here are some resources to help you go further:

Join the Crew

If you haven’t already, connect with the Startup Crew—our private community for associate dentists on the startup path. You’ll hear real stories, get candid advice, and find people who truly understand the journey you're on.

Thanks for tuning in today. Remember, your practice doesn’t start with a building—it starts with a plan. Let’s build it together.