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Your First 90 Days of Ownership: The Make-or-Break Season for Dental Startups

Your First 90 Days of Ownership: Fast Starts, Leadership, and Patient Flow
  • 43 min
Your First 90 Days of Ownership: Fast Starts, Leadership, and Patient Flow
The Startup Dentist
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Picture this: You’ve finally cut the ribbon on your practice. The paint is fresh, the team is in scrubs, and the doors are open. After years of dreaming, you’re finally an owner.

Now what?

This is the part too few associate dentists think about—the first 90 days. And yet, those three months will dictate the trajectory of your entire practice.

Why the First 90 Days Matter

Think of your startup like a cannonball. If it dribbles out, you’re in trouble. You need a powerful launch. That means being fully prepared before the doors open—not scrambling to figure out supplies, software, and workflows with patients already in the chair .

I’ve seen it time and again: the practices that thrive are the ones that take ownership of this season with clear planning and strong leadership.

Train Before You Open

Once you have your certificate of occupancy, invest two weeks in team training. Learn the software, rehearse the patient experience, and run a “dress rehearsal.” Your goal is simple: your first patient should never know they were your first .

Leadership Is Non-Negotiable

Your team is watching you. They’ve left jobs to follow your vision. The way you lead in those first weeks sets the culture of your practice for years to come. Leadership isn’t barking orders—it’s setting expectations and empowering your team to deliver the patient experience you’ve promised .

Patient Flow: Your First 100 Are On You

Forget the myth that a marketing agency will flood your practice with patients in month one. Google ads and SEO take time to kick in. Your job is to build your VIP list, connect with your community, and personally ensure that your first 100 patients come through the door . Nail that first experience, collect reviews, and you’ll accelerate every other growth effort.

Expect the Rollercoaster

You’ll have days when you wonder if you made a mistake—and others where you’ll say, “This is the best decision I’ve ever made.” That’s normal. What matters is keeping your eyes on the long game and remembering why you chose this path .

The Bottom Line

Your first 90 days aren’t just about surviving—they’re about setting the DNA of your practice. Culture, leadership, patient experience, and those crucial first 100 patients will lay the foundation for decades of success.

So when the time comes, don’t just open your doors. Open right.

👉 Want to learn more? Subscribe to the Startup Dentist Podcast and prepare for your future in ownership.