Dental Management, Marketing, and the Virtues of Capitalism

I believe in dental management, dental websites, dental marketing, and capitalism. Listen, folks – this website is called The Wealthy Dentist, not the Poor Socialized Medicine Dentist!

My article last week about taxing small businesses to pay for health care reform brought in plenty of comments. And since the President's still talking about a national health plan, I thought I'd keep preaching the gospel of capitalism.

Here's a comment from one reader:

"I believe that if the proposed health plan works the way it is proposed; most of your readers would get some relief from the onerous health insurance premiums they are now paying for themselves and their staff."

I won't argue that some insurance premiums are indeed onerous. But if you think the proposed plan will really turn out like its proponents hope, then you've got more faith in the government than I have.

Another reader stood up for me:

"Did you hear the the seething distain directed at this gentleman for his success? Listen up people. You can't create wealth by dividing it. You create wealth by giving people a motivation to work hard and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Part of being free is the freedom to make choices for yourself that lead to different economic outcomes."

Why should I be put in the position of defending my success? My wife and I have done quite well for ourselves. Like most of the doctors we work with,we've done it the old-fashioned way: we've earned it.

For over 20 years, my wife and I have taught practice management and personal financial planning to dentist clients. Following the same rules we taught our doctors, we've amassed a healthy portfolio.

There was no inheritance, no lottery winnings. My father sold magazine subscriptions door-to-door. The kids in the family worked their way through college. Just like most doctors, we worked hard.

Just like most doctors, we invested our savings in our business. And like most doctors, we have shared the pain of this recession.

But we're still going strong – in no small part because of the people dependent on our small business. In our case, nearly 30 people rely on our company to keep their families clothed and fed.

Nationally, small businesses – like ours, like your dental practice – are being asked to carry the burden of health care reform. What too many people don't seem to realize is that too much taxation and regulation on the "Wealthy" will kill small businesses, which are such an essential part of our economy.

The American story is one of success and the ability of all people to achieve it. I do take exception to those whose criticize others for their success, because it is that entrepreneurial success that has brought America to the level of affluence we've achieved today.

In short, if you have a problem with capitalism, then you probably are not a wealthy dentist and have little chance of becoming one… in which case, you are definitely on the wrong website!

Steve

I didn’t know exactly where I stood on this issue. On one hand I feel like you, that I have earned every success I have. However, there are a lot of people out there who are not getting proper treatment because they can’t afford it or they get treatment and their sunk in debt. There is a better solution. Our healthcare system is all backwards. Insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are getting richer and are dictating treatment. If any of you have not watched the movie “Sicko” you need to. It might make you think twice.
Simon

I’m 24 years-old professional working in the dental industry that understands the basic principles our country was founded on, and government-run healthcare is not one of them. There are means of provided affordable healthcare without taxing the wealthy.

Our country was founded on capitalism.

Good article Jim.
http://www.ryesmilesforlife.com Gordon Rye

Historian Richard Marbury points out Jamestown and the Plymouth Plantation settlers starved at first under the Mayflower Contract where all produce went to a common stock, from which all drew their supplies. It was not until Governor Bradford gave each a parcel of land and told them they could keep or trade whatever they grew, that all had more than enough to eat. Private ownership, in fact, is what saved the colonies. Why are we even considering repeating the socialist failures of that era, not to mention the disaster we call communist Russia?
http://www.smilesbyglerum.com Karen Glerum, DDS

Name one organization, other than the military, that has been run well by the government. If anyone thinks health care will be better run by our government (or any government), they need to move to Canada!
Dave

I’m sooooo tired of hearing about how there “are alot of people out their who need treatment but can’t afford it”.
These are the same people who miraculously find the $$$$ for their cigs, beer, & lottery tickets. Many drive newer & more expensive autos than me or my wife do. Quite frankly many do NOT make their dental care a priority and it becomes a crisis management situation … and then they want YOU & ME to bail them out. I’m sick of it.
Thomas

When the government knocks on your door and ask if you need help, the First thing you should do is close the door and run. Just look at social secuirty, nobody in there 20′s, 30′s, 40′ and 50′s will rely on social security for financial retirement. Because it is a failed socialist program that is running out of money. And so will Universal healthcare if it passes.
Do you think any congressman, senator, or the president of the united states will go on this universal program? I DONT THINK SO!
This bill is going to tax businesses and what will happen is businesses will stop offering health care to their employees. This will result in businesses telling their employees to go on the universal program instead of a private insurance program.
http://machiasdental.com James Sparaga

Bravo to Carl Thompson for so eloquently addressing class envy. And a salute to Jim DuMolin for his perspective identifying the short-sighted emotions of the time that has put this new socialism into place.

Our practice in a poor, underserved rural area. In its political wisdom, the government places federally funded clinics wherever patients have to drive 25 miles or more to a dentist. The new stimulus money has just dumped a half million on each of these clinics, so they can expand what they do: insufficient triage dentistry, seeing 4 hours of patients in an 8 hour daywhile spouting political lip service about caring about the underserved. It makes jobs for the clinical staff with no hard work and keeps politicians in office; that’s what’s most important to them. The reality that we have here will spread into all areas as this socialism grows.

Unfortunately, we’re repeating history, despite warnings from the European community of nations. This country will sink into the same low-level economics of the rest of the socialized countries, (who are trying desperately to hang onto their long-held beliefs that socialism works) before the electorate comes to its senses and tries to salvage what’s left.

Socialism sounds and feels good now, but the price we all will pay later will be huge. Wake up, America. John Galt WILL be dropping out(Atlas Shrugged,1957).
Steve

So, I guess you’re all saying that the system as it is, is working great and there are no changes needed. I don’t think anybody’s calling for a socialist society. Rather, somebody who can compete with the giant insurance co’s, etc. Why not have another option on the table for good competition? I had a patient yesterday who has health and dental insurance from Germany. They covered his fillings at 100% and he can go to any doctor anywhere in the world. He pays about $375 a month for it. His dental is $30 of that. Why are there more options like that in our great country? And, why do we let our citizens have some of the poorest health out of all the developed countries? Our seniors have higher incidences of major health issues compared to the UK where they have socialized medicine. Why? There’s got to be a better solution. It’s a sad day when we’ve all become so greedy that we lose touch with our call to help those who are poor. Again, if you haven’t watched “Sicko” go rent it tonight!
Daniel Gewartowski

Jim,
I am not quite sure why you buy into the spin that is being circulated around the health care reform issue, the same scare tactic that is always used; namely, if we buy into this idea or that idea, entrepreneurship as we know it in America will be dead.
I have no doubt that you and your wife will always have more success than most; it is who you are and you prove that our system works. But Jim, what percentage of your clients do you see become as successful as you have been? I know that a good coach can improve everyones game; not everyone can become Tiger Woods.
I refuse to believe that the government actually impacts the success or failure of most of the dentists that you work with. The government can protect us from terrorists and foreign invaders, from bank robbers and Ponzi scheme artists; the government can put out forest fires and help clean up after hurricanes; the government can build schools and give loans for small businesses; the government can regulate monopolies so that citizens don’t get gouged by big business.
The government cannot dispense wisdom and understanding, nor can the government stop smart people from being successful the majority of the time and, in this country, even not so smart people from being incredibly successful, undeservedly so in my opinion, with a little luck.
Regarding the issue of health care, the government will not be getting into the business of practicing medicine or hospital administration. The government is trying to get control of an insurance industry run amok. If there is one thing that we should all agree on as dentists, it is that the insurance industry is our enemy. Anything that can be done to take away their power will be to our advantage.
Finally, everyone who has a job, pays tax. In fact, anyone who ever buys anything, pays tax. Everyone who pays tax, thinks they pay too much. We can never pay enough for the privilege of living in the United States of America.
http://www.americanthinker.com American Thinker

With Government-run Healthcare the Best and Brightest Are Discouraged from Becoming Doctors. Countries with government-run health care save money by paying doctors less. According to a Commonwealth Fund analysis, U.S. doctors earn more than twice as much as doctors in Canada and Germany, more than three times as much as doctors in France, and four times as much as doctors in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The best and brightest will be encouraged to go into professions where they can earn more money and have more autonomy.
kirk lundell

Steve, I thought Sicko was Mikael Moore’s autobiography. Read Page 425 of the health-care manifesto. We all as we reach the age of 65 will be expendable. We will only be eaters. consumers of society’s wealth. Who is next.