building a medical aesthetic practice

Not only is it essential if funding is required, but it will set a blueprint for building a successful business plan for yourself and team.

You need to have a clear strategy and decide what services, procedures and products you will offer and remember, keep your services small to begin with, i.e., Botox fi llers and skin peels and improve your skills in these.

Your plan should be simple also. You should have a simple business plan with your ‘goals’ to accomplish, highlighted and a road map of how you are going to there combined with a marketing plan. Your road map should consist of the following:

Executive summary• Business overview• Market growth• Marketing model• Management team• Finances.

Company and management• Overview• Vision and mission• Objectives• Structure• Management team• Consulting advisors.

Aesthetic medicine is the fi eld of medicine focussed on satisfying aesthetic desires goals of patients.

It encompasses altering the external appearance of clients and may include dermatology, dentistry, cosmetic surgery, ophthalmic along with many other specialities and modalities.

In Great Britain there has been a huge increase in cosmetic procedures with 83.4% of all cosmetic procedures being non-surgical.

According to the key trend reports, Botox, chemical and fi llers are those procedures that are predicted to grow and many dentists have been chosen to either add these lists of services to the traditional dentist practice – by either training and providing them themselves or by employing registered nurses and aestheticians to provide these treatments in house.

So, how do physicians fi nd a way to utilise their skills and expand the services the practice offers?

Does the dental practice hold and offering to provide such services where often access is easier, more appealing and of course, confi dence in the dentist has already been created?

I felt that medical aesthetics was a natural progression to my dental practice – but what I never did was provide it from the same dental chair or without adequate training of both my staff and team.

Here are my tips to help you build a successful medical aesthetic practice.

1. Do it because you want to do it – you have to be interested and have passionOver the years I can tell you it’s not been as easy as drilling teeth.

Aesthetic medicine combines great skill both manually, but also when altering external appearance – emotive changes follow.

Training is both resourceful in time

and also money and in setting up aesthetic medicine within your practice, a commitment to a life-time education for yourself and staff is paramount.

Take me simply as an example – in the fi rst year alone I spent £35,000 training both my team and myself and that was without patients!

Add to this the equipment, such as lasers that can suddenly appear on your list as your interest expands and add another £50K.

So, what do I say? Speak with other practitioners who have successfully added aesthetic medicine to their practice. Spend time chatting to their staff and bluntly ask them about their highs and lows and returns.

Most of all, I’m a great believer that in order to make any project a success, you have to believe. Believe in the treatments; believe in the product, and most of all produce results – the rest will follow.

2. Produce a road mapBoring as it may seem, but adding aesthetic medicine to your practice is a most and especially important when deviating from a traditional practice.

Building a medical aesthetic practice

Private Dentistry March 2009 71

Practice organisation

Tracey Bell reveals some of the golden rules of adding aesthetic medicine to your practice to help you stand out from the crowd

Practice organisation Practice organisation Practice organisation

Building a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practice reveals some of the golden rules

Building a medical aesthetic practice reveals some of the golden rules

Building a medical aesthetic practice reveals some of the golden rules

Building a medical aesthetic practiceof adding aesthetic medicine to your





to help you stand out from the crowdto help you stand out from the crowd

other specialities and modalities.

huge increase in cosmetic procedures with 83.4% of all cosmetic procedures

other specialities and modalities.In Great Britain there has been a






According to the key trend reports, Botox, chemical and fi llers are those procedures that are predicted to grow and many dentists have been chosen to



According to the key trend reports, Botox, chemical and fi llers are those procedures that are predicted to grow and many dentists have been chosen to either add these lists of services to the traditional dentist practice – by either training and providing them themselves or by employing registered

either add these lists of services to the traditional dentist practice – by either training and providing them themselves or by employing registered

either add these lists of services to the traditional dentist practice – by either training and providing them themselves or by employing registered

and also money and in setting up aesthetic medicine within your and also money and in setting up aesthetic medicine within your and also money and in setting up aesthetic medicine within your

Not only is it essential if funding is required, but it will set a blueprint for Not only is it essential if funding is required, but it will set a blueprint for Not only is it essential if funding is required, but it will set a blueprint for required, but it will set a blueprint for

these treatments in house.So, how do physicians fi nd a way to

utilise their skills and expand the services the practice offers?

education for yourself and staff is paramount.

Take me simply as an example – in the fi rst year alone I spent £35,000

So, how do physicians fi nd a way to utilise their skills and expand the

education for yourself and staff is


yourself and team.You need to have a clear strategy

and decide what services, procedures and products you will offer and

Take me simply as an example – in

education for yourself and staff is




You need to have a clear strategy and decide what services, procedures and products you will offer and



Building a medical aesthetic practiceBuilding a medical aesthetic practiceTracey Bell reveals some of the golden rules

Building a medical aesthetic practiceTracey Bell

Aesthetic medicine is the fi eld of medicine focussed on satisfying

practice


practice to help you stand out from the crowd


to help you stand out from the crowd

Aesthetic medicine is the fi eld of medicine focussed on satisfying Aesthetic medicine is the fi eld of

to help you stand out from the crowd

aesthetic desires goals of patients.It encompasses altering the external

appearance of clients and may include dermatology, dentistry, cosmetic





It encompasses altering the external appearance of clients and may include

Add to this the equipment, such as lasers that can suddenly appear on your list as your interest expands and add

begin with, i.e., Botox fi llers and skin peels and improve your skills in these.

Your plan should be simple also. You should have a simple business plan



lasers that can suddenly appear on your





offering to provide such services where often access is easier, more appealing and of course, confi dence in the dentist has already been created?



offering to provide such services where often access is easier, more appealing and of course, confi dence in the dentist

that was without patients!

lasers that can suddenly appear on your list as your interest expands and add

that was without patients!Add to this the equipment, such as


that was without patients!Add to this the equipment, such as


I felt that medical aesthetics was a natural progression to my dental practice – but what I never did was provide it from the same dental chair

natural progression to my dental practice – but what I never did was provide it from the same dental chair


another £50K.So, what do I say? Speak with other

practitioners who have successfully added aesthetic medicine to their


another £50K.So, what do I say? Speak with other

practitioners who have successfully added aesthetic medicine to their

with your ‘goals’ to accomplish, highlighted and a road map of how you are going to there combined with a marketing plan. Your road map should

So, what do I say? Speak with other practitioners who have successfully added aesthetic medicine to their

So, what do I say? Speak with other practitioners who have successfully added aesthetic medicine to their




my staff and team.Here are my tips to help you build a

successful medical aesthetic practice.




successful medical aesthetic practice.Here are my tips to help you build a


staff and bluntly ask them about their highs and lows and returns.

Most of all, I’m a great believer that in order to make any project a success,





Executive summary• Business overview• Market growth

Executive summary• Business overview• Market growth

staff and bluntly ask them about their


Executive summary

1. Do it because you want to do it – you have to be interested 1. Do it because you want to do it – you have to be interested 1. Do it because you want to do

and have passionit – you have to be interested and have passionit – you have to be interested and have passionit – you have to be interested and have passionit – you have to be interested and have passionit – you have to be interested and have passionit – you have to be interested

Over the years I can tell you it’s not



treatments; believe in the product, and most of all produce results – the rest will follow.

1. Do it because you want to do it – you have to be interested 1. Do it because you want to do it – you have to be interested 1. Do it because you want to do it – you have to be interested


treatments; believe in the product, and most of all produce results – the rest will follow.

treatments; believe in the product, and most of all produce results – the rest treatments; believe in the product, and most of all produce results – the rest

• Management team• Finances.

Company and managementCompany and management

• Management team• Finances.

Company and management






and have passionit – you have to be interested and have passionit – you have to be interested


skill both manually, but also when altering external appearance – emotive changes follow.



Aesthetic medicine combines great skill both manually, but also when altering external appearance – emotive

2. Produce a road mapBoring as it may seem, but adding aesthetic medicine to your practice is a most and especially important when

altering external appearance – emotive



• Vision and mission• Objectives• Structure• Management team

• Vision and mission• Objectives• Structure• Management team

Boring as it may seem, but adding aesthetic medicine to your practice is a most and especially important when

• Vision and mission

• Management teamTraining is both resourceful in time






deviating from a traditional practice.






• Consulting advisors.





Private Dentistry March 2009 71Private Dentistry March 2009 71



72 Private Dentistry March 2009

Another part of any key business plan is to know your audience and also the top minimally invasive procedures. A great source of information can be found in the key trend reports by Mintel that published each year.

3. Product, procedures, serviceIt’s important that within aesthetic medicine ‘education is king’ and ‘knowledge is power’. Without the correct information you cannot make choices on equipment, products or in fact provide the client with the correct information. You need to be educated – so do your research. Ask questions, and of course speak to the end user – the customer!

Speaking with the customer will allow you to collate the information of what clients want and the experiences they have had.

4. Capacity planningAn easy way to assess which area to market is to look at capacity. For example, if you have one laser that would work eight hours a day, but only at capacity two hours – look at doing a campaign on lasers.

5. Get to know your neighboursDo you know all the businesses surrounding yours?Walk around your neighbourhood and evaluate which ones would compliment yours. Ask yourself this:• Would these businesses compliment mine?• Can each of our businesses refer customers to each other?

Specifi cally look for businesses that share the same target demographic as you. It may be women’s fi tness, a jewellery store or a natural food store.

6. Network within your communityExchange ideas, information and resources. It’s fun and we know it as ‘schmoozing’.

Where do we network? Local Chamber of Commerce, community groups, associations, get to know the

businesses and corporate in your area, hold ‘corporate evenings’ and demonstrate treatments and products.

Host fund-raising social events, this will bolster your profi le and PR and attract new business associates and clients.

Not only will you get great business ideas, but you are bound to get new clients as well.

7. Building your dream teamDealing with people is probably the biggest problem you face – especially if you are in business.

Your team is the key to success. I have been lucky over the last six years and I truly believe that my success is down to the team that are around me.

It’s important to understand that although the treatments and results are important – the service is key – remember ‘people buy people’!

In my team I have educated, personable and well presented people who with passion speak about the ‘education ethics and evidence based results’ that myself and them produce.

How did I build such a team? It’s like building a football team – you need centre forwards, midfi elders and goalies; 11 goalies would never win a championship. You need a team that compliments each other.

8. Hiring tips(i) Don’t hire family or friends. They may be valuable during the start-up phase but will not get you to the next level. Look outside of the dental fi eld. Employ from hospitality, bigger organisations than yourselves – in my experience they have brought me structure, organisation and great strengths. (ii) Don’t ever hire someone like yourself! Imagine six of me – disastrous. Recognise your weaknesses and hire those strengths in. (iii) Choose the right attitude, not aptitude. All of my working life I recruited attitude – and to date I have no regrets. You need enthusiasm, positivity and the willingness to learn and enjoy life.

9. Don’t forget regulation and insurance issuesSince you will be incorporating medical aesthetics, it is important that you have the correct liability for procedures you and your staff will be performing.

Ensure that you cover all procedures that you provide.

To utilise lasers, Health Care Commission approval will be required. An exercise that I found brought great structure to my business and improved all areas of business and dentistry also.

10. SummaryAesthetic medicine is a fascinating industry, just like dentistry.

For years I thought that changing physical attributes was my passion, but the by-product, emotive beauty, is the biggest gain that clients perceive.

Like in business, if you want to be successful in a particular fi eld, I feel perseverance, passion and belief if what you do are the key qualities.

It is important that you fi nd something you care about, have the passion for it and can dedicate your life to it. I enjoy every minute of every day and so should you.

So, the underlying theme here is ‘be prepared’. The key to success is having clinical expertise (education), empower your team to be able to deliver the service and treatments only you would expect – and of course, plan – marketing and business plans are all important.

Don’t just do it – do it wellEnter awards, it will force you to re-evaluate regularly. When looking to fulfi l criteria, you will stretch your evaluation of your treatments, products, customer experience and your business development.

Winning awards is great for PR and profi le and it boosts the confi dence levels of your team and your patients.

Aesthetic medicine like dentistry is a fascinating business, forever evolving, and certainly one to keep you on your toes – and, of course, smiling. PD

9. Don’t forget regulation and 9. Don’t forget regulation and 9. Don’t forget regulation and plan is to know your audience and also the top minimally invasive procedures. A great source of information can be found in the key trend reports by

hold ‘corporate evenings’ and demonstrate treatments and products.

Host fund-raising social events, this will bolster your profi le and PR

plan is to know your audience and also the top minimally invasive procedures.





insurance issuesSince you will be incorporating medical aesthetics, it is important that you have the correct liability for

demonstrate treatments and products.Host fund-raising social events,

this will bolster your profi le and PR



Since you will be incorporating medical aesthetics, it is important that you have the correct liability for

and clients.Not only will you get great

business ideas, but you are bound to get new clients as well.

Not only will you get great business ideas, but you are bound to

Not only will you get great business ideas, but you are bound to get new clients as well.

procedures you and your staff will be performing.


To utilise lasers, Health Care

procedures you and your staff will be



procedures you and your staff will be performing.



procedures you and your staff will be

7. Building your dream teamDealing with people is probably the

Commission approval will be required. An exercise that I found brought great structure to my business and improved all areas of




have been lucky over the last six years 10. SummaryAesthetic medicine is a fascinating Aesthetic medicine is a fascinating

10. SummaryAesthetic medicine is a fascinating Aesthetic medicine is a fascinating

information. You need to be educated – so do your research. of course speak to the end user – the customer!

information. You need to be educated – so do your research. of course speak to the end user – the customer!

information. You need to be educated – Ask questions, and

of course speak to the end user – the

information. You need to be educated – so do your research. Ask questions, and of course speak to the end user – the

if you are in business.Your team is the key to success. I

have been lucky over the last six years and I truly believe that my success is

Your team is the key to success. I have been lucky over the last six years and I truly believe that my success is

if you are in business.Your team is the key to success. I

have been lucky over the last six years and I truly believe that my success is

allow you to collate the information of what clients want and the experiences they have had.

allow you to collate the information of what clients want and the experiences they have had.

allow you to collate the information of what clients want and the experiences


allow you to collate the information of what clients want and the experiences although the treatments and results

are important – the service is key – remember ‘people buy people’!







4. Capacity planningAn easy way to assess which area to market is to look at capacity. For An easy way to assess which area to market is to look at capacity. For

4. Capacity planningAn easy way to assess which area to market is to look at capacity. For

In my team I have educated, personable and well presented people who with passion speak about the ‘education ethics and evidence based



personable and well presented people

‘education ethics and evidence based




Like in business, if you want to be

would work eight hours a day, but only at capacity two hours – look at doing a

produce.How did I build such a team? It’s

like building a football team – you need centre forwards, midfi elders and

would work eight hours a day, but only at capacity two hours – look at doing a How did I build such a team? It’s

like building a football team – you need centre forwards, midfi elders and need centre forwards, midfi elders and

something you care about, have the passion for it and can dedicate your life to it. I enjoy every minute of every day and so should you.

How did I build such a team? It’s like building a football team – you need centre forwards, midfi elders and


something you care about, have the passion for it and can dedicate your life to it. I enjoy every minute of


plan is to know your audience and also the top minimally invasive procedures. A great source of information can be found in the key trend reports by

plan is to know your audience and also the top minimally invasive procedures. A great source of information can be found in the key trend reports by

plan is to know your audience and also the top minimally invasive procedures. A great source of information can be found in the key trend reports by Mintel that published each year.

3. Product, procedures, serviceIt’s important that within aesthetic

Mintel that published each year.





3. Product, procedures, serviceIt’s important that within aesthetic medicine ‘education is king’ and ‘knowledge is power’. Without the correct information you cannot make choices on equipment, products or in

medicine ‘education is king’ and ‘knowledge is power’. Without the correct information you cannot make choices on equipment, products or in

medicine ‘education is king’ and ‘knowledge is power’. Without the correct information you cannot make choices on equipment, products or in


‘knowledge is power’. Without the correct information you cannot make choices on equipment, products or in


championship. You need a team that ‘be prepared’. The key to success is having clinical expertise (education), empower your team to be able to deliver the service and treatments

‘be prepared’. The key to success is having clinical expertise (education), empower your team to be able to deliver the service and treatments

‘be prepared’. The key to success is having clinical expertise (education), empower your team to be able to deliver the service and treatments

‘be prepared’. The key to success is having clinical expertise (education),

deliver the service and treatments

5. Get to know your neighboursDo you know all the businesses surrounding yours?Walk around your neighbourhood and

5. Get to know your neighboursDo you know all the businesses

Walk around your neighbourhood and

5. Get to know your neighboursDo you know all the businesses surrounding yours?Walk around your neighbourhood and

5. Get to know your neighbours

Walk around your neighbourhood and

championship. You need a team that compliments each other.championship. You need a team that compliments each other.championship. You need a team that compliments each other.

evaluate which ones would compliment yours. Ask yourself this:• Would these businesses compliment mine?

evaluate which ones would compliment yours. Ask yourself this:• Would these businesses compliment mine?

evaluate which ones would compliment yours. Ask yourself this:• Would these businesses compliment

(i) Don’t hire family or friends. They may be valuable during the start-up phase but will not get you to

evaluate which ones would compliment yours. Ask yourself this:• Would these businesses compliment

(i) Don’t hire family or friends. They may be valuable during the start-up phase but will not get you to They may be valuable during the start-up phase but will not get you to

only you would expect – and of course, plan – marketing and business plans are all important.

(i) Don’t hire family or friends. They may be valuable during the start-up phase but will not get you to

only you would expect – and of course, plan – marketing and business plans are all important.

only you would expect – and of course, plan – marketing and business only you would expect – and of course, plan – marketing and business plans are all important.

customers to each other?Specifi cally look for businesses that

share the same target demographic as you. It may be women’s fi tness, a





Specifi cally look for businesses that share the same target demographic as

dental fi eld. Employ from hospitality, bigger organisations than yourselves – in my experience they have brought me structure, organisation and great



Don’t just do it – do it wellEnter awards, it will force you to re-evaluate regularly. When looking to fulfi l criteria, you will stretch your





6. Network within your community

(ii) Don’t ever hire someone like yourself! Imagine six of me – disastrous. Recognise your weaknesses and hire those strengths in.

6. Network within your


(ii) Don’t ever hire someone like

disastrous. Recognise your weaknesses


products, customer experience and your business development.

Winning awards is great for PR and profi le and it boosts the confi dence





would work eight hours a day, but only at capacity two hours – look at doing a campaign on lasers.

would work eight hours a day, but only at capacity two hours – look at doing a campaign on lasers.

6. Network within your community

resources. It’s fun and we know it as ‘schmoozing’.

Chamber of Commerce, community

resources. It’s fun and we know it as

Where do we network? Local Chamber of Commerce, community

resources. It’s fun and we know it as ‘schmoozing’.


resources. It’s fun and we know it as


All of my working life I recruited attitude – and to date I have no regrets. You need enthusiasm, positivity and the willingness to learn

aptitude. recruited attitude – and to date I have no regrets. You need enthusiasm, positivity and the willingness to learn

All of my working life I recruited attitude – and to date I have no regrets. You need enthusiasm, positivity and the willingness to learn

Aesthetic medicine like dentistry is a fascinating business, forever evolving, and certainly one to keep you on your toes – and, of course,

recruited attitude – and to date I have no regrets. You need enthusiasm, positivity and the willingness to learn





groups, associations, get to know the


groups, associations, get to know the and enjoy life.




and enjoy life.

72 Private Dentistry March 200972 Private Dentistry March 2009

and enjoy life.


smiling.


smiling.



building a medical aesthetic practice

Documents

aesthetic medicine

dental practice

fi eld of medicine

cosmetic procedures

traditional dentist

successful business

botox fi llers

marketing plan