Starting up a new dental practice is an incredibly risky venture due to increased competition and an unpredictable economy. A dentist would be wise to consider purchasing an existing dental practice instead of starting a new one from scratch.

It makes more sense to acquire the "goodwill" of a dentist already established in the community. Being introduced to and treating hundreds and even thousands of acquired practice patients accelerates growth and income tremendously.

There is a big difference between purchasing a practice with established cash flow (and substantial net income) versus starting a new practice where growth and net income can be painfully slow.

Consider the following scenario where two dentists went into practice at the same time but ended up considerably different after their first seven years in practice:
1. Dr. "A" purchases an existing practice for $600,000. This practice was grossing $750,000 per year, and within two years, this same practice is grossing $1,250,000 per year (it was under-producing). In seven years, Dr. A's practice produces cumulative gross revenues of $8,000,000 and a cumulative net profit of $2,800,000.

2. Dr. "B" starts a new practice from scratch and invests $300,000 in a new office. In seven years, Dr. B builds it up to a $700,000 per year gross practice. Projected first-year gross revenues are $200,000, second-year $300,000, the third year $450,000, etc. for seven years. The new practice produces gross revenues of approximately $3,300,000 over those same seven years and the projected total cumulative net profit is $990,000.

During those same seven years, Dr. A will earn $1,810,000 more net income than Dr. B! The reason? There was an established patient-base in the purchased practice that allowed Dr. A to be busy from day one and resulted in a much greater seven years gross and net income for Dr. A. Dr. He was busy from the first day he took over the existing practice.

On the other hand, Dr. B had to spend lots of time and effort trying to get established in the community and build a patient base. Patients begin to trickle into the office, and the practice grows slowly over time. The problem for Dr. B is that the overhead is so high while the income is low, so there is little or no profit in the practice for quite a few years.

Dr. A enjoyed a substantial net income from the first month in practice and continued to enjoy a higher income during that entire period. Dr. B took years to get profitable, and his Lifetime Potential Income can never catch up with Dr. A. For information, call AFTCO at 800-232-3826 or visit our website at www.aftco.net. It's time to call AFTCO.