Northwest Indiana territory manager Maureen Jones worked as an expanded function dental auxiliary and a dental assistant for several years before joining Patterson Dental. “I have a lot of clinical experience, which really helps me understand what clients need.”
After Jones developed a latex allergy, she began looking for a new career path. She’s been with Patterson Dental for 24 years. Jones says it’s a great company to work for, and she feels very fortunate to have developed an outstanding territory with really great doctors.
Jones had been calling on the previous practice owner when Dr. Sara Jackson bought his practice. “I met Sara when she was in dental school,” Jones explained. “When she bought this practice and started using Fuse, I knew she would be updating everything.”
Ugly Duckling
According to Jones, Dr. Jackson acquired an ugly building with a tenant on the second floor and a tiny parking lot. Her staff were parking at her parents’ house and walking to the office, which wasn’t fun in the winter. In addition, a condemned house sat on the property.
“The practice was very dated, and equipment hadn’t been replaced for more than 25 years,” said Patterson Dental equipment specialist Rico Ponce, who helped redesign the practice. “There was even carpet in the treatment rooms!”
Ponce and Jones walked through several suggestions with Dr. Jackson. One of which included not renewing the tenant’s lease so she could move all the nonclinical space to the second floor, expand the number of operatories and reclaim three parking spaces. They demolished the house to further expand the parking lot. Her office, the break room and what will eventually be a continuing education center were moved upstairs. In addition, they relocated the staircase to enlarge the reception area.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jackson was encouraged by her Patterson team to attend Dentsply Sirona World to learn more about technology. At that event, the Patterson team helped Dr. Jackson navigate what to invest in, including taking the initial step into CAD/CAM with the Primescan and CEREC Primemill. Eventually Dr. Jackson also added the Primeprint 3D printing solution to her practice.
Next, the Patterson team took Dr. Jackson to A-dec’s headquarters in Oregon to participate in a Day of Experts. “We spent a lot of time looking at equipment and exploring different design opportunities,” Jones said. “Sara brought her whole team, so we had input from them as well. It was definitely a team approach – we all worked together.”
Reassuring Longtime Patients
Jones described the struggle that can occur when a new doctor takes on an older practice with no technology. “Patients who’ve been seeing that doctor for a long time hear the new doctor say they need scaling and root planing or a crown and think ‘What? I’ve been going to Dr. Smith forever. I never had anything wrong.’”
“When you have new technology, you can say, ‘Well, this helps us diagnose better,’” Jones continued. “It doesn’t throw the other doctor under the bus when you can show them and educate them with images using your digital technologies. She educates them, and they accept treatment.”
Jones said that Dr. Jackson’s journey has inspired other doctors. “I’m the facilitator for the Women in Dentistry events we hold in Northwest Indiana four times a year,” Jones explained.
“I usually ask a doctor to tell us about how they got into dentistry,” Jones continued. “Sara really didn’t want to do it because she’s very modest, but she agreed. When she explained the process of buying and renovating her practice, one of my other doctors, who had been practicing for 15 years, decided to do the same thing. So, we took her out to A-dec and are now helping her open a new office.”
Jones attributes part of Dr. Jackson’s success to the fact that her patients know her, like her and trust her. “She’s very genuine, likable, smart and knowledgeable,” Jones said. “And she has a great team, which is key. It’s a whole different practice and her patients love it. They see that the quality of their dental care is elevated by all the technology.”
“It is head and shoulders above other practices in the area,” Jones continued. “She does same-day dentistry. She’s educated and always taking classes. She’s a leader in the community. She and her husband are from Hobart, and a lot of friends and family are referring patients to her. She does a really good job and she’s honest with them. She’ll say, ‘This is what you need. And if you don’t want to do it, okay, but I’m here when you do want to.’”
Overcoming Challenges
When Jackson explained that she couldn’t buy everything all at once, Ponce showed her how to keep existing equipment running and made suggestions regarding repairs and esthetics. He quoted a 2D panoramic and sensors, but she eventually bought them used from another doctor.
“That worked for the short term,” Ponce recalled. “She began having issues with other stuff. Her vacuum and compressor failed almost right away.”
“So, realizing the office would need a lot of upgrades, we started talking about long-term solutions,” Ponce continued. “The Day of Experts event helped clarify things and really motivated her. She got the courage to move forward with her plans to renovate.”
Focusing on workflow and maximizing available space, Ponce drew up plans that accommodated some of Dr. Jackson’s ideas.“I showed her how we could set up the sterilization center, the lab and how many operatories she could have, which is a total of six now,” Ponce said. “We also created a a more private surgery room where she has a lot more space and can close the door for longer procedures. Other operatories are divided by a central cabinet.”
A few hiccups occurred during the remodel. When taking out walls, the builders discovered some unforeseen issues that required immediate attention. “They had to pour concrete in the crawl space and level the floor,” Ponce noted. “It slowed the project. And we did all of this while Dr. Sara was working. That’s always a challenge. Fortunately, she understood.”
Eventually, Dr. Jackson purchased the entire Dentsply Sirona system to offer same-day dentistry. “She has the most technology of any practitioner in this entire area,” Ponce said.
“She’s learned that both her staff and her patients really appreciate that,” Ponce continued. “Being able to do many treatments without anesthesia with the Solea All-Tissue Laser goes very far with word of mouth. She can say, ‘Let me show you the problem. This is the solution to this and, by the way, we can do it today. You don’t have to come back.’ That’s a story patients can tell everybody they know.”
A Sense of Pride
Ponce thinks Jackson is the perfect example of a smart young doctor who takes a step back, asks questions, listens to advice, appreciates support and works with partners who put her well-being first. “Some young doctors, who lack experience, think they can do it all by online or buying equipment from a direct company,” he said. But he believes they can achieve a higher level of success when they partner with experts in the field that backs them up with products and services. Some doctors get overstressed, doing all the research on their own to save a penny here and there.
“They don’t have the support from manufacturers or a distributor, and they end up burnt out because they don’t utilize the resources Patterson offers,” Ponce added. “Doctors coming into the field should embrace a true partnership. Territory reps and equipment specialists understand how to help them get started properly. They can focus on the dentistry, and we’ll take care of the rest. I think people who take advantage of that enjoy practicing dentistry a lot more than those who don’t.”
John “Jay” Biggs, Patterson Dental district sales manager, agreed that Jackson sees the value of working with Patterson. “She’s learned a lot about the business of dentistry and strategic planning, and has gained a lot of confidence,” Biggs said. “It was amazing what she did with her remodel. She’s really positioned herself to be the 21st century dental provider for northwest Indiana. She’s brave, confident, smart and fun. She’s just a really salt-of-the-earth good person.”
Jones thinks Dr. Jackson should be extremely proud of everything she’s accomplished; Jones is proud that her team had a role in it. “She’s on fire. It’s been so much fun seeing the practice grow,” Jones said. “This is the type of office that makes you think, ‘Man, I’m really proud to be at Patterson and working with doctors who are as forward-thinking as she is.’ She’s amazing.”
Editor’s note: This article was first published in the Winter 2025 issue of Advantage by Patterson Dental magazine
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