Overview
Making a success of a new business takes more than entrepreneurial flair or a desire to manage your own destiny. It requires management skills, thought, planning, continuous adaptation to change and determination – as well as appropriate professional advice.
This introductory guide provides some ideas to help you establish an entirely new practice and is structured according to the stages that you will go through. The information in each section has been kept brief, but references are given to other more detailed advice publications.
Taking over an existing practice is covered in Buying a practice.
Key learning points
This advice will help you to understand:
- Your options for setting up in practice in addition to starting a new practice
- The importance of where you decide to practise and the pros and cons of ownership and leasehold premises
- The type of practice you want to own and, in England and Wales, the difficulties you might face if you want to offer NHS dental care
- The value of detailed financial planning and the likely steps you will need to take to secure finance
- Your responsibilities for recruiting, employing and managing staff
- Your responsibilities and obligations under health and safety legislation and other issues affecting the practice
- Your relationship with suppliers and avoiding potential contract pitfalls.