Building a stronger future for independent dental practice Today, I walk into The Campbell Academy for the first time as Director of Business Education, and I do so with a deep sense of responsibility. This is not about a title. It is about a task. Colin Campbell and I share a belief that the future of independent dentistry will be shaped not only by clinical excellence, but by the quality of leadership, judgement and business education available to practice owners. Over many

In private dentistry right now, the market feels like a seesaw. There is a conversation taking place in every independent dental practice in the UK right now. It sits somewhere between the front desk, the treatment co-ordinator, the surgery and the bank balance of the average household. The conversation is this: when consumers feel uncertain about the economy, what actually drives their decision to go ahead with private dental treatment? This week, in conversation with a clie

First day back after a holiday: a pulse check on independent dentistry My first day back after a holiday is always a useful reality check. Tuesday is my pulse-taking day. Eight Zoom calls with clients, followed by the weekly webinar in the evening, and by the end of it I usually have a very clear sense of the mood music in independent dentistry. Yesterday was no exception. The names and places are irrelevant. The patterns are not. What I heard, again and again, was that this

2,900 weeks later, and the excitement of a first day still feels the same First day back at work after a 10-day break - and it has been a proper break, which included 60,000 steps around Rome and a huge Spring Clean exercise at home and in the garden over the Easter weekend. So a big backlog this morning of emails and tasks, even though I'm straight into Zoom calls with clients from 08:45 this morning. Oh - and by the way - it's my first day at work in my new role as Director

For some time now, I have been asking myself a simple question: how do we make sure that what we have built at Extreme Business becomes stronger, deeper and more valuable over the next decade, not just the next two years? Today, I am delighted to answer that question by officially announcing the merger of Extreme Business  and The Campbell Academy . This is an important moment, not only for me and for Colin Campbell, but for the wider independent private dental sector in the

That's me with Tom Coates, in the offices of Buxton Coates, Solicitors, yesterday - signing some of the most important documents in my professional life. A transaction that will determine my direction of travel for at least the next 10 years, and beyond. An opportunity to make a positive difference to the lives of not just hundreds, but thousands, of people in dentistry. I'll be telling you more about that next week. For now, I'm in London this morning, about to facilitate a

Running a business often feels like an acrobat spinning plates. Most stressed and struggling entrepreneurs believe the key to success is controlling every detail, micromanaging every task, and never letting go of the reins. But here’s a bold claim: my success comes from being the opposite — a proud lack of control freak. Instead of clutching the wheel tightly, I’ve learned to delegate, trust my team, and focus on what I do best. This approach has not only saved my sanity but

The next chapter in private dentistry will belong to practices that are clear, fair and trusted. The CMA’s final report on veterinary services should be read by every independent dental practice owner in the UK, because it is almost certainly a preview of the regulator’s thinking in private dentistry. In the vets market, the CMA concluded that competition was not working as well as it could, estimated customer detriment at around £1 billion over five years, and focused its re

If you want to keep good people, pay alone is not enough A modern dental employer can no longer rely on one lever alone to keep their team happy. For years, many practice owners believed that if they paid fairly, treated people decently and kept the doors open, that would be enough. In some cases, it was. But the landscape has changed. The UK employment market is tighter, the cost of living has reshaped expectations, and younger team members think differently about work, loya

After a week of strategy meetings, quarterly reviews and coaching conversations with dental business owners, I’m left with one clear conclusion: Dentistry is still full of opportunity, but it is no longer a forgiving business. The practices doing well are not necessarily the biggest, the flashiest or the most heavily marketed. They are the ones with clarity. Clear numbers. Clear systems. Clear patient communication. Clear leadership. And the practices that are struggling are