Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Chin.
Kevin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was young, I’ve always appreciated art and was also fascinated by science. During college, I was drawn to dentistry because it seemed like a marriage between the two things I enjoyed: art and biology. After finishing dental school, I started working as an associate dentist at various offices and, although I learned a lot, I didn’t enjoy the idea of not having full control of how to care for my patients.
So in 2018, I started on a long journey of trying to figure out how to become a dental practice owner. The process took over a year to complete! But now I am happy to be able to help patients my way and be able to customize every aspect of the dental practice and treatment so that my patients can have an amazing dental experience every time they come to see me.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Everything was and still is a struggle when it comes to running a business. They never teach you the business aspect of running a dental office in dental school. I had to learn most things on the fly through my own research and through trial and error.
Some of the more involved parts of getting the business up and running was coming up with the layout and design of the office. I wanted to make sure that the practice didn’t feel like a regular dental office and that it had a sense of calmness and comfort for my patients. I made sure to use high-quality dental chairs, even going out to their factory in Oregon to see how they’re made. Everything from the waiting room to the sterilization center to the dental chair entertainment system was built to optimize patient comfort.
We’d love to hear more about your practice.
City of Angels Dentistry is a modern, state of the art cosmetic and general dental practice in Downtown Los Angeles, but we’re not just any dental practice. We pride ourselves in honest dentistry that puts the patient above all else. Yes, it is a business, but I’ve always believed that as a dentist, I am a healer and healthcare provider before I am a businessman.
Unfortunately, dentists have a reputation for overselling and even scamming patients. I’m reminded of one particular patient who had come to my office for a second opinion. I had completed the exam and treatment plan for him and he was in shock at how different the treatment plan was from the last dentist’s plan. The other dentist wanted to do at least ten crowns on his teeth and quoted him over $15,000 for the treatment plan. I didn’t see a need to do any crowns and maybe just a few fillings; his whole treatment came out to less than $400. This is obviously an extreme example and it’s not to say that all dentists are horrible scammers, but unfortunately, there are a good number of dentists who do questionable work and put their self-interest above the well-being of their patients. I strive to break away from this stereotype by being completely transparent and honest with all my patients.
At my practice, there is no pressure to do anything that the patient is not ready to do. There’s no treatment plan coordinator or manager that tries to sell you a payment plan. It’s just the patient and me talking about how we can work together on improving their oral health and getting the smile they want.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is knowing that I’ve done the very best dentistry I could for my patients that day. It’s that internal feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction after a productive day at the office. For me, the biggest marker of success is when patients refer their friends and family to my practice. Compared to any other advertising or marketing tactic a business can use, word of mouth referrals are very special because it comes from a place of trust that was built between the referring patient and me. So every time I get a referral, I’m grateful and feel the most successful.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1127 Wilshire Blvd Ste 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90017
- Website: cofadentistry.com
- Phone: 2139082003
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cityofangelsdentistry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/COFAdentistry
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/city-of-angels-dentistry-los-angeles
Image Credit:
images of office and doctor by Nathan Padilla Bowen
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