Crown Council Mentor of the Month

Exiting The Practice...What Every Dentist Needs to Know

Owning a dental practice is far more than just a job. As a business owner, your practice is a vessel—it encompasses your financial independence, your career prospects, and your future goals. Being a practice owner requires you to accomplish many things within your workday. This can cause essential financial aspects, such as tax management and exit planning, to slip through the cracks. Fortunately, with proper financial advising, you can work towards a business structure that is not only successful today, but sets you up with a solid foundation for your financial future.
For a combined 20 years, the Bluewater Dental Advisors team has honed a time-tested process for helping our clients plan, protect, and grow their practices. As business owners ourselves, we understand how important it is to work with someone that gets to know the financial makeup of your practice inside and out—that is why we have developed our niche business model, enabling us to help you with every aspect of running your practice. From short-term growth strategies to long-term retirement planning, we have the expertise required to meet practice owners where they are and help them create a financial roadmap for whatever lies ahead.

”Best Doctor To Work For” with Dr. Heather Walker

Dr. Walker was born in Florida and attended the University of Florida for her undergraduate studies. She decided to leave the Sunshine State to attend University of Louisville School of Dentistry where she graduated in 2003. After graduation, Dr. Walker served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy where she was stationed in San Diego and Atsugi, Japan. After her four-year commitment was complete, Dr. Walker was excited to move back to Louisville with her family. When Dr. Walker is not working, she spends her spare time with her family, including husband, Michael, son, Henry, and daughter, Elsie, and enjoying the adventures that they bring!

”Treating People, Not Patients” with Dr. Michael Sonic

Transformational Insights on Hospitality and Human Connection to Provide High Quality Care Experiences for People and Practitioners
Dr. Michael Sonick, author of "Treating People not Patients", is an internationally known, highly regarded authority in dental implantology and periodontology. Dr. Sonick has been a full-time practicing periodontist in Fairfield, Connecticut since 1985 as well as a frequent lecturer at NYU, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and Yale School of Medicine. He has lectured on all 6 continents on the subjects of esthetic implants, periodontal plastic surgery, bone regeneration, and comprehensive treatment planning. He is the author of numerous publications and books including the multi-language textbook, Implant Site Development. With Treating People Not Patients, Dr. Michael Sonick takes a deep dive into the principles that have allowed him to create a state-of-the-art patient-centric practice.
 

”Be The Man” with Dr. Jeff Buske

Did you know dentists are 2.5 times as likely to die by suicide than the general population? Dr. Jeff Buske believes it, and he’s been there. After his wife told him, “I didn’t sign up for this s**t,” he knew something needed to change. Jeff has shifted how he lives his life, putting himself in a place of power and creating harmony in all areas of his life. In this Mentor of the Month he shares a few tools to help you grow your practice with less stress.
You can contact Dr. Buske at drjbuske@gmail.com.
https://www.myfreedomprotocol.com/btm

”Top Ten Under Ten” with Dr. Andrew Tonelli

Dr. Andrew Tonelli, North Reading, Massachusetts Tufts University School of Dental Medicine – 2014
Throughout the 2022 election season, Dr. Andrew Tonelli served as the primary spokesperson for the ADA and Massachusetts Dental Society for the highly supported Massachusetts Dental Care Providers for Better Dental Benefits campaign committee. As a part of the "Vote Yes on 2" campaign, Dr. Tonelli consistently engaged with radio and written media, including helping to secure a Boston Globe endorsement, and was involved in strategic planning and implementation of the campaign, culminating in November of 2022, when Massachusetts residents voted overwhelmingly in support of a first of its kind law to establish a Medical Loss Ratio standard for Dental Insurers. Dr. Tonelli received his Doctor of Dental Medicine in 2014 from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and later completed his General Practice Residency in 2015 from New York Presbyterian, Weill-Cornell. Dr. Tonelli currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Boston District Dental Society and the Co-chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the MDS and continues to participate in the regulatory process for the implementation of the new Dental MLR law while maintaining full time practice at Dental Health Concepts in North Reading, MA.
https://www.ada.org/en/about/volunteer-and-get-involved-with-the-ada/top-ten-dentists-under-ten-years/10-under-10-award-winners
 
 

”Lifetime Qualified Team Member” Lisa Valencia

The only Lifetime Qualified Team member in the Crown Council...Lisa Valencia!
Lisa Valencia, RDH has been a practicing clinical dental hygienist for 18 years. She currently works in a general practice in San Francisco, California. She began her career as a dental assistant, then a front desk team member and progressed into dental hygiene. She has more than 25 years of experience in dentistry, including cosmetic, restorative, oral sleep medicine, conscience sedation and general practices. She continues to advance her education by completing her BS in Dental Hygiene.

”Building a Culture of Success in Your Team” with Dr. Jessica Perkins

Dr. Jessica H. Perkins is a native of Hollandale, Mississippi and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi. In 2007 she earned the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery from Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. Before returning home to Mississippi in 2015 to begin private practice in New Albany, she practiced general dentistry in New Orleans and Mandeville, Louisiana from 2007 to 2015. She is a member of the American Dental Association, Mississippi Dental Association, Mississippi Academy of General Dentistry, a qualified member of the Crown Council, as well as an active member of the AAFE (American Academy of Facial Esthetics). She is committed to lifelong professional education development in all areas of dentistry.
Good dental health is key to maintaining optimal overall whole-body health. Dr. Perkins dedicates her practice to providing a positive patient service atmosphere, educating patients on ways to achieve optimal dental health, and providing a safe, comfortable and enjoyable dental environment. The team of professionals at Perkins Dental always put patients first, and the members of that team are like family to Dr. Perkins. Happy team members make for happy and healthy patients! “A Breath of Fresh Air’!
Beyond the dental practice, Dr. Perkins enjoys spending time with her family and her two fur babies, Remy and Roux. She is always up for an adventure, as she loves traveling, trying new foods, cooking, teaching, and cheering on the Ole Miss Rebels.

”How To Lead Your Business” with Julie Charlestein, CEO of Premier Dental Products

As a fourth-generation company president/CEO, Julie Charlestein has developed a unique set of strategies for navigating the distinctive challenges and choices facing family businesses.How to Lead Your Family Business is a master class in working with and for family, reshaping generations-old company cultures, earning your colleagues’ respect, and more. Family businesses, from massive corporations like Walmart to the mom-and-pop store on your local street, have always been a vital part of the American life and economy. But as these family-owned companies evolve and grow, so too do their unique difficulties and the need for dynamic leadership. And as more women rise into leadership roles within commonly male-dominated organizations, challenges abound in already tense environments, where family members also happen to be one’s coworkers—and superiors.Julie Charlestein, the president and CEO of Premier Dental Products Company, is the fourth-generation leader of an incredibly successful family-owned enterprise, and she’s seen it all firsthand, including family drama in the workplace and the office politics that come with any corporation.In How to Lead Your Family Business, Julie gets vulnerable about her experience as an emerging leader and ultimately CEO, who has worked to earn her colleagues’ respect while navigating the succession to her father’s company. Through stories full of candor and humor, Julie shares her leadership adventure, offering actionable strategies for those leading and working within their own family businesses.