An interview with founder and clinical director of Treeline Dental Group, Jimmey Palahey, who provides insight on running a successful dental practice, based on his experiences in the industry.
How do you create a comfortable and welcoming environment for patients, especially anxious ones?
Jimmey Palahey: Your team is absolutely key: you should be working together to make a patient feel comfortable from their very first interaction with your front of house. You can make your practice look modern and attractive, and invest in the best products and equipment, but ultimately what your patients will remember is how they were treated and interacted with.
In what ways do you support local communities, and how can other dentists do the same?
JP: It is imperative that we support the community we’re in. As dental professionals, we're dealing with human beings who trust us implicitly. We should be building that trust by reaching out and improving the lives of the people in the communities we serve, through dental care and beyond. Treeline Dental have done lots of things for local communities over the last year, including working with community groups, and supporting local sports teams and children’s activities.
We recently commissioned an artist to paint a mural on the side of one of our practice buildings – it is 12 meters high, and the biggest mural in Sleaford. We spoke to the local council to collate ideas on what the community wanted to see, and created something that represented the fauna, the flora, and the local history of Sleaford. It’s been so well received that the local council have built a garden around it, so when people visit our Sleaford practice, they also have somewhere to sit and reflect. The response has been great.
What advancements do you expect to see in dentistry within the next few years?
JP: We’re already seeing big changes in dental technology and I think this will continue, particularly with the rise of AI. I think these advancements will not only change the way that we engage with patients, but also patients’ expectations on how they will be interacted with. To keep your business competitive, it is important to understand the nature of the current dental climate and how the public want their dentistry delivered, and that we adapt to accommodate this.
