Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to John Humphrey Jr. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
John, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
My journey into entrepreneurship began about 2 years after graduating from dental school. Having worked as an associate in three practices I hoped to learn about how to run a business. I did learn a lot, but mostly what not to do, which is also extremely important. I purchased an existing practice from a retiring dentist, so I had an immediate stream of income and a full patient base to jump right into. On the down side, I came into a practice that was someone else’s vision. Over the years I have been able to develop the team and culture that is much more of my vision for the type of care I wanted to provide. Knowing what I I know now, I likely would have started my own practice from scratch, although that brings its own challenges as well. I do think it’s important for new dentists to get some experience working with patients out of school and learning the business of dentistry before jumping into ownership or solo practice.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a holistic and biological dentist and I have been in practice for over 20 years. We provide modern dental care to our clients with a focus on biocompatible and conservative treatments, keeping at the forefront our understanding that oral health and total body health are intimately connected. We have developed a good portion of our practice to focus on airway related care, ranging from infant tongue and lip tie assessment and treatments, airway evaluation and early intervention orthodontic expansion for children, all the way to adult tongue and lip tie procedures. My desire to become educated and provide these services grew out of the needs of my own children, struggling through breastfeeding challenges, sleep disordered breathing and severely crowded teeth due to underdeveloped jaws. Seeing the lack of providers in the Kansas City area I decided to dedicate my resources to be able to serve a population that was being ignored. Over the years I have been able to partner with a team of other educated care providers, including lactation consultants, occupational therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, myofunctional therapists, speech language pathologists, pediatricians, ENT and craniosacral therapists to provide a holistic approach to caring for our community. I have found that optimal outcomes do not come from a quick fix but rather from properly educating families, working through appropriate diagnosis and doing pre and post treatment therapies that are individualized for each patient. I am really proud of the culture of excellence that I have been able to create in our practice. Being a dad who has walked through similar situations with my own kids, gives me a unique ability to provide compassionate care to my patients. I have been in their shoes, and I think that gives me a special perspective to be able to work from. The areas of infant tongue and lip ties as well as early intervention orthodontics are both areas that I feel passionate about. As a practicing dentist for over 20 years, I have seen the short and long term consequences of issues such as tongue ties, lip ties, narrow arches, crowded teeth, and mouth breathing to name a few. The really exciting thing to me is that these issues can be treated early on and can have a profound impact on quality of life.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The biggest pivot my career has been through is the transition of my practice from a traditional style of dentistry to a holistic and biological philosophy and care model. My own health journey from the age of 12 had set the stage for me to make this move, but seeing a film documenting mercury toxicity in the dental field opened my eyes and heart to my calling. I then spent the next ten years digging in to educating myself and my team, quietly caring for people in a new way. My practice continues to evolve as I learn and grow, seeing new ways that my field can improve the lives of those we care for.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
The most important thing that has helped build my reputation is being kind and treating others as I hope to be treated. I think the ability to care well for people along with developing a high caliber skill set is unique within dentistry and health care. I have done very little to market the practice, instead I’ve invested in my education, learning new things and working to hone my skills in order to provide the highest level of care for those that are trusting me. I think our practice culture has also been very important, being a place where people can come and ask questions without being judged. I am willing to sit with my clients, listen to their story, hear their perspective and partner with them in their journey towards oral health and wellness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kcdentalworks.com/
- Instagram: [email protected]
