We recently connected with Dannica Brennan and have shared our conversation below.

Dannica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

After completing dental school and her educational training in the U.S. Air Force, I separated from Active Duty and wasted no time before redirecting all my energy into building a truly unique private dental practice, Flossologie. Through both proverbial and literal blood sweat and tears, I was able to design the practice of my dreams from the ground up!

I had many challenges during the planning and construction phase of the practice. Due to COVID-19, the country was hit with a wave of supply chain issues which drove material costs through the roof. We had to budget significantly more to compensate with increased costs, delayed processes, and skilled-labor shortages as well. I was having to pay for rent, utilities and other costs while not having an income.

If I could start over, I would have reached out to people who had done this before and better educated myself to the fine details involved in both building a practice and establishing a social media presence. For those interested in starting their own practice, I would tell them to save more than you think you’ll need. Be involved and updated on every step of the practice buildout. It’s your office at the end of the day, and you should have the final say on how you want it built. Start your social media game early, so that when you’re open, there is an steady flow of folks who want to come see you from all the anticipation!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I found inspiration through my experiences serving military patients, who often suffered from severe dental anxiety and committed to generating an environment that encompasses relaxation, stress reduction, education, and patience. I do my best to cater to the needs of my patients, research on anxiety reduction and included specific buffers for all five senses and how patients interact with a healthcare setting. Upon entering Flossologie, patients are greeted with custom aroma-infused air conditioning, visually stunning murals on the walls, and several other intentional details designed to directly put patients in a positive state of mind for their appointment. I take great effort to exemplify the future of dentistry by being profoundly committed to continuous mastery and exploration of the latest technologies, products and techniques that are not only chartering advancements in the clinical field of dentistry but also in patient management, interprofessional healthcare collaboration, and community outreach. My practice, Flossologie, is innovative and does not shy away from the entrepreneurial risks required to meet the oral health needs of my community by pushing forth a unique and modern business model that ignites strong and focused bonds between staff, patients, and the community.
I am a general dentist for all intents and purposes, but my work is far from generic. I practice biomimetic dentistry and the supporting philosophy that mimicking natural life should be considered the highest standard of care. I have been trained in the importance of isolation for any and all dental procedures as a way to reduce variables and risks to the lowest possible probability. I have a strong belief in conservative and functional dentistry where sacrifices of healthy human tissues and structures are an absolute last resort and avoided at all costs. I have distanced myself from traditional mechanically retained dental work, and devote myself to the practice of adhesive bonded restorations and uses dental materials that are known for quality and property similarity to uniquely rebuild tooth structures with minimal invasiveness and heightened strength to supply patients with longer-lasting dental work that is easier to maintain with home care and reduced risk of post-operative side effects. I’ve invested in an in-office laboratory and have equipped myself with latest technologies such as 3D printer and CEREC milling stations to provide patients with custom created dental solutions that can be conveniently offered same day.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I went out and took on the marketing challenge myself. So far, I have a very high retention rate. I devote time to connect with my patients and work towards goals that I help them set themselves. Every step of their treatment has their best interest in mind, informed by and accompanied by my professional knowledge in the field. Patients appreciate my practice due to my approach to dentistry. I am not your typical “drill and fill” dentist. I am committed preserving the natural tooth structure someone already has and work with them to prevent over-invasive treatment.

My office has helped built up my reputation as well. I designed it to stand apart from any other dental clinic you’ve seen. I have street art on my walls, aroma in the air conditioning, spa like features, heat and massage chairs in my treatment rooms and other features we included with comfort and relaxation in mind. I love seeing a patient who had dental anxiety visit my office and leave happy and excited to come again! There’s something to be said when folks want to take Instagram photos at the dentist!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I have been finding success with a mix of social media and grass roots marketing. I was frustrated with the marketing company I initially hired and took it upon myself to post marketing content myself on social media. In this day in age, it is important to take advantage of the opportunities social media provides in terms of marketing. I create my own templates and use them as a vehicle to raise awareness of my dental work and specials I may have at the time. It has been instrumental in gaining new patients at the office. We also take advantage of Tampa’s large population of influencers and do influencer marketing. I also try to attend as many pop-up markets as I can in my practice’s neighborhood as well as surrounding neighborhoods. I have my own table and pop-up tent where I can provide information to potential petients and expand my educational outreach to the community!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.flossologie.com
• Instagram: flossologie
• Facebook: Flossologie
• Linkedin: n/a
• Twitter: n/a
• Youtube: n/a
• Yelp: Flossologie

Image Credits
Alexandra Fitzgerald Heidi Hoffman