Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tiffanie Garrison-Jeter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tiffanie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

I decided to start my own dental practice after working in corporate dentistry and almost buying into a corporate practice. I got to the point where I was being overworked, not appreciated, and my ability to practice on my terms and values was being put in jeopardy. I left that position and started to work in community health dentistry while putting the processes in place to venture out on my own.

Going from a steady two income household to one would be a challenge. So before I set up my practice there were things I had to have in place.
1. I had to make sure my spouse was onboard and apart of my vision as a solo entrepreneur and all that would entail.
2. I worked very hard to stack up a 6 month personal emergency fund and a separate nest egg for my business. (This came in handy being open not even a year as a dental practice before a PANDEMIC!!!)
3. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I learned systems and best practices from my previous experience in military, corporate, and community health dentistry and incorporated them into my business plan. Having good systems is very important and is the distinguishing feature between successful and unsuccessful businesses.

The whole experience has been challenging for me to be honest. I am the first person in my family to become a doctor and own my own business, so I had no one to help guide me on the path of what to do and what not to do. I read as much as I could, but I unfortunately had to rely on vendors to help me make decisions. They of course helped me make costly and sometimes unnecessary decisions. One of the things I would do differently is establish my “team” of trusted advisors first and get multiple vendor bids. Another thing I would do differently knowing what I know now is to start small and give myself room to scale bigger if I desired to.

For young professionals considering starting their own practice, I would recommend for them to really sit down and think about “The Why” of their desire of practice ownership and spend some time with someone who is already been there and accomplishing what you think it is that you desire. That way you can see the good, bad, and the ugly. Everyone needs a good mentor or coach. You don’t know what you don’t know. Ignorance is NOT bliss! The media has people thinking it’s all butterflies and roses being a “BOSS”, but it costs to be the boss.

Tiffanie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a child I would always watch ER and other medical shows on TV. The blood and guts and problem solving always intrigued me. I always knew I would be a doctor of some sort. I narrowed it down to being a dentist or an OB/gyn. Babies come anytime of the day or night, and I like my sleep. So I decided on dentistry. The rest is history!

My goal is to provide my patients with a pampered, enjoyable, stress-free experience and a relaxing environment beginning the moment you step into the office. It is also my practice philosophy for my patients to feel like family when visiting my office. We treat each patient with compassion, understanding, and respect. We take the time to get to know our patients and their individual needs so that we can provide the best possible care.

Tennessee State University for bachelor’s degree in biologyand the University of Louisville School of Dentistry for doctorate in dental medicine.

Served as an active duty dentist in the United States Army and presently in the Tennessee National Guard.

Being in private practice I get to practice on my own terms and mission. I am one of the few cosmetic dentists in the area who is also a cosmetic injector. This unique combination allows me to offer my patients a wide range of treatments, procedures, and services that are not available at most dental offices, medspas, or facial aesthetic practices.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I had more time than I had money, so a lot of my marketing I did myself and consisted of boots on the ground networking and social media marketing. I met face to face with people and gave people my authentic self. Doctors are often seen as not relatable or don’t have time or interest in patients concerns. So people feel comfortable coming into my practicing because they feel they already know me and are confident that I will partner with them in their care and treat them like I would my family.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Year three in practice ownership I had my second child. I took 4 weeks maternity leave and returned to my ENTIRE team putting in their two week notices of resignation. I spent a few weeks running an entire dental practice by myself with unreliable temporary employees here and there. Luckily, I took the time at my previous employment experiences to learn every role in a dental practice from front to back office.

Many people would give up, but I am making lemonade from lemons. My payroll is lower, which lowers my business overhead. I was forced to stick to my appointment and financial policy systems. And when a potential employee comes, I now have to knowledge on how to be a more effective leader.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://doctortiffanie.com/
• Instagram: www.Instagram.con/definitiondentalstudio
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Definitiondentalstudio
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/dr-tiffanie-garrison-jeter-dmd
• Other: www.definitiondentalstudio.com