Irene: When did you know you wanted to open your own practice?
Michelle: In 2015, the entrepreneurial vision began. Why? I’ve always had a passion for health. For wellness. For connection. For beautiful SMILES. My beginning was a shift. A shift in how the delivery of healthcare services can be provided when we recognize the connection between overall wellness and oral health. But that was just the beginning. I am a mother to two incredible young humans and they are my everything. Having a schedule that fit the needs of my family, with a mother that could take the TIME when needed. I injected me into my practice. A practice where my patients feel valued, where they are an extension of a Blooming Smiles family. A culture. A practice where we laugh, we cry, WE bloom. Where our patients know they can leave their worries at the door. Now, it’s not easy. Nothing worth the hurdles and hustle ever is. I wanted to show my children that hard work, dedication and commitment are worth every single effort. Some days are going to be challenging and those days are worth it. I wanted to show them that they can dream big. That they can accomplish anything they put their minds to. Today. I am grateful. I am fuelled. I chose. There’s always a beginning. I am forever grateful for this beginning. For both the personal and professional journey. The growth. The relationships formed. The connection with the communities. The Blooming Smiles Family. The culture I’ve created.
Irene: How long did it take you from the inception of the idea to actually making the motions to open?
Michelle: From inception of the idea to the initial satellite practice was four months. What started as a satellite practice has now, almost four years later, grown into an expanding storefront Dental Hygiene Clinic with a growing team of professionals.
Irene: In the planning phase, what was the most challenging part for you?
Michelle: The concept of independent dental hygiene practice in 2015 was completely foreign to our region. The educational component to the inner workings of dental hygiene practice and articulating my passion for this profession, as well as a delivery method of preventative services, posed to be quite a challenge. Ensuring that professional relationships were fostered within the dental community to allow for a smoother integration of independent dental hygiene practice.
Irene: What is one thing looking back you wish you had done differently in the planning phase of your practice?
Michelle: I can’t place one particular thing I would have done differently. I have learned throughout the process. And still continue to do so. I believe that you make decisions with the best of strategic planning methods, but through trial and error and adaptation phases evolve.
