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A Victorian dentist is the brains behind a thriving business model that is taking the inconvenience out of healthcare for his patients. By Cameron Cooper
Dr Darshan Thumar had seen many practice owners adopt the business model of starting up more than one practice as a way of growing their business and servicing more clients. But he knew that model didn’t suit him. “I’ve never dreamt of having multiple dental practices,” says Dr Thumar. “I just wanted to focus on one practice, but to make it so big, comprehensive and unique that people can get all their healthcare needs in one place.”
The owner of Endeavour Smiles Group—formerly known as Smiles First—is fulfilling his professional goal after opening a new one-stop site for dental and allied healthcare in Endeavour Hills, Victoria.
Offering services such as general dentistry, orthodontics, and surgical procedures as well as prosthodontic and endodontic specialities along with cosmetic injectable procedures, beauty therapy and counselling services, the goal is also to progressively bring in other health service practitioners to the custom-designed site, such as dietitians, physiotherapists and myotherapists.
Inspiration for the model comes from Doctor House, a community-style medical centre in India that provides services such as medical, radiology, pathology and skincare in one location. “I’ve visited those centres in India and I thought it was an incredible concept,” Dr Thumar says.
Fast growth
The Indian-born dentist who moved to Australia just over a decade ago has come a long way since joining Smiles First.
Two years after entering the fold, he bought the two-chair practice from his mentor Dr Sofia Monter, who continues to work for the business. It was expanded to four chairs in one year and now the new site has space for eight chairs and employs a team of 12 clinicians and 14 support staff.
The multistorey modern new practice Dr Thumar envisaged was brought into reality by design draftsman Isaias Melegrito, architect Sam Russell from Create Dental, and builder Chris Mantello from Mantec Projects. Despite construction delays and supply-chain issues related to COVID-19, Dr Thumar and the team were able to make his dream come true with hard work and perseverance.
Despite Smiles First having operated for 12 years, Dr Thumar has opted to rebrand using the Endeavour Smiles Group name in order to convey that his target market is broader than one simply seeking dental services. The business’s new slogan is ‘One Place for All Smiles’.
I like the business side of dentistry, but I like dentistry as well, especially orthodontics. I don’t want to leave that because it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction.
Dr Darshan Thumar, owner, Endeavour Smiles Group
Dr Thumar believes the fast growth of the practice is the result of constant work in and on the business, and of his genuine care for the staff and patients. “The product of our business is the trust, the confidence and the care our patients receive. This translates into a huge internal referral system which brings two thirds of new patients to our practice.” One of the biggest and key assets of the practice is his staff, who have played a vital role in the growth of the business.
Convenience factor
Dr Thumar is convinced that his model will result in superior health outcomes for patients. Too often, he says, they put off seeing other dental or healthcare professionals because they lack time or would have to travel to other facilities for treatments. “I think convenience is a big factor,” he says.
Now the patients will be able to get referrals to in-house specialists at the same site, and those practitioners will have immediate access to all the data and records of the patients. His team makes their patients’ comprehensive care very seamless and convenient.
Dr Thumar qualified as a general dentist in 2007 and now enjoys, in particular, restorative and cosmetic work. He has also nurtured his special interest in orthodontics for many years by regularly attending educational courses and seminars, and has received his Fellowship in Orthodontics from the International Association of Orthodontics.
An accredited Invisalign provider, he believes in early intervention for children who have crowded teeth and poor dental habits. Despite his recent focus on business expansion, he has no plans to stop practising. “I like the business side of dentistry, but I like dentistry as well, especially orthodontics. I don’t want to leave that because it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction.”
Dr Thumar wants his staff to keep developing professionally and chase their own dreams inside or outside of dentistry. The new practice will also serve as a training centre for continuous professional development and staff training. Dr Thumar is actively involved in study clubs and mentoring new graduates to set them up for success early in their career.
Actualising ideas
There is no doubt, though, that business development has become Dr Thumar’s other great passion, including taking a “deep dive” into learning human resources so that he can apply those lessons to his practice and employees.
An advocate of personal development and business coaching, which he credits with transforming the trajectory of his career and practice, Dr Thumar acknowledges outstanding mentors who have helped him improve his business acumen. “I have changed a lot in terms of my mindset and my habits and the way I think. One of the main things I have learnt is the importance of implementation. There’s plenty of information everywhere about everything, but in business the key thing is to implement your ideas. It’s as simple as that.”
As Endeavour Smiles Group continues to grow, he will be counting on that commitment to implementation to keep the business growing and delivering great results—for the business, the team, and his patients.
