About Dr. Timothy K. Johnston
What can I say? I had a really good dentist as a kid.
Dr. Engal made such an impression on me that while other boys were dreaming of red trucks, silver badges, and holsters, mine were filled with dental mirrors, polishing paste, and toothbrush treasure chests.
From an early age, it was decided.
“Tim Johnston” was only my provisional identity. One day my true name would be revealed: Dr. Timothy K. Johnston, DDS
And so it was.
As it turns out, there’s a difference between practicing the kind of dentistry that makes an impressionable 7-year-old want to become a dentist, and practicing the kind of dentistry that’s also profitable.
Everything I needed to learn about profitable dentistry, I did not learn in dental school.
After graduating from dental school 25 years ago, I embarked on the heroic journey of building a private practice from scratch.
I was prepared to work hard, and I did. I was prepared to invest a lot of money, energy, and time, and I did. I was prepared to make a few mistakes, and yes, I did that, too.
I’ve been measuring the returns on my mistakes for more than 25 years.
What I wanted was what most dentists want. A profitable practice, with overhead costs gently extracted. Happy clients, happy hygienists, and, of course, a happy dentist.
By 2010, Norge Dental Center had grown to become a $5 million, mostly-fee-for-service practice, with 16 chairs, 4 dentists, and 8 hygienists. (How’s that for a return on mistakes?)
A few things we do differently around here:
- Accept 125 new patients a month — compared to the 20 new patients a month an average practice is happy to acquire.
- Run on autopilot – almost. We have systems to get patients and systems to keep them. I don’t live at the office, but when I’m here, I love it. So does my staff.
- Attract 20 new patients a month from a single letter — one that doesn’t even have a “real offer” inside. (This letter is shared inside The Cloud 9 Way.)
- Generate above-average profits. The average dentist makes $210k a year, according to the ADA. Each of my associates makes more than that per year, and I do well above that as well.
For years, I’ve presented the tactics responsible for my success to aspiring and practicing dentists through live workshops, Lunch-n-Learn seminars and dental publications.
This is the first time everything I’ve used in my own practice has been offered to dentists who aren’t working with me personally. If you have initiative and an internet connection, The Cloud 9 Way can help you do all I've done, and more.
In moments of weakness, I admit that a part of me is afraid to share all of this. Once everyone finds out, will I need to start working on weekends again?
But the truth is our competition is not other dentists. It’s businesses like Apple, Virgin America, 37signals, Nordstroms and Amazon.
Our patients have come to expect great experiences. It’s time for dentists to elevate our practices to meet those expectations. (And to return to giving patients the kinds of experiences my childhood dentist was giving long ago.)
I created The Cloud 9 Way because I believe there will always be enough patients to fill the practices of dentists who are open to adopt a fresh approach.
I believe more dentists would try a fresh approach if they knew it really would make their practices more fun and profitable.
I believe some of these things are common sense, but others can only be revealed by trial and error.
I believe no one should have to make mistakes if they don’t have to. There is an easier way.