Vision and strategy: the journey to practice ownership

From associate to award-winning owner – Zain Remy explains how perseverance and sticking to his vision laid the path to practice ownership.

Nine years ago after qualifying from King’s College London, I would have never anticipated that practice ownership was the pathway I would take.

As an associate dentist I went to quite a few interviews. I researched private clinics within my 10 mile radius but I had to extend the radius to 40 miles to find a practice with values aligning similarly to mine.

I finally found a clinic that had a great patient journey, good brand and state of the art technology. To top it all off, a dentist I had previously worked well with – we had great discussions with around pre-planning and case reflection – also worked here. Finally the teamwork I was looking for! During the interview process, I started answering some of the questions in terms of what I could bring to the clinic.

I presented my clinical portfolio to the principal and explained the professional relationships I had worked hard to create with brands. In addition, I discussed the monetised social media that was creating leads for full arch clinical cases. I felt that the practice principal did not like the idea of building my personal brand in their clinic, so I managed to talk myself out of committing to a job at this practice.

I now had two options – either I find a clinic which may require moving away from the north east, or create the vision and strategy of what I envisaged private dentistry to be by starting my very own clinic.  

The challenges of business ownership

I had no clue where to even start: what is an EBITDA? Leasehold versus freehold? Care plan versus maintenance plan? What if it fails? What if no one will pay for the time and see the value? Do I team up with another clinician or investor?

All of these questions were ringing around my head. Some personal challenges had also arisen – my wife was expecting a baby and we had just gone through COVID, a time which many practice principles in private clinics struggled to navigate.

I teamed up with a broker who talked me through scaling up a business and what to look for. I knew that I wanted to create my own private plans, all built around evidence-based dentistry, and I did not want to purchase a clinic with an NHS contract. Additionally, I wanted the freedom to provide general clinical dentistry with the fee built into the time on treatments. In addition, I knew the idea of going into partnership with another clinician wouldn’t work as I did not want to make any compromises on creating my own vision.

As I was finding the right practice for me, I decided to locum without being tied into a long-term associate contract to save and raise the capital for a practice purchase. I built my five-year business strategy, which involved a full business plan to present to the bank and broker to get the maximum funds.

Getting started

I eventually chose a clinic in Bishop Auckland, an up and coming area with heavy investment and new entertainment complexes being built. In the end, I did take a huge risk by purchasing a care plan clinic. I knew I would have challenges as I was warned off by influential figures and accountants in the dental field.

I then connected with a business broker, financial planners and accountants. Pre-planning is essential – but no matter how much pre-planning is carried out, there is always something you cannot account for.

Some of my early considerations were:

• Fees and charges – I developed a traffic light system to give a range of options
• Practice model – I knew that I liked working with the full scope of practice and adapted this for private practice
• Atmosphere – I enjoyed top tier service from various resorts and spas, something I wanted to bring to my dental clinic and team
• Hours – I looked at opening times of clinics in the north east and there were not many open late nights and weekends, which provided a niche for me to fill.

Learning to fail

I broke advice on many occasions and made my own choices – some were right and some were wrong. Ask any principal or business owner and they will tell you that if you are not willing to take the risk by learning to fail then you will never succeed.

Some risks that I took and learned from were:

• A name change to include the word ‘cosmetic’
• Investing in an open day
• Changing plan provider
• Utilising a hygiene and therapy model – patients did not take to this so I had to adapt it
• Moving away from suppliers that did not share the same ethos
• A high turnover on reception to ensure the front of house was right for patients.

Losing patients to ensure that new patients valued the type of dentistry and enhanced service I could bring was important in the development of the growth of the business.

The purchase

I initially created a business plan and vision that incorporated a detailed patient journey flowchart that encompassed the whole dental team as well the Auckland core values that had I produced:

• Integrity – we believe in acting ethically and adhere to the highest professional standards to maintain trust within the community
• Quality – we promise to deliver high calibre dental care through clinical excellency, continuous professional development and the latest technology and equipment
• Collaboration – we believe working together is a fundamental element of dental care and patient treatment which includes teamwork within the practice and building partnerships with other organisations
• Participation – we consider honest and open communication is key to building trust. We welcome new ideas to elevate the care we offer to patients
• Sustainability – we are committed to delivering optimal oral healthcare while recognising our environmental and social responsibility for future generations of our community and respecting the world’s natural resources.

Since my purchase in October 2023 I have fully followed my strategy. There are times when you get that uncomfortable feeling and have to really remind yourself why you are doing it. This is where my strategy comes in, which I always refer to and reflect on. Quitting is not an option and its so important that during recruitment you hire the right people to ensure that they are as motivated to implement the strategy as you are.

Awards and recognition

Many of my strategies were built around FMC and its awards. If you have a look at the awards criteria and strive to implement them into your practice you will achieve new heights. This is what I fixate on – both with my own personal journey and at Auckland Cosmetic Dental Clinic.

Since I gained the confidence to apply with no expectations, I have developed every year. I have now picked up accolades such as Best Young Dentist North and Highly Commended Practice of the Year North at the Dentistry Awards 2025 and Highly Commended Best New Practice North at the Private Dentistry Awards 2024.

The people you surround yourself with in the dental community ensure you stay motivated and grounded in your clinical skills. This is why I love attending dental awards.

If I do not walk away with an award, it’s not the end of the world. What’s remarkable is seeing practice owners, dentists and dental teams putting themselves and their work out there. I admire the time and effort candidates put in to continually develop. The earlier you adopt this mindset of growth and push yourself, the better your skillset becomes.

Every time I go to the awards, I find myself socialising with exceptional talent of ambitious dentists and practice staff. As a principal dentist, I find the sacrifices other principals have gone through exceptional – not only in their careers and putting their team first but also their personal lives. I have never met such humble, grounded people, all there to celebrate with their teams. Award applications are not easy and to even be shortlisted you put a lot of hard work into a portfolio.

The awards are genuinely the most exciting events in my calendar. I always clear my schedule – the ceremonies are the best social and networking events each year.

Finding connection

I am constantly looking for opportunities to share what I have learned over the years with other dental professionals and business people.

I have created a Facebook group for any practice owners or associates looking to take that step into practice ownership. Every week I write up a personal reflection with a view to opening up a discussion in the group. This is a support group for those on the journey of practice ownership, about to embark on that journey or thinking about embarking on the journey.

Dentistry and practice ownership at times can be such a lonely place – let’s connect and support each other in a positive way.

I’ve also shared my experiences as a podcast guest, including: ‘What it takes to start a dental practice in 2025’ with James Martin, CEO of Dentists Who Invest, and ‘Sharing associate stories’ with Alex Sharp, CEO of Dental Disruptors.

Word of advice

Business is never a straight path to success – I now have a true appreciation of what other business owners go through. Trust me, if the motivation is for the money then you will fail miserably. If you are thinking you will get a return of investment in five years you are so wrong!

My challenge has been making tough decisions and ensuring that the work ethic is followed by every employee that comes onboard at Auckland. Also,
learning to lead rather than manage my team in order to ensure my vision and strategy come through. You cannot do everything yourself – there is not enough time in the day!

My wife keeps me grounded and ensures I do not overspend! I still remember a speech at the Dentistry Awards by the legend Dr Paul Tipton: ‘Behind every successful man is a supportive woman.’ We truly are a team in every decision made, whether right or wrong, is navigated like a team.

If you are thinking of purchasing your first clinic, please listen to podcasts, do your research and write down what you want to achieve in five years. Do not let other principals put you off and say you cannot do it! No business is the same and this is what I have come to realise. It’s okay to take calculated risks as long as you can learn from any failed decisions. Everyone has their own journey and trust me, I’ve never regretted purchasing my practice!

My focus remains on expanding, refining, and pushing the boundaries of what can be possible in dentistry. This is just the beginning.