Believe, Care, Enjoy

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Believe, Care, Enjoy.

At 93, David Blackshear reflects on 63 years at Atlanta Dental, where he made it a point to do better than the day before.

By Laura Thill

David P. Blackshear - Past President, Atlanta Dental

A career that spans nearly seven decades is

rare. Even more unique is being able to call a single company home for 68 years. For David P. Blackshear, a past president and owner of Atlanta Dental, his company and work experience has provided him with a lifetime of growth and an opportunity to build a distinct character and lasting relationships.

Not only has Blackshear adhered to a philosophy of dedication and drive, he has always recognized that the ability to truly enjoy one’s work can deeply impact one’s success. “My goal has always been to do better than the day before,” he says.

“It’s essential to love your work and do it better every day. If you don’t like your work, learn to love it.” In fact, through the years he has learned to appreciate his competition and enjoy the challenge of establishing himself as an industry leader – the key to which has been to surround himself with “great people,” he points out. And perhaps most importantly: “Never sell out.”

Post-war shortage

After completing three years in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Blackshear joined Atlanta Dental in 1949. It was a move that made sense. “I had family in the business, and following World War II, most businesses had a shortage of manpower.” At the time, the distributorship was located in the Candler Building in downtown Atlanta. His father, Perry Blackshear, and his father’s partner, Milton Goolsby, together owned the company. “I was one of 26 employees and was hired as a receiving clerk,” he recalls.

Blackshear worked his way through the chain of command, learning the business from the ground up. “I soon became a merchandise clerk in charge of stocking products,” he says.

“After that, I took a temporary assignment in one of our Florida territories, filling in for a sales rep who had a health issue.”

Next, he moved back to Atlanta to begin a position in the tooth department, as well as in dental design and the equipmentordering department.

From there, Blackshear became a junior partner and began learning the financial side of the business. “Eventually, I purchased Atlanta Dental from my father,” he explains. “I took on a partner – Bill Gorman – who purchased Milton’s shares of the business.”

As the new president, Blackshear brought to Lt. David Blackshear Atlanta Dental a fresh management style: “I believed in managing by staying out of the way,” he says. “I felt that if we maintained the culture of doing the right thing with every decision, we would be successful.”

New technology, new relationships

The dental industry today bears little resemblance to the Dental Explorer | Four th Quar ter 2017

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way it looked 68 years ago, notes Blackshear. For one, whereas dentists at one time stood for hours at a time, today’s clinicians examine patients and perform procedures while seated in ergonomically designed seating. Along with technical advances, 4-handed dentistry became possible, he points out. Handpiece speed has continued to increase through the years, from 4,500 rpm seven decades ago to as high as 450,000 rpm today. Time saving, efficient technologies such as digital x-ray, cone beam, impression scanners and mills have become the norm, leading to bigger and better changes in office design.

“It’s essential to love your work and do it better everyday.”

Tom Richardson (President, Atlanta Dental), Gary Kirkus (CEO, Atlanta Dental), David Blackshear

- David Blackshear, past president, Atlanta Dental

“When I joined the industry, Atlanta Dental was one of 18 members of the Southern Dealers Association,” says Blackshear. Most of these distributors were family-owned businesses, and the culture was great. “Eventually, Healthco came along and bought out some of the independent dealers, forming a nationwide distributorship. At the same time, the independents joined forces to form a co-op.” Whether these changes have been for the better or worse may be a matter of perspective for some. But one thing is for certain, “These changes gave birth to the Full Service Supplier,” he says. In fact, while chairman of the American Dental Trade Association Business Operations Committee, Blackshear and other committee members studied at ADTA Wharton Bill Gorman, David Blackshear School of Business, with a focus on developing the Full Service Supplier program. “The program teaches retail sales reps how to demonstrate to customers the many added values of products and services offered by a Full Service Supplier,” he says. “We wanted to get away from the term, dealer, and use supplier instead. We must always do those extra things that lead every member of the dental office to consider us a trusted partner.”

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Advances in technology and the evolution of full-service suppliers have led to a change in relationship dynamics, notes Blackshear. For instance, today’s independent distributor reps are in closer touch with upper management at their organization, as well as with their local manufacturer reps.

But, some things have defied change, he points out. A focus on quality products, acceptable profit margins, and fair pricing is as strong today as it was 68 years ago, he notes. And, local manufacturer reps who assist the Atlanta Dental team have remained equally important, he points out.

“I believed in managing by staying out of the way.”

- David Blackshear, past president, Atlanta Dental

A strong connection

For Blackshear, a strong connection with colleagues and the industry at large has remained a guiding force for nearly seven decades. “Today, I continue to stay involved in Atlanta Dental’s monthly board of directors meetings, whether in attending them in person or via video,” he says. “This is a strong team, of which I am glad to be a part. Atlanta Dental has great managers and employees, all of whom strive to do the right thing, while continuing to enjoy their work.

“I’ve always said, it’s important to believe, care twice as much and enjoy what you do (B + C2 = E),” Blackshear continues.

“Care about your customers, your colleagues and your family.

Always believe in your faith and your friends. Always believe in your faith, do the right thing and follow through on what you say you will do.”

Positive and Responsible

More often than not, the most important lessons begin at home. For David P. Blackshear, retired president of Atlanta Dental, some of the best advice he has received came from his parents. “My mom and dad, Perry and Dorothy Blackshear, taught me everything,” he says. “They taught me to always tell the truth and to be responsible for myself. They encouraged and supported me in my early years, while I was working my way up to an Eagle Scout.

They also taught me the importance of building both friendships and business relationships.” But, if he had to choose one over the other, “my parents taught me to favor the friendship over business every time. A friendship is harder to reestablish.

“It’s important to believe, care twice as much and enjoy what you do.”

- David Blackshear, past president, Atlanta Dental

“At one point, my parents moved to an area in Atlanta that has a great, new Presbyterian church,” he continues.

“They were faith leaders who [valued] being part of a good church community and being able to walk to services throughout the week. My parents taught others the importance of remaining steadfast in their faith.”

There were other mentors who shaped Blackshear’s early years – including his first years in the dental business – as well. For instance, his older brother, Perry Jr., who is now 95, “taught me to be positive and to be responsible for myself,” he says. His son, Captain ‘D.’ Blackshear, an entrepreneur with a successful charter fishing and hunting reserve business, lives by the words, “Do more than you must to finish the job.” But, if anyone captured dental sales in a nutshell, it may have been H. Park Englett, a well-known Atlanta Dental School sales rep at Emory.

Englett would say, a rep in a relationship with a customer must be “as indispensable as that first morning cup of coffee!”

“David has been much more than a mentor to me – as well as to others – because of his true friendship and humor, and his genuine belief in all of us at Atlanta Dental to succeed.”

- Gary Kirkus, CEO and chairman of the board of Atlanta Dental

Gary Kirkus (CEO, Atlanta Dental), David Blackshear

More than a mentor

Gary Kirkus, CEO and chairman of the board of Atlanta Dental, first met David P. Blackshear 45 years ago, when he was completing his first job search out of school. “I was a recent architectural graduate and David Blackshear interviewed me to be Atlanta Dental’s first dental office designer,” he recalls. “What a break for me!”

It wasn’t long before Kirkus realized what an “extremely creative, entrepreneurial and charismatic” industry figure his new employer was. Blackshear’s many contributions to the dental industry include being the founder of the American Dental Cooperative (ADC/NDC) and chairman of the American Dental Trade Association (now DTA). As president and CEO of Atlanta Dental Supply, Blackshear has continued a company tradition by transitioning ownership to 12 employees (currently 31), as long as they agreed to run the company as an independent distributor. In fact, Kirkus is often approached by others in the industry who wish to “tell me what David has meant to them in the business, especially because of the true friendship he [has always] projected toward other people.”

“Mr. Blackshear has been much more than a mentor to me – as well as to others – because of his true friendship and humor, and his [genuine] belief in all of us at Atlanta Dental [to succeed],” Kirkus continues. “We are so proud to still have him participating in – and contributing to – our board of directors every month.” Indeed, Blackshear has created “an entrepreneurial environment” at Atlanta Dental, which has encouraged employees to contribute innovative ideas through the years, he points out. As a result, the 149-year-old company has remained “a strong, independent employee-owned company with a very rich history,” he says. “Last year, at 91 years old, David spoke at our annual awards banquet to over 270 employees, spouses and manufacturer partners about what the industry means to him, and how proud he is that the Atlanta Dental Supply legacy continues to move forward!”

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