Smile Clinic Group

Transform your business

We hear about how Henry Schein is supporting the Smile Clinic Group and the crucial role it has played in the business’s momentous transformation

With 12 clinics across the south east – and more in the pipeline – the last few years have seen the Smile Clinic Group grow from strength to strength.

Jin Vaghela, Jit Vaghela and Kish Patel, its three founders, have opened up about how Henry Schein has proved essential to the running of their business.

Jin described their assistance as ‘fantastic’ when it comes to purchasing new practices.

‘As we’ve grown now to 12 sites, our vision is to grow even further,’ he said.

‘To do that, we need practices, and there are some amazing agents out there who we work with.

‘One of them is MediEstates. They’ve been fantastic.

‘We work closely with them – they send us practices and organise the viewings as well.

‘Something happening in dentistry at the moment, as we all know, is challenges with recruitment.

‘We work closely with MediCruit, so if there are any issues or shortages of staff, the team at MediCruit has been amazing.’

Jit added: ‘The collaboration with Henry Schein from the beginning was fantastic. The support they provided our team has been incredible.

‘They integrated really well with us as directors and managers and brought in Software of Excellence, which has been really transformational in how we operate.’

Another level

Kish adds that they have also assisted Smile Clinic Group on the investment side of the business.

‘Henry Schein has been instrumental in helping us grow the business – not just from a stock and ordering side, but also from investing in our site,’ he said.

‘We’ve bought four CBCT scanners and multiple chairs. It’s been a seamless transition, all the way from ordering and right up to the installation. But also, from the financial side. As you can imagine, it’s a huge investment, and it required no deposits.’

Kate Battrick is a field sales consultant for Henry Schein who looks after the entire Smile Clinic Group.

‘I was introduced to the guys about five years ago through Mark Knight, a practice manager over in Norfolk,’ said Kate.

‘I really had to demonstrate the value that I could add to the group. Ultimately, it was down to them to embrace everything that we were able to do for them, which they’ve done really well.

‘There were four practices and now there are 12. It’s great to see how they’ve grown.

‘From my point of view, working with such an energetic group is really exciting.

‘Newly acquired practices are often very reticent and nervous about change. I’m able to go in and explain to them that not only will the group invest in the practices, but they will invest in the team as well.

‘I can say that hand on heart, as I’ve witnessed it over the years.

‘They’ve transformed practices and really lifted them to another level.

It’s great working with them and I feel the trust is mutual. I trust them and they trust me, and they depend on me.

‘But having the support of other parts of the business, Medi and Software of Excellence, has been instrumental in the growth of the business.’

With you every step of the way

Henry Schein understands there are many pressures of running a dental practice that can occasionally take you away from focusing purely on your patients.

That’s why Henry Schein has a vast array of services and solutions combined with expert sales consultants to help guide you and transform your practice. There’s no need to ‘shop around’ for services and solutions.

From practice management software and recruitment to financial services and products to grow private revenues and business income, Henry Schein can introduce you to partners who can offer relevant expertise at every step of your journey, all through one dealer.

The support they provided our team has been incredible

Jin Vaghela Jit Vaghela

Kate Battrick

Kish Patel

To see how Henry Schein Dental can transform your business, please visit www.hsdental.co/transform

The Power of One: Partnering with Henry Schein for business success

The founders of the smile clinic Group talk to The Probe about the pivotal role Henry Schein has played in the transformation of their business

Jin Vaghela, Jit Vaghela and Kish Patel are the founders of the Smile Clinic Group, a family of 15 practices across the southeast and beyond - with more on the way - that has seen its business go from strength to strength.

Jin, Jit and Kish have been very open about the way that Henry Schein has proved essential to the realisation of their ambitious plans. Here they talk about the key ways Henry Schein has helped the business achieve their rapid success.

how has henry schein supported you on the investment side of your business?

Kish: Henry Schein has been instrumental in helping us grow the business on the stock and ordering side, and also in helping us invest in our practice sites. We have bought four CBCT scanners and several dental chairs through the Company and it has been a seamless transition, from ordering right through to installation.

From the financial side, as you can imagine, it has been a huge investment but it was quick and easy with Henry Schein’s help.

Another great advantage of working with Henry Schein is the third-party benefits that are available. For example, Lloyds Bank Cardnet has been incredible in terms of our payment systems and card merchant services. Henry Schein can secure discounted rates with its business partners, and this has saved Smile Clinic Group thousands of pounds annually.

Kate Battrick, Field Sales Consultant at Henry Schein who looks after the entire Smile Clinic Group, is our main contact and has been instrumental in helping us access the help we needed.

how have the specialists within henry schein helped your recruitment and future plans for the business?

Jin: So far, we have expanded to 15 sites, and our vision is to grow even further. To do that we need to acquire practices and we have been working closely with

MediEstates, a Henry Schein Company, who sends us details of practices to consider, organises viewings and can help with the entire purchasing process. As we are all aware, recruitment is also a challenge in dentistry at the moment. We work closely with MediCruit which is also part of the Company, to help us find the right staff. In addition, if there are ever any issues with staff shortage, the team at MediCruit are always responsive and efficient.

how has software of excellence helped you grow the business?

Jit: From the outset the collaboration and support Henry Schein has provided for our team, and for us as managers as well, has been fantastic. Bringing on board Software of Excellence (SOE), a Henry Schein One brand whose practice management software is now rolled out throughout the group, has been transformational in how we manage and operate the practices. In particular, we are getting enormous value out of the My Practice Cloud platform which gives us great visibility across the entire group. It is centrally controlled, and it is helping us to grow the group very effectively.

The SOE team attends our monthly management meetings in person, and they organise webinars and training as well. The SOE Academy programme has been fantastic for our staff, from reception to managers to our trainee nurses, in helping us upskill and learn how to get the most out of the software. SOE’s support has just been incredible.

What about the digital investments you have made?

Jit: Investing in digital equipment and software has always been really important to us. All three of us still practise clinical dentistry, and my particular interest is in implant dentistry. 3D imaging with CBCT is essential to us in providing precise, high-quality treatment.

When it came to looking at digital equipment and investing in CBCT, Henry Schein was my go-to source. They were instrumental in developing the plans for the practice and were

involved in the whole refit process including the addition of a new surgery. They installed the CBCT scanner and provided staff training thereafter as well, and this has revolutionised how we operate within the practice.

We have gone from having one CBCT scanner to having four across the group with plans for another three to be installed. What this ultimately means is that we can keep our services in house and give an optimal treatment provision to our patients. n

With you every step of the way

Henry Schein has a vast array of services and solutions combined with expert sales consultants to help guide you and transform your practice.

From supplies, dental equipment, digital technology and software to recruitment, practice valuations and finance, Henry Schein can introduce you to partners who can offer the relevant expertise on every step of your journey, all through one dealer.

To see how henry schein can help you transform your business, visit info.henryschein.co.uk/one-schein

Twitter: @henryscheinUK

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Linkedin: henry schein Dental UK

Jin Vaghela

Jit Vaghela

Kish Patel