the wealthy dentist

Manfred Purtzki, CPA, CA, is a principal in the Vancouver office of Purtzki Johansen & Associates. He can be reached at: Manfred@purtzki.com or 604-669-7558.

Create your own market 10 tips for success in a saturated market

Three years ago, Dr. Arnaldo Lopez left his associateship to start a brand-new practice from scratch in the most dentally saturated area of MiamiDade county. He started with zero patients but now three years later he sees about 100 patients per month. How can he do so well in such a competitive market? In the magazine Dental Economics, he summarizes the strategies of achieving this exponential growth. (And while his practice is in Florida, the same applies to any saturated market, whether Toronto or Calgary.) He began establishing a marketing budget, which was initially 15% of revenues, which he’s now dropped to 10%. Ninety days before he opened his doors, he started a direct-mail marketing campaign. He continued with direct mail, because he did not have the funds for digital marketing. He had his staff manage an Instagram account for his practice and worked on growing his Google reviews to increase his exposure. As the practice grew, the marketing developed into a separate department of the clinic, which required the need for a new-patient coordinator. This staff member’s job was to ensure that the community was aware of his brand. She managed the direct-mail campaigns and attended health fairs, community events, business networking events and local fundraisers— anything that would create awareness of his practice. Having the new-patient coordinator’s single focus on marketing was critical in building his success. 1 In-office referrals. Ask your favourite patients to send you more patients just like them. 2 Online reviews. Again, ask your favourite patients to tell others about the great experience at the office. Don’t leave it up to them to do it later; encourage them to write the review while they’re still in your office. 3 Website redesign and advertising. You’ll need a good budget for this but it does work…just make sure you use a reputable company. 4 Online presence. Include your Google My Business account and add photos of your practice online. 6 Community presence.

Snap and share pictures at community events. 7 Philosophy. Broadcast your practice philosophy to attract patients who share your same ideals. It works like magic. 8 New-patient coordinator. Hire a new-patient coordinator and send this staff member into your community. Attend every event possible within a 5-km radius of your practice. Create print materials to distribute at these events. 9 Direct mail to patients. Mail to your current patient database and let them know what you’re up to and what your values are. Share with the world what makes your office important. People want to know what you’re passionate about; it’s what Dr. Lopez portrays to his patients every day. 10 Email campaign. Start an email campaign to stimulate patient referrals. Even the busiest of markets has space for exponential growth

5 Before-and-after. Upload photos of great patient results to your website and social media feeds. Dr. Lopez’ favourite quote is from Walt Disney: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” And that’s what he’s done.

sudoku 2 harder solution sudoku 1 easiersolution

solution from January/ F ebruary 2020 contest

3 6 1 8 5 4 7 8 2 9 9 2 5 1 4 8 4 3 5 6 2 5 7 4 3 6 1 9 7 2 1 8 6 3 7 5 9 4 6 1 7 3 2 9 8

7 2 9 4 6 3 1 5 3 7 1 9 9 1 8 5 5 4 2 8 4 6

6 8 7 2 8 6 4 3 2 9 3 7 5 1 Puzzle by websudoku.com

solution from page 37

7 4 3 8 9 5 2 1 7 4 8 6 9 2 5 9 1 4 5 3 6 5 2 4 1 3 8 7 6 2 4 3 8 1 7 1 7 6 9 8 2 9 5 3 6

6 2 1 5 3 8 1 4 7 6 8 3 9 1 5 9 2 5 4 7

9 6 3 7 2 8 7 9 5 4 6 2 4 3 8 1 Puzzle by websudoku.com

For Canadian Dentists of British Columbia

clockwise from top left Sunrise over Horseshoe Falls; Family-run Honsberger Estate Winery was originally a farm; Soaking in the vineyard views at Two Sisters; Locally caught pickerel on the menu at Vineland Estates; Boardwalk that parallels Class VI rapids along the Whitewater Walk

beyond the falls

After the spray of that famous waterfall, discover the rest of the Niagara Peninsula

story + photography by Lisa kadane

It’s just 80 metal steps from the top of the Niagara escarpment down into Niagara Glen, but it feels like a journey back in time. The lower I descend, the more the limestone cliff walls soar above me, revealing 250-million-year-old trilobite fossils imprinted into the easily eroded shale along the Cliffside Trail. I’m only seven kilometres from Niagara Falls, Canada’s most well known natural wonder visited by 12 million people annually. On this network of trails that cuts through a lush forest, however, I’m alone. The famous waterfall crashed down in this very spot some 8,000 years ago, but as the waters’ power eroded the land, the falls travelled south to their present location. In its place, a Carolinian forest of broad-leaf trees flourished thanks to the relatively warm and humid climate nurtured by the surrounding Great Lakes. I hike past tulip trees, a kind of magnolia, and 800-year-old white cedars. Moss covers everything from fallen logs to giant boulders. It feels downright Jurassic all the way to the river’s edge, where water courses down the Niagara Gorge in a tumult of rapids and eddies. It’s as though I’ve stumbled upon a secret world. I almost forget where I am until a jet boat packed with tourists whizzes up-river, snapping me back to reality. This secluded hiking spot is one of many surprises I discover on the Niagara Peninsula. In the days that follow I’ll visit quaint wineries, a top-notch theatre in a postcard-cute town, and an educational museum, all close to the area’s namesake calling card. I first visited Niagara Falls as a teenager over three decades ago, on a day trip from Toronto. My mom and I posed for the obligatory misty photo close to the brink, and rode up to the top of the Skylon Tower for a birds-eye view of both Horseshoe Falls and American Falls. Then we called it a day. I have no memory of the Coney-Island-meets-Las-Vegas vibe of adjacent Clifton Hill, where tourists meander the midway, waiting in line to play dinosaur mini golf, ride the new multilevel go-kart speedway or visit the wax museum. In the past 30 years the Canadian side has been built up. There’s a new casino, and construction is nearly complete on an adjacent entertainment centre. You can even zipline above the Niagara River toward Horseshoe Falls for a thrill. The real draw, though, is still the falls. They’re even more magnificent than my childhood memory—a ceaseless torrent that churns 7,500 bathtubs worth of water over the brink every second. They create a constant mist, a deafening roar and an eternal rainbow that shifts between the American and Canadian border. Their power is mesmerizing and it’s easy to understand why this spectacle of nature has drawn daredevils, tourists and honeymooners since the 1820s. In fact, marriage proposals are still common onboard the Hornblower Niagara Cruises boats, which ferry poncho-clad sightseers into the mist of Horseshoe Falls multiple times a day. I learn about the falls’ history of romance and derring-do in bits and bobs as our group explores the water works in different ways. We do the Journey Behind the Falls to travel through tunnels under Horseshoe Falls and feel the thundering vibrations as the surge of water shakes the bedrock above. Along the Whitewater Walk, a wooden boardwalk that parallels the Niagara River and its frothing Class VI rapids, interpretive signs describe the rapids, the region’s geology and the history of the falls’ barrel riders and tightrope walkers.

PERMANENT, FULL-TIME ASSOCIATE

The Hay River Dental Clinic is currently looking for a permanent, full-time Associate to join our team! We are a busy family clinic with a relaxed atmosphere, and friendly sta. If you are looking for a change of scenery from your current clinic or looking for a new adventure, we are the clinic for you. You will be able to utilize a majority of your dental skills in our busy practice. Our little town has lots to oer such as sports, leisure and social activities. New grads welcome to apply!

For more information, call Jillian at 867-874-6663 or send your resume to jillian@hayriverdentalclinic.com or fax to 867-874-3233.

Dental Auxiliary IOS Scanner Support / Sales

We are seeking a vibrant, personable individual to join our team in a scanner and laboratory sales role. Primary duties include: calling on dentists to demonstrate, train, and support the sales of intraoral scanners while offering laboratory services.

• Provide presentations to prospective clients. • Display and demonstrate intraoral scanners. • Train clients to use intraoral scanning technology. • Offer Protec’s laboratory services. • Travel out-of-town up to two days per week. • Attend study clubs, tradeshows, and conventions. • Drive company vehicle within Greater Vancouver.

The ideal candidate should have intraoral scanner knowledge and experience. This is a full-time role. Reply to: humanresources@protecdental.com

After a day or so of waterfall “immersion,” I’m ready to escape the crowds. It’s a quick drive to adorable Niagara-on-the Lake for shopping and theatre and, as a budding oenophile, I’m excited to visit nearby wine country. About the same time I was admiring Niagara Falls with my mom, the first wine grapes were being planted in the region. There are now 97 VQA wineries on the Niagara Peninsula, from boutique operations to large estates. The same summer climate that sustains a Carolinian forest is also ideal for growing wine grapes such as Riesling and Cabernet Franc, but being in Canada poses unique challenges.

“We fight nature here all the time,” confides Kelly Mason, the winemaker at Honsberger Estate Winery while we sip the 2018 rosé at the outdoor patio bistro. Humidity from the surrounding lakes, combined with an early frost some years, can spell trouble for grapes. Winemakers work with the conditions by positioning their vines to take advantage of natural airflow and by vigilantly watching the fall forecast. In addition to grapes, everything else grows well here, from peaches and apples to most vegetables. In fact, Niagara has become somewhat of a foodie paradise.

“One thing that’s grown with the wine is the food industry in Niagara,” confirms David Hulley over lunch at Vineland Estates Winery. “We live farm to table here.”

We dine on red pepper bisque paired with sauvignon blanc, then move on to Lake Erie pickerel washed down with buttery chardonnay. For dessert, there’s light vanilla bean cheesecake served with sweet Vidal Icewine. It’s all delicious. The inspired dining and wine sipping carry on at Peller Estates and Two Sisters Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. The man versus nature theme continues at the Welland Canals Centre in St. Catharines, where humans’ quest to tame the land is detailed with historic accuracy. The Great Lakes have always been a way to ship goods between Thunder Bay and the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River, but getting into the upper lakes was difficult because of Niagara Falls. The solution was the Welland Canal, an engineering marvel completed in 1923. Its eight concrete locks rise up 99 metres in 43 kilometres (the highest canal lift west of China) and make it comparatively easy to transport natural resources east, or manufactured products west, along the inland waterway. It’s interesting to think of Niagara Falls as an obstacle to be overcome rather than a wonder to witness.

On our last night in the area we watch a performance of Brigadoon at the renowned Shaw Festival Theatre in Niagaraon-the-Lake. The classic musical is a tale of adventurers who get lost in the Scottish highlands and end up travelling back in time to an enchanted town called Brigadoon, which isn’t what it seems. It’s an apt metaphor for my return to Niagara Falls, which has been its own journey back in time. I’ve learned about daredevils and romantics, winemakers and engineers, and I’ve discovered my own secret and ancient world at Niagara Glen. Though the spectacular waterfall is what draws people here, upon arrival they realize the region is so much more than a natural wonder. if you go Discover Niagara’s charms at niagarafalls tourism.com and southern Ontario’s at ontario travel.net.