Bill Blatchford, DDS Dental Economics
A strong vision and purpose in life allowed Dr. Susan Weyers to be extremely successful in the highly competitive Scottsdale market. She created a profitable practice by staying small. With just two cross-trained team members, she practiced her version of “better, not bigger.”
In our book, Playing Your “A” Game, Susan shared how Team Weyers produced about $60K a month with team bonuses after $33K in a 13-day work cycle. Hygiene was filled for three days, and Dr. Weyers worked three-and-a-half full days. Her lab bill is 13 percent, which means her team is doing between four and six units of dentistry a day at the current fee of $1,010.
We titled the chapter about Dr. Weyers “A Real Survivor,” since she had survived two breast cancer diagnoses and treatments without missing a day of dentistry. She felt her two team members had been to “hell and back.” With the cancer diagnosis, Dr. Weyers felt she was seeing the practice and patients with “new eyes,” for the “profitability is now defined as how I live my life each day, whether I am at work or not. I am learning the practice is just an extension of my life. I have been blessed beyond belief in every aspect, and my practice is simply another way to touch people’s lives and by doing so, enriching my own.”
Early on, Susan’s practice was her life. She started from scratch in Carefree 16 years ago, living with her sister and brother-in-law to save money. She knew Carefree would eventually prosper, and it did. Last year, she was named No. 3 in the “Top 50 Dentists” as published in 101 North magazine. She was especially honored because this was the result of reader surveys. Yet, three of the busiest dentists in Carefree had originally told her, “Too many here; we don’t need you.”
Encouraged by others, Dr. Weyers was in the first PAC-live class and proceeded to drop amalgams and extractions. Combining that with business coaching from Blatchford, the cancer diagnosis allowed her to really test her practice. She believed the reasons she was able to continue practicing during her treatments were:
- She needed to continue with an established pattern for continuity and hope.
- Her two team members were extremely supportive of continuing.
- All solid systems were in place.
- Her vision and direction were crystal clear.
- Patients related and wanted to be part of her recovery.
Susan said, “It was important for me to continue. Cancer was very transparent and now I am so much closer to my patients and they feel that, too. Patients would say, ‘You are so positive.’ You do not know how you will react. I just live my life and it seems to draw people in.”
Dr. Weyers married for the first time at age 41 to Matt Clark, a SWAT team leader for the Phoenix Police Department. Susan said, “The cancer scare brought depth to our wedding vows. Though a tremendously difficult experience, a great relationship is even better.”
We are very sorry to report the last six-month check-up showed the cancer had spread to her liver. She was given from two to six months to live. Ever thinking of others, she wanted a good transition for her patients. She was able to meet the buyer who had experienced the cancer death of his 2-year-old daughter.
Susan asked for remembrances to the Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower, Phoenix, AZ 85014. She was very concerned about a SWAT teammate who had just been diagnosed with ALS and who was also a hospice patient.
The bottom line? Dr. Weyer’s chapter is titled, “A Real Survivor,” and we believe strongly that her legacy survives in dentistry and in life. The Weyers legacy is, Be filled with love, not fear, be strong in your vision and unwavering in what you want to accomplish, keep it small and profitable, and love big. God bless you, Susan.
Dr. Bill Blatchford is a leading dental business coach who has worked with more than 2,000 offices to help dentists achieve more time off, more net, and more enjoyment. His book Playing Your “A” Game – Inspirational Coaching to Profitability and the Purple Cow DVD are available at www.blatchford.com, or call (800) 578-9155.
