Long hours, dealing with staff upsets, and too little money, were not what Sterling Glendale, CA client Scott Scharf had in mind when he started his practice. 

"After graduating from the University of Minnesota's School of Dentistry in 1986, I opened my own dental practice. For five stressful years, I worked long hours, dealt with staff upsets and made too little money to show for my troubles. I had no time to spend with my wife and kids and no life of my own. Fed up, I wanted out.

"Dentistry wasn't the problem: I loved it and was a competent doctor, but I had no business sense.  My staff, for example, were unproductive and I didn't know what to do about it. To make matters worse, I disliked confrontation and was nervous talking to them. If I tried to correct a mistake, they would get defensive and disagreeable. Backed into a corner, I 'solved' my dilemma by treating them with kid gloves and got nothing done. The hiring, which I did by the seat of my pants,  was no better. One new employee nearly wrecked the practice in only three weeks.

"Talking to patients also put me on edge. I was so uncomfortable discussing large sums of money, I wouldn't even present the bigger cases. On top of that, my practice was loaded with PPOs and other plans that required I write off a lot of money.

"Before calling it quits, I sent away for Sterling's DVD. While watching it, I felt as if the speaker were personally talking to me; every issue he mentioned I had experienced. After an introductory consultation, I became a client. That's when dentistry started to be fun again.

"I've found the motto of most consulting companies to be 'my way or the highway' - not Sterling. They tailored their program to my practice and showed me the ropes on managing without the turmoil and how to hire good staff. They also taught me how to comfortably talk to patients and staff without all the mental 'background noise.' After my training, whether speaking with an upset employee or presenting  a big case, I could do it all with confidence and ease. The results of the program were nearly immediate; case acceptance shot up and staff disagreements diminished. The changes in me spilled over into my personal life. I wasn't just becoming a better boss but a better husband and father, too.

"That was twenty-five years ago and I am still a Sterling client to this day. Before their program, my annual collections were $400,000; last year, they were over $3 million. Case acceptance improved so dramatically and I had so many new patients, I ditched the PPOs and became virtually 100% fee-for-service. Most importantly, I gained plenty of free time to be with my family and pursue my other interests, such as helping other businesses.

"If any of this hits home, call Sterling in Glendale for their free DVD. Although their program pushed my collections through the roof, I didn't become a client to get rich. I did it to get back my family and my life. Thanks to Sterling, I accomplished that and much more."

Scott Scharf, DDS