“About four years ago, I wanted to change my practice,” says Dr. Dominic Cringoli, of Raritan, New Jersey. “I had owned my own practice for about 22 years and I really didn’t have that much interest in it; I got into various other businesses on the side – an antique shop, a travel agency, a coin business.

“So in the end, even though my practice wasn’t horrible, it somehow wasn’t interesting and I’d cut down to practicing three days a week.

David L. Fried, DMD, practices general dentistry in Wallingford, just north of New Haven, Connecticut.

“Seven years ago I had just opened up my practice, and I met a consultant working in my local area. He came in and did some work in my office and things got better. Then Sterling sent out an announcement that they were delivering a seminar near here.

“My general dentistry practice is in Laramie, Wyoming, a university town. I graduated from dental school in 1986 and did my one-year residency in Sepulveda, California. Then I was in the Air Force for four years, after which, in 1991, I bought a practice from a retiring doctor here in Laramie.

"I started with two part-time hygienists, two part-time dental assistants, and a receptionist. Now I have two hygienists, one full-time assistant, two part-time assistants, an office manager, and receptionist.

"After graduating from the University of Mississippi Dental School in 1992, I did a public health residency for two and a half years and then worked for another doctor before deciding to open my own practice in Tupelo, MS. in 1996.

"The practice grew over the next five years, but it was not orderly progress. As the practice grew, so did the disorganization. I realized that if I didn’t get organized, then when I had to hire more people, it would just lead to chaos.