25 Years of Partnership

On November 1, 1991, out of three dental chairs in an office located in the corner of a small, secluded strip mall, Heartland Dental started the journey that would lead us to where we are today. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the opening of White Oaks Dental Center, the practice that would later evolve into what is now Dental Group of Springfield. This is significant because it was the first office that Heartland Dental founder, Rick Workman, supported outside of the immediate area of Effingham, IL. 

Dr. William Bloink, supported dentist at Dental Care of Springfield, shares how his journey started. 

"At the time I first met him, Dr. Workman had one other doctor working with him and 12 or so team members. When I walked into the practice for the first time, I was instantly blown away by Dr. Workman's enthusiasm and energy. He was passionate about his practice and taking care of his patients. I also took instant note that he had surrounded himself with friendly, hard-working, open and positive folks (two of whom are still with us today) who believed in what Dr. Workman stood for. After spending the day with Dr. Workman, I returned to the hotel that night and since there were no cell phones back in the day, I went down to the payphone in the lobby and called my dad (I probably had to call collect.). I said, "Dad, I've seen the future of dentistry and it's in Effingham, IL!" My dad paused on the other end of the line for a moment and then asked, "Where the heck is Effingham, IL?" 

All we had back then was work ethic, enthusiasm and an unshakeable belief that things could be better for everyone including doctors, teams, and their patients. We've learned a lot along the way and althought we're not perfect as an organization, we're working hard to get better every day. We've become a lot more sophisticated with our world class training and business systems, our leadership team, and our supported departments within the Home Office - just to name a few. Yet, while we are working on becoming a world class company and the leader in dentistry with our sophistication, there are some core beliefs Dr. Workman had back when I first met him that I believe will never change. 

Heartland Dental has always had the core belief in doing the right thing for the right reason in the right work environment. We believe in working hard every day in becoming a little better in every area of our lives. We believe in being open, positive, and mentally flexible. We believe in creating an environment where everybody - doctors, teams, and their patients - 'win.' We believe that doctors and teams should have the opportunity for both personal and professional growth. And we believe that we are far better together than we every could be on our own. These things I believe will never change. 

As we evolve as an organization, we continue to strive to do the right thing for the right reason for everyone. There are some exceptionally exciting initiatives being rolled out that will continue to cause Heartland Dental to lead the way in our industry for the next 25 years. Because of the leadership of our company and the direction we are headed, it strengthens my belief that our company is poised to fulfill its vision and mission. The next generation of Heartland Dental will soon be upon us (including the addition of my son and daughter as a respective doctors and registered dental hygienist) and I am confident in their futures. 

I'm grateful for the opportunity that Dr. Workman gave me 25 years ago when he entrusted me with the keys to White Oaks Dental Center. The future of our company is as bright as it has ever been, and I look forward to seeing where the road leads us moving forward."