Dr. Angie Nauman opened her Tulsa, Oklahoma-based practice in 2010. Her passion for dentistry and ambition to see her practice go far was only matched by the success that she saw when she added sleep apnea treatment to what she offered her patients.
“This success felt like a blessing, but it was consuming my life with 80-hour work weeks (three clinical days and the rest admin). My mind was always on the office and not my family. My ambition had run me out of my own life. I didn’t want to be 80 years old and say, ‘Look at the amazing dental office I gave my life to.’ I want to be able to say, ‘Look at my amazing five kids that I poured my life into. Look at my marriage of 50+ years that has left a legacy for those around us.’ Basically, the success of the dental office wasn’t worth giving up what really mattered.”
Many successful private practice owners have found that the very success that makes their office valuable is the same factor that makes it harder for them to sell their practice in the private sector. For Dr. Nauman, her success was no different.
“In 2017 I looked into privately selling my practice. What I learned was that it was unlikely a private dentist could pay what the practice was worth and do what I was doing--combining sleep and general dentistry-- on the level we were operating. So, I decided to give Heartland Dental a call. They came to the office, and a month later they gave me an offer. One I shouldn’t have refused, but I still struggled. I said ‘yes’, then I backed out. Then, one day, I was treating a patient, and this incredible peace washed over me that it was okay and time to transition. From that point on, I said ‘yes’!”
Like many doctors, Dr. Nauman was wary of Dental Support Organizations, until she met Heartland Dental.
“I was always against ‘corporate’ dentistry, and Heartland Dental doesn’t like that term because they see themselves as individual offices operating for the dentists. Their systems are spot- on for patient care and their goal is to ‘do the right thing for the right reasons’. Their leadership has integrity and isn’t about the money. And yet, I am getting paid very well, still work 3 days a week, and I’m making more through my Heartland Dental stock investment than I ever could’ve made on my own. They aren’t perfect, but I do believe, in my heart, that they are the best.”
Affiliating with Heartland Dental involved growing pains, but Dr. Nauman pushed forward and continued to remain involved in the day-to-day operations of her practice. The only difference is now she has a team that extends beyond her in-office staff to support her work-life balance and financial success.
“Now, let me tell you that transitioning was very tough. But, I stuck it out, and it’s been a good thing. Heartland Dental truly wants to serve their supported dentists, so I know I’m in a safe place where my voice is heard. I can do dentistry and run my practice as I want. I still lead as much or as little as I want. I still have the final say on most decisions within my practice.”
“I still believe in solo privately owned practices, but this has been the right decision for me, and it’s paying off… both financially and in getting my life back.”
Learn more about what you can gain from affiliating with us here!