Glidewell Helps Experienced Dentist Bring Implants Into Her Practice
In just about 3 years, Stephanie Tilley, DMD, has gone from referring patients who needed dental implants to placing about 100 implants per year at her Pensacola, Florida, practice, with an unlimited potential for growth, she says.
"I have a very busy general practice utilizing five dental hygienists and an outstanding clinical staff," says the veteran clinician, who has been practicing in her hometown of Pensacola for 24 years and in the past focused mainly on restorative treatment and esthetic reconstruction. "I have a wide range of patients, including geriatric patients. Many were requesting dental implant restorations, and although I often fabricated the crown-and-bridge over implants that were placed elsewhere, I saw a need to develop my surgical skills and incorporate implant surgery into the practice."
Tilley started by attending a Glidewell continuing education program, which was followed by surgical and prosthetic training on Glidewell's Hahn™ Tapered Implant System. She continued her quest of implant dentistry with live-patient training at the Engel Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. From there, she was on her way to placing implants on patients, and today "patients are presenting to the practice specifically for implant therapy," she says proudly.
She wisely invested in CBCT equipment, which helped her "plan out which cases I want to tackle and which are better off in the hands of a more seasoned surgeon," Tilley says. She also purchased surgical and prosthetic kits, osteotomes, two implant motors from Glidewell Laboratories, and surgical instruments and invested in an inventory of Hahn implants of various sizes as well as grafting materials. Meanwhile, she continued her education at Glidewell symposia and under the tutelage of an Engel Institute instructor.
"The revenue stream from providing both the surgical and prosthetic treatment has been rewarding and worth every dime," emphasizes Tilley, who also added an intraoral scanning system. "All has been paid for in this short period of time. The staff and I feel increasingly comfortable with implants, and the patient response has been amazing. Having a team at Glidewell gives me added confidence, as we often discuss certain designs to maximize the final results."
With Hahn implants, Tilley says she is able to offer her patients a superior product at a reasonable price. "Many patients in our community are on a budget, and it makes me feel wonderful that I can provide high-quality implant dentistry to them at a fair cost," she says, adding that Glidewell's BruxZir® crowns are exceptionally esthetic. "The Hahn system and the Glidewell Lab experience allow me to do this and be profitable. I'm also growing professionally, and the hugs I receive after changing someone's quality of life are one of the major reasons I chose dentistry for my profession. I have really enjoyed the past 3 years, as the incorporation of implants into the practice has elevated the entire team."
Stephanie Tilley, DMD
Private Practice, Pensacola, Florida; Fellow, International College of Dentists, American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, and International Congress of Oral Implantologists
Glidewell
800-829-7952
glidewell.com/hahn
