TRANSCENDING DENTAL EDUCATION
The Schuster Center Celebrates 30th Anniversary for Professional Dental Development
News Release Scottsdale, AZ – While dentists work to preserve their patients’ smiles, Michael Schuster, DDS of The Schuster’s Center for Professional Development, 9312 E. Raintree Drive in Scottsdale, AZ is working to preserve the smiles of his fellow dentists.
The Schuster Center for Professional Development, considered to be one the leading dental practice management schools for dentists in the U.S., is celebrating its 30th year in business. In honor of The Center’s third decade in business, a special nationwide touring schedule for The Science of Creating Wealth™ has been launched in tandem with an upcoming Spring release of Dr. Schuster’s provocative book by the same name.
The intensive dental management seminars and courses provide individualized, hands-on training that help them create a practice that is more profitable, fulfilling and congruent with a healthier, happier lifestyle.
The Practice Development Curriculum consists of several programs for dental management: Strategic Planning; The Management Program; Performance Coach; Health and Profit in Hygiene and Advanced Case Presentation. Through these programs, individual strategies are developed to address issues such as cash flow, overhead, communication, marketing, organization, time management, case acceptance and team development.
Since 1978, thousands of dentists have attended The Center’s dental management programs and dental management seminars. Schuster describes most attendees as dentists who have been in practice for 10 to 12 years, are frustrated in their current position, and want to achieve a better work life balance.
“These are dedicated professionals who are struggling to keep up with dentistry’s changing landscape,” said Schuster. “They have tried different approaches, but things aren’t working. “What is it all about? Why am I moving this fast? I’m making money, but I’m not enjoying my life” is something we hear over and over again.”
Schuster was inspired to create a dental business management school in the early 1970s while lecturing at the Pankey Institute in Florida. He noted that the attendees flocked to the institute for dental continuing education, but at night they would commiserate with one another about how they were struggling to pay bills, were behind on their taxes, and their ongoing challenge to hire and keep quality personnel.
Schuster had struggled with the same problems in the early part of his practice. After graduating from Marquette Dental School in 1966 and serving a two-year stint in the military, Schuster launched a successful practice in Dubuque, Iowa. Within a five-year period his staff grew from two to five, and his income increased five-fold. Unfortunately, his happiness and health declined. When a bleeding ulcer landed him in the hospital, he knew it was time to reevaluate his work life balance.
He enrolled in classes at the Pankey Institute, and later became one of the instructors. With the help of a friend and mentor from the Professional Economics Bureau, Schuster and Jim Trask created a set of models that allowed the young dentist to gain control of his finances, budget time, and communicate more effectively with patients. After using the model successfully, Schuster felt compelled to create his own school where he could help his colleagues become more proficient in dental management, an area that was completely overlooked in dental school.
Thirty years after its inception, The Center consists of Schuster (the CEO and practicing dentist) a staff of 17, as well as 15 dentists in the mentor program. With Schuster’s help, the staff evaluates each client’s dental practice and provides custom programs for practice improvement, as well as monthly support and coaching.
The intensive programs are not for everyone, but those who commit to The Center’s curriculum model reap huge rewards, both personally and economically.
The Schuster Center for Professional Development is the first business school created exclusively for dentists. Established in 1978, Dr. Schuster has guided thousands of graduates to achieve wealth and freedom. Dr. Schuster is a cadre and former director at the Pankey Institute, adjunct faculty at The Dawson Center, OBI and LSU Cosmetic Continuum. For more information about The Schuster Center for Professional Development contact Lisa LaTourette at lisa@cfpd.com or visit www.schustercenter.com.
