Small Business of the Year: Plaza Dental Group
From braces to baby teeth to checking on hose pearly whites, this year’s Small Business Week winner, Plaza Dental Group, has you covered. With a wide variety of services, ranging from general dentistry, oral surgery and pediatric dentistry to orthodontia, the dental office offers a multispecialty group all under one roof.
Matt McCormick, president of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, says Plaza Dental stood out from its competitors in its “growth, management, community involvement, marketing and human capital.”
“The panel felt that they brought a little bit more in each of those categories,” McCormick says. “We’re proud to have them as committed and involved chamber members.”
Small Business Week 2015 was held May 4 to 8 and included five free seminars, given by each of this year’s finalists, that highlighted the inner workings of the businesses, the products and services offered by each finalist. The finalists were chosen by an anonymous panel of peers out of a series of submitted nominations.
“It’s a fun week to celebrate all small businesses,” McCormick says. “Small Business Week is a great time to remind people that Columbia is a community built on thriving small businesses.”
This year’s other finalists included TrueSon exteriors, Manor Roofing and Restoration, Buchroeder’s Jewelers and Kilgore’s Respiratory Services.
“It’s one of those awards we wish we could give to all the finalists,” McCormick says. “Each and every one deserves to win, and it’s hard to select just one. all the businesses that were nominated and the finalists are dynamic businesses that bring a great amount to the community and the chamber.”
Mindy Hayward, office manager at Plaza Dental Group, says the team was surprised but grateful to be recognized as a finalist in the competition.
“We just felt like it was a really big honor to be recognized,” Hayward says. “There are a lot of great dentists in this community. To be recognized and stand out amongst them is pretty extraordinary.”
The practice
In the seven years since it opened at 303 N. Keene St., Plaza Dental Group has grown from only having one general dentist to hosting 35 employees including doctors and serving 105 to 120 patients a day. Dr. Walt Pfitzinger and Dr. Kyle Lisenby, who both provide services at the office, own the dental practice.
“The vision of this office was to bring together general dentists and specialists to work as a team,” Pfitzinger says. “Using the newest technology available makes that possible.”
“Our goal is to take the atmosphere here with proven modern technology and provide dentistry for people of all ages in mid-Missouri and staying on the forefront of our profession,” Lisenby says.
Hayward attributes some of the company’s growth to its network of almost all major insurance companies. She says it gives customers more freedom and a choice in what insurance they can use at their office.
“We can appeal to a lot of patients,” Hayward says. “We are in network with almost all major insurance companies, which is not always the norm with all dental practice offices.”
Going to the dentist can make some people drag their feet with dread, but Hayward says Plaza Dental group makes the extra effort to make patients feel comfortable and welcome within the doors of the office.
“Every single person that works here cares about the patients and their experience,” Hayward says. “They want to make them feel comfortable. So many people have a phobia when it comes to the dentist.”
Lisenby says he strives to treat every patient who comes through the door as if they are family. “Sometimes that takes a lot of work if it’s a challenging situation,” Lisenby says. “I like to try and set an example for the staff in trying to treat each person as if it’s yourself and the way you’d want to be cared for. In dentistry, that motto works really well because you end up creating a positive experience for the patient. They might be nervous or unsure of what the doctor is going to say or do, but in this office, there is a lot of continuity of quality care.”
“It is competitive in Columbia,” Hayward says. “The only way to really differentiate yourself is through service, and that’s something that we hold very high and have very high expectations for our staff.”
Because Plaza Dental offers a wide range of services under the same roof, patients are able to get multiple services without ever having to leave the office.
“Intercolleague communication is a really great thing to have,” Lisenby says. “Reviewing a patient’s treatment plan and being able to send them to a specialist without them having to leave the office or transfer their records is really nice. The dentist office, naturally, is a little bit of an anxious place to attend for just about everybody. You can turn that into a positive experience; I think that’s what we do really, really well. We have a pediatric dentist, so that relationship and rapport can begin at a very early age and continue through adult dental treatments.”
A Look at the Four Other Finalists
Communication and quality
With more than 100 patients shuffling in and out of the doors at Plaza Dental group every day, it’s hard to imagine how the staff can keep up with all of the work. Hayward says the keys to a successful small business are communication and the staff’s ability to work as a team.
“It’s all about the patients,” Hayward says. “With seeing so many patients in a day, it’s super busy. Our staff really works well together as a team. From the front desk to the dental assistants to the hygienists, communication is crucial. If you don’t have that team environment where everyone is working together and communicating, it affects the overall experience for the patient; it affects how well the doctor does his job. It has to be a really close-knit, unified group that works really well together. Our environment is fast-paced, but it’s also very professional. We hold that as a very high standard.”
Patients at the practice seem to appreciate this mentality. Hayward says Plaza Dental has a system in place for which every patient who comes in for an appointment or service receives an email to rate his or her experience.
“Ninety-five percent or more are complementary and go out of their way to write a really good response, rate us very well and say that they were impressed with our facilities and impressed with our assistants,” Hayward says.
“What’s really rewarding to me is that nine out of 10 patients not only give the dentist a good review but also compliment the staff. Obviously, the doctor’s role is important; however, having patients give positive feedback regarding the staff, whether they are in an assisting role or administrative role, is huge for me as a manager.”
at the end of the day, the staff at Plaza Dental agrees that patient care and being able to help other people are the most rewarding parts of the job.
“Our focus will always be on quality,” Lisenby says. “as we grow, we stay grounded in the sense that we provide our patients with the best quality dentistry.”
“Your smile and your teeth can impact a person’s confidence, so being able to work in an industry in which we can improve that for our patients is really rewarding,” Hayward says.