--- title: "Three stops along the \"implant roadmap\"" description: Affordable Care's Jim Smyros to explores how implant dentists -- including those within the affiliated Affordable Dentures & Implants network -- are identifying and overcoming barriers to practice success. image: https://info.affordabledentures.com/hubfs/map.jpg --- - [Search All Jobs](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/search) - Call a dental career consultant today (800) 313-3863 [![Affordable Dentures](https://info.affordabledentures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ADI-Apr2016/Images/aff-logo.png?width=370&height=169&name=aff-logo.png "Affordable Dentures")](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/) - [Our Difference](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/) - [Mission, Vision, Values](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/our-mission-vision-and-values/) - [Meet Our Team](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/meet-our-team/) - [Success Stories](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/success-stories/) - [Locations](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/locations/) - [History](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/four-decades-of-affordable-dentures-implants/) - [Giving Back](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/giving-back/) - [Current Opportunities](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/) - [Practice Owners](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/own-a-practice/) - [Associate Dentists](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/associate-dentists/) - [Locum Tenens](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/locum-tenens/) - [Dental Lab Professionals](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/dental-lab-professionals/) - [Practice Staff](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/practice-staff/) - [Business Support Professionals](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/business-support/) - [Your Career](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/) - [Benefits](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/benefits/) - [Hiring Process](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/hiring-process/) - [Training & Education](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/training-education/) - [Patient Testimonials](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/patient-testimonials/) - [FAQs](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/faqs/) - [Blog](https://affordabledentures-2158646.hs-sites.com/blog) - [Contact Us](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/contact-us/) [mailto:info@affordabledentures.com](mailto:info@affordabledentures.com) - [Our Difference](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/our-difference/) - [Current Opportunities](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/careers/) - [Your Career](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/your-career/) - [Blog](https://affordabledentures-2158646.hs-sites.com/blog) - [Contact Us](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/contact-us/) - Close # Blog ## Three stops along the "implant roadmap" *![map.jpg](https://info.affordabledentures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/map.jpg?width=696&name=map.jpg)* *Implant Practice US*  [**recently sat down with Affordable Care's Jim Smyros**](http://www.implantpracticeus.com/practice-development/heres-roadmap-taking-implant-practice-great/) to explore how implant dentists -- including those within the affiliated Affordable Dentures & Implants network -- are identifying and overcoming barriers to practice success. **[*Implant Practice US*](http://www.implantpracticeus.com/) ** is a bi-monthly national journal delivered to thousands of clinicians across the U.S. In the column, Smyros -- who serves as senior director of implant services -- shared several tips for aspiring implantologists on a range of practice management issues. While many of these aspects may be familiar to you already, read on to discover if the three key factors to practice success below surprise you. ### **1. Pick one path, and pave it in stone.** Practices with broad range of services can suffer from a lack of focus, according to Smyros -- something that AD&I affiliates don't have to worry about. Great implant practices orient all aspects of the practice toward just a few services.   "Great implant dentists consider implantology their core competency," Smyros writes. "They are laser focused on it, and align all aspects of their business toward implants, from marketing to hiring. You won’t get to play at Yankee Stadium every day unless you’re wearing pinstripes, and good things happen when everyone under your roof is thinking about implants." ### **2. Streamline the patient experience.** The column acknowledges one of the strongest benefits offered at each AD&I practice: the convenience of on-site dental labs. "It can be exhausting playing the waiting game with an outsourced lab — patients don’t want to hear that they have to wait on the U.S. Postal Service to get their bite correct," Smyros writes. While we get to enjoy ADDL's hard work and craftsmanship every day, it's important to remember that many patients might not yet comprehend how the on-site labs will improve their experience. In recent focus groups conducted by Affordable Care's marketing group, many participants indicated that the value derived from a convenient on-site lab solution was one of the biggest reasons they might select a dental provider. Be sure to take the time to explain to every patient all the ways that the lab team helps to improve their experience! ### **3. Use edentulous real estate as your yardstick.** Smyros notes that private implant practices competing with AD&I don't enjoy a chief advantage: plenty of fully edentulous patients. A larger percentage of patients who visit AD&I affiliated practices require full-arch restorative work. These cases tend to drive margin growth, so elements like marketing and advertising speak directly to those patients. "Coincidentally, these patients typically report more satisfaction than a single-tooth implant or bridge," Smyros added. "It’s simple: With full-arch restorations, you’re influencing function. Think about how motivated you feel when your patients are so happy, they’re moved to tears." **Love implants? Does becoming a practice owner with Affordable Dentures & Implants sound like an opportunity you would be interested in? Practice on the leading edge of dentistry. Learn about the affiliation process and how we support your nonclinical services.** [![LEARN MORE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2158646/9d334c29-4114-4dc1-ada7-a6ee3158df94.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2158646/9d334c29-4114-4dc1-ada7-a6ee3158df94) < Return to Blog ## Choose your Location ### Where do you want to go today? ![Affordable Dentures Map](https://info.affordabledentures.com/hubfs/ADI-Apr2016/Images/ft-map.png) Our network of more than 225 affiliated practices in 39 states, is the nation’s largest group of denture and implant service providers... and growing every year. ### Featured Jobs - [Dental Lab - Full Technician](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/listing/?id=74) Vineland, NJ - [Dental Lab - Full Technician](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/listing/?id=38) Rochester, MN - [Dental Lab - Manager](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/listing/?id=42) Rochester, MN [Search All Jobs](http://careers.affordabledentures.com/search) ## Why Affordable Care? ### OUR HISTORY OF INNOVATION IS JUST THE BEGINNING. 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