Working

Jammie Shaughnessy, RDH, BS

Jammie Shaughnessy, RDH, BS, owns a unique dental practice. North Valley Family Dentistry is a full-service dental office, offering pediatric care, restorative services, implants, root canals, periodontal surgery, sedation, oral surgery, Invisalign and straight-wire orthodontics. The practice employs two dentists, one of whom works mainly on specialization services and the other on general dentistry. Including Shaughnessy, there are two hygienists on staff.

North Valley is completely paperless; all files are kept via digital and laser technology. In addition to their full range of dental services, they also have a room rented to an aesthetician who performs skincare treatments.

Shaughnessy started her education as a psychology major at San Diego State University. She then went on to the University of Southern California’s School of Dentistry to earn her BS in dental hygiene.

Her first position was at an HMO practice in Beverly Hills. She saw 10 patients a day and was not satisfied with the limited amount of attention given to each patient; she left after six months to work for a general dentist, and simultaneously in a periodontal office. She enjoyed the variety of both practices, and this experience influenced her desire to merge a variety of services into one practice.

While working in the periodontal office, a large 20-chair operatory, the idea hit her to open her own practice.

“The owner was a dentist, but he did not practice any dentistry; he just oversaw things and did some managing, making sure everybody was doing their job. It was a huge practice with accountants, marketing staff, etc. I saw firsthand how effective this practice was and how the patients really got top-notch treatment.”

Shaughnessy noticed that part of the reason for excellent service was the accountability. Patients were not lost in the shuffle, and clinicians were not allowed to cut corners. After thinking about her passion for business, she began the process of learning more about owning a practice. She learned that although every state has different laws, a hygienist or even a layperson could own a practice.

She was living in California at the time, where there was a lot more red tape, laws and requirements. Since she and her husband were looking to move out of Los Angeles, she started looking into owning a practice in Arizona.

“I talked with a few hygienists who own practices in Arizona, including one who owns multiple practices, and became inspired. A bell went off in my head and said ‘well wouldn’t that be amazing, I bet I could do it!’ And here I am.”

While she was still in California, she had approached dental brokers who all told her that, by law, she needed to have a partner; some of them wouldn’t even speak to her if she was not a dentist. She approached a few dentists about the idea, and none of them panned out because of their hesitation. In Arizona, she hooked up with a dental broker who was also a hygienist. This broker had a great deal of faith in Shaughnessy and helped her a great deal, and before she knew it, she was running her own practice without the dentist partner.

Overall, the most rewarding aspect of her work is being able to help people improve their health, both dental and overall, whether it is through preventive care or drastically improving the quality of a patient’s life with cosmetic dental work.

“Also, knowing that we are actively helping to ward off heart disease, stroke and even diabetes in some patients is very rewarding,” said Shaughnessy. “It is also an amazing feeling to be able to donate our services to causes in our community or discount treatment a patient needs and cannot afford. I am no longer at the whim of the dentist; I can actually help beyond preventing periodontal disease. As a business owner, I am able to impact my patients on a much higher level.”
Shaughnessy advises anyone looking to start their own practice to make sure they have a thick skin; she has often been asked why she would want to own a practice, and even why she wouldn’t just go back to school and become a dentist.

“I say, ‘Because a dentist cannot leave mid-day to go to their daughter’s dance recital and still have production going on.’ I like business as well as practicing hygiene; this was my way of meshing them in the best way I knew how, and my income potential is a lot higher now. I work less and make more money, still see patients and am the boss. Of course there are many tough issues, but it makes it all the more interesting and challenging.”

Shaughnessy’s final word to any hygienist who is confident, does not mind working hard and has a good business sense: “go out on a limb and go for it!”

For more information on this practice, visit www.myanthemdentist.com.

This edition of “Working” was prepared by Meghan Washington.