Thinking about scaling your practice from $1 million to $2 million in annual production? Before you dive into growth mode, you need to hear this. In Episode 12 of My Dental Playbook, Dr. Blake Hamblin shares the real (and often hidden) challenges that come with doubling your practice. It’s not just about seeing more patients. It’s about evolving into a leader, absorbing more risk, and redefining your role. If you’re not careful, you might grow your practice and still end up less fulfilled, more stressed, and even less profitable.
Scaling Doesn’t Always Mean More Freedom
Most dentists assume that bigger equals better. But when your revenue doubles, so do your team, expenses, leadership demands, and potential headaches. Dr. Blake discusses how going from one doctor to two means stepping into a leadership role most dentists aren’t trained for, and not everyone is cut out for it.
- More staff = more people problems
- Bigger team = increased payroll, insurance, and compliance
- More providers = a shift from “doer” to full-time leader
New Levels, New Devils: Growth = Complexity
With growth comes risk. You may become less profitable (as a percentage) for a while. You’ll have to reinvest in infrastructure before it pays off. And you’ll be making decisions with incomplete information, often while flying blind. Are you ready for that?
- Growing teams without growing revenue = margin shrink
- Administrative bloat and burnout risk
- Legal, HR, and patient challenges multiply fast
The Only Way to Win Is to Know What You Want
You don’t have to grow. That’s one of the most powerful lessons in this episode. If you’re happy with where you’re at, that’s okay. But if you do want to grow, Dr. Blake explains how to audit what you hate doing, what fulfills you, and how to build your team accordingly.
- There is no single “right path”
- Scaling back is easier than scaling forward
- Fulfillment > revenue for long-term happiness
Quick Wins
- Make a list of everything you love and hate doing in your practice
- Write down what success actually means to you (not just revenue)
- Talk to a mentor who has already scaled to $2M and ask what they would change
Think Smarter
Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure. Before you double your revenue, define what you want your life to look like. That will dictate how big you should grow or if you should grow at all.
Final Thought
Scaling from $1M to $2M can bring big rewards, but only if you’re ready for the leadership, stress, and uncertainty that come with it. Don’t copy someone else’s growth strategy – build your own.
Final Checklist
- Are you prepared to double your staff?
- Are you okay being less profitable (percentage-wise) at first?
- Have you defined what success means to you?
- Do you want to lead a bigger team?
- Are you ready to reinvest your profits into growth?
