Think setting up a squat is more trouble than it’s worth? Nothing could be further from the truth, as proven by practice owner and practising dentist, Malavi Sivakanesan, sharing here with our very own Kirsty how she successfully set up a squat practice with Hague Dental by her side.
Kirsty: Tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose to open a squat.
Malavi: I was born and brought up in Norway and studied dentistry there. My father is also a dentist, and I was working with him but then I fell in love and moved to the UK to be with my now fiancé. We wanted to start a business here, so looked to expand our family-run Norwegian dental practices to the UK.
As for the squat element, that was really a happy coincidence. We did look at established dental
practices, but nothing was quite right. Then we viewed a charity shop, we fell in love with the location, there were no other dental practices nearby and it was around the corner from the specialist fitters we wanted to use, and it all fell into place.
Kirsty: Clearly, it’s a huge undertaking, so what was the process like for you?
Malavi: I’m not superstitious but I do feel very lucky with the way things have gone. Uv at Divo Interiors, a dental surgery and refurbishment specialist, put us in touch James Fletcher, your project manager, who offered invaluable guidance and support.
James has been available whenever we needed him, making the whole journey easy and a joy. That has ranged from helping me choose the equipment I wanted and needed to ensuring I understood the regulations over here, which are quite different to Norway’s.
Kirsty: What was the actual fit like for you?
Malavi: Uv and James took control of the practical aspects of fitting out the squat. James especially was able to guide me as to where money needed to be spent, and where we could trim a little, to maximise the investment and get real value for money.
You can’t always think of everything, for instance James reminded me I need to invest in a defibrillator – clearly a key piece of equipment – and for things like that I will always be grateful.
The level of support and honest guidance that James and his team offered, as well as the excellence of the actual engineering and installation of the equipment, meant so much to me.
Then, how the two companies worked together seamlessly with no day-to-day input from me means that this is going to be a long-term professional relationship, and we already have the next practice in our chain in the works with both James and Uv.
Kirsty: What is the most important thing you learned along the way, do you think?
Malavi: I knew this before really but having a solid team behind you is so very important. I have been blessed in having the right people in my corner from the outset and I want them by my side as I look to the future of my dental business.
If you would like to know more about how Hague Dental can help you create your ideal squat practice and keep it that way long into the future, reach out and speak with our team today!
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