The decision to become self-employed
Paving the way for modern dentistry
The challenges of starting a new practice
The importance of healthy communication
- Transparency and patient education are key
- Setting realistic expectations with patients
Dr. Hannes Roithmeyer
Endodontist at Dr. Baumeister’s Practice
Joined Dr. Baumeister’s dental practice in October, 2020
About to embark on a 5-month journey before becoming self-employed
Specializes in microscope-assisted endodontics and dental photography
- Believes in transparency and generational change in dentistry
- Website: www.baumeister-zahnaerzte.de/team
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zahn_nes/
Karpfenstraße 3, 81825 Munich, Germany
In Conversation with Dr. Hannes Roithmeyer
In recent years, there has been a shift towards greater transparency in the dental industry, as patients become more informed about their oral health and demand more information about the treatment options available to them. At the same time, the field of dentistry is undergoing a generational change, with younger professionals entering the workforce and bringing new ideas and approaches to patient care.
Our team at Zircon Medical recently hosted Dr. Hannes Roithmeyeron our podcast series to discuss how these trends are impacting the dental industry and what it means for patients.
Introducing Dr. Roithmeyer, the endodontist and dental technician at Dr. Baumeister’s Practice
Dr. Hannes Roithmeyer joined the team at Dr. Baumeister's dental practice in October 2020. With a specialization in microscope-assisted endodontics and dental photography, Dr. Roithmeyer brings a unique skill set to the practice. He is dedicated to providing high-quality care to his patients, and believes in the importance of transparency in the dental industry.
In the near future, Hannes is about to embark on a five-month journey, at which point he has set his sights on becoming self-employed, working as an independent dentist, and possibly even opening a dental practice of his own. We are excited to see where this journey takes him and are confident that he will continue to move the dental industry forward.
Dr. Roithmeyer has been employed in various practices for a relatively long time, and is very passionate about dentistry. It is not only his profession, but also his hobby. However, at some point in the future, he will consider starting his own business. Before taking this step, he would like to spend some time traveling and seeing more of the world before entering the demanding world of self-employment.
The decision to become self-employed
Dr. Roithmeyer believes that as a self-employed dentist, he will face an excessive amount of bureaucracy. He is already aware of the heavily bureaucratic nature of the dental profession in Germany, and knows that it will only be worse as an independent dentist. Even as an employed dentist, he has had to make his own decisions and treatment plans, and has come to the realization that he wants more independence and decision-making power, rather than being subordinate to someone else. This desire for independence is the main reason for his desire to become self-employed.
Currently, Dr. Roithmeyer works in a practice with the ownerand another salaried dentist, who works two days a week. However, the owner also has another location and is not present at the practice frequently, so Dr. Roithmeyer has essentially been running the practice alone for the past two years. This experience has made him realize that he is capable of handling the responsibilities of running his own practice, including the business management aspects, as he has already been doing so for the past two years.
He does not anticipate that his experience as a self-employed dentist will be much different from what he has already been doing, except that he will have complete responsibility for the practice.
Paving the way for modern dentistry
Dr. Roithmeyer comes from a background in prosthetics and endodontics, and places a strong emphasis on ensuring isolation and dry maintenance of the treatment field and clean prosthetics and fillings. In his opinion, this is not the standard in dentistry, even in Germany. He has noticed a difference in standards between the older generation of dentists, who were trained 30 or 40 years ago, and the current or younger generation, who have been taught somewhat differently.
Dr. Roithmeyer values being able to perform treatments, such as root canals, under complete isolation and sterility, and is often surprised to see X-ray images of root canal treatments that were performed without a rubber dam. He believes that the use of a rubber dam during root canal treatment is an absolute necessity, and is concerned that it is still not being used on a large scale in the field of dentistry. Although his main focus is on endoscopy, rather than surgery, he believes that the use of sterile techniques is crucial in all areas of dentistry.
The challenges of starting a new practice
Dr. Roithmeyer has a dream of starting a dental practice with a young colleague, preferably someone specializing in oral surgery. He finds solo practice uninteresting or boring, and believes that quality dentistry requires specialization in a particular area. However, all of the colleagues he is close with are also endo-specialized, so they would not be a good fit.
Dr. Roithmeyer believes that starting a new practice can be risky, especially in areas with a high density of dentists, such as Munich. He thinks that a better option may be to take over an existing practice, as this would bring a pre-existing patient base.However, he has noticed that when taking over a practice, some patients may leave because they are used to a different standard.
The importance of healthy communication
In order to ensure the success of a practice, Dr. Roithmeyer believes it is important to have good communication within the team, and to have regular team meetings to address problems and workflows. He has experienced both good and bad practice management, and believes that good communication and appreciation of team members' passions can make a big difference in the overall practice climate. He thinks it is important to address problems and frustrations openly, rather than sweeping them under the tableto improve the practice in the long run.
Transparency and patient education are key
Dr. Roithmeyer has noticed a lack of transparency in the dental profession, particularly in the treatment styles of older generations. He receives many referrals for second opinions or prosthetic opinions, and has observed that patients are often given large restrictions before signing agreements, without fully understanding what they are agreeing to. He believes that it is extremely important to have an educational discussion with the patient to clarify all of their questions before proceeding with treatment.
He takes a large number of photos in the practice and shows them to the patients to make it clear what is happening in their mouth and where the problems are. In some cases, he has taken complete occlusal images and shown them to the patient, who was surprised to see problems that they were previously unaware of. Dr. Roithmeyer believes that transparency is particularly important in the younger generation of dentists, and that it is necessary to fully inform the patient about treatment options, recommendations, and potential additional costs.
He has observed that some teeth are modified for the sake of placing crowns or bridges, even when there is no real need for it, and he thinks this practice must be clearly regulated and discussed with the patient beforehand.
Setting realistic expectations with patients
Dr. Roithmeyer believes that communication is key in the dental profession, and that it is important to provide seamless education about all treatment options and to give a recommendation based on what he would do. He thinks that it is necessary to be honest with the patient about the potential success rates of different treatment regimens, and to give them the information they need to make an informed decision.
Dr. Roithmeyer believes that transparency is important in telling patients about their oral hygiene and the consequences of not maintaining it properly. He talks to patients openly and lays all the cards on the table, even if it means that they may not return for further treatment. He thinks that honesty is necessary in order to address problems and improve the overall situation.
In cases where the success of a treatment is uncertain, Dr. Roithmeyer advises patients of the risks and recommends the best course of action based on the individual circumstances. However, he also acknowledges that there are situations where the outcome of a treatment is difficult to predict, and in these cases he advises patients honestly about their chances and the potential consequences.
You can follow Dr. Hannes Roithmeyer on Instagram or you can also listen to him at our Zircon Medical Podcast.