SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Taking the Leap Into Private Practice
Amanda Springer ’ s passion for dentistry has always been centered on giving back to her community and helping children and adults in West Virginia live healthier lives . After graduating , she worked for various practices and even worked part time for the Smiles in-school mobile dentistry program . Her experience and passion for her community led her to the decision to open her own dental practice .
“ I went back and forth about the idea of owning a practice because of my lack of experience in business management ,” Springer says .
“ Everyone told me that dentistry is the easy part of practice ownership — and they were not lying .”
The idea of owning her own practice both excited and terrified Springer . She did not know exactly where to begin , so she started reading books on the topic . Then , a friend recommended reaching out to Huntington National Bank for help .
The West Virginia team at Huntington Bank was able to help Springer through its specialty banking program for medical practices . The program offers specialized loan products for multiple purposes , including equipment finance , relocation and remodeling , practice acquisition and startups . It focuses on businesses with less than $ 20 million in yearly revenue , particularly dentists , physicians and veterinarians who seek to expand their practice and unlock long-term value .
“ They have truly gone above and beyond for me and my practice . My banker educated me and talked me through making decisions that were best suited for my business and the plans that I have for the future . He really set me up for the future ,” Springer says .
She added that the team helped show her that a young associate dentist can buy and run their own successful business . Huntington ’ s practice finance team ’ s high-touch approach consists of extensive monitoring and mentorship to help establish the building blocks of a successful practice . The hallmark of Huntington ’ s offering is the financial pulse program that benchmarks practice performance and suggests strategies for improvement , helping practitioners optimize their business , a program Springer found extremely valuable to her success .