For Dr. Jody Jones to be happy practicing dent-
istry, he has to be invol-
ved in its business side as well as its medical side. Unlike many of his friends who joined mega-
dental chains that handle all the business aspects of dentistry for their dent-
ists, he chose to follow a different path, operating his own dental offices and filling the role of business manager.
In October, Jones op-
ened his third dental off-
ice. Jody Jones Dentist-
ry, on Music Row, spec-
ializes in cosmetic dent-
istry, but also provides general dentistry. An inv-
estment of $1.1 million has created a modern, soothing environment in Jody Jones Dentistry's 3,500 square foot space. Treatment rooms feature up-to-date dental equip-
ment and digital imaging that eliminates the need for X-rays.
Jones' dental practice is shared with his brother Dewayne, who runs their office in Hermitage, while Jones is in charge of the |
Music Row office. The Hermitage office was acquired from Dr. Jim McPherson, Jones' child-
hood dentist and mentor, who helped him set up his own practice after he graduated from dental school at University of Tennessee, Memphis. McPherson died two years ago.
Jones started practicing dentistry in 1998. He and his brother continue to run Smiles By Design, their first office, in Smy-
rna. That was the name of the practice when they purchased it from Dr. Stephen Poss, and they decided to keep the name.
"Jones & Jones soun-
ded too much like a law firm," says Jones, who splits his time at the Smyrna office with his brother.
The brother dentists bounce around to the diff-
erent offices on different days of the week.
Jones says it would be hard for him to be in a practice with someone who wasn't a family |
member. With his broth-
er, the complete trust
factor comes into play and Jones doesn't have to worry about another dentist competing agai-
nst him in the same office. Dewayne Jones says he couldn't ask for a better partner than his brother.
"We're best friends," he says, "we're not just partners."
As the Jones' practice grew - it has more than $2 million in revenue and 14 employees - the atm-
osphere of Music Row attracted him, so he established an office there.
Several of his patients work on the Row or in its vicinity. He has treated many country artists, as well as Hollywood celeb-
rities, such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The office is not far from Vanderbilt University, where Jones got his undergraduate degree and played football as a Commodore.
"It's not easy," says Autumn House, director |
of A & R at Capitol Rec-
ords in Nashville and a friend of Jones since childhood. "It's a very competitive market. He's done a great job in a short time frame."
Jones has requested a clinical faculty appoint-
ment at Vanderbilt. Dr. Scott Boyd, professor and chairman of the dep-
artment of oral and max-
illofacial surgery at Van-
derbilt University Medical Center, says although he hasn't had a long-term relationship with Jones, he knows Jones is very well trained.
"He seems to be very energetic, very perso-
nable and dedicated to excellent dental care," says Boyd.
Jones offers free con-
sultation to patients seeking treatment. The services he provides range from permanent. The services he provides range from permanent porcelain veneers to cosmetic laser tooth whitening. Patients can choose from oral sedation to intravenous |
sedation.
There are no immediate plans to open additional offices. By keeping the number of offices small, Jones says, he can deliver patients - espe-
cially those seeking cosmetic dentistry ser-
vices - the proper amount of individual attention they deserve.
McPherson taught him to make someone feel like they are the most important person in the world, and Jones has followed his mentor's advice.
He also learned early in his career that in order to be successful, dentists need to be accessible to their patients 24/7, which he is.
As a dentist, Jones likes seeing an assort-
ment of people every day who have different needs and present a variety of challenges. He finds dealing with people can be very difficult but it can also be rewarding. |
