---
title: "What Is Practice start-up? Dental Practice Glossary"
description: "The effort to open a new dental practice from nothing, which includes choosing a location, arranging financing and equipment, hiring staff and building a base of..."
url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-start-up
publisher: Copeland Consulting Services
email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com
contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact
---

Ownership and transitions

# Practice start-up

The effort to open a new dental practice from nothing, which includes choosing a location, arranging financing and equipment, hiring staff and building a base of patients.

A practice start-up builds a new dental office from the ground up. The ADA says startups offer full control but require patience and capital. A founder makes every choice about location, equipment, staff and systems.

The ADA also advises that anyone who decides to build a new practice has lots of planning to do first, and its guide covers steps such as demographic analysis, location and financial projections. Many founders write a [business plan](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/business-plan) and arrange a [practice loan](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-loan).

A start-up is the opposite of a [practice acquisition](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-acquisition), where the dentist buys an open practice. Local rules and lender terms differ, so founders should ask their own advisers. This entry defines the term only.

[Next stepPractice consulting with Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=consulting)

## Related terms

-   [De novo practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/de-novo-practice)
-   [Business plan](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/business-plan)
-   [Practice loan](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-loan)
-   [Practice acquisition](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-acquisition)

## Sources

1.  [ADA News, Ask the Expert: What are my financial paths to practice ownership?](https://adanews.ada.org/new-dentist/2026/march/ask-the-expert-what-are-my-financial-paths-to-practice-ownership/)
2.  [ADA, Business side of dentistry: 7 steps for success in starting your own practice](https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/7-steps-for-success-in-starting-your-own-practice)

## Talk with Dr. Copeland

[Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)