We believe Dentistry is primarily suppose to be a "community centered" service. Although many patients think that it has become a big “business” today, and has nearly lost its “human” side, Dr. Hubert Gomes is convinced that it is the “human” aspect which is most important in dentistry. He believes that, if dentistry has lost it’s human side, it has got to “regain it”, both for it’s own glory, and also for the greater good of mankind.

For the long term success ‘private practice' in dentistry, we believe dentists need patients as much as the patients need their dentists. Being good at your work is not good enough anymore. Dentists have got to learn to deliver “value for money” service to their patients. And that takes a lot more than mere knowledge and experience of Dentistry. You got to be concerned about patient's “financial” reality.

Keeping the above facts in mind, we have learnt to be ‘more sensitive’ to the real needs and expectations of our patients. And in the process, we have rediscovered a few old values of our grandfathers. Their ways have certainly helped us to develop a very effective “Win-Win” dental service Model for our patients. 

Our “Goa Dentist” Model is not an “overnight invention”. It has evolved over the years, one step at a time. It is not a brand new concept. It has passed, both the “test of time”, and the scrutiny of our patients. It is backed by the personal testimonials of patients and intellectuals from different parts of the world. 

You can know their views by clicking Testimonials.

Our “Goa Dentist” model is not an original creation like those of Leonardo da Vincci. It is rather borrowed from the “collective wisdom” we have acquired over the years from the knowledge and experiences of others. It is based on the books we have read and our personal interactions with patients and doctors from different parts of the world, during the last 30 years. 

Yes, we did maintain an “very open mind” and dared to think and act “differently”. We chose to walk the road less travelled. Our journey was probably inspired by a true story we read some time ago...

In a small village in Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a high cliff to its death. Then as the stunned shepherds watched, the rest of the 1500 sheep “mindlessly” followed, and also stumbled to their death.

At our Surgery, we simply did not want to “mindlessly” follow the ways of other dentists. We wanted to learn from their strong and weak points, by asking ourself a very serious question... “How relevant is our professional ideology to the real needs and aspirations of our patients?”. 

We are delighted the answers ‘unfolded’ over the years, and resulted in a “Dental Care Model” called Goa Dentist Model. For us this Model is not a piece of theory, but a “guiding tool” with which we have been managing our Dental Clinic in Goa (India), since the last 25 years. 

May we have the pleasure of presenting our “Goa Dentist” Model to you?

By presenting this Model to you, we are certainly not trying to step into the shoes of the great Hippocrates, and “re-write” medical morality. It is also NOT our intention to teach anybody what is right and wrong. We believe everybody has a right to think independently and live life according to his/ her own personal ideology. 

All that we are interested in sharing with you is... what we think is “fair and just” in dentistry; and how to make the “human element” as one of the important ingredients of our professional service to our patients. 

All that we are trying to do is, what an ancient Sage had once said... “Plant the seeds that one day will grow, water the seeds already planted, and lay new foundations that will need further development”. We want you to develop it further, by overlooking our short comings.

Our “Goa Dentist” model has FIFTEEN parts (components); and all of them are equally important. Now, before we explain them in detail, we feel, that, you should know “why and how” we were literally forced to develop our module in the first place. 

If you have not yet read what motivated us to develop and practice this 15-point “Goa Dentist” model, at our Surgery in Goa-India, we suggest that you go through it by clicking How It Happened.

Our “GOA DENTIST” Model: 

The Fifteen components (parts) of our “Goa Dentist” model are explained very briefly:

1. Have A Clear Vision And Road Map For your profession:

No dentist can achieve anything significant unless he/she has a clear vision for life. One should certainly draw inspiration from the success of others, but it is certainly stupid to blindly chase “other people’s dreams” for your life. You’ve got to develop and find ways to implement your own vision and ‘road map’ for your professional career.

If we do not have a clear ‘vision for life’, we allow the roles and responsibilities to shape our lives. And many a times, instead of being the master, we end up in being the ‘victim’ of our roles and responsibilities. In such a situation, it is only a matter of time before we get tired of what we are doing. 

For any type of planning, one has to begin with the existing “ground reality”. To achieve ones objectives, one needs to have well defined and measurable short and long term goals. The proven “SWOT Analysis” could be of great help in this regard:-
S= Capitalize on your proven Strengths to the maximum.
W= Keep your personal Weaknesses under control.
O= Make maximum use of the Opportunities that come your way.
T= Be vigilant against the Threats to your life and professional career.


2. Develop Skills and Knowledge:

Every dentist should regularly upgrade his/ her knowledge and professional skills to keep abreast with the latest. Dentistry is ‘fast changing’ like never before. Newer materials and techniques are introduced at such a rapid pace, that the older ones are becoming obsolete. 

In todays “internet era” where knowledge is freely available at the finger tips, many patients have become very knowledgeable on the subject of dentistry. They know exactly what is available, and what they want . And, the number of such “knowledgeable patients” is increasing with every passing day.

Today the issue is not about “how much” the patient knows and does not know. The million dollar question is... “Does the Dentist know what the patient is talking about?. And can he/ she really deliver what the patient wants?”. 

Better quality and quantity of knowledge enables us to take better quality decisions. We believe, that, only those Dentists who have a consistent “quest for knowledge”, and who spend their time and money to upgrade their skills and knowledge, will be able to meet this new, emerging challenge effectively.

Dentists who have “natural” artistic/ surgical skills, passion for Dentistry and a clear “long term” vision for their professional careers will continue to lead the way. They will have the distinct advantage of delighting their patients and excelling in Dentistry. 


3. Use Of Latest Technology: 

However skilled, knowledgeable and experienced the Dentist may be, he/ she has to invest in the latest technology. Yes, it is expensive; but there is no other way. Modern technology ensures better diagnosis and treatment planning and treatment execution of dentistry. 

Modern technology provides greater “predictability”, and makes the treatment procedures simpler and less painful, and thus ensures faster recovery. It also enhances the long term success of the treatment. 


For Dentists who are “passionate” about their subject, modern technology certainly simplifies their professional life, and makes it a lot more interesting, exciting and rewarding. 

Newer inventions like the oral Cad-Cam, Dental Lasers, low radiation x-rays, Digital RVGs, CT-Scans, Clinical Microscopes, metal-free ceramics, high strength tooth colour fillings, single stage Dental Implants and accurate Apex Locators have become a real boon to mankind, and are literally “redefining” modern dentistry.


4. Sound Financial Planning:

Dentistry is a highly “capital intensive” profession. To start a new ‘private practice’ and to keep up with the latest trends, Dentists need to invest a lot of money on their training, seminars and the equipment. For a good dentist, it continues to be a life-long process. 

Besides, there are other relevant factors like the inflation, ever increasing operational costs and the ‘personal’ expenses/ investments and individual life-style compulsions, that need to be considered. It is therefore very important, that the dentists know how to manage their finances wisely and effectively. 

We know of many cases, wherein some of the good dentists got into deep ‘financial mess’ because of their faulty financial planning. A couple of them succeeded not only in ruining their “once successful” professional career, but, also ended up destroying their health and family life.

We have come to a conclusion, that, there is no point in taking unwarranted “big risks” or blindly trying to imitate the “ life styles” of others. In our opinion, financial planning should be guided primarily by our “personal vision” for life. 

Fortunately, today we can avail the services of very good investment consultants and wealth management experts to advice us on our finances. An honest and efficient Consultant can be of great help to avoid ‘blunders’ in our financial planning. They can also help us to ‘maximize the returns’ on our investments.

We are convinced, that, good financial planning certainly enables the Dentists to keep their ‘operational costs’. It also helps them to grow “systematically” in their profession. And more than anything else, it provides an invaluable “peace of mind”. We are convinced that, a good “peace of mind” certainly makes one more efficient and consistent in dentistry. 

If you are still enjoying this article, and have not yet read what motivated us to develop and practice this 15-point “Goa Dentist” Model at our Surgery in Goa-India, we suggest that you go through it straight away by clicking on How It Happened.


5. Proper ‘Sterilization System’, Cleanliness And Proper Disposal Of ‘Waste’ : 

This is the “unseen” part of the Clinic, and only the Dentist and the employees know how good or bad their sterilization protocol is. Patients presume everything is fine with the ‘sterilization system’ at the Dental Clinic. But is that the truth? 

In our opinion, good “sterilization system” is extremely important for the safety of our patients. And, there should be no compromises on it. At our Clinic we dedicate nearly 5% of our gross income towards the sterilization process and other cleanliness and hygiene measures. We can proudly claim that we have one of the best ‘sterilization Autoclaves’ in the world; and, our Surgery is clean at all times. 

With the number of blood borne diseases increasing, the possibility of cross infections has also gone up very high. Even for the “simplest” of the treatment procedures, we Dentists should not neglect ‘proper sterilization’. On the contrary, we should regularly upgrade our sterilization system, to meet the new international standards. 

Yes, installing and operating a good “sterilization system” does cost a lot of money, and not every dentist can afford that. But the least that is expected of every Dentist, is to use proper “autoclaving” for almost all their instruments. For instruments that cannot be autoclaved, broad spectrum ‘cold sterilization’ is an absolute must. Use of ‘disposable’ syringes, gloves, suction tips, glasses, face masks etc are a given for today’s Dentistry. 

Proper medical waste disposal is an issue that cannot be ignored any more. All of us need to have a “social responsibility”, and therefore ensure our ‘medical waste’ does not become a health hazard to others. 


6. Be Fair To Your Employees: 

Employees are the most important people in a dental clinic. Besides managing the reception room, assisting the Dentist, sterilizing the instruments, etc, our employees are the “brand ambassadors” of our Surgery. The happier our employees are, the happier our patients are with our service.

In our opinion the clinic staff should be well trained to explain various treatment procedures to the patients. In most cases, they are far more effective than the Dentists, when it comes to communication. Many patients are really scared of their Dentists and “feel” a lot more free, relaxed and comfortable in dealing with the Clinic employees. 

In our opinion, employees have to be treated fairly. Besides helping us to get our professional and personal things done, they are the unofficial “professional partners” of the Surgery. In a “busy practice”, Dentists cannot function efficiently without the support and help of his employees. To a great extent, the success of a Clinic, depends on them. 

At our Surgery in Goa, we maintain an absolute transparency in our dealings with our employees and our patients. We are very strict with our staff, but do not play any “hidden tricks” with them. We make a sincere effort to maintain a genuine “family like” relationship with all our employees. 


7. Have An Affordable Pricing: 

Dentist’s professional fees/ prices play an important role in the “long term” success of his/ her Clinic. Patients certainly prefer doctors who provide “value for money” dental treatment. Today, dental pricing has become a ‘major issue’ for many patients in Europe and USA. 

We know of many westerners, who travel hundreds of miles, to get their dental treatment done in India. This unfortunate “trend” is certainly an embarrassment to our profession, and is certainly a long term “bad news” for dentists who are over-priced. In an age where consumer has emerged as the “new king”, delivering “better value for money” has become the new mantra.

Today most of the patients are very well informed, and certainly know what they want, where they can get it, and at what price. It is for this reason, they are prepared to travel any distance to get better value for money dental treatment. Nearly 35% of our patients are Europeans and Americans who travel many miles to reach our Surgery.

We strongly believe, that, “a clear conscience is a soft pillow” All of us have an “internal judicial system” called ‘conscience’, which commends us when we do ‘right’ and condemns us when we do ‘wrong’. But unfortunately this vital monitor of morality does not say the same thing to everyone. 

Today many of the dentists have become so “self-centered”, that their conscience has literally become “insensitive” to the genuine problems of their patients. It was very disturbing to read results of a Survey Study reported on AFP News on 15th October 2007. 

In the above Survey of 5000 patients in England, 6% of the patients had resorted to “self treatment”, and one in every five (20%) had decided against dental work because of the ‘cost factor’. Some of these patients extracted their own teeth, and others used ‘super-glue’ to stick crowns back on, rather than getting it done with the dentists. One of these patients extracted 14 of his own teeth himself on separate occasions and that too very ‘crudely’... with the help of his pliers.

We neither wish to advice any of our “honorable” professional colleagues in the West, on what is “right and wrong”, nor do we intend telling them on what they should do and not do. But if any of them is interested to know how we manage our prices at our Clinic in Goa, to benefit us and our patients, we suggest that they visit our personal website www.drhubertgomes.com to know more. 

At our Surgery we have a very simple and practical “win-win” formula for our prices. It is based purely on “need ” and not “greed ”. We are pleased to inform you, that our “rational” approach to this sensitive “price issue” has helped us to retain over 80% of our patients who first visited us nearly 25 years ago. In a highly competitive scenario, this fact should speak for itself.

Our “pricing policy” has enabled us not only to earn a lot of money, but has also earned us a lot of respect and goodwill of our patients. And that too without compromising on the quality of service we deliver and the technology we have utilize at our Surgery. 

We believe, that to a great extent, patients can literally make or break the professional career of a dentist. However good the dentist may be at his/her work, the support and “good-will” of the patients is a must for our professional success. Please click Testimonials to know what our patients have to say about our services.

If you are still enjoying this article, and have not yet read what motivated us to develop and practice this 15-point “Goa Dentist” Model at our Surgery in Goa-India, we suggest that you go through it straight away by clicking on How It Happened now.

8. Provide Good ‘Post’ Dental Care: 

In order to retain patients for many years, one has to provide a good “after care” service. However experienced and perfect the Dentist may be at his work, ‘post- treatment’ problems are simply unavoidable in dentistry. Fracture of ceramic crowns and bridges,‘ fillings’ coming out, dentures breaking, tooth fracture, post-treatment problems with dental implants and RCT etc are common complaints. 

When an “unfortunate” problem does occur with the treatment done earlier, we the dentists need to help such patient compassionately. Dentists should not see it as “another” money making opportunity. We believe that the least we need to do in such cases is to repair / repeat the work at cost price. 

In our opinion, most of the post- treatment complications can be minimized and practically eliminated if the work is done intelligently and diligently. “Practical” post-treatment instructions, which are clearly understood by the patients, go a long way in minimizing most of the problems. 

We have come to a conclusion, that, most patients judge their Dentist’s ‘credibility and competence’, not only on the good quality work he/she has done, but also by the way he/she handles their ‘post- treatment’ problems. 

At our Clinic we are committed to being “fair and just” to all our patients, both during and after their treatment. To us our patients are like our own “family members”, with whom we desire to retain a long term relationship. 

Many a times we had to put money from our own pockets, to provide better “post-care service” to our patients. But that did not make us any poorer. On the contrary, we have learnt an important lesson of life... “ when you grasp, you loose; when you give, you gain”. It is one of the oldest paradox in the world, which continues to be true.


9. The “Word Of Mouth” Publicity: 

In the “knowledge era” that we live in today, where patients insist on information and more information, certain level of advertising is necessary. Some people may think it is “unethical” for Doctors to advertise, but there is no other way. 

Patients and prospective patients have to know what services are provided at the clinic. Some of the facilities that are provided by the dentist needs ‘sophisticated technology’ and involves lot of money. How can the dentist recover his investment cost, if the people do not know about his/her ‘advanced’ services?

There are two ways of doing it--internal and external marketing. In the internal or in-house marketing, it is mostly done with the help of Posters, broachers and one-to-one talking. The “external marketing” is a lot more expensive, and includes website advertising, road-side hoardings, newspaper advertisements, sponsoring events, etc. 

According to us, the best publicity is the “word of mouth” publicity of our patients. If they are happy with our treatment, service and pricing, they will go out of their way to promote our Clinic to their friends and relatives. It is the “most effective” and the cheapest way of advertising our professional services


10. Good Office Environment: 

Clean and pleasant looking Surgeries with friendly clinic assistants, have become the order of the day. Posh interiors and soothing music are added features that one observes at most of the Clinics. Patients in general, particularly those who are scared of Dentists, feel a lot more comfortable and relaxed in Dental Clinics which have a pleasant environment and friendly employees. 

Scientific research has come to a conclusion that the “efficiency” of the Dentists, the Clinic assistants and other employees improves by 40% in a good office environment. It is certainly a clear “win-win” scenario for everybody. So why not have it? 

Today most of the patients prefer “prompt” attention, with least waiting time at the Surgery. Besides “painless” treatment procedures, it is a good idea to have a special ‘recovery room”, for patients to relax after a major dental surgery. Many of them do not like to be disturbed by other people after their dental surgery.


11. Make Your Family The Priority: 

Most of us in India work for ourselves and for the welfare of our family. It is an 
“ancient tradition”, which continues to make a lot of sense for modern living. Latest research concludes, that, a stable family provides a lot of strength and depth for our personal and professional life. It helps us, to tide over rough times, and acts as a “rebounding board”, to start all over again when the need be.

A stable family is like an “ashram”. It helps us to recharge our Soul’s batteries. It offers a ‘calm retreat’ in the storms of life, even while the howling winds of trial are sweeping over us. A pleasant family atmosphere enables us, to experience both the peace of mind and calmness of the spirit.

Dentistry is a “tiring, monotonous and taxing” profession. And if you have a busy private practice, you can end up in getting “dog tired” at the end of the day, both physically and mentally. A busy dentist surely needs a cool atmosphere, to relax and to get ready for the next day. A happy family is the best place to get “refreshed”’ It enables you to give your best the next day, and “enjoy” your professional job better. 

If you are still enjoying this article, and have not yet read what motivated us to develop and practice this 15-point “Goa Dentist” Model at our Surgery in Goa-India, we suggest that you go through it straight away by clicking on How It Happened now.


12. Develop Personal Hobbies And ‘Work-Out’ Regularly:

Dentistry is supposed to be a very creative profession. And according to the research findings, it is the development of our “right brain” which contributes to the growth of our creative talents. Studies on creativity, have come to a conclusion, that it is our personal hobbies like dancing, painting, singing, playing music, photography, sports, cooking etc, which can significantly contributes to the development of our “right” brain. 

Creative people are supposed to be more “innovative”. They can think ‘out-of-the-box’, and can regularly come out with new ideas. To be a good dentist you’ve got to be creative all the time. More than our knowledge and logical thinking, it is our creative skills which enable us to utilize better options to solve our patients problems. 

The importance of regular ‘work-out’ and exercises need not be overemphasized. It is a proven fact, that a physically intensive profession like dentistry demands a high level of ‘energy’ all the time. Regular ‘work-outs’ can definitely help us to improve our stamina and to make our body more flexible. 


13. Have A “Community Centered” Attitude: 

We believe Dentistry is primarily a “community centered” service. No dentist is an “island”, and therefore cannot succeed professionally without the support of his/ her community. Dentists need the assistance of their community as much as the community needs the help of it’s dentists. 

It is a fact that dental diseases have affected nearly 80% of the people in every community of the world today. It is also a fact that in all these communities there are the rich, the middle class and the poor patients, who need the help of the dentists. Unfortunately nearly 40% of these patients cannot afford a good “private 
dentist” today. 

For us Dentists it is very easy to treat patients who can afford our fees. But what about those who are poor and who cannot afford our prices? Should we remain “insensitive” to them just because we pay our taxes? Should we find a “solace” in the fact, that, there are Government Hospitals and National Health Services to look after the needs of the poor? 

Or can we “choose” to do something about it?. These are serious question we need to ask ourselves at some stage of our life. For a “private Dentist” who does not get any ‘subsidy’ from the Government, it is indeed a very difficult task to help the financially poor patients. Dentists have their own “basic costs”, before they can think of helping anybody. 

At our Surgery in Goa, we have “discovered” a practical way of helping the poor patients in a small way. We have chosen to dedicate 15% of our net profit to support an “in-house” community assistance project, which provides free/ subsidized cost dental treatment for the poor. 

By helping the poor patients, we are not doing anything great. We are only trying to partly “pay back” to the community which has over the years, given us so much by way of wealth and social status. When God has blessed us so much, we believe, that, what we are doing is the least we “owe” to our community. 

A very old poem by an anonymous Poet continues to inspire us give us the “grace” to do what we think is “fair and just” at our Surgery... Be not weary in your serving ; Do your best for those in need ; Kindness will be rewarded ; By the “One” who prompts the deed. 

14. Deal With Critics And ‘Trouble Makers’ Firmly: 

Dealing with the ‘unfair criticisms’ of your competitors and the ‘games’ your employees play behind your back, are important issues in every profession and business. And if you do not know how to deal with them effectively, you can be in serious trouble.

Many a times successful and “well to do” people become the easy targets of other people’s games and criticisms. And surprisingly, it is your friends, relatives and professional competitors, who initiate this baseless cycle of negativity. Some of them can literally cook-up stories to support their baseless allegations. 

Spreading ‘false rumors’ is one of the fastest and the most destructive attempt to damage a person’s reputation. And if you do not know how to deal with it, ‘character assassination’ can have a devastating effect on your business, family and health. 

You have got to develop your own strategies to “deal effectively” with your critics and criticism. Although different people may have different temperaments and ways of dealing with their critics, one thing is an absolute must... You’ve got to be mentally and emotionally tough and literally learn to master the art of dealing with critics.

In our opinion, there are at-least two ways of encountering criticism effectively. One is to get into the “offensive mode” and deal with your critics very aggressively. The other way is to collect the ‘stones of criticism’ which they throw at you, and use them as “stepping and building stones” to create your own success story. In some cases a ‘combination’ of these two strategies work effectively.

At the end of the day, it is your performance and track record that speaks for itself and shuts the mouths of your critics permanently. And if some of your “permanently unhappy critics” continue to act funny with you, remember that, it is only the “great people” who are unfairly criticized. Nobody bothers to deal with the ‘insignificant’. 


15. Be Submissive To The Will Of God:

We strongly believe that doctors/dentists can only “treat” their patients, but it is God who “heals” their patients. We believe, that, a dentist can be a lot more effective if he/she has faith in God, and allows himself to become an “instrument” in the hands of God. 

We know of many ‘miraculous healing’ that have happened with doctors who believe in God. At our Clinic, we too have experienced many ‘extraordinary’ healings, in many ‘hopeless cases’. Some of these patients could not be treated by other dentists, and we could do it successfully only with the help of God.

It is the famous Nigerian spiritual leader Dr David Oyedepo, who said it very beautifully... “God expects you to be His able representative, so that anyone with a desire to see the miracles of God, is fully satisfied as he comes in contact with you, because YOU have the answers to his life problems”.

Today, many people have developed an allergy to the word “God”. They think that there is nothing called God. They believe it is some unknown “supernatural power” that controls the laws of nature. Irrespective of what we choose to call it, we believe that there is some powerful, “unseen force” which controls, both the laws of nature and the destiny of human beings. We call this “unseen force”...GOD.

Many a times, things do not work out the way we had planned, and the way we want them to be. There are many ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ that come our way. When everything goes fine and things look rosy, we think we are in charge of our life, and are often tempted to take up bigger risks in our personal and professional life.

It is only when our life takes a sudden turn, and shatters some of our dreams, we begin to realize, that, actually we are NOT in charge of our life. We begin to acknowledge, that it is some “supernatural power” which is actually pulling the strings of our life. We are not even sure what the ‘next minute’ has in store for us.

The 19th-century German Pastor Christoph Blumhardt had once said... “Is God so powerless that my worrying would help my well-being? There comes a moment each day when we must simply drop what weighs on us and hand it over to God.” 

Over the years, we have come to a conclusion that, it is also a lot easier to live life more meaningfully and joyfully, if we are submissive to the will of God. It enables us to live one day at a time, and make a significant difference to our personal and professional life. It also enables us to “touch” the lives of people around us. 

Our strong faith in God has always provided us with ‘extra security’, and enabled us to have a clear purpose in life. There is an old poem by an anonymous poet, which continues to inspire us to trust in the unfailing, ‘rock solid’ strength of God...

I do not stand on shifting stand
And fear the storm that rages;
But calm and sure, I stand secure 
Upon the Rock of all ages.

If you have enjoyed this article, and  have not yet read “what” motivated us to develop and practice the above 15-point “Goa Dentist” Model at our Surgery in Goa-India, we suggest you click and read How It Happened.