Doctor Duchev, what in principle is the measure for success in life?
According to Warren Buffett, it is wrong to measure success by money or fame. He says that ‘you measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have loved you actually do love you’. Let’s not forget though that Warren Buffett has plenty of both fame and money. Still, if we were to
measure things in more practical terms, there are a few factors which determine success: good health, financial security, valued friendships, a stable family, a name in society. These are indicators which would allow anybody to assess their success in life and make corrections to some of them, if required.
What does success mean in dental medicine?
Success in dental medicine has many faces. I have a cumulative success rate of 96% with the dental implants, this statistic including all implants I have placed starting in 2003 till now. With facets, crowns and direct restorations, the percentage is even higher. But success is not just figures. To me, it is best reflected in the trust and relationship with my patients. When I go to a good restaurant or a luxury spa centre, there is always a patient greeting me with a smile on their face. And that makes for the true measure of success in dental medicine.
At what point in your career did you come to believe that you already
were a successful dentist?
When patients from abroad, from developed countries, started coming to us. Fully aware that prices here would be even steeper than what they’d have to pay if they got their treatment at home. But they come to us for the exclusivity and because they trust our protocols.
Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
In 20 years of practice, starting off by doing shifts at a surgery of a stomatological polyclinic, wit DR. PETAR h just one common toilet on that floor, we have progressed to two clinics (a children’s and an implant clinic) and a Dental Care Office with nineteen toilets. Joking aside, but the road we have walked is truly incredible. During those years, we faced an awful lot of obstacles and overcame many challenges. There were ups and downs, but we succeeded in building a chain of dental clinics, operating entirely in the premium segment. We gained extensive experience in creating and running of
business processes in this complex segment and we established ourselves as a benchmark in the profession.
How does the Petar Duchev Dental Clinic earn the trust of the patients?
The safety and security of our patients is paramount. From the highest available level of sterilisation, which we were the first to introduce in Bulgaria, to the fact that at the Petar Duchev Dental Clinic no local anaesthetic is ever administered without the presence of an anaesthetist. Many of my colleagues don’t understand why this is necessary, but it’s like the car airbags – the more you do, the more
safety and peace of mind you get. We pay for them, but if we never need to use them – so much the better.
Do you build friendships and lasting relationships with your
patients?
It is all built on trust and the connection with the patient. I don’t aim to, and I don’t do it on purpose, but yes, sometimes relationships are formed and they grow into real friendships.
Do you celebrate every new success at the clinic?
We do celebrate successes, but don’t for a moment lose our passion and eagerness which brought them about.
