It can be difficult for people to afford healthcare and even get small necessary check-ups like a teeth cleaning and that's what led Dr. Sindhura Uppalati and her husband Ramesh Uppalti to start Woodbridge Smiles their cosmetic and family dentistry. The couple knows that oral health is often overlooked and Uppalati believes that “education is lacking” and people aren't aware that something as simple as not flossing and brushing can lead to cardiovascular problems, diabetes and even affect their overall health and well-being.
The practice located in Woodbridge, Virginia seeks to put the patient's well-being at the forefront. During her 10 years of experience, Dr. Uppalati has met some patients who “hate the dentist” but she has found that after treating these patients they ended up happy that they came and would continue to come back.
From India to the Land of Opportunity
When the couple came to the United States 10 years ago, they came “with a lot of dreams and nothing in hand” recalls Ramesh Uppalati. Over the years they have done well and been successful and want to “give back to the community that embraced them.” The couple believes in the importance of service. In India when Dr. Uppalati grew up she recalls her father seeing patients who didn't have enough money to pay him. Rather than turn his back on these patients, her father helped them and often performed procedures for free and they treated him like a “King.” It is something Dr. Uppalati remembered as she attended New York University School of Dentisty, her 10 years of experience as a dentist and has laid the foundation of her practice. Which is why the husband and wife sought to provide “affordable dentistry” which is they explained is not the cheapest and also not the most expensive.
Complementing her experience as a dentist is her husband Ramesh Uppalati who serves as the practice manager. A MBA graduate of George Mason University, Uppalati, focuses on the day-to-day business duties including marketing and branding. He has done this in such a way to create a consistent 360 degree view. Everything from the color scheme to the location, logo and mission statement “Caring for Smiles of All Ages” was selected to strategically align with their goals. Those details help to deliver a consistent message to clients.
The office features motivational quotes in order to give patients a personal touch and a Panoramaic 3-Dimensional X-Ray Machine which takes a 360 degree view of a patient's teeth. In the future Uppalati explains that the office will have an internal lab which will save patients time and money so that they won't have to come back to get necessary lab results. The office will also have additional rooms for future expansion.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For anyone looking to start a business, Uppalati explains that there is a lot of help out there and aspiring entrepreneurs should go out and talk to people who tried to do things differently and learn from their experiences.
Uppalati also believes that aspiring business owners should have a reason for what they are doing. It should not be just to make money.
Here are 3 things Uppalati explains aspiring business owners should remember:
- Know why you are doing what you are doing.
- You should be able to see the end of the road and understand where you want to go.
- Make sure that you have the support and a community you can learn from. In order to launch the business, he focused on his network of small business owners to determine the best way to hire employees, insurance to purchase and necessary things needed when starting a business.
Woodbridge Smiles is now accepting new patients, walk-ins and accepts PPO, HMO/DMO, Medicare, Medicare and Smiles for children insurance plans. Their office is located 14904 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Suite #304, Woodbridge, Virginia 22191. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, contact Woodbridge Smiles at 703-910-4805. Follow Woodbridge Smiles on Twitter and Facebook and check out their blog.
|