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David & Barbara Naisby


Black Isle Dental Studio
Inverness, Scotland
Location, Location, Location

In 2004 David and Barbara Naisby took a leap-of-faith and relocated from the centre of the largest council estate in Inverness to a very rural location in the Black Isle, 15 miles north of Inverness.

Their surgery is built as an extension to their home, in the middle of a field four miles from a regular bus route. Yet despite this rural location their net profit for their practice has increased considerably even with David reducing his clinical hours.

David and Barbara attribute the success of their new practice to a change in business practice after hearing about the somewhat unusual ideas of Dr Paddi Lund.

It is a family run practice; David is the dentist, Barbara the Practice Manager and their daughter, Gill, is Care Nurse and treatment co-ordinator. Christina, is the only non-family member and is their trainee dental nurse. The practice is mainly private, the only NHS patients on the books are children, but parents are offered the option of a full private service for their children.
Light At the End of the Tunnel

It was Barbara that first heard of Dr Paddi Lund at a course that mentioned Paddi's work, after which she bought Paddi's first book, Building the Happiness Centred Business. Her motivation stemmed from David falling into a deep depression in September 2000; he was off work, unable to think, communicate or manage the practice.

As he started to lift out of this depression they both realised they had to decide whether to redesign their way of practising dentistry or get out altogether. That's when Barbara attended a seminar with legendary business coach, Chris Barrow of the Dental Business School, who shared Paddi's story in detail.

Barbara saw so many parallels between Paddi and David and the difficulties Paddi used to face, that she saw using Paddi's new philosophy as a way of getting out of similar problems. Barbara joined Chris' year long coaching program, and like so many others, set out on a huge course of implementation with Chris's expert guidance and experience -- indeed, they became legendary in Chris' network for their speed of uptake and implementation of Chris' and Paddi's concepts.

Later in 2002 Barbara went to one of Paddi's own courses to hear him speak and liked his gentle down to earth approach. Paddi's conference and the ensuing publications they purchased (starting with Building the Happiness-Centred Business) have clearly had a dramatic impact on both David and Barbara, and they have adopted many of Paddi's strategies including:
  • Like Paddi they developed an invitation only practice. By shutting down one practice and setting up another, this was simple; they only sent invitations to their best clients asking them to join them. Customers that they no longer wanted to keep were written to and advised that the practice was closing down.

  • Using Paddi's Welcome Book Construction Kit, they developed their own Welcome Book which is given to every member of the practice when they join. This clearly sets out details about the practice and how the Naisby's like to work - patients have been so taken aback by it that they think they have to hand it back not realising that it is their own to keep.

  • People have to ring the front door bell so that they can be personally met using Paddi's Courtesy System, there is no reception desk and there is a lounge rather than waiting room where customers can have refreshments either before or after their visit. Barbara notes that they haven't gone as far as Paddi with his Royal Doulton tea set, silver service and tea ceremony, but their clients are still blown away with any offer of refreshment.

  • They have a luxurious bathroom with lots of complimentary products for customers to try including perfumes, deodorant and hairspray.

  • Another more unusual "Critical non-essential" is that they encourage customers to travel by horseback and offer hay nets for those customers that do so - that's not everyone, but regardless it creates a great story to tell!

  • To develop trusting relationships they have adopted Paddi's Care Nursing system ensuring seamless communication between the surgery and office.
Restored Self Belief
When asked if Paddi has influenced his professional life/attitude, David says,

"It has completely revolutionised the way I view my working life. Having nice customers and working in such a relaxed environment has also helped to restore my self-belief and self-esteem which six years ago was at rock bottom.

"This change in attitude has encouraged me to take many high level post graduate courses in cosmetic and implant dentistry which allows me to carry out very satisfying high quality dentistry. I have also been able to reduce my clinical hours significantly whilst achieving a higher net profit."


They believe that their biggest achievement has been "daring to be different", by setting up a practice in a spot that everyone else thought would be insane and having the courage not to advertise so that they can hand pick clients. They instinctively knew that this was the right route to take and by adopting Paddi's ideas, they have created a highly successful practice located in an idyllic environment.
Contact the Source

David & Barbara have kindly offered to post their contact details here. If you'd like to speak with them directly to ask more specifically about their transition to a private country practice, please write to ...
This Success Profile kindly compiled for Private Dentistry Magazine UK by... Michelle Hurd, AB Communications, email: michelle@ab-communications.com, in support of Paddi's upcoming seminar tour to the UK.