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The Highest Leverage Investment for your Dental Practice?
How I went from receptionist to Director of Operations—and why I started Dental Director Academy
Hi Everyone, my name is Stephanie, CEO and founder of the Dental Director Academy.
This is my story, but it could easily be anyone’s story. I got lucky. I created DDA so more dental office managers and Canadian Dental Clinic owners can have the same luck.
I started as a receptionist. I didn’t have a background in business. I wasn’t trying to “climb the ladder.” I just cared about doing a good job—making sure the day ran smoothly, the team felt supported, and patients had a good experience.
Thankfully, the dentist I worked for noticed that. She started giving me more responsibility. She let me get involved in how the clinic worked—not just the front desk, but scheduling, operations, team management, systems, communication. I loved it.
I found myself excited on Sunday nights for the week ahead.
Over time, I moved from receptionist… to treatment coordinator… to office manager… and eventually we created the role of Director of Operations for a practice that grew from $2 million to over $5 million.
I didn’t do it alone. I had support. She invested in me.
I was given access to training, mentorship, and resources—but most of them were expensive, U.S.-based, and designed for big clinics that looked nothing like ours in Canada.
She spent over $100,000 investing in me, not to mention the countless hours.
I remember thinking, “why isn’t there practical dental office manager training in Canada?”
Around this time, a job opportunity for my husband had us move to a new city. I felt like I was starting over… until I started as an Office Manager at a new clinic and realized that the same problems and bottle necks existed with this team and dental office.
I’ve never been so empowered and confident to find that the same skills, systems and learnings proved to work a second time. This time going from $2m to $4m in a few short years.
I was inspired. There had to be a way to share this. To help other office leaders invest in themselves. This is why I created the Dental Director Academy – a Canadian dental training program built for Dentists and office managers that works.
No fluff. No Theory. Just useful help in 1 Hour per week.
DDA was built to fill a very real gap:
There are so many programs out there for dentists and hygienists—but very little structured, practical, and affordable training for Canadian dental office managers.
And yet, office managers are often the ones holding everything together. When done well, they are the right hand and business drivers along side Dentist owners.
They’re the ones making the schedule work, calming the chaos, catching things before they fall through the cracks.
But they rarely get the tools, training, or recognition to lead with confidence.
At DDA, we focus on dental operations support that actually works – the kind of practical systems, habits, and leadership skills that make the day smoother, the team stronger, and the business more sustainable.
Now pause for a second and ask yourself this:
What would change if the person running your office knew how to lead your team, fix your chaos, and keep the wheels turning without you hovering?
Whether you’re an office manager who wants to grow…
Or a dental owner who is ready to empower real support for themselves…
Dental Director Academy is here to help you grow your dental clinic—without burning out or breaking the bank.
We have proven systems to that when office managers are supported and trusted, clinics become better places to work, lead, and grow.
We’re here to make that possible.
With care,
Stephanie
Founder, Dental Director Academy
About the Author
RDA, CEO, Founder
Stephanie Richardson, founder of Dental Director Academy, draws on more than 20 years of experience in dental practice management and front-office operations—along with 5 years of coaching—to help practices grow through strong leadership, streamlined systems, and empowered teams.
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