Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Kathy Frazar established The Houston Dentists to form the same type of camaraderie that physicians who worked in hospitals experience, because she said dentists tend to be more introverted and work alone.
“When I graduated, there were not many women in dentistry, and I didn’t have a mentor,” Frazar said. “There were no women that I could look up to.”
She said it was rare for women to start their own practice at the time, but that it was a risk she was willing to take.
The framework
While Frazar started the practice, she had to learn how to run a business, as dental school only taught her how to work on teeth. Frazar said she figured that if she had the highest-trained team making the highest salary, then people wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.
So, part of her business plan became investing in women, and now, she said, it’s her team that keeps her from burning out after all these years. Another benefit of Frazar’s business model is that she said she practices as an independent practice group rather than being owned by a corporation.
“A lot of dental practices will be owned by a venture capital group that is all about profits, and we’re all about care,” Frazar said.
Dr. Kathy Frazar, right, and Dr. Coury Zachary from The Houston Dentists. (Courtesy The Houston Dentists)
What they offer
At The Houston Dentists, clients receive cosmetic dental services in a spa-like environment designed to put nerves at ease.
Frazar said one of the biggest misconceptions she hears about dentistry is that it hurts, whereas she believes dentistry should never be painful. Even for teeth cleanings, the practice uses a numbing gel on the gums so that nothing hurts, Frazar said.
Additionally, the dental practice is metal-free when it comes to teeth care, and instead uses a ceramic restoration.
Why it matters
Throughout the past few years, Frazar said she’s seen more women attend dental school.
In her graduating class, she said women made up less than 30%, but the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston class of 2028 has women making up around 65% of the class.
When she thinks about her legacy, Frazar said she wants to be remembered as an example for other women—especially her only daughter.
“I think we as people need to rise other people up and give them reasons to reach, because people with goals do better in life,” she said.
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