NSU CDM Impressions Fall/Winter 2019

6 | COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE JASON E. PORTNOF, M.D., D.M.D. (’02) Surgical Arts of Boca Raton | Boca Raton, Florida Jason E. Portnof spent 12 years studying the ins and outs of owning an oral surgery practice during 2 years in a private practice “decades ago,” and 10 years in academics as a CDM faculty member. For Portnof, opening a specialty office for oral and maxillofacial surgery “just kind of evolved. I didn’t have my sights set on it,” he said. “I always thought that, one day, I would open my own practice, but it had to be the right place and opportunity, and it sort of all came together.” Portnof said he spent time researching and learning to find the site that met his exact requirements. Since his specialty is oral and maxillofacial surgery, he wanted to be on a hospital campus (the office is near West Boca Medical Center) with a certain amount of square footage, and he wanted to have two operating rooms where he could provide general anesthesia services. “I looked at articles in Dental Economics magazine, I read books, I researched the business side, I talked with colleagues, and I surrounded myself with smart people who gave me guidance,” he said. He became an anesthesia inspector for the Florida Board of Dentistry. “I did that to make sure when I was building out the operating rooms that I met the Board of Dentistry’s requirements to perform general anesthesia in my office,” he explained. Portnof also hired staff members with whom he had worked in the past. “I kept in touch with everyone over the years, and when I was ready, I brought them on to join me in my office. You keep those relationships going, and then you have people who you trust and know their work ethic,” he said. Surgical Arts of Boca Raton opened in December 2018. As the practice grows, he’ll hire an associate, who he hopes will eventually become a partner. MICHAEL ROSEFF, D.M.D. (’04) Roseff Pediatric Dentistry | Boynton Beach, Florida Michael Roseff worked for a few corporate dental companies as a pediatric specialist before opening his specialty office. He said the learning experiences he gained working for those companies were invaluable when opening his own office. “When you come out of dental school, you may prac- tice differently than you will three years later,” Roseff said. “If I built my office as soon as I got out of dental school, it would have been completely different. Work- ing for a while for someone else, I figured out the way I like to work.” Roseff said building an office is about developing the right flow. “How patients come in and out, sterilization, and X-rays—everything has to have a flow to it. Learn how you like to practice when working for someone else, and then you will know how to build your office in a way that’s comfortable for you.” He opened his private pediatric specialty office 10 years ago and said demographics played a role in the location he chose. “From Miami up to Jupiter is “I kept in touch with everyone over the years, and when I was ready, I brought them on to join me in my office. You keep those relationships going, and then you have people who you trust and know their work ethic.” —JASON E. PORTNOF “If I built my office as soon as I got out of dental school, it would have been completely different. Working for a while for someone else, I figured out the way I like to work.” —MICHAEL ROSEFF (continued from page 4) Dental Economics