BUILDING OR REFRESHING YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE 3 Building a trustworthy team is a critical process in office construction or remodeling. While reading this text, you will come to understand the importance of certain steps, procedures, and services, along with the people who provide them. You will also learn about certain flaws that are deeply imbedded in the systems surrounding dental office development. Once you recognize these flaws, you can take command of them and make sure your project not only stays on schedule, but, more importantly, stays within your budget. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Develop a criteria for selecting a trustworthy team that keeps your best interests at the forefront • Understand and control the inherent pitfalls associated with new dental office development • Reduce the risk of contractor change orders by preparing detailed design documents • Research and find a mortgage that will work for you — and save money in the process • Learn how to turn your dental equipment sales rep into a high-performance ally Chapter 1: Building a Team You Can Trust By Gordon F. Osterhaus Jr., D.D.S.