Dan J. Alessini, DDS
Santa Monica, Calif.
I read with great interest Barbara Baccei`s article in the April issue of Dental Economics regarding the office-design competition ("How a building can `Really Smile` "). I will say that the winner had a beautiful and functional design - for Fisher, Ind.
How about Santa Monica, Calif., where your typical rent is $3 per square foot? I would speculate that the total square footage of Really Smile Dental must be around 6,500 square feet. That monthly rent ($19,500) would be a hard nut to crack.
If you were to purchase a piece of property that is 100 feet by 150 feet, you would be spending approximately $1 million. Add to that the cost of the building and the mortgage, plus the high-tech equipment and the cost of hiring good help, and it must be mind-dazzling.
What is the cost of paying and running this operation per month? Or is it not included in the whole picture? If it isn`t, it should be.
