How to choose a location for a pediatric dental practice: a case study

Practice: Three Little Birds Pediatric Dentistry, Delran, New Jersey (Greater Philadelphia) Doctor: Dr. Phil Chung, board-certified pediatric dentist Report used: a Dentagraphics custom report, with analysis written by a demographer Opened: 2022

At a glance


New patients per month	65 on average
Time to receive the custom report	5 days

What to look for in a pediatric dental location

Dr. Chung chose his location against five criteria. They make a practical checklist for any pediatric dentist weighing a site:

Close to complementary providers. Pediatricians, speech and language pathologists, orthodontists and general dentists nearby mean more referrals and coordinated care for families.
Not too close to an existing pediatric dental office. Being near general dentists helps. Being next door to another pediatric practice means competing for the same families.
A community that needs your skills. Look for areas short on pediatric dentists, where your background will resonate with local families.
Rent balanced against patient exposure. A cheaper space with little visibility can cost more in lost patients than it saves in rent. A premium space has to earn its price.
Easy to drive to. Parents are the ones driving. A location that is easy to reach brings more referrals and more traffic.

The challenge: choosing a location from another state

Dr. Chung was living and working in Greater Boston while researching locations in Southern New Jersey. His own research helped, but it couldn't replace being there in person and understanding the community's dynamics and traffic patterns. He needed a way to test those five criteria from a distance.

Why he chose Dentagraphics

Dr. Chung didn't want to rely on demographics supplied by a landlord or by dental equipment and supply companies. That data can be outdated, non-specific or biased.

"At the time, I hadn't heard of any other companies doing this specific type of work. They may have existed, but the only recommendation I was receiving from close colleagues and mentors was to work with Dentagraphics. The reputation of Dentagraphics as the outright leader in this space had me convinced from day one."

Dr. Phil Chung

What Dentagraphics did

Dr. Chung ordered a custom demographic report: a done-for-you analysis with expert commentary from a Dentagraphics demographer, tailored to his area and practice strategy. It arrived within five days. With it he was able to:

Narrow the region to the best communities for his new practice, where his personal and professional background would fit.
Pinpoint underserved areas that were short on pediatric dentists.
Match the data to his own practice philosophy, then validate his shortlist against the analysis instead of anecdotes.

"The data was so dead on, I can't imagine practicing anywhere else in South Jersey. The area analysis helped me hone in on specific communities that were lacking in pediatric dentists. The data led me to an office with a formidable growth rate."

Dr. Phil Chung

The results

Three Little Birds Pediatric Dentistry opened in Delran, New Jersey in 2022 and has grown quickly:

65 new patients a month on average.
A strategic location: close to complementary providers and easy to drive to, which brings more referrals and traffic.
A fast ramp-up compared with opening in a saturated market, because the community needed what he offers.

When Dr. Chung is ready for a second location, he plans to use Dentagraphics again, so the new office complements the first instead of competing with it.

Dr. Chung's advice for dentists opening a practice

Don't rely only on landlord or equipment-company demographics.
Weigh community fit alongside the raw numbers.
Plan for long-term growth from day one.
Make the location decision with data.

Choosing your own location

See what a finished report looks like: the sample Area Analysis and the sample Single-Site Study.
Read the dental practice site selection guide.
Read more customer stories from dentists who use Dentagraphics.
Custom reports: Area Analysis $745 and Single-Site Study $695, each with handwritten analysis by a Dentagraphics demographer and a 30-minute consultation call. Plans and pricing.

Dentagraphics has served more than 10,000 paid customers over 12 years.

Frequently asked questions

What should a pediatric dentist look for in a location? Nearby pediatricians, speech and language pathologists, orthodontists and general dentists for referrals; distance from existing pediatric dental offices; a community short on pediatric dentists; rent that is worth the patient exposure; and easy driving access for parents.

How did Dr. Chung choose his location from out of state? He ordered a Dentagraphics custom report with analysis written by a demographer, used it to narrow Southern New Jersey to the communities lacking pediatric dentists, and validated his shortlist against it.

How long did the custom report take? Dr. Chung received his report within five days.