24734: Hermantin (News) Delray dentist lives the American dream

[sak-pase@bimini.ws]

leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Delray dentist lives the American dream
By Glenn Singer
Business Writer
April 11, 2005

For Macdalie St.-Preux, patience has been the key to a successful dental 
practice.

In the year she has been in private practice in Delray Beach, St.-Preux has 
learned to be patient in growing the business, handling employees and 
understanding her patients' attitudes.

A native of Haiti, St.-Preux, 32, graduated from dental school at Nova 
Southeastern University in Davie in 2002 and then worked for the Florida 
Community Health Center in Okeechobee, treating indigent patients and 
migrant workers.

"The area reminded me of my country -- the smell of oranges and sugar cane 
in a quiet, rural setting," she said.

But after two years, St.-Preux decided to seek the American dream, venturing 
out on her own.

"The most important thing is to know your strengths and weaknesses," she 
said. "I knew I needed a survey to determine whether there was a need for my 
services. I knew I needed an accountant to manage the books. But I also knew 
I didn't need a management company to run the business. A management company 
would not understand the culture of my patients."

Most of St.-Preux's patients are Haitian, and she said many are not all that 
concerned about missing appointments.

"It's not that uncommon for some patients to not show up, at least at 
first," she said. "But after you teach them the importance of good dental 
hygiene, and explain how it costs me time and money when they don't come, 
they tend to become compliant."

But there's no question about the need for dentists in the Delray Beach 
area, St.-Preux said. In fact, a survey from her lender indicated Delray 
Beach needs 35 additional dentists -- particularly minorities -- to meet 
current needs.

"People want to see a medical professional who understands their culture and 
who speaks their native language," she said.

St.-Preux said she borrowed about $250,000 for dental equipment, furniture 
and computers. She leases office space in a new building, but has an option 
to buy the unit.

She said she was inspired by reading 365 Laws To Become a Millionaire, which 
she said focused more on how to treat people than on how to become rich.

"I don't allow myself to have a bad day," she said. "I admit I once got mad 
at a patient who had a bad attitude. I said something like, `Do you think 
it's my problem?' I was so upset afterward, and I'll never talk that way to 
anyone again."

St.-Preux also set goals that she has attained so far -- most notably adding 
25 new patients a month. She also sought to generate $150,000 in revenues in 
the first year and "we're there."

Just about every day, she thinks about two people who inspired her in her 
career -- her older sister, who attended dental school in Israel and was 
killed in a car crash in Haiti, and one of her teachers at NSU, Dr. Marvin 
Golberg of Boca Raton. She refers to him as her mentor.

"At Nova, she was very proficient and very skilled with her hands," said 
Golberg, an assistant professor who still discusses cases with St.-Preux. 
"She was one of the very few dental students who attended every class and 
would not miss any labs or lectures for any reason.

"I know she is working very hard at the profession."

Glenn Singer can be reached at gsinger@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6612.




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Macdalie St.-Preux

Business: Preventive and cosmetic dentistry

Where: 4205 W. Atlantic Ave., No. 101, Delray Beach

Owner: Macdalie St.-Preux

Established: 2004

Revenues: More than $150,000 in the first year

Employees: Three

Advice: "You need to learn from your own mistakes, not from someone else 
telling you how to run your business."
Copyright © 2005, South Florida Sun-Sentinel