Ten years later

I firmly believe that it is so important to celebrate life; it’s a fantastic gift and should not be taken for granted. It isn’t always easy to remember this and sometimes I fail dismally. My wife Ruth, the other person in the world who knows me best, would probably say that this would be more often than I’ll admit to - but I’m human, just like everybody else, and on balance I think that its OK. In fact it’s OK for all of us.

The good times however are there all the time, every single day, and sometimes you’ve just got to go and look for them - they are never very far away.

Ten years ago today a more youthful, less grey version of bought an established dental practice that I’d worked in for the previous thirteen years. I’d been thinking about it and working toward it for some while; there was an itch that needed to be scratched. I clearly had something to prove and a belief that I could bring something good and new to the people of Cumbria. When I stood up and nervously said Hi to my new team in 2007, I knew that I had a lot to learn and that I knew very little - apart from about teeth and mountains.

Richard Hellen, in his Venture Photos phase....


Now, its ten years later. Ten years is over a third of my career to date; a fifth of my life. A colleague once told me that most businesses fail within five years, and that therefore reaching five years was worth at least a pat on the back. On that basis, getting to ten years deserves something significantly better, and should at least be celebrated and be treated with the gratitude that it deserves.

Over the intervening time I changed, York Place has been gutted and rebuilt, the team have changed and through significant personal investment in postgraduate training we can now offer a far broader range of services to clients who appreciate what we do. I won’t list them here - but do go check the website if you want to know more.

As a result of a combination of increased patient expectation, a reduction in the ability of the NHS to cope, and massive progress in both dental technology and knowledge, we are now successfully carrying out treatment and delivering care in ways that were either not previously possible or expected of us. All in a small Practice in a residential area of a provincial city in the north of England. To those who told me it couldn’t be done - we have shown that it can.

Those who know me will know that I’m a course junkie with a nose for new knowledge and new stuff. True to form I’m away on this important anniversary - I’m sat writing this in a Marriott in South Wales after a day with an inspiring group of motivated dentists who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries, to get out of their comfort zones, to ask questions. There will be more tomorrow, and then a family meal with my folks (I grew up in these parts), and finally some mountain biking with some mates on Sunday morning before I head back up to Cumbria.

The future?

I have a vision of what YPD will look like in three years time, and with my superb team team we will continue to work toward it. I also have a vision of what my life will be like in three years time - and I will continue to work toward that as well. Of course, I’ve got no idea how much of it will come about, or what the outcomes will be, but I don’t worry about it, I’m just grateful to have the opportunity to choose my own destiny, to take my own risks and to enjoy the process of giving it my best shot.

To my family, thanks for putting up with my ego trip, I love you all. To everyone who has ever worked for me, to those who have advised me, thank you for your belief and hard work. To our patients, thank you too for your loyalty and trust.

Have a great weekend, and here’s a link my current most favourite You Tube video….its about Gratitude

Richard