Self-Proclaimed Dental Brat. Fashionista. Chief Operations Officer at Classic Practice Resources. Daughter of Sandy Pardue. This is her story …
I am a self-proclaimed dental brat. I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with wonderful parents and a great upbringing. By the time I was in middle school, the bus started dropping me off after school at the dental practice my mom was running.
I used to do my homework in the team breakout room and I’d sit at the end of a very long cypress table, and listen in on the staffs’ conversations, keeping an eye on them. That’s why I refer to myself as the dental brat. The staff really did love me though, I wasn’t necessarily the office tattletale, I was just trying to make sure they were following the rules. I was always a stickler for rule following, even at a young age.
Dr. Bob Westerman was the practicing dentist at the office and in many ways was like a second father to me. I had a completely different mindset about dentistry than most young kids. I grew up in a model dental practice with a wonderful doctor who taught me a lot about the importance of time management and being organized. I was also very inspired by my mother, watching her work, and seeing the way that she managed and handled the team.
I honestly believe that a lot of us who end up in the dental field never planned it, at least that’s how it went for me. My parents wanted me to be a nurse because of my fun and outgoing personality. I think they saw early on that I had great people skills and could use that to my advantage in helping others. So, I went to college with nursing in mind. I took my first biology class and I absolutely hated it! So that plan fell through. I took a business course and fell in love with it, so I ended up graduating with a bachelors in Business Marketing from Southeastern Louisiana University.
While I was in college I was still connected to the dental world. I went to many trade shows, selling the Metalift Crown & Bridge Removal system, which was a sister company to Classic Practice at the time. I actually enjoyed the trade shows a lot. The concept of engaging with people who’d walk by the booth was fun and exciting for me. It was a way to connect with people and find ways to interact.
At the time we owned Metalift, we knew that we also had something very special at our model practice, so my mother, Sandy, decided to focus on practice management and helped develop Classic Practice Resources. So, our primary focus began to shift. We juggled both sides of the company for a while until eventually, we sold Metalift to another company. By this time, I was working full-time at Classic Practice Resources.
It was all a big blessing because the conversations and connections we had made from all the trade shows with our previous product, introduced us to some of the finest people in the dental industry. The Metalift was the stepping stone we needed to get Classic Practice Resources where it is today. We have been at trade shows and have had breakfast next to meeting planners and have said, “Hi! This is Sandy Pardue and my name is Dana and we have something special to share with you!” That’s really how Sandy got known for the company, hard work and sharing her message with others.
Classic Practice Resources is a very rewarding company to be a part of because we get to change lives. I truly believe that our service is unsurpassed in the industry we work in. Our reachability is something we take great pride in. When a team needs strengthening, or their schedule falls through, we are just a phone call away, ready to help.
For me, it’s the human interaction that makes everything. My general frustration in life is that so many people are too serious! They need to loosen up and have fun! You will enjoy life a lot more and others will like being around you. We have a great time with our company and I strive every day to create and bring livelihood into all that we do. Whether it be through our first video chat with new offices that we or working with or seeing our clients at our live training events here in Baton Rouge, the interaction we get to have is very rewarding.
About Classic Practice Resources:
Many other doctors and consultants will tell you your practice isn’t a business. Make no mistake. IT IS. Classic Practice Resources provides the structure and the tools needed to operate your dental practice at maximum efficiency. We deliver the know-how to increase your revenue, streamline your processes, reduce your stress, and run your business instead of your business running you. Visit our site here.
