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A commitment to improve the quality of dental work in regional areas saw a brother and sister co-found a business that has grown to over 45 clinics. By Frank Leggett
Dr Ned Restom and general manager Claudine Restom-Narciss are a brother-and-sister team who co-founded Smile On Clinics in 2013 with a single practice at Avoca Beach on the NSW Central Coast. From the outset, their vision was to provide high-quality dental procedures to regional and city areas. Smile On Clinics link practitioners in urban areas and regional centres to create a network of supportive, enthusiastic dental professionals. Today, the business has more than 45 clinics across the NSW Central Coast, the Hunter Valley region and Sydney. They have also expanded to Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart with their latest clinic in Camp Hill, Queensland. And they state assuredly, this is just the beginning!
Dr Ned Restom
“To grow a company such as Smile On, you need people to support the back office and expand the operation. To run our business successfully, we needed someone to manage the whole operation—and that someone was my sister.
“My background is I gained a Bachelor of Science at the University of Sydney in 2000 and then a Bachelor of Dentistry in 2004. Claudine had been living in the USA and moved her family back to Australia in 2013. When she returned, I asked her to become general manager of Smile On and she took the plunge.
“While there are many dentists who have joined me in creating and expanding Smile On Clinics, having Claudine at the helm is a huge advantage. She has an amazing business sense, and I absolutely trust her and the decisions she makes. Working with my sister means I don’t have to sugar-coat things. We speak our mind without fear. This allows things to happen quickly.
“We bring different skills to the business. I’m a clinician who undertakes high-end surgical procedures. I’m involved with clinical mentorship and business development. Having many contacts in the industry is a huge advantage. Claudine works in our main office, orchestrating all the day-to-day operations. She’s involved with HR, reports from the CFO and is in contact with all regional managers. She’s across every business decision at Smile On.
“We interact frequently at work although she has banned me from texting her before 8am. When you have 500 staff and 140 clinicians to manage, it’s very demanding. Every day there are dozens of issues—things breaking down, someone upset about something, people leaving, people starting. It’s never-ending.
“We occasionally have a difference of opinion, but it’s resolved quickly. I’m easygoing whereas she’s more conservative. We strike a good balance. The key to a successful business relationship is to manage differences of opinion. We’ve done that for a long time.
“Working with my sister has brought us closer together. When siblings work at different jobs at different locations, they don’t get to see much of each other. The only issue we have is that it can be difficult to turn off our work brains when we’re socialising. Smile On is such a big part of our lives; it’s almost impossible to put business aside at family gatherings.
“Australia is one of the best countries in the world but, in our industry, there are still many issues in regional areas. I’m proud and happy that Claudine and I are working to solve this inequality.”
Claudine Restom-Narciss
“I moved back to Australia in 2013 and dove headfirst into helping Ned run the first Smile On practice, Avoca Beach Dental. I undertook a management role in the business and wanted to know everything about the industry—from the struggles of a dental assistant to the challenges facing a dental surgeon.
“In 2014, the business expanded to include nearby Saratoga Dental and a medical centre in the same suburb. Smile On Clinics has been steadily expanding ever since then. I’ve always believed that in life, you make choices. Once you’ve made the choice, you need to stay committed and follow through. You have to take the good with the bad but, invariably things work out.
“Ned and I never planned to work together. He went into dentistry while I earned an MBA specialising in health services management. I didn’t have any trepidation about joining him in business; we get on very well. I knew we would complement each other
“Ned doesn’t stop. He’s a 24/7 man who would call me at sunrise. I had to put an 8am limit on him. I’m a late worker and tend to get things done in the evening. Ned is an outstanding clinician but is also involved in management and the strategic growth of the business. As I’m across every aspect of management and background systems, we often work together.
“We do have differences of opinion, but they are quickly resolved as we both have the best interests of the company as our first principle. We also understand our responsibilities. There are many people who earn their living from our company and that’s not to be taken lightly.
“I love working with Ned because we respect and trust each other 100 per cent. I also like the fact that I can be myself. I can express an opinion without holding back. If I’m having a bad day, I can call Ned and he’s there for me. And vice versa.
“If you have a healthy relationship, I recommend going into business with a sibling. There will be challenges but you can make it work and become the best empowered business couple it’s possible to be. There’s no-one you can trust more than a sibling and that’s what makes them fantastic business partners.
“Ned and I genuinely believe in Smile On and are proud of what we have achieved so far. We enjoy our roles and working with our team members. It’s a good deal.”
