Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 3

A 1985 graduate of the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, Dr. Armstrong was also an MBA student through two programs—one at UBC and the other at Simon Fraser University (SFU)—about 12 years apart. He officially took office as CDA president on April 24, 2020, at the CDA Annual General Meeting, hosted online for the first time ever, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Boardman met Dr. Armstrong in the early 1980s when Dr. Armstrong was a dental student. “Jim took business classes at the same time,” says Boardman. “He’s really high energy and very bright. Although he’s high energy, he’s never flustered. Instead, he always appears to be calm and relaxed.” Dr. Ward has known Dr. Armstrong for 25 years and served as treasurer of the British Columbia Dental Association (BCDA) when Dr. Armstrong was BCDA president. “He’s the most generous person I know, with both his time and resources,” says Dr. Ward. “He cares deeply about dentists, especially new dentists just starting out. He wants them to succeed no matter what.” Since 1987, Dr. Armstrong has been CEO and sole shareholder for Aarm Dental Group in Vancouver, B.C. It is a solo-group dental practice organization based on the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, a cooperative. It has 11 offices and 25 independent solo‑group general practitioners, specialist partners and associates. Each dentist owns their own patients in their own incorporated company within a set and standardized management structure that includes positioning strategies, competitive strategies, locational strategies, and operational systems based on best practices. Currently, due to his role with the CDA Board, Dr. Armstrong practises on a limited basis as a dentist at his Aarm Beatty office. Dr. Armstrong also owns and runs Exceptional Smile Oral Health Care Boutiques, a franchise systems for oral health care products and services, Aarm Holdings Ltd., a development company that purchases strata-retail locations and builds turnkey dental offices, and Strategic Dental Decisions Group Ltd., a company that licenses software written by Dr. Armstrong. “Jim is a real doer,” says Boardman. “He’s very efficient and effective. He can manage a lot of balls in the air at the same time and can switch quickly from one issue to another. He keeps on top of many things simultaneously, which is quite remarkable.” Writing software is a passion for Dr. Armstrong. He has created a data envelopment analysis model for dental practice management to increase efficiency, a dental practice profitability model that help dentists make practical changes (L. to r) Dr. Armstrong's daughter Alexis, wife Kathleen, daughters Andrea and Keira. Enjoying family time on the nearby ski slopes. “He cares deeply about dentists, especially new dentists just starting out. He wants them to succeed no matter what.” 13 Issue 3 | 2020 | CDA at W ork