Organized Dentistry Dr. Antel has changed his style of practice several times. “I reengineered, then reverse engineered my entire practice, then I did it again,” says Dr. Antel. “At the time, I wrote it all down to make sure I could wrap my head around it.” This helped to generate two things: a manual on how to run a dental practice plus a kit of all the materials needed to run a dental practice, including patient handouts, letters, forms for calculating insurance coverage, among other items. “An acquaintance who was involved with the communications committee of the Manitoba Dental Association (MDA) called me to ask what materials I would want from my association to help run a dental office,” says Dr. Antel. “I told him what I’d already created and that led to me being invited to join the MDA communications committee.” Dr. Antel joined the committee in the early 1990s, and he went on to become committee chair, a role he continued to serve until 2017. The practice resources that Dr. Antel had amassed formed the foundation of his book A Guide to Dental Practice Management and Marketing for New and Established Practitioners published in 1994, with a revised version in 2005. Dr. Antel continued his involvement with the MDA by joining its Board of Directors in 2006. “I enjoy being part of organized dentistry because I get to look at the big picture and examine the reasons why things are being done the way they are,” he says. “Before I became involved, I dealt with the frustrations of my practice and I would sometimes ask An invitation to Dr. Antel’s 50th birthday, which includes a photo of Joel at age 4. Dr. Antel and wife Bonnie at St. Andrews Airport near Winnipeg. myself, ‘Why are things set up like this?’ As part of organized dentistry, I get some insight into this question, and feel like I can contribute to try to make things better.” In 2011, Dr. Antel became president of the MDA. “At that time, the executive director was Ross McIntyre, who had been with the association for over 40 years. He retired that year, and Rafi Mohammed, the membership services director, became CEO,” says Dr. Antel. “They both were wonderful. They didn’t tell me what to do or try to mould me, but instead supported me as I figured out how to fit into the job. I really enjoyed that year.” 25 Issue 3 | 2024 |
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