Get to Know Dr. Jason Lewis from Bartram Dental

• Bartram Dental is an full-service dental facility in St. Johns County that serves the people of St. Johns and St. Augustine, FL. We aim to do it all—from cosmetic dentistry to orthodontics, pediatrics, dental implants and more. Our goal is to make our patients feel as comfortable and welcome as possible.

Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).

• I earned my dental degree from the University of Oklahoma after earning my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton. I’m the past president of the Jacksonville Dental Society and have served as president on several local, state, and national dental boards over the years.

What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?

• Let’s be honest—almost nobody enjoys going to the dentist. My vision for our practice was to change the stigma of dental offices. I wanted all my staff to treat people with respect and kindness, so they feel truly welcome in our office. I think it’s important to let people know that going to the dentist doesn’t have to be intimidating.

What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?

• The hard work in the beginning can pay off in the end

• Take time to really listen to your clients/customers/patients

• Stay focused and stay positive even when things get hard

What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?

• Drive

• Patience

• Perseverance

How many hours do you work a day on average?

• 8-10 hrs

To what do you most attribute your success?

• As cliche as it sounds, it’s all about hard work—hard work in school, hard work when starting my own office, finding the right staff, and day to day work.

How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?

• We are active on social media which is huge. We also use a wonderful marketing company in St. Augustine called Design Extensions to help our business reach even more potential patients.

What is the best way to achieve long-term success?

• The best way to achieve long-term success is to keep your nose down and your head up. There will be struggles along the way, but if you know how to persevere throughout you will come out on top.

Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?

• I see us expanding our office at some point within the next decade and being known as the best dental office in St. Johns, FL.

Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?

• I’ve always respected Google. They are always thinking of new ideas and they seem fully committed to making customers’ experiences better.

How important have good employees been to your success?

• Having a great team of employees behind you is critical to success. It makes work more efficient and more enjoyable when you get along with your employees and trust them.

What motivates you?

• I’m motivated by my family. I want to treat my patients like I would my own wife and kids. And the more success I have, the more I’m able to provide for them.

How do you define success?

• Success is when you find yourself secure financially, supported by people who love and respect you, and truly happy with your life and job.