Fifteen years ago, Mark Skimming stood inside his brand-new dental practice. No patients. No online presence. No reputation. Just an idea—and the pressure to make it work before the bank account hit zero.
The dream? Build a successful dental practice from scratch. The challenge? Everything else.
Mark describes it best:
“I was optimistic and ignorant at the start. But once I met the Connect team, everything changed. Our goal was simply to stay afloat. We’ve gone so far beyond that.”
Today, Mark is the founder of Pain Free Dental Group, with 15 practices across Scotland. He no longer works chairside. His time is focused on leading, growing, and creating opportunities for others within the profession.
So how did he go from survival mode to CEO of a dental empire?
It All Started with the Right Partnership
Marketing agencies are everywhere. But Mark didn’t need just a service—he needed a strategic partner who could work with him to:
- Understand the local market
- Create data-backed campaigns that actually worked
- Remove the guesswork with clear KPIs
- Help him build sustainable systems, not short-term wins
That’s where Connect My Marketing came in.
We didn’t just offer ads—we aligned with his goals, acted like part of his team, and constantly refined what success looked like.
“Connect isn’t just a supplier—they’re part of our team. We trust them 100%.”
Key Milestones in the Journey
From day one, Mark and the Connect team built a relationship on trust, transparency, and testing. Every decision was backed by data, and every campaign was tied to a bigger vision: scaling without stress.
Here’s what the journey looked like:
- From one struggling practice to 15 thriving locations
- Over 300 campaigns tested, refined, and rolled out
- Real-time dashboards and KPIs for complete clarity
- A relationship built on collaboration, not control
Mark was able to step away from day-to-day dentistry and focus on building a scalable business, knowing the systems and marketing were taken care of.
What Made the Difference?
Mark’s growth wasn’t luck—and it wasn’t a fluke ad that “went viral.” It came down to three key principles:
1. Trusting the Right People
Delegation only works when you believe in the people you’re handing responsibility to. That level of trust allowed Mark to step into a leadership role without fear.
2. Treating Marketing as an Investment
Many dentists see marketing as a cost. Mark flipped the script—and saw it as a growth engine. Every pound spent was tracked, measured, and refined to ensure ROI.
3. Never Going It Alone
From day one, we worked together as one team—with Connect sitting at the table for business planning, brand building, and future-proofing every decision.
Advice from Mark to Young Dentists
Whether you’re starting out or trying to grow beyond a single location, here’s Mark’s no-fluff advice:
- Find mentors you trust—and listen to them
- Don’t waste time collecting ideas. Start executing
- You don’t have to do it all yourself
- Invest in systems that are designed to scale, not just survive
And most importantly: Start thinking like a business owner, not just a clinician.
Ready to Write Your Own Growth Story?
What would your practice look like in 15 years if you had the right systems, support, and strategy?
Let’s talk about how we can help you build it: Let´s Talk
