Dentists at a recent DPMA workshop

12 weeks · 30 CPD points · hosted by Dr Buleni

You went to school to fix teeth. Not to run the business.

In 75 days you will know how to run your practice with less stress and more money left at the end of the month.

75
days, start to finish
11
live online sessions
30
CPD points earned
1 day
hands-on, in person

The honest gap

The clinical part you have. It's the business that bites.

Nobody sat you down and showed you how to run the place that pays for your life. So you learn it the hard way.

  • Money leaks out through small billing mistakes
  • The team only moves when you are in the room
  • Patients say "let me think about it" and leave
  • Compliance is a worry you keep pushing aside
Dr Buleni teaching a live workshop session
This is the shorter way.

After 75 days

Six things that change.

Calm, organised days

Simple systems so nothing slips through the cracks.

Money that adds up

Close the billing and coding leaks for good.

A team that delivers

Lead so the practice runs without you.

More patients say yes

Explain treatment so people understand and trust it.

Compliance handled

Records, consent and risk in order. Sleep easy.

Your spark back

Less firefighting, more control, more joy.

Who it is for

Rooted in dentistry. Built for healthcare.

The programme grew out of Dr Buleni's years in private dental practice, but the principles it teaches apply right across healthcare: leadership, systems, financial management, team culture, patient experience, operations, compliance, marketing and growth. If you lead a practice or a team, or you want to, this is for you.

  • Dentists and other healthcare professionals
  • Allied healthcare professionals
  • Practice managers
  • Clinic managers
  • Practice owners
  • Operations managers
  • Healthcare administrators and team leaders
  • Aspiring healthcare practice leaders and managers

Your 75 days

One clear step each week.

Every session is a Wednesday evening, 6pm to 9:30pm. Learn it live, put it to work in your practice, then move to the next.

Week01

Where your practice really stands

An honest look at your numbers and gaps.

Wed 16 Sep 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week02

Clinical records that protect you

Notes that back you up, not bite you.

Wed 23 Sep 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week03

Treatment plans patients accept

Present clearly so more people book.

Wed 30 Sep 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week04

ICD-10 coding and clean claims

Stop losing money to rejected claims.

Wed 7 Oct 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week05

Know your numbers

Read your finances in plain terms.

Wed 14 Oct 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week06

Pricing and getting paid on time

Set fees and tighten cash flow.

Wed 21 Oct 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week07

Systems so it runs without you

Turn what's in your head into steps.

Wed 28 Oct 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week08

Hiring and leading your team

Find good people and keep them.

Wed 4 Nov 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week09

Risk, consent and compliance

Get the basics in order, stop worrying.

Wed 11 Nov 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week10

Marketing that feels honest

The right patients, no gimmicks.

Wed 18 Nov 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week11

Using AI to save hours each week

Simple tools that lift the admin load.

Wed 25 Nov 20266:00pm to 9:30pm
Week12

In-person capstone: your 12-month plan

We meet, get hands-on, and you leave with a plan.

Sat 5 Dec 2026Full day, in person
Hands-on training around a dental chair at a DPMA workshop

Everything you get

A full toolkit you keep.

  • 11 live sessions with Dr BuleniReal questions about your real practice.
  • The structured workbookYour step-by-step playbook, yours to keep.
  • One in-person capstone dayHands-on, face to face.
  • Templates, checklists and 30 CPD pointsThe boring but important things, done for you.
  • A small group of peersSo you stop carrying it all alone.

Where it can take you

Skills that open new doors.

The leadership, business and operational skills you build are valued across healthcare, and can open the door to roles well beyond clinical work, such as:

Practice, Clinic or Administration Manager

Run the day to day of a practice or clinic.

Business Development Manager

Grow a practice or a healthcare group.

Operations or Project Manager

Build the systems that keep care running.

HR and Training Coordinator

Lead, hire and develop the team.

Healthcare Leadership and Management roles

Step into senior leadership across healthcare.

Real rooms, real dentists

People show up. And they roll up their sleeves.

A large group of attendees at Smilez Dental Surgery
A full room, every time we run it.
Attendees moving into a hands-on segment
From theory to hands-on.
An attendee sharing her experience on camera
Dentists sharing what changed.
A live teaching session in progress
Live teaching you can ask in.
Close hands-on work on dental equipment
Time on real equipment.
Dr Thembeka Buleni

Your programme leader · Dr Thembeka Buleni

Clinical excellence meets business leadership.

Dr Thembeka Buleni is a South African dentist, entrepreneur, educator and leadership mentor with more than 19 years in dentistry. She founded Smilez Dental Surgery in 2010 and later built the Dental Practice Management Academy to give dentists the leadership, business and operational skills that clinical training leaves out.

Her qualifications span dentistry, aesthetic and restorative dentistry and financial management, so she brings together clinical expertise, strategic thinking and the daily realities of running a busy practice.

"We graduate with clinical knowledge, but many of us are not adequately prepared to manage finances, build teams, create dependable systems, lead with confidence or protect our peace."

  • BDSMedunsa
  • MBAFinancial Management
  • PgDipAesthetic Dentistry
  • MScUlster University
19+
years in dentistry
16
years as a practice owner
MBA
with distinction
2024
Mentor of the Year

Selected recognition

  • 2026Accepted oral presenter, FDI World Dental Congress, Prague
  • 2024Healthcare Professional Mentor of the Year
  • 2022-2024Non-Executive Board Member, South African Dental Association
  • 2021First African recipient, Dentsply Sirona Smart Integration Award
  • MediaFeatured dentist on DStv's Wraak My Mooi

Three ways to join

Pick the level of support you want.

Same programme. The difference is how much help you get along the way.

Tier 1

The Workbook

R2,500Once off · at your own pace

The full playbook for the self-starter.

  • The complete structured workbook
  • Every template and checklist
  • Work through it in your own time
  • Live sessions with Dr Buleni
  • Weekly mentorship
Start with the workbook
Most dentists choose this
Tier 2

Workbook + Mentorship

R9,000The full guided experience

Live teaching and a guide every week.

  • Everything in The Workbook
  • All 11 live sessions with Dr Buleni
  • Weekly group mentorship
  • The in-person capstone day
  • 30 CPD points
Join with mentorship
Tier 3

Everything + 1:1 Review

R15,000The most personal results

The whole thing, plus private time on your practice.

  • Everything in Tier 2
  • A private one-on-one review
  • A plan built around your practice
  • Priority support throughout
  • 30 CPD points
Get the full support

Not sure which fits you? Reach out first. We would rather point you to the right tier than sell you the wrong one.

Before you ask

The honest answers.

I am already flat out. Where do I find the time?

The live sessions are one evening a week, online, and practical. The work you do between them replaces things you already do badly, so it gives time back.

Is this only for dentists or practice owners?

No. It began in dentistry, but it is built for healthcare professionals, practice and clinic managers, operations managers and anyone leading a practice or team, including associates and those planning to open their own place.

What if I miss a live session?

It happens. The workbook keeps you on track and there is room to catch up with the group.

When does it run?

It starts on Wednesday 16 September 2026. Eleven Wednesday evening sessions online, 6pm to 9:30pm, then the in-person capstone day on Saturday 5 December 2026.

DPMA workshop group

Next intake starts Wednesday 16 September 2026

Give yourself 75 days. Get back a practice that works for you.

Spend one focused stretch learning the business side properly, and run the rest of your career on what you build here.

12 weeks · 30 CPD points · online plus one in-person day · hosted by Dr Buleni