DR. MARY GRACE RIZZO-FRYZEL did not set out to become a real estate developer, but when an opportunity presented itself, she took a leap of faith. Working as an independent contractor for a few private practices after graduation, Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel soon realized that their service models did not align with her own and that she would never become a partner. She was committed to comprehensive, quality patient care and to being in control of her destiny so Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel took her first leap and bought an existing practice in her hometown, Scranton PA. Despite a less than desirable location and run-down physical building, Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel added about 1,000 patients in the first year through sheer determination, social media and a billboard campaign.
She soon realized that she needed to focus on relocating her practice to achieve long term goals and began working with the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Scranton, real estate developers and personal contacts. It was kismet when Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel and her husband met the owner of The Marketplace while supporting a friend’s new restaurant in the former downtown mall. She discovered that the owner’s plans for the space and love of Scranton aligned with her own. Another leap of faith and choosing great strategic partners facilitated a build-out in record time, helping to revitalize the space.
Today, Rizzo-Fryzel’s Electric City Dentistry has grown to 29 operatories housed in the 15,000 square-foot Marketplace facility and in two additional locations. “My goal has been to provide sustainability in a climate where solo-practitioner offices are becoming less and less viable,” she says, “and to expand into an area that needs excellent dental medicine.”
Nine of her dentists are Temple Dental graduates; she praises Temple University’s program for producing highly skilled graduates, emphasizing their clinical experience and comprehensive care approach.
Because of her experience in building large-scale offices and strong business acumen, Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel is helping lead Temple Dental School’s expansion into Tamaqua. There, the school will build a new campus in what is a rural and underserved part of Pennsylvania and will educate 20 students per year. Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel will also spearhead a curriculum about aspects of practice management and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Rizzo-Fryzel is an active participant in and advocate of Temple Dental’s Practice Management Program, providing job opportunities for students through an unofficial internship program. She said, “Temple Dental’s strong reputation and unsurpassed clinical education have provided the foundation for many of these students to go on to very successful careers.”
“My goal has been to provide sustainability in a climate where solo-practitioner offices are becoming less and less viable,” she says, “and to expand into an area that needs excellent dental medicine.”