From Late Nights to Peace of Mind: How Dr. Derek McKaskle Took Bookkeeping Off His Plate

Most dentists don’t open a practice because they love bookkeeping. They open it to care for patients and to build something of their own. Then the business side shows up, and it doesn’t wait until office hours are over.

That was true for Dr. Derek McKaskle, owner of McKaskle Family Dentistry in Katy, Texas.

Dentistry runs in the family

Dr. McKaskle grew up around the profession. His dad is a dentist, and his mom is a dental hygienist. Even so, he jokes that he didn’t plan to follow them until about his junior year of college. Once he chose dentistry, he committed to it fully, including running his own practice.

The work that happened after hours

Running a practice meant more than chairside time. For years, the bookkeeping and bill paying landed on Dr. McKaskle, usually at night.

“I used to spend a lot of nights up here doing all the bookkeeping and bill paying,” he says. “It took time away from my family.”

He describes it as being stuck in a rut for a long time. Many practice owners will recognize that feeling. The work has to get done, and it isn’t hard because you aren’t capable. It’s hard because every hour spent on it is an hour you’re not spending with your patients, your team, or your family.

Payroll he doesn’t have to think about

After partnering with Dillon Business Advisors, Dr. McKaskle’s measure of success is simple. “To me, it’s best if payroll happens and I don’t really even know about it.”

That’s the goal. Payroll should run accurately and on time, so the practice owner can trust it’s handled. For Dr. McKaskle, that change meant a lot. “It was kind of like a weight was just taken off my shoulders.”

An easy transition

Switching who handles your practice’s finances can feel like a big step. Dr. McKaskle says the move was easy. Once the communication systems and processes were set up, everything ran smoothly. “It just makes it really seamless.”

What this looks like for your practice

Every Dillon Business Advisors client works with a dedicated Team of 3. A Client Service Manager handles day-to-day bookkeeping, payroll, and QuickBooks. A Client Controller covers tax planning and compliance. A Client CFO helps plan cash flow and future growth. You get one team focused on your practice’s past, present, and future, so the money side doesn’t follow you home at night.

If you’re a practice owner spending evenings on the books, you don’t have to do it alone. Book a free business analysis to see how we can help you get your time back.