How I Doubled My Income Serving the Elderly

Whitworth Dental Lab is a third-generation removable prosthetic lab, started by my grandfather in 1962. I worked with my dad, Jim Whitworth, at the lab for more than a decade until 2007 when he had a massive stroke. My world fell off its axis; one day I was a lab employee, the next I was the owner.

Since taking over, I’ve discovered my real passion is making dentures for elderly patients, an often underserved population. They can be challenging patients; for example, many of them can’t easily sit in a dental chair so it can be hard to get an accurate impression or bite registration. However, I’m committed to providing them with quality dentures; beautiful, functional smiles; and the ability to enjoy food in their later years.

I initially got into this niche market via a friend who works for a mobile unit that serves the elderly and is staffed by a dentist and dental assistant. They send me the impressions and I make the partials, dentures...