Knowing his business from root to crown

NG Chin Siau sits in a small meeting room at the headquarters of Q&M Dental Group giving a five-minute history of the dental chain, and the numbers are flying fast and furious. He has just described how he had bought over the practice that he was working at in 1998, and then grew it at an average of about five branches a year after that.

"Then we go to do an initial public offering (IPO) exercise in 2009 November 26," Dr Ng, Q&M's chief executive, begins to recite without so much as a glance at notes, which he does not have.

"At that point in time, 80 dentists, 34 or 36 locations. Today, six years after IPO, we have 60 locations islandwide, 180 dentists, with 300 nurses and 50 admin staff. Our market cap at IPO was S$75 million to S$80 million on Day One, now today our market cap is about S$500 million to S$600 million. We also have business outside Singapore. . . Malaysia we have presence in Johor Baru, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur, fewer than 10 clinics. China we have presence in Liaoning Province and Shanghai. Liaoning we have three dental hospitals and three dental centres and one training centre. Shanghai we have one clinic. With about 100 dentists in China, 200 nurses, that's our strength in Liaoning. Malaysia we have fewer than 20 dentists and about 30 admin support staff. Also, we have one dental equipment supply distribution company."