60 Seconds With

“Try to behave with others as you would like them to behave with you” – 60 seconds with Dr Ed O’Flaherty, co-founder of Seapoint Clinic

By Business & Finance
02 March 2021
Pictured: Dr Ed O’Flaherty, co-founder of Seapoint Clinic

Dr Ed O’Flaherty is co-founder of Seapoint Clinic, Ireland’s largest Cosmetic and Dental Implant Clinic, located in Blackrock, County Dublin


What was your first job?  

Delivering the Dublin Tribune newspaper, door to door, after school; it gave me a good introduction to barking dogs and terrible weather.  Some of the hardest money you will ever make!

What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date? 

Setting up Seapoint Clinic with my business partner, Tom Linehan, who also co-designed the first Ryanair website!  It has proven to be a trusted brand, even in some of the most challenging times. We have a great team of people there, with exceptional expertise, and they look after our clients incredibly well.

In three words or less, how do you define success? 

Health, reputation, comfort.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? 

Don’t count your money while your chips are still on the table. Stock markets and other investments can change in value rapidly.

How do you motivate yourself and your staff?

Having a good business partner is important, so that you can support each other when needed. In the dental business motivation comes from seeing life-changing results every day. We boost our clients’ health and confidence.

Having a smile makeover can immediately transform someone who is shy and who lacks confidence. People literally find their drive and realise their potential, and their reactions when they see the results of their dental work is energising and rewarding for the team.

How do you relax? 

I enjoy lots of sports such as paddle tennis, squash and hill walking. My wife is incredibly sporty so there is always motivation to get out there and do something with her around. I find stresses reduce massively when I am exercising or focusing on an activity.

What’s your motto?

Try to behave with others as you would like them to behave with you. I am not one for bible study, but that message has served people well for thousands of years.

What are your aspirations for the future of the business? 

Now that COVID-19 restrictions look to be coming to an end, we are looking forward to a return to growth. With cosmetic dentistry severely limited in the past year, and lockdown savings available, we anticipate many people will invest in fixing issues with their teeth that have always bothered them.  The technology of materials and new techniques means that we can create better smiles than ever, while drilling teeth much less, so patients can transform their appearance in as little as a single visit.