Today is a phone-a-friend episode where we talk to another dental associate owner and put them on the spot with a surprise interview! We chat about core elements of hiring a new associate or team member, how you can set them up for success, and why you need to set clear expectations with your new staff.
We talk about critical elements to hiring a successful associate who will ultimately be a productive team member, expectations, and our experiences with past hires. Advice from our past experiences on what to do and what not to do when looking for new staff and what to expect from them once they are hired. “There has to be a clear line in the sand about procedures that an associate can do versus what an owner can do, certainly for a time frame.”
Our guest advises having clear expectations or a success path for the most critical goals drawn out when you hire a new staff member. Break down that expectation or success markers into smaller increments of time so your new team member can achieve small successes along the way. “Make the time to first, set up your success goals, and two, hold your staff accountable in the moment.”
Setting production goals, at around $2,000 to $3,000 a day, is a common goal for a new associate. However, once they progress, they should have a new higher daily production goal.
Additionally, make sure you have a clearly defined business model and ensure your team understands the terms of your business model. For example, if you ask your team to be a “good clinician,” explain in detail what that looks like to you. Does it mean spending more time with patients? Do you want your team to be efficient when working on clients? Be clear on your business model expectations and terms you are using to create goals for your practice.
Lastly, set your new staff up for success. Make sure they have backup and support during clinical procedures to ensure that they achieve confidence and success, and your practice is running smoothly.
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
Show Notes:
[02:08] Our guest talks about what he did in his dental practice today.
[03:35] What are key elements to hiring a successful associate?
[05:06] Have clear expectations or a success path when onboarding new staff.
[08:48] Options for multiple doctors and fewer chairs than dentists.
[11:30] One definition of what being a “good clinician” looks like.
[14:08] Core abilities and the mindset to accept these responsibilities.
[17:30] Interviewing tips when talking to a potential new employee.
[21:05] Perspectives on when you should let a new staff member perform new procedures.
[23:27] Lining up your new dental associate to be a true general dentist in the practice.
[27:32] How to change the process of procedures for new staff in your practice.
[32:32] Supporting your employees to have the best outcome.
[36:30] Procedures that work and add value to your practice.
[40:21] Basic core surgical principles.
[44:13] Sign up for the last two spots of the Digital Implant Emporium!
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
Welcome back to another episode! Episode 97, I'm joined by guest host JB, and we chat about his experience with five practices and how he went from working hard to more productive working in his practice to have a better lifestyle.
JB, with his five practices, was unaware of the elements of leading his team. He would try to push his way of doing things onto his team and didn't understand why they didn't want to work "his way." Looking back, he realizes that his perspective wasn't realistic as his expectations were very high. Also, JB didn't consider that his team wouldn't understand why he wanted to run his practice the way he did and resulted in a big disconnect with his staff. JB was so successful that he had investors looking at his practice to infuse his company with money.
Looking back, he could see the destructive writing on the wall. "I pulled myself out of this tailspin and this destructive path that was going on. This is not the right way to go, and it's time to focus back on the fundamentals and be a dentist again. Be a leader in the practices, show up, and act like a practicing dentist and a leader of the practice."
When he realized the company wasn't going the way he intended, he decided that he had three options to move forward as a successful dentist. JB chose to become the principal dentist in his practice with one office and a team.
Now, he understands that he had a leadership issue. "It was a leadership issue, and this was the hardest thing to realize. I was a terrible leader. I wasn't focused on what I had and was too worried about what I was going to get." His motivation was the ability to acquire new connections and new practices.
Even with his experiences in the past five years, JB realizes that he can still have a successful and fulfilling experience as a dental practice owner. After selling off the practices that were the biggest headaches, revamping his mindset as a physician, and becoming a better leader, he is now feeling much more content with his new role in his single practice.
Show Notes:
[02:55] JB talks about his new view on his practice as a “catastrophic shift.”
[04:30] He took a lot of his time and effort trying to push his culture onto the team at the office.
[08:14] Looking back, he feels good about the decision he made to move forward.
[11:37] JB talks about what he would have done differently, looking back.
[14:04] With four practices, JB wasn’t sure how he was going to make payroll.
[17:32] The bottom line when JB sold his practices.
[19:42] How JB is doing now, as opposed to last year in his practice.
[27:15] JB and I chat about how we are ignoring our best skills.
[33:10] The need for leadership and how important good leadership is in a practice.
[37:20] Elements needed for a well-run dentistry practice.
[43:22] Dentistry and owning a practice when the economical environment isn’t good.
[45:38] Dental options you love to practice and clinical you don’t like to practice.
[48:32] Message us if you’re interested in learning about 3D implants!
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
Welcome back to another episode! Episode 96, we chat with Dr. Zach Allmond, who started dental school in 2001, shortly before 9-11. Three weeks later, he signed up for the Air Force, who paid for his dental school. Zach served in Afghanistan in 2008 as a dental officer. Next, he and his wife, also a dentist, reopened an office location in Indiana. After a while, they decided to move back to their hometown and purchased his own practice in 2013 with an income of $600K and a focus on profitability, Dr. Zach turned his new dental clinic profit of $1.8 million in less than a year.
Creating a plan to drive down overhead and simultaneously increase case acceptance, Dr. Zach and his partner had a roadmap to success. By bringing in high dollar items and presenting these items in a way that is acceptable to patients, Dr. Zach created Apex Payment Solutions. At the time, there wasn’t a financial opportunity for merchant services for dentists to develop flexible plans for their patients. He reached out to a friend in the financial industry,
Many merchant services start you at a low rate, then bump your fees up the longer you have your account. Dr. Zach and I chat about the process of credit card fees, how credit card companies get their money back when offering rewards, and why you need to accept American Express cards at your dental practice.
Learn how to increase your case acceptance and increase your income by more than 20%, how to train your employees to drive down overhead costs, and how you can reach a 102% collections rate. Find out how to pay less than 2.25% on your credit card transactions, and how Dr. Zach’s Apex Payment Solutions Merchant Services has saved me $623 just in one month alone!
Show Notes:
[02:20] Dr. Zach’s new business and how his company is helping dentists.
[06:52] Bringing value to your practice and learning how you fit into an office.
[11:16] How Dr. Zach created his company Apex Payment Solutions Merchant Services for dentists.
[15:24] Dr. Sully and Dr. Zach breakdown the details of merchant services.
[19:06] Why 82% of Dr. Zach’s cases over $5000 are paid for with American Express.
[21:32] Dr. Zach and I review our current merchant services fees with Apex Payment Solutions Merchant Services.
[24:22] How to increase your case acceptance more than 20% per year.
[31:51] Tips for dental practices to take payment plans from clients.
[33:27] The more data you put into a platform, the more your transaction rate goes down.
[36:20] Apex Payment Solutions contactless terminals and text to pay for client payment, protecting your front desk staff.
[41:20] Optics and how hygienists are using this technique.
[46:40] Hitting goals by using efficiency and automation.
[51:52] How to contact Dr. Zach at Apex Payment Solutions.
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
Welcome back to another episode! Episode 95 is geared toward young dentists who are recent graduates. We are going to focus this talk on getting out into the world as a new grad during COVID and our current financial climate.
Don’t feel too stressed if you don’t land the job you want right away. With the current economic condition within the United States, you may not get hired in the next few months. Check out Episode #002 when we talk about Dr. Peyray getting out and looking for a job without success.
When speaking about a positive choice he made after graduation, Dr. Peyray says, “I think what I did that was a good decision was joining a group practice or a DSO practice that is busy. I was able to work, and I had the freedom to do the things that I had learned in school.” He believes that it is a valuable experience for any dentist, especially new dentists. Dr. Peyray suggests not to worry about a big paycheck in your first two years. Instead, get experience as a clinician and work in a busy practice.
Dr. Sully suggests looking locally; however, if you want to move to a different area, find a dental workplace rep, call them and let them know what type of job you are looking for so they can connect you with an office that is hiring. Dr. Peyray talks about his experience in a residency. Make sure to create and learn good dentistry foundational skills. Also, purchase a good camera to take pictures of your cases for your records. Check out dental groups online Foundation of Oral Rehabilitation and Oral Reconstruction Foundation for great clinician content online.
When applying for a position, don’t only ask questions about the position but about how you, as a dentist, could fit and assist the practice to grow? What role or roles can you play in the office to build the practice? Additionally, get a good feel for the company culture in your probationary period and, if you’re uncomfortable, be willing to decline the position.
Show Notes:
[02:30] Dentists who are getting hired back post-COVID shutdown.
[04:52] What Dr. Peyray would have done differently back when he graduated dental school.
[06:32] Dr. Sully and his dad are looking for an associate or partner for their practice.
[09:39] Where new doctors can find posts for job openings on social media.
[13:16] Dr. Peyray’s experience working for a year in a dental residency.
[16:10] How Dr. Sully has changed his mind and perspective about looking at resumes of potential candidates.
[21:25] The number one practice that helped Dr. Peyray got great experience in his first job.
[23:06] Dr. Peyray tells the story of how he started his first CE with Vegas Implants.
[27:46] Dr. Sully talks about how class 2 fillings are one of the hardest jobs they do in their practice.
[29:28] Make sure to create and learn good dentistry foundational skills.
[32:09] Focus on areas you lack in expertise, team up with another doctor and learn if your business is slow.
[36:38] Working on a 14-year-old patient, making room for future implants.
[40:45] Walking through a friend’s new office and giving him advice.
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
We’ve flipped the interview today and are being interviewed by the owner of Compassionate Finance. I talk about the beginning of creating the podcast, releasing and producing the Millennial Dentist, and who the podcast is for.
The owner was impressed by millennial dentists really wanting a lifestyle instead of just a paycheck for their work. “I feel that the millennials are more balanced than when I started out in dentistry when I burned through everything working 90 hours a week.” When you are looking at your dental practice, don’t just look at your business, search, and see how you can balance work and family life.
“There are one of three things that stop people from doing a treatment; that is time, fear, and money.” which is what my mentor practiced by. When you take away these three hurdles, you can assist your clients in moving forward with their dental improvements. “We don’t have a fee issue, we have an affordability issue.” We need to find ways to make our procedures affordable for our patients, when we break this down into payments, now our clients can pay for their treatment.
What is the risk associated with taking out a $30, $40 or $50,000 loan to provide treatment for your patients? What happens if the patient defaults? We talk about how to mitigate your risk with large loans for treatment payments.
Many of the patients we send to apply for Compassionate Finance get approved. About 10% of our clients do not get approved, so we call for manual approval. With manual approval, they can look at applications on a case-by-case basis to see if they can be approved depending on their current financial status.
You can find Compassionate Finance here:
Compassionate Finance on LinkedIn
Compassionate Finance on Instagram
Show Notes:
[01:06] Dr. Sully introduces himself and talks about how he started the podcast.
[03:20] The main reason why Dr. Sully started his podcast.
[04:50] Dr. Sully on a mission - what his mission is as a fourth generation dentist, and why he is passionate about his mission.
[09:29] We talk about Jeff, his partner, and his experience with partnership.
[10:57] How I got involved with Compassionate Finance and why we offer them in our practice.
[13:44] Challenges of financing patients and why I decided on Compassionate Finance.
[18:20] Two aspects of working with Compassionate Finance that I find interesting.
[24:20] Advice on how to handle big cases for your clients.
[27:20] I talk about two clients who defaulted on their loan and how that affected our books.
[33:46] What it means to have manual approval for credit.
[41:40] Setting up your own financial bank account for lending to patients.
[46:11] We chat about Nashville and why it's such a hotspot for travel.
[47:12] Questions from the live video audience.
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
Today, Dr. Peyman is working, so I’ve brought on two special guests. They’re a husband and wife team, dental support specialists, MaryBeth, and Joe Bajornas. Mary Beth is the founder and director of Dental Support Specialties. She is an expert in all facets of dental administration, and her passion for helping her clients is evident from the moment you first meet her. Joe is a Dental Support Specialties’ dedicated Business Manager. Joe handles all the financial aspects of client accounts, invoices, and sales.
We chat about how they grew their practice from Mary Beth working solo from home starting their business and working with clients while their baby, Alison, took naps to a company with over four dozen employees. Starting to ramp up in their home in 2007, the first expanded in their own home, then moved to an office five years later.
If you’re looking to hand off your administrative front desk tasks and paperwork, Dental Specialties is glad to assist you in not only consulting but in getting the job done. Their team will professionally handle many of the day-to-day activities that your front office, or lack of a front office, doesn’t complete.
With their secure portal, you can see what’s happening when it’s happening. They use strict protocols and guidelines for every contact with each patient. They listen to all calls, which are funneled through the practice to ensure quality control.
Mary Beth and her team give high-quality support for the first two to three weeks of your onboarding. They want to make sure that clients are well trained and understand how to best use the system to get the best value. They want to make sure you have no interruptions with service, so they also designate a support team specifically for your office.
My guests talk about if you should put someone on hold, how they answer your calls, and how they prioritize your practice activity. They are outstanding about calling back your potential customer calls, even if they don’t leave a message! The team at Dental Specialists gives special attention to making connections for your office.
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Show Notes:
[03:04] Dr. Sully introduces Dr. Mary Beth Bajornas and her husband Joe.
[05:35] How Dental Specialties grew from two to over forty employees.
[07:40] Mary Beth found that offices weren’t following through after having dental consulting done with their practice.
[08:29] How Dental Specialists consult, work and what they offer for practices.
[10:23] The biggest hurdle for their business was finding good, quality people for their team.
[12:02] Mary Beth describes their real-time portal where you can see what’s happening as it's happening.
[20:01] You have a designated team for your office, who works for you.
[25:13] The team at Dental Specialties is highly detailed about their service.
[30:15] What happens when calls in your office aren’t getting answered?
[34:40] Benefits of services and fees associated with primary support.
[37:54] How you can choose hours for work based on your assessment.
[41:45] Aspects of employees to consider when hiring for your dental office.
[45:27] Dr. Sully’s office experience with getting overbooked.
[49:43] Transitions and challenges when moving to the new system.
[55:33] Specialists offices use Dental Support Specialties.
[60:42] Stats for Dr. Sully’s office while using Dental Support Specialties.
[63:27] How we are using data from DSS to improve our office efficiency.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
We talk about the events that have shaped us and changed what we knew, and our practice since the COVID-19 pandemic started. From conferences canceled to halting plans for practice expansion, we are filling in the time gaps since our last episode.
Dr. Peyman was in the middle of building a full-service lab to complement his practice, he questioned if he wanted to move forward with his lab after Coronavirus struck. He realized he needed a new tech, a large amount of training to use the latest equipment, and his search for a new partner.
Like many people, Dr. Sully got 2020 off to a great start! When he heard about COVID, he was skeptical at first, until March 18th, the last day in his office. Having never had to deal with unemployment, and the emotional ramifications of the pandemic hit him hard. The first three weeks after he let his team go on March 23rd, he was busy making calls and shutting everything down.
In our practice, we use the Weave app to schedule appointments, ask patients questions about symptoms and check-in. We talk about the process of taking in patients, parking, and what we need to do to make sure patients aren’t waiting in our waiting areas. Many of our patients are asking what precautions we are taking.
We chat about how the experience of not working and being at home gave us a different perspective and a reset of our priorities. Rethinking going out to speak at so many events, spending time with our families, and getting back into our practices post-pandemic lockdown.
As always, thanks so much for listening! If you like the show, we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Show Notes:
[02:04] Dr. Payman shares his experience through the Coronavirus.
[05:06] When Dr. Peyman realized the extent of the detail in his new lab, he realized he would need a new tech and be focused on his lab.
[07:13] Why Dr. Peyman decided to build a lab as an addition to his practice.
[13:29] Analog and digital methods for scans and the move to digital processes.
[14:23] Dr. talks about his great start to 2020 and what happened during COVID.
[15:56] The feeling of responsibility we have for our employees and why letting them go was so hard.
[17:30] Wondering what our offices are going to look like moving forward.
[20:09] Initial patient response in the first few days of re-opening our practices.
[23:15] Many of our patients are asking what precautions we are taking.
[24:47] How we dealt with our teams coming back for our soft opens.
[28:48] Dealing with surgeries during the pandemic.
[33:10] Creating and implementing plans and protocols for your team.
[36:07] Patient response to the pandemic, new appointments and cancellation rates.
[39:07] There is no better time to change the culture of your office than now!
[43:53] We talk about the “new norm” for our industry and other industries in the world today.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram
Dentistry is changing. Technology, education, and resources are closer to our fingertips now more than ever! Are you ready to learn what millennial dentists are doing to exceed patient expectations, enjoy dentistry more and take vacations and how this generation can join up with the previous generation to make for an unstoppable dental team? Wait no longer! Listen in and find out how to push your lifestyle to the next level.
Welcome to episode 91, where Dr. Sullivan and I are going to talk about an essential topic for dentistry - the fundamentals. Fundamentals help to move the practice along with and to assist in defining the next step in your business. This episode will focus on a topic we will have for our next seminar - case acceptance. We will talk about case acceptance and how this relates to your practice.
We talk about the many challenges we face as a dentist in 2020, such as challenging insurance companies, the corporate environment, direct consumer dentistry, the challenge of finding qualified staff. Many dentists are seeing a slow degradation on their practice, are working more hours or not feeling as professionally satisfied as a result of many of these challenges in our office.
The core fundamentals have the biggest effect on your practice. The buy-in process is one of the most fundamental processes you can change to experience a significant improvement in your practice. We are simply not doing what it takes to diagnose better, then when we do diagnose, we don’t have a buy-in process for our patients. The buy-in process can be broken down into two simple steps:
We also need to remember the three basics that people won’t have work done: time, fear, and money. How are you addressing these principals in your practice, regardless of what type of practice you own?
Find out what elements you can put in place to enhance your patient experience and encourage patient buy-in with clinical diversity. How can you find out what types of clinical diversity your patients are asking for? Learn the steps involved in diagnosing what kinds of procedures and endo you can add to your practice to evolve to the next level you are looking for in your practice.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on Apple Podcasts as well as spread the word! If you have any questions or want to get in touch, shoot me an email at millennialdentist@gmail.com.
Show Notes:
[01:57] The many challenges we face as a modern dentist.
[02:45] Just get down to case acceptance and stop listening to what others have to sell you for your practice.
[02:55] The changes Dr. Sully has seen in his practice and how we move forward in this day and age of dentistry.
[04:27] Learning the clinical part is the easy part of dentistry.
[05:18] Three reasons why people won’t have dental work done: time, fear and money.
[07:45] How Dr. Sully answered the time, fear and money practice.
[09:14] What types of clinical diversity are present in your practice?
[13:07] The roles technology fills in diverse clinical dentistry.
[15:02] How to have a successful patient experience.
[17:15] Be focused and start at square one with your patient.
[23:42] Core people on your team who are key players in your practice and need to show up for our seminar.
[28:59] If you are looking to fill in the missing pieces of your case acceptance practice, show up for our seminar.
[31:54] Learn how to have a practice which is more than “drill and fill” at our seminar.
Links and Resources:
The Millennial Dentist Website
@Millennialdentist on Facebook
On Instagram
Dr. Sully…@Millennialdentist on Instagram
Dr. Peyman…@drpeyray on Instagram