We are live from the Spear Education Center in Scottsdale Arizona. Sully and Dr. Will Jones are here for the Restoring the Edentulous Arch workshop and the Demystifying Occlusion seminar. We are joined by Dr. Sunny Virdi, Dr. Todd Honcharik, and Dr. Murad Zaman.
We talk about starting a new practice, marketing, and photography. We also talk about biomimetic dentistry. Which is all about tooth structure conservation. We also talk about rubber dams, materials, and prep. We also talk about insurance and payment differences between the US and Canada and so much more.
You can find Will and Sunny here:
Show Notes:
[01:46] Dr. Sunny Virdi is from Canada. Today he attended the Demystifying Occlusion Seminar taught by Dr. Frank Spear.
[03:18] There are two specialists in Winnipeg that have a Spear Study Club. That is why Dr. Sunny Virdi is here. At the study club, they start the module with a case. Then everyone talks about treatment options etc.
[04:42] Sunny and Dr. Todd Honcharik and Dr. Murad Zaman just bought a practice.
[05:24] Prior to this Sunny was an associate at a couple of different practices.
[06:02] Todd graduated in 2014 and was working as an associate.
[08:46] They think the same way, and it will be a game changer to have a practice where everyone thinks alike. The new practice is a long-term play. It's in a mall and they get walk-in traffic.
[11:10] The growth strategy is to show patients that they provide value. They use photography to communicate.
[12:48] Photography really makes a difference. Sunny and Murad both have Canon 80D cameras.
[13:31] With a camera, you get the detail and the quality. Photography sets them apart.
[14:58] Sunny and Murad are both into biomimetic dentistry which means preserving the natural tooth while treating it to avoid crowns and root canals.
[15:21] Tooth structure conservation makes so much sense.
[16:49] They rubber dam everything when it's possible. With having a lot of clamps it makes it possible.
[21:32] They very rarely do full crowns unless, they are replacing one that is already there.
[25:46] Denton just needs time to bond with an indirect restoration. We talk about bonding techniques.
[36:11] Victor D. Guerrero's work on isolation and bio dentistry is definitely worth checking out. Along with, Pascal Magne's Book on Biomimetic Dentistry.
[37:11] These practices can easily be incorporated into your daily practice.
[42:22] Diversifying is part of the growth of the practice. That includes ortho and implants.
[43:10] The group values being able to work among friends and be able to talk about cases.
[45:21] The team in the new practice has been super responsive and have adapted really well. The team also goes to the CE with them.
[48:40] Listen to the Noobie Dentist Podcast Nerding Out Over Biomimetic Dentistry Part 1 With Dr. Davey Alleman DMD Part 1 and Part 2.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry
Victor D. Guerrero on Instagram
Pascal Magne Book on Biomimetic Dentistry
NDP Episode 44: Nerding Out Over Biomimetic Dentistry Part 1 With Dr. Davey Alleman DMD
We are live at Spear Studio, and so excited to introduce Dr. Darin Dichter. This studio is where a lot of the recorded video content for Spear Education is filmed. Dr. Dichter is the resident prosthodontist at Spear Education. He brings with him 20 years of clinical, research, and teaching experience. He is also an instructor for the upcoming workshop Restoring the Edentulous Arch.
Sully and Dr. Dichter kick the show off with Dr. Dichter sharing his background growing up in Oregon, and how he almost become a ski instructor instead of a dentist. They also talk about how Dr. Dichter grew a practice from scratch before deciding to do a residency. We also learn about the chance phone call that ended up placing Dr. Dichter at Spears. Sully gets to ask a lot of questions about dental careers, clinical procedures, dental education, and more.
You can find Dr. Darin Dichter here:
Dr. Darin Dichter Spear Education
Show Notes:
[02:48] Dr. Dichter grew up in Gearhart, Oregon. He went to college at the University of Oregon. He had a family friend who was a dentist, and that inspired him to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT).
[04:27] He had to choose between being a ski guide or a dentist. He chose being a dentist.
[07:22] He went to Oregon Health Sciences in Portland. After school, he worked with a family friend for a year, and then started a practice from scratch.
[12:01] Some dental schools are designed to make people really good clinicians, and others are designed to prepare people for the next step. It would be helpful to know what you wanted to do before choosing a school.
[13:31] When working in a small town everyone knows who you are and where you are. It's still easier to start a practice in a small town.
[16:08] He then moved to Portland to practice. He was at a lecture and was approached to join a study club.
[18:39] The most impactful study club that Dr. Dichter was in also had the periodontist, orthodontist, and endodontist that he worked with as members. They would study past cases to know what they would want to do differently on new cases.
[23:37] He ran a practice in Portland for about 5 years, and then decided to do a residency.
[24:11] He ended up going to UCLA.
[28:33] He almost started a practice in Orange County, but was invited to work at Spears.
[30:16] He still sees patients and then has workshops.
[31:32] He is looking for specific patients to fulfill certain dental needs. He does comprehensive restorative dentistry.
[33:44] The challenge is that everything is designed about a technique, but people need to learn the other options. And then need to know which system or technique would work the best.
[40:44] Everything we do digitally is fundamentally the same as the analog world. It's a tool that could make you more efficient or more predictable.
[45:36] You learn so much by doing your own lab work.
[49:01] Preserve the teeth, because it will preserve options for you.
[50:34] Find conservative options if you can.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Dr. Sullivan and I are catching up on life after a fun-filled summer. We’ve got to get back into the swing-of-things, and we kick off this episode with Dr. Sullivan as he talks about what it was like coming out of dental school and working in his dad’s practice. He also tells us about how his experience has changed his perspective in his dental practice journey.
We talk about how maturity has played a role in Dr. Sullivan’s practice: how to work with team members and how to run a business. The most significant impact for his practice was taking full DSL photos of every client. When he arrived, he saw the importance of changing the culture of the practice and approaching their patients differently.
Find out what elements Dr. Sullivan has changed that has moved his business forward in big leaps. He talks about his team, the changes he has made in technology and the most substantial change he has made to the practice: new patient intake survey.
Show Notes:
[02:05] Dr. Sullivan looks back at graduating dental school.
[02:42] Year one out of college compared to year two out of college.
[03:15] What was the first CE Dr. Sullivan took?
[04:33] How taking DSL photos of all our clients impacted our practice.
[07:38] 2018 was Dr. Sullivan’s best year and has doubled income for the practice.
[10:58] Patients want consumer-driven, same-day dentistry.
[13:02] Number of units Dr. Sullivan is passing through his business each day.
[18:19] How to focus your team on different aspects of your practice so everyone has a specialty area they work in.
[19:07] Dr. Sullivan talks about two ways to grow your practice.
[24:28] Dr. Sullivan gives us the 411 about his new space he has built.
[33:05] What Dr. Sullivan credits his success to?
[34:38] Balancing life - where are the boundaries between enjoying life and living life?
[36:16] Communication and making sure you are on the same page as your loved ones.
[38:17] To be a good leader, there is sacrifice involved.
[39:07] Dental yogis and taking the time to relax.
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
Dr. Peyray and I are catching up on life after a fun-filled summer. We’ve got to get back into the swing-of-things, and we kick off this episode with Dr. Peyray as he spills figuring out the logistics of labs. What goes on at the laboratory end? How do they process labs? This has been a significant learning experience for him. He tells all about his new perspective and appreciation for laboratory testers and the steps to testing to kick-off this episode.
We talk about the best advice for owning a practice. Dr. Peyray’s advice is, “Don’t wing it. You’ve got to be prepared.” He was complimented on his team, after having to pull his associates together. “Be more of a leader and take charge” to be a good example to his team. Don’t delegate to be lazy, delegate because someone else is a better expert than you.
Find out the details and logistics of your practice to see where you can improve. We talk about working with patients and patient culture and demographics. Your practice should have a process and options in place, such as payment plans, to make dentistry affordable for your patients. Giving patients payment options will increase your gross income for your practice. Find out what other elements you can improve to get to your tipping point!
Show Notes:
[01:35] Understanding the business and logistics of labs.
[03:16] Dr. Peyray explains how understanding the technical aspect of labs will help him clinically in the dentistry world.
[04:30] What helped Dr. Peyray the most from the business aspect of owning a practice.
[05:33] Parts of Dr. Peyray’s growth shared with us this episode.
[08:02] Common patient misconceptions in dentistry.
[11:42] Have clear financial arrangements with your patients and be up front about costs.
[14:22] Tipping point for Dr. Peyray’s practice.
[17:27] Dr. Peyray’s process for bringing on team members for his new lab.
[22:16] Lexi, Dr. Peyray’s team member, was instrumental in building his lab in the back of the practice.
[24:55] Two skills which general dentists who are fresh graduates can do well.
[26:50] Mapping out your educational journey each year to learn more skills.
[28:43] Plans for the future and how can Dr. Peyray can move forward with more cases.
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
Sully, Peyray, and Dr. Rick Sullivan are joined today by Dr. David Wong. Dr. Wong is a periodontist from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has his own practice, and he speaks and teaches about perio. We talk about Dr. Wong and how he got started, and he shares his own unique perspective on periodontics and running his specialized practice.
We also talk about his use of social media and his Instagram accounts. His personal account features a lot of shots of Dr. Wong working out. He shares his fitness routine with us, and we get him to answer some listener questions that mostly revolve around his Instagram accounts, but we also dive into the world of perio.
You can find Dr. David Wong here:
Show Notes:
[02:54] Dr. David Wong is a periodontist who practices in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
[04:31] Dr. Wong thought dental school was tough, but he liked perio.
[12:35] He planned on joining a big group practice, but he changed his mind. He started a practice from scratch, and it worked out.
[15:04] The hardest part was getting over fear and self-doubt.
[17:02] His wife was super supportive. She was a dental , but she doesn't have to work anymore.
[20:21] He loves what he does. Teaching was born out of necessity. He started photographing everything and joined a small study club. He also started writing articles.
[22:58] He also mentioned products in case-reports and was scouted by vendors. He also put on his own courses.
[25:03] He prefers working on soft tissue. It is probably under diagnosed.
[28:27] Technology is helping to fix human errors.
[32:13] He finds value on meeting other dentists and hanging out and social media is great for being himself and having fun.
[34:32] Dr. Rick Sullivan has always been interested in perio. He enjoys going from perio to all the way up.
[35:23] Should GPs do perio? Dr. Wong would do it again. He would even be more inclined.
[36:50] Dental students could be a restorative dentist and catch the best of both worlds.
[38:24] Specialists used to not encroach on GP territory. Now they frequently do a little of everything.
[40:07] Patient management can be more difficult than the clinical issues.
[44:27] Dr. Wong likes having friends and, but not keeping score with patient referrals.
[46:36] Dentists need to know what they are and aren't capable of doing.
[47:44] Dr. Wong's least favorite procedure is osteo surgery.
[49:03] He benches 315.
[52:14] Perio maintenance is about efficiency. Dr. Wong is fine with the patient just going to their own dentist.
[56:03] Dr. Wong goes to the gym every day that he can to lift weights. He also does a bit of cardio and eats a ton of food.
Dr. Wong is going to speak about gingival recession and root coverage. The talk is called, Just Say No to the Palate.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
We are so excited to have the one and only amazing Dr. Frank Spear on the show today. We kick off the show with an amazing story by Frank that changed his life, and the course of dentistry. It’s all thanks to a special teacher that Frank tries to emulate each and every time he steps on stage.
Dr. Frank Spear also shares the lean times when he first started practicing, and how he was invited to mentor in study clubs. We also get to learn some highlights from his book, his practice, his teaching, his mentoring, and we talk about the Spear Education Center. This is an interview that you won’t want to miss as Sully and Peyray have a candid conversation with Dr. Frank Spear.
You can find Dr. Frank Spear here:
Show Notes:
[02:21] Frank grew up in a small farming community. He had no interest in dentistry.
[03:38] In the 1970s, his parents said he needed to pick a college. Chico State was ranked the number one party school in America on the cover of Playboy Magazine.
[04:40] He didn't get accepted to Chico State. He went to Pacific Lutheran University.
[05:46] He had to pick a major. He decided to take anatomy and physiology to get them over with. He ended up liking the courses.
[06:39] His teacher was passionate about anatomy and asked him to meet with her. She suggested he go into a medical field. She setup a meeting with the pre-med adviser who was a dentist. This is how he ended up in dentistry.
[08:54] He applied to twelve dental schools and graduated in 1979.
[09:45] While he was in his periodontics and prosthodontics class, a faculty member named Gerry Schultz who had been running study clubs saw Dr. Spear give a presentation.
[10:27] He invited Dr. Spear to give a presentation. He was then invited to speak again. He was a month out of his grad program.
[11:31] At the end of this meeting, he was invited to speak by other people.
[13:02] Dr. Spear was lucky to be inspired by amazing people and great faculty. His instructors were influential about what was possible.
[17:03] Whoever the clinician is, they need to be able to recognize what is outside of their comfort zone.
[20:03] Sending more work out can open up room in your schedule to do what you want to do.
[20:44] Finding what you enjoy and are the most competent at. Doing what you like the most is more fun.
[21:21] At Spears they want dentists to have more fun, be more profitable, have more free time, and to grow clinical in competence and confidence.
[25:47] Young dentists need to take some time and examine what they do and don't like before opening up a practice.
[26:41] In June of 1982, interests rates were 19% and 20%. He worked six days a week. On Mondays, he rented a space from a periodontist.
[28:19] On Fridays and Saturdays, he rented other space from periodontists, and he was seeing a lot of military families. He learned a lot about phasing treatment.
[29:35] The rest of the week, he was an associate for the family dentist in the town he grew up in. He covered all of the emergencies and did the work the established dentist didn't want.
[30:51] At that time, he was asked to mentor a study club on aesthetics. By 1984, he was mentoring four study clubs.
[32:11] There was a powerful reputation from his graduate program.
[33:22] In 1985, he and John Kois bought the small family practice and partnered.
[34:39] In 1987 and beyond, Frank was spending a large part of his year speaking.
[37:36] They also brought in an associate. You also have to set boundaries on what you commit to.
[40:31] Frank wrote the book Case Acceptance in the Modern Dental Practice: Break Down Barriers, Increase Referrals and Boost Patient Satisfaction.
[41:40] They are three treatment models. The authoritarian model, the scarcity model, and the co-diagnosis model where you present the findings, consequences, how treatment would help. They ask for the treatment plan.
[44:37] Give your team a why, and they will be more likely to do it.
[45:03] What is the patients attitude during treatment presentation.
[50:39] General practitioners have a recall advantage. The challenge is people come in for all kinds of reasons. The consult, the traditional exam, and the comprehensive patient.
[52:42] Intake calls are so important.
[55:41] Frank Spear and John Kois wanted to have a small teaching center that they ran together for six years.
[56:39] In the early 1990's, Frank opened a practice and did seminars and workshops.
[57:35] In the early 2000s, his teaching really took off.
[01:01:19] What Dr. Frank Spear teaches is what is current and fundamentals of treatment planning etc.
[01:03:47] It's so important for dentists to understand the fundamentals. Don't stop learning after dental school.
[01:05:31] Technology changes how things are done. But most day-to-day treatments aren't changed.
[01:07:37] Dr. Spear would have paid more attention to money and business from the beginning.
[01:14:35] It's not selfish to think about money.
[01:15:03] Dr. Spear shares a story about the first study club he belonged to.
[01:18:36] Dr. Spear encourages Sully and Peyray to let everyone at the club have input.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
We are excited to have Dr. Jeff Trembley on the show today. Jeff recently opened his own practice in November of 2017. Jeff is committed to giving his patients amazing results with carefully crafted restorations. Even though he is committed clinically, there were and still are many hurdles for Jeff to over overcome.
He understands the importance of customer referrals and treating patients in a way that makes them feel appreciated. It’s often the experience that will get the patient to come back and to refer family and friends. Jeff talks about the importance of photography and the success that he has had with his Instagram account.
We also talk about how important it is to understand your numbers and check your reports on a regular basis. Jeff benefited from having a consultant come into the practice and offer help and guidance. He is also committed to going all digital with his lab work. There are so many aspects to running your own practice that new and experienced dentists will get something out of this conversation.
You can find Dr. Jeff Trembley here:
Dr. Jeff Trembley on Instagram
Show Notes:
[02:26] Dr. Jeff Trembley opened a practice in November of 2017. Prior to that he was an associate.
[03:16] Peyray rented Jeff a room prior to Jeff opening his practice.
[04:27] At some point, every dentist comes to the point where they want to go out on their own.
[06:41] Even though, he found a great space Jeff really had to fight to get the financing and all of the paperwork in order.
[07:41] One of his first purchases was an electric handpiece. He equipped the hygienist, and got TVs to look at images.
[08:35] Jeff's opinion of modern dentistry is the most minimally biologically to get as close to what as what you want.
[09:15] Jeff is a biological dentist who wants to fit the materials to help the patient.
[11:38] Jeff had a best friend/mentor that helped him see the importance of photography.
[13:13] Jeff would take a retracted view and put it on the screen and start looking at it. He started sharing online. His greatest source of referrals is through Instagram.
[14:44] He put a photo studio in one of his op rooms.
[15:45] Dentistry is hard and starting a new is hard.
[16:09] Jeff learned the importance of data.
[16:45] Jeff isn't in network, so phone conversions are important.
[18:05] He doubled down on the philosophy. He lowered his fees and explained the fee process.
[19:16] He also hired a consultant to help go through the system and find out how many hygienist reschedule.
[20:02] Jeff is willing to take ownership of everything.
[20:52] You have to understand what reports to pull and what they are telling you. Then make adjustments to that.
[21:54] You have to create the behavior in the office. It's also important to see how reports change. Find out where your new patients come from.
[23:16] Patients are your best referrals so thank patients for coming in and show your gratitude.
[25:35] We have to make sure that our experience equals the quality of our dentistry.
[27:11] It helps to be direct with everything even treatment plans.
[30:18] One of the hardest things that Jeff has struggled with is his website and his marketing.
[31:40] It's hard to be on top of so many things and to keep in mind that if you're not on top of things it won't get done.
[32:32] One of Peyray's biggest challenges was the front office. He expected people to read his mind.
[34:26] Using clipboards was one of the best things that Jeff has done. It not only keeps records straight, but there's some satisfaction in crossing things off the list, and it enables the sharing of duties.
[37:35] If staff members are struggling with their personal life, then they might not be able to handle all the responsibilities of your busy office.
[39:51] There are ways to pull reports that paint a picture of your practice. Learn to understand your dental software.
[41:01] Data needs to be organized and combed through.
[42:05] It would be nice to review reappointment once a week.
[43:41] There are so many aspects to running an office that have nothing to do with clinical dentistry.
[44:17] It comes down to running a business and building a team around you.
[45:38] A challenge with experienced front desk people is auditing the system. The trick is to be able to coach people without offending anyone.
[49:14] Don't be reactive and gather information. Managing people can be a challenge. Write things down and create a checklist.
[50:36] Peyray will soon own a lab and controlling his quality.
[51:19] Jeff wants to go digital in 2019. He wants to be an expert in exocad.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Dr. Michael DiTolla is here today to talk about the evolution of materials for crowns and veneers that he has seen over his career. He started out working in private practice, and by a fluke was asked to do some work at Glidewell Labs. He realized that he loved experimenting with new materials and finding ways to create better looking restorative dentistry.
He moved on to education and lecturing. He was a pioneer in making movies and DVDs to help train other dentists and lab technicians. He is now working with Six Month Smiles and is excited about a new hybrid program they have coming up that combines brackets and aligners for fast and affect aesthetic results. He is also thinking about starting up his practice again. This is a great discussion for dentists and technicians who really care about positive patient results..
You can find Dr. Michael DiTolla here:
Show Notes:
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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:
Randy Alvarez launched “The Wellness Hour TV Show” in 1999. The Wellness Hour airs on TV in approximately 70 million homes across North America and features the leading medical doctors, dentists and other licensed health practitioners in the US. The “Medical News Show” is a television and social media platform for doctors to discuss breakthroughs in their specialty with the communities they serve. Alvarez has transformed the show’s website into an extensive online medical resource for both doctors and the public.
Randy believes in leading your marketing campaign with a strategy which involves creating a rapport with potential clients centered around emotional draw for the client’s issues. What are the right questions to ask, how you can get before and after pictures of your dental customers and how to skillfully use educational content to assist your purchaser in making a decision based on how they will feel after their work is finished, not the mechanics of engineering of the dental prosthetic.
Grab your notebook and find out how Randy takes his prospect’s medical businesses from low to grow with his marketing techniques and his media knowledge.
Show Notes:
[02:19] The primary target group for Wellness Hour.
[03:20] The story behind Randy’s success.
[05:08] History of sales training and speaking gigs from corporate companies and how the Wellness Hour started.
[08:30] Fundamentals of marketing science and how you shouldn’t say “we are different from everyone else”.
[10:35] What dentists don’t do enough of when they are marketing and changing the way dentists talk about dentistry.
[16:31] Questions you should ask to base your marketing campaign around to attract clients based on their life experiences.
[17:52] Selling based on your client’s pain points and connect them to what they want.
[21:30] Systems sell patients, connecting with the patient on an emotional level.
[24:55] Steps and strategy toward patient centered growth and how to create a marketing campaign to expand your practice.
[29:23] Building rapport with potential clients as part of your marketing strategy.
[29:55] How to get before and after photos from your patients.
[35:17] Why you want your client to sign their after photos.
[37:07] Using education in your clinical setting to show clients your services.
[40:12] Factors other than marketing which can affect your client base.
[42:02] Using the Andrew Weil & Steven Covey approach to developing client relationships.
[44:36] What not to do when you are a dentist.
[48:52] Books about marketing which Randy recommends to read. Email him at his email below to get a reading list which he suggests to read to market your business.
[50:40] How to get in contact with Randy for marketing information.
[54:54] Quit talking about great customer service.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Interview With Sully Sullivan and Peyman Raissi - Dental Profits
The Dental Profits Academy Course
What Got You Here Won't Get You There
Guest Information
Randy@wellnesshour.com to get a need analysis from Randy from The Wellness Hour
Tiger Safarov has developed Zen Supplies, a cloud-based ordering platform to have all your distributors and suppliers in one place in order for you to be able to price compare your supplies to get the best deal. Manage and track your inventory online and save money and time in the process. Sales agents and distributors charge a larger margin, hoping you don’t research a better price online for the same products.
Inventory tracking provides savings to your office through purchasing only what you need in supplies. Eighty percent of your savings comes from quantity, and inventory tracking gives you the insight on how to spend less on your supplies which are excessive purchases for your office. Zen Supplies runs a cost analysis on your supply purchase savings, so you can see how much money your office is saving.
Tiger believes in saving time for his clients because time is the one item “you can’t trade back for”. Zen Supplies is an innovative product which saves the dental practice owner time and money, which is reflected in their slogan “Let’s Get Organized”.
Show Notes:
[03:15] Tiger’s background and history
[04:50] What does Tiger’s company do?
[07:01] How Tiger found out about price differences for dental supplies.
[08:32] Most offices do not manage supply orders or track orders.
[10:07] Dental assistants may not be looking at price differentiation or looking for the best purchase price for supplies.
[13:44] Why Tiger’s goal is to avoid distributors and sales reps for purchasing supplies.
[19:08] Other options which are available for emergency situations at your dental office.
[21:30] Dollar savings Tiger’s client experienced with one of his clients from Texas.
[25:35] Distribution of money according to the margins sales people are charging dentists.
[26:40] How are big companies viewing Tiger’s company.
[30:13] Politics of buying and selling dental supplies and how Tiger gets his pricing for supplies through manufacturers and distributors.
[37:30] How many supplies we threw out because they were expired BEFORE we used Zen Supplies!
[40:19] Shipping costs revisited with Zen Supplies.
[41:30] What’s coming up next with Zen Supplies?
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Interview With Sully Sullivan and Peyman Raissi - Dental Profits
The Dental Profits Academy Course
We have recorded on planes and exotic locations. Today, we are recording on the rooftop of the Westin overlooking Nashville. This is a catch up episode where Sully and Payrey share their recent travels with you. Sully was able to attend the IDS dental business summit in Cologne, German. If this is something that you haven't done, put it on your list for 2021.
Sully shares a little bit about his trip to Germany and some of the great technology that was at the IDS. We also talk about the importance of quality CE and building the practice you would want to have. We cover everything we’ve been up to including challenges with building an amazing practice, finding your speciality, and balancing everything.
Show Notes:
[01:54] The IDS dental summit was a city filled with dentists. Sully met Brian Baliwas the SF Dental Nerd.
[02:19] Downtown Cologne is a 5 minute walk from the IDS International Dental Symposium. It's also a trade show and a lot of products debut there.
[04:31] You can get great deals at some of the pavilions if you want knock offs or generic things.
[05:58] It was also a really great experience to get to touch and tryout the different products. It was like a Disneyland for dentists.
[07:04] There is a ton of new software coming out for smile design. There are companies putting cool cameras into their lights.
[08:09] Sully went to the GC party. It was epic over the top.
[09:12] Payrey has been busy buying things. He wants easier access to labs. Stay tuned to what he has been up to.
[11:04] He also bought a house recently. He is now closer to his office.
[12:01] He is also looking into offering profit sharing or a 401(k) for his office.
[13:07] He also consulted with The Crabtree Group. They are helping to develop systems into his office.
[14:42] It's a lot of headaches being the only one running the show.
[15:44] If the economy tanks, it would really affect business. People can afford things, because the economy is good.
[16:41] Payrey is trying to build his general dentist practice with his hygienist and having two dentists two days a week.
[18:02] Payrey finished a Kois course. He now loves general dentistry.
[22:22] Build a base, you can always do implants or full mouth later down the line.
[25:06] Don't let money stop you from taking CE from places like Kois Center.
[26:30] Restorative dentistry makes people love their smile. Overlays can save money, and make patients happy.
[29:43] Everybody pushes each other up when you surround yourself with people who are trying to do better.
[32:00] Marketing has been shifting. We used to market as the family dental dentist. Niche marketing for procedures is catching on. Patients are looking things up to learn about specific procedures. Dentists are blogging and sharing information.
[34:56] First step is to build you and your personality and then share you and your knowledge.
[38:26] Being social is huge for building a general practice.
[39:23] Let us know what your pain points are and what you would like us to talk about?
[40:52] Sully is in a mastermind group, taking courses, and trying to balance work and family.
[42:15] Life is too short. Build the practice you would like to have.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Dental industry and Dental trade fair | IDS
Episode 77 Figure Out Where You Want to Go When Growing Your Practice With the Crabtree Group
We have been on a roll lately with our podcast episodes. Today, we are excited to talk with Daniel Owen about everything from when is the best time for a new dentist to start taking CE courses to best practices in dentistry management. Daniel is the Alabama & Tennessee Territory Manager at Neodent USA. Neodent is a maker of quality implant products.
We talk about implants and using quality products with years of science and R&D behind them. We talk about the importance of having a good rep that you know, like and trust. We also talk about obstacles when switching products. Then we talk about pressing issues of knowing what you want as a dentist, dealing with team members, billing issues, and creating expectations that empower everyone in the process.
You can find our Daniel here:
Show Notes:
[03:01] It might be a good idea to wait a couple of years after dental school before going to Kois or Spear because of the advanced mentality taught in these courses.
[03:21] These advanced education courses focus on the big picture. After going, Payrey sees things differently.
[04:52] Your first year after dental school needs to be a survival year while you get your feet wet. It takes some time to learn what you want to do and how you want to work.
[06:42] Spend your first year focusing on you are, where you are, and what you want.
[08:58] Daniel Owen is the Alabama & Tennessee Territory Manager at Neodent USA a global dental brand specializing in implants. Prior to that he worked at Patterson Dental.
[10:07] They have a veteran program where they pay for everything.
[12:57] Sometimes it's less about the implant brand and more about the rep. Sully is pumped about using Neodent. All of the units are on the same platform and it's a deep connection.
[15:09] Daniel likes to approach his job as a rep by helping dentists grow.
[18:34] At the end of the day, you should buy a name brand implant.
[19:47] They have 16 years of R&D in their implants. It comes down to support and the clinical result.
[22:41] Dentists need to ask the questions of what type of dentistry they want to do. Especially in the first couple of years out of school.
[26:33] Having the same mentality about the doctor you work for after dental school as you did about your school would be rational. What are you going to learn in the beginning of you dental career? It's not just about being paid.
[29:14] Sully only has so much bandwidth. The more he puts into one thing, the less goes into something else. You have to prioritize.
[30:32] Look for where you can create time for education.
[33:06] The business management side of dentistry is one of the biggest hurdles that dentists face.
[34:10] Make enough deposits with people or team members to compensate for the withdrawals.
[38:33] Compensation comes with responsibility. Have a system or procedure when the patient comes in. Lay out clear expectations or cornerstone workflows.
[41:18] Give people a clear picture before you set expectations.
[42:11] Create synergy with your staff and other people who have great roles.
[45:42] Outline the three most important things. The owner does it and the team members do it. Create clear expectations.
[47:33] Create the Ritz-Carlton experience.
[49:22] I would like a nice clean office. How can we make it happen? Define expectations through team members. Don't be a dictator.
[51:09] Everybody needs to have a clear expectation of how they are going to pay.
[54:39] Incentive your person who is responsible for billing and having customers pay.
[58:01] You need to coach your team.
[01:00:54] Do a 90 day, 120 day, and 6 month review. Have some grace and hard deadlines.
[01:03:30] The number one thing is to outline your goals and then convey what you want.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
We are recording live from the Voices of Dentistry Day 1. Sully talks with Dr. Vinh Nguyen from the Nifty Thrifty podcast, Dr. Erin Elliott, and Dr. Ashley Joves from California. Some of the things we discuss are the pros and cons of being an associate versus being an owner.
We also talk about how to separate being a leader and being a friend in a practice. We share four unique perspectives on balancing running a practice and running our lives. We talk about technology, risk, debt, survival mode, mindset, solutions and so much more in this episode.
You can find our guests here:
Dr. Vinh Nguyen the Nifty Thrifty Podcast
Show Notes:
[00:52] Dr. Vinh Nguyen from the Nifty Thrifty podcast.
[00:59] Dr. Erin Elliott #smokeshow.
[01:29] Dr. Ashley Joves from California.
[02:48] Vinh is an associate right now. Someday, he will move on to being an owner.
[03:25] Ashley has her own office. When she was an associate, she never had to take work home. As an owner, she pays herself less and takes home more stress. She is always thinking about the practice.
[05:12] Never compare your journey with someone else's especially on social media. People portray their highlight reel on social media.
[05:44] Ashley talks about challenges of running a practice that include juggling family and mom duties, leading a team of young females, and still wanting everyone to like her.
[06:08] Erin has evolved over time. She does try to keep some separation with her team.
[07:11] Erin always brings everything back to the patient. She also asks her team for their solutions when they come to her for problems.
[08:54] Ashley knows where she wants to take her office. She struggles with investing in technology and taking on debt.
[12:05] Sully delegates everything. He jumps in and figures it out.
[13:27] Erin thinks dentists need to work on their mindset and empower their teams. Find each team member's strengths and empower them.
[14:28] Break down what you need to do to get to the next step.
[15:30] Erin is about to speak on stage, so she is going to leave the show.
[16:30] Vinh's timeline is to buy into a practice in the next few years. Benefits of working with other dentist owners is that you aren't alone. He wants to have equity in multiple offices.
[18:29] Sully's dad still practices.
[21:38] Ashley can expand her offerings or bring other people on. She could calculate her annual patient value. Then focus on increasing that amount.
[24:18] At Vinh's practice, they keep most everything in house.
[26:07] They also offer payment plans or cash discounts.
[28:30] Ashley was booked doing fillings all day. She is working on investing in her business.
[32:41] The Cone beam is better for diagnosis.
[33:50] Give people who pay up front a 10% discount. You can also do 3 payments over the timeline.
[39:42] Ashley was losing on opportunity by pushing new patients weeks away. She has two full-time hygienists. Now she is struggling with giving them hours.
[41:11] It's important to be honest with the team members and give them extra duties if they are flexible.
[45:22] Eventually Ashley will build out her other rooms as she builds and expands her practice.
[46:37] You have to have everything dialed in before you add people and rooms.
[47:26] It's important to share your vision with your team.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Sean Crabtree and Cameron Bailey from the Crabtree group are here today with Sully and Peyray. The Crabtree Group goes beyond dental practice management and creates dental business strategies to help dentists build and grow their practices. They share individualized methods with dentists to help them decide what type of practice they want to have and then help develop a strategy to get there.
They are also the hosts of the Dental Profits Podcast that we were on last year. In this episode, we talk about knowing yourself, how communication is key, and getting your team on board with your goals. We also talk about intake phone calls and the importance of asking open ended questions and pre-qualifying patients before they walk in your door. We talk about the three big issues most offices have. Sean and Cameron share insights into treatment plan presentation, the importance of having a coach, and more.
You can find Sean and Cameron here:
Show Notes:
[03:03] Voices of Dentistry is a podcast convention for dental podcasters.
[03:58] Sully and Peyray were a guest on the Dental Profits Podcast.
[04:44] The Crabtree Group grows dental practices. They are dental strategists.
[05:50] They ask questions to identify opportunities for growth. They try to find the systems and strategies that need to be put in place to grow the business.
[06:40] Find where you are and develop strategies to get to where you want to be.
[07:52] They help find the strategies and implement the system.
[09:16] It all starts with what the dentist actually wants.
[10:45] You can't create until you go there in your mind. The Crabtree Group can help support the vision.
[12:07] Peyray realized that to improve his practice he needed to be aware of what he wanted. He also wanted an in-house coach.
[16:33] Cameron has been doing this for almost 10 years.
[16:59] Sean started about 22 years ago. He worked in a telecommunications business. He had a client who was a consultant. He wanted an opportunity to make an impact and started working with this consultant.
[19:45] Sean discovered that people in healthcare didn't understand value creation or sales. He created the Crabtree Group about 12 years ago. Cameron joined 10 years ago. They both had a background in sales and marketing.
[23:16] Two big challenges are getting the phone to ring and what you do after the phone rings.
[24:08] Prepare the patient on the intake call. Qualify the patient.
[25:50] Ask open ended questions and bring the patient along on the journey.
[29:40] People in healthcare want to help. Instead, take control of the call. Answer the question with a question.
[31:48] Sully and Sean do a mock phone call walk through.
[34:06] It's helpful to record the calls or have them transcribed.
[41:31] It's too much for the doctor to have to sell every single case.
[42:18] Create a culture where the people on your team are trying to get better and record the calls and send them to the Crabtree Group.
[43:20] Look at ways to better handle cancellation calls.
[45:36] Communication is everything. You have to learn to communicate to address challenges.
[50:12] Use the gifts of your team members and help them understand how roles support other roles.
[51:32] Treatment acceptance, collections, and hygiene are the three first things that stand out to Sean and Cameron in a new practice.
[54:38] Bring the patient back for a large treatment plan presentation. Value creation. The doctor needs time to develop a plan to present to you.
[58:21] Your practice is a vehicle of where you want to go. You have to figure out where you want to go.
[59:35] Sean and Cameron have an online course. They also offer group coaching. Some of their clients have doubled their practice.
[01:02:08] The doctor can make or break the success of the practice. It's important to get past your comfort zone. Communication is also key.
[01:04:23] To be successful you have to commit to it.
[01:07:11] You don't have to be perfect to be wildly successful in dentistry, but you do need to commit.
[01:08:32] Successful entrepreneurs and celebrities all have coaches.
[01:10:49] Put energy into finding people who fit your vision.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Interview With Sully Sullivan and Peyman Raissi - Dental Profits
Sully meets up with Michael Arias and Joshua Scott to talk about dental marketing. Michael Arias is a dental marketer who focuses on ground marketing. This is literally hitting the ground and going to nearby businesses and building relationships. Michael shares why this method works and how to do it with an objective in mind.
Joshua Scott is the owner of Studio 8E8 dental marketing. His approach is building a brand through story and having an interactive website that is an experience. We talk about the importance of building trust and educating a patient before they ever walk in the practice door. We also talk about the ever changing world of digital and dental marketing and how generational differences play a role.
You can find our Michael and Scott here:
MIchael Arias The Dental Marketer YouTube
Show Notes:
[01:12] Michael Arias is the developer and founder of Ground Marketing which is an unconventional way of attracting the attention of potential customers or patients.
[01:38] Joshua Scott is the owner of the Studio 8E8 dental marketing company.
[01:50] Scott and Michael are good friends.
[02:30] How marketing is shifting towards storytelling and finding ways for people to relate to you.
[03:16] Michael used to be a nutritionist, and he had a client who was a dental consultant.
[03:40] In the past, Michael helped My Fit Foods build up their client base. The methods that he would use was ground marketing.
[03:58] His dental consultant friend offered him $1,000 if he could find him to 2-5 new patients. He decided to refine a strategy for dental marketing.
[05:03] You have to go in and ask for business cards for the dentist down the street. You also offer them cards and an employee sign up sheet.
[06:13] Joshua calls what Michael does hustle marketing. Marketing needs energy behind it. You have to put energy behind it to put things in motion.
[09:12] Why spend thousands on SEO instead of going next door and talking to people?
[10:20] If a dentist doesn't want to do it, they need someone on their team to do the ground marketing. If you go in, come out with a result.
[12:43] Every YMCA has a health fair. Call to speak to the director or receptionist. Have someone go in and set up a booth and give out floss. Know how to talk to people on the spot.
[14:54] Dentistry is human service. We need to keep the human part in dentistry.
[15:27] Joshua's approach is allowing clients to tell their story in a way that is exclusive to them.
[15:41] For Joshua, dentistry is an inspiring, innovative, beautiful type of business. It's his job to make the websites reflect this.
[16:36] The website needs to be an experience and help dentists tell their story in a way that connects.
[17:35] How a website is an opportunity to tell ourselves before a patient or customer even walks in the door.
[18:37] We should track patients we get to our website.
[19:12] Just looking at the new patient metric can be a short-sighted method.
[20:09] Before making a purchase, people need eight or nine touches before buying.
[20:47] Patients are ready to buy when they come in because of all the previous touches.
[21:21] Sully is into video and telling his story.
[24:48] Why let other people control your practice and deal with patients who make you miserable?
[26:38] When building a business you're trading time for money.
[27:04] There comes a point when the trade-off of time becomes more important.
[28:24] The more you say no to stuff, the more time you have to say yes to the important stuff.
[29:56] At some point, your practice needs to be about you being happy.
[30:39] It's important to step back and ask what do you want and what are your goals instead of blindly following what everyone else does.
[31:29] We need less new patients than you think. We need to actually do the dentistry that the patients need.
[32:44] Building a business is a long-term process. Keeping your patients long-term will give you all the work that you need.
[34:05] Sully's Dad was way more willing to listen to new ideas than many established dentists. By being open-minded, they are unstoppable.
[35:35] The key is getting small victories with the established doctor.
[38:48] Companies that can adapt and shift are always more profitable.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
Sully and Peyray are on a flight to attend the 3rd annual Voices of Dentistry Summit in Scottsdale, AZ. They are excited to visit the booths of other dental podcasters. Last year, they had their own booth and didn't have time for anything other than recording. Peyray will also be speaking this weekend about dental photography. He has a lot of ideas about how useful photography is for treatment planning. We hope you enjoy the conversation!
Show Notes:
[03:47] Peyray has a lot of powerpoints with great information for his presentation.
[04:07] You can see some of his work on his Instagram account. When you take great pictures, you can sell a lot of dentistry.
[04:33] You can learn so much by looking at the pictures of your cases. You can also go back and find any mistakes that you may have made in order to not repeat them in the future.
[04:55] Photography has made Peyray a better clinician.
[05:19] After dental school, he bought a camera and started taking Udemy courses and watching YouTube.
[06:19] He also learned from Eduardo Aguilar.
[07:26] Photography is a lot about the lighting and anyone can benefit from having a softbox.
[07:52] Tomorrow Peyray is going to share the settings he uses, the tools that he uses, and encourage people to go practice.
[08:34] Invest in your future and get a Nikon or Canon DSLR camera. He has the D810 full frame. The D7500 is also a great choice.
[10:36] Photography helps with documentation, and documentation is the key.
[11:39] His full arch patients and aesthetic patients get photography.
[12:46] Sully takes five or six shots of every patient. Patients can diagnose their own dentistry when they see the pictures.
[13:58] They block off some time for new hygiene patients to get photos. To Sully, hygiene is a loss leader.
[15:27] That would be four or five new hygiene patients a day.
[16:36] If a hygienist recognizes that the patient needs more than $2,000 worth of work, they make an appointment to bring them back.
[17:32] Always address the patient's chief complaint.
[21:00] It's important to take the time to communicate with the patient. Having a good team also helps.
[21:51] Sully shares the new patient experience at his office.
[26:24] Sully also does in office payment plans. They are at the point, because they are selling cases not individual procedures.
[28:54] There are a lot of missed opportunities with dentists who don't do sedation dentistry.
[30:51] Peyray goes to ADA sedation meetings. You can do so much more if you learn how to use it. IV brings a level of predictability.
[32:41] Peyray gives people something to relax the night before surgery, then nitrous, and then an IV.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
We are recording this episode live in a plane flying from Nashville to Raleigh. Sully is joined by Dr. Will Jones and Dr. Ford Gatgens. We talk about AEGD, AGD and CE courses and whether they are worth it. We also talk about insurance issues from dropping some types of insurance to going entirely fee for service.
We discuss the fears around losing patients and possible problems if the economy changes. We also talk about buying a practice, hiring and building a team, turnover, and the anxiety it can cause. We talk about discovering what type of boss you want to be, establishing a vision for your practice, using technology to help patients, and more. Join us on our hour long in-flight conversation.
You can find our guests here:
Show Notes:
[01:56] Dr. Ford graduated in 2006. He did a residency in 2007. He filled in for a doctor in East Tennessee. He bought his existing practice in 2009. His practice is Accent Smile center in Dickson, TN.
[02:54] He worked over the years to add additional services and create the practice according to his own philosophy.
[03:09] He uses technology to help patient outcomes. He also does digital dentistry, laser dentistry, and implants.
[03:47] Doctor Jones graduated in 2014. He focuses on surgery and sedation dentistry. He bought his dad's practice, and he is 100% owner, but his father is an associate 2 days a week.
[04:24] They are currently struggling with when to add an associate and with hiring the right team members. They are also moving into a new office.
[06:19] For Dr. Jones, taking a year long program allowed him to better implement what he earned.
[09:04] The benefit for Dr. Ford was placing a lot of implants and the opportunity to hear professors from all around the United States. It also gave him the confidence to go out in private practice and tackle some of those bigger cases.
[13:50] Sully thinks a good associateship is the gold standard of what you can do post practice.
[16:05] Being reliant on a PPO makes it hard to be reimbursed for advanced dentistry. Maybe there is a middle ground to become less insurance dependent.
[19:32] You can't just drop your insurance patients, you also have to have enough new patients to cover that gap.
[20:36] The plan is to gradually drop one or two insurance providers first. Patients that value higher level service are what we want.
[21:53] Sully believes that the insurance will get them in the door, but he still has an opportunity to do work beyond what the insurance covers. He doesn't want to lose his initial patients in the door.
[24:01] Dropping some services, you can look at your adjustments and put that money towards marketing and be ahead of the game.
[25:22] Dr. Ford is at the point where he's going to make some decisions about his insurance providers that he accepts.
[28:37] Another option is continuing a discount with some patients even if you drop their insurance.
[29:20] Dr. Jones shares his struggles with buying his father's practice. He also struggles with discovering what type of boss he wants to be.
[31:16] He decided to find a way to be nice, yet let people know that it's his money on the line, and things need to be done a certain way.
[32:00] They've hired three new people in the past two months, and it has been great.
[33:46] In Dr. Jones's practice the staff turnover has led him to discover what type of boss he wants to be.
[35:16] After about six months, Dr. Ford started doing an upgrade on his practice. Not all team members have the same vision.
[36:21] Once you get clear on what type of boss you want to be and what your vision is, there are some things that aren't negotiable.
[37:52] There are challenges when employees have been doing things a certain way, and you want to upgrade to digital from paper.
[39:13] Become clear on what your goals are and then share that vision and that passion. When people aren't on board, that's where the hard conversations come in.
[40:16] Being a good leader is something you constantly have to work at. It's also important to surround yourself with good leaders and good mentors.
[42:05] Your long-term success comes down to your leadership skills.
[43:34] It's important to define roles.
[45:44] The more direction you give, the better the team response.
[49:51] It's human nature not to listen to the new guy.
[52:00] It's realistic to come into a practice and maintain the same team, but you will probably need to add people as you grow. There could be generational issues, and it's always good to take the time to communicate and build relationships.
[54:36] Share your vision with your team, so they will understand where you are coming from.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
This is part two of Sully’s chat with Dr. Tarun “T-Bone” Agarwal. In the last episode, we talked about how to take your practice further faster. Today, we kick things off with the difference between a dental practice and a dental business. T-Bone stresses the importance of having a business that allows you to do the procedures you want and work the hours you want.
He also talks about bringing in associates and how to sell your practice for 4X instead of 1X. We discuss how a partnership is like a marriage and how true leadership comes from having skin in the game. We also discuss the possibility of unlimited earning potential and how the dental business mindset is about sustainability and creating a great lifestyle for yourself and everyone else around you.
You can find T-Bone here:
T-Bone Speaks Dentistry Podcast
Show Notes:
[02:16] The difference between running your practice and running your practice as a business or the difference between a dental practice and a dental business.
[03:49] With a dental practice you are the clinician and the dental practice leader. T-bone wants to see people move towards owning a dental business.
[05:25] It's better to own one practice as opposed to two.
[09:25] Growing from 1 million to 2 million has an overhead of about 45%.
[12:17] There is no point in growing a business if it loses the culture of you.
[12:42] A dental business gives the owner the ability to take almost unlimited vacations and can operate without you. It's all about flexibility.
[14:04] By bringing in someone else, you create a passive income stream.
[14:51] You can also sell 25% four times.
[18:47] A dental practice will have an earning ceiling, but a dental business has unlimited earning potential.
[20:13] Owners can afford to take time off. They need another practitioner to keep the rest of the team working.
[21:46] We go through seasons of life. The dental business mindset is about sustainability and creating a great lifestyle for yourself and everyone else around you.
[28:19] T-Bone is convinced that we will see nurse practitioners and PAs in the dental office during his lifetime.
[29:54] You need a dental business so that if there's a family emergency you will be able to go deal with it without closing down your practice or business.
[31:22] Flexibility gives us choices to do what we want to do.
[32:39] What are the steps for young dentists to take to get over that first hump having a business mindset. Have financial flexibility and control your spending.
[35:12] Early on, it's more of a spending problem than an earning problem.
[35:57] Don't get into the mindset of if you earn more you need to spend more.
[36:20] You need to live underneath your means and create financial margin.
[37:00] Treat your business like a business by paying yourself as an associate.
[37:33] Associate pay is usually 30%. Pay yourself 30% of what you collect. This will allow you to create the mentality of what your business actually does.
[40:14] Once you have a mortgage you're tied to it. Renting can allow you to save money and have flexibility.
[41:55] When you treat your pay mentally like a business, you can then start making good decisions.
[43:19] The T-Bone Speaks podcast is going to have a 3 part series on associates.
[43:45] The time to get serious about bringing in an associate is when you're earning around a million.
[44:20] A good business prepares for their future. You have to start getting ready for adding an associate before you do so.
[49:11] Don't waste your time scrimping and saving, learn new procedures and ways to earn more money.
[49:56] You want your team to focus on growth.
[51:00] If you're only doing a few of something, you are way better outsourcing it.
[52:59] Don't take certain procedures in house until you have reached critical mass with them.
[53:29] Your energy and focus should be on building a practice that can sustain two doctors.
[54:43] Focus on creating an environment and culture that can do more procedures.
[57:19] Everyone should have an associate, and it would change their lives.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
T-Bone in the Office (Part 1)
Dr. Tarun “T-Bone” Agarwal is here today. T-Bone is a dentist, a podcast host, and passionate about helping other dentists turn their practice into a business. In this episode, we talk about the importance of planning ahead of time for the following year and writing down your goals and aspirations.
T-Bone shares his wisdom from over 20 years experience and building a practice from scratch. We talk about the importance of clarity, and T-Bone shares the three key focus areas of patients, team, and clinical skills to go further faster. He shares tips on helping your team grow and you scale by learning to replace yourself. This episode is packed with so much knowledge that we had to split it up in two parts. Enjoy!
You can find T-Bone here:
T-Bone Speaks Dentistry Podcast
Show Notes:
[02:51] T-Bone lost his father-in-law last year and it put a damper on the year. They still grew, but it wasn't his best year.
[03:22] The first step to moving forward is reflecting on the past.
[03:39] T-Bone didn't set goals or plan out his 2018. He feels that this lack of planning showed.
[03:55] He's actually a big believer in sitting down and writing out goals. This year he went to a seminar about planning out your goals for the year.
[04:35] T-Bone was here in town for the seminar and decided to stop by the office for the podcast.
[04:57] It's not only important to write out your goals. It's important to share your goals and have accountability.
[05:14] Last week Sully and his office took half a day to recap what has happened in the past year of 2018.
[05:50] It's important for the owner of the business to recap before he recaps with the team.
[07:53] It's a good idea to map out what you are going to say before you discuss it with your team.
[09:14] For T-Bone, 2018 was a non clarity year. If you don't have clarity you're going to be in trouble.
[10:33] T-Bone makes the same resolution every year. That is to eat healthy and lose weight.
[10:58] He feels that the best time to plan for the following year is in September and October, so that you really have time to set the stage.
[14:10] To get further faster, you have to focus on your patients. You have to focus on your team. You have to focus on your clinical skills.
[14:42] With patients you have to address their time, their fears, and their money.
[15:12] Do more in one visit, make your dentistry last longer, and make appointments more convenient.
[15:42] T-Bone's office is going to go to a 7:00 to 7:00 schedule.
[18:26] Do something different to be there for the patients.
[19:13] The easiest way to address fear is to offer sedation in your practice. Nitrous Oxide, oral sedation, or more advanced sedation.
[22:47] Good old-fashioned TLC also helps address fear.
[23:05] Money boils down to price vs affordability.
[25:02] Affordability is about offering payment plans versus the price of the procedures.
[25:48] Step two is addressing your team and how you lead your team.
[26:17] Teach your team to learn how to replace themselves. Teach your team to know the score. Teach your team to own the space.
[26:38] Replacing yourself is about personal growth. If you train a replacement, you are able to move up.
[32:19] When you understand what's going on in your team members lives, then you can formulate a plan with those person.
[33:18] Just listen and avoid the advice monster.
[34:03] Ask questions to get them to get to your advice.
[37:56] Number two is about knowing the score. Be specific with your team members about their role and how you want them to grow.
[41:28] Ease people into new roles.
[45:06] Owning your space is about knowing everything that happens in your operatory.
[46:46] People want ownership and leadership. Make certain jobs certain people's responsibilities.
[47:30] Teach people to replace themselves, so they can advance. Know the score and specific things about your part of the practice. Teach people to own their space.
[50:31] Superstars get different treatment but everyone gets treated fairly.
[50:49] Clinical diversity. To get further faster focus on three areas of your professional life.
[51:31] We have to make a progression beyond dental school dentistry.
[52:02] The top five services are perio, hygiene, restorations, extractions, and endo. A practice is moved to a level two practice by implementing the bottom 5 procedures which are socket grafting, implants, ortho, sleep, and sedation.
[52:54] Implement the bottom five procedures at a high level.
[54:23] T-Bones goal for 2020 is to replace himself and only do the procedures he wants to do.
[56:39] It's so critical for young dentists to start to write down their goals.
[59:26] It's never too late to get started and clarify your goals.
[01:00:50] Learning is key and it should never stop.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever
We are excited to be back. Our special guest today is Jeff Gladnick the founder and CEO of Great Dental Websites a company that focuses on creating and marketing dental websites using their proprietary software platform. Sully also happens to be a client.
We talk to Jeff about what makes a good website and how Google actually looks at a website and ranking factors. We also talk about call tracking, social media, advertising, domain names, the importance of video, and what dentists need to know to have a website that gets views and attracts patient calls.
You can find Jeff here:
Great Dental Websites on Facebook
Show Notes:
[03:42] Having a great website is important for dentists today. Many dentists struggle with SEO and all the aspects of creating a great website.
[05:19] Jeff has a background in software. His Dad was a dentist and Jeff ended up creating a website for his dad. He has eight dentists in his family and word got out and he started creating more sites.
[07:18] Jeff has been an entrepreneur his whole life and creating dental websites seemed like a great business. Things took off, and he now has a staff of 50 or so.
[10:02] What Google cares about is the content. They don't want the same answer on every single website.
[12:12] The age of a domain matters, and it could also take three to six months to start ranking.
[12:26] A lot of SEO has to do with building links that are connected to the original website.
[13:33] The marketing strategy that Jeff uses is creating websites that are useful. The problem with social media is you have to be tuned in all the time and the information just comes and goes.
[16:04] If you want your website to actually rank and be a resource for patients, there are few things you need to do. These include schema.org, landing pages that are about a specific topic, have a page for each service you offer, have video, and reviews.
[20:55] Use call tracking numbers.
[21:43] Jeff's company has special built software that they use for call tracking.
[22:59] Jeff shares a method to tell which advertisements are actually effective by using different domains to see which one gets the referrals.
[26:56] You want to have a landing page with the information that people are looking for. Pictures in bios move the needle. Bounce rate is how long it takes for people to leave a website.
[30:31] People want to socially connect with people. If you are willing to share some personal information people will connect with it.
[33:15] Websites can get people to know you before they actually see you. They are more ready to buy when they first come in.
[34:33] Dentistry is very personal and video is a great way to help introduce yourself to potential patients.
[34:50] Creating an emotional connection will set you further down the path.
[37:16] It's powerful to have a video on your website telling your story to your patients.
[40:52] It's getting more difficult for private practices to stay competitive against large group practices.
[42:39] With SEO you want to get into the sweet spot of popular keywords against less popular keywords.
[45:58] You could use keywords to get people to your website and get calls. You need to use tracking in order to see where the calls are coming from. Look for small wins in a lot of different ways. If you can optimize individual services that's great.
[47:02] You should focus on the services that make you the most money or that you want to emphasize.
[49:28] You don't have to build websites from scratch. There are a lot of content management systems you can use like WordPress.
[50:06] Jeff's company likes to have everyone on the same platform.
[50:54] Millennials are more willing to open up and share their lives on Instagram.
[52:31] Great Dental Websites has built a platform to create the best possible dental websites. The quality of an out-of-date website goes down over time.
[53:50] The system they created is always updated. Even though, each client has custom content on their websites.
[54:53] They offer a DIY service for a monthly fee. They also have an agency on top of that to do the heavy lifting.
[01:00:07] Just using the software on Jeff's platform is usually $79 a month. Marketing packages with SEO start around $300 or $400 a month and go up.
[01:02:18] They backup their data four times a day on different physical places. As long as you have really good backups, being hacked isn't the end of the world.
[01:04:46] The client needs to create the content, because it is a partnership to make an amazing personalized website.
[01:08:03] The work and the execution is what it takes to be successful. Do a little bit every day and work on it.
As always thanks so much for listening! If you like the show we would love for you to review the show on iTunes 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