The Dental Marketer

‍‍Interested in making the big leap from associateship to private practice? Tune into this episode as we talk with Dr. Linda Nguyen, a passionate dentist with an inspiring tale of achieving her dreams despite facing adversities. Taken by surprise with challenges at her first glamorous job in downtown Denver, Linda had a reality check on ethical dilemmas that some practices may face. With the discord between promises made to patients and actual care delivered, she embarked on a journey that led her closer to owning the kind of practice she had always dreamed of - a place where patient-centric care is paramount.Linda’s journey wasn't a smooth ride, but she conquered all odds with her never-give-up attitude and solidified her place in the dental space. She not only shares the authentic, often untold gritty realities of dentistry, but also offers key insights to navigate the startup phase and step up to the role of a private practice owner. Linda's story is a testament to how crucial it is to find your community, a trustworthy financial partner, and a dedicated team for thriving in the competitive world of dentistry.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why Linda transitioned from dental associateship to owning her own practiceThe challenges Linda faced in her first job and how that shaped her future decisionsHow she approached ethical dilemmas and navigated her way towards the dentistry she wanted to practiceThoughts on choosing financial partners and strategically building her teamThe importance of creating a patient-centric experience in a dental practiceHow to balance business and personal values in a saturated marketSo don't wait, hit the play button and join us as we walk through Dr. Linda Nguyen's inspiring journey!‍‍Sponsors:‍For DSO integrations, startup solutions, and all your dental IT needs, let our sponsors, Darkhorse Tech, help out so you can focus on providing the amazing care that you do. For 1 month of FREE service, visit their link today! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/darkhorse-deal/‍Guest: Dr. Linda NguyenPractice Name: Sonder DentistryCheck out Linda's Media:Website: https://www.sonderdentistry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonderdentistry/‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Software/Services:IndeedCrimson MediaDentagraphicsIdeal PracticesCentriServe ITBurkhart Dental SupplyProducts/Brands:Almond JoyWingspanNintendo SwitchIt Takes Two (Switch Game)Banks:Bank of AmericaWells FargoPeople:Shane Simmons (Crimson Media)Stan Wiening (Burkhart Dental Supply)‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.

‍Can embracing problems really lead to better decision-making and growth in practices? That's what we're delving into in this episode with our guest, Kiera Dent, from Dental A Team. She's here to offer some unconventional advice to practitioners and stress the importance of facing your challenges head-on. Not only will doing so increase your understanding of key metrics such as overhead, profit margins, payroll, and cash flow, but it also allows you to find innovative ways to reach financial freedom and increase practice success.But, it's not all just about embracing the numbers. Kiera also discusses the crucial role of team collaboration and effective communication for leveraging this numerical data for growth. By aligning everyone on your team around these figures, you are fostering a shared responsibility and culture that's geared toward success. This episode is filled with insight and practical steps to help one comprehend not only the power of numbers but also the importance of viewing them not as obstacles but as levers for success.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The transformative power of embracing challenges in dental practices.Importance of understanding key metrics for making informed decisions.Viewing numbers as tools for financial freedom.Role of team collaboration in improving the monetary aspect of practices.The value of effective communication around numbers and benchmarks.Don't miss this episode that is filled to the brim with unconventional, yet extremely beneficial advice straight from the experienced Kiera Dent!‍‍Studio 8E8:‍Dentistry’s story-driven marketing agency. Traditional marketing repels. Story-first dental marketing attracts.We bring your story to life in a way that captivates and connects: https://s8e8.com/affiliates/tdm?utm_source=tdm&utm_medium=affiliate&wc_clear=true‍You can reach out to Kiera Dent here:Website: https://www.thedentalateam.com/ (Mention The Dental Marketer for a special offer!)Dental A Team Podcast: https://www.thedentalateam.com/podcasts/‍Mentions and Links: Tools/Software:ExcelBusinesses/Services:Netflix‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey, Kiera. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning. Kiera: Oh, Michael, thanks for having me on. Um, so mine is going to be a little controversial and unconventional is to stop hating your problems and learn to love them, which I know feels a little funny to hear.And I'm going to tie it into numbers for you, but, um, as I was thinking about it, Our body is like when we have pain, like the natural tendency is to pull back from that pain and, and so I, I was thinking about this and I thought like there are things that cause like psychological pain as well.And those psychological pains are ones to like lean into and our brain is a web of even more nervous cells. And so like our natural tendency is like when there are problems, We want to pull away from it. We want to run away from it. We don't want this to be our problem. But the exact opposite, I believe, is what is needed to actually lean into them, solve them, because problems can create innovation.And I feel like, again, it's counterintuitive to what we think we should do, but stop hating our problems and truly learn to love them. Michael: What are some common problems that you see a lot of us, either as humans or as practice owners, tend to hate the most? Where we either ignore it or it bites us back in the butt later on.Kiera: Yeah. I would say like the number one thing I see with our dentists that we coach are numbers. I think numbers are just one thing. We don't want to look at it. We think that me knowing my numbers, me looking into my numbers, I am a dentist. I am an entrepreneur. I'm a business owner. I don't know numbers. I know dentistry.And so it's almost like even with my hands, like we're pushing back, we're pushing against that. But leaning into that problem, because so many of our problems actually stem from not knowing our numbers. can I hire this person or can I not? I have a client currently, and she's like, Kiera, I've got all this turnover.And I'm like, well, one, like, let's look at the pattern. So like leaning into the hiring piece. But if you don't know your numbers, it's very hard to make decisions of, can I afford this person? Can I actually give raises? Uh, what do I need to do in case of a recession? How can I recession proof my business?What is my true overhead? How do I like, what do I need to set my production goals for looking at all those numbers? I would say is like the number one thing people literally like, it's like a visceral response. Like, no, I don't want to know my numbers. I don't want to look at the PNL. It feels like a totally foreign language.Which it is and it's scary and it's daunting, but honestly leaning into that and loving the things that possibly cause the initial pain are going to be the ones that give you the most freedom. Michael: So then going with the numbers side of this, the main numbers we need to be looking at are what?Because that's a good point you brought out where it's like, I would feel like, man, I'm just so overwhelmed. We need another hygienist or, Oh my God, I don't want to do hygiene. Or we need another assistant, another front office because we feel overwhelmed. Um, but what numbers need to speak? Kiera: Yeah. So what I love and we actually just created an awesome calculator that I think people can have is number one, like go through and figure out if you don't know what your overhead is.So overhead is all the costs of running the business, prior to paying our doctors. And like, sometimes if you've got associate doctors that should go up in the top line overhead, but then below that would be how much we're paying you as a doctor. And then below that is how much are our debt services to ultimately get a profit number.And I like every office to be running at least at a 20 percent profit margin. After paying themselves and after debt services, that would be ideal. Um, but then looking at the overhead, ideally 60 between 50 and 60 percent is a great number. Now, when we look at it, it's also, then you can tie into, all right, what is my payroll payroll right now?You're in California, Michael. So, uh, 30 percent has been the standards recently, but in some areas it's higher than that. And so if I want to get my overhead down to 50 percent or 60%, Looking at all those different metrics and the numbers and knowing what should my supply cost be? What should my payroll be?What should my labs be? What should my marketing be? All those different areas and making sure that they're in line. But then really looking at what my true profit is and then making sure I know what my cash flow is, that's going to help you then maneuver throughout to know what exactly do I need to, to change, to adjust and looking at numbers, not as like pain or punishment, or I'm not doing this right, but as levers on a dial of which one can I turn?It's like a combination lock. If I turn this one just a little bit, or I turn this one just a little bit, I'm going We instantly get more cash flow, less stress, but I'm able to hire more and have a happier team at the same time. So a lot of people had really bad Decembers and I think, well, go look at the numbers.Why was it a bad December? It was a bad December because we had holiday parties, we had bonuses, we had PTO. Well, if we use those numbers and look to see how much extra was being paid in December, Divide that out amongst 11 months. Now it's a very small amount that we save up through every single month.We can prepare that into our costs. December won't have to be a hard month for you ever again, but it's looking at those numbers. First of the overhead, the profitability of the practice. And then we move into like the KPI. So what's going to influence the supplies. What's going to influence the payroll was going to influence that and getting your team bought into it.And I think like, gosh, Michael, I could come on here and talk about anything, right? Like any topic. But I promise you, if I can empower people to not be afraid of the numbers and to say like, all right, it's kind of like, I think air traffic control towers, can you imagine, like, just for three seconds? Like, I cannot imagine hearing the nonsense chaos that that per person's having to like navigate through.It probably sounds like static in their ears, but like, the more they listen to it, the more they're able to understand, they're able to understand what those pilots need and be able to guide them in safely. Same thing with looking at your numbers. It might feel like static and chaos and overwhelming today, but even just committing to, I'm going to look at my P and L every month.I'm going to figure out what my overhead is. I'm going to figure out what my cashflow is. Those little, little tiny steps that seem daunting. One step is going to lead you to financial freedom. And that's honestly, we're done. It's like, like, if you want to feel free, confident, and secure, knowing those numbers forward and backward, and then getting your team bond into it, it's going to give you all the freedom that you've ever wanted.Michael: Do you let the whole team know all the numbers? Kiera: It depends on the practice, but it depends on the owner. So, uh, in our company, like in the ones I've been a part of in the practices I've owned in the practices, I've been a team member in typically, yes, they do share their numbers. And what I mean by sharing all the numbers, doctors, I don't care what you're paid, I want you to be paid.a very healthy amount. I tell all of my teams, you want your doctors paid insanely well, because when

‍Are you a budding dental professional wanting to venture into an independent practice? Well, this episode has everything you need to get started. Dr. Rebecca Bradley, who made the brave leap from a high-paced chain to starting her own dental clinic, hands out the roadmap to this transition in our conversation today. Rebecca's journey throws light not just on the operational and financial complexities involved, but also the personal endeavor that went into establishing her unique place in the world of dental care.In the midst of operational factors and strategic marketing efforts, Rebecca's firm belief in personalized patient care emerges powerfully. Rebecca's unwavering dedication, despite grappling with the daunting task of leaving a stable job and young kids at home, reflects a candid and inspiring narrative. If you're dreaming about creating a practice that truly marries your professional aspirations with a deep Impact on people's lives, this episode with Rebecca Bradley might just be the push you need.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The steps to transition from an employed dental professional to a private dental clinic ownerHow strategic marketing and community engagement helps in establishing a dental practiceThe importance of social media and local partnerships in attracting patientsThe financial considerations while operating a startupThe role of personal vision and a patient-centric approach in creating a successful practiceDon't wait any longer to kickstart your dream dental practice. Tune in to this episode now.‍‍Sponsors:‍For DSO integrations, startup solutions, and all your dental IT needs, let our sponsors, Darkhorse Tech, help out so you can focus on providing the amazing care that you do. For 1 month of FREE service, visit their link today! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/darkhorse-deal/‍Guest: Dr. Rebecca BradleyPractice Name: QC South DentistryCheck out Rebecca's Media:Website: https://qcsouthdentistry.com/Email: smile@qcsouthdentistry.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qcsouthdentistry/‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Places/Establishments:UNC Adams School of DentistryInsurance Companies:Delta DentalProducts/Brands:iTeroInvisalignDentrix AscendMicrosoftSpectrumTransendental, LLCIdeal PracticesHDA AccountingOrganizations:HIPAAThe Beauty Boost‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍‍

‍‍What happens when you need to cut ties with your current IT company? This week's episode delves into that critical, but often overlooked aspect of business - offboarding from an IT company. Our returning guest, Reuben Kamp, shares unique insights on the importance of maintaining clear ownership of your data and domain names. He explains how things can get messy when organizations fail to plan for IT offboarding properly, and how non-compliance, especially with HIPAA regulations, can lead to colossal pitfalls, and ultimately, hefty penalties.In this episode, Reuben rallies in-depth on the potential security risks during transitions, intricate details on termination clauses and contract renewals, and how mergers impact service continuity. He sheds light on the need for professionalism at every step during IT transitions and serves up some strategic advice on ensuring smooth transitions. The episode concludes on a high note, emphasizing trust maintenance with IT firms, and highlighting the critical need for integrated cybersecurity measures in practices.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The vital importance of data and domain name ownershipsThe repercussions of not following HIPAA regulationsThe potential security risks during IT offboardingHow to deal with termination clauses and contract renewalsThe effect of mergers on service continuityThe necessity of cybersecurity in dental practicesCurious yet? Dive right into this week's episode to make sure your offboarding process is smooth and secure!‍For DSO integrations, startup solutions, and all your dental IT needs, let our sponsors, Darkhorse Tech, help out so you can focus on providing the amazing care that you do. For 1 month of FREE service, visit their link today! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/darkhorse-deal/‍You can reach out to Reuben Kamp here:Website: https://www.darkhorsetech.com/Email: admin@darkhorsetech.comPhone: 800-868-4504Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkhorseTech‍Mentions and Links: Businesses/Services:ACME ITHenry ScheinOrganizations:HIPAA‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey, Reuben. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning. Reuben: We're going to talk about off boardings today, right? It is, uh, something that doesn't come up until, well, you need to find a new it company. And I know there's a lot of anxiety around, my it guy, he's got access to everything.What's going to happen when I sent him the email saying like, ah, I don't want, sorry, man, I'm going in a different direction. today I thought it would be really useful to just, you know, hear from someone you know, like me, who's been in dental it now for 17, 18 years. Uh, I've been running Dark Horse Tech, you know, it for Dentist now for, 12 is uh, today is actually our 12th anniversary.It's crazy. Oh, happy anniversary, Michael: man, Reuben: and thank you man. Yeah, I think it's just one of those things that like no one really talks about and I'd like to kind of demystify the whole process. Michael: Interesting. Okay, so then what can we expect or what should we expect if somebody's transitioning or offboarding from an IT company?Reuben: The most important thing to keep in mind is it's all your stuff. Right. No matter how they word the response to you, no matter what they say, just always have in your mind, I own the server. I own my email address. I own my domain name. I'm just bringing up some things that usually are a part of transitioning from an it company, right?Maybe they have your domain name, right? Which is like, you know, dark horse tech, the dental marketer. com. Let's say they have that stored. You need to get that back. So, number one. You own it all, right? So you get to make the decisions. Now, compliance environment of dental, we all know, HIPAA, right?That also has to be kept in mind. So let's assume in this example, Michael, that it's a, it's an it company that does care about HIPAA, right? Because if they don't, it's going to be a rough go of it. so we have to know, let's talk about liability, right? If you say, Hey, you know, Acme dental it, I'm sorry, we don't need your services any longer.you can't have two I. T. Companies in the system at the same time. there's HIPAA compliance obligations there. There's also just personally as a business owner. If something happened during that, let's let's call it a 30 day transition period. The I. T. Comes here and point their fingers at each other and you're going to be left in the lurch.What can happen Michael: in those 30 days though, like that's, that you've seen? Reuben: So, you know, when you're switching companies, you're, you know, maybe they're, they're removing software that could be the removing security software, leaving those computers vulnerable. So in the time it takes for the software to be removed and the new IT company to install it, that's an area, where you can have security issues.But same thing with backups, right? Let's say it company stopped performing backups when you sent the email and a, you know, dark horse is ready to take over 30 days from now, but something happens in that time. Now you don't have backups. Right. So it's, it's really important to sketch out, um, responsibilities.Now we have a, you know, work for over a thousands, 1077 dental practices. So my process is pretty locked in, but you have to direct the it company on what they need to do, right. Per their, their agreement, you sign an agreement with them. They need to uphold it through the end of. The term that you're paying them.So you have to say, we expect that backups are going to be performed and services through X date. And if you don't do that, then they can really just pull their software whenever they want. So number one thing is at that moment, when you're, you're like, yes, I want to move forward with this other it company, I'm kicking the incumbent out.It's a really great time to think about, minimizing the gap between security products being installed and removed, that's the window for the hackers to get into your system and, and wreak havoc. Michael: if it ever goes longer than 30 days, what's the reasons for that?Reuben: they could have a 60 day termination clause, uh, if it goes even longer than that, you know, we've had scenarios where clients are ready to sign up and then they go and they read their contract with whatever I, you know, we're all month to month, so this is not something that happens in our world.But, uh, you know, I. T. Sometimes there's 135 year contracts. I don't think I've ever really see seen anything longer than five. You know, but you're like, you're motivated to switch and then you forgot that you signed a contract. And then, you know, the guys are usually pretty sneaky about it. And it auto renews, right?So it's like, Oh, Oh, it's up in a month. Oh, nope. It auto renewed another year. You have to wait another year or two. So, that's something also, you know, before you, uh, start interviewing it companies, just make sure that you're not locked into some longterm commitment. but that kind of, you Segways us into what if the company is not providing services, right?Let's say. Brought me into the office. I'm like, wow, your backups haven't ran for three months, And you're in a year long contract with that. That is your way out of it, right? So they breached their contract. That is a way you can terminate early. Um, if they're not living up to that, some, some companies have response time metrics.That's another way out. some companies, uh, there's a lot of merger and acquisition activity. Just like in, in dental and the DSO space, it is the same way. I'm kind of unique in that, like, I own 100 percent of the company and I have no plans on selling it and we're a hundred percent, we have no debt and like, we're all, you know, this is a private company.but you might be in a situation where, uh, you signed a contract with a company, but they sold to another firm. And that company you signed on with no longer exists. So you don't have. There's nothing to hold you to because that company doesn't exist any longer. So there, you know, me and Michael, I can get creative.You know, if you're really unhappy with your IT company, I'm sure, feel free to reach out, even if you're not going with us, I'm probably, I'm sure I can probably help you out. Michael: What have been the biggest headaches that you've experienced and you've seen? When it comes to this op boarding, Reuben: it's professionalism is the number one thing, right?You have all ranges of, characters in this space. You have the 18 year old IT guy, you have the 70 year old IT guy, right? The one man show. Then you have, like, Henry Schein. And then you have everything in between. So, you know, I think the most, Hectic thing is when they take it personally, You know, you submit that cancellation letter and they either, it's usually that they, not that they don't reply, but they be, they kind of shut down and get mad and are not very helpful in the transition.Right. So been through just about every single kind of transition. I've been through the one where the it guy passed away. So we have no passwords. And we just have to figure it out. you know, on another episode, we talked about hackers. Well, there's the black hat, the bad guys, and there's the white hat.Sometimes you got to put on the white hat, you know. Put on the white hat and get into the system so the client can use it. Um, yeah. Michael: Interesting. Reuben: You know, we got, it guys that, uh, left the industry and just like, I don't care. I'm not responding anymore. just about every scenario you know, exists out there, but how it should happen, dear Acme Dental, it, t

How do you successfully navigate the balance between starting a new career AND a new family? You'll want to tune in to this enlightening episode featuring Dr. Meagan Scarborough for the answer! Journey with her as she shares her gripping tale of beginning her dental career with a four-week-old baby in tow. Meagan paints a vivid picture of the challenges and triumphs she encountered while running her dental practice and managing the high demands of being a freshly minted professional and a new mom. Going from Texas to Tennessee, she takes us into her journey of innovation and adaptability, opening up about the unique approaches she has introduced to her practices.But that's not all. Meagan takes us deeper into the world of dentistry with her candid discussion on the role of hygienists, the importance of good team dynamics in a practice, and the fine line between offering quantity and maintaining quality service. She brings in a completely novel approach to her practice, drawing inspiration from the service model of Chick-fil-A. She expands on how focusing on exceptional service and comprehensive patient care brings both success to her practice and satisfaction to her patients. All these in line with her core belief that treating people well remains the key to success, whether in dentistry or life.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How to balance a starting career with motherhood.Insider knowledge about running a successful practice.The importance of team dynamics and partnership in the dental field.The role of hygienists and how they impact your practice.How you can adopt the Chick-fil-A model of service in your practice.Listen to this episode and discover the revolutionary ways to improve services and patient experience in the dental industry!‍‍Sponsors:‍For high quality AND affordable dental supply options, visit The Dentists Supply Company(TDSC) website today! Our listeners get a special deal - 25% off on orders over $500 - Just type in the special code: TDM25 at checkout for your exclusive offer. AND if you're a member of your state's Dental Association, you may be eligible for additional savings upon providing your ADA number. Click or copy and paste the link here to save today! https://www.tdsc.com/‍Guest: Dr. Meagan ScarboroughPractice Name: Steiner DentalCheck out Meagan's Media:Website: https://www.steinerdental.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arenovatedpurpose‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Books/Publications:Whale Done!: The Power of Positive RelationshipsPlaces/Establishments:Chick-fil-ABuc-ee’sCamp LonghornTV/Movies:Father of the BrideSchrute Bucks (The Office)‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍

‍Have you stopped and asked yourself lately, "who am I becoming?" In this insightful podcast episode, our guest Rubi Rodriguez shares a profound piece of advice derived from Jim Rohn’s, "The Art of Exceptional Living"—emphasizing personal growth over fleeting material gains. Engage in a riveting discussion with Rubi as she illustrates how focusing on personal evolution has not only helped her overcome entrepreneurial impediments but also modeled her into an astute leader and manager in the cutthroat startup arena.As she recounts her exciting journey at a nascent dental supply company, Rubi underscores the vital role of introspective growth while navigating hurdles—be it guaranteeing competitive pricing or ensuring timely deliveries. She charmingly elucidates how being mindful of her development amid high-stakes situations further refines her decision-making skills and leadership style. From discussing the operations of a budding dental supply firm to diving into the intricacies of "best price" versus "lowest price," you'll find this conversation packed with practical insights and actionable advice.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Practical tips on navigating business challenges through focusing on personal growthUnderstanding the difference between the "best price" and the "lowest price" in a competitive marketWays technology can be utilized to enhance pricing strategies and service improvementsHow focusing on personal growth can lead to better team management, technology integration, and financial decision-makingThe significance of continual learning and adaptability in becoming a great leader in any industryStay tuned, hit play, and learn how focusing on who you are becoming can lead to transformative success in your business and beyond!‍‍Sponsors:‍For high quality AND affordable dental supply options, visit The Dentists Supply Company(TDSC) website today! Our listeners get a special deal - 25% off on orders over $500 - Just type in the special code: TDM25 at checkout for your exclusive offer. AND if you're a member of your state's Dental Association, you may be eligible for additional savings upon providing your ADA number. Click or copy and paste the link here to save today! https://www.tdsc.com/‍You can reach out to Rubi Rodriguez here:Website: https://www.tdsc.com/Email: rubi.rodriguez@tdsc.com‍Mentions and Links: Books/Publications:The Art of Exceptional Living: Your Guide to Gaining Wealth, Enjoying Happiness, and Achieving Unstoppable Daily Progress‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey, Rubi. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Rubi: Hi, Michael. Yeah, of course. Um, you know, thinking a piece of advice that I, I remind myself constantly when I feel overwhelmed or I feel like I'm being extremely challenged by something I'm going through.And it's from a book I read called the art of exceptional living from Jim Rohn. And the quote goes like, this is the greatest value in life is not what you get. It's who you become. And for me that's so important. And something to keep in mind as a leader and a people manager and, and being part of a startup business.as I am, as I, as I'm part of, sometimes we go through things that seem very challenging in the moment, and I'm sharing this advice because this quote makes me. Put things into perspective in the sense of I try to not think about what is this challenge? Giving me right in the sense of like, this is causing me a lot of trouble to do or this is like a painful learning curve.I'm going through. I try to think who am I becoming? Am I becoming a better person? Am I becoming a better leader? And when you put things into that perspective, it makes things seem better and it makes you be able to feel a bit of more comfort in the sense of this is an obstacle or something that I have to go through to become a better person or to become a better practice owner to become a better general manager.And that's the piece of advice that. You know, I wanted to share with everybody today and not only share it with you, but also remind myself, right, of how important that is, at least in my life and, and my philosophy in leading and managing people and myself. Michael: When do you find yourself? Reminding yourself of this more often.Rubi: I find myself from, you know, we, I go through challenges, right. From a work perspective, I'm part of a business, um, that is considered a startup or scale up business. I work at the dentist supply company and we have a mission of serving solo practitioners, dental practitioners. And we go through challenges that, you know, are we ensuring the right price and are we delivering on time for customers?And in some cases we aren't, and there's things on my control and there's things that are not on my control. And some of these challenges seem pretty overwhelming. And I find myself reminding. Myself of that quote, when I go through those challenges, right, I put myself in the shoes of who am I becoming and who am I serving to be able to feel more at ease with going through that process.That can feel very uncomfortable while you're going through it, but when you come, you know, when you surpass it or when that period is over, then just thinking of who have you become after it, it makes you kind of reflect on how it was worthwhile going through that challenging time. Michael: Hmm. So what are some of the most common challenges you've seen when it comes to supplies and with the clients you work with?Rubi: Yes. Um, so one of the most common challenges is always ensuring we have the right price for customers. That's something that we promise to do. That's something that we take very seriously in doing, and we are an eCommerce business and. every day prices change online, right? So how do we ensure that we have that best price?And we've recently implemented technology to be able to understand prices across the board and the internet with, you know, other e commerce players. And, that's a challenge that. We've had to go through, like, how do we make the best of this tool? How do we deliver to our customers on this in a way that's scalable?And we're growing through that, that program to ensure that we do provide that best price. Um, but it's, it's one of the things that, you know, that's been a work in progress, that it, it takes time and you have to remind yourself that although you want to, you know, get to the finish line tomorrow, it's not, you know, it's, it's a process and ensuring that.You consistently review having a competitive price that you can deliver to your customers is an everyday thing. Michael: I like that. So then to you, what's the difference between in supplies when it comes to supplies and a practice is ordering it. Looking for the best price and the lowest price. What's the difference between best price and lowest price?Rubi: Totally. That's a great question. So the best price, I think it's a combination from my perspective on the lowest price, the best delivery. Level, right? Getting it next day or, or in two business days based on your needs and ensuring that the product is in stock.I think those three elements in the e commerce environment and for dental practices, needing supplies is what should compose the best price because potentially it may not be the lowest, but it could be close enough. And you can ensure that you get the product next day or the day after. And. You also ensure that you know, the item is in top in stock, which helps with of course that delivery that delivery time.Um, so I would say a combination of those three things are what defines the best price Michael: Interesting. Okay. So then what has the dental supply company had to go through in order to become what they are? Uh, especially when it came to like struggles Coming up. Rubi: Yeah. So I would say the dentist supply company.We've gone through through that process of one ensuring that our inventory that is available to customers is accurately shown on the site. So we do have a vast Inventory a portfolio of products that are in stock and that ship next day. And one of the biggest obstacles is ensuring that, you know, that stock status is consistently updating and that customers can find those items that are in stock.and we have thousands of them. Although, you know, again, just ensuring that that is kept really much up to date, which is refreshed, um, consistently, um, multiple times a day. Is, you know, that's, that's what we do. Um, additionally, service level. So, you know, we're part of a larger organization called shine.We have access to some of the best delivery times that you have in the industry, we deliver next day in 24 hours. If your order is placed before 5 PM you know, on a business day and we deliver next day or the day after, um, you know, depending on where you are located in the country. contiguous United States.so I would say those things are, are part of what we do to ensure that we can have items in stock and then also, ensure that, that our delivery times are, best in class. Michael: That's awesome. So then I know a lot of people talk about price matching too. Does that play a role by any chance or no?Rubi: Yeah, I think that that comes back to what I was speaking to. Right. Like, how do we, we have tools in place to ensure that we're looking at, you know, a competitor prices. Now, you know, you always have to take a balance of things of going back to the best price. And it relates back again to not only having the lowest price and matching a competitor, but also, you know, some different players have different right.benefits, right, that they bring to the customer and, and the price should be a reflection of that, ri

Do you get hung up on the "right way" to do something in your practice? Well, today I'm speaking with, Dr. LaRee Johnson, as she shares her journey of establishing a thriving dental practice from scratch, and how her flexible and resilient attitude made all the difference in her career fulfillment. She uncover how her Southern California origins influenced her professional growth, leading her to create a dental wellness oasis in sunny North Carolina.Striking a balance between work-life and home isn't as straightforward as it seems. Especially when you are a dental practitioner like LaRee, who, despite initially believing that her own practice would afford her more family time, quickly realized the reality was far different. Today we're gathering lessons from her experiences of juggling various responsibilities and managing multiple office locations. Get inspired by LaRee's commitment to quality care, the significance she places on effective communication, and the ways she prioritizes continuing education and community involvement.What You'll Learn In This Episode:How to start a dental practice from the ground upWhy to never say "always" and keep an open mindThe challenges involved in balancing work and family lifeThe importance of effective communication in the dental professionHow to manage multiple office locations successfullyThe significance of continuing education and community involvementDon't miss the opportunity to learn from Dr. LaRee's journey. Tune in to this episode and discover the blueprint for establishing and managing a successful dental practice.‍‍Guest: Dr. LaRee JohnsonPractice Name: Carolina Pediatric DentistryCheck out LaRee's Media:Website: https://www.carolinapedo.com/Email: drlaree@gmail.comPhone: 919-247-8706‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Software/Tools:ExcelDentOpen DentalBrands/Products:Intraosseous Injection - dentalhitechCoronaEmergen-CBOPSInsurance Companies:Delta DentalTricareMetLifeBooks/Publications:If You Give a Mouse a CookiePlaces/Establishments:Raleigh Children's Surgery CenterUNC at Chapel HillResearch Triangle ParkKellogg School of Management ProgramsOrganizations:American Board of Pediatric DentistryHIPAAPeople:Dr. Larry Dempsey in Rocky Mount, North CarolinaDr. Clark morrisEvents: Tar Heel 10 Miler‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.

‍‍What role does fitness, nutrition, and sleep play in shaping your productivity and mental clarity? Dive into this fascinating episode where the astute, Dr. Uche Odiatu, unravels the myth that excessive exercise yields better health outcomes, and underscores the value of simple physical activity for boosting productivity and brightening mental clarity. Prepare to have your presumptions shattered as you learn how sunlight, your sleep cycle, and even the food you consume can profoundly impact not only your physical health, but your mental fortitude as well.In the whirlwind life of the 21st century, Dr. Uche shares his wisdom on the importance of balance - be it physical activity, diet, or sleep. We'll learn how nutrition recommendations can fluctuate, depending on individual health outcomes. The conversation culminates into practical guidance and easy-to-adopt habits for morning light exposure, bite-sized exercises, and sleep hygiene, changing how you perceive and manage your health, one small step at a time.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness.The importance of balance in exercise routines.The impact of sleep and circadian rhythms on your health.How exposure to natural light can improve your health.The role of nutrition in your overall health and individual responses to food.How to implement positive changes—morning light exposure, bite-sized exercises, nighttime sleep hygiene — into your everyday life.Listen now to gather these golden nuggets of information that can transform your perception about health and wellness, and help you foster a far healthier and content life while on the go.‍Created by dentists for dentists: For practice management software that seamlessly integrates patient engagement, clinical charting, and practice growth without compromise, check out our sponsor, Oryx. As a listener of this podcast, schedule a free demo today with Oryx! Visit their link here: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/oryx/‍You can reach out to Dr. Uche Odiatu here:Website: http://www.druche.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitspeakers/‍Mentions and Links: People/Public Figures:John CandyElvis PresleyBooks/Publications:Sapiens: A Brief History of HumankindThe New York TimesProducts/Brands:PradaLexusM.C. Hammer PantsFormula One CarStarbucksUber EatsGrounding MatSAD LightPlaces:WhistlerTerms:ZeitgebersNucleus SuprachiasmaticContinuous Glucose MonitoringCircadian Rhythm‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: alright, Uche, talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Uche: Well, it was all a concept of, I really see the myth of fitness, the myth of exercise, the myth of taking care of yourself. Most people think of it as something as when you reach a rock bottom, right?You're 45, someone had a heart attack or you're 15. You've had some bad news about your GI tract and you need a PPI. Few people think of fitness as something else other than just to look good for high school reunion or a college reunion. But you start looking at it as the ability to add productivity to give you mental clarity.And the minute you sleep deeper, one of the benefits of being physically active is you sleep deeper. But all people who sleep deep Uh, better memories, which translates into, you know, better interaction, better communication, but also better sleep helps you process emotion. So the minute you process emotion, you have higher emotional intelligence, which also then allows you to be able to better communicate and not be stalemated.Interesting. Michael: So then what's the first step here when we, when we want to have like, I guess, better sleep, is it getting better with our nutrition or our fitness? Uche: You know, it's everything. You'd be surprised. There's a thing called Zeitgeist. So Zeitgeist are cues that switches your circadian rhythm. The number one is light and dark cycle.So the minute someone doesn't get outside in the morning and they just have darkness around in the room, part of the brain thinks you're messed up. And you start going down in your physiology, become more insulin resistant. So the whole idea being is though, depending on what kind of quality of sleepy ones and everyone wants top notch quality is to start having them a dimmer light as the evening goes on.The worst thing you could do, um, after two hours after sundown is to have bright overhead lights. And the more successful the dentists are, the more pot lights they have, the more pot lights you have, the more your ancient brain thinks it's daylight. Which means you don't sleep deep, the media don't sleep deep, the memory worsens, and you're not able to process emotion, so emotional intelligence goes down, less able to impact people emotionally during conversations.Michael: Interesting. Okay, so in the morning, we want to seek daylight or sun. Immediately, when we wake up, Uche: almost any light, you got to think, and there's a book called Sapiens by, uh, Harari. He's a New York times bestseller. So Sapiens S C P I E N S. And he said, you and I are more like cavemen and cave women. You think you're, I'm a modern guy.You're wearing my Prada, but really our physiology is as a 2 million year old physiology. So in the morning, if we were a tribe of 10, 15, 50, 15 or 50, 60, 70 people, the first time, left the cave. The only people that stayed inside the cave were the sick or the dying. The sick and the dying stayed inside the cave.But on first light, everyone leaves. So that being said, if someone works from home, or if someone goes down to their, you know, their four car garage, takes their, you know, their Lexus to work, they park in an underground garage, the body gets no sunlight on them. They get no natural daylight. The body, our caveman brain then, thinks you're near death.Near death is not a good physiology. It's not a good way to, you know, Get your nervous system getting ready for a big morning of crown preparations or a big morning of surgery. So first light in the day is ultra important. Almost important is getting a good night's sleep. That first light resets your circadian rhythm.There's a part of your brain called the super charismatic nucleus. It's about 20, 000 neurons. And it's deep inside the brain. And when you get light on your skin or light on your eyes, that information goes through the optic nerve into those, into that brain region. And the brain goes, Oh, another day around to go around the sun.And it starts pumping out alive hormones. Michael: Okay. So those are the first things we want to do as far as when it comes to improving our ourselves is making sure sleep is good. Now, when it comes to the fitness part, where do we go with that Uche: massive. This is massive. I think dentists realize, we see patients oftentimes from age 2 to 102, and I see people who look good.They're 85, 90 years of age, they walk independently, they're into the chair, they can get up easily. They don't have aches and pains that are asking for the third pillow to keep their neck up as you're working on them. They don't ask to be propped up because they don't have post nasal drip. And if dentists are smart, if you're watching out for it, you start asking people, Hey, what do you have for breakfast?How can you look good at 90 or at age 80? How can you be still owning those four restaurants? And you start realizing physical activity is one of the best predictors of a healthy lifespan and a healthy health span. So exercise scientists have now said more important than nutrition. Being physically active.There's hundreds to thousands of studies to show how being physically active gives you a longer health span. Most people think of lifespan, which is basically how long you live. Few people think of health span. That's how long you live without having a disease or disability. So basically you want your health span to be as long as possible.And if you are going to leave the planet, it's two or three days and then you're gone. Or, at 95, hella skiing off of Whistler and then you, then you go. That'd be a great way to go in a blaze of glory at age 95. Michael: Yeah, that's true. So then, with that being said, with the fitness part, right? Cause I think it's easy to be like, okay, we're going to do this with our sleep, lower the light.Right. And that's pretty instructional. And then, okay, we're going to get light immediately. But when it comes to fitness, I feel like there's so much, right? There's that strength training, there's cardio, there's anaerobic, aerobic, there's many, many different things we can do. And then we get injured too.Right. And then that stops us. And so how can we, I guess, come up with something that will improve our life, but a specific plan. Uche: Okay. And that's, those are legitimate complaints. You know, people, a lot of dentists are all or nothing. A lot of them think I was a great college athlete. I played hockey. I played lacrosse.I played football or I was a power cheerleader. Unless I can train three hours a day, I'm not doing anything. So 77 percent of dentists, 77 percent of the general population are physically inactive. And mainly them being either they're on or off. They don't have a dimmer switch. The dimmer means, even though you might, you know, might own four practices, you might have a 12 chair office, you might have 52 staff, the body actually now, the exercise signs are now shown, exercise bites, which is basically two to three to four minutes of activity, could be as good or better for you than a 30 minute or 45 minute steady state program.So they're called exercise bites, and that's basically using the new signs of interval training to tap into how the physiology is

‍What is it like to escape as a refugee, build a life from scratch, and eventually knock down the doors of dental success? In an honest, heart-to-heart conversation, Dr. Fern White doesn't hold back, unveiling her unique childhood, the influence of her hardworking parents, and her journey towards becoming a respected dentist in Australia. Her story is a testament to the extraordinary power of resilience, adaptability, and enduring passion.Yet, the road to success isn't typically linear, is it? There are detours of struggle, self-doubt, and immense pressure that often lead to a moment of crisis. Dr. Fern faced these challenges head-on, ultimately reevaluating her definition of success, and embracing a healthier, more balanced approach to life and work. This personal transformation not only improved her own life, but also ignited a passion within her to extend help to her peers. From pulling her siblings' teeth due to financial necessity, to leading a revolution of change within the dental profession, Dr. Fern's journey is nothing short of inspiring.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The inspiring journey of a Vietnamese refugee to a successful dentistHow struggles and setbacks can redefine your outlook towards successThe importance of self-care and a balanced approach to life and workInsights into the development of "Practice Your Passion" for dentistsRelatable advice for aspiring leaders and professionals in the dental industryTake a journey through Dr. Fern White's life, from a courageous refugee to a respected dentist, and how she's changing the face of dentistry and inspiring others!‍Get a head start in your community with the Ground Marketing Course and receive $419 off your purchase with the code "practicelaunchpad"! You can sign up here: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/the-ground-marketing-course-open-enrollment/‍Guest: Dr. Fern WhiteBusiness Name: Practice Your PassionCheck out Fern's Media:Practice Your Passion: https://www.drfernwhite.com/learn-about-pypWebsite: https://www.drfern.co/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drfernwhite/Email: fern@drfernwhite.com‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Software/Tools:SlackProducts/Brands:Bulletproof CoffeeSnickersMars BarPeople:Brené BrownTony RobbinsWayne Dyer - "If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."Wim HofBrendan BurchardBooks/Publications:Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater ThingsHamletThe Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly DepartingThe High Performance Planner‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍

‍‍Do you want show employee appreciation, but your budget feels tight when it comes time for bonuses? Join us in this fascinating episode, as we sit down with Shawn Peers, an expert in dental team dynamics, to discover the powerful impacts of spoiling your dental team with direction. In an industry often focused on patient care and latest dental technology, the importance of strong team dynamics, onboarding procedures, and continuous professional development is often overlooked. Shawn shares his insights on how aligning these aspects transforms your practice, resulting in increased morale, productivity, and ultimately profit.Swim against the current with Shawn as he dismantles common misconceptions that hold dental practices back from investing time in improving systems. Shawn stresses on slowing down to build solid foundations for your team, using tools like comprehensive onboarding processes that focus on training and building confidence in new staff members. The importance of fostering a culture of growth and continuous improvement within your practice is highlighted, with the instigation of dedicated team meetings to openly discuss issues and develop solutions.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The significant impact of directing and empowering your dental teamThe power of comprehensive and confidence-building onboarding processesBreaking down barriers to developing effective systems within your practiceThe importance of continuous improvement and fostering a culture of growthThe value of implementing dedicated team meetings for issue resolution and solution developmentHandling team dynamics and maintaining a harmonious work environmentTune into our conversation, as we delve into the heart of successful dental practice management. You wouldn't want to miss out on these game-changing strategies to inspire and empower your team!‍Learn More About the Ground Marketing Course Here:Website: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/the-ground-marketing-course-open-enrollment/‍You can reach out to Shawn Peers here:Website: https://dentalpeers.ca/Email: shawn@dentalpeers.caPhone: 613-867-8502‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey, Shawn, so talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Shawn: Hey, Michael, thanks for having me. But a one piece of advice and I'm going to give you one that sometimes gets me a little trouble when I say it right off the bat, because dentists give me kind of a screwed up face.Look, when I say it, I tell them. Don't be afraid to spoil your teams. And these days, you know, I kind of think you want to strike terror into the heart of the dentist, like post COVID, tell them that the key is they need to spoil their teams. Cause they're going to look at you and say, man, you didn't pay attention to what happened after COVID now, did you?You've seen how salaries have gone crazy. pay them enough. We can't keep them long enough. They just bounce around. They don't want to work as hard. They want easier work hours. They don't want to work any evenings at all. And you're sitting there telling me that the key to my success is going to be spoiling my team.You're nuts. You're just nuts. And I say, let me tell you a story and tell you a story about this one doctor who was going through all the same things that you're going through post COVID. And I talked to him about the importance of making sure you spoil your team, but you spoil them with direction. The key to it is, is you don't just spoil them and, and you know, like we've, we've heard all the talk about, Hey, if you want to keep team members on these, they've got to feel engaged.They've got to be feeling empowered. And I believe that a hundred percent, but you still need them to feel engaged and empowered To do what you want them to do. You can't tell them what they want to do. Cause you tell them they're just going to go. No one wants to be told what to do.So you, what you got to do is you've got to figure out how to allow them to do what you want them to do. So you've got to spoil them in the way that will encourage them that way. And a big part of that, what this dentist figured out, what he was really struggling with, same thing that everyone was. Team members were leaving.Someone else down the street was offering another 5, 10 an hour more. Gone. So he understood, look, I got to be competitive, right? I can't, you know, underpay people. The market has changed and I have to respond to that. But that's not keeping people loyal. So he embarked on this whole new onboarding system.And he spoiled them with the training. That gave them the confidence that they could come in and do their jobs in a relatively stress free environment because too often when we bring on new team members into the dental world, we just say Here's your desk. Here's your operatory. Have fun. you have any questions, just ask.There's your onboarding process. So this dentist has embarked on something where he doesn't even have anybody doing any solid work for two weeks. If they're a hygienist, they don't see a patient for two weeks. If they're an admin team member, they don't answer a phone for two weeks. The first week he has them just going over policy and procedures manuals.He has them doing Phone training, both for their video tutorials and, and one to one with a service that he's contracted out with. he does the same thing with his practice management system. Brings in all the video tutorials for them and also one to one training. That's the first week. The second week they come into the office, they're starting to do things, but mostly on an observation level.Occasionally showing a little bit about what they do. It's only after that second week that he starts to kind of unleash them. And he's got the happiest team he's ever had, while his colleagues around him are still complaining that people are leaving left, right, and center, and it's a, you know, it's just this musical chairs with one day they've got a team member, the next they don't.He's like, I got a full compliment. And they're happy. They're trained. They know what it is they're doing. They're not stressed trying to figure it out. So, he's spoiled them, but he's spoiled them in a way that he's given them the direction he wants them to go in, and he can now feel comfortable that he is allowing them to do what he wants them to do.That's how you spoil Michael: them. Gotcha. Okay. So then, that's spoiling with direction. I know you mentioned allow them to do what they want you to do. What you want them to do. Yeah. What you want them to do. Would that be? I guess so slowness plays part of that. It looks like it's a slow process, right? Because I feel like if you're like bringing somebody on, you're like, I need someone hygienist, right?Come on. Like, I need you to start working at least within the second week. How can we combat that feeling of I need you to hurry up? And, and I need you to come on for what I hired you for to, all right, take your time. And you know, Shawn: I mean, that's a psychological barrier know, we're just sort of geared in the world of dentistry that, you know, we don't take time out to really try to improve systems because anytime we do that, that means we're not producing.And the dentists that I've talked to that feel they've gotten to where they've, they've You know, not necessarily where they need to be, but they're in a better spot than where they would be. Otherwise, they've said they had to recognize that it meant taking a step back for a little while, and you do have to be prepared to look at it and say, okay, it means I got to shut down for certain meetings.Then we'll shut down. It's better to do that than try to cram a meeting into a lunch hour where people might be paying attention for 30 minutes, and that's not enough time to actually solve any issues that we might be wanting to discuss. So no resolutions are ever arrived at. We talk and we talk and nothing gets solved.So then the next people next thing you know, people are like, why bother with the meeting and they're tuned out for the whole thing anyway. So yeah, you take a little bit of less production that day, but the idea is to build it up so that it becomes more sustainable down the road. And that's what these dentists that are doing that figured out.You do have to be prepared to slow down. You do have to be prepared to train people. I can put somebody in to answer the phones today. I could put a hygienist in and not really introduce that person to the practice and where they're going to find everything and how we operate and how to put, notes into, into the computer system in the proper format, where we want them, all that kind of stuff.But I'm always going to be having to compensate for what I haven't shown that person, how I want things done. So yes, in the short term, It might seem like it's better than not having somebody in there at all because you're training them. But then when they get going, when they hit the ground running, they're able to go faster.They're able to learn new things quicker because the foundation's been set for them. And they are able to actually maintain that higher level of production for you going forward. Michael: I like that now. So when it comes to the retaining part, so let's just say we did that. We did the two weeks we onboarded them and it was fantastic.They love it. Now, where do you see, we need to start taking it slow again, or do we even need to start taking it slow again with our team? Shawn: to the extent that look we we still are always looking to improve our processes And that means we are going to have team meetings. Maybe we'll have a monthly team meeting.I'm a firm believer set

‍‍Have you taken the leap to embark on the challenging but fulfilling path of entrepreneurship? In this episode, our guests Dr. Vitaliya and Dr. Eddie, the successful owners of "Dental Bar," share their wins, missteps, and the lessons they learned while traversing the path of starting and managing a dental clinic. From Vitallya's incredible journey from Ukraine to the US and her transition to dentistry, to Eddie's application of his industrial psychology background in navigating their dental industry, the episode is packed with inspiring stories and practical tips to help you also take the leap.Our conversation gets intimate as they share the challenges of choosing the right location for a clinic, relocating due to unprecedented circumstances, and their resilience amidst these hurdles. They give an insider perspective on managing growth pains, from hiring the right people to vendor contract complexities. With a focus on cultivating a healthy work climate and a meticulous hiring process, their approach to building a strong team is enlightening. We also delve deep into the critical aspects of handling pricing and fees and responding to negative reviews with grace and tact, highlighting the importance of adaptability in a dental practice.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How to set a solid foundation for a successful dental practice.Personal experiences and hurdles in starting a dental clinic.Hiring practices to build a strong, effective team.Importance of understanding your practice's culture and climate.Navigating the complexities of vendor contracts.The significance of meticulousness in handling fees.Turning negative reviews into positive experiences.Ready to unveil some business wisdom nuggets and set a solid foundation for your entrepreneurial venture? Plug in your headphones, hit play, and get ready to be inspired!‍‍Guest: Dr. Vitaliya & Dr. EddiePractice Name: Dental BarCheck out Vitaliya and Eddie's Media:Website: http://www.dentbar.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dental_bar/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dentbar?mibextid=eQY6clLinkedIn for Vitaliya Genieva, DDS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitaliya-genieva-85489634LinkedIn for Eddie Bitzer, PhD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddie-bitzer-phd-a851991Phone: 703 214 7748‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Establishments/Brands:Deloitte ConsultingStarbucksPPO Profits‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.

‍‍Is cybersecurity one of your top concerns as a dental practice owner? If not, today's episode will likely change your mind. Join me in this important conversation with IT expert Reuben Kamp, where we delve deep into the chilling event of the recent cybersecurity attack on UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare was manipulated into transferring a shocking $22 million in Bitcoin to a hacker group known as "Black Cat" and this incident will serve as a firm reality-check and wake up call for everyone in the healthcare industry.In our discussion, Reuben unwraps the tangled mess of this cyber-crisis, explaining how these ransomware attacks are affecting dental practices just like yours. Are you aware that a disturbing 6% of dental offices have already faced such debilitating attacks in 2022 alone? Our conversation pivots around the critical importance of stringent cybersecurity measures, such as HIPAA compliance, robust firewalls, ongoing risk evaluations, and how these can be your safeguard against such threats. Stick around as we close with vital insights on the gaping vulnerabilities that led to the UnitedHealthcare breach and how Reuben and his team, at Darkhorse Tech, take proactive steps to ensure that their clients remain secure and HIPAA compliant.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The chilling details of recent cybersecurity incident involving UnitedHealthcareHow ransomware attacks can deeply affect your dental practiceThe importance of stringent cybersecurity measures, including air-gapped backupsThe crucial role of HIPAA compliance and ongoing risk assessmentsInsights on the vulnerabilities exploited in the UnitedHealthcare incident and how to avoid similar breachesThe proactive steps taken by Dark Horse Tech to ensure client securityRemember, investing in reliable cybersecurity measures is the first step in protecting your valuable assets. Make sure to tune into this crucial episode and equip yourself with a robust defense arsenal against the rising tide of ransomware attacks!‍For DSO integrations, startup solutions, and all your dental IT needs, let our sponsors, Darkhorse Tech, help out so you can focus on providing the amazing care that you do. For 1 month of FREE service, visit their link today! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/darkhorse-deal/‍You can reach out to Reuben Kamp here:Website: https://www.darkhorsetech.com/Email: admin@darkhorsetech.comPhone: 800-868-4504Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkhorseTech‍Mentions and Links: Businesses/Services:UnitedHealthcareHenry ScheinChange HealthcareAspen DentalUPSConnectWiseOther Mentions:BlackCat HackersBitcoin‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey, Ruben. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Reuben: Wow. Well, we're going to talk about cybersecurity. just recently we had United healthcare. I think you've heard of them before. Uh, they just wired 22 million in Bitcoin to a hacker group called black cat.that name is familiar. It's cause they hit Henry shine three times last year. So. This Monday morning broadcast is about cybersecurity and how you can protect your dental practice. Michael: Interesting. Yeah. You sent me that the literally right before we're about to record right now, the link to it and it happened, it says on March 1st, a Bitcoin address connected to, and then it 350 So then they basically United healthcare paid them, right? Reuben: So the full story is. Last week, uh, they noticed something was wrong with their system. this is Change Healthcare. They're owned by United Healthcare. their role in a, in a dental practice is they are the middle man. They process claims.They are also involved on e prescribe, right? narcotics, you know, you're clicking your button in your practice management software, that's getting sent to the local pharmacy. That is actually still down by the way. so we're, we're 10 days with so far. and the E prescribed modules that are powered by that are down.What just happened? Um, but you were referring to that article I was talking about is I was going to ask you how, how many Bitcoin do you think 22 million is? But I think I already told you, it's not that much, it's like, 22 millions, about 350 ish Bitcoin. and you can see how devastating the attack was because they actually paid it.which is insane. I think, uh, you know, when you, when you think about organization, a business that gets. Hit by ransomware. Why don't they have backups? why do we have to pay this ransom? You should have backups. Well, they either didn't have backups Which again just absolutely insane for an organization this size the backups were also encrypted which again is just mind boggling For a company of this size that they didn't take their internal IT Uh, seriously.Michael: Interesting. So then let me ask you, because this has happened with UnitedHealthcare, oh, huge organization, right? So how could this be prevented and can something like this happen on a smaller scale, like a practice, single practice, single doc practice? Reuben: Yeah, I mean, the stats last year. So we, um, I should say 2022 because we don't have clean data yet for 2023.That's still being compiled. So the big kind of flashing yellow banner here is 6 percent of all dental offices had an issue with ransomware. In the year 2022. So I mean, quick math, 250 practice locations, uh, 6%. So that means 15, 000 dental offices dealt with ransomware last year. It's not a small number, the problem is getting, you know, even data further than that. Basically, once this happens and there's a breach and patient health care information is involved. we're talking about radio silence, right? The, the OCM, these government organizations try to keep it unless it's a giant thing.They, they try to keep it relatively under wraps. Right. So this is something that a large percentage of the industry is dealing with, I mean, think about like. If 6 percent of all the drivers on the road got into accidents, that would be a monstrous number. so to answer your question, small dental practices, small DSOs, emerging DSOs, midsize DSOs, large DSOs, like Aspen Dental that got hacked last year, they're all dealing with this same problem.But UnitedHealthcare is a larger target. Right, so they're going to attract black cat is like the creme de la creme of the hackers out there. they were the ones that did shine, as I mentioned before. were not involved in the Aspen Dental, but you know, those are three big, splashy events, that happened and are breaches because patient health information, in this case, six terabytes of patient health information, claims data, social security numbers, treatment performed, that's why they paid 22 million.Michael: Okay, so you mentioned two things. Their backups, they probably didn't have a backup or their backups were not encrypted or encrypted or something like that, right? You said Reuben: so how you're supposed to do backups is you're supposed to have two copies. One can be connected to your server and the other one needs to be what we call air gapped, basically one step removed.And the reason is. What we're talking about right here. You get hit that one that's actually connected to your system directly is also going to get compromised. So that's why you need to have an air gap. You know, sometimes that's a cloud backup. that's probably the easiest way to explain it to the audience here is like you have a local backup, you have a cloud backup backup should be set up to be air gapped so that I mean, we can talk about ransomware with the building burns down, you want your backups not in all in one, not have all your eggs in one basket.So backup. if anyone ever pays the ransom, you know that their backups are not working properly here's what happens when you have a backup hacker comes in, they encrypt your data. You say, Oh man, that sucks. And then you kick them out of the system, clean it all up and you restore from your backup.You do not have to pay. The ransom, the ransom is there because they are saying, Hey, you want your data back? You have to pay to get it. Well, you should be like, no, I have, I have backups. I'm not going to pay you go away. so it's just like, if you ever see an article about someone making a ransomware payment to hackers, it's because their backups didn't work.Now there's a lot that goes into protecting a dental practice. Backup is just one part of that, but it's a hundred percent of the time that if they're paying the ransom, it's because they don't have backups. Michael: Interesting. Okay. So then this can be prevented. How besides having backups, like you just tell your it company, like, Hey, make sure everything's backed up.That's it. Reuben: Yeah. I'll just, uh, for the sake of ease, assume everyone works with a competent it professional. So yeah, you should say, Hey, it company, am I HIPAA compliant? Are all my systems HIPAA compliant, right? Cause that should really answer the question, uh, questions, you know, one through 100 that follow after that firewall anti ransomware antivirus software, or you're keeping your computers up to date, you know, all this boring stuff, dentists just want to practice dentistry.And then we, you know, keeps us up at night over here on this side of the world, um, and backups. Which are the last line of defense, right? You get hacked. It's because something got through your firewall. Something got through your email filter. Something got past your antivirus software. The only reason we're talking about backups is because everything else failed.Michael: Hmm. Okay. So this is the last resort kind of thing is if Reuben: you're using backups, let's say outside of, I guess let's just continue to foc

‍‍How did a small-town practice owner rise up to become a trailblazing figure in advanced dentistry? In this episode, we weave through the fascinating journey of Dr. BJ Moorhead, who started from modest roots to dominate the realm of patient-focused, anxiety-reducing dentistry. Discover how BJ nurtured his solo practice whilst teaching at an IV sedation program for dentists, embracing a forward-thinking dental care approach that centers on the patient's comfort and trust.Find out how Dr. Moorhead triumphs in managing fear-based patients, stressing the significance of open-ended dialogue and giving patients their rightful control over their treatment decisions. We venture into his effective marketing strategies, demystifying his utilization of Google Ads and shedding light on why benefits reign over technical jargon in his promotional handouts. Our discussion concludes with BJ disclosing his three revolutionary tools and a wealth of advice for dentists facing adversity. This episode encapsulates insights and practical tips to nurture a thriving practice in today's modern world.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The importance and implementation of open-ended patient dialogueCrafting marketing strategies that prioritize benefits over technicalitiesDr. BJ's unique path towards success in advanced dentistryInnovative tools and methodologies applied in Dr. Moorhead's practicesEngaging with fear-based patients and strategies to inspire their trustWisdom for overcoming hardships in your dental journeyFeel inspired? Don't miss out on this exciting journey! Tune in, uncover the secrets to growing a successful practice, and learn firsthand why patient comfort is the pinnacle of advanced dentistry.‍‍Guest: Dr. BJ MoorheadBusiness Name: StreamDentCheck out BJ's Media:Website: https://www.streamdent.com/Email: dr.m@streamdent.comPhone: 502-509-1570IV Sedation Training for Dentists: https://www.ivsedationtrainingfordentists.com/coaching‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Software:WeaveDentrixDEXISGoogle VoiceEstablishments/Brands:Spear EducationInvisalignNuCalmTriazolamValiumApplebee'sHenry ScheinPeople/Public Figures:Walter Hailey's Dental Boot KampDr. Ted RaybouldDr. Rodger LevinSocratesGrace rizza - Chicago MarketerDr. Darren GreenwellDr. Jack Turbyfill (Branching Technique)Organizations:ADAKentucky Dental Association‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍‍

‍‍Are you struggling with retaining employees in your dental practice? In this eye-opening episode, Glenda Acevedo, a seasoned scholar in employee retention strategies, unravels the crux and possible remedies for the high turnover rates frequently witnessed in dental practices. Glenda takes us through a systematic approach to bolster employee retention by tackling two main dilemmas - employees leaving prematurely and employees demanding more wages than the practice can comfortably afford. With a wealth of wisdom extracted from her corporate America experience, she explains the immense value of applying effective onboarding systems, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and creating a detailed roadmap for engagement and progression within a dental practice.Moreover, she introduces us to a paradigm shift in goal setting within organizations, urging dental practice owners to leverage team-centric goals over individual-centric ones. Glenda firmly believes that this method gives employees a sense of belonging and teamwork, inspiring them to pull together for the overall success of the practice. This episode is packed with innovative insights to help you revolutionize your employee retention strategies and create a thriving and stable workforce.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Understanding the significance and challenges of employee retention in dental practices.The role of effective onboarding systems in employee retention.The benefits of providing clear roles and responsibilities to your staff.How to create a roadmap for success within your dental practice.The impact of setting team goals versus individual goals in fostering a culture of teamwork.‍Push play and let's take your dental practice to a whole new level of stability and success!‍Learn More About the Ground Marketing Course Here:Website: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/the-ground-marketing-course-open-enrollment/‍You can reach out to Glenda Acevedo here:Website: https://www.glendaacevedo.com/‍Mentions and Links: Publications:Fortune 500‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey, Glenda. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Glenda: Hi, Michael. Thank you for having me on. Um, I would have to say if I wanted to give a dental practice one piece of advice, it would probably be around employee retention. I know that so many dental practices are really struggling with this issue.Um, there's a couple of different things going on it with it. In my mind, you've got people that don't want to stay. They're only there for a very short period of time. they're leaving. Or you have the other side of the coin where you have people kind of holding the business owners hostage. for more money and in most cases more money that the practice is really not in the position to be able to pay.And so I would like to address this today and give practice owners some ideas around what they might be able to do to encourage employees to stay longer term. I know it's a challenge hiring right now, but there are so many options for hiring new employees, including going to grocery stores and finding people in good customer service or to restaurants or to spas and finding people that are really good at their job and providing customer service.If you have systems in place, which happens to be my specialty, um, I help businesses document their systems. And so onboarding systems is just one part of what I do. But the reason I'm talking about that is because when you hire employees, the one thing they want is to be trained. developed and to clearly understand the roles and responsibilities.And so when I talk about this, if you don't have those types of systems in place, if you can't bring someone in and show them how to do their job, develop them in that role and actually get them a roadmap of how to achieve success, they're probably not going to turn into a long term employee. So every practice should have that.And I think I think the reason I'm so passionate around this area, in my previous life, as I like to say, I spent 18 years in corporate America at a fortune 500 company as a salesperson, I can tell you at the beginning of every year. I always had a roadmap. Of what I had to accomplish that year, what were the gates for me to achieve my bonus and to reach each of those gates.Now those gates were always derived based on the company's goals for the year. And so when I met my goals. and earn that big paycheck. So did the company, they reached their goals. So I'm fairly new to dentistry. I've only been in this community for about three years, but I think every dental practice should be like a sales organization.We should outline the roles and responsibilities for every single position, and we should give every employee a roadmap to success. And how they achieve that in the practice, because people, when they have something to strive for, especially money, they typically want to put it all in, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing individual goals.There could be some individual, but I'd recommend team goals because we want to encourage our team members to work together and put them in a position to where they have to work together to achieve the overall goal of the practice. So again, it always goes back. If our employees win, so does our dental practice win.So I'd honestly like to see every business owner put the onboarding systems in place to train their employees, to develop them, to see their path, that they can grow within the business to become more than what they are today, because don't we all want to achieve success in what we do in life? We all want to know what do we do to get better, to do more, to earn more, to become a higher level within the company.So how do I do that? Michael: Gotcha. That's what you want them to ask them. You want them to ask the practice owner. So then if we rewind a little bit, you mentioned the roadmap to achieve success. What does this roadmap look? Glenda: Well, I think the roadmap is going to be a little bit different for each employee, but the roadmap has to come from the business owner's goals.So what are the goals of the business and how can we take those goals and roll it into the day to day activities of every employee? And when you do that. You create a step by step process again. We're circling back to systems were circling back to how do we perform our jobs? And what do we have to do in our day to day activities to do that?Now that we could be talking about the front desk, we could be talking about clinical. And if we were switching over to talk about clinical, it may be making sure that we're adding fluoride for every patient that comes in the door. And perhaps that's one of our goals. It may be a small cell, but a cell to every single patient that comes through the door would certainly increase the revenue of the business overall.There are many ways that we can do that in just understanding and looking at our business, defining what are we doing today. What could we do differently tomorrow? How do we work this into the daily activities of our employees? And again, I know I keep circling you back, but it's really by creating systems and training our employees to understand what our goals are.How they follow those steps. And typically what I do to support that is I create the step by step systems, but I also create the checklist, which really simplifies it for the employees to do that. So every one of these pieces, Michael always goes back to creating the training to train our employees to do what we need them to do inside of our business.And there's another part to that. And it's something I always like to talk about because business owners. Our managers are often quick to blame employees when something goes wrong. But my thought process behind that is we should always blame the system first because typically it is our system. Either we don't have a system or system is broken.Either that or employees are not following them. But we need to identify which one of those are and we want to support our employees, not blame them. And so we always need to take a deeper dive into why is this happening and what can we do to resolve the issue to support our employees so we get it right every time, or at least achieve to get it right every time.Michael: Can you give me. a team goal example. So you know how you said individually, you don't recommend it. You recommend it as like a team. What would be an example? Glenda: Well, we could even take the clinical as an example. If every one of our hygienist that has a patient comes in, sells a fluoride case or adds fluoride to their treatment, And at the end of the day or at the end of the week, the month, whatever that how the goals are set up, we have to promote it as a team.We need the entire team to come forward and we need everyone to try to sell this. And we don't want to put it at where you have to do everyone. We want to give them a goal to be able to reach and to reach beyond that. So, there's all types of different goals that you can put in place to support one another in different ways.It might be the front desk with, maybe we're working with a marketing company, and maybe it's on how many leads can we convert? How can we support one another in converting leads in closing treatment cases? So it could be case acceptance. So there's a number of different ways that you could combine that and turn it into team goals with working together.We really have to break down what the goals again are of the practice. And what does that look like when we actually roll it to the team and how can we combine them together with something that makes sense because we want everyone to achieve for indi

How does one successfully launch a boutique dental practice in a saturated market like New York City? In this episode, we speak to, Dr. Arti Jagirdar, who shares her journey of establishing Flatiron Dental, a distinguished dental practice that offers more than just the basics. She offers a candid account of her decision to adopt a patient-centric, fee-for-service model and its subsequent impact on the practice. Dr. Jagirdar’s unique offerings such as sleep apnea treatments and airway consultations have been key in differentiating Flatiron Dental in the bustling cityscape of New York.We also delve deeper into the nitty-gritty of setting up shop, from navigating lengthy lease negotiations to the vital role of legal consultations in contract signings. Dr. Jagirdar also recounts the unexpected challenge of a trademark battle over her practice's name, underlining the importance of resilience, legal advice, and the power of standing by your choices with integrity. Rounding up the conversation, we discuss the critical role of cultivating relationships and harnessing the power of word-of-mouth in attracting new patients to your practice, and how becoming a thought leader in the dental community can build a strong brand presence.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The importance of a unique service offering in a densely saturated marketInsights into the fee-for-service model in dentistryWhy never to sign a contract without a lawyer's approvalHow to handle unexpected challenge such as trademark disputesThe power of word-of-mouth and relationships in building a patient baseThe potential for thought leadership to strengthen your brandDon't miss this episode full of valuable insights from Dr. Jagirdar - it's brimming with lessons for anyone wanting to make their mark in a competitive market!‍‍Guest: Dr. Arti JagirdarPractice Name: Flatiron DentalCheck out Arti's Media:Website: https://www.flatirondentalnyc.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flatirondental/Flatiron Dental Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qHLpjIikJHlEOVv3Y7dYY?si=5d09cbd507704653‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Podcasts:438: DR. AVI PATEL | CLEAR ALIGNER ADVISORBooks:Man's Search for MeaningThe Denial of DeathThe Artist's Way: 30th Anniversary EditionSoftware:Open DentalBusinesses/Brands:Henry ScheinWonderist AgencyHDA Accounting FirmMethod - Unified SmilesTend Offices in NYCIdeal PracticesBreakaway SeminarsInvisalignQueensboro Plaza Dental CareLocations/Establishments:NYUFordham LawMount KilimanjaroKois CenterBanks/Financial Institutions:First Citizens BankBank of America Wells FargoHuntington BankProvideOrganizations:HIPAAOSHASpear EducationPeople/Connections:Robert MontgomeryDr. Michael NguyenDr. Frank SpearDr. Alina Lane - all smiles DentistryAlan Withall - Henry ScheinDr. Scott LeuneJayme Amos - Ideal PracticesElizabeth Mulderig - Ideal PracticesReed Wrisley - Practice Real Estate GroupPatrick Black - Precision Contracting CorpJaclyn Ionin - Intellectual Property AttorneyMike Gharib - Ideal PracticesChrystle Cu - CocoflossOther:Maslow's Hierarchy of NeedsMarfan Syndrome‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍‍

‍‍How do your patients REALLY perceive your dental practice? How can convenience, image, and service make or break their overall experience? In this compelling Monday Morning conversation with industry veteran, Keith McLachlan, we dive deep into the heart of these issues. Keith passionately argues for the urgent need for dental practitioners to adopt a retail business model that is profoundly patient-centric. And not just in theory, but in practice - with a focus on delivering care that brilliantly suits patients’ lifestyles, work schedules, and personal preferences.Keith takes us on a journey of understanding through the eyes of patient, shedding light on the overlooked importance of practice accessibility. Is your office meeting the demands of the early birds and night owls who work 9 to 5 jobs? Are you addressing the needs of those who can only carve out time over weekends? Keith doesn't stop there. He delves into addressing tricky roadblocks like work-life balance and provider burnout, while underlining the potent impact of a strong online presence and memorable first-visit experiences in captivating new patients. Keith makes a compelling case for reshaping our practice mentalities, daring us to redesign our dental offices with a healthier balance of professional commitment and patient-centric empathy.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The crucial role of a patient-centric approach in running successful practices.The underestimated power of operating hours in patient retention and satisfaction.How to prevent provider burnout while still accommodating patient needs.Tips for creating a strong online presence and memorable first-visits.The importance of work-life balance in avoidance of provider burnout.Tune into this intensive MME with Keith now, and take a leap towards a more inclusive, patient-centric service delivery model!‍Learn More About the Ground Marketing Course Here:Website: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/the-ground-marketing-course-open-enrollment/‍You can reach out to Keith McLachlan here:Website: https://dentalteamfinder.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dental-team-finder/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dentalteamfinderYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5mEcmTS-xGSt5gpbajZ6owEmail: keith@dentalteamfinder.comEmail: info@dentalteamfinder.com‍Mentions and Links: Books/Publications:Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey Keith. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday Keith: morning? Oh, Michael, well, thank you for having me on and thanks to your listeners for listening. Um, one piece of advice that, you know, I obviously am not a dentist or dental provider, been in dentistry for 30 years, but, one thing that I see, and again the concept was introduced to me in full disclosure by somebody else, but it bears repeating as much as one can do as a dental provider and still maintain some quality of life, think of your business as a retail business. think in terms of, maybe you can have on one end of the spectrum, you can have your old medical provider, 1950s medical office where you have the sliding, opaque, you know, separation barrier between, um, patients and the team members.And then you have kind of what we have today, which is more of your open concept, right? So there's been some adaptation to that idea. But in terms of offering, right? Are you working four days a week? Eight to five? As a dental practice provider. Um, well, ironically, most of the patients are probably working Monday through Friday, eight to five, and they have to take off work to see you.So perhaps thinking in terms of, earlier appointments before eight A.M. or uh, maybe, uh, extended hours after, maybe two hours after. Five o'clock. Not every day necessarily. Some offices do a successful seven to seven shift between two doctors. somebody will do the morning shift and one do the afternoon shift.If it's a multiple doctor I. Practice. Some will do a weekend, half day or full day weekend. Um, and they find that those are wildly popular hours. Mm-Hmm. But the whole idea, and again it's, not just one thing. like I said, I can credit Fred Doyle for this idea and it. Book, everything is marketing, but think in terms of your business as a retail business as opposed to kind of the old school medical offices that were not very patient-centric.Gotcha. Okay. Michael: So it sounds like practices today they're looking more modern, right. When it comes to like their. I guess like design and everything, but the way of working, like their culture, whatever, like their time is still kind of stuck back into the nine to five, right? Or eight, nine to six kind of thing.Yeah. And so you're kind of thinking, hey, adjust it, hybrid it, right? Like time and things like that. Is that what you're. Keith: Absolutely. So you're just making it easier for your patients to come see you, in times that they're not already working times that they may not be available without having to request off.we also see it in emergency visits, right? Being available to see emergency patients and I understand if they're not a patient of record and there's some concern with that but especially for your patients that are established patients being available to see them when they're in need.Let's face it. An emergency patient will pay any price and meet you at any time to get out of pain. That is in Maslow's hierarchy of need. One of the greatest motivators, right? Somebody that's in pain and wants to be out of pain. So, yeah, just making it easier for patients to find you, um, and again, not putting up a road box for your patients to come see you.Michael: Gotcha. In your experience, Keith, what have been some of the, besides time, right, besides like the, I'll be more available in the afternoons. What have you seen that really hasn't changed where it's like the most or the biggest roadblocks? Keith: I would say it, it comes down to mostly quality of life choice.Right? Maybe uh, the provider has a family. Maybe they want to be able to have dinner with their family at night. They want to enjoy their weekend time with their families. I would say, and again, we're all, Dentist or or non dentists were all guilty of saying, I, I'm gonna put up some, barriers, where it comes to interfering with.My time out of the office. So that's probably more of what it is. as opposed to, it is just more about in terms of thinking as a patient and not as the doctor or the business owner. thinking in terms of, you know, uh, uh, I've heard this expression before. When's the last time As a dental provider the owner of the business walked into the waiting room as opposed to walked into the back door. Right? It's a whole different experience, right? You're seeing through the eyes of your patients, right? that might be a good exercise is, you know, know, when I walk in my office, Do I see an optimal patient experience? what do I pick up on? What cues do I pick up on visually, audibly, is it pleasant? Is it relaxing? what are my sensory cues telling me here? Michael: Gotcha. Okay. So kind of walk in with a.Patient point of view. So then the biggest roadblock that you've seen besides time, would be quality of life. So it's more like the doctors thinking, I wanna be home. I want to have Friday, Saturday Sundays off. I only wanna work four days a week. Mm-Hmm. But this is possible though, right? To have that. Keith: It is very possible.And that's where you see, um, many dental business owners get an associate, maybe that associate can help augment the hours, maybe they can stick to their same schedule. The business owner while the associate may work, different time slots, right? Or they can split it up a little bit, but it's not all dependent upon one person.It can be divvied amongst another doctor and team members for that matter. Michael: Gotcha. Okay. So then if we did do that, let's just say we treat it like a retail business. We're open on weekends and we're doing all these things. Do you foresee burnout Keith: If one person or a set of people are asked to do more without a necessarily wanting to do more, I.Or B, not getting. Something more from it, compensation wise, then yes, I could see burnout at, or I would say even before burnout. You may have attrition, you may have people that, leave. They're like, I didn't sign up for this. I wanna work for practice that I can get my kid from daycare by 5:00 PM or whatever the case may be, right? So other people have put up their roadblocks, but as far as burnout, I talk to dental business owners that even have Sunday hours. Now, again it's not always the owner, but, they tell me that those are some of the most coveted appointment times.Or the weekend times. Because they don't have to take off time from work or from school to see the dentist. Michael: Mm-Hmm. Yeah. Okay. That's interesting. Yeah. So when it comes to the retail part, what else? How else should we treat our practice in the form of a retail business besides like the hours.Keith: Well, remember patients have a choice. There are, I mean, I've talked to plenty of successful dentists that have multi-generational, right? They've seen three generations of families at the practice, and that's great, but for the vast majority of people today, there's more credibility online than there is from a personal referral.So take a look at. Your website, take a look at your social media. If you don't have somebody, I'm not saying you have to manage it, but have somebody manage that and remember that what's gonna make your office stand out to somebody that's new to the area, to somebody that doesn't already know about you, to another practice down the street.

‍‍What does it take to run a successful dental practice in a small town? Dive into today's episode, as I sit down with Dr. Kim Power, embracing the journey of owning and operating her bustling practice in a rural region of North Carolina. Through her resilience and determination, Dr. Kim navigates us through the challenges and triumphs, from staff shortages, to unexpected challenges, and even embezzlement - offering an incredibly honest take on what it takes to grow a thriving practice despite all odds. She goes beyond the surface, offering insider knowledge on efficient systems investments, hiring tenacious staff, and the significance of maintaining a supportive office culture while detailing her transition from orthodontics to general dentistry.This episode is filled to the brim with practical wisdom from someone who truly walked the talk. Whether you are thinking of running your own practice or just curious about what it takes to succeed in a challenging environment, Dr. Kim's experience is sure to leave you with meaningful insights and valuable lessons that can be applied in your practice.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How Dr. Kim transitioned from Orthodontics to General Dentistry.Dealing with an unexpected path to owning a practice.The acquisition process and financial considerations.The importance of creating a positive work culture.How to overcome embezzlement within a practice.Managing a growing practice and delegating tasks.Dealing with personal challenges while managing a practice.Don't wait, tune in now, and gain valuable knowledge from Dr. Kim's unique journey and experiences in practice ownership!‍‍Guest: Dr. Kim PowerPractice Name: Smithfield Family DentistCheck out Kim's Media:Website: https://smithfieldfamilydentist.com/Email: kimpower9515@gmail.comPhone: 919-418-0538‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Software/Services:Open DentalNadapaymentsProsperidentCommunity/Groups:Triangle Dental Solutions GroupEstablishments/Brands:AmazonFirst Citizens BankSouthern First BankInsurance Companies:AetnaCignaMetLife‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍

‍‍Are you feeling overwhelmed by trying to grow your practice? Many dentists think that they need more patients, more marketing, and more work to propel them forward. While these are important factors, there might be another way to a successful three day work week - optimizing your current workload. Today I sat down with the accomplished entrepreneur, business coach, and the author of multiple Best Selling books, Kirk Teachout. His insights paint a clear picture of how we can analyze and customize our dental schedules more efficiently, leading us closer to achieving our revenue goals without having to cope with a turbulent timetable.During our conversation, Kirk walks us through the process of using time calculation tactics to optimize our schedules. By understanding the time investment for each procedure, we can make sure our appointments fit like puzzle pieces for a smooth daily workflow. More importantly, Kirk showed me that we, as doctors, don't need to rush or feel overwhelmed in our efforts to achieve efficiency. He shared invaluable strategies to ensure high-quality service and productivity can coexist peacefully in our practices.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How analyzing time requirements for procedures can enhance scheduling efficiencyEssential questions to ask yourself and your team to improve overall productivityThe role of timers in producing an optimized appointment scheduleThe importance of comprehensive training for your front desk and scheduling operatorsTips for ensuring quality doesn't suffer amidst your quest for increased efficiencyDon’t let the opportunity slide! Plug in to harness Kirk Teachout’s wisdom to transform your dental practice.‍For DSO integrations, startup solutions, and all your dental IT needs, let our sponsors, Darkhorse Tech, help out so you can focus on providing the amazing care that you do. For 1 month of FREE service, visit their link today! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/darkhorse-deal/‍‍You can reach out to Kirk Teachout here:Website: https://thesevenfiguredentist.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirkteachout/‍Mentions and Links: People/Public Figures:James ClearBooks/Publications:Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and WinParkinson's Law‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey Kirk. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Kirk: Sure. Thanks for having me on Michael. So this morning, I can guarantee you we work three days a week and I can outpace any other team. My office can outpace any other team on four to five days a week.and that's due to scheduling efficiency. So something that we do very well is we look at the schedule about every quarter and see what we can do to improve, see where bottlenecks are. We ask our assistants and our hygienists and our front desk like, Hey, where are you seeing inefficiencies in the, in the schedule and.We can adjust that accordingly. Um, but it's not cookie cutter. Obviously. I can give you frameworks. Mm-Hmm. But at the end of the day, like I know I was talking to a client of mine the other day and we were looking at one of his doctors outta seven, and I was just asking him simply like, okay, how long do you do each procedure?So write down how long it takes you and ask your assistance to, 'cause like doctors are oblivious to sometimes to things and like ask like. How long does each procedure take? How long does a three surface filling take? How long does a crown prep take? How long does this take? And when you figure out how long those procedures take.You can then look at the schedule, figure out the goal you're trying to hit, and really just customize where you want throughout the schedule to run in order to actually hit those goals. I know, like I said, that client of mine, his goal was to hit, you know, 4,800 a a day after adjustments, and after just looking at a schedule and, and simply asking those questions, we were able to focus on the larger procedures.Fill in with the smaller sort of procedures, and now his goal is 6,500 to 7,000. Just by simply asking those questions, not anything else. Michael: Interesting. So what are the specific questions we should be asking the team or ourselves? Kirk: Sure. So like I said, it's, it's asking how long does each procedure take that I do.Um, and you can add that up like, okay, I know a two surface filling, like getting, getting small, right? Mm-hmm. Looking at the micro level of everything. And, um, I know something that my wife used to do was, you know, most, um, ops have timers in them for the curing and different things, or they, they count and whatnot.So. Move your uh, appointments based off of how long it takes the doctor to get that patient out of the room. So when they start, start 'em at the certain time and then adjust that appointment time to where it actually took the doctor that long. That's another way that you can calculate that. Like the assistant knows that they left at nine 40 instead of scheduling it to 10 o'clock.So you move that up to nine 40 and then you look at the schedule and like, okay, this is actually how long it took me to flow through the schedule, do all these things, check hygiene, come back and do everything else. so that way you can actually see how long these things take, if you, you know, are just kind of putting things together, as James Clear says, like we don't rise to our goals.We fall to our systems. So we're only as good as what the systems that we have. So if you know exactly how long it takes you, then you can schedule accordingly, train your front desk, and scheduling operatories, um, to know exactly how long each procedure takes. with some buffer time, of course, 'cause I know things don't always take that long, or it takes longer sometimes with a curveball, but then you can kind of get a guide together of how to schedule efficiently.That way it doesn't feel like it's super chaotic. ' cause I know that's kind of, that target market that I typically talk to is people that are three to five years out and in order to, really, increase their revenue. The only way they feel like they can do that is by doing more.Well, really they're probably not optimizing what they're already doing. They just feel like they have to do more. So it comes down to Parkinson's Law, so you fill the time that's allotted for it. So for instance, we do three days a week and we do almost double, if not more than what most dentists do on four to five days a week.Production and collections wise? Just because if it snows on Monday, I know, you know, we've been snowed out all week. Mm-Hmm. If it snows on Monday and you're there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, you have to find a way to fit those patients in throughout the week. It's a small margin that you have to add in and you figure it out.So why don't you force yourself to figure out an efficient way to do that every single week? And so that's what we've done by doing, using these small tips and tools that I've just told you. Huh? Michael: Okay. So then have you ever seen Kirk where someone is doing that but then they kind of feel rushed? You know, nobody's rushing them.Right. But then they're like, I'm rushing. I'm rushing. And this maybe the quality may go down or What are your, what are your thoughts? Kirk: Yeah, it's definitely, um, it's definitely a feeling that you're gonna have. So that's, it's kind of two prong, or really three prong. So, uh, you know, obviously you have to, you have to figure out what you're doing as a doctor.You have to relay that to the scheduler up in the front, but then you also have to train your clinical team. So a lot of people feel rushed, honestly, because they're doing things that doesn't require their license. So another tip is to sit down for a a day and write down everything that you do, whether it be numbing a patient, whether it be doing a filling, whether it be scanning a patient, if you're in a digital office, writing a note, all the things that you do.On that list throughout the day, figure out what does not require your license to do it. So as a doctor, you're the producer, you're the biggest producer. You have to be able to do the things that make the most income and most revenue and generate that. And most of the time docs are doing things 'cause they don't like to let go.Of their control. Mm-Hmm. But really they need to be able to, to humble themselves, get rid of the things that are not required by their license and delegate and train somebody else to do those things like scanning a patient if they're legally allowed to or doing a note and then you check the note or doing different things.If you allow your clinical team to do what their job is, then that frees you up to not feel rushed, because now you can only do the things that you're allowed to do with your license. Michael: Ah, that's good advice right there to really look back. So then if we're looking back. Let's just say like we have a small team and we're like, okay man, Kirk, there's stuff I have to do because like, you know what I mean?Maybe, or I don't even know if you would say you have to do it, but there's stuff that I want to do. Right. Kind of. Right. Like the note taking maybe, right? Yeah. You're checking the schedule or calling post ops. Right. I feel like it's so dynamic that it can change. Yes. you review that every, what, three months?Kirk: About once a quarter. I mean, we do, we have a meeting cadence every month where we, we meet with the team, we on a Thursday afternoon. 'cause we don't, you know, they work three and a half days. We only work three. and so on a Thursday afternoon we bring in lunch for everybody and we go through what went well over the last month, w

‍‍How does a dedicated dentist navigate her way to owning her own practice while facing an array of personal and professional challenges? This episode provides a close look at the journey of Dr. Ana Santana Guerrero, a fiercely resilient dentist who left her home country, dealt with educational re-equivalence, braved high-stake exams, grappled with intense competition, and still managed to realize her dream of owning a dental clinic. We dissect Ana's transition from an associate to an owner in depth, illuminating her unwavering focus on goal setting and how an "unfortunate event" acted as a catalyst for her to leap into the world of self-owned practice, offering a relatable, deeply inspiring tale.Navigating the nitty-gritty of running a practice isn't easy, even more so when it's in a foreign country. Learn the ropes as Dr. Ana Santana Guerrero shares her experiences on various aspects of managing a dental clinic - from selecting an optimal location to staff management, from dealing with financial nuances to creating a unique, patient-centered practice. We also delve into her marketing strategies and discuss how humanizing her approach and prioritizing personalized communication played a key role in patient retention.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How to balance bills, staff salaries, and personal compensation in the early stages of practice.Importance of goal setting for personal and professional growth.Effective strategies for creating a patient-centric experience.The power of word-of-mouth and real-world interactions in marketing.How to navigate ethical dilemmas in the dental industry.Insights on dealing with companies in the dental arena.Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation packed with actionable insights and inspiration!‍‍Guest: Dr. Ana Santana GuerreroPractice Name: Astra DentalCheck out Ana's Media:Website: https://www.astradental.ca/Email: info@astradental.caInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/astra.dentalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASTRA.DENTAL.CLINIC‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Software/Services:Google AdsBusinesses/Vendors:Patterson DentalHenry ScheinMGEAlign TechnologyNobel Biocare3MProducts/Brands:MaciTeroInvisalignNaproxenMcDonaldsTV/Publications:Wheel of FortuneEstablishments:Dalhousie UniversityCentral University of Venezuela‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍‍‍

‍‍Ever been confounded by how to perfectly price your dental services? In this episode, our knowledgeable guest is Dr. Nathan Coughlin, an experienced dentist and entrepreneur, who unveils some of his best advice on pricing dental treatments. Nathan underscores the trap of racing to the bottom in pricing to compete, instead advocating for services' differentiation to significantly stand out in the crowded dental market.Diving deeper, Nathan delves into some practical applications of his advice using orthodontics practices as a case in point—where the bare offering of braces can be supplemented by additional services like dental X-rays, impressions, retainers, and teeth whitening, to name a few. He sheds light on the crucial psychological factors at play, such as aura of scarcity and the urgency, that can be generated by strategizing a limited-time offering, which in turn significantly boosts the perceived value of your bundled services.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The pitfalls of low pricing as a means to attract patients.The value of differentiating dental services from competitors.How bundling services can add significant perceived value for patients.The power of scarcity and urgency in making your offering more appealing.The impact of quality guarantees in increasing conversion rates.The ways these strategies can be implemented within a variety of business models.Give this episode a listen, and arm yourself with these game-changing strategies to set your dental practice apart and elevate your bottom line without discounting services.‍Created by dentists for dentists: For practice management software that seamlessly integrates patient engagement, clinical charting, and practice growth without compromise, check out our sponsor, Oryx. As a listener of this podcast, schedule a free demo today with Oryx! Visit their link here: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/oryx/‍You can reach out to Dr. Nathan Coughlin here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrivedentist/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thrivedentistYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKVEL4Joonzyy5XBxFvXhKAPintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/thrivedentistry/‍Mentions and Links: People/Public Figures:Alex HormoziBooks/Publications:$100M Leads: How to Get Strangers to Want to Buy Your Stuff$100M Offers: How to Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: Hey Nathan, so talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning? Nathan: Michael, I got, I got a big one here, so you ready? This is gonna be, this is gonna be big. This is gonna hopefully change your viewers, um, or listeners attitudes towards selling treatment. So it's something that we are doing currently right now in our offices that has gained us over a hundred thousand dollars extra of production already, and we're halfway through the month.So this is how it works. So how do most dentists, business people, pretty much anybody, how do they start by setting their, um, how much they're gonna charge for something? And this is really important because how we charge for anything is how our business is gonna be ran.So what do most people do? They go, I. Okay, I'm a dentist. I just moved into a new area. Uh, I'm a brand new dentist. I wanna start making some money. I need to get some patience. So let me see. What am I gonna charge for A dental crown. And you look at the three next offices you go. Cool. This office is shoot, charging 1200.The other one's 1100. This one's a thousand. I. Need to get some patience because I'm brand new. I'm a newbie. I need to get some patience in and how am I gonna do it? I'm gonna go slightly less than everybody else, and because I'm slightly less than everybody else, people are gonna flock me. My surface is great.I'm a great dentist. My office is great. All these outstanding things and more people are gonna come in and that'll solve my problems. Next dentist comes in a couple months later, they're within a, you know, a couple mile radius. They go, Hmm, I'm a new dentist. I want to come in. I need to start charging for crowns.How much do I charge for crowns? They look at everybody and they go, cool. Nathan's charging 900. Let me go a little bit less than him. I'm gonna charge eight 50 or 800. Essentially, this is how dentists and a lot of different companies charge their products. The problem obviously is it's a race to the bottom, right?Mm-Hmm. You become mm-Hmm. The Walmarts of the world, which you become, if you become huge and massive and you have a thousand offices, you become these massive DSOs. You can actually do that 'cause you have buy power and you can get things for less and your, profits can still be there.But essentially it's a race to the bottom, right? Mm-Hmm. So we are trying to avoid this as much as possible, and you can see this happening my. Father-in-law is a dentist in Koreatown in Los Angeles. And essentially this is what they're doing. Like they're doing implants and crowns for pennies. Yeah.And so your profits get less. And I think this is almost, uh, not an unethical, but it becomes very, very difficult to deliver a great product because if your profit gets less, you can hire less quality people. You get less quality products, and everything essentially goes down. Right. But this is what the average dentist, the average business does.contrary to that, what does the average patient or consumer do? And we're all guilty of this. Say you wanna get, um, a nice white T-shirt, you go, cool. There's five companies that have this nice white T-shirt, man. They're all pretty similar and none of them really brands or they're all pretty darn similar.Let me just go with the cheapest option because I think it's gonna be. Pretty much the same, right? Mm-Hmm. And then this reinforces that same belief that we go, cool. We need to be the least expensive. We need to be the most cheap. Because look, everybody's buying from over there. The reason we do that, the reason they do that is because it's all the same.A white T-shirt is a white T-shirt is a white T-shirt. Black scrubs or black scrubs or black scrubs. A dental crown. Although a dentist or whoever thinks their crown is the absolute end all be all, I'm sorry, it's not your dental crown is just like the dentist down the street. Your feeling is just like the dentist down the street.Your cleaning is just like the dentist down the street. Yes. We do things to distinguish ourselves and make it. Better, but essentially you're the same. So how do we decommoditize what we're doing? How do we make it different so that what we are doing is not the exact same as everybody else? And I will tell you, this is what's making us a lot of money right now.So, right. Hopefully your ears are perking up because if you wanna make money, this is how you do it. So you have to make your solution different than anybody else's. So if you read different various marketing books, they say you wanna have kind of this blue ocean theory where you are providing a product that is different than everybody else.So Mrs. Smith, when she comes in the office, she can't go. Oh, but dentist down the street is doing the exact same thing as me. I can compare the two kind of like, you know, one-to-one. So they're both commoditized, so you have to do it. So it's not like that. So how do we do that on our end? I. So I will give you 90% of the tricks.I can't go into all of them 'cause I don't have enough time, but this is 90% of the tricks. Okay? So, so now what you do is you, you unbundle what you're doing and show the patient everything you're doing, and then you want to add things in there that cost you very little. But the perceived value of it is huge.So, in orthodontics, what do we do? What's the big thing that we do? We, you know, if somebody's coming in for braces, obviously they're gonna get braces. what they may also need, they may need molds so that we can make retainers, maybe we can make some X retainers. They're gonna need x-rays. They may need, you know, some equilibration of their teeth.They may need some IPR, they may need, whitening at the end. They want, may want an upgrade to clear braces. They may. Need dental treatment if you're an office that's doing both of those, and so you have this list of items, right? Mm-Hmm. And if you, if you add them up and how you present it is very, very important.But if you add all these things up, Mrs. Smith comes in, she wants braces. We say, okay, Mrs. Smith, you're gonna come in for braces. We we're really excited to treat you. I know you've been to five other consults where your we're your fifth consult. Come in here. How we do it at our office. We say, okay, yes, your braces are gonna be.Say whatever, it's $6,000. Mm-Hmm. And then we go, and what you're also gonna need is maybe some dental X-rays and some impressions. And that costs us, you know, 300 bucks. What you're also gonna want is an extra, when you're gonna need retainers. Right. That's another 500. And you know what? Because most patients at the end of treatment, when they get done their treatment.How the retainers, they'll keep those things for a year or two, lose and break and whatever. They don't get another one in. Mm-Hmm. So we like to add another set of retainers on that. Boom. That's another 500. Oh, you know what? Because you're an adult, you probably don't want those metal braces. You probably want to upgrade to clear.That's another $500. You know what, what's even cooler is at the end of orthodontic treatment, most people want to have their teeth nice and white, even though they're straight. If they're yellow, it just doesn't look good. Mm-Hmm. So we wanna throw in some zoom in-office whiten