Two Reds are Better than One

Dr. Katie Blake is co-founder with her husband Alex of Blake Dental, in the small market town of Witham, Essex, mid-way between Chelmsford and Colchester.   Katie has a special interest in dental implants, not only delivering to their own patients but working in other practices, lecturing, training and mentoring.   Alex is a former maths teacher, who has become the Business Manager.   They have also created a strong senior management team within the practice, through internal development and promotion.   In this entertaining conversation, Katie shares with us stories of her childhood, living with entrepreneurial parents, forming her own proto-business as a child (hence the title - you’ll realise), and then volunteering for work experience at a family friend’s nearby dental practice after he suggested to her parents that a career in dentistry would be a good choice.   We follow Katie to University, into hospital to become a maxillofacial first-responder to trauma injuries and then into Ownership.   She will share the experience of buying their practice, whilst she was heavily pregnant and just before Covid lockdown - yikes - and how they survived and have prospered.   You will love this conversation - a no-frills approach to life and a genuinely happy Dental Business Owner and clinician. A lovely couple who prove that the good guys can win!

Imagine opening a Practice with no social media, prohibited from advertising, not allowed to have a website, plus you are timing this at the start of one of the worst recessions the country has ever known.   These were the circumstances faced by Dr. Kieran Daly when he opened his squat Practice in North Dublin during 2007.     Fast forward today, 17 years  after opening the doors, his Practice employs over 50 people and has expanded to a multi disciplinary Practice, treating patients with Implants, Orthodontics, Perio, Endo, and Restorative dental treatments, taking referrals from dentists all over Ireland. His journey is nothing short of remarkable.   Kieran never stands still, he is constantly developing himself both personally, and technically, he is the only Irish Orthodontist that is certified by the European Board of Orthodontics & The Angle Society of Europe. He is a leader in his field.    In this podcast you will learn; When Kieran opened his Practice, he was not allowed to have a website or allowed to advertise, what he did to grow his Practice to a World Class Multi-Disciplinary Practice  The importance of using different types of marketing to grow your Practice and not relying on one source How he has put a Management Structure into his Practice, which allows him to spend 40 hours a week treating patients and work ON his business every Friday How delegation really is a game changer and essential to growing your Practice  How he continues growing his Practice and how he has created a super motivated team How he still manages to get to the gym every day and enjoys 5 weeks holiday  AND MUCH MORE 

Our second conversation with Dr. Marina Rhode, Founder of DRMR In our first conversation with Manrina we explored the influences from her early life that formed her philosophy and then travelled with her through 18-years as a London-based "career associate", working with some of the top names in the capital. We now explore the vision for and creation of her own clinic and brand - DRMR: How she used pen and paper to jot down ideas during her associate years and developed a vision of the practice that she wanted to own; The search for premises that would “fit the bill” and how she responded when told that her dream premises wouldn’t be suitable; The 18-month build project and why her attention to detail and obsession with perfection became a reality - a clinic of great beauty; The biggest challenge of the first two years - building a team. In the final part of our conversation, we discuss The Manrina Rhode Mentorship Programme, launching on 1st September 2024 and the difference Manrina intends to make when she “pays it forward” to other dentists who need a fresh impetus in their career. Manrina is a breath of fresh air in the UK dental landscape and you will emerge from our conversation with a smile on your face and hope in the future. Listen to the podcast now via your favourite podcast streaming service or the player below.

In this episode, we interview Manish Chitnis to discuss his dental practice management software, DenTTrack, a task management software that provides clarity on who does what in a dental practice, including training for each task. Manish explains the importance of internal marketing and utilising the patient database to drive new patients amidst current market conditions. There are two main survivor groups in dentistry: high-end practices focused on excellent patient experiences, and high-volume, low-cost providers. DenTTrack Software Task Management: Provides checklists of tasks for each role, ensuring the team knows exactly what to do. Training Included: Offers training on how to complete each task. Growth and Legacy: Aimed at practices wanting to grow and create a legacy business. Contact: Reach out to Manish directly to explore if DenTTrack is suitable for your practice. Current Market Conditions New Patient Numbers: Experiencing a dip in new patient numbers and demand for high-end treatments. Internal Marketing: Focusing on internal marketing to the existing patient database. Direct Mail Campaigns: Emphasising the importance of direct mail campaigns and building one-on-one connections. Future Outlook Rising Costs: Costs are rising by 30% across staffing, materials, and labs. Survivor Groups: Two main groups are expected to survive - high-end practices focused on a great patient experience, and high-volume, low-cost providers. Challenges for Middle Group: Practices in the middle may struggle with rising costs and staffing issues. Tune in to hear more insights from Manish Chitnis on how to navigate the current dental market and leverage technology for practice management.

If you want to be inspired by the potential of a career in dentistry, no matter what your age or background, listen to the journey of one of the UK’s most interesting dental practice owners. As a child, Manrina Rhode wanted to become an actress, but an enlightened Headmistress saw the opportunity of combining art and science and encouraged her to study dentistry. The UK dental community (and her patients) can be glad that she did.  Right at the start of her career, she secured a position with Dr. Surinder Hundle at Lund Osler, one of whose clinics was based in Harvey Nicholls, London - innovative in its time. Surinder, famous as an original participant in the TV show "10 Years Younger" opened up opportunities that you can only dream of (learn how Manrina beat her competition to get this job). After several years at Lund Osler, she worked for Tim Bradstock-Smith - The London Smile Clinic.  Along the way, she ran a Music Label in Atlanta, that is another story you need to hear.   In the last 2 years, she has finally opened her own clinic - DRMR - and you’ll hear why Chris was speechless with admiration when he first visited. In this episode you will discover;  What it takes to become a true success in dentistry The importance of finding your passion in dentistry and to do what you love to do The big lesson she learnt from her father. If you have children, the most important message you can give them, so that they are a success in their lives The importance of finding mentors and networking with the very best If you are running an Instagram page you need to do this ONE THING to make it work for you AND SO MUCH MORE.

It’s a delight this month to listen to the founder of a Champions League dental practice in the beautiful Lake District - Neil Cooper has been a friend and a client of both of us for many years. Here, we delve into Neil’s childhood fascination with how things work and an early dedication to a career in dentistry, based on his experiences as a child patient. Following Neil to school, university, early days as a VT and associate, we then discover what happened when he caught the Ownership bug and used a unique approach to become co-purchaser of an antiquated practice on Kendal High Street. It’s now a 7-surgery clinic with a brilliant team, providing the highest complexity of dentistry. Throughout his career, Neil has always responded to the phrase “that will never work here”, with a determination to prove the critics wrong. As you listen, you will also hear about Bex Cooper and the contribution she has made to the development of the business since the pandemic. It’s a fantastic story about a fantastic practice created by lovely people - you will be inspired.

An interview with Dengro CEO - Neil Stephen   Listeners - if you think this month’s podcast is an advert for Dengro - think again.   CEO Neil Stephen has a fascinating CV, including starting and selling a number of international tech businesses over the years, as well as running The London Olympic Beach Volleyball competition in 2012.   He “gets” business and speaks with the authority of having worn all the t-shirts in business development over the years.   In our conversation we discuss:   Why a fascination for building teams led him into the tech sector; His previous life in business and how he ended up as CEO of Britain’s most popular Dental CRM company; Top tips for start ups - whether tech or dental; More top tips when you come to sell your business and when (and when not) to take on investors; Probably the clearest explanation of the benefits of CRM that you will ever hear; Crossing the implementation gap - how to get your team to buy into and start using new technology; What’s coming - where A.I and telecoms innovation are going to take CRM and dental practice management over the next three years.   This conversation is a cracker - line this up for a commute, a dog walk or wherever you enjoy your podcasts the most - and prepare to be educated and entertained by a true business leader.

This week we interviewed David Taylor, an ex Dale Carnegie International Master Trainer & Leadership Trainer, who shares the benefits of developing a Monthly Action Plan. Many Dental Practices report that finding the right people, retaining them and the paying their true worth challenging, this concept can help in all three areas and can make the Dental Practice a much more productive and a happier environment On this podcast you will discover; What is an 'Action Monthly Plan' and the benefits it brings to the Dental Practice  How to conduct an accountability meeting with your team Hear some example of how it raises the performance of your team and how they get really excited about being part of something bigger How to have challenging conversations with your team and associates without creating a toxic atmosphere The Wall flower concept and how it changed the direction of Chris, Ashley and Dave's career for the better and how you can have the same impact with your team Recite of Paddi Lunds 8 non negotiables in his Practice  New Recruits-How to have a 'Expectations Contract' right at the start and the benefits it brings to the Dental Practice'  AND SO MUCH MORE 

If you walk round Manchester city centre, you will often see the above statement, ' WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY HERE'  which glorifys Manchester's achievements in the world and why Mancuncians are different. We have tweaked the above statement slightly for our guest today and you will see why when you listen to the interview.  Born in Glasgow, Lawrence decided to take some time out to travel the world and then visited Sydney 11 years ago to do some dentistry for several months. He ended up staying and now Lawrence is partner in Spa Dental  Dentist in Sydney CBD | Spa Dental Sydney CBD and three other Practices around Sydney. He is in the top five producers of Invisalign in the whole of Australia and as you listen to Lawrence you will clearly see how obsessive he is about the 'Patient Journey' and how they stand out from a very crowded market place. Have a pen and note pad to make lots of notes, this interview is full of gems.  You will discover;  How his practice and his team obsess about customer service  You will understand his philosophy behind the refurbishment. of Spa Dental, to make it completely different to any other DP The absolute mission of giving the patient a completely different experience to any other dental practices  How the practice gets five start google reviews and how they educate the patient  on what to write. Google reviews you need 150 of them before you get on the start line The steps to the perfect patient journey and consultation  How most of the work has been done before the patient has even visited the practice  'The hidden camera' you will have to wait to the very end to hear about this strategy  The super associate what it means  Instagram - how to make it a success

On never giving up (and how to run your business in 60 minutes a month) an interview with Dr Mike Hughes of Deintyddfa Na-Nóg Dental & Implant Team in Bangor, North Wales   We begin our new podcasting year with a story of courage and resilience that has led to the creation of an award-winning specialist referral practice in Gwynedd, even though some local councillors and planning officers did their level best to stop the project before it started.   Mike Hughes shares his history with us - qualifying as a reluctant dentist second time around in Cardiff and then moving on to develop his passion for MaxFax.   After his mentor sold to corporate, Mike continued in that environment for 14 years until his hunger for independence led him to identify a site in a beautiful business park, where his vision was to create a leading specialist led referral centre, a vision that started as a chalk drawing on his driveway.   Local planners thought otherwise and he made BBC news headlines back in 2021, when he eventually won his battle for the right to open.   The clinic passed the £1m turnover mark in its first year and has gone on to even greater success. All without even having a website!   In our conversation you will learn:   how to grow a 4-chair practice in 2250 sq feet of office space; how to open in 3 months after acquiring the building how to attract over 400 new complex referral patients in your first year; how terrible Chris Barrow is at Welsh pronunciation! the three biggest tips for anyone stepping on to the ownership ladder in 2024; how Mike runs his business in 60 minutes a month.

In our final podcast of 2023, there is no guest, instead,  we share our highs and lows of 2023 and also why we are so excited about dentistry in 2024.   In the interview we discuss;   Our highs of 2023 both personally and professionally  Chris's calendar management system - how he plans out his year, often several months ahead; How and why he takes 12 weeks vacation every year  Ashley's announcement - he is finally taking a short sabbatical  Why are they both excited about 2024 in Dentistry    AND MUCH MORE 

Our guest for this month's podcast is dental technician Ashley Byrne - Owner Byrne Dental Laboratory, one of the largest and most advanced in the UK and now part of the European Corus Group.   In the first part of our interview, Ashley reviews the opportunity in digital workflow: The sheer magic of IOS; Why using intra-oral scanners can save time, increase staff retention/morale and engage patents in their oral health to an extent never before seen. We also discuss how important it is to advance along the adoption cycle and embrace every aspect of technology - Ashley even shares his “latest” innovation, using augmented reality in dentistry. Part 2 of our podcast looks at his leadership skills with a team of over 50 people: How to get your team to 5th gear; The “no blame culture” and the £4,000 mistake; Why he cooks 180 rashers of bacon on a Sunday evening.   It’s a fun session and totally inspirational - do yourself a favour and listen now.

S conversation with Lis Hughes - Managing Director - FTA   It’s not often that we get the chance to listen to an industry expert sharing with us her view of the dental landscape since lockdown to the present - and beyond.   Lis arrived at Frank Taylor Associates in 2008 to deliver some consultancy work - and has stayed there ever since, describing the company as a great place to work with nice people.   During our conversation we discuss topics that will be of interest to all existing Owners and equally those who aspire to buy a practice:   The current challenges we face deal flow goodwill values recruitment & retention corporate consolidation white space high interest rates The most important question any potential buyer must ask Why an NHS/private mix represents a good buying opportunity Ideas to maximise the attractiveness of your practice if you want to sell How to get the bank to say “Yes” to funding your purchase Why you need to start talking 2 years before you sell or buy Why a dental plan can make your practice look more attractive to the bank Why flexible UDAs have changed the landscape What we need to do to make NHS delivery more attractive to associates The real due diligence - affordability The next 12 months - opportunity knocks

In this latest episode of 'Two Reds are Better than One' Chris and Ashley interview Peter Thomson.    Peter shares many strategies from his latest book 'Paid'    Peter Thomson has been in business for over 51 years and he has been in the Personal Development world for 30 years. He has written 15 books, and produced over a 100 business programmes. This episode was a true masterclass in communication, sales and making sure you get richly rewarded for the value you bring to your patients.    We strongly advise you listen to this podcast twice and make notes, there are some wonderful quotes that will change the way you think and behave.    In this episode, you will discover: The difference between Transactional and Relationship Clients  The real reason (s) why dentists undercharge  Why only a small percentage of clients buy on price  What a client can judge when they do business with you and how it relates to what fees you charge  Why you should learn 'how to sell and then not sell' That sales takes place in the gathering stage  The 'Contrast Strategy' and its importance before you discuss your fees How writing a book can transform your positioning in the market- place The two bowls, customer service and reward. To get richly rewarded it is what you put in the customer service bowl and you will hear examples One simple strategy to keep your patients for over 40 years    AND SO MUCH MORE.

We asked Claire Nightingale to return as a guest and share with us the pains and pleasure of both buying and selling an orthodontic practice.   This interview will help any dentist (specialist or general) who is interested in embarkation (or disembarkation) from Ownership.   Claire’s first attempt at Ownership was a painful failure and she explains why - and equally why it was another 9 years before she acquired her own business.   In part 1 we talk about that slow journey into Ownership.   In part 2 the challenges of growing a business from “pen and paper” to digital.   In part 3 the necessity to plan your exit a long way in advance.   In part 4 the story of her sale to Dentex - and the mountain climb that is due diligence.   In part 5 the journey into a happy corporate ownership.   Along the way we will hear about family challenges, leading by change, how and asset can turn into a liability in a split second, how to break the news to the team, mop buckets, leases, currency exchange and missing shareholders.   Strap yourself in and get ready for a tour de force.   Listen now via the player below or your favourite podcast streaming service.

Ashley and I have known and worked with Gareth and Amanda Small at Helens Bay Dental Practice for so many years that Eddie remembers us as part of their dinner conversation when he and his sister Emily came home from school.   Emily is now a dental therapist working in Dubai and Eddie is a dentist who commutes between London and Helens Bay (just outside Belfast) on a weekly basis.   In this conversation, we trace Eddie’s life so far (one of our youngest ever guests) from thinking about dentistry at the age of 6, becoming more interested in his parent’s work from age 11 and deciding on a dental qualification as soon as his GCSE’s were completed.   Then to the University of Manchester (great choice Eddie) and happy years during which he was expertly mentored by Professor Siobhan Barry and also met numerous people from whom and with whom he learned.   Eddie became Co-President of the Undergraduate Society and helped to chair their annual conference post-Covid.   From this time he also recalls a training course attended with his father over in the Czech Republic with Dr. Josef Kunkela - a course at which he met the presenter’s son and others of his own age group - all attending with parents - a fraternity that inspired him to do more.   Key words for Eddie are “passion”, “learning”, “innovation”.   After graduation he worked as a Foundation Dentist in Sunningdale, Berkshire and has many happy memories of that time to share.   As stated, he now splits his time between England and Northern Ireland and frequently introduces digital workflow ideas to his parents, who remain totally open-minded to every suggestion promoted.   This is a success story - about dentistry, family and dedication.   We think you should share the podcast with others who either have children or parents who may be inspired.   Eddie also kindly offers to answer direct questions confidentially - you can reach him at eddy9570@gmail.com

Have you ever considered what a new patient enquiry is worth to your practice?   If a patient is interested in some cosmetic treatments, for example short term orthodontics, bonding, teeth whitening, or implants, each telephone call could be potentially worth thousands of pounds. If a patient is enquiring about just becoming a patient and they join your membership plan, over a ten-year relationship, then they could easily spend several thousands of pounds with you. This is becoming increasingly important as patients are often shopping around, and some of them are enquiring about NHS services.   Therefore, it would be safe to say that the Reception Team are some of the most important members of your team, they are often dealing with thousands of pounds worth of opportunities every day and they could make, or break whether a patient visits your practice, or your competitors down the road.   In this episode Chris and Ashley along with Enrica Latter, Ashley's daughter, explore this topic in detail. Enrica who works in a top end Private Dental Practice in Manchester as a TCO, made a dozen mystery telephone calls to Practices throughout the UK and what she discovered was alarming.   In this podcast you will discover;   Why your Front of House Team/Receptionists are the most important team members within the Dental Practice; Why they should be called 'Managing Director of First Impressions'; The skills and traits of someone who is dynamic on the telephone and how employing from outside the industry can be advantageous; What Enrica discovered after making all these calls and the five big take-aways from the exercise; What not to do if a patient is enquiring about NHS, when you can only see the patient on a private basis; The incredible offer made by Ashley Latter for those who are serious about making progress in this area, including free training places on his courses.   AND MUCH MORE

One of the biggest challenges Owners and Practice Managers face is creating a highly motivated team that performs at a top level all of the time. A culture in which everyone loves coming to work to do their best, and in which they know they can reach their full potential.  A culture that very few practices manage to achieve.  Marina and Michael Chan have succeeded within their stunning Dental Practice, Iconic Dentistry & Medispa in Perth in Western Australia.  Not only is the interior of the Practice beautiful, including a self-playing piano in the reception area, creating a surreal atmosphere, that patients love to come to and often travel long distances to visit. Ashley recently delivered an In House Two Day Ethical Sales & Communication Programme for their whole Practice and over lunch, one of their team members commented about the culture and said "It does not get any greener than here" and that is how this interview came about. In this interview, Ashley and Chris grill both Marina and Michael, to understand what they do every day to create such a wonderful culture.  You will discover, Where the Chan's got their inspiration for the decor of their Practice How thinking about their team is a daily obsession  What is the moist important asset in their office The importance of the 'Morning Huddle' and a precise description of what happens at 07:45 every morning The four days of training and retreats that take place every year for the whole team, what goes on and why  The whole teams obsession with constantly improving and reaching their full potential How the Chans have created an environment where every voice is heard and new ideas are created How they recruit and what are the most important things they look for in new people The one attribute each team member must bring into work every day, absolutely no compromise here. And much more. This is one of the longest interviews the 'Two Reds"' have facilitated, ensure you have a pen and paper to write down the many ideas you will get from listening.

On this month’s podcast we welcome the former owner of Queen's Gate Orthodontics (South Kensington), Dr. Claire Nightingale - now a part of the Dentex family of practices.   We begin by reminiscing that Chris first heard Claire speak at the 2019 BOS annual conference and, thus inspired, he asked for an interview for his own clients in January 2020.   Claire shared her commitment to digital workflow and virtual consultation, little realising that, just a few weeks later, we would be plunged into lockdown and that, on the return to work, her new business practices would accelerate the growth of her business.   Best Practice UK, Dentistry Awards, 2020. Most Transformed Practice, UK and I Invisalign Awards, 2022 Best Digital Practice, London, Highly Commended, Private Dentistry Awards, 2022 Best Principal, London and South East, Private Dentistry Awards, 2022   As well as being inspired by Claire’s enthusiasm and energy, you will learn:   Why Claire became an orthodontist; Why it is important to start any business venture with your exit strategy in mind; Top tips for selling your business, both before, during and after the sales process; The massive benefits of digitisation and of Dental Monitoring; How working smarter and not harder creates The Nirvana Graph The Four Pillars of Claire’s success Turning negatives into positives; Being resilient; Offering world class customer care; Building your business through word of mouth.   Claire is a power-house of passion, determination and focus - and if 1% of it rubs off on you, your time will have been well spent.

In this month’s podcast we interview Chris Ball - Co-Founder of a super-successful private squat in Preston, Lancashire - Dentistry by Cure Clinics.   For anyone considering future practice ownership, anyone who has purchased or opened a clinic in the last few years - and for anybody who may have “lost their mojo” - this conversation is a must.   Chris shares with us his personal life story and also a detailed account of the planning and execution of the squat opening in May 2022.   By the way - the business has been a huge success story with record sales, full surgeries and they have had to close down the recruitment page on their website BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING TOO MANY JOB APPLICANTS.   You’ll learn that Chris is a local lad to Preston, grew up in a family that instilled his work ethic, discovered dentistry as a trauma patient and managed to get into dental school on his third attempt.   We will discover why the phrase “luck is the meeting place of opportunity and preparation” is to relevant to the circumstances in which the concept was born - a conversation with his Pharmacist brother at Christmas 2021, that led to the plans for and creation of the clinic.   In this podcast you will also hear:   The communication rules for a successful family business; How the clinic manages to stay open for business 7 days a week; The story of the pre-registration campaign that had thousands of potential new patients asking for information before the doors opened; The marketing campaign that had a film crew arriving to create a news-piece for The lancashire Evening Post; The chance encounter in a Cornwall restaurant that resulted in the appointment of their Patient-Experience Coordinator; How best to avoid burn out; What next for Cure Clinics?   Chris Ball will inspire you and remind you that with a combination of careful preparation, collaboration, core values and future-thinking, anything is possible.