Podcasts about dental practice heroes podcast

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes continues his conversation with Dr. Paul Etchison, host of the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and owner of a thriving group practice. They dive into the unavoidable drama of running a dental office, the psychology behind why people create conflict, and how leadership plays a crucial role in managing team dynamics.  Paul shares a real-life example of a team dispute, the lessons learned from it, and why proactive management is key to a smooth-running practice. They also discuss associate onboarding, the importance of personality in hiring, and the systems that keep a multi-doctor practice thriving. EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.dentalpracticeheroes.com/dsi https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

Paul Etchison, D.D.S. is the author of two books on dental practice management, a dental coach, the owner of a $6 million group practice in the south suburbs of Chicago, and the host of the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast. This week, the Dental Amigos host Dr. Etchison and they discuss strategies for growing and expanding your practice. Through creative planning and scheduling, a practice owner can increase new patient flow and spend less time doing practical dentistry and more time running the business. Dr. Etchison offers strategies for building a team that an owner can trust to run his/her practice in the same way that the owner would run the practice. From bringing on the first associate dentist to delegating responsibilities to empower owners to focus on elements of practice ownership that they enjoy, Dr. Etchison coaches his clients to grow professionally, financially, and personally. Listeners who are interested in Dr. Etchison's coaching can schedule a call with his team at dentalpracticeheroes.com. Stream the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Check out his books, Dental Practice Hero: From Ordinary Practice to Extraordinary Experience and Dental Practice Hero II: The Sequel: How a 3 Day Work Week Can Give You the Life You Want. You can connect with Dr. Etchison on Instagram at @dr.pauletchison, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Listeners who want to reach out to Paul can do so at Paul@DentalNachos.com and those who want to reach out to Rob can do so at Rob@RMontgomery-Law.com. ‍

Can communication issues ruin your dental practice? Discover how mastering difficult conversations can transform your team dynamics and elevate your office culture. In this episode of Dental Practice Heroes, I share a powerful framework for addressing team problems head-on, featuring a real-life incident with a chronically late employee from my own practice. By understanding the motives, behavior, and impact behind team conflicts, you'll learn the essential skills to address issues promptly and maintain a cohesive, high-performing team.Text us your feedback!Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com the DPH Hero Collective will teach you how to work less days, make more money, and achieve the life/work balance you've always wanted by giving you a scaleble business, instead of a job.You will get: ✓Comprehensive Training to level up your team and practice✓Live Monthly Webinars to make sure you are moving forward✓Live Question and Answer Sessions to get you help when you need it✓A Community of practice owners to support and cheer you on✓System and Protocol Documents to Edit, to standardize your operations And Remember, we are actual dentists! At DPH, we don't coach you on anything we haven't personally accomplished ourselves. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more.

Unlock the secrets to achieving a near-perfect AR in your dental practice with insights from our expert guests, Dr. Steve Markowitz and Dr. Henry Ernst. Learn how to consistently track key metrics like AR days and aging claims to maintain a high collection rate. Our guests emphasize the importance of distinguishing between patient payments and insurance claims, and share actionable tips on collecting payments before procedures begin. With practical advice on training your front desk staff and the value of systematic processes, this episode is your ultimate guide to ensuring your practice gets paid for the services you provide.Text us your feedback!Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com the DPH Hero Collective will teach you how to work less days, make more money, and achieve the life/work balance you've always wanted by giving you a scaleble business, instead of a job.You will get: ✓Comprehensive Training to level up your team and practice✓Live Monthly Webinars to make sure you are moving forward✓Live Question and Answer Sessions to get you help when you need it✓A Community of practice owners to support and cheer you on✓System and Protocol Documents to Edit, to standardize your operations And Remember, we are actual dentists! At DPH, we don't coach you on anything we haven't personally accomplished ourselves. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more.

Thinking about expanding your dental practice by adding associates? Discover the crucial factors that determine the right timing and strategy to effectively integrate new team members with insights from Dr. Ben Kacos of Shreveport Dental Solutions. We uncover the common pitfalls practice owners face, whether it's bringing on associates too late due to trust issues or burnout, or too early in an attempt to scale prematurely. Learn how to read key indicators, such as the number of periodic exams per month, that signal when it's time to bring on an associate, and why avoiding a scarcity mindset is essential for balanced growth.Text us your feedback! Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com the DPH Hero Collective will teach you how to work less days, make more money, and achieve the life/work balance you've always wanted by giving you a scaleble business, instead of a job.You will get: ✓Comprehensive Training to level up your team and practice✓Live Monthly Webinars to make sure you are moving forward✓Live Question and Answer Sessions to get you help when you need it✓A Community of practice owners to support and cheer you on✓System and Protocol Documents to Edit, to standardize your operations And Remember, we are actual dentists! At DPH, we don't coach you on anything we haven't personally accomplished ourselves. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more.

Unlock the potential of your dental practice with insights from Dr. Todd Snyder, who joins me to share his blueprint for a thriving, systemized clinic. Discover the strategic dance of goal setting and systemization that can transform your practice into a powerhouse of success. Dr. Snyder, a maestro of cosmetic dentistry, brings to the table his rich experience in constructing a profitable, insurance-independent practice, and we delve into the nuanced art of patient communication, branding, and marketing. Whether you're fresh out of dental school or a seasoned practitioner, this episode offers a treasure trove of strategies that are crucial for anyone aiming to elevate their dental game.Imagine running a high-revenue practice that respects your personal time, all while enjoying the journey. I'll share my personal framework for optimizing a dental practice, focusing on the magic of a small but mighty team, and systems that ensure excellence in every facet of the business. We'll discuss the underrated power of nightly team huddles and setting precise, actionable goals that align with the lifestyle you aspire to lead. For those striving for balance, efficiency, and a culture of continual growth, this conversation is your roadmap to a practice that not only thrives in profitability but also provides the ultimate work-life harmony.Wrapping up, we tap into the mystical realm of intuition in dentistry and highlight the invisible forces that guide our professional instincts. Dr. Snyder and I also touch on the wealth of knowledge available through his podcast, 'Delusional: Winning the Weekly War of Dentistry.' Join us as we explore, from the vitality of ethical sales tactics to the nuanced strategies of patient engagement, how to become the luminous 'sun' in the digital 'sky' of dentistry. This episode isn't just a listen; it's an investment in the future of your dental practice.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com Looking for a Dental Specific CPA, Check out www.bullmoosefinancial.com Mention the DPH Podcast and they will waive your $2,000 onboarding fee.DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Ever found yourself trudging into work, lacking that spark you once had? Buckle up, and let Dr. Jeff Buske reignite that fire. Together, we dissect the art of setting meaningful goals in dentistry, discussing the sheer transformative power of new technologies in patient care and team motivation. Jeff shares a pivotal moment from his career, offering insights into how a critical change in perspective can lead to renewed zeal for the practice. We also tackle the intricacies of strategic planning and the impact of setting audacious goals, not just in our clinics but in our personal lives—from fostering deeper relationships to enhancing physical fitness.Feel like you're juggling too many balls with work, family, and leadership responsibilities? You're not alone, and this conversation takes a deep dive into the reality of finding balance. By embracing authenticity and establishing high standards, we can create a culture that reflects our integrity and personal truths. We touch on the journey from learning to leadership, exploring how the Limitless Dentist Academy can be a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Plus, get an insider's look at how setting clear, actionable standards can simplify decision-making and lead to a more enjoyable work environment.Wrapping up, we put a spotlight on the power of strong practice culture, and share strategies for maintaining that energy throughout the year. From tackling the demands of family life to the personal satisfaction of conquering a fitness challenge, we cover it all. And for a dose of inspiration, you'll hear a heartfelt appreciation for the authenticity that permeates every aspect of our profession, from the dental chair to the conference stage. Don't miss the profound insights and personal anecdotes that can help reshape your practice and life, all in this exhilarating episode. For more information about taking your surgical training to the next level, check out Colorado Surgical Institute or text 970-420-6148 and ask for Chris Richards. Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com LISTENER SURVEY!!! please go to my website at www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to fill out a listener survey and let me know what you like!DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Unlock the secrets to mastering tooth extractions and navigating the complex world of endodontics with none other than Dr. Aaron Nicholas, the esteemed founder of Monday Morning Dentistry, as he returns to our podcast for a riveting third conversation. Together, we delve into Aaron's live patient extraction course, sharing our collective experiences and the undeniable importance of hands-on learning for dental professionals. As we reminisce about our mission trip adventures and the gratitude of patients in third-world countries, you'll gain an intimate understanding of the challenges and rewards that come with providing essential dental care in less-than-ideal conditions.Say goodbye to the days of "specialty prison" with our enlightening discussion on the delicate balance of in-house dental treatments versus referrals. I open up about my personal evolution in performing extractions, shedding light on the subtleties of technique over brute force—a revelation that promises to change your approach to oral surgery. And as Aaron and I swap stories, we'll guide you through the complexities of practice management, from the art of scheduling to empowering your staff through targeted training—all aimed at elevating the patient experience and streamlining your dental practice's operations.Ending on a note of personal and professional growth, this episode isn't just about teeth—it's a treasure trove of wisdom for life. Aaron leaves us with literary gems and priceless advice for practice owners, while I share a tidbit of analogy magic that will transform how you explain procedures to patients. Together, we celebrate the journey of continual learning in dentistry and life, wrapping up with a promise to reconvene and unpack even more topics. So, tune in and join us on this enlightening odyssey as we navigate the intricacies of dental care and beyond.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary:On our newest episode of DPH Clinical, where we discuss the world of advanced dental surgery with Dr. Dan Briskie and Dr. Taher Dhoon from the Colorado Surgical Institute. This episode takes us on a journey from humorous anecdotes to the technical depths of pterogoid implants, offering a unique blend of entertainment and education. Discover the challenges and intricacies of incorporating pterogoid implants into full-arch restorations, the evolution of surgical skills, and a sneak peek into the upcoming CSI June course.Key Takeaways:Pterogoid Implants: An essential adjunct in the full-arch restoration game, offering solutions when traditional implants might not suffice.Surgical Skill Evolution: The journey from basic implantology to advanced procedures like pterogoid and zygomatic implants, emphasizing the importance of experience, tactile sensation, and continuous learning.Why You Should Listen:Whether you're a seasoned surgeon or an aspiring dental student, this episode offers valuable insights into advanced dental procedures, highlighting the importance of continuous education and skill development in the ever-evolving field of dental surgery. Learn about the complexities of advanced implantology in a way that's both informative and accessible.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary:In this episode of the DPH Hot Seat, Dr. Paul Etchison and Dr. Henry Ernst dive deep with their guest who shares his journey from an associate to practice ownership. With a focus on navigating the complexities of running a dental business, especially in a fee-for-service model, this episode is packed with actionable advice for dentists at any stage of their career.Key Takeaways:Transitioning from Associate to Owner: Our guest discusses his leap from being an associate in a DSO to owning a practice, highlighting the challenges and learning curves associated with understanding the business side of dentistry.Growth Strategies for New Practices: The episode explores strategies for practice growth, including marketing, staff retention, and expanding services.Navigating Fee-for-Service Models: Insights into managing a fee-for-service practice, including patient acquisition, insurance considerations, and setting the practice apart in a competitive market.Community Engagement and Marketing: Practical tips on how to increase patient base through community engagement, effective marketing, and leveraging unique selling propositions like sedation dentistry.Why You Should Listen:This episode is a must-listen for dentists who are considering the transition to practice ownership or are looking for ways to grow their existing practice. It provides a real-world perspective on the challenges and opportunities of running a dental practice, with a special focus on fee-for-service models. Whether you're grappling with the decision to accept insurance, looking to increase your patient base, or simply seeking inspiration to innovate within your practice, you'll find valuable insights and encouragement from our guests journey and the expert advice of Dr. Etchison and Dr. Ernst.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

In this episode of the Dental Business Mentors podcast, Dr. Etch and Dr. Justin Bhullar discuss the critical question of how much dentists should be investing in their practices, particularly during the growth phase. Whether you're considering significant purchases for your office or figuring out how to best allocate your budget for growth, this episode offers valuable insights into investment strategies for dental practices, highlighting the importance of marketing, technology, and continuous learning.Key Takeaways:Investment Strategies: Discover why reinvesting in your practice is key to growth and how to determine the right amount for you.Marketing Insights: Learn about the crucial role of marketing in expanding your patient base and why consistent, long-term investment in marketing pays off.Balancing Technology and Education: Understand the importance of prioritizing investments in technology versus investing in your clinical skills and services.Financial Wisdom: Get advice on balancing the need to reinvest in your practice with maintaining personal financial health.Why You Should Listen:This episode is essential listening for dentists at any career stage, especially those in their practice's growth phase. Dr. Etch and Dr. Justin Bhullar offer deep insights into the financial aspects of running a dental office, providing actionable advice on balancing personal income needs with the desire to reinvest for practice growth. They challenge common misconceptions about spending on new technologies versus marketing and share perspectives on financial management both inside and outside the practice.Listeners will gain a clearer understanding of strategic investment in their practice, ensuring sustainable growth while keeping personal finances healthy. Whether considering a significant technology purchase like a cone beam or looking to enhance marketing efforts, this episode delivers the knowledge and motivation needed to make informed decisions.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary:Navigating Patient Consultations: Learn how to effectively communicate complex dental procedures to patients, ensuring they understand and feel comfortable with their treatment plans.Case Acceptance: Discover techniques to boost case acceptance rates by addressing patient concerns with empathy and authority.Advancements in Dental Procedures: Get a closer look at how technological advancements have simplified dental implants and bone grafting, making procedures faster, less invasive, and more successful.Overcoming Speech and Eating Challenges: Insights into managing patient expectations and adaptations post-procedure, especially concerning speech changes and eating habits.Building a Supportive Practice Culture: The importance of creating a positive and engaging work environment for your team, fostering growth, and ensuring patient satisfaction.Key Takeaways:Effective patient communication is key to demystifying dental procedures and increasing case acceptance.Technological advancements in dentistry are not just changing the way procedures are performed; they're significantly improving patient outcomes and experiences.Addressing potential post-procedure challenges, such as speech and eating difficulties, can prepare patients for a smoother recovery process.A strong practice culture that values continuous learning and team engagement is essential for long-term success and patient satisfaction.Why They Should Listen: Whether you're aiming to improve your case acceptance rates, navigate the complexities of patient consultations with greater ease, or foster a more positive and productive practice environment, Dr. Etch, Dr. Dhoon, and Dr. Briskie provide valuable perspectives and strategies that can be immediately applied to your practice.DPH CoachingOperational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth.Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively.Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success.Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance.Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn moreVisit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary:In this solo episode of the Dental Practice Heroes podcast, Dr. Paul Etchison dives deep into the transformative journey of a dental practice from disorganization and low profitability to a thriving, systematized powerhouse. Through a real-life case study, Dr. Etchison shares invaluable insights on leadership, team culture, and the importance of internal systems over external factors like insurance dependencies.Key Takeaways:Innovative Patient Follow-Up: Discover how Dr. Doug Warfell's video call system enhances patient care and saves time, setting a new standard for post-op communication.Leadership Through Change: Learn how embracing change and confronting challenges head-on can lead to significant growth and a more fulfilling practice environment.Systematization Over Insurance Dependence: Understand why focusing on internal systems, culture, and patient care offers a more sustainable path to profitability than solely focusing on insurance adjustments.The Power of Positive Team Culture: Hear how transforming team culture and aligning practice policies with your vision can lead to unprecedented success and satisfaction for both patients and staff.Why You Should Listen:If you're a dental professional seeking to elevate your practice, this episode is a must-listen. Dr. Etchison not only shares a compelling success story but also provides practical strategies for overcoming common obstacles in dental practice management. Whether you're struggling with team dynamics, profitability, or patient engagement, this episode offers a roadmap to achieving a practice that not only meets but exceeds your aspirations.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary:In this episode, Dr. Paul Etchison is joined by Dr. Rob Ritter, a general dentist and practice owner from Jupiter, Florida. Dr. Ritter shares his journey from nearly leaving dentistry to transforming his practice into a CE-driven, cosmetic, and adhesive dentistry powerhouse. They discuss the importance of implementing high-level restorative skills learned from CE, the evolution of Dr. Ritter's practice, and the critical role of leadership in creating a patient-centric experience.About Dr. Rob Ritter:Dr. Rob Ritter is not just a dentist; he's a visionary in the dental field. With 30 years of experience, he has transformed his practice into a model of excellence in cosmetic and adhesive dentistry. Dr. Ritter is also the creator of the Protocol course, which focuses on helping dentists implement advanced restorative techniques in their practices.Key Takeaways:The Importance of CE Implementation: Dr. Ritter emphasizes the gap between learning advanced techniques in continuing education and actually applying them in practice. His Protocol course is designed to bridge this gap.Leadership and Practice Culture: Leadership is pivotal in guiding the team and shaping the patient experience. Dr. Ritter shares insights into creating a practice culture that stands out and delivers unparalleled patient care.Adapting and Evolving: The dental practice landscape is constantly changing. Dr. Ritter discusses the need for dentists to adapt, whether it's embracing new technologies or considering new business models like DSOs.Mentorship and Continuous Learning: The journey of a dentist is one of lifelong learning. Dr. Ritter stresses the importance of having mentors and being open to evolving one's practice and skills over time.Why You Should Listen:This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for any dentist looking to elevate their practice, enhance patient care, and navigate the complexities of the dental profession with grace and success. Dr. Ritter's journey and insights offer valuable lessons on growth, adaptation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in dentistry.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary: "Navigating Productivity in Dental Practice: Insights and Strategies"In this episode of Dental Business Mentors, Dr. Etch and Dr. Justin Bhullar dive deep into the concept of productivity within the dental practice, they explore what it means to be productive, both for individual dentists and their teams. The conversation spans the practicalities of setting and achieving production goals, the role of personality in productivity, and the impact of external pressures on performance.Key Takeaways:Defining Good Productivity: Good productivity varies by individual and practice but should at least cover the break-even point. Beyond that, it's about personal goals and aspirations.The Role of Personality in Productivity: Personality significantly influences a dentist's pace and productivity. While skills and knowledge are crucial, the innate drive to be productive plays a pivotal role.Importance of Same-Day Treatment: One of the most straightforward strategies to boost productivity is to maximize same-day treatments. This approach requires a keen eye for diagnosing and seizing opportunities within the existing schedule.External Pressures as Catalysts for Change: Personal and professional pressures, such as family responsibilities or practice ownership, can significantly motivate dentists to enhance their productivity.Why You Should Listen:This episode offers a comprehensive look at productivity from the lens of experienced dental professionals. Whether you're a practice owner questioning your or your associates' productivity levels or a dentist looking to optimize your practice operations, Dr. Etch and Dr. Justin provide valuable insights and actionable strategies. Their discussion sheds light on the multifaceted nature of productivity, emphasizing the importance of personal drive, efficient scheduling, and the willingness to embrace same-day treatments. Moreover, their exploration of how external pressures can influence productivity levels offers a nuanced understanding of what drives performance in the dental industry.DPH CoachingOperational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth.Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively.Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success.Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance.Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.coMention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Episode Summary:In this solo episode of the Dental Practice Heroes podcast, Dr. Paul Etchison shares his personal journey and the lessons learned on building rapport with patients to increase case acceptance. From his early days as an enthusiastic new dentist to his realization of the importance of non-verbal communication and deep, meaningful conversations, Dr. Etch shares actionable strategies for dentists to connect with their patients on a deeper level. He also discusses the significance of posture, eye contact, and hand gestures in making a lasting first impression and the power of asking questions to engage patients effectively.Key Takeaways:Building Rapport is Key: The importance of establishing a connection with patients before diving into dental needs.Non-Verbal Communication Matters: How posture, eye contact, and hand gestures can significantly impact patient perception and trust.The Art of Conversation: Strategies for engaging patients in meaningful conversations to understand their needs and concerns better.Learning from Literature: Insights from "Captivate" by Vanessa Van Edwards and "Six Conversations" by Heather Holliman on improving communication skills.Practical Tips for Practice: Dr. Etch shares personal anecdotes and lessons on how to enhance patient consultations and increase treatment acceptance.Why You Should Listen:This episode is a must-listen for dentists and dental professionals looking to refine their patient communication skills and build stronger relationships with their patients. Dr. Etchison's relatable storytelling, combined with practical advice from his experiences and recommended readings, provides listeners with a comprehensive guide to making every patient feel valued and understood. Whether you're struggling with case acceptance or looking to improve your patient interactions, this episode offers valuable insights into making a positive impact on your practice and patient care.Mention the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and get your first month free at www.relevanceonlinemarketing.com DPH Coaching Operational Excellence: Strategies to streamline practice operations for efficiency and growth. Team Building and Leadership: Techniques to build a cohesive team and lead effectively. Financial Management: Guidance on managing the financial aspects of a dental practice for long-term success. Personal Development: Coaching on personal growth to enhance professional performance. Visit www.dentalpracticeheroes.com to Learn more Visit www.ColoradoSurgicalInstitute.com for more information about CE courses and get 10% off as a DPH listener!

Don't miss out on our upcoming live office hours on December 14th, 9:30 a.m. PST/12:30 p.m. EST, where we will delve into the tactics of ground marketing to Trader Joe's. You do NOT need to be a member of our ground marketing course to join, and this session will offer exclusive insights into scripts and strategies, plus a chance to interact directly with me. Click here to register and take your marketing game to the next level! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0rbNohCiRHO18qnwGUE6Hg#/registration‍Guest: Paul EtchisonBusiness Name: Dental Practice HeroesCheck out Paul's Media:Website: https://dentalpracticeheroes.com/Dental Practice Heroes Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dental-practice-heroes-podcast/id1315253777DPH OmniPractice Total Team Success Program: https://www.dentalpracticeheroes.com/offers/925o3Jgr/checkoutOther DPH Courses: https://dph.mykajabi.com/‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Companies/Software: KajabiTrainualTrader Joe'sUdemy Leadership Course ‍People/Communities: Amy C. Edmondson - Harvard University‍Podcast Episodes:300: DR. PAUL ETCHISON | NELSON RIDGE FAMILY DENTALMMM [INTERNAL MARKETING] SMALL DETAILS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TEAM COMMUNICATION"WHAT IS 1 THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW BEFORE YOU OPENED YOUR START-UP/ ACQUISITION?"455: DR. PAUL ETCHISON | ACHIEVING PEACE OF MIND: EMBRACING DELEGATION FOR A HARMONIOUS DENTAL TEAM‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍‍What You'll Learn in This Episode:How to establish truly effective leadership within a dental practice.Strategies for managing your team effectively and efficiently.The importance of creating a psychologically safe and healthy working environment for your team.How to delegate roles and responsibilities that best suit your team members.Implementing effective communication systems to foster seamless workflows.The first steps to transitioning responsibilities to your team for better office management.Dr. Etchison's experience in specializing in only projects he loves and becoming a visionary for his practice.Learn how you can apply these strategies, regardless of the size or nature of your dental practice.Please 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.‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)Michael: All right. It's time to talk with our featured guest, Dr. Paul Etcheson. How's it going, Paul? Paul: Hey, it's going good, man. How you doing? Michael: Doing pretty good, man. You're, uh, this is, you've been on Monday Morning Marketing episodes and then we've also dived deep when you had your practice, right? Yeah, yeah. So, right now, remind me, how long has it been since you've...Been in Paul: practice ownership. So I have been in practice ownership since 2012 and in 2018, we expanded from five to 11 ops and then 2020 in December, that's when I partnered up with a DSO. I'm just wrapping up my third, my three year contract. It's over. And then I'm free, but I mean, the thing is I'm not leaving.I'm not planning on leaving. So that's pretty irrelevant when I think about it. But yeah, that's, that's the whole like short, brief summary of it. Michael: Yeah. Why aren't you Paul: leaving? Cause I like it. when, when I partnered up, I was like, man, I got to get out of here. I got to find something else to do.Maybe I'll be a fireman. I don't know. And through this whole process in the past three years, man, it's, uh, I've really just realized how much I do like being part of the team now. I don't like being there five days a week. I'm there about six days a month and I have a team that runs everything, but I'm just like the visionary.I'm the, I'm out of the noise. I'm out of the day to day. And I do get to do like my. Ortho, I do band and bracket on kids. I still like doing that, but I've had like I had one period where I took like five weeks off and it wasn't supposed to be five weeks. I got COVID right at the end of a three week vacation and I didn't like it and it was like, wow, like I feel really drained.I feel like I need to leave the house. I feel like I need a reason to go somewhere. I mean, I was going to, I was going grocery shopping when we just went grocery shopping just to go somewhere, you know? Yeah. I was like, well, this bread, this bread is probably going to expire in like maybe 10 more days. We should probably have some for those, you know, it was weird, man.It was, uh. I just noticed it. I, I just noticed, man, I don't, I'm not feeling the greatest about this. And when I went back to work after that, I was like, gosh, I really missed all you guys. This is great. I'm so happy to be back. So I, I do want it as part of my life. I don't want to leave it completely. I had to realize that through going through this process, but, um, I'm not ready and I'm never going to go back to like five days a week.I'm just not going to do that. Michael: So then looking back, do you think you could have done that? Just work somehow minimized it on your own to three, two days a week or something still been profitable, but Paul: good question. Yeah. Because you know, a lot of people say like, do you regret selling? Do you, you know, do you wish that you still had your baby and it was still all yours?Because I've sold 85 percent at this point. I will say. Through that process, I've, since I sold, I kind of backed off. I let my leads do a lot more and it was kind of part of it. I was more comfortable letting them do more because I was saying, well, dude, I only own 15 percent now, you know, it shouldn't be, I shouldn't, I don't have as much writing on it.So go ahead, do whatever you guys want. And what I realized is they were great at it it's been running better with them than it runs with me, you know? And I think that's one of the things I've kind of rolled into my coaching now with, with teams is that I had this epiphany that gosh, like your practice can grow and run so much better if you have teams running it.Um, now would I still have sold? Yeah, I'm still happy. I sold, I still got a whole bunch of capital. It's all invested into different assets and a bunch of real estate. And I've, I've reached a point where I can kind of chill and just do whatever I want because I want to do it. And I'm happy for that. So I am glad that I sold, but could I have had this kind of de stressed practice lifestyle?For sure. I think, um, I could have had this de stress, uh, just this, what I have now, and maybe I wouldn't have sold. I don't know. It's hard to say, but I'd have no regrets about doing it.Michael: Is the decisions that like decision fatigue, you're like, Oh my God, too many. I just don't want the weight of all these decisions because technically they're still looking for you at you for Paul: leadership, right? Yeah, yeah, there's, I mean, still to some extent, they're, they're pretty good leaders there and I've established a good team. I would say what bothered me, and this might be a personal thing, I know a lot of dentists go through this, so I know I'm not alone on this, is that I was trying so hard to make this an incredible place to work. And I really wanted to be, in my heart, I really do care about that, I want it to be a great place to work, I want people to love the job and love being there.And I think through seeing patients and trying to manage everything. I was just really overwhelmed with the amount of time and my lack of time to do so. And then when people would come with, come to me and say, Hey, like, you know, we got to do something about it. So I mean, the front desk is going, we really got to redo this front desk.It's just, it's just a mess up there. I would almost internalize that as. You are unappreciative of all the work I do. Like, why don't you appreciate I'm doing my best here and you're telling me it's not good enough. And it was just like constant frustration of giving all of myself to this practice, but at the same time having people still be upset.And I think there was a mindset shift that I had to make that I said, well, you know what, instead of them being completely 100 percent happy with the practice, they just have to be content. And I have 40 plus team members. There is no way they are all going to love it and just be like, this is the best place ever.100 percent of the time, 100 percent of them, it's just not possible. So I think I had unrealistic expectations there. But as I employed my leadership team and they started handling these interpersonal things, it just kind of the weight lifted and I didn't hear about these things anymore. And I have a clinical lead.And she has been my assistant for like, man, almost 12 years now, almost the whole practice lifetime. And she's the one who handles all this stuff now. If somebody's complaining and it got to the point where like, I check in with her, she'd be like, Hey, this happened. Do you want to hear about it?And I'd be like, if you don't want to tell me, I'm cool. She's like, I got it under control. Don't worry about it. And she doesn't really tell me. I mean, not that I'm in the dark, but I, I like how in the dark I am. I mean, she, she let somebody go like three weeks ago and she just shot me a text for like a blessing.Hey, cool. You cool. If I fire this person, I barely know that person go, you know, it was a new assistant and she was there for like maybe five weeks and it just like, it wasn't working out. So she let her go. I don't even have to do that anymore. I don't hire, I don't fire. People, I walk into practice, I see new faces.I say, hello. And I'm just doing like big vision stuff. Like we just dropped Delta. That's like our thing. We're, we're going out of insurance this year. So that's our big thing for this year, it's a good place to be. And, and yes, did I need to sell to a DSO to do it? No, not at all. And that's kind of what I'm teaching to my coaching clients is like, Hey, this is how you do it, because I wish I would have done it before I sold to a DSO.I mean, I owned this practice for nine years before I sold. it could have been a lot different nine years. So overall, Michael: you kind of don't wish that you sold. You wish you kind of, uh, worked on it on your own or what? Paul: No, no, no. I I'm still happy. I sold because I got the capital and I got it. I got a really great deal for my practice, you know, and it's to invest in the company that has bought my idea, bought my practice or partnered up with me.Like I just, I got so much for it. I don't know if I would have waited five years, if I still would've got what I got. I mean, as you know, private equity in dentistry right now is very, very hot. And this might be something like era that we look back in 20 years and be like, man, remember when that happened?Yeah. So I just didn't want, I didn't want to miss it. I'm not saying that it's going away. I don't know, but who knows, man, I, I'm really happy with the amount of God. And it's, it's gotten me to a point where just kind of can do whatever I want now. And I'm doing the things that I want because I want to.But there was also that period of in between like, wow, you can do whatever you want because you want to, what the hell do you want to do? and it kind of took me a little bit to kind of figure that out. Michael: you sign an NDA or anything like that? Or could you give us like a range of how much you Paul: got?Or I don't know if I could give you a range. I could get, yeah, they probably wouldn't want me to talk about it. Okay. Don't Michael: worry. You're like zero to 10 Paul: million. Okay. Yeah. We can go, we go zero to 10 million. I didn't get 10 million. Michael: Okay. Got you. Got you. Got you. But, but it was a good one. That was a good mouth. Yeah. Gotcha. Okay, man. So rewind a little bit. you talked about how now your team runs your practice. I mean, I think that's the dream for everybody, right? Like what you're making right now. So what are the first steps to making my team run my practice? I'm listening to this episode. Yeah. Day one. I'd love to get there.Can you give me the first steps to create this system? Paul: For sure. I think the, I mean, the first steps of any practices is we're trying to get it systematized. We're trying to get it organized. So we've got to start with checklist. That's like number one. So got to look at checklists, got to like just basic checklists, like.What do we do when we close? What do we do when we open? What do we do weekly, monthly, annually, like just making sure that everything that needs to get done is getting done. it's a whole process of systematizing your practice. But now, now that I have these leads. And this leadership team, what I realized is that they've created a lot of these systems without me now.So when I first opened the practice, and I first was doing this before I had the leadership team, it was kind of a slow process, even though in retrospect it felt like it was happening fast. Now, like, I'll look at things and I say, how do you, how do you guys do this? Show me. And I'm like, who came up with this?This is fantastic. And they're like, oh, we did. but I would say the first process is seeing who the leaders are on your team. And I have an office manager. I have a hygiene lead. I have my clinical lead, who is also my assistant lead, and then I have a front desk lead. So I have four people on my leadership team.I don't think everybody needs that many people, because I think if you have maybe 10, 12 people, you can pull it off like that. But sometimes smaller offices, I mean, if you've got seven employees, you can't make three leads. You know, it's, that's just like half the team's not lead to have the team as a lead, but it's picking who are, who the people are.And it's being really clear on the expectations of what you want them to do. And hopefully you're picking the right people. These are not people. These are not your best all star performers. Like, um, I don't want to say that my, my clinical is not my best assistant. She's fantastic. But she was not like my primary assistant, you know, she was, but she was the one who really was able to take things and run with it.She was really confident in herself. She was great with talking with people and she was a really good leader. So you got to find those people that want to take on more responsibility and they need to look at it from a way. And I've seen this happen in some of my coaching clients offices is they assign the leads and the people are like, I don't want to be the lead anymore.And they're like, well, why? Like it's just too much extra work and one of the things I realized when we had some issues with the leads you've got to give them scheduled time to work on their duties. Because when we started it, we said, okay, you know, you don't get a cancellation.You're in between patients. You could work on this stuff and you could sit down and talk with the other assistants and you could train them and find out what they need help with. And you could do like performance reviews and all this stuff. And the fact of the matter is, is when it's in between patients, when you get a cancellation, people aren't like, okay, cool.Cancellation. Let me work on this other stuff. They just want to chill sometimes, you know, we were running so much, they just want to like, you know, talk with their team members, talk with people they work with and just get to catch up and stuff. So that causes overwhelm is because we don't have time to do it.So you need to schedule time for these people to do it. And that's why I told every, every single person, like, I don't want to be the lead. I'm like, just try this. You've gotta do this. 'cause I always tell people I need to do it. But then, you know, dentist just don't listen. They don't , they don't like to listen.And I'm like, I'm telling you, you need to schedule time. They're like, no, no. Well, we'll just, we we're pretty slow a lot of time. Okay, cool, whatever. And um, as soon as you schedule 'em like maybe four hours a week to go in an office, shut a door and just work on stuff, they get it done. And they love that day.They all wake up that day and they go, man, this cool, this is the day I'm just in the office. This is awesome. Even, even when you make 'em try to do stuff in between patients. You might as well not have them at all. They're not doing it. They're just not going to do it. So if you want help in your practice from the leadership team, and you want to build a leadership team, you've got to find the right people, you got to pick the right people, and you've got to make sure that they have time, but then you also need to sit in front of your team and designate what is this relationship that you have with them?Because it's going to be hard for them to be almost like a boss to the people they've already worked with. And, and I'm saying like my leads. are kind of a boss to people that we've worked with that used to be their, their equals. Cause we've got a lot of long term team members and that relationship is okay.But I had to designate this like, Hey, they aren't, I am still your boss. You know, they are, they are for communication and they're for like, you know, training and stuff. They're here to help you. They're here to support you. This is what I want the leads to do. This is the person I'm going to go to, but I want to change something versus going to everybody.But I will tell you that the people that come into the practice now that are hired by the lead, that that's their only point of contact, they barely even talk to me. That's their boss and that's a completely different relationship than what they have from the people that they were in the same level with, but the people that they were on the same level with, and now there's the lead, they do respect them.So it's, it's, I think it's because you had to, you have to, as a leader, designate what is the role and what does this mean for everybody? You know, are we taking orders from five people now? What am I doing? You know, so, so pick the people, give them time to do it and designate with the team what exactly this means.And it's something that's just going to evolve over time for you. It's going to like, I didn't have my leads hiring right off the get go. It was just one day I was like, Hey, like these two people aren't getting along. I mean, can you handle it? They're like, yeah, I can handle it. You want, do you want me to help?Nah, I got it. And then it's like, do you ever think you could like call on these people, these resumes and just see if you like them? Yeah, sure. What do you want me to do? Call them. See if you like them. If you like them, get them in for a working interview. And then if you want to hire him, send it to me.And then it got to, Hey, if you want to hire him, here's your budget, figure out what to pay him, you know, and then, and then it was just like, you don't like him, do you feel comfortable firing him? Okay, cool. Off you go. And, um, you slowly give them more and more things, but what's cool about it is at first they're kind of like hesitant.And then when they start seeing that they, they, it's almost like they get confidence in their abilities. And they're like, I can do this. Yeah. I can do anything. I got this. And people just love that role. So when I hear someone say, I don't want to be the lead, it's too much work. I'm like, we're doing it wrong.They should love being the lead. It's an awesome place to be. It's a great place of autonomy, creativity. You get to be a big role in the practice. You get to make big decisions and how things change and everybody should like to do it, but you got to give them time to do it so they don't get overwhelmed.So I think that's, that's the biggest thing. Michael: Gotcha. Okay. So then you want to, and I like how you said, give them scheduled time to work on their duty. So one is you want to pick the right people, right? And then to schedule the time, this scheduled time is for them to work on their craft or is it scheduled time for specifically what?Like Paul: if it was front office. It's like office time. I mean, so like, for instance, like front office would be, this might be time for this person to give some one on one training. Some more one on one training to somebody that needs it. It might be time to do a performance review. It might be time to sit down and maybe come up with agenda for a team meeting that's coming up.You know, just whatever we're, whatever we're transitioning or whatever new things we're implementing, this is time to work on this. Get a system in writing so that we can present it to the whole team. It's not for, hey, I gotta get caught up on these insurance checks. Man, am I so behind on these insurance checks.Cause I mean, that's another thing that's happened to my front desk lead. Is we were like, why is this front desk like so crazy? Like what is going on? Like, and like, what are you doing in your lead time? It was like, I'm getting caught up. So then we were like, we gotta get, we gotta teach someone else how to do these insurance checks.Cause this, my lead was doing this. So we got that off her plate and it's been great. It gives her time. I said, I don't, I don't care if you're sitting behind somebody and just listening to the front desk. I need this place needs to be managed and you need time to manage it. And that needs needs to be time that you're not working with a patient or doing some other tasks.So it's just their time to be elite. Michael: Gotcha. So you schedule the time for them to be elite. You get specific, but you also specify the leads to everybody, right? Who's the leads and things and what their role is. And then the leads create systems. So would you say like, Hey guys, once a month, I need you to make me a protocol or system on something you're working on Paul: we used to have lead meetings with me and my four leads, we would do it every other week. Now we do it once a month. But we'll have a team meeting that's two hours long, and usually that's like 10 15 minutes of me talking about how things are going, trying to provide some little inspiration, a little gratitude, appreciation for what we've been doing.And then we break into departments. If you want to know what to work on at a practice, ask your team. I mean, they, they know exactly where the pain points are. So they'll break off and all the hygienists will go in one room and all the assistants in another room. It's like, Hey guys, what's going on? What do we need to work on?What's not working? And then that is where you find out where you come up with like a system or protocol. So it is a, it is a whole team collaboration. It is, for instance, say the assistantly talking down to the assistants and saying, Hey, this is something to happen.We go up to the front desk. Sometimes we walk up with a patient and nobody looks up and we don't know where to go. And it's awkward. we don't know, like, is there, is, can we designate, and this is what they came up with. Can we designate a priority of the four chairs at our front desk that this is the person that always gets gone to first?If they're not available, we go to this person, if they're not available, you go to this person. So we came up with that, and then we bought these little tap lights that change from red to green. And they just sit on the little desk next to the person. And if for some reason there's not a patient there, but they're still finishing something up, typing something into a computer, or like doing some correspondence to a patient, they tap the light that's red.So that person's priority is taken, you go to the next person. And that was completely come up by my assistant and, uh, and the team. So it's just like, they're just, you give them the autonomy to just invent and come up with solutions and it's awesome. I mean, you'd be amazed that when, whenever you drop the ball on a patient or whenever something goes wrong at your practice, that's the opportunity to create a system.And if you've got a leadership team to help you do it, you don't have to do it alone. And now you have somebody that's in on the front lines, that's working there. That understands that position a lot more than you. So it's, it just works on so many Michael: levels. Gotcha. Now, why did it go from every other week to a month, your meetings?Paul: So and that's why I tell everybody just about meetings. How often should we meet? I don't know. We were meeting every other week, or every, yeah, twice a month, and it was getting a little stale. We just felt like we didn't have a lot to talk about. So we're like, hey, what do you guys think? Things are running pretty smooth.What do you think about us going down to every, once a month? And that's been fine for now. Um, there was a time where we were doing some front desk training. We were doing phone skills training. And we were doing it, like, where we have two shifts. We have a night shift and a morning shift. So the morning shift would stay late.We'd meet with them, and the night shift would come in early. And we'd meet with them and go through phone calls. And we did that weekly for six, seven weeks. And then you just feel it at a certain point. We're like, okay, I think we've got this. Start flipping through phone calls as a team. And you're saying, I can't find much to critique here.These sound fantastic. You know, okay, we're good. let's just stop. And we stopped the meeting. And then at one point in the future, and when we listen to a phone call, if we start hearing a lot of, um, bad phone calls again, we're going to start meeting again. So you just play it by ear. So you'll just feel, nobody wants to go to meetings that are unproductive and boring.So if your meetings are being unproductive and boring, because there's not a lot to talk about, you might be meeting too much. Michael: Yeah. I like that, man. I like that a lot because a lot of the times we get so like, uh, I guess, It's dogmatic about like, we got to meet every week, like if not then, I mean? And then we get more of a, like, ah, we got to, but if it's a seasonal where it's like, Hey, this is a, it's, it's bad.We should be meeting about this stuff often. Right. So it can like get into, burn into their brain. That's good. So then I guess that kind of leads my next question. Like what if the leads say like every, everything's fine. Everything's good. I can't think of a system. I can't, month two comes around. Yeah. I can't think of a system.Like everything looks good. Are they like looking or Paul: how can we be sure? I would find that hard to believe that everything's ever good. There's always, there's always something. If, if my lead was saying that to me, I would say, when's the last time you did one on ones with your department? You know, that's what I would ask.When was the last time you did some one on one meetings with everybody in your department? Because, uh, do a round of one on ones with your team. You know, if you don't have a leadership team, sit down with everybody this week. You're gonna find stuff. It's never going to be everything's fine. They might say when you ask them. Everything's good. Yeah. Yeah, keep probing Everything is not fine. And I like the question when I asked when I used to do one on ones I used to ask people what is something that frustrates you when you're working here? No, I like it. Everything's great. Everything's great Well, there's got to be something we all get frustrated something.No, I don't care how minor it is What is something that frustrates you? and Everybody can always come up with something and then you can there's always truth to it It's just like when that crazy patient complains, we all want to dismiss it. We say, Oh, they're crazy. We don't care about them, but there is always truth to every complaint.If it comes from a crazy person, or if it's just a minor complaint from somebody on your team, there is some truth there that could be addressed. And that complaint is a gift that we should take and create something with it. So, um, there will never be a point that everything is good. I mean, things are running smooth right now.My practice, we haven't had a whole lot going on. Um, big stuff at least, but there's always stuff going on and there's always things that improve on. I could show you system after system and protocol after protocol. And I think our office is one of the greatest offices in the world. And I really do believe that, but we dropped the ball all the time.We have humans on our team and they make mistakes and they have bad days and sometimes they're tired and sometimes they're in a bad mood. Things happen. We are human. And that's okay. Like, we offer everybody grace. We understand that. But there is never a point where you will ever have a practice that is free of issues, stress, or problems.But you can just reduce them as much as possible and use them to make your practice a better place to be. And if that is the core of your being, that that's what you want for your team, a really nice place to work, it makes it easy to have, and it's a pretty, it's a nice, um, it's a great why. It's a really great why to kind of motivate you to really take this, this avenue and put on this hat for your practice.So. and it's, it's good for everybody. It's good for the patients. You know, when everybody's happy at work, the patients get taken care of really well. It's good for the community. It's, it's good for patients that are happy and tell more friends and family about you because now you're going to help more people.So it's really all coincides with your mission. If your mission is to help as many people as possible, all these things Michael: matter. Yeah, no, yeah. A hundred percent. Now, what would you recommend if like. We're starting out, and it's just me, front, one front office, one assistant. But we want to have this in place because we can see a vision, like, I would love, for whatever Paul's telling me right now, like, to have my team take over, I would love that.How can we start? Paul: So, I mean, with just two people, that'd be, that'd be a pretty small leadership team. Because your leadership team is your normal team, I guess. But I think when, I tell people for small offices, it's time for an office manager. You know, that's, that's the first one to do. And it needs to be an office manager that's not working at the front desk.And they go, what do they do? Well, they're gonna do your payroll. They're gonna do the 4 0 1 K reconciliation. They're gonna do all the credit card reconciliations at the end of the month. They're gonna be working through the ar. Just checking on all these things that you're checking on. 'cause you don't necessarily need a leadership team when you're a smaller office, but I do suggest that you, you don't need to be the only leader at the office.And it's just one of those things that. It's a matter of having somebody and you give them that title, you put them in that role, and you, and you tell them what to do and you get help. You're getting help growing this practice. Now, and I will say my leads were all my leads. Every single one of them was not my first person I hired in that position.They have been with me a long time, but they were not, you know, and if anyone's wondering how we did this, cause we were probably a team of. 16 to 18, when we incorporated this lead structure, we had everyone do ranked ballots. So where you would vote for who you want the lead to be, who your first choice is, your second choice and your third choice.And it was all anonymous. And then I took them home and counted them and everybody voted the way that I would have picked. And I don't know what I would did if they didn't, because I had the ballots at my house and I don't think I could have, I could have did whatever I want with that election.Um, But I didn't have to, I, I, I, I was able to not have to make the decision because they did pick the right people. And so I think your team knows who it is, but that's how we did it. Cause I didn't want anyone to think I was playing favorites. I wanted the team to play their favorites. And thankfully the, the team had the same favorites as me, I guess it's just worked out.Yeah. I Michael: like that. I like that the rank balance. So, okay. So that's how we kind of want to start it off as right. But we want to already start giving like, um, I guess the sense of authority to the people that we, we feel could be leads. Because I feel if we hired a front office and we're like, man, they're great at accounting, they're great at this.And then our assistant's great at that. What should we ask ourselves to be like, but are they a good, or are they not a good Paul: lead? Well, it's, it's, it's hard because like we always want to put the person in the leadership position. That's our best employee, our best front desk employee. Our best assistant, our best hygienist and, um, I mean, I'm not going to pick who's my best is, but I would say they're not always there's a different set of skills that is required for leadership and it's more of the soft skills.It's more of the personality and it's more of, um, if I had to look at my leadership structure now and say, who are the best ones? It is the people that are comfortable getting out of their comfort zone and having a weird conversation, having a difficult conversation. They're not afraid to go to somebody and say, Hey, I got to, I kind of got to talk to you about something, you know, can we go into the office?I got to talk to you about something that's going on and, and, um, yes, people have been telling me this. I want to hear your side of it. What's going on. People that can sort through conflict and you want to like hope that most people have these skills and they don't and that's like with one like I was mentioned like my program that I have that's like part of it like is.Part of my, I have this program coming. I'm just going to spend it. Can I just talk about it now? It's going to run it is like, so I got a seven month program. It's called the omni practice total team success program. And what this is, is what we do. We we've helped the doctor pick their leads and we help them take to that transition and then it's all online contents that is slowly leaked out to fully systematize the practice.So the first month is pick your leads, doctor. And then we bring the whole team into it. Now the team's looking at like, okay, the leadership team is watching leadership videos. How do I manage people? How do I, how do I engage people in conflict? How do I embrace and inspire people with a vision? So that they're getting that leadership and management training that first month.While the other team members, they're starting to kind of work on things like what is a brand? What is a touch point? Why does everything we do matter? And we take it through this, the whole office through this course, and there's scheduled things and assignments in our hope to get this office completely systematized and running with the leadership within seven months.And within that there is coaching. So I'm having monthly calls with the doctor. Every one of my leads is having a monthly call with the person on the, the, the client's leadership team. And it's been awesome, man. It's just been a game changer for these offices that are doing it right now. We've just rolled it out like three months ago.We're only like, we're getting on our third month now, but man, it's cool to see the changes. It's, it's just when you bring in the team, that's when things change. And that's what I noticed because I was doing coaching for about four years. I had a client that said, Hey man, can my hygiene lead just talk to your hygiene lead?I'm like, of course. And then it was like, do you mind if my front desk lead talks to your front desk lead? Yeah. And the office manager talking. And he's just like, I can't believe how helpful these calls are with your team. Cause one of the things that like my team does when they talk to other people, they can't believe how much my team does.And they're like, this is great. Like, yeah, I want to do that. But you do the hiring and the firing, like, wait, what did you build? This is so cool. And it's, it's a lot different coming from somebody who's in that same position versus me telling another doctor, Hey, you should have your leads do this. And then they go to their lead and say, Hey, my Dr.Edgerton says his lead does this. You should do it. Can you do this? That's what you're supposed to be doing. It's just a completely different way of motivation and implementation. That's it. It was like, it was a game changer for that one client. That's why we created this program. But yeah, it's like I was saying is people don't have that leadership skills.They just, they don't have it in doctors. We don't have it a lot of times either. So it's, it's a game changer to give this to your team and, and my team has picked it up for me, but now that they're, my team leads are part of this program, they've watched these videos. They're like, these are great. Thank Man, why didn't we ever talk about this?I'm like, we did, we talk about it all the time. They're like, no, no, not like this. And I'm like, well, okay. Well, I'm glad it, I'm glad it was beneficial. I kind of wish we would have done this earlier with you guys, you know, it's just training, man. It's just like, can we optimize every area of this practice?And make everything the best it can be. And all it takes is a little intentionality and a little bit of time. But that's, that's the, that's the challenge. Is we don't have the time. Or we don't make the time. We don't think it's valuable time. And, and when we shut down our practice and do these things.Officers, doctors say, Well, ah man, we just risked out on 3, 000 of production by shutting down. You know, they, they think of the negative and the opportunity cost. They don't think about what are you gaining. And I assure you, you're gaining way more value when you shut down your practice. And have some dedicated time.Try to get your team to come in on a Saturday when they're supposed to be off. Yeah. Good luck with that. They don't want to do that. They're not going to bring their best self to that meeting. You know, it's gotta be when they're scheduled time. So, yeah, that was right. But that's answering your question.Yeah. That's, uh, I don't even remember what the question Michael: was. No, no, no, it's good to you, Michael. It's, uh, when they're, I guess when they're like, you know, kind of dropping the ball, but it's hard to find, I think, cause you mentioned, uh, you want to find people who can sort through conflict, leads. because sometimes we don't know how it is, if that person would be a good leader, they're just a good employee.Right. At the very beginning. Um, but sometimes I feel it's hard to find people who can sort through conflict because sometimes I feel like I'm thinking, are you someone who wants to sort through the conflict and you were, Hey, tell me why you got fired. Or are you just wanting to know the gossip? Like you just want the drama.You're like, Hey, why did they fire you? What's going on? Right. Like kind of thing. Right. Right. So. I guess, would it take more leadership training? On the owner to, to like know about themselves to be like, okay, uh, how can I make sure I do a good hire? Paul: Yeah, absolutely. And I think what's really worked out in my practice as well is it's like the, the team is going to model the leader and my leads are going to model me as a leader.So And I feel like I've always just kind of set a good example. Naturally, I've been very engaged in leadership training, leadership books, and just things like that stuff online. And Udemy is a great course. That's had got some good stuff on there. There's, there's so many cool things that you could do for like leadership training, but, um, if you don't have it yourself, it's going to be hard to get it in your team.It's gonna be hard to recognize it. And I think like, just to give you like a nugget, like the big one for me is safety is, is, and I'm not talking about physical safety, like, and your team needs to feel safe, like psychologically, they need to feel that they can screw things up. They need to feel that they can come to you and ask you for help.They need to feel that they can come to you and let you know when things aren't working out or things are going wrong or somebody's doing something. And they need to know that when they tell you that you're not going to get defensive and you're not going to make them feel guilty. You're not going to shame them.You're not going to criticize them. You're going to be like, Oh, I thank you for, thank you for sharing that for me. That probably was a little hard to share. And that I think is a huge thing in man. I would say so many people just completely screw that up. We want to be the boss that we were taught on TV and growing up, how the boss is supposed to be.And it's the big fat cat in the, in the chair with his feet up Boston, everywhere on telling people what to do. And that's not how good leadership works. It's about a collaboration. It's about leading with everybody. And it's not about scolding people, and, and that's leadership by intimidation, and that doesn't work.You'll get the bare minimum out of your people if that's the way you lead, if they are scared of you. there's just certain things, like, if, if you have this open line of communication and your team feels safe. They will come to you and let you know what the problems are. And when you have a team member that's like, I'm getting really frustrated with this, nothing is, nothing is changing.I think I'm going to go look for a new, new job. They don't ever get to that point. Because when they're frustrated, they come and let you know about it. And they, they don't have a reason to leave your practice. Now, am I saying I don't have any turnover? I absolutely do. Yeah, I'm just like everybody else.But I, we, we keep good team members. And there's been a number of times where somebody has, I've done this one on one. I said, Hey, tell me what frustrates you. I say, have you ever thought of quitting? Is I just curious. I feel this from you. I feel its vibe. I can feel its energy that like you're not liking being here and people have been like, yeah, I have been.It's weird that you noticed that. Tell me about that. Tell me more about that. And they tell you about it. And one, you now have a certain something that you have to fix something. You need to come up with a solution for, but to this person now feels validated and heard and appreciated. And wow, this person cares about me and my wellbeing.I mean, if you don't want your team members to leave, that's the way you need to lead. If you don't want them to leave. it's a lot and it starts at the top, just like everything. The doctor needs to be the first one to be trained. So everybody needs it. Everybody needs it. I mean, it's not just for work.It's for life. These are life skills. These are not just work stuff. Yeah. Michael: No. Yeah. You know what, Paul? I never thought about that when it came to safety. How, like, you got to be okay with it because I feel like we were always, you know, we Just in general, in school, everywhere, we're always brought up to like, never disappoint, right?Like, never disappoint, you gotta get the good stuff, like, all the time and everything like that. And so when you did, remember you'd like, go home and your report card was like, CCD or whatever, right? Maybe like an F or whatever, and you're like, how can I forge my parents signature, right? Like, you're like, how can I escape this?So you're thinking that. I feel like throughout the whole process, especially when you're an employee and even when you're an owner to your employees, I feel like that you're like, I don't want this point, but I got to look like a leader, but you're really just looking like a boss. You know what I mean?Instead of a leader, like you said, interesting. So that's what it would be called safety. They have to feel safer than that. Paul: It's a, it's an idea from Harvard business, uh, maybe psychologist. I don't know what she's doing. Her name's Amy Edmondson. She's the one who coined that.And she got that from, she did a study on hospitals. And they looked at like really well communicating teams and really poor communicating teams. And they said, which one of these teams is going to have more adverse events at the hospital, meaning Which one's going to give the wrong medication and give the wrong dosage to a patient.They're like, well, it's got to be the poor communicating team. It's definitely going to be that. It ended up being the better communicating team that made more mistakes. And like, whoa, what's that about? That is not what we thought was going to happen. And then they dug into it deeper and it wasn't. It was the bad team that was making more mistakes, but they weren't reporting them.They were hiding them. Because they weren't safe to report. And there was no safety in making a mistake. It was not, let's learn from this. It was, you're in big trouble. So they didn't tell anybody. The Michael: bad communication team, or? Paul: Yeah, so it was the bad communication team that actually made more mistakes.But in the study, they just weren't reporting them. They didn't feel safe to report them. So they came back and they, she came back and did some more studies and more surveys and stuff. And that's what they found out. They're like, oh my gosh. this is all about safety. They don't feel safe admitting to the failures.So it's because of the leadership. It's because of the dynamic created on this team. So that she wrote a whole book about it. It's really interesting. Michael: Yeah. So then how can we like, I guess, mention that to our team at the very beginning, like you got hired on like. Without telling them like, yeah, make a ton of mistakes.It's cool. You know, but like, Hey, it's okay to make. Yeah. How would you say that? Paul: That's something I do with my team. I do. We have, we have onboarding videos that do it now, but I used to sit down with everybody. I said, Hey, this is my, this is what I want you to know about me in this practice. I do understand that everybody is human and we all make mistakes.I want you to 100 percent always be comfortable telling me if you make a mistake, if you need some more training, if there's something you're not understanding, or if you're seeing somebody do something that you think I should know about. I want you to feel comfortable telling me about it and the only way that we can do that is we, we have this mantra here and we call it grace over guilt is that something goes wrong.You drop the ball on a patient. I don't care who did it. I don't care how it happened. Okay, this happened guys. What do you guys think? What can we do so this doesn't happen again? We are not shaming that person because if you shame that person. You're not going to find out about it and you're never going to be able to address it.So we always just say grace over guilt. And that's hard sometimes, especially when, um, somebody is coming after you as a leader telling it's you, Hey, you, this is your fault. You got to go. Yeah, you're right. You know what it is. Even if deep down in your heart, you're like, this is not my fault. You, you gotta, you gotta look at how you respond because psychological safety, it's, it's a lot like, It's like trust in a relationship, you know, you can break that in one dumb mistake.You can break that trust, years of trust that you built and same thing with psychological safety. You could blow up on a team member or get really, really critical and really make them feel bad. And you just broke that whole thing. They are never going to share with you ever again. Because you now have made it unsafe and when the team is unsafe, the only way to stay safe in that kind of environment is just to be quiet.And that's the whole thing with quiet with when people are quiet, we don't know because it's silence. It's an invisible act. We don't see it. And it's one of those things that it's just somebody comes and quits and you're like, wow, I can't believe they quit. They're like my best team member. Why did you quit?And then they say, I don't know. I just might, I just ready for something new or just, I think I need less hours because they're not going to tell you the truth. You've trained them not to because you, the way that you've approached them as a leadership, as a leadership style. So it's, that's the problem is you miss out on all that collaboration, all that good stuff that can come out of your practice, because you're getting upset and mad with people with their decisions.And what I see in most offices, man, people will get mad at their teams for doing things, not the right way. They have never designated what the right way is. They have never made a system or protocol around it, yet they're upset. You know, should I address this with a team member? I can't believe he or she did this.And I always say to them, I say, well, what's the way they're supposed to do it? Well, I think they should do it like this. I'm like, well, do they know that? Yeah, everybody knows that. Well, how do they know that? Have you ever like put in a document? Have you ever trained? Have you ever talked about it? No. Do you think I should do that?Yeah. I do. I think you should do that before you, before you start getting critical of their performance. Why don't you just, why don't you make the rules, make the rules of the game before you're telling somebody they're losing at it. we don't do that. We expect everyone to know what we know and do everything in our way.And that's just our natural human perspective that we think everybody thinks like us and has the same values as us. And I think part of getting older and becoming wiser as you realize that we're all different and that's cool. We can all be different. Michael: Yeah. Uh, sure, man. And our memories. All right. You can tell him like, yeah, I told him to do that three years ago.And you're like, you sure? I think so. Like, you know, I don't even remember, like, how can I remember it kind of thing, you know? Interesting. So real quick, if you can, man, break, I know you did already, but break down to us your program that you have, or this, it's a whole Paul: training course. Yeah. So it's a seven month training course where we've, we've come up away with me and my leads.How can we implement this in somebody's office? And this is for, um, if you have a larger, I'm saying larger office, if you've got a team that's large enough for a few leads, it's a great program for you. If it's something where you've got a really small team, we do have a program that's just, there's no coaching involved.It's still got all the videos. You still get to have all these different, there's eight different tracks for different positions in the office. Um, that would be like doctor associate, the four leads, the office manager. And front desk hygienist and leaving somebody out assistance them. We didn't forget you guys.We like you assistance. there's eight different tracks, but every month. There's a set of videos to watch, there's some worksheets, and there's assignments. And I can just tell you, like, for the first month, it's all about leads, it's leadership for the doctor, let's decide your lead system, let's talk about your goals, let's figure out where you're going long term.Second month, the team comes in, and we're talking about how do we stay on time, how do we implement this scheduling protocol that I like to do, it's called block scheduling, it works great, everybody can follow it, and it makes nice, easy days that are produc

On today's episode, we have a compelling collaboration between two business-savvy dental experts: Dr. Mark Costes, founder of the Dental Success Institute and host of the Dentalpreneur Podcast, and Dr. Paul Etchison, the author of "Dental Practice Hero" and creator of the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast. Hosted by Dr. Alan Mead, the owner of Mead Family Dental in Saginaw, MI, and host of the Very Dental Podcast Network, this episode delves into the dynamic world of Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) and their evolving role in dentistry. Dr. Mark Costes and Dr. Paul Etchison possess an unparalleled understanding of the dental business landscape, and their willingness to generously share their knowledge sets them apart. In this thought-provoking conversation, they discuss the current state of DSOs, a topic that has gained significant traction in the dental community in recent years. Some of the intriguing questions explored in this wide-ranging discussion include: What exactly is a Dental Service Organization (DSO)? How are DSOs evolving and reshaping the dental practice market? Why do DSOs continue to consolidate in the dental space? What makes dentistry an attractive investment for private equity firms, serving as a hedge against riskier ventures? What types of dental practices and practitioners are DSOs most interested in? How has the level of student debt affected DSOs and the consolidation of the dental market? Can clinical excellence be effectively incorporated into a DSO model? Are DSOs more drawn to specialty groups, and which specialties are particularly appealing? Will DSOs extend their reach to rural areas, and what implications might this have? Before diving into the engaging conversation, Dr. Alan Mead thoughtfully provides definitions of key terms such as DSO, EBITA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, and Amortization), same store growth, private equity (PE), and recapitalization. This ensures that all listeners can fully grasp the depth of the discussion. Don't miss this captivating episode where these knowledgeable dental experts provide valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of DSOs, as they discuss how this transformative concept continues to shape dentistry. EPISODE RESOURCES https://dentalpracticeheroes.com https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

Dentistry is a business. No matter how much I want to separate myself from that, it just is. Two people whose business acumen I respect a LOT also happen to be dental podcasters. Today I'm joined by Dr. Mark Costes of the Dental Success Institute and the Dentalpreneur Podcast and Dr. Paul Etchison, author of "Dental Practice Hero" and creator of the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast. These guys understand business in a way that most do not. But what I like about them is how freely they give away their knowledge. I brought them together to talk about the state of DSOs in dentistry. Even in the short time that DSOs have been a common topic (which I figure is less than 10 years) the concept has continued to evolve as well as consolidate the dental practice market. Mark and Paul have thoughts...and you get to hear them all in a wide ranging conversation: What is a DSO? How are DSOs evolving? Why are DSOs continuing to consolidate in the dental space? Dentistry is a stable industry for private equity to invest in and is used as a hedge against more risky investments. What kind of dental practices are DSOs interested in? What kind of practices and practitioners are DSOs starting to become less interested in? What's the difference between "multiple practices" and a DSO (Dental Service Organization?) How have current levels of student debt affected DSOs and the consolidation of the dental market? Can clinical excellence really be "baked in" to a DSO model? Are DSOs more attracted to specialty groups? What types of specialties are more attractive? Less attractive? Will DSOs move to rural areas? Mark and Paul use quite a few terms that you might not be 100% familiar with. I had heard them kicked around, but before the conversation starts, I list a couple definitions that you might find helpful: DSO: Simply put, DSO stands for Dental Service Organization. A DSO is a company that helps administer the business aspects (management, marketing and business administration) of the dental practice. EBITA: EBITA stands for "Earnings Before Interest, Taxes and Amoritization." It is a measure of profitability that a potential investor can use to evaluate a potential company or practice. It's used help make "apples to apples" comparisons between potential investments. EBITA is calculated from financial data reported by a company. Many DSOs valuate dental practices as a multiple of their EBITA. same store growth (or same store sales): a measure of growth used by a DSO to know how well an individual practice within the DSO is doing. A DSO will want to know how well the individual practice is doing vs. the entire DSOs growth. The idea is to invest in a practice that has potential to grow in it's own location separate from its relationship to the whole DSO. Private equity (or PE): a type of investment where investors buy shares of privately-held businesses. Private equity is the money supply that has driven the DSO revolution in dentistry (and many other industries). Private equity money expects a return on their investment much like any investor would.  Recapitalization (aka: recapitalization event): "the second bite at the apple" according to Mark and Paul. Recapitalization is the restructuring of a company's debt and equity mixture, and/or financing. This is usually done to stabilize a company's capital structure. In the context of a DSO, recapitalization might be the sale of a smaller DSO/group to a larger one and/or the buying out of dental owners. Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

This Episode is Sponsored by: Dandy | The Fully Digital, US-based Dental LabTo check out Dandy's FREE KPI E-Book click here: https://www.meetdandy.com/learning-center/ebooks/dental-industry-kpis/‍For a completely FREE 3Shape Trios 3 scanner & $250 in lab credit click here: https://www.meetdandy.com/affiliate/tdm !‍‍‍Guest: Paul EtchisonBusiness Name: Dental Practice HeroesCheck out Paul's Media:Website: https://dentalpracticeheroes.com/Dental Practice Heroes Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dental-practice-heroes-podcast/id1315253777Dental Practice Hero: From Ordinary Practice to Extraordinary Experience: https://www.amazon.com/Dental-Practice-Hero-Extraordinary-Experience/dp/099978630X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1680206813&sr=1-1Dental Practice Hero II: How a 3 Day Work Week Can Give You the Life You Want: https://www.amazon.com/Dental-Practice-Hero-II-Sequel/dp/1736658972/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1680206741&sr=1-2Dental Business Mentor:  www.dentalbusinessmentor.com‍‍Other Mentions and Links:Dr. Etchison on Episode 300!Dr. Etchison on MMM [INTERNAL MARKETING] SMALL DETAILS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TEAM COMMUNICATION!Delta DentalKeurigMB2Goldman SachsDie With Zero - Bill PerkinsInvisalignThe Top 5 Regrets of the Dying - Bronnie WareThe Four - Scott Galloway‍‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍‍My Key Takeaways:Try giving your team the autonomy to own tasks and you may be surprised at what they're capable of!Never be afraid of you or your team messing up. This is an important part of the process of growing!Seniority is NOT always the best indicator of competency in a role.The meaning behind the task is far more important that what you're doing to complete it.Don't criticize team members for dropping the ball. Work together to find a better way to do things!Try to not be afraid of "doing nothing," as this is essential for recharging your creativity.‍Please 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.‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)Michael: All right. It's time to talk with our featured guests returning guests, Paul Etchison. How's it going, man? Paul: Good. It's going good. Thanks for having me back. I really appreciate it. Michael: No, man. I appreciate it. You've been on the Monday Morning marketing episode, and we're gonna put a link to that in the show notes, but you were also on episode 300 Nelson Ridge Family Dental.Mm-hmm. You just sold right? Paul: Not that long ago. I, well, I sold, yeah, I, I sold to, uh, A D S O about two and a half years ago. So I'm still doing it. I'm still there. I'm still part of it, but my, my part of it is a little bit different now, I guess, than it was in the past, but it's, it's good. I'm, I'm excited for the future and, and I'm coming up on the end of my contract with them, but, um, no intentions on leaving, so I'll be there for long term, which my team is happy to hear.Can we Michael: talk about like, the of that? Like why, how much did you sell for and stuff like that, or no? Paul: Um, no, probably not. Okay. Okay. Then why did you sell? Why did I sell? Um, you know, for me it was coming outta covid. I just like, it was so good. Just not have the practice. I mean, and some people like missed going to work.I didn't miss it at all. I, I mean, I thought I was like really like laid back and I felt like my leads were running a lot of stuff. And then when we shut down for 11 weeks and the practice went away and all the stress went away, it was just like, I just, this weight lifted. And then I, I said when we come back, I'm doing things differently.I, I'm not letting this, I mean, it, it was just like this, realize how much it was in my life, how much it was like taking over like my psyche and just like always occupying my mind. And, and then we came back from Covid and, and we had all these massive other things to deal with, like regulations and, and we're still worried about the virus and stuff.But once things got back to business as usual, I said, Hey man, I'm doing something different. Started exploring the idea of. Man, do I, could I get, what kind of like money could I get for this practice? What does it make sure sense like financially long term to do this and then come, really come to grips with the fact that.Coming to Grip with that. It wasn't so final. Like if I loved being a dental practice owner and I sold it and it was horrible and I hated the corporation and I just wanted my baby back and I just wanted to own my practice again, I could go and I can open another one. You know? So like that was like coming four C full circle, saying like, this is not as final as I think.It's just, it's a new chapter in my life. It's a new part. It was like I did it right when I was 39. Right now I'm 41. And, um, I, I'm not sure what the next 10 years are gonna be about, but what's cool is that I feel like I'm finally doing stuff because I want to do it. And, and I know, like me saying that I wanna stay at the practice, I know I wanna stay there, whereas I.Three years ago. It's cuz I have to, I mean, I own so much of it. Um, I own just a small percent. I, I could tell I own 15% at this time. Um, I just don't know cuz I know they're always like doing new contracts. They don't like us sharing like, the details of what we sold and what we sold. But, but right now I own 15% at this point.And, um, it's something that I still enjoy doing. And some people would say we, 15%, is it really worth it for you to even show up? I can tell you that I, I had tried to take three, four weeks off because of a hernia surgery, and then I got covid and, and then I had a vacation mixed in there too. right before I got covid and having a whole month off of work.I mean, it's great to get caught up on Netflix. It's great to read a lot of books. At a certain point I was like, dude, this is like test out retirement and I don't like it. I want to go back to work. So this brings this whole different attitude when I'm at the practice. No. Now do I wanna be there five days a week, four days a week?No. I don't even wanna be there that I'm, like, I'm there like two, five and a half hour days a week. That's it. But that's, that's a comfortable level for me just to kind of stay involved, stay in it, uh, talk with my leads, run the practice. Um, see some patients and that's, that's, that's a good level for me. I don't want any more than that, but, a lot easier to step back once you've sold a lot of equity because it's just not as much risk.But way I'm living now. I could have lived it as a hundred percent owner than, you know, I didn't need to sell to do it. I just had to sell to realize it. Michael: what I was gonna ask you. Do you think it's possible for someone to be like, I only wanna do like two clinical days, three clinical days, and.Do whatever I want after other days. Right. Be with family and all that stuff. I mean, that's what I think a lot of people jump into ownership for not to be like, I wanna work forever and do all this. Yeah. It's more like I wanna have an imprint on the community, but at the same time I wanna work less, call my own hours.And it really doesn't always work out that way though. Paul: Well, I, I think you can and you, you need to have leaders at the practice that are running things for you. And I had a leadership team. Long before I sold, like I would say I had 'em like two and a half, three years before I established like an hygiene lead, an assistant lead.I had my office manager, an insurance lead, and essentially, like I said, man, before Covid I'd be like, they do everything. But then one co once Covid happened, I was like, dude, I still do a lot. So after I sold and there wasn't as much incentive to really push production and, grow the practice and even though we're still growing like crazy, then I stepped back and I said, Hey, You guys know how I wanna do things?Can you guys, like, just like when there's interpersonal stuff, can you deal with it with a new department and just come get me if you really, really need me. If, if something happens with the patient, can you guys just take care of it like I would And they're just like, I could totally do this. And then they did.And it was, it was just weird because I went through like this like three month period of. Wow, everything's running so great at the practice. Nobody's complaining. Nobody's saying like, is upset about anything. And then I, I asked my, my assistant lead who's actually, I put her, I turned under my clinical lead now cuz she's kind of like the manager for everyone on the clinical side.She's like, dude, like, man, it just feels so good. Like there's nothing going on. She's like, dude, there's tons of stuff going on. She's like, do you wanna know about 'em? She's like, you said you didn't wanna know. And I said, gosh, if you think I need to know about 'em, she's like, I don't think you do. They're under control.And it was just like this liberating feeling of why. Wow. Like the practice is always gonna have issues. Somebody always has to deal with them, but all of a sudden it didn't have to be me. And I just kinda stepped back and I just trusted them. And I, like I said, I could have did that at a hundred percent owner.It's a lot easier to do when you own 15% because the risk isn't there if the practice crash isn't burns, you know, um, doesn't hurt me that bad, but at the same time, like if I did it as a hundred percent owner and it really caused a lot of issues. Like, I would've found out about it. I would've pivoted, I would've addressed it.It was just, I just think I was too scared to relinquish that control of something that was a hundred percent mine. I was just, I couldn't let go and get out of the way. But once I did, man, that was the game changer. It was just getting out of the way and trusting my people who have been with me for a long time, who I trust, who, who have seen how I lead.And hopefully some of that has rubbed off on them and they do the right thing and. Dude, it's never run so well. I, I, I'm just I'm blown away by how well, uh, of a job they're doing. They're just doing so well. Hmm. Michael: I like that. When, when you said, Hey, man, only come and get me when you really needed me.What is that? Like? What, how do they know what is really needed? Right. Kind of thing. Yeah. Cause it's like you can be, I don't wanna bother Paul with that. I don't wanna bother Paul with that, but in your mind you're like, dang, I want to. That's embezzlement. I'm wanting to know that. Paul: Right. I think that would be, that would be one. Um, I'm trying to think of some recent situation. Like, okay, I'll give you an instance that was pretty recent is we had an assistant that was, uh, just a great person, great with the patients, uh, super cool to be around, but when they ran behind out on schedules, she would kind of lose it and just, just overwhelm and just certain behavioral things would come out in her that were just not appropriate.Um, just anger, you know, anger and frustration. Just couldn't hide it. And, um, my assistant lead, my, my clinical lead sat down with her and she had a conversation about it. Things got better for a little bit. She sat down and had another conversation about her, about it. What, like two, three weeks later when start, things started reverting back, and then she actually like wrote, documented this meeting like, this is what needs to change.This is your understanding that if this doesn't change, then it's, this might be a termination thing. And then when it got to me, it was like, Hey, I'm doing everything I can. this girl is just making my life just, every, I hear her name every two days I hear something about her that she did.Mm-hmm. She's like, I think we really need to start considering talking or letting her go. So then at that point, I had a conversation with her and things got better, like they usually do for about two, three weeks. And then, um, I had another conversation with her and it was, it was, it was hard because, She knew I was having her conversation with her, and she's like, Hey, I know what you're talking about. I know I need to change the stuff. I'm gonna get better. Like, da da, da. She's like, you know what, this person, this, this and this need to change. And I just had to cut her off. I'm like, Hey, I'm so sorry.Today's your last day. We just can't do it anymore. so that was, that was my involvement. I had to let her go. But I mean, other than that, it's like big stuff. Like right now we're dropping Delta. We just, we just sent her a letter to Delta to get out of that network. coming up with some kind of ideas with the front desk.Why is the front desk, why are people upset with who's doing what? How can we balance duties out? So it's all this interpersonal stuff. Like, like I walked up to the desk and, and somebody was rude to me and they responded rude. I don't deal with that no more. You know that they, they can handle that. They handled the scheduling, they handle the offs when people are taken off the duplication days.everything. They're the ones having the one-on-ones, they're the ones giving the raises. Um, I mean, with my permission obviously, and yeah, I'm just, it's just, I, it's high level stuff. Like my high level right now where I'm at, where there's no noise and I'm just saying, Hey, we're working on getting out a network.That's what we're doing. We're getting on networks. We're at capacity. We need to get our networks. What are we doing? How are we gonna organize the front desk to ride this experience? How are we gonna train these people on the verbiages that they have to use to be an auto network dentist? How are we gonna talk to patients about this?Let's organize what we're gonna put on a mailer. So I'm just doing like, stuff like that, but it is just so nice to get outta that noise of the interpersonal stuff, man. Cuz we got 43 employees and always something, and I just, sometimes I'm like, why can't people just be cool?Just be cool. Please. Just why can't you just be cool? And they're, it's just, it's not possible. You know, like there's always something going on. People are, um, everyone's got their emotional stuff and their own psychology, and people have expectations that don't get met by other people, and they're disappointed and, and people can be mean, you know?Yeah, no. So, so sometimes you gotta get involved in that. But, um, yeah, for the most part, I'm not part of that. I'm, I'm doing the high level stuff, which is, it's so much fun, man. I love it. So it's, it's, it's part of the practice that I really do enjoy. Do Michael: you ever review it like when it comes to your, your leads, like hey, we have a monthly review or a monthly, I don't know, meeting or whatever with just the leads and we're like, okay.And then that's when you can kind of say like, Hey, that was a red, or do you give them red flags? Like, this is when, when things should be brought up to me. Right. Anything below that? No. Kind Paul: of things like that. You know, I never had to really do that cuz I think they, there was a part of me that was really like kinda like, just take care of it.I don't wanna know about it. And there was a part of me that was this kinda like miserable boss where. They were almost scared to bring me stuff. So I think when it got to the point where I was like, Hey, just take care of it, they had a pretty good idea of what I didn't want to deal with and I don't, I don't know, ma, maybe I trained the people good.Maybe they're just wonderful people. It's really hard to say. I mean, they're definitely wonderful people, but, um, I haven't had to set too many expectations with, or what I want them to do. I mean, I told 'em what I want to do, but it's just been like little things here and there like. Correction. Like, Hey, I want you to take care of this.You know, I want you to, I, I, this is what I want to happen. I don't care how you do it. Just what do you think? Can you run with it? They're like, yeah, I'll run with it. And, and even like the people that aren't my leads, like my one, one of my assistants was like, I think we should get the coffee bar back.Cause we took it away during Covid. I'm like, yeah, okay, yeah, I'll get a Keurig, I'll find some like cabinet or something like this. And then it's like three weeks later she's like, Hey, where's the coffee bar? I'm like, dude, you know me. I, it's on my to-do list. I'm never gonna get to it. Do you wanna run with it?She's like, I'd love to. And then one day I just came in and there's a nice piece of furniture, fits the fridge right in it, it's all stocked. It's got the espresso machine. And I'm just like, dude, you killed it. This is awesome. Like, I would've never, I wouldn't have did this, I would've just stuck like a damn keigan, like a stool or something.like that, you know? And like, we're good. There you go, girls. You know? So it's, um, but I think we really sell ourselves short and we don't realize how much our team wants to do if you give them the autonomy to do stuff. And, and I would just beg any listeners to try to say, Hey man, like what if I just.What if I let somebody run with something and what, and what's the worst that can happen? You know, maybe you have an upset customer patient. it's not gonna crash your business. It would just, nothing that happens within one week, one month even that you do for 3, 4, 6 months is gonna crash your business.I mean, to, to crash your business so that it burns completely. You'd have to really screw things up for a long time. You know, you'll have time to pivot and, and adjust and, and sometimes they. can't really think of any really main situations that's happened, but I mean, they're gonna have situations where they kinda screw up and that's cool too.You know, I, I'm totally cool with that. I screwed things up. Um, I handle situations not as gracefully as I would in retrospect sometimes. A lot of times maybe. I think it's just part of that learning experience and growing into becoming a leader, but it's. Man, my leadership skills grew a whole lot when I stepped in a leadership position.So if we want to build up the leadership people, like our, our leadership team and build them up, we gotta get outta the way and let them step in that position. And they gotta get some bumps and bruises too. Yeah, Michael: no, yeah, you're right. I think it's kind of difficult, especially at the beginning stages when you're like fingers on the trigger on everything, right?Like, it's like, this is my baby. Like I need to watch everything. And you only have like one or two. So can I ask you if, if like somebody who had like, I don't know, three, four employees right now At the beginning, right? Yeah. Starting up. and they're like, man, Paul, I want you to train me like you done it and I want you to help me find leaders.Mm-hmm. So I can train them to be leaders just like you. Cuz I'm, I'm assuming like it's best to do that at the very beginning, right? Mm-hmm. Like, this is the set, this is who I wanna find. Who'd you Paul: do that? Well, I, I would say if anyone's that small, I don't think you really need the leaders yet. I think you can like, kind of get outta the way for some people in your team.I don't think it's established leaders yet. And the reason I say that is because all of my leads were never my longest employees. In, in that position. Like my assistant lead was not my longest assistant. my insurance lead was not the longest front desk person. Same thing with my front desk lead.They weren't my longest standing seniority person. So what we did is we got to a point, and this is what I would recommend to people, I probably could have did it earlier than I did it, but we got to a point, maybe like 12, 15 people where started changing policies and how we were doing things, and it just kept coming up where someone's like, I didn't know we were doing it that way.I do. We talked about at the meeting, oh, I didn't make the meeting. Or it was like, oh, I didn't hear that. I didn't realize, oh yeah, I forgot. You know, it's just like we started having all these communication breakdowns and then, and I was always big on I wanna meet one-on-one with every single team member and a certain point, man, it, that takes a long ass time.Mm-hmm. We got like 15 people that's why we established the leadership teams. And what we did is we had everybody do like a, you know, anonymous ballot. So we said, you know, nominate your top three people for front desk lead for assistant lead. And we did like the ranked ballot system. So if like you were the first choice, you got three points.If you were some second choice, you got two points just in case, like somebody was, not everybody's first choice, but they were most, most people's second choice, they would get picked over. And then I took 'em home and I counted 'em. And there was part of me that was like, if they don't pick the people, I pick, I'm just gonna lie about the results and say, this is who it was, because I wanted them to own it.But they actually did. I mean, it was like, it was like unanimous and. The team knows who the leaders are. So I would say you gotta get a little bit, I mean, you can't make a lead lead assistant if you've got two assistants, cuz you got, then you got the lead and the not lead. You know, I would think you gotta get like three, four people in each department before you do it.Now an office manager, I think that's a leadership position you could get right away. And that's somebody who you can trust and who can take care of the payroll stuff and could take care of stuff like knowing what people are making. yeah, that was something that I did pretty early and I would, I'd recommend doing that and.You know, like my office manager role, what she does now is very different than what she did like eight years ago. and I just had somebody ask me recently, like, did you have a job description for office manager? I'm like, no. Like, it just like over time you just keep dumping things like, Hey man, like can you take care of this thing for me every month?Yeah, I could do that. Cool. it just frees up you like, it frees it's a, it's delegation and, and you have to train 'em on it and, um, they'll do as much as you allow 'em to, you know, and I, I think you gotta give the. You gotta do the public blessing with the team. Like, Hey, this person was used to be your peer.Now they're, now they're, you know, they're stepping into a new leadership role. You know, we're all friends here and they're not above you, but they are gonna take over a lot of stuff for me, and I want you to treat them as you would treat me the same respect. but yeah, man, it, it, it's, there's so many people that want their office manager and they, they hire, hey, hiring office manager.And people say, Ooh, I got six years office manager experience. Dude, half these Office of Injuries don't know from shit. Like, they're like, I don't mean swear. nobody's put 'em in a position to really lead and just kind of run with things and, and be a self-starter.just because you know everything about insurance and you can present treatment plans doesn't make you an office manager. So, I would urge anyone who wants to do this to, to really just say, Hey, this is what I want. This kind of, I want you to be this for the office. I want you to be able to handle disagreements between people.When an upset patient calls, I want you to take care of it and just, just make it right without asking me for permission. Like, you don't need my permission. And just go with that. And as time goes, it will evolve that that role will evolve. But man, you're gonna get some really valuable people, people on your team, and they're gonna be valuable.People that won't wanna lead because they love their jobs, they love that autonomy, they love the role they're in. Um, we just gotta, we gotta allow them to have it. Michael: Okay. What policies did you start changing when you started, like miscommunication Paul: and things like that? Oh, I don't remember what it was. It might have been, I, I think the big one was with ortho, is that we just, so we didn't forget to send the stuff out.We started putting the models in a bin on my desk so that I could pull the models out, write up the diagnosis, and pull the stuff up so that I didn't forget that they didn't, it was like a backstop to say, Hey, like if the stuff doesn't go out, Here's, here's our, second parachute.And I think, I think it was something like that. But I mean, just things like, just random stuff like this is our procedures cuz we've always been really big on procedures. I don't have to double check it that everybody has done their part. Mm-hmm. I want to create ways that they just get done.And I can be assured that the previous part was done. Cuz there's so much in the dental office where we're so dependent on the previous step being done correctly. Like, I mean, dude, if the, if the insurance gets verified incorrectly, Then the treatment plan's incorrect, then the payment's incorrect. Then you, you gotta take an E o B and you gotta collect it and you now you gotta balance.Now that's incorrect. Now the patient's pissed cuz you're incorrect. And it all this stuff just trickles down just because that insurance wasn't put incorrectly, you know? Mm-hmm. So, and there's so much like that in a dental office. So we've always been big on creating like things like that and trying to create these secondary, we call 'em backstops, just in case it falls through the cracks, we'll catch it.And sometimes we don't, you know, but that's always a, a product of we dropped the ball. Okay guys, we dropped the ball. What happened? Talk to me about it. Let's not make anyone feel guilty. Let's not criticize each other. Let's just collaborate as a team and come up with a solution so that we can not do this again.I have coaching clients that are always like, dude, like, I can't believe you have problems like this in your practice. Dude, my practice is just like, Everybody else's, it's never gonna be without problems. I don't care how tight your systems are, we are humans and humans make mistakes.Mm-hmm. And we forget things and we have emotions and, and those emotions affect our decisions and our behaviors. And it's a complex world and yeah. There's always gonna be a drop in the ball in somewhere, you know? It just happens. Michael: Yeah. How many days were you practicing before you Paul: sold? So before I sold, I was at three days a week.So I was doing three days a week. it should have been two days a week. And the one day was like my, like, Hey, let's lead, let's talk with my teams. let's train people day. But what was started happening was I was always getting booked on that day. The front desk would book me. Mm-hmm. Because they knew I was gonna be there.Like, Hey, do you mind like just seeing this one patient, you're gonna be here. Right. I just take like 10 minutes. I mean, it, it is, I love, love when the team's like, dude, just, just come do this with me and just take like five minutes. I'm like, dude, got. 20 people that wanna do something with me for five minutes.and you probably get it, you get people call, Hey, can I pick your brain for 10 minutes? It's never 10 minutes, you know, it's always like an hour. So it's like, so, um, I forgot what you, where was he going with this? What did you ask me? My, how many, how you practicing? You said three days?Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And I had that one day that it was still like, they would just book me. So they put one patient in there and then they'd see us was seeing a patient, so they put another one. So eventually I just stopped coming in on Monday. I said, Hey, I'm done on Mondays. I'm not doing it. so then it was just two full days a week, which eventually we got to two half days a week.And I think now I'm. More like one and a half days a week. I take off like two or three weeks every month. But I, I'm not really practicing that much. I mean, last year we, we would say a really highly productive dentist, like, man, if you could produce a million with your own hands, I think last year I did like 360,000.It wasn't a lot, but that's all I wanna do. So that's cool with me. And now that I'm like partly paid as an associate with the dsl, Some of my paychecks for every two weeks are pretty laughable. it's like, oh, well you are two weeks and you made a hundred bucks.All right, cool. You know, it's like, cuz, but I'm cool with that cuz I'll take time off and, and I'm not, I'm not a producer anymore. I'm much more valuable to the practice as a leader and a trainer and just, um, reaping the benefits of ownership. Even though I still own, I don't own a hundred percent. I'm still reaping a lot of benefits from owning this large practice.Michael: Yeah. Okay man. So you were practicing three days. Before, now you're at two days a week, right? Like about two, two half days, five hour days. Two, two and a half days. Yeah. why did you sell them? Paul: you know, as you're looking at the dollars, you, there was always this fear of delta for so many, I mean, I have Delta's, 35% of my practice.There was always this fear that my whole business model could change by the stroke of a pen. You know, we were, I 85% p p o, 15% cash. Um, 35% Delta Premier p o. And it was just like looking at the numbers, there's this consolidation happening in the industry. It's like, things are hot. It's like we're the, we're like where the housing market was like last summer, you know, it's like, This is the time to sell if I can sell. So it was just looking at numbers, looking at what I have saved up, looking at what, and I've always been doing like real estate investing, so I've got some passive income on the side coming from there. Oh. And just being like, can I. Float with this? Yeah. I mean, could it be really lucrative?Yeah. I mean, it's been better than ever thought it could be. I mean, one of the great things I know I'm not doing a plug for, for MB two by any means, but one of the great things is they let us to, they let us invest in the company. And that's worked out really, really well. So I've actually made way more by selling than I would've keeping the ownership, if you can believe it.Now is, is, are those returns gonna be here five, 10 years from now? I don't know. This is half because private equity really likes dentistry right now. but I can say there's a lot of ill feelings towards corporate, um, with my corporation. I don't feel that, I don't think any of the members do. And I will tell you, I didn't lose a single team member during the transition.And for all intents and purposes, my team doesn't even know they exist. You know, it's, it's, it's still my practice and I think that's kind of what they're not saying. There's not some crappy ones out there that we should stay away from, but, I'm really happy with the decision that I made with mine.Michael: Yeah. I've been hearing a lot about MB two actually. Like where they, so what, what do they do? Are they just A D S O? Paul: Yeah. I mean, they call themselves A D P O, which is just, I think, just a way to brand themselves different from the D S O nastiness, uh, D P O P standing for partnership. And, um, you know, they just handle some stuff on the backend.They, they handle my insurance collections and that stuff like that. They do the credentialing, they do the hr, they do, um, my marketing. Um, they do pretty much anything I ask them for that they can help me admin, backend wise, talking to the companies and, and getting in increases in the fee schedule, stuff like that.But I mean, for, for the most part, I mean, I have a regional manager, her name's that she's great. And she's just like, gosh, I, I just hadn't been in practice forever. I feel like you never want me to come there. Like, I wanna do something for you. Like, what can I do? And I'm like, mm-hmm. We're good. We're totally good.So they're cool with, like, they trust their partners to run the practices the way they, they want to, cuz they're very selective with who they partner with too. Mm-hmm. Um, and they just let us do what we want. You know, I'm, I'm still running it, it still feels like it's a hundred percent my practice. I, I make all the decisions.If I need help, I reach out. If I don't want help, I don't. And for me, my practice was running pretty well. It was pretty systematized already. Last thing I wanted was a corporation to come in here and tell me, tell us how to do things. My team would've hated me. So, um, I, I found the group that would allow me to continue my autonomy and running the practice the way that I want to and taking care of patients the way I want to.So, I mean, they're there for help, but I mean, for the most part it's, we've just banded together and we get the benefits of being a group. And we get the support that by no means are they the group that if you're like, dude, I can't do this anymore. I just want someone to come in and take over my practice and run it.That's not the group. You know, there's, there's other groups that'll do that. And I think, I think that sounds really good, but you're probably gonna be miserable. You sign up with a group like that, you're not gonna about Michael: that. Yeah. So then you mainly kind of did it for, I mean, how long were you running this on your own Nelson?Paul: Um, right about eight years. Eight years. Michael: Eight years, okay. Do you feel like it was, at one point you were kind of like, I don't want the weight of the world right now on me as of for right now, at least maybe later on, but right now I don't kind of thing. Is that what it Paul: was? It was, yeah. Absolutely, man.It was, it was just a heavy weight. That's the best way I could describe it. It was just always freaking there. And, and there was, and, and I've also done like life coaching and I've, I've always been a big fan of therapy and I've always been working with a therapist on and off for my, my whole maybe the past 15 years of my life.And, um, it was just heavy man and it was just always there. And it was spilling over into other relationships where I was just kind of just grumpy, man. I was just overwhelmed and pissed off. And, It just seemed like my whole entire, as this practice grew from, you know, just me and three other girls to like this 45 person team and other doctors and specialists and stuff, and I just felt like this house of car is just gonna tip.Any moment what is gonna be the, what's gonna be the Goldman Sachs of this practice, you know, like, what is, what's gonna happen? And, um, I felt like that the whole time that I was the a hundred percent owner that it was. And so it's me. It's my thought process, it's my mindset. it's my makeup of my just general relationship with anxiety and how I look at things.But that can make me a very good leader and a very good business owner because I'm striving to try to get something that's gonna make me feel better. But at the same time, it's also like a curse because I never get to really feel comfortable about it. Mm-hmm. So for me, it was I just wanted that comfort.I wanted to feel comfort. And it took, you know, some like, things happened in my life, like read a certain book, like some like aha moments. Um, one of the books was like, die was Zero. I'm not sure if you read with that, but it kind of talked about how we like build this big nest egg so that we can just retire when it's like, dude, we don't know how much time we have.And if you take any money to the grave with you, essentially worked for that for free. That was free work you did, cuz you never got to enjoy the fruits of that labor. So why the hell try to save everything and start trying to enjoy life now? Man, I can go hiking, I can climb mountains, I can do all this stuff.I might not be able to do that when I'm 50. I can play golf, like I can play golf five days a week if I want right now. And um, Monday my back might not allow me to do that. So why am I waiting until like, to build this big thing before I can retire? So I've kind of entered into this almost like mini retirement phase where, I would say like, it's not retirement, but it's, it's, it is freedom.You know? Mm-hmm. It would be like the fire principles, I suppose. so it's like, dude, like that's totally cool. Like, you crazy. You're 39 years old. What the heck are you doing? Like, are you gonna do for the rest of your life? I'm like, I don't know. I'd love to be a fireman.Apparently I'm too old for that. I guess you gotta be like 30 or something. I don't know. I'd like to go do something different, you know? And, uh, I don't know what that's gonna be. And you know what, if it's really dentistry and I just really love it and I wanna own a hundred percent practice, I go do it again.I'll do it faster, I'll do it better. And um, yeah, I'll do it better than I did it last time. You know, I, I'm comfortable with that, that, I can do that. And then as a fail safe, I can always go back to just for doing dentistry five days a week as an associate. If I like, I mean, I can do whatever. How can I want?so, but, but I've got that comfort now and, and I was always seeking that, which is I think is part of the motivation behind me reaching all these success points. Cuz I was trying to find something, man, once I get that, it's gonna feel good, it's gonna feel different. It never did. I had everything I needed the whole time.It just had to get to the end to kind of realize that. Yeah. Michael: Do you think maybe you kind of, like you were thinking you were reaching something, but really you were kind of running away from something? Hmm. You know what I mean? Like maybe something in the past where you're like, I, I never want to feel that feeling again.I never wanna get to that situation again. And you just kept running and running and running. Maybe Paul: I, I think for me, I was running away from just a general sense of anxiety and for me to stay busy at work, felt good. You know, and, and people like, I like to say, man, I grinded these years, man. I grinded so hard.It wasn't a grind. I mean, it was hard, but it was like, I was drawn to it. I liked doing it. I didn't like sitting, I hate sitting. to the detriment of my family, it was hard just to sit and just be, it was always like, man, I should get some more stuff done. What do I got to do? Like, what do I gotta do this week?I should get it done so I, so I can relax. And then what would happen is I would get all the stuff done and I wouldn't relax. I'd be thinking about, man, what else can I do? And, um, Just got myself really overbooked with, I mean, with the podcast, with the writing and, uh, the practice and the real estate and, and doing like separate, like just teaching videos, coaching, consulting and stuff.I mean, I was just overbooked it was like I just wasn't comfortable sitting and through therapy through my life coach. My life coach really made a really big difference. And she even said like, I took my coaching clients. I cut 'em down from 15 to five. And she said, what do you think about making a commitment for the next six months that you won't take on any projects?I said, sure, let's, let's do it. So we committed to it, but damn, it was hard. cuz I started having all this time that I wasn't used to. I'm like, what do I do with this time? I'm like, I should start another project. Maybe I'll write another book. Maybe I'll do this. And I'm like, no, no more projects until six months from now.And through that process, it's almost like I discovered this part of myself that I was kind of. Not comfortable with was just doing nothing. Just watching tv, just like sitting, putting my daughter to bed and, and laying in bed with her for like 45 minutes to an hour and just talking to her about her day.Whereas I would be like, okay, I gotta get these kids to bed. I got stuff to do. committing to a one, one or two date nights with my wife every week, like, as like a priority. Like, it's not like we can, if we can find time and, and not to say that my relationships with my family was bad before, but.Man, it, it's night and day to how it is now, but I had to, it was uncomfortable at first to sit and just be idle because it felt, that's what it felt like to me. It felt like idleness and I didn't like that. But then I had to start realizing then, and then you, connect and you're like, man, I really like this.This is okay. Like I don't have to be running and. in rat racing my whole entire life, what the hell is it worth? And just looking at what are we doing this for? Like this, these deep like spiritual, like conscious, like, the spirituality of like, what are we here for? What are, what are, what is our purpose?What are we here to do? And so it was just everything kind of happened in a succession and I think it happened for a reason. I wish I could have skipped a lot of parts of it. But I don't think I would've came out to where I'm at if I did skip those parts. So it's like if I could change things, I would've done 'em differently, but I wouldn't know what I know if I hadn't done things the way I did 'em.Michael: Mm-hmm. Yeah, man, that's true. Like, I remember I used to feel bad all the time about like relaxing, you know what I mean? Yeah. And then you go on social media and people are like, I'm hustling, I'm grinding, and all these things. Yeah. And I, I feel like whenever you're, not doing nothing, like when you're doing nothing kind of thing, That's when a lot of creativity can spark.But we live in a day and age where we call that boredom. Yeah. And so we're like, oh, he's just bored. But we gotta be good with that. We gotta be good with feeling like we're not doing nothing for, you know what I mean? Like being in the moment kind of thing. Absolutely. Um, or else for ne we not, you can tell the world's not creative as much as it used to be.Right. We're just like regurgitating stuff from the past and the past and the past and cuz we can't. We feel guilty for relaxing, I guess, Paul: huh? Well, I'll, I'll tell you something I do, and this is gonna sound like some like major, like old man stuff for people, but like, I got this recliner in my bedroom and, and people always come in my bedroom and they say, why is this recliner not based on the tv?Because you can't see, you can't see the TV from the recliner. And it, it, it was like originally bought as like, I wanna read in this chair. But you know, a lot of times, like, dude, I just sit in that chair and it's right by a window. Open the window, listen to birds. And I just sit, man. And sometimes I fall asleep and sometimes I don't.And it's just nice just to, it's relaxing, but it's, it's not me relaxing watching something being distracted. It's me just sitting with my thoughts, just focusing on my breath, and just chilling out. And for me before that would be like, dude, Do something. Look at all this time, you're wasting doing nothing.That's not a waste of time. That is for me. And that's what recharges me and makes me feel good. And I, I never realized it before. Mm-hmm. Michael: I like that man. So then when did the second book come out? Like was that out of, uh, Paul: After six months or so, you, you'll, you'll, this is all tied together now, where this book came from.This, I wrote this during Covid. So this was me being home with nothing to do 24 hours a day and being like, I got all this time. Let's write another book. And you know what, what I realized my first book was kind of where I was at the time that I wrote it. And, and the books are, they're always written about two years before they come out.So, the first book was about running an amazing practice. This book was about how I stepped out of the chair. And what I noticed in my income as well, the growth, growth of the practice, when I started just like leading and training and like realizing that I'm more valuable as a trainer than I am as a producer.Cuz there was a certain point where I looked at my practice and I said, okay, like if I treat myself as an associate and I pay myself 30% of my production, how much did I take home last year? That was because I got paid 30% of my production and it was like 15%. So the other 85% of my take home income was because I was an owner.But then I was spending 90% of my time doing production activities and maybe 10% doing ownership a activities. So as much as my patients love me and they wanna see me, and the Hi Jess, love working with me and everyone wants to work with Dr. Etch, I was way more valuable spreading my uh, Training and, and what I knew and helping other people grow at the practice I was monetarily and for, for them too, like, I mean, just being present and working with people.Um, I was more valuable doing that. It was much more, uh, financially rewarding and it was me producing dentistry. And that kind of made me realize, man, I'm just, I just stopped doing fillings, eventually stopped doing crowns. stop doing endo and, and now all I do is I do banded bracket on kids in Invisalign.You know, that's pretty much my whole five and a half hour day. And then my other five hour day is just me doing like veneers and placing an implant or two. But, I think next year I only have maybe eight of those days that I booked for 2024. And so it's, I'm sorry, 2023. I think I only have eight of those days that I'm doing that.And the team might wrote me into doing some more, but I kind of don't want to, I just wanna, I love doing ortho. Yeah. I's, uh, the other part's starting to wear on me? ortho is predictable and everything else in dentistry to me is it's, it's unpredictable. I mean, to some extent, and I just think I don't like that level of predictability or of unpredictability.I don't have that level of unpredictability with my team, you know, with my team. So it's doing what I enjoy doing, and it's what the practice needs. Every practice needs a person. I mean, if you could focus full time on running your practice, Man, what would your practice do? So that, that's the purpose of the book, is like, how do we get ourselves outta the chair?And for me it's a lot of leadership principles such as like you owning everything like your locus of control, I call it. Um, balancing your, your regular workload with what I call celebratory work with. Just like this is the stuff, this is the investments in time, this is you training someone else to do something.This is your delegation. just making sure that you've got a compass that's, that's guiding you, that every decision, little decision you make is taking you there. there's a lot of mindset stuff that I think is more important than the actual mechanics. The second half of the book talks about the mechanics and what I think are the best systems, the best things for treatment plan, presentation, what things we can train our team on to make our practices better. But I think ultimately that beginning part of the book, that first half is what's really important. That's the leadership. That's communication. How do we deal with team? What kind of attitude do we approach?Conflict? What kind of attitude do we approach growth and, and collaboration? And, and that's kind of all in there because I think that's something I've learned. Maybe I had an inclination. I was kind of lucky that this came easy to me. But, um, That's what I think has made the biggest difference in my practice.It's not the what, it's the how we've done it and, and, and the meaning behind it rather than the actual, this is what we did. If that makes sense. Michael: Yeah, yeah. No, no, no, no, no. Uh uh, uh, instructions are always better, right? Like, give me the meat and potatoes of everything. Not so much like the, nobody wants to fluff, right?Mm-hmm. Uh, of anything. But, um, I think that's really interesting when it comes to the marketing side of your practice. Mm-hmm. And, um, Your systems? How did that come along? Paul: For marketing specifically, you mean? Yeah. Yeah. So for marketing, we used to try a lot of modalities. We would try like, I mean we tried like the ads, the sponsorships and stuff like that, and we still do some team sponsorships, but I would say we don't do mailers anymore.It's kind of just come into what I think is the most important is just seo your digital image, like your DI digital reputation. And making sure that when people are searching you, that uh, you show up and that you have a nice website and, uh, some nice media and pictures and, and videos on there to back it up.And then it's like, I mean, marketing, we're trying to generate a phone call. We've gotta follow through by having nice patient experience on that end. I don't think the majority of our patients come from either the internet or existing patients. Typically right now are seeing about 180 new patients a month.We've seen when we came six months after Covid, when we had a ton of availability, we saw like 230, which was a huge indicator to me that, man, we could really blow these doors open if we could find some more hygienists. But, yeah, I haven't cracked that. Not yet. I haven't figured that one out yet. I don't know where they all went.They all went, moved some island or something. Yeah. And uh, I think the biggest thing is, is for us is digital. I mean, we pay per click, um, just Facebook stuff and, you know, and I, I tell my coaching clients all the time, You'd be blown away how many new patients you could see if one, you stayed open late or two when you saw a new patient.You tried to get the rest of the family to book if when they came in there for visit. And I can't tell you how many coaching classes don't do that. They're just like, man, like we just started getting so many new patients. Cuz we just started asking. And it's not like you're asking like, Hey, you got anybody looking?You know anyone looking for a good dentistry? It's not doing that. It's saying, Hey, is there anyone else in your family you wanna make an appointment for? And then they'll say, oh, my husband, he's, he's busy. I'll have him call. Well, why don't we just make an appointment and he can call if it, when it gets closer, he'll get some reminder texts if he needs to change it.Okay. You know, you just get him on the schedule and not be pushy. I mean, but, um, doesn't cost a sign. Yeah. I mean that's just, that's just normal. That's just having a checkout protocol that your team follows and you just hold them accountable to it. Yeah, you're right. That's Michael: not being pushy. It's just like, it's being easy.Like, hey, let's just get 'em on that, you know what I mean? Like, put him on there. Right now it's no, no, no issue. You know what I m

In this episode, Dr. Paul Etchison from Nelson Ridge Family Dental, dives into his favorite ways to market your practice with existing patients! He emphasizes that having everyone on the same page for how we communicate with patients helps avoid confusion among patients. Building communication systems with your associates to help them know how to answer questions can boost treatment acceptance and unify your team. Most patients that come in have family members, so being proactive in getting them on the schedule is a gold mine of opportunity! Small details are also important to make patients feel comfortable such as keeping a clean office, walking up to greet them, or listening to their feedback.Catch this conversation between Paul and Michael on internal marketing here!‍You can reach out to Paul Etchison here:The Dental Practice Heroes Podcast‍‍If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Marketing, ask me on these platforms:My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍Our Sponsors & Their Exclusive Deals:CARESTACK | Cloud-Based Dental SoftwareSCHEDULE A FREE DEMO TODAY!Click the link below and get 1 MONTH FOR FREE + 10% OFF your Annual Subscription + 50% OFF Your Set-up Fee!Check out CARESTACK now: https://lp.carestack.org/thedentalmarketer‍‍‍Dandy | The Fully Digital, US-based Dental Lab‍For a completely FREE 3Shape Trios 3 scanner & $250 in lab credit click here: meetdandy.com/tdm !‍‍Mango Voice | The best VoIP phones for small business with top software integrations & in-house customer support.Click here for Mango Voice's completely FREE startup package!ORClick here to get 2 FREE MONTHS with Mango Voice‍Emitrr | The Complete Customer Engagement Solution (that drastically reduces no-shows)Emitrr is giving all of our viewers & listeners an amazing exclusive deal, to schedule a free demo with Emitrr, visit our link here! https://emitrr.com/the-dental-marketer/‍Thank you for supporting the podcast by checking out our sponsors!

Etch and Justin talk about how leads work at their practice and what lead meetings look like. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Etch and Justin discuss how to know when it's time to let someone go. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Etch and Justin discuss where culture comes from, how to create it, and how to ruin it. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Are we looking at growth through the incorrect lens. We need a paradigm shift in our thinking. If we want to grow, we need to think abundance. Dr. Etch explains how in this episode.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode, we talk about burnout, therapy, and the stresses of dentistry and what to do about them. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Paul and Justin discuss appointment length, and should new patients come through hygiene or on the doctor side.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Today we talk to multipractice owner, Dr. Stephen Markowitz about his recent acquisition and how he eases the transition and his process for growing the office.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

In this episode we discuss the difference between multiple small locations and one single large location. -------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

In this episode, Etch explains how he explains marginal ridge fractures and discusses treatment with his patients so that they are informed and motivated. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

In this episode, we discuss strategies for leadership, promoting the right culture in your practice, and all round how to run a better business. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Everyone wishes they could work less, but it's hard when we already don't feel like we have enough. What can we do? --------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Is your team ever defensive when you try to correct them or suggest a different approach? In this episode, Etch and Justin talk about why and what to do. ---------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

We've all heard the horror stories, so why would anyone want an associate? Today, Dr. Etch is going to change your mind as he goes through the benefits, the pitfalls, and how to handle them.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

In this episode, we talk about fear and have a short interview with someone very special. ;) ----------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts      

The front end team is so important, yet so undertrained in most offices. What kind of training should you the provider be providing them?   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

What are the best investments you have ever made? In this episode, Dr. Etch talks about his, and it's not about money... ----------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts    

Accepting something feeling different than agreeing with it. How do we get our patients to agree with our recommendations instead of just accepting them? Susan's Coaching:  www.dentalcoaches.com Live Program October 21st and 22nd, 2021 ----------------------   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Are partnerships worth it? What should we consider when we think we might want to bring on a partner to our offices?   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

We are so quick to shut down our best life because of excuses and negativity. What if we could have it all exactly how we wanted it? In this episode, Dr. Etch discussed what living in the realm of possibility looks like. ------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts    

Dentists sure are smart, but at the same time we can do some pretty dumb things. In this episode, Dr. Richard Madow explains the top few and what to do instead. www.madowcenter.com --------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Producing more allows us to make more money and take more time off. How do we do it?   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

When we present, we often project our own views and insecurities about money onto the patient. This doesn't allow our patients to say yes to our best treatment. In this episode, we talk about and exercise to do with your team to stop this bad habit once and for all.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode, we interview Dr. David Eshom, a Fee For Service San Diego Dentist. We discuss patient experience and providing the level of service that your patients appreciate and crave.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Etch and Justin discuss what EBITDA means and what it means for you as a practice owner.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Why isn't your marketing bringing in the amount of new patients you would like? Chances are it's because of one of the reasons discussed in this episode. -------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

In this episode, we play the audio from a recent webinar presented by Dr. Etch. He explains how to be a leader so that your team follows, is engaged, and doesn't ever want to leave.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

You want to set yourself up for success, so what can you do to better prepare yourself for real world dentistry while you are in dental school? We answer this question today in this edition of DBM. ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Dr. Etch finally shares the big news he has been holding off on, what led him to the decision, as well as how he had his best year ever among all the challenges of 2020. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

This episode was outstanding! How can one get the numbers of a large office or multiple office just from one smaller location? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Jeff Copeland, who shares his humble experience of growing his 6 op office using efficiency, systems, and leadership. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

It's hard to fit two doctors at the same time if your office only has 4,5,6, or 7 operatories. So what do you do? How do you make it work? We answer that very question on this edition of DBM. ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Our patients crave consistency! In this episode Dr. Etch explains what he calls a movement sequence and how to use these in your practice. ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Today we are joined by a dental power couple, the Karmazins! They explain their journey getting their startup off the ground, creating their culture, and creating a great patient experience so that their practice continues to grow! ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

What are some free ways we can generate new patients from our existing patients?   ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Avoid these common pitfalls that create more work for everyone! ---------------------------------------- This episode sponsored by Weave.  www.getweave.com --------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

When you start an associateship, what's really important? We explore this in this episode of DBM. ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Your team needs to take an emotional dump and your fear to discuss these issues might be constipating them. In this episode, Dr. Etch explains a recent situation at his practice and how he handled it with the team. ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

If you want to know why some practices are doing well right now, this is your episode.  Carrie and Etch discuss what it takes to lead your team through this in order to pivot your practice to a better Q4 and 2021.  ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

I just had a major revelation.  What makes me a great communicator, leader, and listener, is a very easy skill that isn't hard to learn.  Listen to this short episode to learn the skill.  ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

What does it take to have an extremely profitable practice as fast as possible? In this episode, we interview Dr. David Goldwyn Jequinto, he explains how he was able to shorten the curve in growing his office in San Antonio.   ---------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

We all face challenges. In this episode, Etch and Justin get real about what's going on in theirs. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Do you want to hear an easy secret to get people to agree with you? Then listen on....   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

When is it the right time to move into practice ownership? In this episode, we discuss Dr. Loren Israelsen's short journey and how he accomplished so much in so little time. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Have you had some staff issues since returning from the shutdown? Dr. Etch and Dr. Justin discuss what they are doing in their practice to manage the recent changes and culture. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode, Dr. Etch reveals the "Secret Sauce" of a great practice. He continues to explain the issues he is experiencing at his practice and what he is doing about it. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Owners and Associates play different roles in the practice. In this episode, Dr. Erin Elliot is interviewed on her transition from Associate to Owner of her Practice. ------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode, Etch and Justin discuss what they are doing at their offices to fill the openings in the fall due to the shutdown. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

No one has the perfect practice. Including Dr. Etch. In this episode, Dr. Etch gets candid about what struggles his practice is going through currently and what he is doing to address them. ________________________________________________________ If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode, Dr. Etch and Bhullar explain what coaching their hygienists and doctors looks like in their practices? If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

We strive for efficiency in every element of our practice. In this episode, Dr. Etch explains how to be efficient during your exams in hygiene. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Every business needs a CEO. We, as dentists, often fail to realize that they need to wear this hat in the business, but fail to do so because of dedication to clinical chair time. If you can't wear it, someone must. In this episode, we talk about running your practice as a business, from Dr. Tim McNamara, who worked as a business consultant for fortune 500 businesses long before becoming a dentist. To take advantage of the offer mentioned on the show from Boost Dental Partners go to www.boostdentalpartners.com/heroes   ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

One of the biggest issues for practice owners is team turnover. In this episode Dr. Bhullar and Dr. Etch discuss how minimize turnover so that your team can continue to grow and collaborate together.   ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com  Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

How do I grow? How do I add hygienists? How do I add associates? In this episode, Dr. Etch discusses how using template scheduling and hygiene reappoint are all you need to expand your practice. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

If you want to be an owner one day, you will have to decide whether a start up or acquisition is the right move for you. In this episode, Dr. Travis Campbell discusses his experience with both and some best practices for each.   If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Nothing will give a bigger ROI than phone training. In this episode, Justin and Paul talk about what it looks like in their offices. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Joves shares how her start up practice was a reflection of who she is, and how being authentic and real can be one of your greatest assets. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Time is our most precious asset, we need to use it effectively if we wish to be successful. In this episode, Etch and Justin give some real life examples of how they stay on track and effective in a world that is inherently busy. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Why do we find the daily obstacles in our practice to be so draining? What if we could attack them with ease and with little stress? In this episode, Dr. Etch shares a tool he uses to handle the daily unpredictability of owning a dental practice. ------------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Every successful start up does a few things consistently.   In this episode, we interview Dr. Chris Green about the success of his start up, and what he did to get there.  ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Have you ever thought hard about what it took to get people to where they are/ Chances are it's more than just you see on the surface. In this episode we explain how going through this 5 step thought process can help you get closer to your goals and start doing the things you need to do to get there. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Retiring Early is not as complicated as it sounds. In this episode, Dr. Charlton Ho tells his story. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

There is right and wrong way to be productive! Start getting the results you want after using these tricks!   ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

We all know that we should schedule days to work on the business instead of in it, but what do we do on those days?  In this episode, Dr. Justin Bhullar and Dr. Etch discuss what they do on their admin days.  ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

If you could be a high producer, what kind of doors would that open? You could work less days, make more, and take more vacations. In this episode, we discuss what changes are necessary to achieve that. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

You can't give what you don't have. We need to care for ourselves before anyone else. In this episode, Etch discusses what self care means and some ways to start your day differently so that you can get some different results! ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Investing in the stock markets can be tricky. We always hear, "stay in your lane". We know dentistry, we should be investing in what we know! In this episode, Dr. Frank and Dr. Etch discuss how this is done and how to start.  ----------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

Dr. Etch discusses how easily we break promises to ourselves and how it derails our goals. Here is how to break the cycle. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts 2020 Copyright Dental Practice Heroes

Today we are talking with Dr. Chad Johnson.  He is Owner of Veranda Dentistry and the host of The Everyday Practices Podcast. Some Talking Points (2:30) – Chad's History and explanation of how he bought his second and third practice. (5:00) - Chad discusses different practice models and his experience. (13:08) – Dr. Chad shares the big insurance move he did just recently during this COVID -19 Crisis.   Here is his letter to patients: Dear Patients, Family, and Friends,  This summer, I am celebrating providing 15 years of dentistry in the community, and 32 years of being part of this area. The current viral pandemic has hurt our community and all of our pocketbooks, and it will continue to do so for quite a while to come. In order to help your family and our community as a whole, we are lowering our prices immediately and across all procedural codes, by 25%. This means that coming to our office will be more affordable than ever. We have changed our relationship with insurance so you can get even better care, especially amidst and after this COVID pandemic state crisis. You will be getting a letter from your insurance company that implies that you will need to find another dentist, in order to save cost. You have the right to remain with us. Because we have reduced our fees, switching to another office will not necessarily save you money. In general, insurance companies are taking advantage of this crisis, and I will not allow it with my patients, so I am directing the cost savings directly to you. Lastly, if you are laid off, or find that your dental insurance premiums increase over the next year, please consider our in-house alternative to insurance, called our Veranda Inclusive Plan (VIP), which is more affordable than dental insurance for individuals and families alike:  https://www.verandadentistry.com/new-patients/vip-plan/ (16:00) – Chad explains how he used this as PR opportunity (16:36) – How paying down debt makes you more resilient.  (24:00) – Chad discussed patient loyalty vs. in network status. (25:45) – Chad explains that process of going FFS.   Little System Segment Chad's google calendar.  He explains how he uses his google calendar to schedule his week. He gives a glimpse into his time management and how he leads and manages the practice.  He then discusses his meeting schedule with his team and the importance. Get Real Segment – Dr. Chad's biggest struggle at this practice is staffing 3 offices.  His solution is delegation to his team.  He wishes he could have told himself to take a ton of CE and make sure you implement it. In 2011, Chad has lightning strike his office and fry his server.  He only had local backup.  He explains the importance of having online backup.   Dental Practice Heroes Sexy 6 Favorite Quote: Not a quote, but he has two Life words: Perseverance and Perspective What are you reading right now? The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals Recommend a book all Dentists should read.  Way of the Wolf: Straight Line Selling: Master the Art of Persuasion, Influence, and Success (No Series) Recommend a CE.   The AACD annual meeting. Arun Garg for implants. Share a dental analogy. Implants.  Chad give s a great example of how to keep this explanation simple. He then give a “fork in the road” example. Give 3 pieces of advice for a new graduate. 1 – Go after the jobs yourself.  Don't wait to be spoon fed. That was good enough for all 3. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode of Dental Business Mentor,  Dr. Etch and Dr. Bhullar tackle the question, How can I get more new Patients? Dr. Bhullar explains… First, answer calls? Second are you converting calls? Third, are you comprehensively diagnosing? I am going to look at my competitors and I am going to have hours that they don't have. Check how your verbiage in your ad copy. You need to have an adequate budget Justin explains what his events are to get new patients. Dr. Etchison explains… -Asking existing patients to schedule their family members in a way that gets an appointment. -Training our teams on phone skills and listening to phone calls. -Tracking new patient conversion as well as why people don't book   ------------------------------------------------------- Dental Business Training If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison and Dr. Justin Bhullar can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

For 500 off and free shipping on Surgically Clean Air units,  email jon@surgicallycleanair.com and let him know that you heard about it on the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast.  Offer is good until May 1st 2020.   What is compassion?  The concern for the suffering of others. In our patients.  It might be compassion for their fear,  their finances, or their values or lack their of.  We have to give them a pass and just know that we can't possibly know everything that went into the way they are.  We need to accept them for who they are.  What is Self compassion? We learn survival mechanisms as children that we have to measure up to a certain behavior to be loved.  And we get punished to make us better. We take that into adult hood.    It shows up as a voice making us better.  It is our self Critic voice that makes us think we are doing it too make ourselves better. Perfectionism is actually insecurity and these voices showing up in adulthood.  This critic voice shows up as our mental coach.  If we allowed a friend to be as critical of us as we are of ourselves, we would have gotten rid of that friend a long time ago. How to fix:  Be aware of the voice.  Also, we need to realize there is nothing to fix, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with us.  If we want to love others, we have to first love ourselves. This doesn't mean to give up on your goals and be complacent.  It means to silence that voice that says you don't measure up.  Work towards to your goal from love, and not from your self hate. Failure is part of the process,  it doesn't mean you are unsuccessful or bad. We are not here to become an acceptable person, we are here to accept ourselves as we are.  We are already all good!   ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode of Dental Business Mentor,  Dr. Etch and Dr. Bhullar tackle the question, How can I get to 1.5 Million? Dr. Etchison explains… -Need to have a large clinical suite to keep your schedule busy. Work on your clinical skills -High new patient flow.  Need an internet presence,  SEO,  and a great looking website.  Marketing companies. -Scheduling protocols.  On DBM, we talk about blocking/templating the schedule -Full hygiene schedules Dr. Bhullar explains… -Operational systems -Demographics study. Do not open in a bad demographic area with dentist to population ratio. -Invest in yourself. Make sure you can do 90% of the procedures that come through your door. -Doctor training – clinical, communication, and leadership.  -Team Training – Phone sklils, communication -Control operational expense.  Set money aside for marketing ------------------------------------------------------- Dental Business Training If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison and Dr. Justin Bhullar can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts Copyright 2020 Dental Business Mentor

Today we are talking with Dr. Bill Williams the 10k a day dentist.   Some Talking Points (3:45) – Bill Williams explains that 10 a day is possible.  It's about mindset. (6:30)  Dr. Bill Williams big five – Mindset, Team, Marketing, Facility, Capacity (7:30) – 100% Readiness – Dr. Bill, explains the concept (9:00) – How Dr. Bill delegates his consults to his team. How this process works. (13:16) – How to implement 100% readiness. (16:05) – What a typical schedule looks like fro Dr. Bill (19:19) – What is a “perfect day”? (21:00) – What does it mean to just say yes. (23:50) – Why supergeneralism is the way to be (28:10) -- What is the easiest way to increase your production? Implant, surgery, and comprehensive treatment planning. Little System Segment – the “3 in 3” system.  Starting the day off perfect.   Get Real Segment – Dr. Bill's  biggest struggle is keeping the team that can get it done. Dr. Bill wishes he could tell himself earlier in his career that associates always leave.   Dr. Bill shares a story where he sold his practice and the mistakes he made. Dr. Bill's Websites http://Solstice.academy The 10k a Day podcast www.Redoxdentistry.com www.10kway.com Dental Practice Heroes Sexy 6 Favorite Quote: “If it's been done it's probably possible” Omar Reed What are you reading right now? A Bernie Gunther Series Recommend a book all Dentists should read. Jeff Olson the Slight Edge Recommend a CE.  The Dental XP Glabal Symposium.   Share a dental analogy.  A Redox signaling molecule is like a signal from your iPhone.  If your house was on fire, you would call the FD.   The Redox signal is you calling the Fire Department. Give 3 pieces of advice for a new graduate. 1 – Young dentists should harder,  Old dentists should work smarter.  Work 5 dayas a week until you pay off your debts. 2 – Find someone who is doing what you want to do, and learn from them.   3-  Get the training necessary to be the best dentist possible. Find a mentor.   ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode,  Dr. Etch discusses the practical things you can be doing now to get ahead of everyone else so that when it is time to open, you are ready! Visible barriers – It is time to order more barriers. Make your infection control visible to your patients.   PPE - Being ordering things like gowns, masks if you can, and face shields.  hexacontainment.com is somewhere you can order face shields from.  Make sure that you ask for the rigid shields, not the vinyl. Aerosols – Order things that can attach to the high vac suction to catch aerosols. Things like the Ivory Releaf, Dry Shield, Isolight, etc.  Order the kona adapters from amazon to save money. Air quality – Order some in room air purifiers. Medify air on amazon look good for in each op. They are around $120 each.   You can also order some UV lights that go into your HVAC system throughout the office.  Honeywell makes a UV light for HVAC that you can buy from amazon.  Last, order these medical grade air purifiers from surgically clean air. Surgically clean air affiliate deal for podcast listeners below: Reach out to jon@surgicallycleanair.com and tell him you heard about the machines on the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast for $500 dollars off and free shipping.  Dr. Etch bought two cascade units for my 4000 sq ft office. Lastly realize that anything you do to make your team and your patients feel safe will be not only marketable, but make everyone feel good about coming to your office.  You will get an ROI in the health of your team and patients, as well as from new patients that want to experience the level of care that you are providing.   ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts  

Today we are talking with Dr. Glenn Vo: a Texas native, private practicing dentist, a published novelist with his new book 2612 Cherry Lane, and founder of the Nifty Thrifty Dentist group and podcast.  Glenn is a 3-day practicing dentist at his private practice. Some Talking Points (5:00) – Not everyone should own a practice, and there is no one right way. What to do while you are associating. (7:20) – The power of hiring a coach and finding mentors. (11:15) – One way to get your team to buy into your practice.  Vision boards and understanding the hopes and dreams of everyone on the team.  Vision board: -Poster board with different goals -Have to cut pictures out and put on your board -One meeting a year, everyone explains their board to the team -All on the wall in the break room – they need to see it (17:30) – Taking the team on trips for team building and improving the practice.  You can take a trip on a budget if you need, but the ROI is always worth it. (24:05) – Glenn talks about writing his Novel,  2612 Cherry Lane. Life is short, go for your goals! (29:17) – Glenn's Little System Segment – How they use the morning huddle and schedule print outs to get people to schedule unscheduled treatment. (32:22) Get Real Segment – Glenn discusses dealing with team members and carving out time to work on his team.  There just isn't enough time it seems but it is so important.  How more productive you get when you take a day off to work on your business. If Glenn could go back, he would have spent more time working on his practices instead of practicing dentistry the whole time and trying to do everything.  Glenn's valuable business lesson he learned was not carving out the team to meet with his team and communicate and plan. (38:00) – Glenn talks about Dentistry Live Summit June 26th in Las Vegas. 12 hours of CE.  Buy one get one free using the code providing on the Nifty Thrifty Group. (42:10) – Dental Practice Heroes Sexy 6 Favorite Quote: “Fortune favors the Bold” What are you reading right now? Will Power Doesn't Work by Benjamin Hardy Recommend a book all Dentists should read. The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon Recommend a CE. Western Surgical and Sedation to learn how to do 3rd molar extractions Share a dental analogy.  Comparing teeth to tires on a car based on how people drive.  Some people drive really fast and wear them out quicker, and some people take it easy and wear them slower.  Everyone is different.  It depends on how you treat your teeth.  What happens when you don't take care of your tires? Give 3 pieces of advice for a new graduate. 1 – Money talks.  Look at the bottom line. Be careful of reps who are trying to sell you things. 2 – Numbers don't lie.  If you aren't getting ROI, stop that. 3-  Is it good for the practice?  No Matter what you do,  if you ask yourself this thing,  you will always be steered in the right direction. ---------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode of Dental Business Mentor,  Dr. Etch and Dr. Bhullar tackle the question, What would you have done differently to achieve your goals faster? Dr. Bhullar explains… -Be clear on what that goal is going to be, be clear, do not be ambiguous. -Don't Reinvent the wheel.  Find someone who has already done what you are trying to do. -Get rolling right away,  get it scheduled. Speed of implementation is key. -Keep in touch with the mentor Dr. Etchison explains… -It its not in the calendar, it doesn't get done. It needs to be a priority. -With specifics to the dental practice: 1) focused more on reappoint rate and expanding hygiene.  2) focused on training the team so that you spend less time in the hygiene ops so you can see three hygienists at once. -It's not always about the practice.  We should be setting goals about health, family, and relationships.       ------------------------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

In this episode of Dental Business Mentor,  Dr. Etch and Dr. Bhullar tackle the question, What do I do when my team member knows what to do but doesn't do it? Dr. Bhullar explains… -Team members need authorship over systems.  Include them in the process -Explain the why.  Why are we doing things this way? -How does this system working well affect them and make their life easier? Does it reduce stress and future work them? -Focus more on the results, rather than the process. Dr. Etchison explains… -What is the goal of the system?  Be clear!  The why is so important! -Why would a sane person not follow the system? Ask yourself.  Ask the team member. Ask for input from them.  We need to have a real conversation. -Make sure you are clear on what the system and the conditions of the system are.  Get it in writing. ------------------------------------------------------- If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, Dental Business Training by Dr. Paul Etchison can be found at Dental Business Mentor. For more Dental Business Content Check out www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com Subscribe You can subscribe to the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast on Itunes,  Stitcher, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Pocket Casts

What is a Brand Book? Do you have one? YOU SHOULD! Your team cannot truly know their purpose unless you show them what it is? In this episode, Dr. Etch discussed his brand book and what is contained so that new employees get excited and informed about the culture before they start working in it. If you would like a copy of Dr. Etch's Brand Book, please send an email to dentalpracticeheroes@gmail.com   copyright 2020 Dental Practice Heroes Podcast

Dr. Paul Etchison, Dental Practice Heroes Podcast owner, practice owner, and writer Did a startup 7 years ago in the suburbs of Chicago as a PPO practice with an expansion to 11 ops. What mistakes did you make? We didn't look at metrics because the patient flow looked good and didn't focus on reappointment as they should. We check for additional family members to incorporate and make sure they understand what is happening and the time constraints of the appointment. They also do recaps regularly to see how they can improve. With 26 team members, it is important to have team leads to help with decisions. We also need to recognize that people make mistakes. If not, we risk people hiding things or avoiding conflict to prevent getting in trouble. In 7.5 years, no one has left because they are unhappy. He works 6 days a month seeing patients doing only ortho and uses one day a week for administration. They are very full days to maximize the dollar per hour. Have you ever fired anyone on the spot? Yes, but only when they had worked for them only a few weeks. How do you handle raises? Cap your salaries at a solid percentage and employ a bonus system. As the production improves, they can adjust for increased pay. How do you create a good culture? Make mistakes okay. Let your team know it is a part of the process. Communicate with your team and ask for honesty and really listen. Do the right thing before people ask for it. Dental Business Mentors is an online group of CE courses to learn how to better yourself as a business owner. Monthly membership is $500/ month or $3000 per year. The Nifty Deal is $350 off. This includes the videos and all documents in their programs.

On this episode of the Delivering WOW Podcast, I'm thrilled to be joined by Dr. Paul Etchison, who reveals the secret to building a powerful dental team and preventing employee turnover. Dr. Etchison is the author of ‘Dental Practice Hero: From Ordinary Practice to Extraordinary Experience,' which details how dentists can grow startups to $1m in collections the first year, how to destress the day to day running of a practice and how to become a leader that influences practice culture so positively that practice growth becomes organic. Dr. Etchison owns a large office in the Chicago suburbs and only does two days/week clinical dentistry. He is the host of the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and during my conversation with him, he talks about dealing with team power, culture and running a great practice. Paul's existing practice in Chicago is likely to collect a staggering $4.5 million in collections this year. If that's not enough, Paul has never lost a single team member throughout the eight years his practice has been running, which means he has zero employee turnover. On the podcast, we discuss: How Dr. Etchison got into dentistry and started his own dental practice Why Dr. Etchison has experienced zero turnover and what he attributes that to Tips for hiring the best team members no matter where you are positioned How to grow demand for your services and why block booking is so beneficial to your bottom line The importance of creating an amazing patient experience and getting referrals from your existing patients How to keep your team happy, engaged and accountable for practice growth  To find out more, and to discover other episodes click here.