Podcasts about practice website

How can we improve communication between practice owners and employees? Sthefany Alviar reveals insights from the contrast between her current role at Mirjam Quinn and Associates and a previous, less supportive private practice. She and Sarah explore issues such as financial transparency, the challenges of transitioning from salaried to contractual pay, and the importance of clear administrative support. Sthefany emphasizes the value of aligning personal values with those of the practice, noting how Miriam's openness about financials and future plans contributes to a positive workplace culture.  *** Group Practice (R)evolution is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future.  Podcast episodes are available for free in this feed for a limited time. If you want to hear more episodes like this one and access Sarah's “why do you stay?” interview template… Join other leaders in the Group Practice (R)evolution!  Regular podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. So visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on “have a coupon” and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year!  Available episodes include: The Ideals of Therapy vs the Limitations of Capitalism with Jeff Levy Sustainable Solutions for Staff Retention and Satisfaction with Jennifer Froemel  Creating Emotional Safety, Belonging, and Buy-In With Your Staff with Mirjam Quinn  *** About Our Guest: Dr. Sthefany Alviar earned her doctorate from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA in 2020 and now serves as a postdoctoral fellow at Mirjam Quinn and Associates (MQA), a thriving private practice. With an integrative approach rooted in attachment and relational frameworks, she provides virtual therapy for clients of all ages. Dr. Alviar specializes in supporting individuals navigating complex trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and behavioral difficulties. Her expertise extends to parent-child dynamics (PCIT), performance anxiety, cultural identity exploration, LGBTQ+ concerns, and neurodivergent experiences. salviar@mqatherapy.com IG: @mirjamquinnandassociates  Practice Website: https://mirjamquinnandassociates.com/sthefany-alviar/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sthefany-alviar-psyd-ms-7b9530113  

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Travis Coulter, we dive even deeper into his transformative journey from being a full-time clinician to an innovator and leader in the dental industry. Dr. Coulter shares the powerful mindset shifts that led him to transition out of full-time practice and into new opportunities, including building a surgical center and advancing digital dentistry. In this episode, we cover: The importance of defining your identity beyond dentistry.How coaching, mentorship, and mindset shifts helped him embrace new opportunities.Why learning to say no is a crucial skill for long-term career fulfillment.The transition from solo practitioner to business owner and mentor.The power of taking risks and stepping outside your comfort zone. ✨ Sponsor Shoutout: This episode is brought to you by U.S. Dental, a leader in digital dental workflows. From CBCTs to intraoral scanners and 3D printers, U.S. Dental provides cutting-edge technology to help modernize your practice. Ask for the Nifty Thrifty Deal today!

Simon shares the steps prospective clients should take when they land on your practice website. Episode Show Notes: kayladas.com/episode108 Simon at Start Your Practice: startyourpractice.ca Free Boosting Business Community: facebook.com/groups/exclusiveprivatepracticecommunity Our Podcast Sponsor Jane App: kayladas.com/jane When you sign up for Jane App with the promotional code EVASPARE1MO you receive your first month free. Credits & Disclaimers Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay The Designer Practice Podcast and Evaspare Inc. has an affiliate and/or sponsorship relationship for advertisements in our podcast episodes. We receive commission or monetary compensation, at no extra cost to you, when you use our promotional codes and/or check out advertisement links.

Send us a textWe had the best time hanging out with Dr. Dennis Hartleib, the founder of Dental Online Training (DOT), an online hands-on training program for dentists, dental auxiliaries, and dental students, on this week's Humpday Happy Hour™

Struggling to decide whether to use a direct booking link vs. a contact form on your private practice website? This choice might seem minor, but it can significantly impact your client conversion rates and the efficiency of booking initial consultations.In this episode, I share my honest take on both approaches, drawing from my experiences helping therapists optimize their websites and intake processes. You'll learn when a direct booking link makes sense, when the extra step of a contact form is worth it, and how each option influences a potential client's journey from discovery to their first session.Whether you're just starting or looking to fill those last few spots, I'll help you decide the best approach for your private practice. You'll gain clarity on managing client interactions and improving your practice's efficiency. So, if you're ready to make an informed decision and increase your client conversion rate, tune in and let's figure out what's best for you!Topics covered in this episode: How the choice between a direct booking link vs. form affects your client conversion rate.The pros and cons of having a direct booking link vs. forms on your website.Determining the right approach for your therapy private practice's current stage.Strategies that can help you improve client engagement and conversion.How to handle client objections and ensure they are well-informed before consultations.Resources from this episode:Want the roadmap to making six figures in your therapy business? Learn more about The Fee Formula course today!Work with me 1:1: https://www.thebadtherapist.coach/private-coachingConnect with Felicia:Get my freebie & join the email list: The Magic SheetsInstagram: @the_bad_therapistWebsite: www.thebadtherapist.coachFacebook group: Healing MoneyQuote:"It's about helping people come to the decisions that are best for them." - Felicia

In this powerful episode of the Nifty Thrifty Dentists Podcast, host Dr. Adam Vega sits down with Dr. Travis Coulter, an advanced-level dentist and visionary entrepreneur. Dr. Coulter shares his journey from practicing sedation dentistry in Spokane, Washington, to developing X-Chart—a groundbreaking software that's transforming sedation dentistry practices. Dr. Coulter dives into: The importance of leadership and team dynamics in running a successful practice. How X-Chart simplifies sedation documentation, enhances patient safety, and improves emergency preparedness. Why mentorship and vulnerability are crucial for growth in dentistry. ✨ Sponsor Shoutout:This episode is brought to you by MVP Mailhouse! If you're thinking about using mailers to attract new patients, MVP Mailhouse is your go-to partner. Learn more about their cutting-edge solutions and the exclusive "Nifty Deal" by checking the description or show notes below!

In this episode of Private Practice Elevation, Daniel dives into the world of search engine optimization (SEO). He explains how therapists in private practice can perform a basic SEO assessment of their websites.  SEO can feel like a moving target, especially with the constant changes in Google's algorithm, but understanding the basics can make a big difference in your online visibility. For private practice owners, having a strong online presence is essential to attracting the right clients. However, navigating SEO often feels overwhelming.  That's why this episode is packed with practical tips to help therapists assess their current SEO strategies and identify opportunities for improvement.  From understanding key metrics in Google Analytics to optimizing Google Business Profiles for local search, Daniel covers the essentials to help you elevate your online presence and grow your practice. Why Perform An SEO Assessment? Many therapists struggle to understand why their website isn't generating enough leads or why they aren't ranking higher in Google searches. Daniel emphasizes that an effective SEO strategy starts with understanding where your website stands today.  By assessing your current performance, you can create a clear path toward improving your rankings, driving more traffic, and ultimately attracting more of the clients you want to work with. Episode Highlights 0:01 – Boosting Private Practice Growth Through Effective SEO Strategies Daniel begins by discussing how SEO is a powerful tool for growing your practice and why it's worth the investment. 3:35 – Join Our SEO Basecamp Live Training Group for Private Practices Learn about a new training program designed specifically to help therapists gain a deeper understanding of SEO. 7:49 – Understanding SEO Baselines and the Importance of Google Analytics Daniel explains the importance of setting a baseline for your SEO performance and tracking critical metrics like website traffic and bounce rates. 10:41 – Essential Tools and Strategies for Effective SEO Management Discover some of the must-have tools, including Google Search Console and Ubersuggest, to assess and manage your website's SEO. 16:18 – Mastering SEO: From Technical Aspects to Content Strategy A step-by-step guide to addressing technical SEO, from fixing broken links to improving website speed. 22:27 – Optimizing Website Content and Structure for Better SEO Tips for improving your site's navigation and creating service-specific content that resonates with potential clients. 26:29 – Optimizing Google Business Profiles for Enhanced Local SEO Daniel shares actionable advice on improving local SEO by enhancing your Google Business Profile and collecting reviews. 29:43 – Elevate Your Practice With SEO Strategies and Alma Support Wrapping up with how Alma, an SEO agency, can support therapists in taking their SEO to the next level. Key Takeaways SEO Assessments are Crucial: Regular assessments reveal your website's strengths and areas for growth, setting the stage for improvement. Optimization Tools are the Foundation: Tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Ubersuggest provide invaluable data for guiding your strategy. Four Mountains of SEO: Daniel highlights technical SEO, on-site optimization, content creation, and off-site strategies as essential pillars. Content is King: Quality, client-centered content positions your site as a trustworthy resource and boosts rankings. Local SEO is Key for Growth: Optimizing your Google Business Profile and gathering reviews can drastically improve your visibility in local searches.

In this episode of the Smarter Not Harder Podcast, join us as we delve into how our non-profit Health Optimization Medicine and Practice (HOMeHOPe) came to be, and learn more about the upcoming HOMeHOPe Symposium taking place on December 11th and 12th in Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas! Discover exciting discussions about foundational health, innovative technology in AI, photobiomodulation, gut health, the impact of cannabis on sexual health, and so much more! This episode highlights the importance of community and continuous health optimization. Join us as we delve into: + The latest strategies in human health and wellness. + Expert discussions on health optimization practices. + Unlocking the secrets of cellular health and more. + Key insights from speakers on health advancements. This episode is for you if: - You're seeking to expand your knowledge of epigenetics and its application in health. - You want to connect with top experts in health optimization fields. - You're looking to understand the practical uses of emerging health technologies. - You want to be part of a forward-thinking health community focused on impactful change. Health Optimization Medicine and Practice: Website: https://homehope.org/ Join us in Vegas: https://homehope.org/pages/homehope-symposium-2024 Instagram: https://instagram.com/homehopeorg/ Find more from Smarter Not Harder: Website: https://troscriptions.com/blogs/podcast | https://homehope.org Instagram: @troscriptions | @homehopeorg Get 10% Off your purchase of the Metabolomics Module by using PODCAST10 at https://www.homehope.org Get 10% Off your Troscriptions purchase by using POD10 at https://www.troscriptions.com Get daily content from the hosts of Smarter Not Harder by following @troscriptions on Instagram.

Sports Dietitians, Aidan Muir & Leah Higl, delve into the complexities of how individuals respond differently to caloric surpluses and deficits. They explore the foundational concepts of energy balance, metabolic adaptation, and the thermic effect of food, while emphasising the significant individual variations in response to dietary changes. The discussion is supported by research findings and practical insights from their experiences with clients.   (0:00) - Introduction  (1:51) - How Your Metabolism Changes in Response to Energy Balance (5:28) - Other Considerations (8:17) - The Research  (10:25) - Our Intepretation & Experience in Practice   WEBSITE: https://www.idealnutrition.com.au/ PODCAST: https://www.idealnutrition.com.au/podcast/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/idealnutrition__/?hl=en   Our dietitians

From Burnout to Balance | A Conversation with Dr. JoyDon't forget to subscribe to the Inspired Changemakers Podcast to stay updated with the latest stories of changemakers who are transforming lives and shaping a better future. Your support helps us continue bringing stories of impactful changemakers like Dr. Joy to light!

Send Vanessa a Text MessageIn this episode, I welcome Western Medical Herbalist, Lee Carroll to the show to largely discuss the powerful benefits of ergothioneine, a naturally-occurring amino acid found in mushrooms. After an extensive career thus far, Lee is now Chief Medical Herbalist of Real Mushrooms, and his passion lies in educating both the public and practitioners of the amazing applications of mushrooms to support human health. Ergothioneine has largely flown under the radar among our general populations, but research is clear that this amino acid/antioxidant has very protective action AGAINST cognitive/neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases. Lee takes us through an easy-to-understand lesson on the benefits of ergothioneine, and how it impacts our mitochondria and cellular health, and answers all the questions one might have regarding it's impact on aging and aging WELL.Lee on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leecarrollherbalist/Lee's Email: lee@realmushrooms.comReal Mushrooms: https://www.realmushrooms.com/Real Mushrooms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realmushroomsLee's Practice Website: https://www.leecarrollherbalist.com/Use Lee's Code for 20%: "LEE" (Real Mushrooms)Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/well.with.vanessa/Vanessa's Homebase (links/discount codes): https://linktr.ee/thegiftofgoodsVanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegiftofgoods/ Vanessa on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thegiftofgoodsPodcast on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@IntentionallyWellPodcastPodcast on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@well.with.vanessaPodcast on X: https://x.com/wellwithvanessaEmail: intentionallywellpodcast@gmail.comSupport the Show.Podcast Website: https://intentionallywellwithvanessalopez.buzzsprout.comThis episode is for informational purposes only. Please consult a trusted health practitioner for individual concerns.

Join us for a conversation with Matt Morrison of clinicsites.co.Matt answers key questions about your practice website and some best practices. Go to the website and spin yourself up a website in just a few seconds! Check it out. Clinic Sites can pull in your date from Jane App if you are a Jane user.

‍Today we're navigating the complex world of dentistry with authenticity, resilience, and an open heart. But, what does it take to embody these key values? In this episode, Dr. Maggie Augustyn takes us on her transformative journey from graduating dental school to becoming a successful, compassionate dentist. Overcoming initial challenges that nearly derailed her early career, Maggie offers an intimate window into her personal evolution, unpacking the layers of self-reflection and mentorship that led her to shed false identities and fully commit to her passion.Maggie dives deep into her professional trajectory, sharing her transition from working in less-than-ideal conditions to taking the formidable step of opening her own practice - a venture fraught with financial fears and management challenges. Throughout these enlightening windows into her growth, one element remains consistent: the dedication to becoming a better dentist and a better person. Exploring the internal tug-of-war of wanting to be liked and needing to deliver honest, sometimes hard-to-swallow treatment plans, Maggie emphasizes the supreme importance of empathy and genuine patient connections in her practice. Her reflections on battling cancer and the integral role of personal and professional integrity in managing her practice through these tough times offer an inspiring testament to her resilience.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The early challenges and misunderstandings that young practitioners face in their medical journey.The importance of shedding false identities and embracing authenticity in the field of dentistry.How to navigate the financial and leadership aspects of launching and managing a private practice.The value of compassion, empathy, and honest communication in patient care.How personal turmoil and struggles can impact and shape professional growth and perspective.Don't miss out on this insightful, heartwarming journey of transformation and growth in the world of dentistry! Tune in to share in Dr. Maggie's wisdom gathered from her diverse experiences.‍‍Sponsors:‍For high quality AND affordable dental supply options, visit The Dentists Supply Company(TDSC) website today! Our listeners get a special deal - 25% off on orders over $500 - Just type in the special code: TDM25 at checkout for your exclusive offer. AND if you're a member of your state's Dental Association, you may be eligible for additional savings upon providing your ADA number. Click or copy and paste the link here to save today! https://www.tdsc.com/‍Guest: Dr. Maggie AugustynPractice Name: Happy ToothCheck out Maggie's Media:Practice Website: https://myhappytooth.com/Personal Website: https://maggieaugustyn.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.maggieaugustynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.maggieaugustyn/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-maggie-augustyn-dds-faaip-ficoi-7a9502122/‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Services:Productive Dentist Academy‍People:Dr. Talcott ParsonsDr. Bruce B. Baird & Dr. Victoria Peterson (Productive Dentist Academy)‍Dr. Augustyn Presentations:Lie to Me: The Destructive Nature of Self ComparisonBeyond The Drill: From Struggle to Success‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍‍

Are you feeling stuck in your medical career, unsure of your next steps, or struggling to find satisfaction in your current role? In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Rinku Mehra, a pediatric endocrinologist with a remarkable journey of career exploration and evolution. Dr. Mehra's story serves as a beacon of hope for physicians facing similar challenges, demonstrating that you don't have to get it right out of the gate when you're at the crossroads. Medicine is not a one-way street and you can go back and forth and carve your own path to fulfillment.  You can find the show notes for this episode and more information by clicking here: www.doctorscrossing.com/episode171   In this episode we're talking about: Dr. Mehra's journey in overcoming dissatisfaction in clinical practice Navigating nonclinical roles from the FDA to utilization management Lessons learned from transitioning back to clinical care after a stint in a nonclinical role Dr. Mehra's gradual exploration of alternative career paths Pursuing further education and its impact on the entrepreneurial mindset How Dr. Mehra's MBA experience sparked her entrepreneurial spirit and ultimately led her to launch her own telemedicine practice Insights into overcoming imposter syndrome and embracing uncertainty in career transitions The importance of self-reflection, mentorship, and perseverance in navigating a nontraditional medical career path   Links for this episode: Dr. Rinku Mehra's Practice Website  https://www.themehraclinic.com/ For information on Dr. Mehra's Doc Launch Academy for those of you wanting to start your own practice, contact her at doclaunchacademy@gmail.com  Use this QR code to join the waitlist! Physician Transition Starter Kit - A “must have” when you're questioning your career path. This 25-page guide answers many of your questions about career transition, nonclinical options, and how to just get started. Episode #40: Could Chart Review Be for You? With Dr. Rinku Mehra  

As a Canadian therapist, one of the things that you know needs to get done is to build a website. It's part of the deal of being a business owner, and having a great website is the cornerstone of being seen by your local community and getting your Canadian private practice noticed.  I think everyone has one or two horror stories about trying to get everything up and running when you are launching your Canadian private practice, or your latest marketing campaign - I've had some as well! But a great website is necessary, and it's not as impossible (or expensive) as you may have thought! I've partnered with an incredible company that offers you easy, affordable, and professional website packages. Depending on your needs, budget, and desires, there will be an option that fits your budget and business like a glove. Keep listening to be introduced!  In this Episode: Re-building my website Choosing your website journey  Meet Your New Website!  Re-building my website  Last year I decided to completely redo my website, perhaps you have an idea of how much work that can be! If you have ever been in this situation - or you are in this situation now, read on!  WordPress websites are open-source, they offer design flexibility, and excellent SEO capabilities. On the other hand, website builders that create using their own proprietary platform (like Wix, Squarespace, Clinic Sites, and now Brighter Vision) make creating a website easy BUT there are limits to the design of your website and limits to SEO, because the websites are built on their private platform. Choosing your website journey  I decided to switch from my previous website host to one that suited my preferences and needs, and I found an amazing Canadian company that ticked all the boxes!  So, you may be thinking that instead you could build your own website. You might imagine that it would be cheaper, and that you could do it your own way. You could do that, but I would recommend you try something else!  Because I tried to build my own website, it took almost 10 months, and it felt like a second job.  Meet Your New Website! So if you don't want to spend months working with a team to build your own website, doing edits, and paying thousands of dollars - I have found a solution for you!  Before any confusion sets in; WordPress.org is where you can purchase your own hosting and develop your website. However, now there is a WordPress website that provides you with turn-key solutions; WordPress.com!  So if you want to build it yourself in an easy way, they offer that function. However, if you don't want to build it yourself, they do offer website design services - all you have to do is choose one of their monthly plans, choose a template that you love, and submit your content.  And, if you want to transfer later and stop working with the company, you can switch your website to another WordPress hosting site!  You can start with this company for 0 Canadian dollars! Or, I'd recommend starting with their Creator Plan, which is only $33 CAD a month, plus tax, which includes:  Free domain for one year Premium website themes Unlimited Pages WordPress Plugins Live Chat Support Website Security Real Time Website Backups Website Performance Boosters To start building your private practice, click here and by next week you could have your website built!  Connect with me: Instagram Website  Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:  Ep 108 Michael Sorsdahl: CCPA's New Ethics Case bOok and Why You Must Read It | EP 108  Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website   Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn

Introduction   In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), text-based content often takes center stage.    Those who have done any work on their website's SEO, you likely have spent a significant effort in crafting compelling articles, adding content to your pages, and optimizing keywords.    However, in the pursuit of improving website rankings, one vital element is often overlooked—images.    In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we'll explore the importance of optimizing images for SEO and provide you with tips and tricks to ensure your visual content doesn't go unnoticed by search engines.   Why Image Optimization Matters for SEO Enhanced User Experience: High-quality, well-optimized images can significantly enhance the user experience on your website. Fast-loading pages with attractive visuals keep visitors engaged and reduce bounce rates, which are crucial ranking factors for search engines. Ranking in Google Images: Google Images is a popular search engine in its own right. Optimized images have a better chance of ranking here, driving additional organic traffic to your website. This is particularly advantageous if your site relies heavily on visual content, such as e-commerce stores or photography portfolios. Page Loading Speed: Image optimization plays a crucial role in improving page loading speed. Slow-loading pages can result in a poor user experience and negatively affect your SEO rankings. Compressed and properly sized images can help mitigate this issue. Mobile Optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices for web browsing, image optimization becomes even more critical. Smaller file sizes ensure faster load times on mobile networks and better performance for mobile users.   Tips and Tricks for Optimizing Images for SEO   Choose the Right File Format: The most common image formats are JPEG, PNG, and GIF. JPEG is ideal for photographs and complex images, while PNG is better for images with transparency. Use GIFs for animations. Choosing the right format can significantly impact image quality and file size. Resize Images: Before uploading, resize your images to the exact dimensions needed for your website. This reduces unnecessary file size and ensures a faster loading time. Compression: Use image compression tools or plugins to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. There are many online tools and WordPress plugins available for this purpose. Descriptive Filenames: Give your image files descriptive filenames that include relevant keywords. For example, instead of "IMG001.jpg," use "red-convertible-car.jpg" if the image depicts a red convertible car. This helps search engines understand the image's content. Alt Text: Always include descriptive alt text for your images. Alt text not only improves accessibility for visually impaired users but also provides search engines with context about the image. Use relevant keywords naturally within the alt text. Image Titles: Consider adding titles to your images, but use them sparingly and make sure they are concise and descriptive. Monitor Performance: Regularly monitor your website's performance, including image load times. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix can help identify areas for improvement.   Conclusion   Optimizing images for SEO on your private practice website is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of digital marketing. By following these strategies, you can enhance your website's user experience, improve page load times, and increase your visibility in search engine results, including Google Images.    Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, and regularly optimizing your images is essential to maintaining and improving your website's performance in the ever-competitive online landscape. Start prioritizing image optimization today and reap the benefits of improved search engine rankings and user engagement.  

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we are delving deep into the art of crafting an effective and high-converting contact page for your private practice website.    Your private practice website is more than just an online presence or an online business card. It is your gateway to connecting with clients, helping them find the support they need, and ultimately growing your private practice.    At the heart of this journey lies your contact page, a crucial element in the conversion process on your website.    Your contact page is where visitors take that crucial step of reaching out and booking appointments or learning more about your practice.    It is not just about design; it is about creating a seamless, inviting experience that encourages visitors to take action.    In this episode, Daniel Fava explores ten tips to help you create a seamless and inviting contact page that encourages visitors to take that crucial step of reaching out and booking appointments or learning more about your therapy practice.   Key Takeaways: Keep the contact page simple and inviting to avoid overwhelming visitors. Prioritize the contact form by prominently displaying it above the fold. Create an engaging headline that incites action and leads visitors to the contact form. Provide multiple contact options, such as phone, email, and a contact form, to cater to different preferences. Add trust-building elements, such as testimonials or certifications, to instill confidence in visitors. Use a clear call to action on buttons to let visitors know what will happen when they click. Optimize the contact page for mobile devices to accommodate the majority of users. Ensure privacy and security by mentioning your commitment to privacy and using SSL encryption. Implement CAPTCHA or other spam protection measures to prevent unwanted submissions. Test and monitor the contact page to track conversions and make improvements over time.   This Episode Is Brought To You By   Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.   Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment.    In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients.    Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.   10 Tips For Crafting an Effective and High Converting Contact Page for Your Private Practice Website   1. Keep it Simple and Inviting The first rule of an effective contact page is to keep it simple.    We want to create a clean and uncluttered design that invites visitors in and makes it clear what they need to do on the page. Look at other websites, both within your industry and outside of it, to get ideas on how to create a simple and inviting contact page.    The goal is to make it easy for visitors to understand what they need to do and to lead them into taking that next step. 2. Prioritize the Form The contact form is the main attraction of your contact page. It should be prominently displayed, preferably above the fold, so that visitors can easily find it without scrolling down. Include fields for name, email, phone number, and a message box for longer messages.    Over time, you can customize the form to fit the specific needs of your practice, such as asking for the best time to call back for a consultation. The key is to keep the form simple and efficient for your practice. 3. Create an Engaging Headline At the top of your contact page, create an engaging headline that invites action. This could be something like "Ready to take the first step towards a happier you?" or "Get in touch to schedule your free consultation."    The goal is to incite action and lead visitors to the contact form, which should be prominently displayed right below the headline. 4. Provide Multiple Contact Options While the contact form is the main focus of your contact page, it is important to offer multiple contact options to cater to different preferences.    Some visitors may prefer speaking directly, while others may be more comfortable with written communication.    Along with the contact form, include options such as phone, email, and even a link to your Google Business profile. This allows visitors to choose the method of contact that they are most comfortable with.   5. Add Trust Building Elements Building trust is crucial in encouraging visitors to take that next step and reach out. Consider adding trust-building elements to your contact page, such as testimonials, certifications, or social proof.    Testimonials from past clients can help potential clients feel more confident in reaching out, knowing that others have had positive experiences with your practice.    Certifications and social proof, such as being featured on reputable websites or podcasts, can also help build trust. 6. Use a Clear Call to Action Your contact page should have a clear call to action on the button that leads visitors to take the next step.    Use phrases like "Get started" or "Request an appointment" to make it clear what will happen when the button is clicked. Avoid being too creative or fancy with the call to action; simplicity is key.    Make sure the button stands out against the rest of the page and is easy to click, especially on mobile devices. 7. Optimize for Mobile With the majority of people accessing websites from their smartphones, it is crucial to optimize your contact page for mobile devices.    Ensure that your contact page and the form are fully responsive, easy to navigate, and function seamlessly on mobile devices.    Test the contact form on your own phone and ask others to do the same to ensure a smooth user experience. 8. Privacy and Security Visitors to your website need to feel confident that their information is secure and will not be shared without their consent. Mention your commitment to privacy and include a link to your privacy policy under the contact form. Additionally, make sure your website is secure with an SSL certificate to encrypt information that is submitted through the contact form. 9. CAPTCHA and Spam Protection Implementing CAPTCHA or other spam protection measures on your contact form is essential to prevent unwanted submissions and maintain the quality of inquiries. CAPTCHA helps filter out bots that try to spam your contact form by requiring users to complete a simple math equation. This ensures that only genuine inquiries are submitted through the form. 10. Test and Monitor After implementing these tips, it is important to test and monitor the performance of your contact page.    Use tools like Google Analytics to track user behavior and conversion rates. Monitor how many people land on your contact page and how many actually submit the form.    This data will give you insights into the effectiveness of your contact page and help you make any necessary adjustments. Conclusion Crafting an effective and high-converting contact page is crucial for growing your private practice.    By keeping it simple and inviting, prioritizing the form, providing multiple contact options, adding trust building elements, using a clear call to action, optimizing for mobile, ensuring privacy and security, implementing CAPTCHA and spam protection, and testing and monitoring the performance, you can create a contact page that encourages visitors to take that crucial step of reaching out.    Continuously evaluate and improve your contact page to maximize conversions and grow your practice.

Today I want to tell you about our sponsor for this episode,  Olsen  Dental  Chairs!‍‍Imagine you're a dentist and you spend your whole day around the chair...   Well, Olsen has over  40 years of experience in making those long hours as comfortable as possible for both the dentist  and the patient! ‍If you're a dental professional looking for high quality, cost effective, dental equipment, check out Olson dental chairs!Click this link and mention this episode for a limited time FREE installation with your purchase!‍Guest: Rhonda KalashoPractice Name: TruGlow Mordern DentalCheck out Rhonda's Media:Practice Website: https://glomoderndental.com/Email: rhondakalasho@glomoderndental.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.rhondakalasho/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.rhondakalasho‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Tools/Resources:HubSpotHubSpothttps://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjjuryZn42DAxXKB60GHWZzBfYYABAAGgJwdg&ase=2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyeWrBhDDARIsAGP1mWSmA-wnuIpk3AgrP6Q4LOTx7tZpTWkt9X_vnRvjxA6TpHggzdgGerIaAoxFEALw_wcB&ei=6xJ6ZaSIDeGC0PEP-5GPaA&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESV-D2LJrATp36pfi4qgGRCTKgaEIqiHzgIfDNWGIzDXafM7fx84q8a9o3MfxOBrhzqXvVlJtKltzCsaJOIqike632B7HWKepVIukxm2wCNCtob28pZUpKag&sig=AOD64_0lSViVPzY6D95mLKOsmbn2Bwj18A&q&sqi=2&nis=4&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwjkqbaZn42DAxVhATQIHfvIAw0Q0Qx6BAgJEAETrainualPearl (AI software)TurboTaxGoogle AdsCompanies/Brands:BBCMSNBCForbesZocDocInvisalignTerms:HMOMedi-CalROI - Return on InvestmentEBITDA - Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and AmortizationWet DentistryOL - Oral LeukoplakiaAI - Artificial IntelligenceSEO - Search Engine OptimizationPPC AdsLLC - Limited Liability CompanyS CorporationC CorporationW-2CavitronPiezoLocations/Establishments:UCLAUCSD‍Host: 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:Dr. Kalasho's journey from graduate to successful entrepreneur owning multiple dental practices.Understanding contracts and the importance of developing sound business acumen.Insights into partnerships and dental practice acquisitions.Using dental insurance as a financial safeguard while maintaining quality care.Implementing AI in dental practices: from patient care to insurance dealings.The role of tax planning and smart investments in building wealth.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. Rhonda Kalasho. How's it Rhonda: going? Great. Excellent. I'm in Los Angeles. How can I, how can I fight this weather? We got sun. Michael: I know we got, sun yesterday Rhonda: Yeah. Oh yeah. You're, You're not far. got rain ever. There was car accidents everywhere. Cause nobody knows what to do. Yeah. Car accidents everywhere. Exactly. There's traffic. There's like a little splatter of rain and suddenly we don't have driver's license. Did it rain a lot in San Diego or no?Yeah. It rained a lot. It rained a lot. My parents live out there. I live in Los Angeles, but I mean, we had a lot of rain yesterday, but we love it. I love it. I eat it Michael: up. like a nice change of pace of everything. We all feel like we, what do we do? We got to shut down and everything like Rhonda: that.I'm that person that puts up the Christmas decorations the day after Halloween. So now it matches the weather. Michael: That's awesome. So if you can tell us a little bit about your past, your present, how'd you get to where you are Rhonda: today? Yeah, absolutely. I own, uh, multiple practices under one brand called True Glow Modern Dental.Uh, I did end up owning, uh, an HMO practice straight out of residency, which I loved a lot, but, uh, I ended up, it was a partnership that didn't go well. And it's because I didn't really understand contracts at the time and, So I ended up, uh, just selling my shares of that and then purchasing my first office in Hollywood, in 2018, in 2020 I opened up my, uh, Beverly Hills location and now I'm opening up my Calabasas location. I'm pretty busy right now. I have two little ones at home. But what got me into practice ownership is, uh, I really thought that there was a market deficit in dentistry where it's essentially affordable care, but also at the same time, high quality. and I wanted to utilize some of my business background because I was an undergrad as an undergrad major, I was a business administration, major.And then I picked up some of the prereqs before UCLA to finish up. To get into dental school, but I had a good business acumen before I began my dental journey. And I knew that there was, a really great market for potential of membership style dental offices, which don't operate like an insurance, but more like how you would see traditional memberships, businesses operating where you have a fixed monthly amount, and then you are given, Reduce fees or whatever for a service.And so we were able to do that. Um, I also own my own dental laboratory. So my costs are, fixed in a way where I can produce high quality care, but at the same time, affordably for my patients as well. so we're, uh, kind of a niche brand of dentistry. we do have patients that still come in with insurance.We concierge bill their insurance and the patient gets billed or gets paid directly. Um, that's part of my brand. I just wanted to grow and develop this, business perspective that I had even as an undergrad. and now, lo and behold, I actually really love dentistry. I'm still a wet handed dentist, so I do practice all the time. and you can see that on my Instagram page. I do some, uh, pretty crazy video, full mouth rehab cases. I learned that at my residency, which I did at UCSD. And I recommend everybody actually do a residency. Super important. All my, colleagues and associates that work under our brand have done residencies. that's what got me here. I love. Not only the practice of dentistry, but the business, of dentistry as well. Michael: Nice. Okay. So it's good. Let's rewind a little bit. You said you immediately out of residency, you jumped into practice ownership. You owned HMO. Crazy me. Yeah. Why, Why did you do that?Well, I Rhonda: did go into, office kind of thing a little bit. I did that for like two months and it just didn't fit my style. I wanted certain equipment, I wanted certain things when I would work and it was just the bare bones. I remember being asked to do endo without a rubber dam and without all of a sudden it was just like, I was just kind of.Especially when you're out of dental school you're, you're kind of still into the standard of care and you're really wanting to make sure that you're practicing that as such. And I remember the corporate setting was very much a patient push and making sure that they finish the treatment, make sure that they get the treatment done, make sure that you hit your quotas and all that.And it's all respectable. That's fine. Everybody needs to be aware of numbers, but it became more of less. Quality of and more of just pushing dental treatment out. Um, I quickly ran away from that, but found a great office that I liked a lot. They did accept HMOs and HMO style Cal office. was nice and you can still be very profitable in that market. It's not like you need to be all fee for service to be profitable as a medical or HMO dental practice. It's just a different practice setting. but they're still very profitable practices. And so if people are out there looking at maybe buying in or buying, only a fee for service office.Fee for service offices are incredibly difficult to maintain and hold because as soon as a patient gets insurance, they may leave you, um, as opposed to an insurance based practice, even in the worst times of economic issues But for fee for service, you may find that if you're just collecting free for service, you'll have a lot of waxing and waning of the times and then you'll have these tides of Being really busy and then not being really busy.and that could be really detrimental, but I got into the HMO practice, and then I was offered a partnership, um, because I expressed actually my, my goal of practice ownership. So that's how I got in so quickly. Um, so I, expressed that during my business, meetings with them that I wanted to get involved in as being a practice owner.Um, so I quickly got into that. but the, the way that it was laid out was of course, I just kind of went and read the contract myself. I didn't have a lawyer read it over. I didn't. And so what ended up happening at the end is I put a lot of my own equity in it, but didn't get a good return.and that's a pro, I mean, I always. Call my career as a, constant trajectory of falling forward because I'm constantly making mistakes. And I don't know everything that I'm doing every day. That is a hundred percent. This is the right way of doing it, but a part of building yourself as a professional and an entrepreneur is making mistakes and being okay with that, but you have to learn and learn why it was done and not reproduce the same mistakes.Michael: Interesting. Okay. And it's interesting your, point on fee for service and insurance. I feel like right now, a lot of the practices we're trying to kind of transition out of insurance, right? We're saying, Hey, I want to drop all that because I can't, you know, they're, judging our, work, when we do that.But when it comes to the other way around, how you mentioned it, Hey, if you start off fee for, so what do you recommend Rhonda? lot of the times we want to just start off hitting the ground running fee for service, and a lot of the times. Some people recommend, hey, get some assurances, then slowly drop them off.And then completely go fee for service. Rhonda: Yeah. Absolutely. I think if you build it, they will come depending on how you're going to build it. If you want to build it as a fee for service practice, you may want to just stick to it. It does create a fire under your butt to make sure that you're keeping your practice going.Because if you kind of get into this. The cushion of insurance and insurance does offer cushion, although sometimes we deem them as being, subpar and they're not paying us or reimbursing as well at the end of the day. if it is an 800 crown, if you're taking two hours to do that, yeah, that's.And this is for the new dentists. your, your chair time should be a thousand dollars an hour. If that's what you want to see it as. And that's just basic, right? Like just if you think about how much you're going to have to spend in overhead, dental overhead is incredibly expensive because hygienists get paid a lot.Dental office managers get paid a lot. Dental assistants nowadays, especially in Los Angeles, their average salary is 23 an hour. That's average. So that's a lot. And by the way, they're very accustomed to getting, full benefits. So they do have our, in our practices, they have health insurance, they have gym memberships.They have a lot of stuff that, that is given. 401ks. They have dependents that can get health insurance in our practice. We run it like a corporation and people are very accustomed to that. Even if you're a small dental office, you have to offer these kinds of things. So to that, you have to say that the overhead clearly is very expensive and a lot of your, third party payers, like your dental laboratory is a cost.And the equipment and supplies is also a cost. So yeah, insurance paying you 800 is very low, but if you are, able to do a very nice quality prep, remove all the decay and all that in like 30 minutes, it's not that bad. And that's better than making, not making no money in that time.there is a misconception also that. being really busy means that you are making more money. And those sometimes those HMO practices who are super, super busy, they're pumping out patients left and right. At the end of the day, the fee for service person who saw two patients as opposed to 15 patients is still making the same amount.So it doesn't mean that you have to be very busy, but you just have to create this niche brand or a market for someone to want to pay a fee for service as opposed to going out with insurance. But if you're going to do insurance, a couple things it's good to build the practice, with insurance, if you have nothing there, but if your intention is to drop those insurances, then maybe not sign up for a lot of them because a lot of the times patients will.Leave you as much as you are a great dentist and all of us love to pat ourselves on the backs and they'll go, we're so amazing. No, one's going to leave us, but I'll tell you, they'll leave you so fast. So as soon as you tell them, okay, so your copay is not 300 anymore, you gotta pay 2, 500 for this crown.They're going to run like the wind, right? So like they're going to go to, they'll look to Yelp or something and try to get. Something better, but I'm saying that they're what you have to understand is if you're going to be a fee for service office, you have to provide a service that is very much, reflective of the amount you're asking this person to pay.So you have for every beck and call, you have to offer 24 hour concierge service. You have to talk to them. you have to understand these people, 2, 500 for a lot of people for many people is a lot of money. And that's one crown, right? So if you're going to offer this kind of service to them and your fee for service and not offering any other benefits to them, even if it's payments that you're offering, they are paying this whole dollar amount rather than going through their insurance, which may be paid through their employer.So you have to create your business models are completely different. So you have to be okay with it. You can meet the same bottom line. You can meet the same profits, but when your HMO got to go faster, you got to move faster. You can't just dilly dally, talk to the patients too long, blah, blah, blah. But you also need to treat them like people.It's very important. People also don't want to be treated like cattle, right? they're still paying whatever they're paying for that. So they're going to come in and they want to be respected in the time, but you have to be mindful of your time if you're doing HMO and even PPO.But even PPO insurances don't pay well either, some of them do, some of them pay well, but you still have to. Make sure that you are being aware of you almost have a calculator in your head that your should not be wasted because the overhead is too much and you'll find yourself in a very bad zone your PNL statements where you're seeing your profits kind of dwindle.So just making sure that you're aware of that and speed it up if you're HMO PPO fee for service you can kind of create a little bit more of a pampering effect. Yeah. Michael: Interesting. So then, fee for service, like you said, pampering effect, HMO, or like Medi Cal, right? You'd really, or not Medi Cal, you'd really have to hone in on your efficiency.Oh, yeah, Rhonda: especially when they're first out of dental school, like you got, I remember three hours to do a crown nowhere in private practice is three hours for a crown going to be efficient for anybody, like anybody, not the practice, not the patient. The patient's experience is going to suddenly start to, I remember numbing the patient so many times in dental school because it would fade.I would like, you know, and then they're like, ah, they're constantly moving. It's, It's just, you don't want to. You have to make sure that their experience and what they're feeling in that moment, all that is always in your mind. And this is, that's why dentistry is so hard. You're like a psychologist.You're like a business owner. You're like their friend, but then also their doctor. And then you're sitting with multiple hats and still trying to work. in a kind of a bloody messy environment and work at the millimeter, you know, like, so is a tough job, but it's a, it's also one of the best fields, to be in.Michael: Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. Okay. So then if we fast forward a little bit more, you talked about your partnership, how it did not go well. and you mentioned that you put a lot of equity, but you didn't get a good ROI out of it. Right. Specifically, where did you feel like you missed the mark? Where you're like, yeah, if I would have seen that and you want to kind of give us advice or warn us about that.Rhonda: Yeah. I think I wouldn't, what ended up happening is it was. I was the only one working there. Okay. So there was nobody else there. And so as I was building up this practice and bringing in all the things that I have done for my own brand, I was, buying dental equipment.And leasing it out under my name and doing all this others and not under the corporation and not under the partnership. It was only for me. I was putting in all this dollars, all this money marketing was spent through me. I started my own Instagram page. I started the own Facebook page. I was doing so much and then bringing up this practice and its value.And then when I was, uh, told to. Buy in, I was bought in at the practice value that I brought in. Right. so I put in the money and then bought myself back. Right. And so It didn't work when I got paid out because I got paid out before the money I put in.So it was, I had built it up to what it was and it was just the way that it was laid out. It was really laid out in an unfair way. definitely just kind of taking advantage of a person just. That is maybe not of the nuances of contracts, especially between partners, but just as a pearl to people is that you have to make sure that you have a lawyer reading any agreement that you sign and that they can kind of give you the ins and outs of that and understand that even, you know, you're going to Google and all that kind of stuff.it may be true because especially when you're first out of school, you don't have a lot of money to hire a lawyer or somebody to help you out with that. But even if you have maybe family member that may help you out for your charge to read some of the contracts is going to help. I just got a little, you know, I got a little too pompous and said, Oh, this is, it sounds great.I can have 40 percent ownership and you never get really majority, but, uh, no, I didn't have, I actually had 11%. but I'm saying that sometimes it could be offered You're never really going to be offered a majority. Anybody who owns a practice should not give actually majority.To a colleague or an associate, this is still your baby. This is still your brand and your corporation. you don't want to give a majority because you still want to hold, a lot of the, um, the voting rights and all that would fall ultimately onto you. You don't want your brand to be carried on by someone else, if you want somebody invested.Into your practice because you never wash rental car, right? And you never put glass in a rental car. You kind of just give it to them as all beat up. But if somebody is going to invest in your practice and they've been with you for many years, giving them some sort of equity or practice ownership in the practice itself or in the corporation is actually a great idea. but, uh, they have to also be vested with you, uh, financially and in time, both monetarily and in time. Michael: Okay. Gotcha. Interesting. So then right after that, you decided, all right, let's see, I'm going to start my own thing or were you, you worked for a private, right? You worked for a private practice?I worked for Rhonda: a private practice, uh, for a little bit, maybe like two months. And then I did for like another three, all together, maybe six months after graduating, I, uh, ended up getting into this partnership. but then as soon as my partnership was settled out and I got whatever I could get out of it, I used that money to buy a practice that wasn't doing well at all.It was actually a bankrupt practice, a beautiful location, what I noticed about that practice is they had a really. Robust hygiene department, their patients were coming in regularly. They were seeing about, you know, six patients a day in hygiene and they had four hygiene days. but I noticed the doctor's schedule was dead because the doctor wasn't there.So they had this essentially just a sitting body of water it's like, well, if you have a good hygiene department, there's no reason why a restorative. section of that practice should not be thriving as well because those patients are coming in regularly. You should be doing exams.You should be following up with their care, but they were just coming in for cleanings and then just being off on their way and coming back in another six months. But was no doctor to sometimes even treatment plan them in that day. It's because that just that doctor does. Felt like dentistry was not for them.they didn't like practice ownership at all. And, um, I, at that time had met a broker at a convention at the CDA conference. And he was, uh, like, you know, kind of kept in contact with me, gave me all these, uh, potential offices. This one was just cheap because of its, uh, you know, annual, salary that it was receiving and it's was very low.Or even it wasn't, wasn't good at all, but it was a practice that I could buy relatively dirt cheap. And, but when I got in there, they had carpet, hate carpet in a dental office. If you guys have it, maybe get rid of it, but. it's so gross.Okay. But, but the, the lobby, I remember the chairs are like these dental, these like not dental school. They were like school, like schoolyard chairs. And then they were like propped up by magazines and, um, the front desk person didn't even acknowledge when I walked in there and it was like, just like the walls were blue.It was just like such a. ugly thing. But I, had a vision and I had a goal in mind. I wanted to buy a practice. So this was for all intents and purposes, a great find. It had a great hygiene department. It needed a pick me up. and it's slowly, but surely over the years. And I went from, uh, that office 2018 to 2020 in the middle of a pandemic opening another one.So it's fully doable to ramp up even a shitty practice, but you can still ramp it up if you have the vision in mind there. But so it was considered an acquisition, there's build outs and there's an acquisition. that one was an acquisition because it was still owned by someone.But When I got in there, you have an option of actually keeping on the staff or you can, find new ones, right? Or you don't have to keep everybody on when you actually find yourself on the first day of an acquisition, you present everybody there with a letter. And generally they're not knowledgeable that the practice was even being sold. that's common practice, uh, that. we don't spook people out, right? When sometimes when even patients hear that there is a new practice that's coming in or owner that's coming in, they may leave you're acquiring a practice, a lot of the times they don't inform them until the practice is acquired and then you can send out a bunch of, emails or letters out to the patient and then to the staff.So in my case, when I came in, I was not in love with the staff. I didn't like. That the front person didn't acknowledge that I was there, didn't even look up from her computer. I didn't like that the hygienist, uh, was not using cavitrons or was just basically using prophy cups. It wasn't like scaling or any of that.I ended up just firing everybody and starting fresh. again I had a vision of someone when you walk the room, they're bubbly, they're happy. They are the first introduction to your practice before they even, even on the phone, you can hear them. You know, you want somebody that is going to drive in patients and that.really somber person in the front plays a damper on the mood everywhere. It's like, try to DMV. Do you, everyone look happy? No, it's like you just, everyone's pissed because the person in the front is not the Walmart reader. Like I walk in and I love it. Right. I'm like, yeah, we're here. Okay. Like that's right.Yeah. You're at a shop. Like That's what you want. And what I felt like this is definitely a branding issue. And when you're building a brand, this is stuff that you have to think about. You have to think about the smell. You have to think about the sights. You have to think about the colors.These are all very much, uh, part of even dentistry, because dentistry is a small little business. So you have to know, you can't just pop in with ugly carpet and propped up, uh, chairs. Michael: Yeah, it's interesting that you did that though, because I guess like advise, it's like, yeah, you know, here's the thing.When you do an acquisition, a lot of the times the team may feel betrayed by their original doctor and saying, how come you didn't let us know this, we've been with you forever. We would have understood this. Right. so there's that trust that kind of like deteriorates. Then they kind of start having the fear, like, oh my gosh.Who's this doctor? Who's this young doctor? I know more than her, right? Especially those older office managers. Like they're like, Oh no, no, no, no, sweetie, please can tell you how to do this. Right. And then they try to run it. But letting go everybody at once, how'd you do that? or could you have coached anybody like, cause the hygienist sounded like they were still really good cause they were keeping people on.Rhonda: Yeah. so, for the front person, honestly, I just felt like she didn't even their AR reports cause you do a due diligence on the practice when you're acquiring it their. AR, which is accounts receivable, was very high. So they were collecting zero copay and just kind of letting the person know.I mean, I did, I'll say this, I did give them a chance, right? Like talking to them, um, about maybe collecting copays before the patient comes in, talking about deposits and immediately they shut it down. If someone is not on. your same mindscape and they're not, actually thinking on your level and that they want to build this practice, they're going to be a plague on the practice.So you should immediately just squash it, right? Because if that person is not like. Excited. Oh yeah. There's a new person here with all this energy wants to ramp it up and they're feeling it. They're like, yeah, okay, let's do it. Yeah, we definitely. there, and when you bring up, a report to someone cause I remember sitting next to this, the front office person was also there.It wasn't, she didn't have an office manager. It was a very small skeleton practice. Actually it had no dental assistant. Um, so the person in the front actually, uh, worked as the dental assistant and the person in the front. So I wouldn't say I fired, but everybody, I mean, there wasn't really much of anybody.There was an associate that popped up and did like an OL every 10 months, right? Um, like, which is a. You guys all know dental ever. You're on. Well, like a little tiny filling like every day and then didn't even take out all the amalgam. It was just like, I don't know what the hell I was looking at, but it didn't have a huge, practice.It wasn't like I fired 11 people. I fired three people that were unnecessary. Right. That didn't meet the. And then when I, if I talked to the hygienist and I told, you know, look at the, there are studies on. arrest in their studies on laser. Do you? I'm going to pay for you to take some of these courses. I want you to learn how to do a laser debridement.I want you to use the air polisher or whatever, all these other things that you can provide rather than a prophy cup. Maybe just learn how to scale a little bit, right? Because there's all this plasma this person's tooth. Use the cabotron, use the piezo. And oh, you know, I don't know, you know, I'm really good with this tool and literally how it holds one tool for every surface of the tooth.And it's like, okay, if you're not ready, To change and be part of this, essentially look at where we are now. I had a goal in mind, right? If you weren't ready to hop on my back and I, and fly with me, I'm going to leave you on the ground. You're done. Right? Because then you're going to be a plague on my practice.You're going to be a splinter and I can't move on. Right. I can't get to where I need to be. if you're trying to get from here to there with the same people it's not going to happen. And even when you get to there, you grow, you get more people So my practice has grown significantly from those three people I fired.I now I'm 50 employees deep, right? And every one of them is very much attuned to our mission and our practice philosophy. And we, we really spend a lot of time in making sure that everyone is on the same page. Michael: Okay. So that's interesting. That's really, really good then. So. I know you mentioned that, oh, how long have you been in practice Rhonda: ownership for?Uh, 2018. Michael: How many years? 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Five? Five years. Five years. Man, how many practices do you have currently? Like working and running? Rhonda: Uh, now three. Yeah. Three. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. No. Oh, well, Beverly Hills. They're all in Los Angeles. So I just stick in this area. Um, they're Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Calabasas.Jeez. Michael: And that's such a saturated. So how did you do it? Why? here? Like Rhonda: why? I like torture. It's nice. It was, It was terrible. Yes. You said saturated. Absolutely. In my building alone on the same floor, I have four dentists. Michael: Yeah. It was great. So then me ask you, why did you decide to do that? How did you make it grow so much so fast to where you're like, we're three and I think you're on another build out, you said, right?Rhonda: I'm on another build out and then, yeah, I'm on a build out right now. I'm actually in the middle. I got permits for it yesterday, so I'm super excited. So that I have a team that's going to come in and just do our same look. We have a systems always we try to reproduce it and then I have a projection for 2025 is an acquisition.So I'm currently just looking at potential acquisitions as well. Michael: these aren't build outs like ground Rhonda: up. No, they're not The next one is going to be an acquisition because, uh, these buildouts in Los Angeles, the thing is that you can't really own buildings in Los Angeles. They're either grandfathered in, they're incredibly expensive.Like we're not talking about like, I'm sure Nebraska parts of it is expensive, but like, you know, there's some parts like Arkansas, whatever people are going to buy these massive buildings. Right. And that's amazing. I love that. I'm married to this city. Okay. Because I married my husband's out here.My family's out here. I would love to get into more of a less saturated environment. I bet you, I can kill it somewhere else. Right. But I am now getting tortured and killed here, but I've grown to realize, um, what is needed in this kind of market and facilitate a growth.Um, and a lot of it has to do with. front loading, a lot of marketing right off the bat and then getting a good SEO, doing PPC ads, um, doing even mail marketing campaigns. You're kind of just throwing everything out there and then seeing what sticks because a lot of times you may have mail marketing not work out, but in some locations it works out because the demographics still checks her mail in Hollywood.Mail marketing for me does not work. Right. But PPC campaigns and local ad campaigns with Google works out for me, having my, website, really honed in on keywords and all that kind of stuff and having good SEO that's going to manage. the traffic that's coming in is really important for Hollywood for Beverly Hills.There's an older demographic there's a bunch of homes around there. these male marketing campaigns and even being in magazines or whatever it is, those tend to actually work. we still, of course, run our Google. Everybody still uses Google or we're going to, uh, aside that we're talking about other things.Facebook. It's still working with that. Calabasas is the same. These locations are, if they're mostly have homes around you rather than apartments and stuff like that, because I think the apartments, it's a very transient, uh, living situation. You may have some people coming in for a couple of months and leaving mail marketing campaigns don't always work out. these, uh, physical, uh, news articles and whatever it is, may not be working out, but, uh, I also have found, um, being in Hollywood, I was reached out a couple of times by magazines, right? And so like our lure, BBC, MSNBC, I was on Forbes for Hollywood's, they called me the most stylish dentist.I don't know. Okay. But I think it sounds like I was a stylish dentist, but I think they were talking about practice when you were getting into the article, but like the style, the brand was there and it was recognized by Forbes, um, as being a nice office, a nice dental office, and then offering some services to patients that were.Really high tech. But anyhow, we digress on that. But I'm saying that these are some things that I was reached out to. And then my online presence grew because they put me in online articles, right? So they kind of all just fueled each other. And it, and sometimes some people Are not as lucky in that area to find out what works right away.But you want to try different marketing strategies. Um, not every practice is going to feel a good strategy with one as opposed to another. I remember when I was in Orange County. So my first, uh, practice location was up there. HMO one, but That one did really well with like those, but this was a couple of years ago.I don't know, but those apps where you can kind of make your own appointment like ZocDoc and, Oh yeah. Uh huh. Uh huh. Yeah. So they were doing really well there with that. Same with Hollywood because there's are like techie, uh, younger generations, right? Like, so you may want to look, put yourself on one of those platforms where they can get onto your, appointment scheduler and put themselves in there because people don't want to call.Some demographics don't want to call you. Right. And so like there's a younger generation who completely functions a hundred percent on their phone. They emailed a text. They don't even have laptops, right? They're all, everything's on their phone. So even optimizing your website to look good on a cell phone is also incredibly important.You can hop onto different dental offices and you'll see that maybe their website for the phone is not easy. It's like a mess. You have to shrink it really low, move it up this way. It's like, you can't find their number because it hasn't been optimized for mobile. these are some things that you definitely want to look into your practice to make sure that you are marketing to the right group.Who's your demographic that you're trying to aim for? And, uh, what keywords are you using for your SEO? If you're doing primarily Invisalign, where do you rank on the Invisalign when somebody puts Invisalign in? I'm picking on Arkansas. I don't know, but there's a line Arkansas, right?Like I want to go to Arkansas too. Michael: You're like, man. Okay. So that's interesting. When it comes to this, you said you front load a lot at the beginning of marketing. I guess specifically, how much did you front? Rhonda: Yeah. A lot, uh, 15, 000, um, in marketing the first month. Michael: Uh, every month for or just the first month, Rhonda: every month for almost like a year.But now in terms of marketing, we're way past that. We're at like 30, 000. It's still going to grow. It's not going to get smaller, but you have to think about it as your ROI. You're spending that much and you have to think, okay, how much am I spending per patient to come in? if you spent a 15, 000 and let's say that the person, the patient came in and the price on their head was 150, but they came in.And they spent 2000, they spend a thousand, whatever it is, you have to be able to know your, your numbers of the practice and, and be able to decipher if some of those marketing campaigns are helpful. And you have to also make sure you train your staff and be part of your systems to ask the patient, whoever is calling, how did you hear about us?Because that is going to be key for you not to overspend marketing. Oh, Google. Okay. Well, let's put a tick on Google. website referrals. At this juncture, I'm actually now, this is what also people need to understand. You can get really high in marketing, but you don't need to spend that amount every single month.Right? There's some points where you're noticing you're getting 50 new patients. Okay. That's amazing. A month for practice is great. 50 new patients is wonderful. Should I fall back on my marketing? Maybe not. Just don't spend more. Okay. And then what we found is we're getting new patients, but mostly now it's referrals.So I'm actually haven't spent more on marketing in the last year. It's just been kind of the same. So over time, when your brand develops and your practice develops, you may not need to spend this money all the time. You may not need to add more fuel to the fire. it can carry on in itself by creating the environment that a patient will want to come back and see you guys and maybe refer a family member because referrals are above all the best.They are the best. That's why reviews. You always want to make sure your reviews are very good. you really want to get everyone involved and gamify your reviews and gamify your practice so that everybody in the practice is aiming towards making sure that your ratings online is always at its best.and it's because this unfortunately in our society will hurt you the most. And it doesn't matter who you are, what your name is, blah, blah, blah. one time I referred, I know he's an excellent doctor. He's amazing actually. he's on a study club with me and does all this stuff. I was referring him over to someone and I went on his Yelp and I'm like, Oh no. I know. He's really good. What are these on there? Right. And then like, I was like, Oh my God, that's his reviews. And then it makes you even question if this guy is good. Right.And you're like, no, he's awesome. What is that? And then, uh, you know, that's going to make your practice suffer. And it's also going to, uh, definitely create a taste in someone's mouth when they come into your practice that they immediately think you're going to be bad, but have to always maintain those reviews.You always have to put a positive, self out there, even if you're having super crappy day, which a lot of us do, obviously we, this is why also this practice lifestyle is stressful because you can have a crappy day, but you have to walk in and be all smiles. It is good. No one is dying next door. You know, like, Oh, like, you know, you want to be really, I didn't come inand, and give that kind of persona.And it really helps build up those reviews and just make sure that you are constantly also asking for them. You don't want to just assume they're going to leave you a review because the person who's going to leave you the reviews that when you don't want leaving a review, but the person who was like, you guys are awesome.You should ask them. Even as the dentist, I don't know why we think we're above that. We're not above that. This is still, this is your practice, right? this is what you spent your money and your time and your blood and your self, your all that on. And if someone is, saying, wow, and giving you some credence on your practice, they love it.Then ask them, you know, I know it's going to take a lot of time out of your day. I really appreciate if you just do that. Um, if you don't want to, no problem, but I just like, it really helps us out and humble yourself. you should always humble yourself in life and in your practice and in your chair is nothing that glorified you above anybody else.You know, stoop down to always look at the patient when they're talking to you, not at their mouth, but in their eyes. sit at their level. Don't stand above them, bring them up when you're talking to them, not lay them down. You, these, this is never have a opinion of yourself.You certainly just always to just level yourself up with your staff and with your patient. And I parent promise you, these reviews are going to read for themselves because now you are. You're real. you're not fakely asking, Hey, you want to leave us a review?And like you were just a dick to them the whole time. Now you're asking for, right? so make sure you keep up with that the whole time. Michael: Yeah, I like that authenticity, right? So then when it comes to, you mentioned there's something, you do, you have a system that you like to reproduce. When it comes to these practices, what is it? Rhonda: Yeah, so the systems are and they can vary between different offices, but systems it's such a word that's so loaded because a lot of times like we have systems and what does that mean? Right? What is the system? So a systems is. the time a patient calls your office and even before that, how did you get that call?How did that call get intercepted? how did the person answering the phone answer that phone? How are they put into your scheduler? How are they followed up with? These are systems. So the step by step by step by step of getting a patient ultimately in the chair in your office.going over your treatment plan and now appointing them for the treatment because you have to appoint them. You can't just say, I got you in the chair. I did a profi and now you're gone. That's not how you need to reappoint them. an order for that patient to be successful and in your chair and having, and I don't want to, I'm going to just divert a little bit, a patient. value comes from their recare and recall and reemergence of them back into your system. One person comes in and you never see them again. That was not a successful new patient encounter. That patient goes on an inactive list. That patient is essentially Lost. You spent marketing dollars on them.You spent all the time on them. You paid the hygienists to see them. You did saw the assistant. You spent the time with them and it's lost, right? You need to create a systems. where a patient that sits in the chair reappoints themselves for either follow up cleaning or follow up care or whatever it is and stays within your practice, right?And so they stay within your active patient pool. Uh, we consider like active patients, someone who's been at least in within the year or 18 months or whatever it is. So keep mindful of that. This patient needs to be seen for recare. don't call it recall because recall sounds like something's wrong with you, right?So I would recommend that you say recare appointment rather than a recall appointment. and then I give that that's credit to UCLA's Dr. Goldstein practice management class, because I remember that was a, one of the slides on his, uh, I never appreciated that until practice where I remember saying, we'll see you on recall.And then the patient was like, Is it like, wrong, like something is wrong, like it's recalled, like, right? So, like, no, no, we just need to re carry, right? And so it's re carrying, the vocabulary is also important. Anyways, these are all part of systems, right? The vocabulary, the way you speak, the way you point them, the way you follow up with them.And it needs to be laid out. in a way where it's not printed and in a binder and put somewhere collecting dust. Welcome to 2023. Everything is online, right? Everything is online. Choose whatever system you want to do, but make sure it's accessible to everyone and that everybody knows your systems from the front office to the back office.Everyone needs to be aware of the way that your practice runs and how you would handle certain situations. Because once you, as a business owner, Leaves or moves away or whatever not leaves like physically leaves this practice and now comes into a perspective where I'm at where I'm mostly Managing I need to make sure people are aware of how to handle a situation without calling me a hundred times, Michael: right?Yeah, gotcha. So you created this systems how like you just record every single thing you're doing and you're like, what's working? And then pivot To do better and better and better, or? Rhonda: Absolutely. And how many times I've been asked, like, can I have a layout of your manual?And I would say, honestly you need to look at your practice, from a specific, It's, not subjective, it's really objective the way that you should be looking at your, practice. Like, so you need to handle each and every practice needs to be done differently. And so if one thing works in one practice may not work in another, but make sure you are understanding what worked.What marketing tactics worked, uh, how your systems are, the way that you walk a patient to the back, do you have a routing slip, because that's part of our system. Some people don't have routing slips, where it says next visit, where it says when the last cleaning was. These are part of systems.Does a routing slip work for you? Do you want your assistant to write your notes? If they want to write your notes, you have templates for them. These are specific things that may work for practice to practice, but see what works for you and get that written down somewhere. That's accessible. And not only in your head, it needs to be transcribed because it's going to be ultimately in order to scale and not only to scale, you can remain in your own practice, but maybe over a couple of years, add more dental chairs, maybe by the building, whatever it is, you don't have to go into multiple practices.There is some dentists. that are very near and dear to me, which I love, and they're killing it with one practice, giant location, like one location. It's huge. Right there. They see as many patients as I do, but just in one location. And so they've scaled. their practice, their one practice to an extraordinary size and they have, worked their systems to what works for them.Michael: Gotcha. Interesting. Okay. So then the systems is tailored to like the practice, obviously, right. But at the same time. I guess it's more like we have to start documenting everything right now and then kind of continue to pivot and pivot. Yeah. Rhonda: There's a lot of like, HubSpot may have something, but like also there's something called training all that also has like an online app, um, that you can do.There's a lot of sites that you can actually create, uh, like leaderboards. For your practice, and that's really good because you can put quizzes on there, like when you're training someone, how do you train them? Do you physically have to train them? Like, because some people learn differently, you may need to, um, Train them, physically show them, show them pictures, show them video, and then maybe take a quiz at the end, like, you know, so yeah, there is a lot of systems that you can look into that may fit your practice, different pricing and all that kind of stuff, but I would recommend is online stuff, app, you can even right now, you can find a bunch of developers that can develop stuff just for you. I utilize a lot of AI in my practice. and, with the development of AI, I've utilized AI where a lot of people have never even thought to use AI, but I've gotten people who develop AI to specifically build stuff for my practice that I think that has helped. I've paid them out and it's just mine. It's not anybody else's. You can't actually go buy it, but I thought this is what I need. And with the cloud based systems, like, so I used to have All my practices were on a server and we were using, but they're now cloud based systems, like, I'll use a different word besides systems but practice management systems, So practice management systems, sometimes it used to be on a server. Now you'll find a lot of them on the cloud. The cloud based servers are a lot better because you can really build. softwares within them that can function for your practice and specifically for them. And you can get the coding and all that kind of stuff.You can find them on like squad help or whatever. Um, but you'll, you can find people who are really good in development and build stuff for your practice. Um, and then that goes into even apps. Maybe you can make an app for all your videos and your, web, information, like your employee handbook and stuff can be on there too.Michael: What have you created with, so far Rhonda: for your practice? So far I have a robot that calls all the dental insurances that are, because we're out of network and we still have concierge dental. So the concierge style. So even if they have dental insurance, we tell them, sure we'll get a breakdown for you and send it out.Ri

‍Guest: Michelle JorgensenPractice Name: Total Care Dental and WellnessCheck out Michelle's Media:Practice Website: https://www.totalcaredental.com/Living Well with Dr. Michelle Website: https://livingwellwithdrmichelle.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingwellwithdrmichelle/‍Other Mentions and Links:‍Tools/Resources:IAOMT - The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology‍Companies/Brands:UPSDelta DentalMetLifeNuCalm‍Terms:IVF - In Vitro FertilizationChlorella‍Host: 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:The real reason behind Dr. Jorgensen's transition from associate dentist to leading her own practice.How she navigated her mysterious health issues and the valuable lessons she learned along the way.The impact of her health journey on her approach to dentistry, in particular safe procedures for mercury filling removal.How unexpected challenges fueled her decision to shift to a fee-for-service model, and why this could be a game-changer for patient care.The power of joining trend topics in mommy groups on Facebook as a marketing strategy and how to optimize the promotion of your 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. Michelle Jorgensen. Michelle, how's it Michelle: going? Great. Thanks for having me today. Michael: No, thank you so much for coming on and being part of the podcast. If you don't want me asking, tell us a little bit about your past, your present, how'd you get to where you are Michelle: today?Yeah, so mine's definitely an interesting story and I know you shared with me, you know, largely part of your audience are people who are starting out and I was a lot like them, you know, I was a lot like all of the, all of you who are listening right now. My father is actually a dentist. So I was an associate for four years in a practice where I learned a lot, but I wasn't a very good associate and that I really like to be in charge and I like to call the shots and I like to, you know, do my own thing.And so. Uh, my father and I actually started a new practice together and all we had were a few patients that came from my associateship. So it was definitely, uh, um, you know, starting from ground zero and, and building it up from there with two practitioners. So we started building and our focus was really on extreme care.That was, this was in the early two thousands and, uh, the kind of the spa dentistry and all those things were really the focus. And the practice group, it grew well and it grew quickly and people liked what we were doing. And thing was, things were great. You know, I, I just thought I would probably practice like that for my forever.My father's still practicing in his seventies. And unfortunately, that's not what happened for me. So at about eight years or so in, I started getting really sick. And I didn't know what it was and I had, uh, really, I started looking for answers everywhere, everywhere, you know, doctors, chiropractors, MRIs, physical therapists, you know, I just went everywhere and my big ones, really, that was it. we're, uh, career ending, potentially, is my memory. I literally couldn't remember a patient's name from room to room. Didn't know why. I've always had a really good memory. And the second one was numbness. I had such numbness in my hands, I was actually not able to even change my burrs anymore. So I didn't have the dexterity to even push the back of the handpiece and pop a burr out.I'd have to hand my handpiece to my assistant. She would change the burr out. And then I thought, Maybe I shouldn't be doing dentistry. You know, if I can't, I can't actually change a bird or perhaps I'm not doing my best work here. So I actually had the practice for sale, my portion of the practice for sale.And I didn't know what I was going to do. I was in my mid thirties and I was the sole breadwinner for my family. My husband was actually working for the practice too, at the time. And we had four little kids and it just looked really bad about that time. So I started reaching out to a whole bunch of different practitioners and finding out You know, what else could I do in dentistry?Could I coach or consult or, you know, all the different options. And finally, one of them just said, you know, have you ever, have you ever thought about mercury? Could it, could that be your problem? And I said, well, I don't know what you mean. I don't have any amalgam fillings. And he said, no, it's not the ones you have.It's the ones you've been drilling out. For the last, you know, decade between dental school and practice, and I'd never given it a second thought ever had never been told that that could be a problem for a dentist ever, but I didn't have anything to lose at this point. You know, the practice was already for sale.So I got tested and that's what it was. There's mercury toxicity off the charts. So all of a sudden, all of my symptoms made sense because mercury is a neurotoxin. And so all of a sudden, my brain issues, my memory issues, my nerve, my hands, everything. Made sense. And the doctors just said, listen, if you're going to keep being a dentist, you can't keep putting this in because it's what's making you sick.Finally, we have an answer for you. You have to figure out, can you do it in a different way? So I had to find out, was there a different way? Was there a different way inside of dentistry? And I'm really glad I'm actually sharing this with young practitioners because I didn't know. That this could be a problem, that this could be a, you know, a hazard in this, in this profession, but it's a very, very real hazard and there's a certain genetic predisposition to not being able to detox things well, and I have that.My dad has one. My mom has one. I have two. So how many of us have that? Well, research is showing 30 to 40 percent of the population. So 30 to 40 percent of the dentists that are listening could also have the same genetic variant that doesn't allow you to dump mercury very easily. So I figured out I could remove this with certain precautions.There was an organization I found that was already doing this. I didn't even know they existed. And I just started doing it for my patient or for me, I started doing it for me, you know, for my own health. And, but patients started saying, What are you doing? Like, this is, you know, this is a little different here.You've covered me up, and you're wearing a different mask, and we've got a big vacuum by my chin, and you know, what's happening here? And so I would share my story, and they were very intrigued, and started saying things like, you know, my doctor might be interested in that. So they started sharing what we were doing with doctors, and all of a sudden doctors started reaching out saying, You know, I've been looking for someone that does this, because I have patients that are looking for it.Can I send them your way? So the practice started growing in a very unusual, unexpected way. All of a sudden, people were coming and asking for this procedure that I was doing just because of my own health. So then they started asking, well, if you do this, do you also do this? And they would ask me other things.Do you do ozone? Do you do PRF? Do you do, you know, and they were asking things that I had never heard of. Again, these doctors were more educated than I was. So I would have to go to some course somewhere and find how to do the thing they were asking about. And then I could start saying, yeah, that's what we do now.We do that now. And the practice continued to grow and continue to grow as we started offering more of these services. And now I have six doctors. And we're multi specialty. We have a full time periodontist, a full time sleep specialist, two full time restorative specialists, a pediatric dentist, all working under the same roof, providing care that's focused on how does the dentistry affect your health?And the practice has grown exponentially because of this. We're one location, but we have Three kind of standalone offices all in one campus, we call it. So, uh, we have, uh, we're just working on building our 19th operatory right now. big location, big office, all focused on one thing. And it's basically a practice I never intended to have.you know, I didn't come out of dental school thinking I would do this. And now I found that this is an incredible opportunity for dentists to talk about health. Yeah. All because Michael: of Really interesting. Yeah, what, what happened? So look, if we could rewind a little bit, um, rewind a lot of it when you decide to be an associate, right?And then you're like, okay, I'm gonna, I'm looking at it. And I'm like, I'm not a good associate. How did you know you weren't a good associate? How did you know you just didn't have to be consistent and stick with it? Michelle: Because I was the one that was now doing all of the staff meetings. I was, uh, I was organizing the supply cabinet.I was doing, I was like setting up all of our off site meetings. I was doing all of those things. I remember I was pregnant with twins and I was sitting in a staff meeting and had like this Big old belly out here and I'm the one running the show and I'm thinking, wait a minute, I don't even own this practice.I should be home sitting in bed right now. Why am I, why do I have so much ownership in this when I don't have ownership in this? And that really was the, the answer for me. Like, all right, you're, you're, you're owning too much to not own here. And that's just my personality. You know, that's just who I am.I'm super bossy. You know, I'm the oldest of five children. I have four younger brothers. I'm used to telling people what to do. it didn't work for me to, to not do, you know, to not be the one that was calling the shots. And I had grown up inside of dentistry too. In fact, I joke that, um, I knew all of only old timers are going to know this, but Linda miles and Paul homily were two practice consultants that were in the, in the eighties and I would ride to school with my dad.And all the way on the way to school, he would listen to Paul Homily and Linda Miles on cassette tapes on my way to school, on my way to high school. And it was a half an hour drive, we lived a long way from the high school, so I could run a dental practice by the time I graduated from high school.Because I had listened to all of those consultant cassette tapes for two years or three years, you know, driving to high school every morning. So I knew what should happen, and I was in this practice, and it wasn't. And it was really hard for me because I was always trying to change things and do things, but I wasn't the one that was really in charge.So that's how I learned. That's how I figured it out. Michael: Did they ever sign with you, like an agreement, like, Hey, stick around and you'll be a partner or anything like that? I don't know. Michelle: No, wasn't something I wanted to do either. I knew that I would have my own practice. I knew that I wanted to be able to practice the way that I wanted to practice.And I didn't see that practice ever going that direction. Michael: Okay. And then we fast forward a little bit. You said, y'all, you and your dad wanted to focus on extreme care. Mm hmm. What, what is Michelle: that? So, what we decided is we said, what are all of the reasons people don't like going to the dentist? Like, list them off.So we just started listing them off. What are they all? Well, pain. Uh, it's expensive. It smells bad. You know, people will say, Oh gosh, it smells like a dental office in here. The noise. You know, all of these things. The chairs are uncomfortable. Our mouths are uncomfortable holding open. We listed off everything.Your hair's messed up when you're done. I mean, even this. My makeup's all washed off when I'm done, you know. Even just little things like that. We listed everything and we said, okay, how can we reverse that? How can we reverse those concerns? So we did things like massage chair pads on the chairs. We had, you know, mouth props all the time for anybody.We used all sorts of, uh, new columns called new calm, kind of a natural sedation. We had. Headphones, you know, noise canceling headphones. We had makeup and hairspray in the bathroom so that people could freshen up after. We had cookies, we were giving away cookies every single day, and fresh bread. We have, and we still have to this day, silver platters with hot towels and chapstick and a mint that goes to every single patient after care. just things like that, that you would get at a high end we're a high end restaurant or high end spa. We incorporated all of those pieces into the dental practice. And this is kind of cool. Actually, we applied or were nominated. I think we were nominated to, for something called best of state in the state that I live in, which is Utah.And we were in the category, I think of healthcare and we actually won in the category of healthcare, which was really cool. But then we were invited to a, an awards banquet. It was televised. I mean, that was in the days when television was like a thing, you know, and, uh, you know, there was, there was a real like, like the newscaster that everybody knew because people watch the news, you know, they were the ones that were running the whole show and we were at this big banquet and it was so cool.And we didn't know, but there were overall categories for also best of state things. So we were under the category of consumer services. So we're in the same category as hotels, um, car lots, like, you know, car sales place, hospitals, everything that served the consumer. So we didn't realize that we were going to get our, you know, our little healthcare award, but that we were also in the running for these bigger awards.And we laughed when we looked on this, the program, because we saw we were against an enormous, very high end hotel in Salt Lake City. We were up against a huge car dealership, a huge hospital, like all these things, we were up against them. And we were like, well, we'll never win. We did. We won. We won the entire category for the state of Utah that year.Because this was so revolutionary. Because this was something that no one was doing. No one was talking about it. No one had seen it before. It was so cool. And so, we really figured out that you can make a difference inside of your Inside of your profession by just being different, just saying, what do people want and how can we actually do it?And so we did that and we have since carried on. We don't make cookies anymore. That's one thing we did give up, unfortunately. But, um, we, we, we went through, I can't even tell you, probably hundreds of thousands of cookies over the, over the span of time that we were making cookies. Even, you know, the UPS guy would pick up his cookie on the, on the drop off his boxes.But, um, we've kept a lot of those high touch services in the practice. And it enabled us, this is a whole different thing. I never even talk about it enabled us to go fee for service about five years into that practice, into that startup practice, we completely went off all insurance, everything. And it's because people were coming to us for a reason and it wasn't because we were on their plan.So years and years ago, that was a long time ago. We made that switch because there was a reason to come a reason other than we were just on their list. And we've continued that way. We're still fee for service today. So we've been that way for about 15 years. Michael: Interesting. So when you went into fee for service, did you have that?Like, okay, we're going to drop Delta now. And then we're going to drop next. Or were you more like, we got it. We can drop it all at once if we wanted Michelle: to. No, we took out the worst ones first, but you know, there was a day when I realized I had to do this. I'll always remember this day. I was treatment planning on a woman, and she wanted some cosmetic work.Well, I, at the time, and it probably still to this day, I don't know, MetLife, even if it wasn't a covered service, so Veneer wasn't a covered service under MetLife, but even if it wasn't a covered service, I was still required to adjust my feet. And I knew that. So even though, you know, let's say 1, 000, you know, it was 1, 000, I had to adjust my fee down to 700, even though they paid 0.So, I was treatment planning this woman, she wanted some veneers, and I knew she had MetLife insurance. And I was hesitant to actually treatment plan her. And that day I said, I cannot. Be true to who I am. I cannot be honest with my patients and myself if I'm treatment planning based on the dollar. I will not do this anymore.So that day was the day we decided we're going to start taking these down one at a time. So, you know, we took the one that we had the fewest patients on or was the worst compensation, you know, had the lowest compensation. That one went first. We kept building up everything, like everything we increased, we increased our service.We increased our high touch. We increased the, you know, we real huge focus on the way we cared for patients in the reception room, on the phone and everywhere. We just really ramped up the service as we started dropping those. And did we lose patients? Absolutely. But you know what? We kept the large majority.So we just started dropping them. And there's some studies, really interesting studies that show that. If you are adjusting off a certain amount, you know, of the fee, let's say you adjust off 30 percent of your fee and I don't, I'm going to just make up the numbers, but it's something like you can actually do like 40 percent less work and make the exact same dollar amount if you get full fee.So we could lose like 40 percent of our patients and not see one drop in our bottom line because we weren't giving the money to the insurance company. You know, we were giving the money to the insurance company at this point, and then we decided, well, let's just, like, give money to our patients instead, or give, you know, money to our team, and let's give it to somebody else.We could see a significantly fewer number of patients and make the same amount because we weren't writing off for every procedure. These are just things that we realized, and it was, it was really a practice changing thing for us. Michael: How did you, I guess, how did you tell your patients, and then how did you increase your high touch points at the same time?So for example, I know you said you dropped off the cookies, right? But like, what Michelle: else? Then we have the cookies.Michael: Yeah. Like right there, you up the cookies, which I was thinking like, it's pretty brilliant because it covers the smell too, you know what I mean? It's absolutely Michelle: right. That's exactly Michael: right. Yep.So what were you turning the knob on drastically? And then while you were kind of like turning the knob down on, or how were you telling your patients? Michelle: Yep, so we weren't telling them through a letter. We were just telling them as they would come in. And so it was a real honest conversation and I've really prided myself on just having those real honest conversations.I just say to the patient, you know what? I care about you. You're the one that I care for. And unfortunately, the way the insurance company has, has set themselves up as they are between you and I, and I don't want anything between you and I. I want to be your care provider. And so in order to do that, what we're going to do is be a out of network provider for your plan.So we didn't say we're dropping it. You can't come. You know, we just said you were an out of network provider for your plan. What does that mean for you? It means that if we were writing off previously to provide the care that we're going to provide for you. Then that will now be a charge that you will have.We're going to explain it ahead of time. We will help you know what that means. We're going to offer discounts, cash discounts, that sometimes it's all going to come out in the wash for you. So we'll give you a discount at the time of, you know, paying at the time of service and. We want to be the place you want to come for forever.So in order to be able to provide the kind of care that you've come to know and love, this is something that's going to be really important for us to do. So I just have that conversation, need a new patient. And you know, one of the things that I've really stood by is in this world, there are wanters and needers.This is kind of an interesting concept. So wanters and needers, and if you need this patient, they will feel it and it repels them. So if you need them to stay, you're going to, you're going to phrase it differently. You're going to come off differently, your energy is going to be different, you're going to feel very desperate.And typically patients are going to be like, I don't know why they're so desperate and so clingy and needy, or you know, I'm going to leave. So, versus wanters. A wanter is what do you want for your practice and what do you want for your patient? I wanted to be able to do better care for them. And that's how it came across.I don't need you to stay. I want you to stay you're not going to get better care than what you get here. So we, that was what we communicated is I want you to stay. So what are we going to do? Well, we are going to do some pretty dang cool things around here. If you haven't noticed, we're already pretty cool as it is, but we are even going to take better, you know, and so we would do things like every time a patient would leave, we would write a quick little note.They're going to Hawaii next week or, you know, whatever it is, and every patient before they got seated, the team member would check that note. They would sit them down. How was your trip to Hawaii? I'm sorry. But if you remember that next time they come, that 20 they have to pay in your office versus the guy down the street doesn't really matter as much anymore, because especially today, like this was, this was 15 years ago, especially today, who gives you customer service?Mm hmm. No one. Yeah, you're right. Like, it's AI anymore, you know, I mean, that's like, it's, nobody cares for you. Nobody gives you extraordinary service. If you do extraordinary service today, nobody, you have no competition. Zero. Michael: No, that's true. That's true. When, now, that's an interesting, uh, concept, the wanters and needers, because. I feel like especially at the beginning phase you're in so much debt and then you're like I need to break even I Need to do all these things right and so you're even Major discounting sometimes like your services and all these things. How do we fight that I guess, and change our mindset because waking up the next day, you're like, Oh crap, I need money.Right? Like I need income here coming in. Michelle: Have you ever heard the quote that says that those that have get more? Yeah. Why? Because they don't need it. Needing is a very negative emotion. And you know how when you walk into a room and you can tell somebody's been talking about you? You know how you can just feel like the energy?You're like, somebody's been talking about me. Or, you know, what's going on in this room? You can just tell. There's energy based around the way that we present ourselves to the world as well. If you present yourself as a needy person, you know, have you ever met a needy person? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Do you want to hang with them?No. No. Do want to give them what they want? Not really. So if you present yourself as needy, it's actually going to repel patients. So how do you avoid this? Do you need them? Change it to a want. What do you want for them? For them, not for you, for them. What do you want for them? Man, I want to provide the best crown I can get anywhere.Guess what patient, I am so excited you're here because that tooth is cracked and I do not want that happening when you are on a cruise. So the cool thing is, is we have the most amazing lab you're going to absolutely love. The crown that we're able to provide for you because no more emergencies on a, on a cruise.You don't have to worry about it anymore. So excited you're going to get scheduled for this. You know what? If you can get this in next week, that would be great. Does that sound needy? No, that's not. I want something for them. Michael: Yeah. It sounds very like nonchalant. Like you're like, okay, yeah, yeah. Thank you for thinking of my cruise.Right. Michelle: Kind of thing. Yep. You're wanting something for them. You're not needy. It's not about you. It's about them. You have to phrase things in a way that's wanting instead of needing. Michael: Okay. That's really good to keep in mind. Every time we're like treatment except, you know what I mean? Like planning and talking and checking out, handing off all that stuff.Awesome. Okay. Then if we fast forward a little bit more, the symptoms and how you got sick. So starting off here. And I'm sure like this can go real interesting, real quick, but like, how did you start realizing? Because I feel like we all kind of experienced that sometimes, Michelle, where we're like, Oh, I forgot.Oh, I don't know. I forgot. And you don't think about it. Right. But, and it can be something real quick. Like, okay, I got to remember the license plate. L2, And then you look at it and you're like, Oh, what was it again? What Michelle: was it? And I never Michael: think about it like it's, if it's a memory issue, numbness maybe, but anyway, so how did the symptoms, when did it start becoming alarming for you?Yeah. Michelle: So, again, good old days, we would have, traditional film x rays. And on occasion, in our charts, you new guys don't even have charts or film x rays, but in those days we did. I'm so, I sound so old, don't I? Uh, so we would have a real chart, and occasionally those film x rays would fall on the ground.And so you'd see a film x ray falling on the ground. My team would always bring it to me because they would say, who is this? I could look at that film and I would know which patient it was, like nine times out of 10. And they'd be like, what? How do you know? You're right. How do you know this patient? How do you know?Cause they didn't know which chart to put it back into. But I just had that kind of a memory. I have a very visual memory. If I see something, if I read it on a page, I know exactly where it is. If you know, that's just the way my brain works, which is I think why I'm a dentist. And I think a lot of dentists have the same gift.We're very visual, which is why we're good at what we do. We can reproduce. Something visually, you know, so I had a very good memory. I've always had a good memory and it got to the point where I would see a patient. I would go to a next room and somebody would come back and say, um, what do you want to do for the lab?You know how they come. Oh yeah. By the way, you know, what did you want to, what did you want to do for that crown? And I'd say what crown? I didn't even remember that. I just done a crown. Like it was bad. Yeah. So I got from, I could identify any x ray on the ground too. I couldn't even remember the procedure.I just did 10 minutes ago, but those were the bad, bad days. The semi bad days were just why can't I think, you know, and people use words like brain fog and, you know, in fact, or brain fart, you know, brain, but, you know, did you, or is your brain actually not working as well as it should. So I really do want to go to the mercury piece just for a minute because I didn't know.And I wish someone had told me when I was five years out of school. You know, I wish someone had told me we learn in dental materials, right? We learn that those fillings are 50 percent mercury. Well, they are. So when we drill them out, what you're doing is releasing mercury vapor. Well, where's your head?Right? Smack over the vapors, right? Vapors go up. So, mercury deposits, I like to think of it in neighborhoods. It goes to different neighborhoods. One of its favorite neighborhoods to go live in is the brain. So when you have mercury in the brain, I mean, when you, if you break a thermometer, you got a hazmat team coming to your house, right?We have mercury separators. We can't throw those away in just normal old places. But yet we can breathe it in just fine. They have no issues with us doing that. But you can't get rid of it when it goes down your suction. You can't just throw that away. That'd be terrible. It doesn't make sense. That we don't think of mercury the same way as it's being thrown up into the air and splattered all over.I mean, you know, when you've been doing dentistry, you're like, covered in your mask. I mean, you're gross when you're done. Why don't we think of it the same way? Why do we need a hazmat suit when we break a thermometer? But yeah, we can breathe it in all day long and it's not, no problem. There's no problem with that.There's no way that can make us sick. It makes no sense. So I think a lot of this comes from years ago when doctors were telling people, I'm going to be able to cure your MS. If I take out your mercury fillings, this was the talk I got in dental school was if you tell a patient that you'll lose your license.And that was the truth. Well, I don't tell people that I don't tell them that, you know, I'm going to cure their MS because I take out their mercury fillings. What I say is that those have fillings have mercury. Do you still want them? Well, no, I don't know. People know about mercury. They're not supposed to eat fish anymore, you know, because it could have mercury, but you're at, you're walking around with big old hunks of it sitting in your mouth.Really? So then. Do you really want to be breathing that in? I mean, really, do you want to really sacrifice your brain for that? I don't want to sacrifice my brain for that. And there's an interesting statistic that you've probably heard that dentists have one of the highest rates of suicide in any profession.Guess why I think it is? Because our brains are being fried by mercury. So we're not thinking right anymore. Really? I mean, is dentistry that much worse than other jobs? I can think of some other jobs that are way worse. Yeah. Why are we, you know, so why are we committing suicide over other people? Why are we doing it?Because our brains are fried. They're filled with a toxic neurotoxic substance. That's Michelle 101, but I lived through it, so I don't want anybody not to even have this little inkling of a thought in their head like, Oh wow, could that, could she be right? Michael: No, it's good. It's good that they're interesting because you're right.All that stuff is true in the sense of like you are over it, you are breathing it, there is precautions for everything else but that. Yep, and Michelle: guess what else? I never had a baby, naturally, never, in all my years. I was, I was able to have twins through in vitro and then I adopted two more children because I went through multiple, I mean years and years and years and years of fertility treatment.Guess what I think it was? Mercury. And how many women are sitting in our dental offices? Between the dentists, the dental assistants, the receptionists, the hygienists, and if mercury could potentially affect fertility. So my, partner, also a woman, she went for years without being able to have a baby. And she changed practices, stopped removing mercury fillings, was doing other, just other procedures, and was able to get pregnant.Then got back in, started removing a bunch of mercury, then she came to my practice, and, surprise, surprise, was able to get pregnant! Every single time she removed herself from mercury, all of a sudden, even though she'd had years. Uh, fertility issues. In fact, she just got pregnant again for the third time.Her baby's only a year old. She thought it would take forever, but because she has no mercury exposure anymore, surprise, real surprise. She's going to have babies a year apart now because she did not expect. That she would be able to get pregnant like that, but I strongly believe it was because she didn't, doesn't have mercury exposure anymore.So these are just little nuggets that I like to throw out to say, just think about it. Michael: That's so crazy you're talking about that right now. Literally two hours ago, I was talking to a friend about that, how they have to go through another version of a IVF because they All right. You know what I mean?They're just like trying and Michelle: I went three, one to get twins, two more failed. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The money, the emotion, the toll on your body, all of the above, it's not worth it. Especially because removing mercury safely, all you have to do is use that big vacuum you bought for, for COVID, you know, everybody bought the vacuum.Good. That's, that's what you're going to do. You're going to put that thing in front of you and all you're going to do is just put a few barriers and you're just going to put a higher filtration mask. Like it's nothing hard, literally it costs almost nothing to do this. Why would you risk it? Michael: So then let me ask you, Michelle, from the moment you started doing that.I guess from the moment you realized, Oh my God, it's mercury. And then the moment you started implementing all the procedures and protocols and right, like the vacuum and everything. How quickly did you see a Michelle: change? Oh, it took for a while. It took a long time to get a hundred percent back. Like it was like eight years before I went, I think my brain's back.But I started noticing incremental change immediately. You know, immediately I would, okay. You know, the numbness is a little better. Numbness is a little better. I'm able to, you know, do a little bit more fine detail work here now. And, and I was just so conscious about it as well. So if I was going to be removing mercury, we were like, man, we, you know, everything precautions.And I was working really hard systemically with my system to detox as well. So I was doing two things, making sure nothing was coming in, but also getting things out very, very, you know, vigorously. And I also think that's important for dentists to know is we are around, think of the, think of the toxins we are around, you know, it's not just mercury radiation.How much radiation? How many times do we just hold that x ray? Yeah, go ahead. Just go ahead. You know, how many times? All the time. Holding that x ray. Just go ahead. Yeah, just go ahead. Take it. It's fine. Um, you know, so radiation, mercury, nitrous. All the BPA stuff, all those chemicals, I mean, nothing stinks that we're using, does it at all?I mean, have you ever smelled porcelain etchant? My gosh. You know, any of those things. So all of those toxins are just swimming around in the world we're living in. Yeah, you ought to be probably working to get all that junk out. Michael: Interesting. Okay. So then, and now, does that, when you say getting it all out, does that also mean like, so for example, are you still eating fish and stuff like that or Michelle: no?Sure. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just, I'm conscious about it. You know, obviously I'm not going to eat all the, they talk about, you don't eat the big ones, you know, you don't eat the tuna very often. You eat the other stuff. So we, you know, salmon, we eat halibut. Yeah, we absolutely do. But getting it out is more about giving your body.So there's two things that you need. You need a grabber. It's called a chelator. That's the word that medicine uses. But it's basically a substance that'll go in and grab the toxin. Then you need somebody that escorts it out of the system. So really the detox component is those two things. So there's some chelators that are very simple.Chlorella, which is just like a little single cell green, you know, thing. You can throw it in a smoothie. Um, cilantro. Is a great one is a great help for detoxing. Mercury. Um, pectin, pectin is an apples. So apples and dates are phenomenal for helping to detox, you know, so there's just little things like this that I'm just real conscious pumpkin seeds that I'm just conscious about throwing into my diet and adding extra up.Now, actually, interestingly, when I was going through this, the doctor said, you need to have 97 Ivy chelation treatments, And I said, I don't have time. I've got four little kids. I've got to practice. It's like slowly sinking into the, into the, you know, the, the black sea right now because my health is suffering.And I don't have time to sit here for an hour, 97 times in a row. So you're going to have to give me another option. So there were other options that I took mostly oral, you know, pills and things that I was taking. I've since learned that those IV chelations didn't do what we thought they did. So I'm really glad I didn't get 97 hours of my life away.I'm actually quite, quite happy about that, but there are things to do. And I really recommend that you work with a functional medicine practitioner because they're going to find out, okay, are your elimination systems working? Basically, are your kidneys and your liver and your gut? Are they operating as they should be?Because that needs to happen first. Otherwise you're going to grab all this stuff and just dump it there and it's not going to go anywhere. And then you're just going to get sick in a different way. So they need to make sure everything's moving first and then they can help give you the supplements to actually grab and move it out.Michael: Gotcha. Interesting. Okay. So right now, if we're in year one to year five of our practice ownership, what precautions would you coach us with? It's Michelle: easy stuff, easy stuff. So that big COVID vacuum. You know what I'm talking about? The big like the elephant nose thingy. Yep, stick that in front of the patient's nose or patient's mouth.Why? It's just gonna suck the vapors, right? It's just gonna pull everything their direction. You can get a very simple mercury filtration mask and I can give you, uh, I'll give you the sites that you can put on show notes so people can check it out. But the I, I'll say it fast, they'll have to look it up probably, I A O M T.is the organization that I went and found. So I a o m t. org. That's the organization. If you go on there, they have so many resources for dentists. They have entire kits. You can buy, they have mercury filtration masks. I started out with like these giant crazy talk masks. I couldn't fit my loops over them.I couldn't even like get close enough to a patient to actually like. See what I was doing. It was terrible. So I, I backed off that. And so I wear a regular mask with this special mercury filter mask over the top. And it's just a cloth mask that fits right over the top, but it has, it has added filtration for mercury.Absolutely. Do that for the patient. Then that's really big one for those. Those are the two for you. Big vacuum mask. For the patient, use some coverings. do something to cover their body. Make sure you're using either an isolator or a rubber dam. Keep it out of their mouth. Make sure you're suctioning.Your assistants know, suction every single last bit of that junk when you're drilling those babies out of there. You know, just make sure that everybody's very, very conscious about what they're doing. It's easy. But here's the other thing I would do. I would talk about it. Because when you're year one to five, guess what?You need a market differentiator. You need a reason that people are going to find you because they're not going to find you because you have experience. They're not going to find you because you have, you know, 10, 000 Google reviews. They're not going to find you because, you know, they've been seeing you for 10 years.They're not going to find you for those reasons. So you have to find a reason. You have to create a reason that they can find you. There is an entire Subset of the population that's huge, that's looking for a more natural health focus in all of medicine. You know, you're probably talking about it too.Every single person on here has probably been hearing or thinking about this also. COVID switched this narrative. They switched this narrative where all of a sudden we all start questioning. Maybe everything that people tell us isn't exactly as it really is. And, um, are there things I could do to keep myself safe that wasn't?The vaccine or wasn't a pill or what? You know, people started looking and started asking these questions and A large portion of the population are still doing that saying, I kind of like that approach. Not just taking everything at face value that the medical, you know, world tells me. So what else could I be doing natural?This is why all these Instagram or influencers are taken off like crazy because they're all selling all this information and these products. You know, they're selling the natural, the no dyes, the no chemicals. I guarantee you, you know, it's. Mostly driven by women. I'll tell you that. So most women listening or most men listening have a wife that's also in this thing, you know, and women make health care decisions, right? You've probably been told this. Women make health care decisions and guess the health care, the health care decisions they're making right now are those that are better for their body. So if you can say we have health focused treatments here at our practice, then all of a sudden you're different than the guy down the road.There's a reason to come see you. Interesting. Michael: Okay. And is that what you're kind of, cause I know your Instagram Pretty big, or actually all your social medias are pretty big, well like your Instagram I want to say you're at over 100, 000, right? Michelle: Yeah, 146, 000 actually, as of yesterday. I know this. Yeah,Michael: do you just handle that or does that, you have a team Michelle: who handles that or how does that work?I did for a long time. I now have a social media coordinator that answers most of the things on there because it's a lot, all day long. Michael: Yeah, and what was the strategy behind that, I guess, to grow it that way? Michelle: I started talking about things that people were talking about. And for me, that's all marketing has been.So if you look even through my career, all of a sudden, you know, clear back at the very beginning, this high touch environment, people were talking about that. They were talking about why they hated dentists. Well, let's join the conversation. Then when the economy fell out of everything in 2008, all of a sudden, cosmetic dentistry was not the thing anymore, right?Because nobody had extra dollars. So what was the thing? We turned to disaster dentistry. So I said, well, gosh, if people don't want their teeth to be pretty, they at least want teeth. So let's start taking care of all these people who have a bombed out mouth because they will put their dollars towards that because they can't chew.So then we started, we joined that conversation. Now we've joined the conversation of health because it started in 2020, March of 2020, that conversation started. So we said, well, if that's the conversation, let's join. Let's be part of it. Let's say we can contribute. So that's what I do on my Instagram.That's what I do on all my social sites is I just contribute to what People are already talking about. If they're talking about health, I talk about how dentistry contributes to their health, either in a detrimental way or in a positive way. So I talk about all sorts of things. We talk about procedures, we talk about materials, um, we talk about, you know, things as far as growth and development and ways you can prevent things. all the crazy talk questions that, you know, dentists roll their eyes at, like, can you heal a tooth? You know, can you, can you, you can regrow, you can regrow a tooth. People roll their eyes and I'll say. Yeah, you can actually depends on the size of the cavity, but absolutely let's talk about how and let's talk about this product that you should use that I can sell to you that will help you do it.Yeah. Just join the conversation. Michael: Okay. So then how are you finding these conversations? Cause I feel like sometimes we, we, you know what I mean? Where you started up and you're like, should I just post a new patient special? Right? Like, or something like that. And then Michelle: what's different about that? That's so boring.Yeah. Everybody does that. So instead of a new patient special, what you should post instead is, did you know the mercury is a neurotoxin and that there's mercury in those fillings and here in our dental office of X, Y, Z, we know how to remove that safely. We'd love to talk to you, talk to you about it. And by the way, if you come in today, we will throw in that mercury removal fee for free. this is a huge one too, huge one. Don't discount your procedure, discount a thing. If you discount a procedure, they're never going to want to pay full fee for the procedure ever again. It's just like when you go to a restaurant and you use a coupon. You get 20 percent off to that, to that restaurant.Well, you don't ever want to pay full fee at that restaurant again. Cause it's like, Oh, I've got 20 percent off last time. I don't want to come unless I, it's 20 percent off. So don't discount your procedure discount a thing. So I'll say you get a free tube of toothpaste when you come in for your new patient appointment, or you get the mercury removal fee.That's like 25 bucks a tooth for free. If you come in on this, because they're not going to need that again. They're going to need a cleaning again. They're going to need an x ray again. And I don't want them to keep wanting a discount. I want them to pay the full price the first time. And I want them to keep paying the full price.I'll give them the free stuff. Come in and get free cookies. Get, you know, whatever. So discount a thing. Don't discount a procedure. That's always been my philosophy. Michael: Yeah. No, I love that. That's fantastic. And so I see now for you, especially on Instagram or on your social media, you're, you're starting a lot of these conversations, right?Uh, with that. But when you're starting out, how can, when nobody's watching or anybody's listening really, where do you find these conversations and how do you become like a part of it so where you start gaining traction? Mommy Michelle: groups, mommy Facebook groups, because remember we talked about the mommies are the ones that are talking about this.So mommies are talking about BPAs and sealants. What would you say if somebody came and said, do you have sealants? They're talking about it on their forums. So you go and join their forum, you find out what they're talking about, and then you comment now and then. You go, oh my gosh, we just found out that BPA, the sealant material we were using, did have BPAs.Good news, here at XXY Dental Office, we now have BPA free filling material. It is a low impact ad. Do you know what I mean? It's a free ad, basically. You're, you're doing a service. But you're also advertising your service. So get team members on those mommy Facebook groups. There's gonna be some in your, in your community, I guarantee.But also, if you just start talking about things on social media. So just put a camera in front of your face, or if you're not good at it. Somebody on your team is I guarantee you there's someone on your team who's on Instagram way too much. That's the person you want. That's the person you want. You say, okay, guess what?You're already on Instagram way too much. So I'm going to utilize that skill you've got right there. And what should we be talking about? Have them put it on Instagram. Is it, nobody's going to see it at the beginning, but that's when you use hashtags. So if you put hashtag BPA free sealant, dental sealants, kids dentistry, now when somebody searches that in your area, it's going to pop up. Michael: Interesting. So mommy Facebook groups, but have your team involved in it and so forth. I like that a lot. Okay. Michelle: They know how to use it. You don't know how to use it, but they do. Michael: Yeah. Yeah. And then, I mean, like, it's good to always chime in, right? And Michelle: in the comments.You should be on there. You should be doing it. But they are the ones who are going to tell you what to do. Because they know way better than you do. So they're going to tell you, you're going to talk about this. Yeah. Michael: Interesting. And then did your practice ever sell or no, you never decided because you said you put it up.I didn't Michelle: sell it. I stayed with it. So I stayed with it. Yep. Michael: Were you, were there buyers where you're like, I think I'm about Michelle: to or no? Yep. I actually had my practice for sale three times. That was time. Number one, time. Number two was when my dad sold his portion of the practice and I was going to just exit at that point as well.And again, didn't know what I was going to do. Third time is I had a DSO buyer. And we were a week away from sale and it fell through and it was the best thing that could have happened because the practice then doubled that next year and doubled again, the next. Michael: Wow. So the moments where you decided that you were thinking to sell, why?Michelle: This is actually a really important point, I think. And I love to talk to new dentists about this because a lot of times there's different personalities obviously in the world, but my personality is one that's a fast start, quick start. So I like to start stuff. I love to start stuff, new stuff. And um, when you do personality profiles and things, you can find, is this you?Well, quick starts. Aren't very good at finishing stuff. we typically would get to the point where I'd be real dissatisfied and I thought I was just dissatisfied with the practice. Like just dentistry in general. I just hate it. You know, I just hate this. I just want to get out. I'm so tired of it. I'm so burned out.You know, nobody's ever used any of those words before. You know what I found every single time? Is that it was because it wasn't anymore. It wasn't exciting anymore. I had nothing to start. Like it was so done and over. So, really for me now, this is a really interesting evolution that's happened inside of practice.I, I would go all in on something. So I would say, okay, I'm gonna bring Clear aligners into the practice, you know, whatever it might be. And I'm going to go all in and I'm going to learn all about this. And now all of a sudden, every single patient you see needs clear aligners. You didn't realize before you took the course, now they all need clear aligners, but that's exciting.And that's something new. And it's something that the whole team can get behind and change is good. And then you do that for a year or two or whatever it is. And then you need something else to kind of give you that little bit of a rocket boost, a little bit of, you know, to, to get you excited again.Where am I now? I'm at an entirely different place. I am only in the practice one and a half days a week now. All I do is see new patients and I have two businesses that I'm building on the outside of dentistry. They're still integrated, but they're really on the outside of dentistry. I still contribute and I still have a ton that I bring to my pract

Imagine a patient struggling with symptoms, frustrated by their discomfort, and they're taking action. They go online in search of a reliable physician. Will they find your website? And if they do, will they choose your practice? It may sound simple, but there are many layers to the patient's decision-making process that can make this more complex than you'd think. In this episode, we explore the challenges that arise when building your online presence. From online search terms, and the impact of content on your website, to Google listings and mobile compatibility, here are some key points to consider to get your practice seen online. Join us to hear more about: The action vital and how to assess your success with it How to analyze your website from the eyes of the patient Why mobile web designs are more valuable than desktop Creating emotional connections with your ideal patients A rubric for grading your online presence Sponsored by TrackableMed Connect with Zed here

Lauryn is the owner of Bloom Counseling Services, a practice that specializes in children, teens, and emerging adults. She loves her family, her team, and her clients. Her favorite food is cheese and favorite movie is The Princess Bride.

Today we're going to introduce a game changer in the dental practice management software world...‍‍This is an innovative, all-in-one, cloud-based practice management software, and it offers an array of powerful features that are custom built for dentists by dentists ready to revolutionize the way you work. ‍If you are a start-up and decide to sign up with Oryx, they will NOT charge you a single dime, until you reached 200 active patients!⁠⁠They are partnering up with all startup practice owners and making sure you succeed, fast!⁠⁠ Click this link to schedule a FREE personalized demo and to see more on their exclusive deal!⁠‍‍Guest: Thomas ChoiBusiness Name: Eyes of AICheck out Thomas' Media:‍Website: https://www.eyesofai.com/Linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/thomas-choi-7a8843241Practice Website: https://mylocaldentists.com.au/‍Other Mentions and Links:Leonardo DiCaprioMercedesChatGPTGoogle Ad WordsYellow PagesCSIRO - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganizationCone Beam CTKhoa and Sen - Eyes of AI FoundersPearl AIOverjet AIElon Musk‍Host: 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:You cannot be a hero for everyone! Be sure to hone in on the type of patient you would like to serve and market to them.If you aren't located in a high foot traffic area you will need to supplement with more marketing.Your team is your most important asset! Treat them well and make sure they have systems to follow.You can have roles that are meant to be more permanent and positions that are more temporary. Some team members might not stick around forever and that is okay!Don't fall into the trap of "I have no weaknesses." Try to reflect of where you don't excel, and hire another professional to help.Always track where your new patients are coming from. Having a Customer Relationship Management(CRM) software will help keep good records here.‍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: Alright, it's time to talk with our featured guest, Dr. Thomas Choi. Thomas, how's it Thomas: going? Not too bad, Michael. Thanks. How are you Michael: doing? Pretty good. Where in Australia are you located? Thomas: We're in Sydney sunny Sydney. On the other side of the world too, you guys, but just to sunny as LA Michael: hopefully.Okay, man, that's nice. That's nice. Awesome. Thank you for, I dunno what time it is over there, but thank you for being up early. Thomas: Oh 9:00 AM So just about I rescheduled some of my patients, pushed them back a little bit, and uh, normal workday for me. Michael: Nice. Awesome man. Awesome. So real quick, could you briefly introduce your dental practice and the demographic you primarily Thomas: serve?Yeah, absolutely. So, um, the group of practices that I, operate and own is called my local dentists. We operate five dental clinics here in Sydney. We are generally Just general clinics. So we your community practice, we are located in small community areas, and so we serve your newborns, your one year old, your two year old, your kids as they go through school.And then we also make dentures for grandparents. Mm-hmm. So yeah, your basic general practice for, for your general dentist. Michael: Nice. Okay. So then what has been your experience with different marketing companies and which strategies have proved to be the most effective for Thomas: you? I own five. And so we've dealt with all a whole range of different marketing options.So that goes, I'm sure your listeners have gone through all these things as well. That goes from your s e o, from your Google AdWords, from your full service branding and marketing companies. For me, I've found there's no silver bullet, so quite early on. In my little startup phase someone gave me some pretty good advice.They said, you cannot be the hero to everybody. So when I speak to younger dentists starting up clinics, I find they get really upset if even one person turns away or one person wasn't happy. They want to, they seem to want to sort of capture the whole entire. Little area there. They want everybody that, that, that doesn't work.The dentist you are looking for for is not the dentist I'm looking for. He's probably not the dentist di Leonardo DiCaprio is looking for. We're all looking for different type of dentists. So I do find in marketing finding that sort of fits your lane and your. What you are trying to do is probably the most helpful thing to do.But I mean, I'm happy to go around, into detail, into each of those different types of marketing, if you'd like. Yeah, no. Including the, Michael: if we get into it, when you first started your practice, your startup, your first one, number one, right? Like what were you leaning heavily on? Where you were like, this is what I'm, I'm, I'm gonna keep doing Thomas: right now.So my, my first one is actually in the same suburb that I grew up in. So I had like strong community ties. My, my local primary school was literally, I, I serve like half of that primary school now. and I went to that primary school, so that's where I started. And I think in terms of marketing I was leaning really heavily on that community engagement.And so, My first place isn't perhaps in such a high traffic area, and so it was a lot more of me making connections with the community and that personal relationship, but also because it's not in such a high. Foot traffic area. We did spend perhaps a high percentage of our income on marketing when we first started.If you go to some of my other clinics, they're in small community shopping centers, but they're quite busy. So these shopping centers aren't like, I think in America, they, you have your malls, which is like your big shopping centers, and then you've got your little small community ones where you'd probably go three times a week to do your local grocery shopping, go to your pharmacy, and whatever.It's so, A lot of my other ones are in those type of shopping centers. And you'll find with those ones, marketing isn't as important. The shopping center does the marketing for you. People walk past. And so in terms of percentage you spend is, is slightly different. And so your marketing strategy does need to change depending on your clinic, where you're located and what you're leaning on.Like you said. So before, when I first started, I was leaning on. Me, myself, my story of, Hey, I grew up here and, and now I'm back in the area I'm giving back to the community. That's what I lay it, relied on. And as I'm going bigger I'm relying more on this. This is our brand and this is what we do.Michael: Gotcha. And so all your five practices are, how Thomas: far apart are they? Yeah, so they're all in Sydney. driving the furthest one. So if you go from my furthest one to the other furthest one you could probably go 30, 40 minutes from one to the other. Mm-hmm.So they're all within about a 30 minute drive of each other within Sydney. Gotcha. Has that Michael: always been the goal, Thomas, or was it more like, I just wanna get this first startup done and that's it, I wanna have my own thing here and then it, it grew Or how did it happen? Thomas: I, it was not, it was unintentional.Completely unintentional. So I start, I had this dream of being like this little dentist in a solo practice, which most dentist are. Um, And I was like, oh, in my little area where I grew up, this is nice. And I started that one and I get it started getting really busy. My second shop, it was, I actually um, was walking my dog and I was walking my dog to my local shopping center to pick up dinner for my, for my family.And I walked my dog there and also just an empty shop. And I went, Hey, this is kind, this kind of work. And then that one worked out and that went really well. And then The third one came along and, and, and someone approached me for that one. And then since then people have just been approaching me actually.So I actually had another shopping center approach me about two weeks ago and I had to turn them down just 'cause we're not in that cycle yet. But I think you find as you do well people open up opportunities for you as long as you're genuine, as long as you try hard and do your best opportunities to come.Yeah. Michael: Okay man. So then goals to have, like are you looking down the future where it's like there's gonna be 10 eventually? Thomas: At the moment I've taken a kind of break on growing my dental businesses as a dentist. So, that's all on cruise control at the moment. We, we are doing a few sort of infrastructure upgrades in my practices and making sure we do have the most UpToDate equipment.I do think that is really important patients, depending on what lane of patients you choose. So even for a small community clinics, no one wants to go to a dental clinic. That's not. Nice. That's not clean, that doesn't look modern and up to date you don't want to go see Spittoons that look like they're from the fifties.But that's that. So I'm actually my, at the moment I'm actually involved in a startup around ai. And so that's where I'm spending a lot of my time around dental AI at the moment. So we'll see how we go in terms of my dental practices, but the AI space is where it's dentistry and the whole world is, is really interesting.Michael: Yeah. Nice. Yeah. We'll, we'll dive into that right now. But you mentioned something right now, you said lane of patience. Mm-hmm. when you started out, you said, I'm gonna get this specific demographic, or were you kind of like, I just want Thomas: anybody right now? No, so I think that that choosing your lane and how I said at the start, you can't get every patient that's come from 10 years of experience and speaking to dentists and, and new dentists and, and coaching them and things.So, When I started out, I was like everyone else. I was upset if a single patient was unhappy with anything. I was like, ah, no. I want everybody, everyone should be loving me. Why? Why don't they like what I'm offering? But you will find, your patient that wants to go to a high-end clinic that wants pure, beautiful, top-notch work.They don't want your cheaper general clinic. Even if it's the same work, some people want to pay extra to seem like they're paying extra even for an extra hot towel or something while they're doing their treatment. Some people like that and some people, they don't want that whole snazzy thing. They, they go in and they, these are waste of my money.I don't want that and I don't want my normal community clinic. That's just sort of day to day, and I think if you try to capture both, you lose both. I think the way to do is choose your lane. I am your general clinic. I am the preventative guy. I'm the cosmetic guy. I'm a high-end clinic. I'm an implant clinic.Whatever it is, choose your lane and focus on those people. And as long as you do that, you'll build your brand on. I am that guy, for example, Mercedes. You think Mercedes, you think, Hey, I'm gonna get a good quality car. It's gonna be luxurious, it's gonna be really nice. You don't see Mercedes now coming up with a $10,000 car, try and get this cheaper market, right?Yeah. And all the other Mercedes buyers will be like, Hey, I don't want Mercedes anymore. You guys are cheap. So I think choosing your lane and sticking to your lane and making sure all your branding and marketing sort of adhere to what you've chosen and, and it's all concise and and in line.I think that's the way to go. Definitely. Michael: Nice. Okay. And how much budget do you typically allocate for your marketing activities? Thomas: So I think once again, this does depend on the clinic, right? Mm-hmm. So, I do find when I speak to a lot of different marketing agencies and just companies in general, being customizable for, for the person is really important.And so My clinic, as I was saying, that's not in such a high traffic traffic area as a percentage of revenue. I might spend a little bit more compared to something that's in the shopping center where I don't need to do any additional marketing. 'cause I have hundreds of people literally walking outside the front of my practice every day.But then that's obviously the counterbalance. But I pay more rent in the shopping center and in low traffic areas, I pay less rent. it does differ. I found when I opened up my very first clinic, especially to know, like no one knows, knows about me, and there's no one walking past. You do spend a lot, you can spend up to like 20% of revenue at this time.Whereas in a shopping center, you might get a massive influx of patients and only spend. 5% of of revenue on, on marketing. 'cause you're not having to do all this additional stuff. You're literally just using your practice shop front as your big marketing tool. So yeah, somewhere between there. And also obviously depends on your phase of your business.So at the moment, like I said, I'm on a little bit of a cruise control, so I am just spending enough to keep my associates happy and booked. But if you were going to grow, you'd probably spend more, you know, 10, 20% if you're going to grow. And if you're just trying to stay stable, I aim for five to 10% usually.Michael: Gotcha. Okay. And then how many new patients are you currently getting? Like a month? Across all Thomas: five clinics? Michael: Yeah. Or if you just wanna mention like your first, first one. Thomas: Oh, my first one. I'm, I'm actually not accepting any new patients myself at, at that clinic. I'm, I'm too busy. But my associates are, and so depending on each sort of thing, you'd, you'd still be getting 30, any between 30 to 40 patients.A, a month. Michael: Gotcha. Okay. I think the, sometimes the, the struggle is we, when we're starting out, right, we have that. Certain amount of capital that we have to allocate to marketing. And then we're like, I don't want to spend on something that's not gonna work or spend too much.For example, a marketing agency can approach you and say, Hey, let's, let's make this happen. Let's do this. Thomas: And half of the mistakes, half of the mistakes don't listen to all of them. Michael: Exactly. So can you share with us, like, have you ever faced a situation where the promised results were not achieved with the expected Thomas: timeframe?Absolutely. So when I think of marketing, let's stick with digital marketing first. Mm-hmm. 'cause I think that's where most people spend their time on marketing. So when I think of digital marketing, there's sort of three lanes that I've gone down in the past. I've gone down straight ss, e o work now straight ss, e o work.I think everyone needs to do. Having said that, with chat, G P T, I don't know what Google and Google rankings are gonna be in five to 10 years, but at the moment, s e o is where it's at. So, s e o is really important, I think. SS e o, it costs a lot to do it right? Because what you're doing is you're paying someone to update your website weekly, twice a week with, with new content and making it relevant to those certain areas.But the advantage of that is your underlying digital asset of your website becomes more and more valuable. And so I'll give you an example. If you do ss e o work properly, let's say you choose a suburb Let's say Venice Beach. I don't know LA at all, but I know that's an area of, yeah, so let's say we choose Venice Beach and you go, I wanna do s e o on and as a dental clinic in Venice Beach.Now if you do it properly, it shouldn't just be Dentist Venice Beach and you come higher up on Google searches. It should be anyone in this area types in wisdom tooth pain. You should then have an article on your website with Wisdom Tooth Pain that they can read, and they're like, oh, your website is now my source of dental information.And that creates trust. And so if someone goes dental, crown, root canal, whatever it is, and they're in that area, your ideally, your website should pick up first. And that's ss e o. That takes a lot of time and a lot of money and, and you might not see results for five to six months, but the underlying asset is, is invaluable.Whereas if you go down like the Google AdWord side, you are paying thousands every month. There is no buildup of an underlying asset, but you are getting a click every time you pay. So I think with my strategy, when I first started, there was a lot of AdWords to pump up my initial book with underlying SS e o and then as your s e o builds, you can do less and less AdWords, I find.Okay. I do find though, with full service branding and marketing agencies, we dentists. We can't brand and market and keep track unless you are a particular dentist. Like I maybe one of my whole graduating class of a hundred, maybe two, that would sit there and actually go through all this stuff. Most dentists just wanna be a dentist.Mm-hmm. And so I think if you're a dentist and you start trying to do C r m work, s e o, work yourself, it detracts from your own work. So I do think unless you're really good at it, you should pay someone to do it. And then track it. So if you're using full branded agencies, they should have a C R M network laid out for you which tells you which calls are coming in, where they're coming in from.Was it from a lead from the branding agency? Was it just a natural lead? And AdWords, you can see the clicks and the conversion rates. You should. Definitely track all those things. And ss e o you can obviously track just with your ranking and, and different words you're searching, but my suggestion to normal dentists mm-hmm.As a general rule is get an agency to monitor and track it for you, and you just look at the end results and see if you're happy with them. Michael: Ah, okay. Have there been any ones where you're like, oh my gosh, there's no results. Like, I'm not, I'm not seeing anything. And how do you handle that? Thomas: Yeah, so I had, I'll give you an example about pre pandemic, just before pandemic.I had an agency, I used them for a year and their whole gig was, we will provide you high-end work. So they make landing pages per high-end work that you wanna do. And their, their business model was mainly AdWords. So let's say implants and orthodontics. You, your listeners will know mm-hmm that you get a lot of money from implants and orthodontics and so perhaps is willing to spend a little bit more.So the idea went anyone in Sydney bed search implants, this landing page should be paid for. So you come up the top, you click on that so that you know this lead is coming through that landing page. 'cause this landing page has a separate, input stream. And that landing page is dedicated just for the conversion of your implants or orthodontics.Right? Depending on what that person searched for. And so, if it comes through there, you're getting an implant and that came from that marketing agency. 'cause it that lead came through this particular landing page. by the end of the year.I ended up spending just as much on. AdWords, and that agency as I got in revenue, and so I was doing work. Pretty much for free. 'cause any work I was getting, I was giving back to that agency, and this is why tracking is really important and having mechanisms in place to know where that lead came from.It wasn't a lead from my s e o work that I paid for previously. It was from this particular company and being able to track that. So if I used different branding agencies, I'll have different phone numbers they call through on, so I can track where it's coming from. I'll have different landing pages and websites as well as my receptionist will know.On our C R M systems. Okay, this person came from this lead. And so being able to track it and then getting an R O I is pretty important because you'll find dentists spends thousands on stuff, don't track it, and they don't even realize they're getting nothing out of it. Yeah, Michael: that's true, man. That's true.So tracking it, tracking it is like huge, Thomas: huge, huge. And most dentists don't, this is what I'm saying to you. Most dentists are dentists. They're not business people or necessarily want to sit there and track numbers. And so if you're not gonna do that, Get an external or a software to do it, but if you are gonna do it, then set up properly, un track it.Okay, Michael: nice. And then how equipped is your team in converting calls into actual patients? So. Thomas: Right now pretty poor to be honest. We, we in Australia since COVID had some crazy staff shortage. last year, even earlier this year, there were days where we had to close clinics. Not even, 'cause we didn't have a dentist because I didn't have receptionist and like assistant staff, which is crazy to not open a business 'cause you don't have a receptionist, right?Mm-hmm. But that, that's where we were, a little bit better now. But I think once again, as long as it aligns with your practice. So if you, in terms of training them, I think a C R m, sort of portal or, or system is really good for tracking. Because if you don't, you don't end up with a nice aggregated information you can read.So I've had clinics, I've known clinics where. You know when you sign your new patient form, it says, how did you hear about us? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I was really strong on making sure my receptionist made that person fill that thing out and then actually record it, because then that feeds back on our backend on, Hey, okay, we're getting patients through Google AdWords.We're not getting anything. There's this thing called Yellow Pages in Australia. We're not getting anything from Yellow Pages, let's stop spending money on Yellow Pages, that type of thing. So training is important. You'll find especially if you use branding agencies, they'll train your staff for you on their c r m on and, and how to convert patients.But that comes down to also having good staff and long-term staff. Mm-hmm. My, in my first clinic where, where I'm turning away patients for myself, They, my receptionist knows the patients almost better than I do. And so there is that long-term sort of consistency for patients is also important and also important for training.Otherwise, you'll find new staff come in, you have to train them on the C r M system on how to convert patients on all that thing or those type of things. And you'll find you spend more time on training and more money on training than actually getting conversions of sales. So, Consistent staff, well trained staff.And your receptionist is probably the most important person in your practice. Michael: Yeah. How, how often is like turnover would you say, in the front office for you? Thomas: So I have two sort of categories of, of support staff. So I'm not talking dentists, they're my support staff. I have my support staff that are my people that are gonna be there for years and they're my employees.And then I have a list of sort of casuals, which are like fill in jobs, like only a few shifts a week. And they tend to be more uni students. So the uni students and the sort of casual in and out type of workers, they change over regularly. my long-term staff, they, they stick around long-term years.That I don't think I've had anyone leave for any reason other than like their, like something's happened in their life, they're leaving mm-hmm. The city or moving, moving states or whatever it is because, staff is the most important. Asset of, of, of a company. So even big mining companies, you look at their, their, their bills sheet, their HR staff is their biggest expense.Yeah. And given that even in us, even in a dental practice, staff is our biggest expense, but they're also the most important expense. And also we'll, Change how your companies run from day dot and, and it makes a massive difference. You'll have two receptionists. One receptionist will show you literally 50% more than the other one will, will book in 50% more patients than the other one just 'cause they care. they'll be nice on the phone. They won't try to shoot people off the phone. They'll, they'll try to find solutions for their patients and mm-hmm. I say to my, I say to my, everybody, I have one hiring policy. Be a nice person. That's it. If you're a nice person, I can train you to do other things.If you're not a nice person, it doesn't work out. Everyone can read it. Michael: Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That's nice. Yeah. The humility that the person has to have when it comes to those two support staff and then the UNI students do, do you ever think like maybe the UNI students could become part of the support staff or Thomas: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.Yeah. But for, as a general rule, those casual staff, so the my casual support staff that all. Have one or two shifts a week or have like feeling when someone's sick or something like that. They generally come on with that role because this isn't their primary thing in life. Mm-hmm. They might be a uni student, they might be a mom just wanting part-time work and, but this is not their focus, But at any point yeah, if they're suitable and they want to, there's always opportunities for them to then move on to more of a permanent position in my little organization. Michael: Nice man. Okay, so you talked to us about that. Everything right now is on cruise control because you're working on something with ai.What's that all Thomas: about? Okay, so, I'm the Chief Operating officer of a company called IS ai. And what we do is we've partnered with the Commonwealth Industry Science Research Organization, so C S I R O. Mm-hmm. It's Australia's government. Sort of science agency or research agency. And we've collaborated to come up with the world's first and most granular segmentation on cone BM c t as well as sort of pathology detection on, on all the dental x-rays.So your bite wings, your peri apical, your op Gs, and your lat surfaces. So, going into marketing, 'cause I know this is a marketing podcast. The, the reason I think this is really helpful for marketing is, as I was saying, people wanna go to clinics because they want to know you are up to date. What you are providing is good healthcare.Mm-hmm. And AI will only improve healthcare going forward. That's the whole reason it's going to be implemented. If it wasn't going to improve healthcare, it's just something, a cool fancy toy, no one will use it. So what we do in our company, so other than for the diagnostics, Our flagship is the segmentation of a cone beam ct.So a cone beam CT is a three d X-ray people use for the major dental work. Mm. And we are able to segment that into 130 different anatomical structures. And then using that, you can use that to plan your treatment. So I'm assuming most of your listeners are dentists? Mm-hmm. And so as a dentist, you'll know when you perhaps do an implant or a molar root canal, you'll take a cone beam ct and you'll know that to.You take that c x-ray to plan treatments and if you're taking that x-ray to plan treatments, if you're able to segment that x-ray, you are able to first remove any noise you don't wanna see. You are able to get automatic measurements, and you're able to get a clear three D model of what you're working on rather than working off two D slices, which is what we're doing.And so inevitably, AI and segmentation of cone beams and detection of pathology across all x-rays. Is going to save the dentist time, it's going to improve treatments and lead to better health outcomes, which is what we're aiming to do, and that's what everything is about. The last part about it, and I'm really big on patient education, I think a better educated patient is more on board with treatment and that can only lead to good things.Mm-hmm. It can lead to less stress for the dentist and better treatment health outcomes. And if you have ever seen a cone bean ct, and if you are not a dentist, you'll look at that and go, no idea what I'm looking at. it's gonna go right over my head. I'm just gonna nod as the dentist tries to explain things to me, what we do is we make three D models of that cone bean ct and so you're able to transfer that information to the patient much clearer in a way that makes much more sense to the patient.Not only are you going to get more conversions for your treatment, but you are also going to get more trust from the patient. But ultimately, and this is my biggest thing, you will get better patient health outcomes. You'll make less mistakes, and your treatments will be better, and that's what it's all about.Nice. Michael: Okay, so then how or why did this come out? The AI. You developing this? I guess like, the AI's been there, right? So you're just like, we gotta do something about this scenario because what was happening when this was Thomas: coming out? Okay. So I'll tell you the little inception story of this company.Yeah. It's kind of a pretty cool story. So this company started with two brothers, BA and Zen. Zen. I actually went to dental school with Zen, which is why, how I got involved in this company. Then is a dentist and Qua, who is our c e o, went to his brother Sen as the dentist Sen took his bite wings and he noticed an impacted lower right third molar that was causing caries on the lower right second molar.And the carriers was really extensive and near the pulp Sen said to his brother, Hey mate, you need to take that wisdom tooth out, do a filling, potentially a root canal. Qua turned around and went, mate, you're my brother. I don't believe you. I don't feel any pain. Nothing is wrong. Went away. Then even showed him the x-ray and Qua was like, I don't, I don't know what you're talking about, man.Everything was good. I think about two months later he had some crazy toothache. Had to go in and had to get both those teeth, emergency extraction on both of those teeth. That was the inception story, and this is why this links back to that whole patient education thing. I think in this world now going forward, people are taking more and more control of their own information.I can almost guarantee all of your listeners, I mean most of 'em are dentists, but when they go to a doctor or a dentist, they don't actually get the x-rays themselves. In Australia, I. The X-rays are actually the property of the person that took them. It doesn't actually even belong to the patient, right?Mm-hmm. Because it's our responsibility to keep it for X amount of years and store it and whatnot. We can't lose it 'cause it's patient health records. This is how this company started because we saw a problem there or the, the, the founder saw a problem there if I can't even believe my own brother.And that communication between. The dentist and the patient is that poor on a two d x-ray. On a three d X-ray. People are just nodding their heads. The other thing we've found going through this and all the non dentists in my organization are, are a bit scared of dentists now mm-hmm. Is we've found a lot of dentists are just are skipping things and, and to save time on a cone beam ct, they're ignoring the rest of the cone beam ct.If you take it for an implant down your bottom right, you're not looking at the top left for pathologies, which is to me, shocking. it's uncomfortable. Mm-hmm. So, that with the ai, you'll, you will be able to pick up on everything. And so even though it started as a patient communication inception idea, the use cases of it apply to both the patient, the dentist, the clinic, everyone, everyone will benefit from it.Gotcha. Michael: And so this is available now or not yet? Thomas: our business model is not necessarily to go straight to the end user. to the, to the dentists themselves. We're in discussions with a lot of OEMs and a lot of companies everyone we've spoken to once they've seen our product believes this is going to be the new standard of cone beam ct.Mm-hmm. And, and two d x-rays, but cone beam cts in particular, because you can't have this level of segmentation and then go back to the two D version, it's, it's like, my Jared, who I work with always says to me, he goes, it's like looking at an old U B D map that you're flipping through. And then getting Google Maps and it telling you exactly what to do.Um mm-hmm. You, you can't go back. And so for that, we believe it will be mass adopted and yeah, we're speaking to a lot of companies then to implement it into existing softwares. Gotcha. Michael: So you, the idea is not like to the user, like, Hey guys, it's available for this much, everybody get it? It's, it's more like, how can people get their hands on it then?Thomas: Utilize one of the companies that we'll be partnering with pretty much. Okay. We'll be partnering with companies around the world and all your dental users will have heard of it. I heard of these companies and so if you want to use the product, you'll have to use the company that we partner with.Michael: Gotcha. Okay. Okay. Interesting man. Yeah, because we've heard of AI and like diagnosing, right. Pearl Overjet, other companies like that. So they're, they're doing. Pretty cool stuff on that end, but this is a little bit different, right? Thomas: So we do what they do as well. So they do diagnosis of two d x-rays of pathologies, right?And so that is a, a bite wing, a pa, an O P G. Hey, there is this problem here. pretty straightforward. But if you look at three D x-rays, people don't take cone beam cts to find pathology. Sometimes they do, they, they'll take an ogen go, oh, that's a little bit funny. Let's take another x-ray to mm-hmm.To confirm what that is. But as the, the majority of C B C T cases are taken to perform a treatment, to do an implant, to do a root canal, to do a surgical extraction of a third molar. And so the initial inception of the, the segmentations on a cone b. Is to make the use case of that cone beam easier already.So if you are taking it for an implant, We provide you information on that treatment that will make that treatment easier. So we will provide you segmentations for all the surrounding key critical structures, the i n the sinus. We'll provide you measurements, so the crystal bone to the ion. How much bone do you have to play with your lingual and buccal measurements that that's automatic with the click of a button that you can see on a three D model.That is different from we're gonna scan the whole extra and just point out things that might be slightly wrong, which we do anyway. And like I said, the two D is one thing. I'm much more passionate about the three D. if there's a bite wing and I miss it, and I'm not saying that AI doesn't diagnose better if my AI definitely diagnoses better than me, right?Mm-hmm. I do miss things, but if I'm missing on that two d x-ray, it is me making a mistake. It is me not seeing something I should have seen. But on the three D, this is why I'm much more passionate about three D. People don't even look for it on a three d on a cone beam ct, which is shocking. So that's not even a mistake.People aren't even doing it. Mm-hmm. take it to do the implant and they'll review just the implant site and the stuff they need for the implant and ignore the rest of the image. A lot of people, not everyone, mm-hmm. The good dentist look at over all, but, but a lot of people do. And so that's why the pathology detection on three D and scanning through, that's where my passion lies more.But diagnosis on all x-rays is all helpful for ai. Michael: Yeah. Okay. Are you utilizing it right now in your practice? I Thomas: utilizing it right now, no, no, no, no, because it's not into, so I utilize it to demonstrate things, but it's not at, at a commercial level at the moment, so, no. Michael: Oh, okay. Okay. Interesting. So this is, this is coming out pretty Thomas: soon then, huh?Yeah, yeah, yeah. whether it's us or anybody else, this will be the standard tech in the next three to five years. It's inevitable. Like I said I assume it's not only going to be us, but it, Once you've seen it, you can't go back. It is physically impossible. It's just chalk and cheese.It's it's color TV versus black and white tv. Yeah, sound is black and white. TV versus color tv. We sound, that's literally what it is. Michael: No, man. We're excited for that, Thomas. We're excited for that. So from the process of, I guess you doing your startup. Right to now at the point where you're at with this startup, right.Where it's not a, like a building, right. It's not a practice, it's a ai. Mm-hmm. What are some of the biggest struggles you've encountered throughout this time? Thomas: Time? For me personally, it's time. Mm-hmm. So I know no one really caress about my life, but time is actually the biggest thing for me. You've been talking business struggles.It's once again time for me. Not even just time, it's the mental ability to focus on running dental practices and this AI startup, which is why my dental practices have pretty much taken a backseat. I do not know how Elon Musk does it. I do not know how you have the mental capacity to really run multiple companies and be on top of it all.It's really hard. But other than that, obviously the challenges are really different between the two. And I think the common challenge though, as I was saying before, is people. Mm-hmm. I think everything comes down to people. If you have good staff in your dental practice, you don't have to worry. So I've run this enough that I can be on cruise control in my dental practices, and I can trust the staff that I have will run it really well as it's going and approach me if there's an issue that they haven't dealt with and they dunno what to do.And so I'm pretty comfortable with that. And so even with eyes of ai, I, we have such an amazing team that it makes it really easy to work. And so my one tip to anybody doing any sort of entrepreneurial or any business work people is what makes it, you have someone good next to you, the amount of stress you receive will be half of someone that's just not good next to you.Yeah. So yeah, staffing. Staffing and time is, is definitely the biggest thing. And surround yourself with people that. Have the same vision as you. Drive in the same direction as you and really lift each other up and support each other. I always liken it to a rowing boat. Right. It is the job of the person on the rowing boat that's beating that drum to make sure that everybody's rowing in the same direction and rowing to the beat of that drum, right?That is like any organization, the boat will go better if everyone rose in the same direction and rose at the same time. What you don't want to do is get staff around you that don't understand the big picture and don't strive towards that common goal, whether it is. Providing patients is really good healthcare, and that will build up your dental practices or doing the world's best AI that's gonna take over the world.With ai, you need the team to understand what they're doing, what their roles are, and support each other in that team. So people is the most important. Yeah. Michael: Do you ever find yourself Thomas like, man, I need, I need somebody to handle this takeover and do this, and you give them the The problem or the Yeah, the problem, the work.But then you kind of think about it and you're like, maybe a system could have taken care of that instead of this person. Yeah, Thomas: both. You need both. with staff even though they're good staff, you need a system or a framework for them to work in. Mm-hmm. You can't, no matter how good people are, if you just let five people to do their thing.They're not gonna come at the same point. So you've gotta give everyone a system or a framework. And with technology like AI coming through, yeah, people are, people's job descriptions are gonna change. What they had to do is going to change. It's unfortunately inevitable. You know, Back in the day, I'm sure law firms had a hundred people researching things, feature their cases, and now it's a Google search and it's only a hundred people hour job.any new technology you should be skeptical of but would be willing to embrace that goes with ai, that goes with any systems that you have digital, X-rays, p m s systems, whatever it might be. Systems generally make things more efficient and less mistakes are made. Mm-hmm. that's one of the biggest things about ai, right?That as I was saying earlier on a two d X-ray, if I don't pick up on something that's a mistake, It's not, I didn't know it's a mistake. And so systems and AI and things like that, they don't make mistakes as much. systems are good. But even if you don't have a system in place, even if you've got people, you should have a framework for those people to work around.Yeah. Michael: I get you, man. I mean, remember when Chat G P T came out, I was like, what is this stuff? I didn't even care. Now. Can't get Thomas: off. It's the best. Yeah. AI's amazing. I'm kind of scared to see where it's gonna be in five years. I'm legitimately worried and scared. Michael: It's gonna be, it's gonna be good. It's gonna be exciting.I dunno. We'll see. We'll see. But it is interesting. So one of the last questions I wanted ask you Thomas, is we have a lot of young practice owners, listeners, dentists, right. In our also young, in the sense of like year one to year five, maybe they're in their practice ownership process. What Thomas: advice can you give us?I think first starting out, be honest with yourself. I think knowing where your shortfalls are. So, like I was saying, don't pretend to be a marketer if you're not, don't pretend to be someone that is gonna sit there with spreadsheets if you're not. I recently have come to love spreadsheets.Mm-hmm. But in my previous life before this startup, I didn't particularly like spreadsheets and so to. If, you know you need spreadsheets to track things, but you are not a spreadsheet person, and I would say most dentists are not spreadsheet people, then you should be able to recognize that shortfall and pay a professional to do it.I find people don't recognize other people's skillsets enough and aren't willing to pay for that skillset enough. That'd be the first thing. The second thing I would say is choose Elaine. I say this to everybody. You are not everyone's hero. You'll be one type of person, hero. And so choose what type of person that is.If you're starting a practice and drive your business for that target market and nothing else. Ignore everyone else. alcohol companies. They know who their target market is. They don't target kids 'cause they know they're not gonna buy it. They don't get upset when kids don't wanna buy the alcohol.So they target their audience, do the same thing. And the third thing is be genuine and nice. it goes for both patients and your staff. I find so many entrepreneurs are so up themselves that they think they can manipulate people into positioning themselves and doing what they want.Now, that might work with a one-off interaction 'cause they, the person doesn't know you. But if you are gonna work with someone for five years, if you're gonna have a returning patient for five years, that. Ulterior motive of, I am here because of money. I'm here because of what it, it, it doesn't last.Everyone sees right through it. If you want good staff to stick with you, treat them well, put yourself in their shoes. Every once in a while think, Hey, I'm only earning this amount of money. My dentist, my boss is earning this amount of money. He makes me do all this stuff. He doesn't even say thank you.Doesn't gimme a bonus, doesn't gimme anything. If you were that person, you'd be like, Hey, what? This is not fair. Like this is not a, mm-hmm. Even distribution of what's happening here. Be nice to your staff. Be genuine. Be nice to your patients and that, that's probably the biggest one. Be nice and fair to everyone around you.People will come back and people will continue wanting to work with you if you are overly fair and overly nice to people. I think that's the best part. Michael: Awesome. We appreciate that, Thomas. And if anyone has any questions or concerns or they just want to talk to you more, where can Thomas: they find you? Eyes of AI is probably the easiest website, international website.You can either contact the support page of Eyes of AI and ask for me specifically otherwise I'm on LinkedIn, or they can reach out to you and you. I'm more than happy for you to give out my personal email to anyone. I'm happy to speak to everyone. I'm a friendly person. Michael: Always be nice. Yeah.Awesome guys. So that's gonna be in the show notes below, so definitely reach out to Thomas and Thomas. Thank you for being with us. It's been a pleasure and we'll hear from you soon. ‍

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They have to believe in it for it to work effectively.Believe in your practice, have good customer service, and be good at what you do. With these points of focus, your office will thrive!Tracking is especially important in a fee-for-service practice. Make sure you know where your patients are coming from so you can optimize your marketing.Take the extra time to double check the data you're putting into your practice management software. If you feed it data with even small errors, the generated reports can be misleading.Know your geography! Do practices around you ALL take insurance? This will be helpful info when deciding whether or not to drop insurances.Ask for help! Don't be afraid to ask your fellow dentists for advice. Many of them have been where you are now and would love to help.‍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]‍‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)Michael: Alright, it's time to talk with our featured guest, Dr. Christine Graso. Christine, how's it going? Hi Michael, how are you? I'm good, I'm good. Thanks for asking. Thanks for asking. If you can, Christine, start off with telling us a little bit about your past, your present, how'd you get to where you are today?Kristine: All right, so I am a pediatric dentist and I started my practice in 1999, way back when, when things were really different. There wasn't the technology we have today, there weren't the rules and regulations necessarily. So things have really changed. But I have been a dentist for 30 years and a pediatric dentist for 27, practice owner for 23.it's been a great ride. I love it. So was Michael: practice ownership always something you wanted to do or how did that come about? Kristine: I, yeah, I think I always knew that I would be an owner, how that would look. I didn't know, and I really didn't decide to be a dentist till I was a senior in college.So it wasn't like a lifelong dream. It just kind of happened and it ha and I love it. I wouldn't wanna change anything. Yeah. Michael: What were you wanting to do before that? Kristine: Oh, let's see. First I started as an wanted to be an attorney and quickly learned that was not for me. Then I thought an optometrist, and then when I got into physics junior year, I realized, no way, not my strong point.So I had a little bit of an existential crisis and had to figure it out, and dentistry kind of fell in my lap as an option. And I got a job in a dental office, happened to be a pediatric dental office, and. I knew immediately it was immediate that I had found what I was gonna do for the rest of my life.So I was really fortunate in that. So Michael: what was the immediate thing where you're like, this is it now you came home, you're like, I'm gonna do this. Kristine: What was that? It was really more of just a feeling. So, The first day I walked into, I got a job as a dental assistant and I knew nothing. I knew nothing about dentistry.And this dentist, who is many pediatric dentists, know his name, Arnie Weiss. He mm-hmm uh, took me in and said, I'll teach you everything, you know, work in a year with me before you apply to dental school. And We have a deal. So he took me in and it was really just a feeling. I had this overwhelming sense of this is where I belong, and this, I loved it.I just loved it. So it really was not really tangible, but I just knew. Mm-hmm. Michael: What did you learn from Arne that you still take Kristine: on today? A lot of the behavior management he is a master at, he's retired now, but he was a master at behavior management and you know, how to charm the little kids. So I learned really, that was the main thing I learned, but I learned a lot more than that too.Michael: Yeah. But that was the thing, the ma major, major takeaway Kristine: how to yeah. How to deal with children, so, Michael: Okay. Yeah, that's interesting. So then you went into dental school and then from that point on, you decided to immediately own your own practice. Was it in dental school or was it out you were associating?Kristine: Nope. I went to, well, well you have to do a residency to, to go into pediatrics, but I had to break a year between dental school and residency because I was getting married to someone who was in the medical school and he had to go immediately to residency and as a dentist you can just go out and practice.So I waited and followed to where he did his residency, which was Philadelphia. Pennsylvania and applied to my pediatric residency, then worked for a number of actual pediatric dental offices, then learned so much, went into my residency, leaped and bounds ahead of, if I had just come outta dental school.And then I came back to Massachusetts and worked with Arnie Weiss again, and I thought I would likely. Become a partner with him. But due to geography and my husband and I choosing to leave the city and move down onto the south shore of Massachusetts, I knew I wanted to open my own practice. So it was kind of gradual.And then I opened a practice and had a baby at the same time. Oh, me. So talk, talk to me about Michael: that then. How. How was that? Was that any moment where you thinking like, maybe, maybe I shouldn't open the practice right now. Put a pause on it. Kristine: I had the moment immediately after I gave birth for like the first month, I, I said something to my mother along these lines, do you think you could have told me what it felt like to be a mother?You never once told me that maybe I would be like, whoa, what am I doing? So I had that Feeling. And then when my son was 11 months old, I got pregnant again. And I was just in the process of actually building out the space that I still am in more than 20 years later. And. I think I was a few months into that pregnancy doing the build out, having to make decisions.Also having, still another baby at home that I had some second thoughts, but my husband kind of put the kibosh on that. He is like, nope, you've come this far, you've got it. You're just hormonal. And truthfully, at the time it didn't feel supportive, but he was a hundred percent right. And you know, I have to say, I think that I have been very fortunate.I was never five days a week clinically, ever since I opened my own practice, other than during the pandemic years. When I went all in again, I really, I practiced three days a week and that was a wonderful way to balance being a mother and a practice owner. Michael: Mm, okay, gotcha. So it's always been three days a week up until the pandemic you said.Kristine: For me personally, the practice grew to five days a week. I have, I had associates probably starting at around year seven or eight. So, but I, you know, one thing, and if young dentists are listening to this, that I think it's lost, is don't realize that it takes time to grow. It doesn't just happen immediate, so your practice isn't all of a sudden you're open and you have a hundred patients that week.It just doesn't happen that way unless you go someplace that is just, you know, there's no other dentist. But where most dentists seem to like to go there, we have a lot of practices already, so it takes time. So it wasn't a big deal to start at two, three days a week and grow it and grow it, and once those days were full.and then I want 'em to expand to other days to hire someone else to help me with that. So I think that's a really important thing for younger dentists to realize is that it's not immediate success. And just like when you come outta dental school or residency, you're not gonna make the same financial living that someone who's been doing it 25 years is That's not how life works. Yeah, Michael: that's true. So then, Christine, let me ask you, when will it feel like. When, if you were examining me and you're like, okay, Michael, let's, you're on year five and you, you should have grown more by now, or is it like, no, it's okay. It's okay. Give it, give it a more, when, when is the breaking point where it's like, we're not growing, I, I I need something, I need something to change.Oh, Kristine: I think you always should keep seeing forward growth in the, even in the first few years. But, so it was easy for me. I had a husband who worked and. We weren't counting on the money from my practice right away. I did, I actually, I, I should mention this, that I stayed in other jobs. I was an associate for the first two years that I was opening my own practice was another funny story. So, a good friend of mine from dental school, also a pediatric dentist now, her boyfriend at the time, was a pediatric dentist and he opened his own practice while we were still kind of getting out of residency and doing. That. And he used to say, I keep looking at my bank account and I think, all right, next week I'm probably gonna have to shut down.And then eventually as you get towards the end of that first year, it changes and you start seeing that you can support the bills and you're not only living uh, you know, you're not paying yourself. That's, I think, another mistake. People think, oh, they should be making all this money right away for me and colleagues in my.Generation, we just assumed we weren't really paying ourself right away, that we kept investing in the business. Mm-hmm. That's kind of a different philosophy I see these days too. They all wanna be making a lot of money, but can't necessarily right away. You have to put the time in. That's what I'd say.so I think it's really hard for a practice to fail. So just be like, oh, I'm just gonna give up. I, I do think that's kind of hard to do if you are in an area that your services aren't necessary. So, I mean, don't open up when there's five other pediatric dentists within 10 miles. If you open a practice there, it's a little bit harder, right?If you are in an area that practice is necessary or you buy an existing practice, that seems like a good way to go. And you. Are good at what you do and you offer really great customer service. 'cause to me that's really the key. Customer service is the key to success. Then you are going to see yourself grow and become successful, and then you just have to decide what success means to you, because it means different things to everybody.It's not only that you make money. Mm-hmm. That satisfied in your life, in your career, that you have the lifestyle you wanna have, that you have time off, you have time with your family. All those things lead up to what I would call success. Not just how much money you make. Michael: Got you. How long or did it even take you a while for you to realize that when you were starting out, your practice, having your children and everything?'cause I feel like that's like your, you're boggled down in the moment. You're, did you also start your practice, have a child and you were an associate. Yes. Kristine: Wow. Yes. And then I think I got out of, oh, and I started working a day a week at Boston Children's Hospital teaching in the residency.But that didn't last that long. That was only like a year and a half, two years. So there was a lot going on, and I think especially women, we just multitask and go forward and we handle a lot. So then Michael: what did you feel was being spread too thin in that whole moment? I mean, what would you have done differently Kristine: if anything, the one thing, it doesn't fit what you're asking me of what I would do differently as far as time-wise, but what I would've done differently is had a greater appreciation for, Purchasing the real estate.I do not own the real estate associated with my practice. I've always leased and I felt back then, how could I possibly buy it? I can't afford this. I wish I understood that I could have taken loans and it would've been okay to have some debt regarding real estate from my practice. So early on I wish I had done that.It seemed so expensive. But now in hindsight, all these years later, it wouldn't have been, I. Michael: Hmm. So that's the thing you wish you would've done is Yep. Bought the whole Kristine: building and everything. Yeah. Or found a, a space and built a building. It seemed unattainable to me. I do think that younger dentists these days are much more willing to do that, to take on the debt, and they're not as risk averse, but, For me, back then, it was too overwhelming and too scary to contemplate doing.Yeah. 'cause the property has always been expensive here in Massachusetts. Right. But in hindsight, it's, would've been a smart thing to do. Michael: Yeah. I mean, you were already taking a lot of risks, Christine, if you think about it. You know what I mean? Sure. You were doing a lot. So it's kind of like you think about it now you're thinking, oh, I gotta take another risk on, you know what I mean?So maybe hold off. at that moment you were thinking that, so I could totally, I'm putting myself in your shoes. Understand that, you know, So now you're in your practice, let's, if we're rewinding back, you decided to start your own practice and where you're at now. Mm-hmm.And has it been, when did you start going fee for service or have you always been that way or Kristine: So When I started, the PPOs weren't really, they were just starting to come into the environment and the people I worked for, Arnie Weiss being one, and then another practice In Needham, Massachusetts, they all just were in network with just like these premier plans.So Delta Dental, premier, blue Cross Blue Shield, they used to call it indemnity and that was pretty much it. So that was the advice you got and you took those and at the time it was, you know, an 8% discount. reasonable help build your practice. It's just that over the years and there, honestly, there was only one pediatric dentist that I knew that was completely out of network with everything, and she was like, this unicorn, we didn't even, I didn't even think about it or understand it.I was like, I don't even know what that's about. because everybody took these two plans and then as the PPOs started coming in, I just always said, no. No to all of them because I was like, why am I gonna take that discount? Why, you know, I knew what it cost to run a practice. Mm-hmm. But the overhead was, this is a little bit of a long story, so I'll tell it and you can interrupt me when you would like, So I took those two plans and I really didn't pay that much attention to what was going on. I just went about my business. My practice was growing. I ran my business by my gut. I wasn't data driven at all. I didn't look at the numbers that much. All I knew is I was profiting. I every year. I made a better living, even through the recession of 2008.You know, growth happened. I had this a, a vibrant practice that I loved and it was, it was becoming profitable and I never like, looked deep into the data. 2016 hits and one of the large insurance companies sent out every dentist in Massachusetts, a contract that was basically most, a lot of people just signed it because we hadn't, we never used to have to renew our contract.I hadn't signed a contract since I opened, you know, it was like, 15, 18 years, they never used to make you resign. All of a sudden we get this big contract. And some of us were like, what is going on? And they basically were trying to force us all into a P P O, 30% pay cut kind of right up front is what it looked like.So some of us got really nervous and started, we hired attorneys to review it and realized there was no way we could sign it. It opened my eyes and I really started digging into the numbers and I noticed that, oh boy, I wasn't taking an 8% discount anymore. We were down to like 17% and it was only going to go up.So then when all this was happening, you saw, wow, you know, when you weren't paying attention, they were discounting your reimbursements more and more. And that was routine in the practices of insurance companies, and I was supposedly not in PPOs, well, they were acting like PPOs without calling themselves that really, so, well, a couple things happened.I realized there was no real good place for dentists to communicate and we were also. Being told you couldn't communicate because you would be under collusion, so you're not allowed to talk about this stuff. So a group of, I formed a Facebook page, the Massachusetts dentist Facebook page, as a place for dentists to have to communicate.We were, I hired an attorney to make sure that there was no collusion or anything that was said. They monitored my page so that we made sure we did everything correctly, legally, and at that same time, we didn't feel that our dental society spoke for us in this matter. They were kind of agreeing with the insurance company and going along with it.So a group of us got together and over a. A matter of 4, 5, 6 months, we formed an alliance and we made it a nonprofit. Again, had attorneys to make sure we did everything right. And we became a, a force that went in front of the division of insurance and lobbied the legislature and we had our attorney's right.An appeal to the Attorney General. So we did everything legally and it kind of got my, I got fired up for advocacy. I really did, and at the same time I realized that I couldn't sign that contract anymore. It was taking away all my rights as a dentist, and I felt like the rights of my patients, there was too much control from the insurance company.So I started, I. Working with my office manager to really look at what it would mean to go out of network. And I talked to a lot of pediatric dentists around the country who had already done it many years before. And in other parts of our country, people never even took insurance. This was just normal what they did.But up here in Massachusetts, and I know other states you, you went in network with insurance, so. I started really doing my research, as they say. I talked to a lot of people. I read books. I got on every Facebook page I could that would talk about this, and then I made a plan. In my office and I spent two and a half years educating my staff, making sure our customer service was elevated and we made a, a deadline that as July 1st, 2020, we'd be out of network with all insurance.So I was getting out with the two insurances I was in and also with Medicaid. I had started being a Medicaid provider 15 years prior because I wanted to do the right thing. I wanted to help patients and I wanted especially to help my special needs patients. So I decided for me, I had to drop all at once because I didn't want any one group of people to feel that they were being discriminated again.So to me it was easy to go all at once. Now I wasn't in 20 plans. If I was in 20 plans, I would've done it differently. So just coincidentally the drop date of my insurances. 'cause you had a plan, you had to give six months notice to one company. 90 days was right. In the beginning of the pandemic, so things got a little messed up in the process, but here I am three years later and I'll tell you what, no regrets.No regrets. I love that. My practice is, we're not a truly fee for service practice. There's different terminologies. I call it an out-of-network practice because we still do all the work for our patients. We, the part of the customer service we give is to do all the insurance work. We file for them. We still look into things and we accept assignment of benefits on all the plans.I always accepted assignment of benefits on. Like the MetLifes, the Cignas, the guardians that I was always outta network with. So we didn't change anything for those patients. The plans that won't do assignment of benefits in our state, our Delta Dental and Blue Cross Blue Shield. So now my patients have to receive that check.And that was a big hurdle to overcome. But now that we've overcome it, it's really not as big of a deal as every dentist think it's going to be. It's not. You just have to plan and appropriately Train your staff and educate your patients. So, most dentists are a little bit afraid of doing this because they're afraid they'll lose all their patients.So that means they're gonna lose out financially. And you know, many other reasons, but every dentist I talked to had told me, you are gonna lose patients. You are gonna be slower, but you're going to stay the same financially. And frankly, they're right. So it's a different mindset. It's taken me a couple years to accept, you know, my head and my heart coming together to realize that we are slower.We do have less patience, but the profitability in the end is the same. And I'm a really, I've changed and I'm really data driven now. So we track everything in my office. 'cause I wanna know, And this is a big point. I, I started actually marketing. We hardly ever did marketing before, and now we put a lot more effort, energy, and money into actually marketing.But where it used to be, so I told you in 2016, 17, I looked and we were probably at a 17% discount. It went up. By the time I dropped in 2020, we were over, like we were probably 21, 20 2% insurance fee discount. Now my dis my discounts or my write-offs or adjustments, better word to use instead of a discount.But adjustments are one to 2% a month. So, so you can spend more on other things like marketing. Wow. That was a Michael: fantastic though. It's fantastic how it all kind of, You created this whole movement, right? Especially when it came down to, to Massachusetts. You talk about making a plan and training your staff.Can you kind of break down to us instructions wise, like what is the plan that you created? Kristine: Well, the first thing I did, and this was on advice of one of my colleagues, he had me read a book by Simon Sinek called, start With Why, and I read that book and I found my why, and then I decided to educate. My staff on the why, because one thing that really surprised me was.They were not on my page. They were like, no way. We can't do this to our patients. Mm-hmm. Everyone's gonna leave. I wouldn't pay more money to come for cleaning. They're used to, they were not on my side. And I thought for sure, because I, you know, I thought, well, I've led them in, in every other aspect of this.They're just gonna say, okay, well you're the owner, you know, and that was not the case. That was a big surprise. But it was really good because it made me work harder. It made me work harder to train them. In addition to that book and then presenting my why, we did a full day staff meeting, slides and everything about the book.I. About how I found the why for me, how I what it meant, and then teaching them to understand it. We also did a whole day staff meeting on customer service, and we used the Starbucks example. We read a couple books about Starbucks and we used their customer service model. We broke it down into dentistry.And so, and my office manager, she was, she was really in charge of that presentation. She even went and gave that presentation at like dental courses and stuff because it was really good. So we spent time, I literally spent time and then we spent days role playing, role playing, role playing. I. By the end of all this, my team was bought in.The ones who weren't kept it to themselves, and they came to me six months. A year later, they're like, oh my gosh, Dr. G, we thought you were crazy. Like, we're like, we thought you were gonna destroy your practice, and this is the best thing you ever did. They're happier. They like the, the pace. truthfully, the hardest, most difficult patients.99% of them left. all the great patients stay. So my front desk will tell you that it's rare for them to have, they're not chasing people for money. They're not being argued with, they don't have like the people who give attitude. And unfortunately our world's a little crazy right now. All the crazy we see everywhere is in every dental office too.Makes sense. Right? So that's true. So that's how, how we did it, we, we. I made sure I knew what was important to me and that my office manager was on the same page. I have a fabulous office manager, I have to say fabulous. And she and I work really closely together. And then the other dentist in my practice, one is my associate, but we're partners in a second practice.I do have a second practice and she, you know, I made sure they all agreed and, you know, understood where I was coming from so that it was just, it was a lot of time and effort, but it's so worth it. Yeah, Michael: no, a hundred percent. So you got your whole staff, first of all, I guess, to get on the right mindset, to understand your why, right?Instead of being like, Hey, do this, do that, do this. We're changing it up, right? And then maybe they might have in front of you been like, okay, yeah, but behind your back they're like, what the heck is Kristine: she doing? Right? They wouldn't be able to effectively communicate if they didn't believe it. So you have to have the staff around you that believes it.And I think that scares some people too. They look, they're like, I don't know that this one, that one. And then finding staff right now, we all know it's a challenge. We're, we're living in a very different time right now, so it's under understandable to be worried about that. You actually though end up needing less employees when you go out of network and your fee for service because you have less patience.You just do. It's rare that you don't, right? Rare that there's exceptions to every rule. Nothing is a hundred percent, but, I'm in a saturated area. When I opened my practice there, there were two pediatric dental practices within, five to 10 miles of me. They were there before me. Then maybe a year or two later, another one opened maybe 20 miles away, and in the last 10 to 15 years, four or five, six or seven, I can't remember how many have opened within 10 to 20 miles of me.So we're saturated and I'm the only one out of network. So it's possible to do. But you have to make sure that you believe it, that you are good at customer service and that you are good at what you do. I, I have great pride in my practice and it's not all about me. I said, I have other people who work with me and for me, and they live my vibe and my dream, and I thank them for that every day.That's, you know, I, it's clear to me that they are doing it the way that I dreamed and wanted without, they don't parrot me. But, you know, that's, mm-hmm. I don't know Michael: if that you do. Yeah, no. You do what you want. Yeah. Yeah. And so you officially went out of network before the pandemic, right? Like Kristine: literally like little July?Well, we gave the notification, but the actual date was July 1st, 2020. So we just got back into our offices. We were out from, I. Mid-March until we started being back for emergencies mid-April and then we kept back to like back to normal business June. So we were only in our office a month normally, and it wasn't normal, it was anything but normal.Mm-hmm. But seeing, you know, all kind the full schedule of patients, but all socially distance and all that. But we were only in the office for a month. And I will say that we kind of were so wrapped up in all these changes with the pandemic. I mean, we changed so much that we let. Go of all the planning and all the, the process of being on a network.So when July came, it was a little bit of a nightmare. We had a tough month. It got better each month, but the, it was a little bit out of our hands. I mean, I look at it and I was like, we were in such chaos in the pandemic that the chaos of going outta network. I'm kind of glad it all happened at one. Yeah.Yeah, that's Michael: true. In that month, what was out of control at that time?Kristine: I, we could have had better conversations with the families about being out of network. Mm-hmm. But we were also wrapped up in asking about the. You know, if anyone was sick, did they have a fever? Did we do this? Did they were calling from the car? I honestly, I can't find fault with us because it was such an unusual time and every dentist knows like crazy.Yeah, yeah. You know, and especially in Massachusetts where a state that really believed that it was a dangerous virus and all that, we weren't running our, you know, People were scared up here. We had, we'd lost a lot of people early on in the pandemic, so people were Michael: scared. Yeah. Yeah. A hundred percent. I agree.Now you mentioned to get your team involved, right? Let them know your why. Things like that. Does that involve just like, all right, we're gonna do a team meeting, 45 minutes. Let me show you this thing. All right. Everybody's on board. Cool. Let's get, let's hit the ground. Or how, how often the consistency Kristine: I would say every couple of months we had full day staff meetings or half day staff meetings, and we talked about it at morning huddle all the time. And no, it was, it was intense and it would've continued to be intense had the pandemic not happened. You can't just have, you can't just talk about it in two minutes.We did role playing, months of role playing. I still actually break out into role playing I still check in. It's three years later and I notice some things might've slipped a little 'cause we've kind of gotten comfortable.So I check in with the staff and if I'm like, well, we could be saying it this way. We have a quick meeting and we talk about it. And we role, role play a little bit because, again, Well, that's one thing I learned. This is off topic, but you can't just sit back. you have to have your finger on the pulse of your practice.And I will tell you that even from a distance, 'cause I've been a little distant from my practice the last six months, but even from a distance, I keep my finger on the pulse. Even if I'm not physically there, I am working behind the scenes and I'm diving into the data and I talk to my office manager every day and I check in.So that's really important for practice owners to remember. Micromanaging is one thing you don't have to do that. I've been guilty of it, especially in the last three years. I did a little bit too much of that, but again, we all were thrown up. You know, we didn't know what was going on, but I do think you have to know what's going on and I do believe you should look at your data.Michael: Yeah. So you're the one who always, how often, what data, what data are you looking at specifically? Like I know like, okay, yeah, let's look at production collection and things like that. But when it comes to specifically what are you keeping your finger on the trigger, what are you like saying, okay, office manager completely trust you So where does that Kristine: fall? right now we're really, because we went out of network, we are really good at tracking new patient calls where they were referred from. If it's multiple places, knowing where, how many of those calls convert to an actual visit, what the people who don't convert, why they didn't.Was it because we're out of network with their, their insurance? And that's. Pretty much what it would be. So we track all that and I'd get a, a report on new patients every single month. We also implemented a few new things that we are doing to try to increase our new patients, and we track if we're seeing a benefit and we've found some interesting things.So it's all about the new patients. in, in the new patients we track, where these referrals come from. So are they coming from families that are already our patients? Are they the siblings of the existing kids? Are they coming from the pediatrician, from other dentists, from Google, from Facebook?Where are they coming from? And then we really have been looking to see where our resources should be going for when we market to these things. Because before it was kind of willy-nilly marketing, but now we're looking, so we're tracking the data to see where our marketing. Efforts are paying off and where we should invest more, where we should invest less.I, of course, the financials, I look at the production, the adjustments, all of those things. You know, they like to say KPIs, key performance indicators. I couldn't even list what all those are. I know what I wanna know in my practice. those are the main things that pop into my head right now.Michael: Okay. Okay. And do you have like a software for that mainly, Kristine: or, I'm using Dentrix currently. I've been using it since I opened. Every program has flaws and I'm looking to go to the cloud, but that's another project. So Dentrix, we, we spend a lot of time and effort making sure that the information going into Dentrix.Was correct so that the report's coming out because there's flaws in reporting in almost anything. So if you don't have good data going in, you're not gonna, you're gonna get flawed data coming out and a lot of practices suffer from that. And we have checks and balances. I have two different, three different women who have different tasks, and they are the ones who will draw the data.They and I have monthly meetings now. I get reports on everything. and we meet and they tell me what I need to know so that I'll stay on top of it. 'cause it's easy to just like not think about it. Mm-hmm. I also, another thing, having my finger on the pulse of things, I even now have a clinical meeting every month where they have to report in.What's going on with equipment? Are there any equipment, breakages, what do we need? You know, any of the issues there. I need to know what, make sure they're on all the same schedules for, making sure the autoclaves are clean and all these things. We are very systems oriented, so we have tasks, charts, and check boxes for everything, because if you don't have a system in place, Things don't go the way they're supposed to.And that's like, you know, now I think dentists are better at starting their practices that way. Back when I didn't even have a computer when I started, you know, it, it, and then eventually I got a computer. I used to do all my billing by hand. Mm-hmm. Set. I wrote out insurance forms and sent them off. I mean, it was so different.Really different than today. We didn't have the technology, they didn't have digital x-rays, you didn't have digital charting, none of that. Mm-hmm. So it is a little bit different, but I think the quality of your data going in is so important to get quality reports coming out. And then my office manager's really good at, she set up a lot of spreadsheets that do the calculations and everything.So you are able to do it on your own. You don't need to hire companies, but if you're not good at that, then they do have companies out there. Yeah. To get Michael: the right, right. Data. Interesting. And. You mentioned marketing. What right now is working where you're like, this moves the needle and other stuff where you're like, no, let's, let's drop it or invest less into that.Kristine: So interestingly, back in the day, the things that were the number one referral sources for pediatric practices. Now I can't speak to general at all. This is all pediatric, where you wanted to have a presence in the schools, the pediatricians, things like that. The schools are a little bit less important, it turns out.So you don't need as much of a presence 'cause people don't really care about hearing from the school anymore or the fact that you visited, which, you know, it's kind of sad, but it's true. Really online presence and I'm not talking about your Facebook posts, that's not what builds a practice. I don't care what anyone says, you have to do it, but it's really you being talked about in.Town groups, mommy groups, and then your Google presence, your s e o placement and all of that. Michael: Okay. And reviews. Are you doing, Kristine: reviews are huge. I should have said that. Yeah. Having good reviews I think are really important. 'cause nobody will pick their dentist now if they haven't checked out their reviews.So if you have strong reviews, I don't have an exorbitant amount, maybe little under 500, but the majority of them are five star and they're all authentic. we do ask people to give them to us when they leave and you know, only a small percentage do, but. Still Michael: that's stoke really, really good.Yeah. Like yeah. I thought you were gonna say, oh, I only have a little under like, you know, 50, but five hundred's. Fantastic. Kristine: You know what I mean? Yeah. I'd like to get to a thousand. Who doesn't want a thousand? Michael: Yeah, no, that's really, really good. Okay, that's interesting. And so I have a question when it comes to now, ' cause this happens sometimes, Christine, where you've probably heard of it and it is in your Facebook group, I'm sure.Like where it's um, They are a startup, they're about to open, but they want to go a hundred percent fee for or out of network or fee for service right now From the beginning. Sometimes, I mean, we've been on some interviews where they're like, Hey, I'm, I'm gonna take on insurance 'cause I can't make it.And then sometimes they're like, I'm gonna fight through it. I don't care. where's the balance here in your opinion? Like what, where's the good mindset? Kristine: So I think the balance is you need to know where you're opening, right? So all of my friends in the south, they never took insurance.So if you're opening in North Carolina, you don't need to take insurance. You'd be crazy to take insurance right from the start. Yeah, take it, help with it. But don't be in network. North Carolina, South Carolina, all you know. I would say know your geography, so know what's going on, and then talk to the area practices, the dental community, we should be helping each other. Not, we're competition, but, we don't have to be competition in that way. As a matter of fact, I, my office manager has gone into a woman's practice near me who opened up right near me in the town. That was my main draw, and we tried to help her with running reports and looking at the financial data.'cause she just wasn't doing it. I don't know if she is now or not, but I'm like, why not help others? It, it's, Silly to not, right? Mm-hmm. You come on a podcast like this and, and share, you know, I opened, I told you I had the Massachusetts dentist page. I also run the fee for service pediatric dentistry page.I opened that. It's all about sharing and helping. So go ahead and call the dentist around you. Too many of 'em are trying to hide all the time, and like most of them didn't. No one called me and said, I'm opening a practice near you. when I opened, I went to the two practices around me, met with them and told them what I was doing, and they gave me great advice.Nowadays, people just open and they hide it from you. I don't think that's a good idea. Go talk to the dentist around you. Ask for advice. Find out who's in network and who's not. If no one's in network, you'd be crazy to go and network you. You have the patients are, know what that's like. So I think that's the most important thing, You need to be educated in what it all means. And here's the other thing. New dentists often have no clue about insurance at all. I didn't. Mm-hmm. You know, I didn't, and I'm still learning. There's so much, I don't know. 'cause I never took all these lower end plans. I call it a lower end plan, but lower reimbursing, pain in the neck, p p o plans.But I look at it like, why would you ever wanna work for 50% of your charge? No one goes to work and gets. Discounted. So And if you wanna give to me the best care with the best materials that you could afford, all that you need to be reimbursed. 'cause another really important point is being busy is not being profitable, right?Mm-hmm. Profitability and busyness are two separate things, and that I. I wanna jump back. Remember when you asked what I checked the data? Mm-hmm. Profitability is so important and it often gets overlooked. People look at their production, what's my production? What's my collection? But where's your profitability?What's your overhead? How, you know, that's what's really important. that's true. And then, and back to choosing insurances. the point I'm at today, I like it this way, So I'm happy I did it, and if you can open without ever starting to take these low paying insurances or insurances, that really, it's not only about the reimbursement, that's a big part of it, because that's how we run our businesses.But it's about, Basically the control the doctor, patient, patient relationship gets interfered with. If an insurance company's in charge and can say when a patient come to you, what services they can have, all those things. So better off not being controlled by a third party administrator.Michael: You're technically, I guess like they're the leaders, right? Kind of thing. They're the managers and they're telling you like, what, 'cause the patient's gonna do it, right? Like whatever my insurance covers kind of thing. And then, They get, they get boggled down with that. But that's interesting.Okay. Because yeah, like I told you, there's sometimes where people, they're like, man, Michael, I'm gonna have to take, I, I'm doing everything I'm gonna, but I never thought about asking them like, well, why'd you pick where you're at? Right. Like Beverly Hills, why are you in Beverly Hills right now where everybody else is taking on, like Delta Dental right.Kind of thing. starting off, it's hard for them to just fully be. I love you. You know what I mean? Kristine: Right. 'cause you have to build a reputation. And I will say, so, you know, I had a 20 year reputation, before I went out of network. So I admire the people who start that way. But just now knowing what I know, like I said, so many of my colleagues started that way.It's just, you just have to know what you're doing and how to talk about it and how to explain it, and your staff has to know, so, Michael: yeah. Interesting. And one of the last questions I wanna ask you, Christine, is throughout the process, let's talk about from the moment you decided to own a practice till today, what's been some of the biggest struggles or pitfalls that you've experienced?Kristine: Hmm. you know, I can barely remember way back when because it was such a frenzy as we talked about being a young mother or wife, and then owning my own practices. So I think the biggest pitfall people don't understand is the emotional toll it can take because you feel very responsible to your patients and to running this business and to your family because you, you're trying to make money as.to support your yourself and your family. So it can be emotionally draining. And when you work with the public, and in our case it's the parents, because the kids, you know, they can. Scream and cry or whatever. You never blame a child. You understand behavior. You, your goal is to try to make it as good as possible, but people can be cruel.Their parents. So you, I think growing a thick skin is really, really hard. And we take things on so personally because we're providing care. It's what we're doing, we're giving all day long. So, that's a struggle to learn how to, you know, deal with the public You're just, you're opening yourself up to it because it gets, if you get attacked verbally or nowadays, these reviews that people leave for you, we didn't have that back when I started.you take it personally because we all, you know, our practices are our babies, really. And even if you're an associate, you would take it personally if someone said something negative about you because they can go right. Other struggles are time management because it's hard to do it all right.You, you have to find a way to prioritize and then realize that your practice isn't the most important thing in your life. It never can be. It's important because it's your livelihood and you wanna take care of other people, but, you have to put your family and yourself first. Yeah. Michael: When did you, how did you realize that, Kristine: My mother has always had always said about me that she would call me Chrissy.You know, Chrissy, you really work hard, but you're not a play hard too. I think I just always, you know, I don't know how, but I'm kind of blessed with Emma. Positive, optimistic person. But I'm a realist too. I'm not, I'm not like living in some naive world. But, so I think I was really kind of just lucky and I'm, I am an extrovert most of the time.I like my alone time, but I like to be around other people. So I think for me, I never really had a realize it. It just was what I did. I always surrounded myself by a lot of people, friends, family. I just always did. Part of why I think I was good at being a practice owner and a pediatric dentist, 'cause I really like people.I'm not the person who says they like dogs better than humans. I like humans better. I love dogs, don't get me wrong, but I call myself a humanist. So, Michael: yeah. So was there a moment where you started realizing you're going away from that and you started just owning just all about the practice all the time or?Kristine: No, I never made it all about the practice all the time. Mm-hmm. That's my point. I guess I just never did that. I've worked really hard, but I always, three days in the office, four days with my kids, so I was like a stay-at-home mom. But yeah, when they went to bed, I stayed up late and would be at my dining room table doing the ledgers.But it's just the process. I look at it as like the process and the way life, you know, is, and I here's a big thing. Ask for help. That would be what I would say. I always ask for help. I was never afraid to, I'm not afraid to ask other people for things because I know I would do it for them.So many people think they have to do everything on their own, that it makes them weak if they ask for help. So if you're a young practice owner, get a few mentors. Go online now we have Facebook. It's so, you know, for as much as we hate social media, there are some benefits. You have, thousands of people who've done this before, sharing their knowledge with you, listen to 'em because they've been there, you know?So yeah, I, don't know if I answered your question. No, that's, yeah. Michael: Yeah. I love that. And then real quick, for the emotional draining part, Where it feels like we gotta grow thick skin, but still be super loving to the, parents, the children. But even then, when you are, sometimes you're like, we, you were just in my office and you left me this review.How come you didn't tell me that in person or or even just emotionally draining in general, what advice do you have for that? Kristine: it took me probably 10 years to realize that I just needed to get away. I always liked to get away, but I didn't do a lot of that. You know, you don't have the money.You have young kids, you have the practice. Around 10 years in, I'm also an empath and I used to take on every problem of my staff. Hmm. You know, members, I, I would feel their pain and I realized that it was sucking me dry. 'cause I was always feeling everybody else's pain and worrying about their problems.So I got really good at what I call compartmentalizing and putting it where it belonged. I could listen to it, I could feel it. I could understand it, but I had to let it go. I'm not exactly sure, you know, everyone has their own method to do that. But I started just making sure we got away as a family. We went on vacations and I, didn't communicate with the office very much, if at all.Sometimes there was some communication and I always regretted it. I could tell you and So getting away, making time for yourself, and I did a lot of, you know, the catchphrase, self-care, but I early on started doing that even when I couldn't technically afford it and things like I would get, I.Massages. to the point I was doing weekly for many years, but, or at least every other week because it relaxed me, but it also did help with all the neck and shoulder pain from being a dentist and it, the relaxation. I would do girls weekends away and leave my kids and my husband because, Again, I needed to recharge with other things that were just fun, right?So I think that's really important is to take care of yourself. And I do think everybody, male, female, should I. Talk. So if you don't, aren't comfortable talking to your loved ones or your family, or you need outside, you should get therapy. I think that everyone could use therapy at some point in their life.I tend to talk so much. I'd be in a therapist all the time, except I talk out loud to all my friends. So, No, but I do think that's really important for, that goes back to what I said about relying on other people. So many people think they have to be in charge. They can do it all, and they shouldn't have help.I really believe you need help, and I think you need it emotionally. You need it in so many ways. So you just have to find people you trust and can rely on a little bit. We're not islands alone here. We are in communities. So to me, that's the biggest piece of advice I could give. And then, Not to be trite, but really focus on the good in your life and focus on what you do have, not what you don't.And that goes a long way, you know, telling your blessings as they say. Michael: Mm-hmm. Wonderful. Christine, thank you so much for being with us. It's been a pleasure. But before we say goodbye, can you tell our listeners where they can find you? Kristine: Oh, sure. Well I didn't mention this and it's, I hope it's okay. Just recently I did open a consulting company with another dentist and

Join us as we explore the common pitfalls and blunders many dental practices make with their websites and, more importantly, discover the actionable steps to rectify these mistakes. Gary and Naren will be sharing their expert insights, guiding you through the process of turning your website into a powerful tool that attracts, engages, and converts new patients. Get ready to uncover the secrets to creating a website that leaves a lasting impact and propels your dental practice toward unparalleled success.

In this episode, I have the pleasure of sitting down with licensed acupuncturist and functional medicine specialist Nick Fransen, who's mission is to help people overcome the subconscious blocks that are keeping them STUCK. Nick has dedicated his time and efforts towards educating patients/people about the unhelpful patterns of our subconscious mind, and how breaking them can lead to healing the body and creating more peace and success in one's life.We largely discuss how the body really does "keep score," and how health conditions, sleep troubles, addictions, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and more can really be the result of subconscious programming associated with past life circumstances and/or trauma. Nick teaches us the different ways our minds become programmed,  and how it's very common to see people with chronic health conditions unintentionally held back from healing due to these hardwired beliefs, attitudes, and blocks. He shares how this also applies to other versions of feeling "stuck" in life, such as relationship/marital issues, career and financial stress, and more.This conversation is the real deal. We share a lot of candid conversation, personal stories, and more during this chat; we even talk forgiveness, harboring resentments, and the emotional toll it takes on us when we avoid this very important piece of “wellness.”Nick then gives us a great glimpse at how a specific type of homeopathy (discovered in Europe) can help guide us towards breaking these subconscious patterns, loops, and habits. When we start to address this often-missed aspect of health and healing, we open the door for long-time burdens to be alleviated, and create space for us to thrive in health and in our lives overall.Nick's Website: https://www.privianaturals.com/Practice Website: http://fransencenter.com/NOTE: Practitioners who are interested in more information, please visit the the Privia Naturals link aboveShow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/well.with.vanessa/Vanessa Lopez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegiftofgoods/Vanessa's Linktree (Discounts etc.): https://linktr.ee/thegiftofgoodsEmail: intentionallywellpodcast@gmail.comHelp Abused and Homeless Animals In Need CUDDLY helps give animals a healthy life and a loving home. Help Vanessa's charity of choice above.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showThis episode is for informational purposes only. Please consult a trusted health practitioner for individual concerns.

In this episode, we explore the essential elements of an effective medical practice website, including intuitive navigation, engaging homepage, informative about page, comprehensive services section, patient testimonials, and contact information. We discuss the importance of responsive design, mobile optimization, and fast loading speeds for a seamless user experience. Additionally, we share content strategies to create engaging and informative web pages, optimize for search engines, and educate visitors about medical conditions and treatments. We delve into patient engagement strategies, building trust and credibility, and conversion optimization techniques. Tune in to learn how to build a website that engages, informs, and converts visitors into loyal patients. Have a question or a story we should feature as an episode? Email us at hello@patientcaremarketingpros.com Intro/Outro Music by Devin Smith https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UdQjNXnACFE2VpkEoP8v2?si=pDx5jsgtRFOtwrpMOKOkuQ Stay connected with Patient Care Marketing Pros! Website: https://patientcaremarketingpros.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patientcaremarketingpros Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patientcaremarketingpros LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/patient-care-marketing-pros/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nwkAwIyiVvsLTWGoeRbWA

‍Welcome to today's MMM! Today are explore how utilizing AI can benefit your dental practice in reputation management, marketing, and content generation. We'll discuss how ChatGPT can help you craft responses to negative patient feedback, or emails that you don't quite know how to respond to. Using context such as "I'm a personal relations person, how would I respond to this negative comment?" is a great place to start for negative reviews! Additionally, we'll delve into how you can use ChatGPT to market your practice by requesting tailored messaging to reach the patients that you want. Finally, we'll explore how you can leverage ChatGPT to determine the most efficient ways to carry out tasks in your practice.‍To dig into these tips and more, catch my conversation with Dr. Justin Scott here!‍You can reach out to Dr. Justin Scott here:Email: drjustin@puredentalhealth.comWebsite: https://www.virtualdentaloffices.com/Practice Website: https://puredentalhealth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualdentaloffices/Practice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puredentalhealth/‍Other Mentions and Links:ChatGPTTonya Lanthier - Dental PostHIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ActOtter AIChatGPT 4Bar ExamBingRev TranscriptionDescriptAdobe Premiere‍If 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/2031814726927041‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)‍Michael: hey Justin. So talk to us about AI and chat, G P T. How can we utilize this, or what advisor suggestions can you give us that will help our workflow efficiency or front office tasks within our practice? Justin: we we're training the whole team to, to use chat, g p t especially the marketing department.And we, we were using it to. I think that the best way to use it is for content generation, for thinking up ideas of what to say. If you're writing content, say for your newsletter or for posts for content. For any type of marketing sort of thing. It's really, really helpful. Even for reputation management, I'm, I'm using it a lot for responding to bad reviews or maybe even an email that comes through from a patient that uh, is angry.It's like, how do I respond to this? Mm-hmm. Uh, What's the most professional PR way to respond to that? It's really good for that. I use it for HR questions. My staff member did this and uh, how should I deal with it? Or am I gonna get know labor laws pretty well? Legal questions, it's pretty good with that kind of stuff.So I actually got rid of my HR legal monthly fee saving money. Uh, So it's already getting rid of jobs. Which a lot of people are, are afraid that it's mm-hmm. Gonna do. But uh, I, I don't think it does everything for you, but it, it does so much of the thought, like if I sit down to write down something, I, I can figure it out.I took AP English, I'm, I'm pretty good with writing, but it would take me a really long time. It can write it like that. Yeah. I can say, write a blog post. Make it 500 words. Boom. I got you one. Okay. Well, okay. Change it to say this. Boom. It changes to that. Okay. Well actually I want it to be a thousand words.And can you write it from, you, you can, do all sorts of crazy stuff like tell it to write it and the voice of the King James version of the Bible and it can do it for, for you like that. I mean, just anything that you want it to do. It can, it, it can pretty much do. Obviously there's no use case for dental office for doing that.Cool. Yeah, yeah. But like today, I was using it to write a bio for myself, for my, for my website, for my new company, VDO. I'm writing a book, so I took my book and I pasted it on there and I said, take this information, write my bio. And then I wrote bio, but it, it didn't have my name cuz my book doesn't have my name in the, in the text because it's on the cover of the book.I'm still writing it. So I was like, it's, my name is not Dr. Smith, it's Dr. Justin Scott. So can you replace it and rewrite it for that? Also, they entered some stuff that I didn't want, so I take that out and put this in did it and copied paste it and sent it to one of my my assistants and told 'em to add it to the website, you know?Yeah. So changing and editing content makes it just so much easier to do. Michael: Nice. Okay, man. So you said you use it for two things that kind of picked my interest was how do you respond to a bad review? Like what kind of prompts do you put in it? So it can sound like you when there's a review? Right. So, Justin: you know, I say act as a whatever.So act as a PR person and tell me what is the best way to respond to this review. And you know, sometimes you get a person that's complaining about all sorts of stuff. You may wanna give some contacts for the particulars of the situation, but it basically says, we're really sorry to hear that you didn't have a great experience.but it's, it's tailored to the specifics of what it says. Mm-hmm. Uh, It's probably a lot easier cause I, I'm emotional. I, I'm gonna respond wait a second, you did this, you know, but that's against hipaa. You're not allowed to do that. So when I did one the other day, she was complaining about her case and saying, this is what happened.This is what happens. And it says, well, according to hipaa, we can't discuss your case, but we'd love to be able to talk to you and figure out what's going on. We've talked to her a bunch of times, but this is for the. For the people they're reading it. This is for reputation management, so that someone's reading it says, Oh, they, you know, she had a problem, but they really cared and they wanted to take care of, and they offered to offer, you know, help to make sure that she solved it.That's what people really care about that, that you're gonna help with that. So, but if you basically just say, can you, how would you respond to this review as a PR person? Or you can just say, how would you respond to this review? That's a pretty darn good job. Michael: Yeah. Nice. Okay. I like that PR person, right?Act as a PR person. And then the HR questions, what HR questions have you been? Like Justin: asking, oh gosh. I mean, a staff member threat. I mean, I'm just making something up. Mm-hmm. Threatens threatened to harm herself at work, you know, and, There's all sorts of stuff.I mean, we just go on to Facebook and read the crazy stuff that happens in dental offices, but how do you legally respond to that? I'm not an HR person. I don't know. Questions, obviously, it always says, well, I'm not a lawyer, even though it has passed the bar exam. Yeah, G4 has, so you have to pay 20 bucks for G B D four or you can use Microsoft Bing, which gives you access to, to G PT four.The older ones, g PT 3.5, they didn't do as well on the law exam and stuff like that. But yeah, it's crazy how fast those things are learning and getting to be more useful and better. Uhhuh, Michael: I didn't even know that it passed the, the bar exam. Justin: What? It's got a long list of all the different tests that it's passed Now, some tests it's tried, it hasn't done as well, but legal law tests and also you have to use your brain like you have to read it.You know, I'm, I'm not gonna, actually use it for legal advice, but it may like at least give me hints the right way, you know, so that I have an idea of something, you know, so. Mm-hmm. Michael: Yeah. So then how are you utilizing it for marketing right now? Give us, like, if you can, a step-by-step process of this.Somebody who just right now, God on Chad, like, I'm gonna listen to Justin tell me this, and hopefully it will, it'll do this result. Justin: So I think the most easy thing is, for instance I actually did a podcast with another guy. We were talking about the best way to do it. If you're doing video, for instance, you, you're doing a podcast.If I was doing a podcast, what I would do, the first thing I would do is I would transcribe it and you would transcribe it with a bunch of different softwares are out there that can do it. So Otter AI is one can transcribe things for you. Des d e s c r i p t is another AI software that you can transcribe it.Just Debbie Premier. Rev.com. You can pay someone to transcribe it for you per hour or whatever. A couple bucks an hour. So you take that and then you past that into chat GBT and say, okay, write me a blog post about this conversation that we had so that I can put on my website and link this back.So you do that. So now you got your blog posts. Now you say you put it back in, you say, okay, now write me a YouTube thing cause I'm gonna place this on my YouTube and, and put me some, some great hashtags in there. And also, what should I include in the comments section because I wanna make sure that I'm doing everything.So it may say, Oh, well to, you wanna have some sort of email capture device. Like you wanna have a P D F that can be on there, that can be linked. So then when they watch this, now they can download that. Okay, make that for me too. Okay. Now take that and, and make me an Instagram post. Make me 10 tweets will link back to that uh, thing.So you've got this pillar content of video, and then you take the transcript and you use it. And then you spread that all around using chat G P T on all the different social medias that you can go on. TikTok, you can go on different things. All of the different ones have different sizes that they want you to do things or you know, some you want to use more emojis and depends on what you're trying to target.And you can ask it, well, if this is what I'm trying to target. How should I go about doing that? And I do that a lot cuz I'm not a marketing expert. I'm just asking chat, g p t. A lot of these questions, everything I'm telling you I've learned from chat g p T. so another thing is that learning, learning what the best way to do things are.Just asking chat, g p t, what is the best way to do this? Or what is the best way to market this? Or what is the best way to measure this? What is the best way to do an AdWords campaign? What should I do first? Any kind of marketing that you need to do, it really does have great answers and ability to teach you to do those things.So, yeah, I think content generation and being able to take that into slice it and dice it into every different firm and fashion is great. It's a lot of work. I have a, a couple of virtual assistants that I've trained to do all these different things, and that's what the VDO is about is uh, we hire virtual teams for.Dental offices so that they can help them do things like marketing, social media, because the real key is consistency with content. And that it's engaging. And then the measurement because you have to measure the, the impact of your marketing. And that's a lot of work. And if you're practicing dentists like me, being able to do all that stuff is, is very time consuming.Some people like to do it, but it's hard for me to, to be able to put all that together. I like them to aggregate it for me so that I can. Help direct it where I can. Yeah, that's what virtual Michael: dental offices is, is like, it's uh, so for example, I'm a practice owner and then uh, I need a team to help create these campaigns.Market provide strategies, right? Like run the Instagram for Justin: me kind of thing. Yeah, so we train them to do that. We have our processes that we've already trained people to do, so then we hire people and it's very inexpensive because we're hiring them typically in the Philippines. So average cost for somebody is under 12 bucks an hour, you know, where you can't even hire somebody for less than $20 an hour to be your hygiene.The center to work at the front desk these days in Atlanta at least. So we hire somebody and then we just train 'em to do the different things. That someone wants 'em do to help come up with social media captions. And, and the best way to do that is you use chat pt. I mean, naturally most people that you hire is not gonna be able to come up with great engaging content.But chat, PT can and they can access it and use it. You don't have to be smart to be able to do it. You don't even have to have great English. You can just mm-hmm. Ask it to do it right. And you can even ask it in tag go log, which is the main language of Philippines, and it'll. Translate it to English for you very easily.Nice. Okay. It's a great tool for us. We use it all the time with everything that we do. Michael: Are you using it in your front, like your front office is using it right now or no? Justin: We use it for like predeterminations answering patient emails. I think that it's, it's good for just general questions, you know.But it's not great for like real specific questions for insurance and stuff like that yet. Mm-hmm. But. Give it time, it will. So it just needs to be trained, the right data sets. It's just, it's, it's based more on general data versus real specific data. So, but like marketing for instance, which is very general data, it's got a ton of stuff but specifics on insurance, dental specific insurance, it's, it's not as helpful, so.Mm-hmm. But I've asked questions like, what is the c d t code for this? I mean, you could, you could just Google it, but it also will find stuff that you typically could just Google. Michael: Because it's more like a conversation, right? Google gives you a ton of options, but this will give you like, here's what I think.Yeah. And the best option, right? Like one and the best kind of thing. Like right. One that isn't Justin: perfect. I mean, it's not perfect, but man, it's, it's pretty cool. Cuz it feels like a lot of times it's a lot more just straight to the point. You don't have to go clicking on random stuff and dealing with a bunch of spam.Yeah, it's fine. Yeah. You haven't used this. You gotta try it. It's, it's awesome. I got psyched about it. When I started using it. I was like telling my mom and all these people, A lot of people were just like, what? I don't care about this, you know? Yeah. But I'm like, this is revolutionary. This is awesome.Can you see all the things you can do with it? So it's the type of person that is attracted to this kind of thing. Some people just don't care, you know, they're like, whatever, you know? Mm-hmm. But uh, to me it's just like super exciting, super fun, nice play with. Michael: Can you give us one other AI kind of tool we can utilize within the practice?Justin: Let's see. AI tool that we can utilize in the practice. You mean with Chet or with some other type of ai? Some other type Michael: of ai. Justin: Let's see. I really like uh, the script which is a is a video editing app. So I talked about video editing, so if you're doing any kind of video, it's really great for transcribing the, the text and then if you need to edit things like for instance, the uhs and the ums that are coming up, anytime you're having a conversation with, I'm sure I've said it all the time.I, last podcast I had 400 uhs and ums and filler words. So it automatically pulls up all the US ums and filler words. The, the likes and the A means and things like that, you know? Yeah. You know? Yeah, exactly. And all it's on a like a script, kind of like Microsoft Word or. Slides, you know, like the, the, the Google Slides or something like that, or PowerPoint and you just delete it and it deletes the whole scene.So basically the way you edit the video is just by deleting words. You can copy, paste and move 'em around or correct the specific words. So I've been using that a lot. To do little videos. I made a really cool video that's a testimonial for one of my staff members so that I can. Help try to find an assistant.Unfortunately the in-office assistants are really hard to find. One of the reasons I started the company is because it's so hard to find good people nowadays. so I'm actually actively marketing, creating video content just to try to track people to come apply for my job. I pace the. Dental assistant add out.No one responds. And, and this is not just with me, this is industry-wide. I've talked to people that run like my, one of my friends is Tanya Lanier, who owns Dental post.com, which is the biggest well, she, she, she sold it, but she used to own dental post.com, and it's one of the biggest. Places where people post job ads in the country for dental offices.And she says it's happening everywhere as well as I'm part of d e O, which is Dental Entrepreneur's Organization. I'm hearing about it from all over the, the country that one of the biggest problems is just recruiting people is Michael: really challenging. Yeah. Yeah. That's a good way to help though. That's a good way to help to use that, you know what I mean?Right. To create it the way you wanted to create it and, and, and put your spin on it. So. Awesome. Justin, I appreciate your time and if anyone has further questions, where can they contact you at? we have Justin: a website ww dot, www.virtualdentaloffices.com with the S at the end, O F F I C E S. You can, uh, email me directly, d r justin pure dental health.com.That's my, my dental office, P U r e D E N T A l H e A L t h.com. And we have Instagram for both of those as well. So yeah, reach out anyway. You'll find me Justin Scott. Awesome. So guys, Michael: that's gonna be all we one in Atlanta I know, but that's gonna be in the show notes below. So definitely go check it out.And Justin, thank you for being with me on this Monday morning marketing episode. Justin: Cool. Thanks man. Have a great week.‍‍

Looking to market your clinical supervision on your private practice website? Allison shares her advice on how to best go about this in today's Ask Allison episode of the podcast. Sponsored by: TherapyNotes™ To check out our free resources, including weekly worksheets, visit https://abundancepracticebuilding.com/links. For private practice support, join the Abundance Party at https://abundancepracticebuilding.com/abundanceparty. PS: Get 40% off your 1st month with coupon code SPRING.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we're going to unpack everything you need to know about Managed WordPress hosting.   If you have a therapy website built on WordPress, or you're looking to create one, you probably know that website hosting is something that's needed to make that happen.   Website hosting is what allows you to make your website accessible on the Internet.    A hosting service provides the technologies and support needed for the website to be viewed on the Internet. It's where you store your website files so the world can see it.   But if you've had a WordPress website for a few years, you've probably already seen that not all hosting is created equal.   When they're just starting out with their first website, most folks will choose a hosting provider based on price alone.    You may think that hosting is just a place to stick your website files, so the cheapest one should be fine, but that's not the case.   And after working with therapists for many years, I've heard some fairly horrific tales about how certain hosting providers couldn't give clear answers to support questions, tried to upsell additional services when running into issues, or kept their clients on hold for hours on end during support calls.   So, in order to make sure you're getting the most out of your hosting, and help you find a quality service that will serve your private practice for years to come, let's unpack the hosting options available to you.   Typically you have two options for hosting: shared hosting and managed WordPress hosting.   And managed WordPress hosting is my recommendation for your private practice website.   Managed hosting can bring a whole host of benefits to your website, including lightning-fast performance, top-notch security, and rock-solid reliability. And, unlike traditional hosting, managed hosting takes care of all the techy stuff for you, so you can focus on what you do best - running your practice.   If you're planning on building a WordPress website or have a current hosting provider you haven't quite enjoyed, this episode will help you understand your options and find a trustworthy place to host your website. In This Episode, You'll Learn: The difference between shared hosting and Managed WordPress hosting What is Shared Website hosting What is Managed WordPress hosting? The benefits of Managed WordPress hosting My recommendation for Managed WordPress hosting and why  

Welcome solo and group practice owners! We are Liath Dalton and Evan Dumas, your co-hosts of Group Practice Tech. In our latest episode, we take a look at how to keep established and potential client info safe and secure on your website.  We discuss the BetterHelp debacle and lessons we can learn from it; contact forms on websites; what qualifies as PHI; where PHI gets collected through websites; how to set up a secure contact form; HIPAA friendly vs. secure email communication; requests for non secure communication; secure form options; what to include in HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices; Good Faith Estimates; whether tracking technologies and Google Analytics are permissible; and what is and isn't included in Google's BAA. Listen here: https://personcenteredtech.com/group/podcast/ For more, visit our website. Relevant Resources & Info From Other Sources JD Supra article on the issues with Better Help & HIPAA lessons learned -- Better Keep Health Data Private, FTC Signals to On-Line Health Care Providers HHS Model Notice of Privacy Practices JD Supra's excellent explanation of Psychotherapy Notes HHS Office of Civil Rights  bulletin on Use of Online Tracking Technologies by HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates Google on HIPAA & Google Analytics Easy Opt Out of Google Analytics (on Google Analytics 4) PCT Resources   PCT's Google Workspace Configuration Learning Center  Free access! Including a free training, Making Practice Life Easier & More Efficient with Google Workspace, and checklist)  *see the tutorial in the Miscellaneous Tips section: Misc Tip: How to Create a Contact Form (and put it on your website too!) Need to select a secure form (or secure email) service? Use PCT's free Service Selection Workbook & Worksheet for Group Practices PCT's Sample Contact Form Conventional Non-Secure Communications Acknowledgement/Opt-In Language PCT's Group Practice Care Premium service with Group Practice Office Hours direct support and consultation service + support and team management systems to manage device security, remote workspace security, HIPAA and ethics trainings for group practices

The peripheral iridotomy (PI) is one of the most common procedures in ophthalmology. In theory, the PI is performed to open up a narrow angle, both to prevent the chance of angle closure glaucoma, and to treat any component of chronic angle closure. But what does the evidence actually show? Practically speaking, how effective is the PI in preventing angle closure? What would happen if we were a bit more conservative in when we chose to do PIs? Dr. Davinder Grover joins the podcast. Dr. Grover's You Tube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@davindergrovermdmph7981 Dr. Grover's Practice Website - http://www.glaucomaassociates.com/

In this episode, Dr. Greg speaks with Dr. Michelle Jorgensen (DDS), about the importance of incorporating holistic and functional practices in both dentistry and oral health. They discuss how to heal teeth naturally, Dr. Michelle's personal journey of healing from mercury exposure, hydroxyapatite over fluoride, the best products for oral health, and more! Reach out to us on social media with all of your questions! All links can be found in the show notes below. Show Notes: GUEST: Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, DDS, Functional Dentist, Author and Public Speaker Living Well With Dr. Michelle - Website - https://livingwellwithdrmichelle.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livingwellwithdrmichelle/ Total Care Dental (Dr. Michelle's Practice) - Website - https://www.totalcaredental.com/ SPONSOR: Vitae Clinic - Website (www.vitaefm.com), Tiktok (tiktok.com/@drgreghealth), Instagram, Facebook Book Initial Eval with Dr. Greg - Click this link or head to https://bit.ly/drgregpodcasteval (Schedule availability varies from month to month) Lifeboost Coffee - Get 50% off your first Lifeboost Coffee order at coffeewithdoc.com! Personal Sauna - Therasage - Receive 10% off when you use code "DRGREGHEALTH" at Therasage.com. Searching for answers? Become a patient of Dr. Greg, Emily Anderson, and Vitae Clinic! Click here to set up a Autoimmune evaluation with Dr. Greg - Unable to click? Head to https://bit.ly/drgregpodcasteval Click here to set up a Hormone evaluation with Emily Anderson (APRN-CNS) - Unable to click? Head to https://bit.ly/initialeval-emilyanderson Bringing together functional medicine, research, and over 20-plus years of clinical experience, Dr. Greg Mongeon seeks to create easier access to living your best life by treating the root cause! Look for new episodes of "The Daily Dose with Dr. Greg" released every Wednesday. Available on all of your favorite podcast platforms (iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and more!). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

I'm Dr. Myrdalis Diaz-Ramirez. Welcome to Episode #51!Today we have a wonderful guest, Dr. Deborah Matthew, America's Happy Hormones Doctor! We talk to her about how she designed a 7-day a month 7-figure practice, her amazing story of transformation, and great tips for physicians looking to thrive in their careers and lives. It's an awesome episode! Enjoy!You can find Dr. Matthew here:Practice Website (for Patients): SignatureWellness.orgMedia Website: DrDeborahMatthew.comFacebook Group: bhrtpracticeboostEmail (Coaching): drmatthew@signaturewellness.orgFollow Dr. Myrdalis Diaz at these links: Website: drmyrdalisdiaz.com Podcast: Design Your Physician Life Linkedin: drmyrdalis Facebook: myrdalisdiaz Instagram: drmyrdalisdiaz

On this episode of the Psychology Talk Podcast, Dr. Hoye is joined by psychologist Dr. Avigail Lev, Psy.D. Avigail is a cognitive behavioral therapist, author, mediator, and executive coach in San Francisco, California. She is the director of the Bay Area CBT Center, a clinic that specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help individuals and couples break unhelpful patterns, develop healthier habits, and improve all areas of life. Avigail has coauthored three books on utilizing CBT to strengthen relationships and have presented my research at numerous conferences. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Dr. Drew, Bloomberg News, Huffington Post, Business Insider, MSN, and Psych Central.Abby discusses the difficulties that narcissistic abuse presents in intimate relationships. She points out what makes a narcissist “tick,” both their outward behaviors and defense mechanisms, and the painful inner dynamics that causes them to control and manipulate their partners. She and Dr, Hoye also touch on warm and cold, or emotional and intellectual empathy, the difficulties facing partners of narcissists, and narcissism as a growing, new epidemic in our global society. Abby Lev's Practice Website:http://bayareacbtcenter.comThe Psychology Talk Podcast is a unique conversation about psychology around the globe. Your hosts Dr. Scott Hoye and licensed clinical professional counselor Kyle Miller talk about psychology with mental health practitioners and experts to keep you informed about issues and trends in the industry. They also tackle mental health trends and issues in their home: Chicago.https://psych-talk.comhttps://www.instagram.com/psychtalkpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/psychtalkpodcast

You wake up in the morning and think, "Dang it! I wasn't gonna drink last night." Now you feel like crap and don't want to get out of bed.  A lot of us live in the middle ground: you wouldn't consider yourself an alcoholic, but you also aren't exactly happy with your relationship with alcohol. It's an awkward place to be.  …Maybe you're making up rules for yourself like you'll only drink on weekends, on special occasions, or with friends.  …Maybe you say you'll have just one glass of wine, but it turns into two or the whole bottle. …Maybe you're a Groundhog Day drinker… Every morning you make a pact with yourself and you inevitably break it. Again and again.  Let's pause the spiral of shame and have an open conversation about how alcohol is a popular and culturally acceptable method to tone down the chaos in your mind so you can chill out in the evenings - particularly useful when you have ADHD and loud children.  Let me be clear: I'm not here to tell you never to drink again. I want you to have the relationship YOU want with alcohol, no matter what it looks like.  Today's guest is Carolyn Robistow, LPC, and host of Brain Unblocked: The Brainspotting Podcast. Carolyn helps high-achieving, health-minded perfectionists squelch brain blocks and unhelpful habits. She is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs get out of their heads, stop drinking, and start living optimized AF. Carolyn side hustles at her private practice, The Joy Effect, an in-person and virtual counseling practice in The Woodlands, TX, where she specializes in Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).   You don't have to painfully shame yourself into a new way of doing things. Let's dig into the tough conversations, Successful Mama! Learn more and connect with Carolyn:  Website: www.carolynrobistow.net Practice Website: https://joyeffectcounseling.com Instagram: @carolynrobistow Facebook: Carolyn Robistow  Free Download: Patricia's Secret to Overcoming Time Blindness To read the transcript and view the show notes visit the Motherhood in ADHD Blog.  

You wake up in the morning and think, "Dang it! I wasn't gonna drink last night." Now you feel like crap and don't want to get out of bed. A lot of us live in the middle ground: you wouldn't consider yourself an alcoholic, but you also aren't exactly happy with your relationship with alcohol. It's an awkward place to be. …Maybe you're making up rules for yourself like you'll only drink on weekends, on special occasions, or with friends. …Maybe you say you'll have just one glass of wine, but it turns into two or the whole bottle. …Maybe you're a Groundhog Day drinker… Every morning you make a pact with yourself and you inevitably break it. Again and again. Let's pause the spiral of shame and have an open conversation about how alcohol is a popular and culturally acceptable method to tone down the chaos in your mind so you can chill out in the evenings - particularly useful when you have ADHD and loud children. Let me be clear: I'm not here to tell you never to drink again. I want you to have the relationship YOU want with alcohol, no matter what it looks like. Today's guest is Carolyn Robistow, LPC, and host of Brain Unblocked: The Brainspotting Podcast. Carolyn helps high-achieving, health-minded perfectionists squelch brain blocks and unhelpful habits. She is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs get out of their heads, stop drinking, and start living optimized AF. Carolyn side hustles at her private practice, The Joy Effect, an in-person and virtual counseling practice in The Woodlands, TX, where she specializes in Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). You don't have to painfully shame yourself into a new way of doing things. Let's dig into the tough conversations, Successful Mama! Learn more and connect with Carolyn: Website: www.carolynrobistow.net Practice Website: https://joyeffectcounseling.com Instagram: @carolynrobistow Facebook: Carolyn Robistow To read the transcript and view the show notes visit the Motherhood in ADHD Blog.

On this encore episode of the Psychology Talk Podcast, Dr. Scott Hoye is joined by Rebecca Hendrix. Rebecca is a Manhattan based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in New York City and Woodstock, New York. She has advanced training in therapeutic psychedelic integration. She completed training through MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) to provide MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy (when it becomes legal). She currently offers Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. She has presented to the lay-audiences on psychedelic medicines to increase awareness and understanding of these therapies for consumers. On this episode, Rebecca discusses her training and experience with MDMA therapy and ketamine therapy for PTSD and other maladies. The two discuss the latest developments in psychedelic therapies, the potential changes these new therapies will have on the world of behavioral health, and the promise they hold for individuals with serious, long term mental health issues. Rebecca's Article in Business Insider:https://www.insider.com/psychotherapist-advocating-for-the-legalization-of-mdma-2021-11Rebecca's Practice Website: http://www.rebeccahendrix.comResources Discussed in this episode: For Veterans: Heroic Hearts Project - https://www.heroicheartsproject.org/ VETS Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions https://vetsolutions.org/ Warrior Angels Foundation helps veterans access psychedelics https://warriorangelsfoundation.org/For Therapists Interested in Training Fluence https://www.fluencetraining.com/ CIIS https://www.ciis.edu/ Maps https://mapspublicbenefit.com/training Volunteer at Zendo https://zendoproject.org/Ketamine Training: Healing Realms https://www.healingrealmscenter.com/ Polaris https://www.polarisinsight.com/ JMF Foundation Spain https://josepmfericgla.org/web_Fundacio_JMFericgla_2/seminarios_y_formacion_seminario_ketamina.shtml Prati in CO https://pratigroup.org/ Sage https://sageinst.org/kat The Ketamine Training Center (Phil Wolfson, MD) https://theketaminetrainingcenter.com/To apply to take part in a clinical trial: https://clinicaltrials.gov/An expanded access site for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment resistant PTSD will soon be open in North Carolina, open to the public. https://www.pearlpsychedelicinstitute.org/More resources: books, movies and relevant websites on my integration website www.evolveintegration.com https://evolveintegration.com/resourcesThe Psychology Talk Podcast is a unique conversation about psychology around the globe. Your host Dr. Scott Hoye discusses psychology with mental health practitioners and experts to keep you informed about issues and trends in the industry. https://psych-talk.comhttps://www.instagram.com/psychtalkpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/psychtalkpodcast

Like many of you, I'm looking forward to a different 2021, but I am grateful for what we've learned about ourselves, our businesses, and our resilience. Today's topic is more relevant than ever, as we all want to learn more about improving our private practice website. Join us to learn more! Our Featured Guest Daniel FavaDaniel Fava, from Private Practice Elevation, is my friend and an expert in website design. I trust his insight and advice, and I rely heavily on him for everything website-related. Daniel is here to share what is working for private practice websites post-pandemic. Much of what we think about our private practice websites has shifted greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what used to serve us well may not be working now. As many of us are transitioning to full-time online counseling or at least some increased element of online therapy, Daniel's advice is relevant and timely. https://my.captivate.fm/www.privatepracticeelevation.com (Website) https://my.captivate.fm/www.privatepracticeelevation.com/roi (ROI Report) https://my.captivate.fm/www.privatepracticeelevation.com/stc-audit (Website Audit) You'll Learn:What has changed about websites and online traffic since the pandemic began Three things that are working well for private practice websites: A professional website is more important than ever. People are searching online, so you need to have a presence there that stands out. Content is the foundation for getting found online. Foundational content includes your home page, service pages, and specialty pages. Online therapy has become an essential part of private practice. Your website audience is now expanded throughout your entire state, instead of just your local vicinity.  How to incorporate non-written content, like videos and podcasts, into your website Why you should take this opportunity to view your website through new eyes Transcript:Melvin: Hello, welcome to session 262 of Selling the Couch. I hope you are having a good start to the New Year. Man after the fun adventure that was 2020 I am really looking forward to a different 2021. At the same time, I feel like I'm so grateful. As hard as this has been that in some ways that we were able to go through this because I think it's definitely taught all of us just how resilient we are; especially if you have been able to manage a business and during a pandemic, you're pretty legit. So today's podcast session is with my good friend Daniel Fava from Private Practice Elevation. Daniel is an expert when it comes to website design. It's someone I rely on for both STC and my private practice website. And Daniel is here to share three of the things that are working for private practice websites post-pandemic. I know that how we think about private practice and even how we think about our private practice websites has shifted in the midst of this pandemic. There are just things that were working in the past that are not working as well now and we've learned a lot of insights and key things in terms of what could work and what will be working going forward. Especially as many of us transition either fully to online counseling or maintain some element of online counseling in our practices. I think there are just a lot of different things there. So we'll get right to today's conversation. Here is my conversation with Daniel Fava from privatepracticeelevation.com. Hey, Daniel, welcome back to Selling the Couch. Daniel: Hey Melvin, how's it going? Thanks so much for having me back. Melvin: You're welcome. And Happy New Year, because by the time this releases, it'll be the New Year. Daniel: That's right. That's always the interesting and strange part of recording podcasts is the timing bit because we're recording before Christmas, but we're saying Happy New Year. Melvin: Yes, absolutely. We have to get it all in our mind. Daniel: Yeah. Melvin: I'm really excited...

Your dental practice's website is the key to all your marketing efforts, so it's crucial that your website immediately grabs visitors' attention and gets them to pick up the phone to schedule an appointment. But how do you do that? What makes a dental website effective or ineffective at converting visitors into new patients? This week, Jeff brings on dental marketing expert Dan Brown to answer that question.   1:47 – What should go on your homepage? 19:00 – Why a “smile gallery” is a must 24:26 – How to make a good “about us” page 28:56 – Making your services appealing 33:11 – Putting it all together to get new patients   The MGE New Patient Workshop - https://www.newpatients.net Sample release form - https://www.mgeonline.com/sample-hipaa-marketing-release-download

BEFORE OPENING‍Casey's full interview: https://thedentalmarketer.site/podcast/341‍In this episode Dr. Casey Geotz breaks down how he was able to bring in 120 new patients on opening day! He opened his practice in October 2020 and he lets us know exactly how he DIY'd his whole process to ensure he had new patients when his doors officially opened. Before opening he set up a VoIP phone, built his own website, and went out and made his own referrals happen! He built these referrals and partnerships with one main ingredient: coffee. Black Rifle Coffee to be exact! Listen in and see how he spent only 3 days behind his master plan of building referrals with coffee, and see just how incredible the reward was!‍‍You can reach out to Dr. Casey Geotz here:Email: cgoetz@troypediatricdentist.comBrews and Tiny Teeth Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brews-tiny-teeth-unfiltered-pediatric-dentistry-podcast/id1561176587Practice Website: www.troypediatricdentist.com‍If 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/2031814726927041

In this episode, Onyebuchi Ajufo, an advocacy and communications specialist and former Director of Communications and Advocacy at Africa Practice, speaks to Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, Managing Director of Nigeria's pioneering education partnership organisation, the Education Partnership (TEP) Centre, where she leads the LEARNigeria citizen-led assessment and advocacy programme. They talk about the inspiration for Mo's work to improve foundational learning in Nigeria; the importance of data for understanding the extent of the crisis, and as a tool to inform policy; and the role of public-private partnerships for improving children's outcomes. Mo also speaks about Human Capital Africa's recent call to action for African policymakers to make foundational learning their top priority. Links https://tepcentre.com/ (The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre) [Website] https://learnigeria.org/ (LEARNigeria Assessment and Advocacy Programme) [Website] https://tepcentre.com/publications/LEARNigeria_Citizen%20Action%20%20Does%20Evidence%20Have%20a%20Role%20to%20Play.pdf (LEARNigeria Citizen Action Report) (2017) ‘https://www.theafricareport.com/180027/africa-access-alone-has-not-guaranteed-that-children-are-learning-in-schools-says-ezekwesili/ (Access alone has not guaranteed that children are learning in schools)' [Article in Africa Report], Oby Ezekwesili, February 2022 https://humcapafrica.org/ (Human Capital Africa) [Website] ‘https://www.brandtimes.com.ng/human-capital-africa-issues-a-call-to-action-for-policymakers-to-respond-to-africas-learning-crisis/ (Human Capital Africa's Call to Action for Policymakers to Respond to Africa's Learning Crisis)' [Press Release] https://africapractice.com/ (Africa Practice) [Website] About the https://riseprogramme.org/rise-community-of-practice (RISE Community of Practice) [Website] ‘https://riseprogramme.org/publications/stakeholder-perspectives-improving-educational-outcomes-enugu-state (Stakeholder Perspectives on Improving Educational Outcomes in Enugu State)' [RISE Insight Note] by Ogwuike and Iheonu ‘https://riseprogramme.org/blog/mobilising-community-support (Mobilising Community Support for Education: Lessons from the Igbajo Community in Nigeria)' [RISE Blog] by Adeniran and Castradori ‘https://riseprogramme.org/blog/following-facts-Nigeria (Following FACTS to Recover and Revamp Nigeria's Education System During and Beyond COVID-19)' [RISE Blog] by Obiakor and Adeniran ‘https://riseprogramme.org/publications/policy-deliberation-social-contracts-and-education-outcomes-experimental-evidence (Policy Deliberation, Social Contracts, and Education Outcomes: Experimental Evidence from Enugu State, Nigeria)' [RISE Insight Note] by Nweke, Ogwuike, and Iheonu More from https://riseprogramme.org/research?f%5B0%5D=country%3ANigeria (RISE Nigeria Country Research Team) Guest biographies Modupe Adefeso-Olateju Dr. Modupe (Mo) Adefeso-Olateju is a recognised policy expert specialising in public-private collaboration in education and with keen interests in education innovation and foundational literacy and numeracy. She is Managing Director of Nigeria's pioneering education partnership organisation, The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre, where she leads the LEARNigeria citizen-led assessment and advocacy programme.  She co-established the annual pan-African education innovation summit, NEDIS, which is now in its 7th year.  Mo supports policymakers, international think tanks, and corporations, and leads workstreams on a range of education sector support initiatives funded by government agencies, multilateral organisations, and corporate funders. She drafted a section of Nigeria's 2011-2015 education strategy and is a member of the technical team which is developing Nigeria's Medium- and Long-Term Strategic Plans. She is a Commissioner on the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges (Evidence...

Your website is the "heart" of your online marketing. With so much competition amongst dental practices, you need a website that will help you stand out from the pack. My guest today is Kayvan Mott, co-founder of DocSites.com, a company that specializes in helping dentists and doctors improve their marketing strategies and online presence. We discuss the five essential elements your website needs to be effective with current and prospective patients. Tune in now to learn how to showcase your practice and leverage marketing tools like SEO and social media to increase your online visibility.   Key Takeaways  5 elements for your practice's online success (00:00) Why Kayvan decided to build DocSites.com (01:46) #1: How to showcase what makes your practice unique (04:54) #2: Choosing the right pictures for your website (10:02) #3: How to build the perfect 'meet the doctor' page (12:40) #4: The best way to optimize your website (15:43) #5: Highlighting your successes and leveraging technology (28:44)   Additional Resources Learn proven dental marketing strategies and online reputation management techniques at: https://www.drlentau.com Learn more about online marketing and website management for dentists at https://www.docsites.com/ This podcast is sponsored by Cloud Dentistry, the largest dental talent marketplace. Find out more at: http://www.clouddentistry.com/Len

Angela Byrnes of Roadside Dental Marketing joins us to share her invaluable expertise in marketing your practice online and building trust within the small window of opportunity you have to leave an impression on a potential new site visitor. Join us as we chat about:-The importance of a website that accurately represents YOU-How your site is turning away new patient opportunities -Key metrics to be tracking to follow the fails or successes of your site-Incorporating a custom and strategic approach to your site-Educating the patient enough to make easier, faster decisions -Plus so much more!Check out Roadside Dental Marketing at: roadsidedentalmarketing.com

On this episode of the Psychology Talk Podcast, Dr. Hoye's guest is Dr. Stephanie Taylor, Ed.S. from Presence Learning. Dr. Taylor is a school psychologist and the clinical director of psychosocial education at PresenceLearning. PresenceLearning provides therapy tools and live, online special education related services, as well as behavioral and mental health services, for preK-12 schools nationwide.Stephanie discusses the changes in delivery of services for school counselors and psychologists to more remote, teletherapy and online assessment, and educational platforms during the pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work, and now less so for school psychologists. Listen in and find out how she and PresenceLearning are leading the charge for more access to psychology and behavioral health assessment and interventions through their unique platforms. Presence Learning's Website: https://www.presencelearning.comDr. Taylor's Practice Website: https://www.ucebt.com/about-us/primary-staff/about-us/primary-staff/stephanie-taylorThe Psychology Talk Podcast is a unique conversation about psychology around the globe. Your hosts Dr. Scott Hoye and licensed clinical professional counselor Kyle Miller talk about psychology with mental health practitioners and experts to keep you informed about issues and trends in the industry. They also tackle mental health trends and issues in their home: Chicago.https://psych-talk.comhttps://www.instagram.com/psychtalkpodcast/

On this episode of the Psychology Talk Podcast, Dr. Scott Hoye is joined by Rebecca Hendrix. Rebecca is a Manhattan based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in New York City and Woodstock, New York. She has advanced training in therapeutic psychedelic integration. She completed training through MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) to provide MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy (when it becomes legal). She currently offers Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. She has presented to the lay-audiences on psychedelic medicines to increase awareness and understanding of these therapies for consumers. On this episode, Rebecca discusses her training and experience with MDMA therapy and ketamine therapy for PTSD and other maladies. The two discuss the latest developments in psychedelic therapies, the potential changes these new therapies will have on the world of behavioral health, and the promise they hold for individuals with serious, long term mental health issues. Rebecca's Article in Business Insider:https://www.insider.com/psychotherapist-advocating-for-the-legalization-of-mdma-2021-11Rebecca's Practice Website: http://www.rebeccahendrix.comResources Discussed in this episode: For Veterans: Heroic Hearts Project - https://www.heroicheartsproject.org/ VETS Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions https://vetsolutions.org/ Warrior Angels Foundation helps veterans access psychedelics https://warriorangelsfoundation.org/For Therapists Interested in Training Fluence https://www.fluencetraining.com/ CIIS https://www.ciis.edu/ Maps https://mapspublicbenefit.com/training Volunteer at Zendo https://zendoproject.org/Ketamine Training: Healing Realms https://www.healingrealmscenter.com/ Polaris https://www.polarisinsight.com/ JMF Foundation Spain https://josepmfericgla.org/web_Fundacio_JMFericgla_2/seminarios_y_formacion_seminario_ketamina.shtml Prati in CO https://pratigroup.org/ Sage https://sageinst.org/kat The Ketamine Training Center (Phil Wolfson, MD) https://theketaminetrainingcenter.com/To apply to take part in a clinical trial: https://clinicaltrials.gov/An expanded access site for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment resistant PTSD will soon be open in North Carolina, open to the public. https://www.pearlpsychedelicinstitute.org/More resources: books, movies and relevant websites on my integration website www.evolveintegration.com https://evolveintegration.com/resourcesThe Psychology Talk Podcast is a unique conversation about psychology around the globe. Your hosts Dr. Scott Hoye and licensed clinical professional counselor Kyle Miller talk about psychology with mental health practitioners and experts to keep you informed about issues and trends in the industry. https://psych-talk.comhttps://www.instagram.com/psychtalkpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/psychtalkpodcast

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, I'm going to share my insights on how long you should expect a website design project to take.   Over the years, I've spoken to many private practice owners who are interested in getting started on their therapy website - they're excited to reach their ideal clients and start getting some visibility.   But the conversation comes to a rather quick end when they tell me that they were hoping to launch their website in about a month.   Now, I believe your website is the most important part of your online marketing and can make all the difference in you actually reaching the goals you have for your business.    If your goal is only “get the website live”, well there are plenty of freelancers out there who I'm sure could help you do that quickly.   But if you've got many goals that you're looking to reach in the next 1 - 3 years, then your project may not be as simple as just getting a website up on the internet.   And when you take your goals into account, set a strategy that fuels the decisions you make surrounding your website and content… well, that takes time.   So join me as I share more about our website design process here at Private Practice Elevation so you can understand how long it takes to create a private practice website that is strategically built for your business.   I'll take you behind the scenes of the different stages to help you understand how long a website project typically takes. In This Episode, You'll Learn: The different phases your therapy website project will go through on the way from onboarding to launch How long each of those project phases will take and what to expect from them Go behind the scenes of Private Practice Elevation as I share how we schedule our website projects and why Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts If you're not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don't miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.   And if you're feeling extra generous, I'd love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I'd really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Here in Episode 26 I answer the question “Should you list your rates on your private practice website?”Episode 26 Show NotesFollow Mountain Practice Journeys on Facebook and InstagramFREE Download - 5 Schedule Templates to Prevent Therapist Burnout Simple Practice FREE trial & $50 credit25% off MOO Business Cards SocialBee social media scheduling FREE trial Mountain Practice Journeys StoreThe Introvert's Guide to a Simplified Private PracticeOld School Financial SpreadsheetEmail Marketing Basics for TherapistsGoogle Workspace FREE trial (email me for a discount code: mountainpracticejourneys@gmail.com)DISCLAIMERSome links included in this description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission, however there is no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting Mountain Practice Journeys so I can continue to provide you with free content!Links to other websites, products, and services do not endorse or guarantee the services, products, or information contained at the other sites. The information, products, resources, materials, services, and documents found here are not intended to be a substitute for legal, financial, or other professional advice, nor does their use establish a professional relationship between you and Cindy Norton or Mountain Practice Journeys.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=CU6J8KWTMPCFY)

Today on the Medical Marketing Podcast, we'll look at why the most beautiful practice websites can still fail to attract patients – and how you can avoid common pitfalls to ensure your practice's success. Show notes: https://messenger.md/podcast/episode-55

In 2020, eight out of ten patients begin their search for healthcare services online. Whether it's researching a medical condition, doing a deeper dive on treatment options, or searching for a new provider, patients are turning to Google more often than not. So if your practice website isn't showing up in Google, that could mean lost opportunities and lost revenue. But what can you do if that's the case? That's what we'll explore on this week's episode of the Medical Marketing Podcast... Show notes: https://messenger.md/podcast/episode-47/

When growing and branding your own private practice, you may want to take advantage of the digital age by establishing your website to attract potential clients. If you don't have a website yet, you'll find today's topic handy as Doctor TK shares with us the 5 steps to make our websites simple. Make sure to have your pen and paper ready as we learn the foundation of increasing our leads online by knowing the basics. Podcast Goals:Learn the 5 basic steps of what to incorporate in your websiteIncrease your potential clients by including the important contents to your pageGet some tips from Doctor TK's own website Episode Timeline: Step#1: The Main Page / Home Page [02:00] Why should we include a high-quality picture of ours in the home page? [02:09]Summary of items to put in the home page [03:48]What is an opt-in form and where to put this? [04:23] Step#2: The About Me / About Us page [05:42] Highlights that will attract potential clients [06:25]Why Doctor TK divided her website up into 5 pages [07:31] The bounce back feature [08:00] Step#3: The Services page [08:18] The importance of creating a framework [09:02] Step#4: The FAQ page [09:53] Why Doctor TK no longer puts the price of therapy in her page [10:08] Steps#5: Contact page [12:34] Podcast recap [12:25] Bonus tip [14:00] Take the Private Practice Quiz [14:43] Standout Quotes from Doctor TK:“You want to brand yourself in the direction that your business is moving up to, not currently where you are” [01:33] “A picture is worth a thousand words and a lot of people are more attracted to videos. So, if you only have a logo, does a potential anxiety client want to click around to see where your photo is? Probably not.” [03:02] “In order to grow your business, you have to capture leads and leads are potential new clients” [04:57] Resources Mentioned:Doctor TK's website Take Private Practice Quiz Join The Dope Therapist TribeJoin the Dope Therapist Circle Upcoming Events: Las Vegas Branding Mastermind Retreat - Learn More Now Connect:Find | Doctor TKOn Instagram: @DoctorTKPsychOn Facebook: @DoctorTKPsychOn Pinterest: @DoctorTKPsychOn Youtube: @Doctor TK SUBSCRIBE & RATEOn Apple Podcasts On Connect: Find | Doctor TK On Instagram: instagram.com/doctortkpsych On Facebook: facebook.com/DoctorTKPsych On Pinterest: pinterest.com/DoctorTKPsych On Youtube: youtube.com/c/DoctorTK SUBSCRIBE & RATE On Apple Podcast On Google Podcasts On Spotify