Podcasts about spear education

SummaryIn this episode, Dr. Effie Habsha shares her journey as a prosthodontist and her role in empowering women in dentistry. She discusses the balance between her professional and personal life, the evolution of her community initiatives, and the impact of digital dentistry on her practice. Dr. Habsha also reflects on the challenges faced by women in the dental field and the importance of mentorship for early-career professionals.https://www.instagram.com/womensdentistry/https://womenindentistry.ca/welcome/Engage with the podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dentaldownloadpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Haley's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dr.haley.dds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keywordsdentistry, women in dentistry, prosthodontics, digital dentistry, mentorship, work-life balance, Spear Education, community growth, career advice, dental education, dental podcast, women in dentistry podcast, female leaders, leadership, work-life balance, female leaders, canadian dentists, toronto dentist

This episode features Leila Zadeh, DMD, FAGD, who discusses advances in digital technology and the relatively recent incorporation of photogrammetry — a method of approximating a 3D structure using 2D images. She shares how it not only improves the accuracy of capturing implant relationships in a 3D space but also helps streamline the final impression process so that it is significantly faster and easier than traditional analog workflows. This story is the feature of an article in the May issue of AGD Impact. Dr. Zadeh is an advanced restorative dentist at digitalDDS and an adjunct assistant professor at NYU Langone Health's advanced education in general dentistry residency. She also creates educational content for Spear Education.

Alan is joined once again by the one and only Dr. Jason Smithson. We've often compared how dentistry is delivered differently between the United States and the UK, but today we compare how dental hygiene is delivered differently.  Summary: Dr. Alan Mead and Dr. Jason Smithson discuss the stark differences in how dental hygiene is approached in the United States versus the UK. They explore the reasons behind these differences, including insurance models, historical practices, and the perceived value of hygiene appointments by patients. The conversation also touches upon the role of diagnosis, consent, and duty of care in dental treatment. Key Discussion Points: Jason's Current Activities: Dr. Smithson discusses his teaching schedule at Spear Education, including new courses on aging teeth and other advanced restorative techniques. He also mentions his work in Australia and Europe. The Hygienist Shortage: Alan describes his difficulty in finding a hygienist due to increased pay demands and a shrinking pool of candidates. This leads into the core discussion of the episode. US vs. UK Hygiene Models: US: Hygienists are often the primary point of contact for patients, with a focus on regular cleanings regardless of individual needs and disease. The system is largely insurance-driven. Patients often prioritize the cleaning over the dentist's exam. UK: Dentists assess patients first, determining recall intervals based on risk factors (caries, periodontal disease, wear). Hygienist appointments are prescribed by the dentist and are therapy-focused (e.g., scaling and root planing for periodontal disease). Healthy patients may not see a hygienist at all. Value Perception: Jason argues that the US system can make hygiene seem like a cosmetic procedure, diminishing its perceived value, especially for healthy patients. The UK model ties hygiene to specific therapeutic needs, increasing its perceived value. Insurance and Payment Models: The discussion touches on the differences between NHS (government-funded) and private dental care in the UK, as well as the impact of insurance on treatment decisions in the US. The UK has a mixed system, while Dr. Smithson's practice is entirely fee-for-service. Direct Access Hygiene (UK): In the UK, patients can directly access hygienists without a dentist's referral. This is uncommon in the US. Diagnosis and Consent: Jason highlights the importance of explicit diagnosis before treatment, emphasizing that informed consent cannot be obtained without a diagnosis. He suggests that the US system sometimes relies on implicit diagnoses. Duty of Care: Jason explains the concept of duty of care in the UK, stating that dentists assume responsibility for a patient's care once treatment begins. This raises questions about the US system and potential legal implications. Efficiency and Multitasking: The conversation explores the inefficiency of jumping between patients and procedures, including hygiene checks during restorative work. Jason cites research on the negative impact of multitasking on quality and productivity. Patient Expectations: The discussion acknowledges that US patients have been conditioned to expect regular cleanings, even when not clinically necessary. This creates a challenge for dentists who might want to shift to a more therapy-focused model. Some links from the show: Spear Education "Deep Work" by Cal Newport Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!  

  Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com https://www.kokicheducation.com/about DOT - Use the Code DENTALDIGEST for 10% off Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Connect with Melissa on Linkedin Jim McKee, DDS – Expert in TMD, Occlusion, and Comprehensive Dentistry   Dr. Jim McKee is a highly respected authority in the fields of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), occlusion, and restorative dentistry. With over three decades of clinical experience and a passion for teaching, Dr. McKee has dedicated his career to understanding and addressing the complexities of the masticatory system. His expertise has helped countless clinicians improve patient outcomes, particularly for those with challenging occlusal or TMJ-related issues. Educational Background and Clinical Practice   Dr. McKee earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Loyola University School of Dentistry in Chicago. Following dental school, he focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of TMD, occlusion, and how these systems integrate with restorative and esthetic dentistry. Dr. McKee has maintained a private practice in Downers Grove, Illinois, for over 30 years. His practice focuses on treating patients with occlusal disorders, complex restorative cases, and TMD. His patient-centered approach combines advanced diagnostic techniques, individualized treatment planning, and a commitment to functional and esthetic excellence. Thought Leadership in TMD and Occlusion   Dr. McKee is internationally recognized for his deep understanding of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its critical role in comprehensive dentistry. His work bridges the gap between TMD, occlusion, and restorative dentistry, providing clinicians with practical strategies to treat patients with: • Chronic facial pain. • TMJ dysfunction and joint instability. • Occlusal disharmony. • Complex restorative needs involving the entire masticatory system. He has developed innovative approaches to diagnosis and treatment planning, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between specialists and general practitioners to achieve optimal results. Teaching and Mentorship   Dr. McKee is a sought-after educator who lectures nationally and internationally on TMD, occlusion, and interdisciplinary dentistry. He is known for his clear, engaging teaching style and his ability to simplify complex topics, making them accessible for clinicians at all levels.   He serves as a faculty member and mentor for the prestigious Dawson Academy, where he trains dentists in comprehensive, patient-centered care. His courses focus on integrating occlusal concepts with restorative and esthetic dentistry while managing the functional health of the TMJ.   Dr. McKee is also a visiting faculty member at Spear Education in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he teaches advanced concepts in TMD, joint-based diagnosis, and interdisciplinary treatment planning.  

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com https://www.kokicheducation.com/about DOT - Use the Code DENTALDIGEST for 10% off Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Connect with Melissa on Linkedin Jim McKee, DDS – Expert in TMD, Occlusion, and Comprehensive Dentistry   Dr. Jim McKee is a highly respected authority in the fields of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), occlusion, and restorative dentistry. With over three decades of clinical experience and a passion for teaching, Dr. McKee has dedicated his career to understanding and addressing the complexities of the masticatory system. His expertise has helped countless clinicians improve patient outcomes, particularly for those with challenging occlusal or TMJ-related issues. Educational Background and Clinical Practice   Dr. McKee earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Loyola University School of Dentistry in Chicago. Following dental school, he focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of TMD, occlusion, and how these systems integrate with restorative and esthetic dentistry. Dr. McKee has maintained a private practice in Downers Grove, Illinois, for over 30 years. His practice focuses on treating patients with occlusal disorders, complex restorative cases, and TMD. His patient-centered approach combines advanced diagnostic techniques, individualized treatment planning, and a commitment to functional and esthetic excellence. Thought Leadership in TMD and Occlusion   Dr. McKee is internationally recognized for his deep understanding of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its critical role in comprehensive dentistry. His work bridges the gap between TMD, occlusion, and restorative dentistry, providing clinicians with practical strategies to treat patients with: • Chronic facial pain. • TMJ dysfunction and joint instability. • Occlusal disharmony. • Complex restorative needs involving the entire masticatory system. He has developed innovative approaches to diagnosis and treatment planning, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between specialists and general practitioners to achieve optimal results. Teaching and Mentorship   Dr. McKee is a sought-after educator who lectures nationally and internationally on TMD, occlusion, and interdisciplinary dentistry. He is known for his clear, engaging teaching style and his ability to simplify complex topics, making them accessible for clinicians at all levels.   He serves as a faculty member and mentor for the prestigious Dawson Academy, where he trains dentists in comprehensive, patient-centered care. His courses focus on integrating occlusal concepts with restorative and esthetic dentistry while managing the functional health of the TMJ.   Dr. McKee is also a visiting faculty member at Spear Education in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he teaches advanced concepts in TMD, joint-based diagnosis, and interdisciplinary treatment planning.  

The Dental Guys are back to kick off the year with some exciting updates! This week, we discuss the impact of taking our associates to the "Treatment Planning with Confidence" workshop at Spear Education. How has this experience influenced their approach and brought changes to our practice? We also explore the transformative power of calibration with another technician and how it can unlock production potential in a dental practice. Join us as we share valuable insights and lessons learned in this week's episode! Restorative Driven Implants -RDI is a premier educational resource that leverages current science-informed curriculum and predictable protocols to advance Dental Practitioners who want to succeed with all aspects of dental implantology. Follow the link to receive 20% off Spear Treatment Planning Workshop Text The Dental Guys your comments and questions: 1-865-544-8954 Subscribe to our Podcast on iTunes: https://goo.gl/WSutrB Want more content like this? Consider subscribing! Be sure to click the bell so you don't miss a video and keep up to date on the latest DG content: http://youtube.com/thedentalguys Instagram: Dental Guys X: https://mobile.twitter.com/thedentalguys Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedentalguys Consider supporting our show sponsors: Choose Dental Crafters Network – where your vision meets innovation! Visit dentalcrafters.net or Call 1-800-472-8302… the Dental Guys to receive 10% off your first case!

New Year, same problem... there is nobody great to hire. Or are they out there, but just don't want to work for you? This week, David and Pam sit down with Amy Morgan of Spear Education to unpack the hiring crisis and she breaks down why some practices are overstaffed, while others struggle to attract quality candidates, and what you can do to stand out. There are strategies you can implement to take control of your hiring strategy so you can curate your dream team. Before you start another year of staffing headaches, you will want to hear Amy's advice! Links: https://speareducation.outgrow.us/unmasked https://spear.education/3VICEBT

In the midst of the Treatment Planning with Confidence workshop at Spear Education, Jon and Wes sit down with Gregg Kinzer and Jeff Rouse to reflect on the first day of the workshop alongside their associates. In this episode, we explore how general dentists can start to approach treatment planning with the mindset and precision of specialists. The conversation also dives into the challenges specialists face with limited post-residency training and what's on the horizon for postgraduate education in the multidisciplinary team environment. Don't miss this insightful discussion—this week on The Dental Guys! Restorative Driven Implants -RDI is a premier educational resource that leverages current science-informed curriculum and predictable protocols to advance Dental Practitioners who want to succeed with all aspects of dental implantology. Follow the link to receive 20% off Spear Treatment Planning Workshop Text The Dental Guys your comments and questions: 1-865-544-8954 Subscribe to our Podcast on iTunes: https://goo.gl/WSutrB Want more content like this? Consider subscribing! Be sure to click the bell so you don't miss a video and keep up to date on the latest DG content: http://youtube.com/thedentalguys Instagram: Dental Guys X: https://mobile.twitter.com/thedentalguys Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedentalguys Consider supporting our show sponsors: Choose Dental Crafters Network – where your vision meets innovation! Visit dentalcrafters.net or Call 1-800-472-8302… the Dental Guys to receive 10% off your first case!

Our latest podcast features Kevin Kwiecien, DMD, MS, who joins AGD Podcast host and vice president George Schmidt, DMD, FAGD, to address opportunities to create systems that build strong teams and enhance dental practice performance. Dr. Kwiecien has more than 25 years of private practice experience, most of which overlapped in academia. He shares tips he teaches on connecting clinical and practice management systems to ensure dental offices are performing optimally and creating growth opportunities. Dr. Kwiecien graduated from Oregon Health and Science University School of Dentistry and holds a master's degree in health care administration. He is the owner of K Squared Facilitation and the founder/coach at The CCO Solution. He was an assistant professor of restorative dentistry at the OHSU School of Dentistry and also had faculty roles at Spear Education and L. D. Pankey Institute, where he provided education to AGD constituents across the U.S. Listen now.

We welcome the inspirational Dr. John Pappas to the show! John graduated cum laude from Boston University and then Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where he was chosen to participate in the Teacher Training Honors Program. John serves as a trustee of the Alpha Omega Council and is a member of the New England Hellenic Medical and Dental Society (NEHMDS) and has received the NEHMDS scholarship for academic excellence three times. In addition to the NEHMDS, John is also an active member of the American Dental Association, the Massachusetts Dental Society, the American Academy of Facial Esthetics and Spear Education. Since 2002, Dr. Pappas has served as the Director of the Metropolis of Boston Youth Dance Group and works as a dentist at his 2 Masterpiece Dentistry offices at Copley and Burlington. Join us to learn about the amazing and vibrant Greek dance culture in Boston! Learn more at https://greekfolkdance.org/ See more on GreekAF >

We have heard about digital dentistry for so long that the term has almost lost its meaning. Darin Dichter of Spear Education is here to tell us the place of current digital technology in a changing world. What does digital make us better at? What is the place of analog? Is efficiency the focus...quality...or can we have both? Text The Dental Guys your comments and questions: 1-865-544-8954  WHO ARE THE DENTAL GUYS? The Dental Guys podcast is the brainchild project of Wes and Jon. Years ago Wes and Jon met at a continuing education event and immediately started a passionate on-going conversation about dentistry. This conversation never ended and instead expanded to become the basis for the podcast!  http://www.the-dental-guys.com Subscribe to our Podcast on iTunes:  https://goo.gl/WSutrB  Want more content like this? Consider subscribing! Be sure to click the bell so you don't miss a video and keep up to date on the latest DG content:  Links in the Bio!  YouTube: http://youtube.com/thedentalguys Dental Guys X: https://mobile.twitter.com/thedentalguys Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedentalguys Instagram Consider supporting our show sponsors: Choose Dental Crafters Network – where your vision meets innovation! Visit dentalcrafters.net or Call 1-800-472-8302… the Dental Guys to receive 10% off your first case!

Dr. Kemmet grew up on a farm near Tappen, ND where his father farms and runs a water/irrigation well drilling company.  His father jokes that he stayed in the family business drilling holes.  The rest of Dr. Kemmet's family, his mother and sister, are registered nurses.  It is easy to see why dentistry, with its hands-on, practical application to medicine was a draw to him with his solid North Dakota born and bred background!    Uniquely, Dr. Kemmet attended a boarding high school in West St. Paul, MN, St. Croix Lutheran High School, then received his degree in Chemistry from NDSU in Fargo.  He went on to receive his degree in Dental Surgery from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 2007.  Dr. Kemmet initially practiced in South Dakota for nearly 3 years with the Indian Health Service before joining a residency program in Oklahoma for an additional year after that.  He then moved back to Minneapolis for 2 years and worked for a large private practice group dental office, as well as for Children's Dental Services, a low-income high-need dental service where he practiced throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul area in Head Start facilities, grade schools, and middle schools.    In 2012, Dr. Kemmet made the decision to move back “home” to North Dakota.  To him, Minot was the perfect blend of city and country. He purchased the dental practice of Dr. Curtis Kumpf, and within 18 months had relocated his practice, freshly redesigned by his friend Chris Hawley, to its current location in the heart of the Town & Country Center Mall.    Dr. Kemmet loves family time with his wife Grace and their three children, two dogs and cat. They are always finding ways to road trip for a hike in the mountains, fishing with his friends for charity, or finding a concert to attend. His life hobby has been prairie dog “hunting” which really is just long-distance precision shooting. They are currently enjoying gardening, home renovations, and anything else they can do together.  Professionally Dr. Kemmet doesn't seem to know the meaning of slowing down. He is always looking to advance not only his own knowledge, but the field of dentistry itself in the rapidly changing field of airway related dentistry and growth and development, where his passion lies. He has mentored classes at Spear Education in Scottsdale Arizona since 2010 in areas from same-day crowns with CEREC technology, to treatment planning, and now focusing on Airway.   In addition to running Kemmet Dental Design, Dr. Kemmet is working to change how dentistry is taught in ND. It was Dr Kemmet's vision of helping our community of dentistry in ND through increased access to dental hygiene and assistant training.  He believes we have just scratched the surface of where we need to be.  He has a goal to double our Nursing classes in Minot as well as triple our Dental Hygiene and assisting classes to help alleviate our national shortage and grow our community.  To accomplish this, he envisions a full dental hygiene clinic where extern dentists from regional dental schools can complete their training and current dental assistants and hygienists from other areas in our country can also learn expanded function dentistry. This would help alleviate the demand for dental services in west and northwest ND and help our city and state residents with the best care possible.  Fires start with a spark, and he has no shortage of fire in his passion for dentistry.  Marvel Comics has pitched a new superhero movie, though Dr Kemmet doesn't want anyone to think that this is fantasy.  It's for real life, as Bluey would say.

  On this episode of BUZZ, we have a conversation with Dr. Jack Ringer, who shares his journey in dentistry and the importance of mentorship and community through Spear Education. He emphasizes the importance of in-person continuing education, the fulfillment derived from AACD Accreditation, and the value of providing a remarkable patient experience.     To learn more about Dr. Ringer's cosmetic dentistry practice in Anaheim Hills, CA, please visit:   https://dentalcosmetics.com/     Show Produced by Dentainment 
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 Dentainment is a Digital Creative Marketing Agency, providing services to the Dental Community such as:
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and more.   Discover the power of AI, video, social media, and more in ‘Best Dental Marketing,' the ultimate guide for Dental professionals looking to transform their marketing efforts and drive new patient growth. Learn more about Best Dental Marketing Here: https://bestdentalmarketing.com/   Sponsored by Waymark We're making it radically simple for your Dental Practice to make your own commercials. Our premium video templates and easy-to-use editing tools mean that TV-quality videos are now accessible to anyone with an internet connection. To learn more, please visit: https://www.waymark.com/dental

Today we throw back to one of the greatest Dental Hacks episodes of all time! Jason and Alan had the honor of talking with Dr. Frank Spear of Spear Education! This was their first conversation with him since the COVID outbreak and the conversation focused a lot on changes in the landscape of dentistry and dental education! How has COVID affected dentistry and dental practices? Some dental practices have done BETTER in 2020! What are the things that these practices have in common? Messaging (stay in touch, let them know you're available!) Proactive messaging about safety "We're concerned about your dental health." Efficiency ("if you're coming in, let's get it done!") "The Big Dip" (hygiene scheduling) The history of dental infection control...why is dentistry ahead of this curve? How is "on campus" going at Spear Education? "Live Virtual" seminars...better than in person? Faculty club round tables...the best value at Spear! The new occlusion curriculum on Spear Online! New research in occlusion...now incorporated into the Spear curriculum! Cause and effect is often not as simple as we'd like What cases does Frank wish he could have a time machine to re-treat (spoiler: it's about airway and orofacial pain) What does Frank think about Orofacial Pain becoming a specialty? How can a dentist avoid burnout in dentistry? (spoiler: eliminate what you don't enjoy) Go Hack Yourself: Jason: Teladoc Al: Public Rec Some links from the show: Dr. Frank Spear on the Stories Dentists Tell Each Other (DHP266) Spear Education Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

A beautiful smile is always the goal — but it's not the only goal in orthodontics. To reframe the role of early intervention and how it can transform patients' lives, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Rebecca Bockow, instructor from Spear Education, to explain the benefits beyond straightening teeth. When you understand the potential of orthodontics, you can help more patients long term! To learn more and register for Dr. Bockow's course, Healthy Growth - Healthy Faces, listen to Episode 755 of The Best Practices Show!Learn More About Dr. Bockow:Follow Dr. Bockow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rbockowJoin Dr. Bockow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredOrthoRegister for Dr. Bockow and Dr. Michael Gunson's Healthy Growth - Healthy Faces workshop (September 26-28, 2024): https://www.arnettgunson.com/healthy-growth-healthy-faces-seattleMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaJoin ACT's To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttSee the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/eventGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 755: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosWatch Episode 640 with Dr. Dania Tamimi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaaQxgXuESo&t=1842sMain Takeaways:Recognize how the system works as a whole.Understand the true origin behind patients' malocclusions.Early orthodontic intervention can improve dental, joint, and muscle health.Orthodontics is about establishing a healthy system, not just straightening teeth.Without a true diagnosis, orthodontics could lead to breakdown and other issues.It takes an interdisciplinary team to help rehabilitate a patient's mouth and system.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.1:45 Why this is an important topic.6:33 Reframe the conversation for naysayers.9:07 Understand how the system works as a whole.12:06 Early intervention, explained.15:34 Understand the why behind malocclusion.18:49 What dentists get wrong about the health of the entire system.21:44 The fourth dimension, explained.24:08 The origins of Dr. Bockow and Dr. Gunson's course.27:34 More...

Episode 161: “The Return of the Gregg and Bob Show-Lithium Disilicate Update” Gregg Kinzer and Bob Winter, both of Spear Education join us once again for a fun and informative episode on how to handle lithium disilicate (E.max).  Should we mill or press? Cement or bond?  This is real world and high level at the same time! Follow the link to receive $500 off a Spear Seminar Text The Dental Guys your comments and questions: 1-865-544-8954 WHO ARE THE DENTAL GUYS? The Dental Guys podcast is the brainchild project of Wes and Jon.  Years ago Wes and Jon met at a continuing education event and immediately started a passionate on-going conversation about dentistry.  This conversation never ended and instead expanded to become the basis for the podcast! http://www.the-dental-guys.com Subscribe to our Podcast on iTunes: https://goo.gl/WSutrB Want more content like this? Consider subscribing! Be sure to click the bell so you don't miss a video and keep up to date on the latest DG content: http://youtube.com/thedentalguys Instagram: Dental Guys X: https://mobile.twitter.com/thedentalguys Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedentalguys Consider supporting our show sponsors: Restorative Driven Implants -RDI is a premier educational resource that leverages current science-informed curriculum and predictable protocols to advance Dental Practitioners who want to succeed with all aspects of dental implantology. Choose Dental Crafters Network – where your vision meets innovation! Visit dentalcrafters.net or Call 1-800-472-8302… the Dental Guys to receive 10% off your first case!

#153 - Dentistry Unmasked Round Table | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene Welcome to the 153rd episode of the Tooth or Dare Podcast with Irene Iancu (@toothlife.irene) this week is an episode from SmileCon. About Dr. Chad Duplantis Dr. Duplantis received his D.D.S. degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dental School in 1999. He continued with postdoctoral training at Baylor College of Dentistry, earning a certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry in 2000. He has also applied for, and been confirmed for his Fellowship degree from the Academy of General Dentistry this coming July. About Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of Dental Economics. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. About David Rice, DDS Founder of the nation's largest student and new-dentist community, igniteDDS, David R. Rice, DDS, travels the world speaking, writing, and connecting today's top young dentists with tomorrow's most successful dental practices. He is the editorial director of DentistryIQ and leads a team-centered restorative and implant practice in East Amherst, New York. With 27 years of practice in the books, Dr. Rice is trained at the Pankey Institute, the Dawson Academy, Spear Education, and most prolifically at the school of hard knocks. Contact him at drice@endeavorb2b.com. For more information and to connect with our guests, check out their social media profiles: Instagram: @ignitedds  @drpamela_maragliano @toothdoc_dup If you made it all the way down here, hit a like and share a comment. Until next time, Peace out peeps! ✌️ _______________________________________  

In this two-part interview, our host Dr. Dennis Hartlieb and guest Dr. Gary DeWood explore the journey that led Dr. DeWood to his dentistry career. From traveling the West Coast in a van and learning from his childhood dentist, to his experiences in dental school and partnership with his wife in private practice, they delve into these pivotal moments.They discuss Dr. DeWood's role in the Global Diagnosis Education study club and his experiences teaching at the Pankey Institute and Spear Education. For a video version of the interview, highlights and more, check out⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our blog post⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Dr. Dennis Hartlieb and the DOT Team! Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. | Follow us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. | Learn about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠becoming a DOT Member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In today's throwback episode, Alan welcomes back Amy Morgan, the VP of Practice Growth Strategies for Spear Education. Way back in September of 2022, Al had the chance to talk with Amy about dental hygiene, bouncing back from COVID and a whole lot of other stuff. This episode has so much good stuff in it that I thought it was time to offer it back up! "...a hygiene dollar, even in the best of times, has at best a 15-20% profit margin. A doctor dollar has up to 60%..." -Amy Morgan Amy Morgan will give you 52% clinical excellence. But she wants 48% for business excellence! Amy joined Spear in 2018 as Vice President of Consulting Strategy. For more than 25 years as a She's been a consultant and trainer for more than 25 years and is the former CEO of Pride Institute.  Some of the topics they covered include: How did Spear quickly retool for the COVID crisis? Is she over Zoom? Once the "fight or flight" crisis was over, what did Amy and Spear Education learn?  "The Great Hygiene Migration" What's the strategy for the lack of hygienists? (spoiler: you can't wish for something that's not there) Healthy patients vs. less healthy patients Doctors should NOT be doing hygiene Embrace your inner hypochondriac What do you do for COVID no-shows? (RFR..."reason for return") Having patient sign their financial commitments ("we hold this spot for YOU") "Lost time fee" vs. "missed appointment fee" (you can have that one for free!) "It's OK to not like people" Paying your team well is important, but you need to know how to do it right. "Don't chase behaviors but question beliefs" How does a team member show their value objectively? Variable component of pay: quarterly bonuses paid out over a quarter A very fat pitch for Spear Practice Solutions! A specific hygiene formula: hygiene wages should range 30-40% of their production Some links from the show:  Spear Education Spear Practice Solutions Spear Online Go get your ticket and your room for Voices of Dentistry 2023! Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," "McWethy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!  

In this two-part interview, our host Dr. Dennis Hartlieb and guest Dr. Gary DeWood explore the journey that led Dr. DeWood to his dentistry career. From traveling the West Coast in a van and learning from his childhood dentist, to his experiences in dental school and partnership with his wife in private practice, they delve into these pivotal moments.They discuss Dr. DeWood's role in the Global Diagnosis Education study club and his experiences teaching at the Pankey Institute and Spear Education. For a video version of the interview, highlights and more, check out⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our blog post⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Dr. Dennis Hartlieb and the DOT Team! Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. | Follow us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. | Learn about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠becoming a DOT Member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of Jaw Talk, I'm thrilled to have Dr. Pete Lemieux, a renowned restorative dentist with a focus on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, as our special guest. With over 25 years of experience and a passion for comprehensive care, Dr. Lemieux shares his insights and journey into the world of TMJ diagnosis and treatment. Join us as we explore the intricacies of TMJ disorders, the role of modern imaging in diagnosis, and the power of interdisciplinary care. Dr. Peter Lemieux maintains a comprehensive restorative practice in Winter Park, Florida, with a strong focus on temporomandibular joint diagnosis and treatment utilizing both CBCT and MR imaging. He has been a student of the L. D. Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education, Spear Education, the Dawson Academy, and the Piper Education and Research Center. Dr. Lemieux graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 1997, and has been recognized with fellowship in the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and the International College of Dentists.We talk about:[0:00] Intro[01:20] Dr. Lemieux's Passion[02:26] TMJ Mindset[04:40] Pediatric TMD Patients[06:47] Intake Process[10:20] Working with an Interdisciplinary Team[14:02] Restorative Dentistry After Jaw Surgery[16:39] Continuing Education for the Young Dentist[20:52] AES Presentation[29:22] Resistant for TMJ Diagnosis & Treatment[35:01] Modern Dentistry & Tech Advancements[37:11] What Dr. Lemieux is excited forMentions:https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/temporomandibular-joint-imaging/233657Connect with Dr. Lemieux here:https://winterparkdentist.com/Connect with Tiffany here:Courses: https://www.tmdcollective.com/courseshttps://www.instagram.com/tmd.collective/Support the Show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2170917/supportSupport the show

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

After years of filling preventable cavities, Dr. Chrystle Cu set out on a mission: Reduce tooth decay and gum disease by creating a floss so effective and delightful that people would actually look forward to using it. In 2015, Cocofloss was born. Since then, her innovative oral-health company has sold over 5 million spools of Cocofloss and gained the devotion of dental professionals and consumers alike — winning the Allure Best of Beauty Award (2022), GQ Grooming Award (2022), and the dental industry's prestigious Cellerant Award two years in a row (2021 and 2022). Its ever-expanding product line also includes the ultra-fine Cocobrush and the new n-HA–powered Cocoshine Whitening Toothpaste. Dr. Cu continues to lead R&D at Cocofloss and serves as a visiting faculty mentor at Spear Education. A daughter of a mommy dentist, Dr. Cu's also mom to two young children and is also an OMDIB! She received a B.A. in Chemistry at Wellesley College and a D.D.S. at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. @Cocofloss

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

With more than three decades of dental experience, Dr. Bonk is devoted to sharing his knowledge and skills of advanced restorative dentistry. He joined Spear in 2009 as a member of the Anterior Live Patient Faculty and now serves as an instructor in the 'Restorative Design' workshop. He lectures nationally about advanced restorative dentistry. Early in his career, Dr. Bonk provided advanced training in the dental specialties of periodontics, oral surgery, and prosthetics, as well as training in hospital medicine and treatment of medically compromised patients during a one-year residency at the Loyola University Medical Center.Dr. Bonk works with graduate dentists once per month in the General Practice Residency Program at Loyola Hospital in Maywood, Illinois. Additionally, he lectures locally and nationally about advanced restorative dentistry.As a valued Spear Resident Faculty member since 2009, Dr. Bonk is a member of the Anterior Live Patient Faculty and serves as an instructor in the “Restorative Design” and “Anterior Restorative Dentistry” workshops.  DINKY DEAL: https://www.speareducation.com/DINKS_Podcast● IG: @speareducation / https://www.instagram.com/speareducation/● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speareducation● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spear-education● YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SpearEducation&

665: Treatment Planning & Digital Are Not the Same Thing! – Dr. Jeff RouseIf you're new in the digital space, there's one thing you should know: digital smile design and treatment planning are not the same thing! To explain how they're different and why the confusion is one of his biggest pet peeves, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Jeff Rouse from Spear Education with advice for using digital and analog in your treatment planning process. Analog isn't outdated just yet! To learn why the best dentists still use analog, listen to Episode 665 of The Best Practices Show!Episode Resources:Join Dr. Rouse on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.rouse.58Follow Dr. Rouse on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyrouseSubscribe to The Best Practices Show podcast: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listenJoin ACT's To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttSee ACT's Live Events Schedule: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/act-dental-live-workshops-306239Get The Best Practices Magazine for free! https://www.actdental.com/magazineWrite a review on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show/id1223838218Links Mentioned in This Episode:Register for Facially Generated Treatment Planning at Spear Education (December 2-4, 2023): https://campus.speareducation.com/workshops/facially-generated-treatment-planning/details/syllabusMain Takeaways:Understand the difference between treatment planning and digital design.Digital still has some limitations for certain kinds of cases.Smile design software is not a treatment planning tool.Don't go fully digital until you master analog.Using software can lead you to overtreat.Quotes:“I love the idea behind [digital] of creating a motivational mock-up. So, when DSD or Dr. Christian [Coachman] talks about doing that, I think that's perfect. I absolutely agree with the whole concept of being able to motivate a patient to continue on and create the desire to do dentistry. Got it. The problem comes when you believe that is treatment planning — because it's not. It's a motivational mock-up to get people interested in doing something, but it tells you nothing about how to actually do the dentistry.” (4:46—5:34)“Digital designing doesn't show you how to treatment plan the case. It simply is a way of giving an illusion to a patient to create a desire to act, but it doesn't treatment plan the case. In fact, I would argue, in some cases, it actually does quite a bit of harm because unless you're skilled at treatment planning, you don't know what can and can't be accomplished. You just simply pick out the perfect place for a smile, and it doesn't matter if the teeth are going to actually work with that final smile at all, and it ends up creating the need for more dentistry, some dentistry that doesn't really need to be done. There are tons of problems...

Ever want a peak behind the dental curtain? Of DentalTown? Spear Education? Pankey & more? Join us - this is a very real talk with Drs. Tom Giacobbi and Gary DeWood. Oh ya - we'll share some Dental Economics and DentistryIQ secrets too. Knowledge is power!

Wow!  The DINKS especially enjoyed chatting with Dr. Mitrani!  What a phenomenal journey in dentistry he has had and an incredible clinician.  All dentists could use a little dose of  the empathy he has towards his patients.  Dr. Mitrani helps us understand where patients are emotionally, behaviourly and cognitively to help get the best diagnosis and treatment plan.Dr. Mitrani has authored many scientific articles and chapters in textbooks on implant prosthodontics and esthetic dentistry. He has given more than 500 lectures in 30 countries, maintains a private practice in Mexico City limited to prosthodontics and implants, serves as an instructor in Spear Seminars, frequently contributes to Spear Digest, and develops numerous lessons for Spear Online. Dr. Mitrani has authored many scientific articles and chapters in textbooks on implant prosthodontics and esthetic dentistry and has given more than 500 lectures in 30 countries.He maintains a private practice, Grupo Dental Bosques Oral Health & Smile Design, in Mexico City, limited to prosthodontics and implants.As a valued Spear Resident Faculty member 2016, Dr. Mitrani serves as an instructor in Spear seminars, frequently contributes to Spear Digest, and develops numerous lessons for Spear Online.On a personal note, Dr Mitrani has been happily married to his wife Sandra for 29 years and they have three amazing children. He is a music lover, a world traveler and considers himself a perpetual student!Instagram: @ricardomitrani @SpearEducationLearn more: http://www.speareducation.com/DINKSPodcastLimited time off of $200 off the Art of Treatment Planning and Case Acceptance.  Offer expires 12/13/2023& so much moreA bi-monthly podcast where we share the stories of our Caregivers, patients and...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Dr. Gregg Kinzer, Faculty Chairman serving as the Director of Curriculum and Campus Education at  Spear Education, joins the DINKS for this special Humpday Happy Hour.  Dr. Kinzer is a gifted academician and clinician who is committed to advancing the art and science of restorative dentistry. His interdisciplinary approach to dentistry is founded in empirical based research and clinical experience. Dr. Kinzer's unique ability to impart complex clinical processes in a logical, systematic and clear methodology differentiates him from other dental educators.  He has a private practice in Seattle, WA with his wife, Dr. Jill Kinzer. Their practice is world-renowned and listed as one the select 'Leading Dental Centers of the World'.  Live event: 11/15, 2023See a DINKY DEAL below for all listeners!AS A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR LISTENERS AND MEMBERS, SPEAR EDUCATION IS OFFERING $500 TOWARDS A SPEAR WORKSHOP IN 2024! THAT IS A HUGE OFFER AND WE ARE SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR LOYAL MEMBERS!Simply go tohttp://www.speareducation.com/dinksAnd don't be surprised if you see one of the hosts at one of their events very soon!

Webinar Description:Considering a shift from restorative dentistry? Tired of drills, fillings, and that ever-present backache? Dive into the world of sleep dentistry with our dynamic panel webinar. No crowns, no complaints—just sleep.Why go sleep-only?Transitioning means more than escaping the drill—it's about embracing a specialized, impactful niche. By addressing sleep disorders, you not only elevate patients' health but also revitalize your work-life balance. The rising demand in this field promises a lucrative horizon, all while fostering enriched collaborations with physicians. It's not merely a shift; it's a professional evolution.As a restorative dentist, you've got questions:What is the start-up cost?Is sleep-only financially viable?How do I get patients?Where do I find physician referrals?Watch as our panelists share their experience of how they made the PIVOT to sleep-only!Meet the Speakers!Dr. Steve Carstensen - Bellevue's sleep maestro, a trendsetter, and the benchmark of dental sleep medicine. Currently working at Bellevue's Premier Sleep Associates, he is the American Dental Association's consultant for sleep-related disorders, a role that showcases his vast expertise. Since gaining his DDS from Baylor College in 1983, he's immersed himself in sleep medicine, earning a fellowship with the Academy of General Dentists for his dedication to advanced learning. Dr. Carstensen isn't just a practitioner; he's a trailblazer. As the sleep education director at prestigious institutions like the Pankey Institute and Spear Education, he shapes the industry's future. Moreover, he holds an exclusive certification from the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine since 2006.Dr. Kent Smith - Over 10,000 sleep patients helped. Founder of the DSM Roundtable. A pinnacle of sleep in Texas! A cornerstone of Sleep Dallas has an illustrious 25-year career addressing sleep-breathing disorders across his two DFW locations. Double board-certified in dental sleep medicine and president of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, his influence extends globally, pioneering a sleep-disordered breathing curriculum and leading seminars worldwide. Beyond the clinic, he's deeply committed to family, cherishing scuba diving escapades with loved ones and ardently supporting Dallas sports teams. His expertise, paired with his approachable demeanor, ensures patients both the pinnacle of care and genuine warmth. Entrust your sleep to a professional who seamlessly merges excellence with empathy.Dr. Mark Murphy - A cocktail of humor and decades of sleep dentistry wisdom. He's not just here to speak; he's here to inspire. A Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine is the Lead Faculty for Clinical Education at ProSomnus® Sleep Technologies and the Principal of Funktional Consulting. He also serves on the Adjunct Faculty at the University of Detroit Mercy and oversees the Practice and Financial Management Curriculum at the Pankey Institute. He lectures internationally on Leadership, Practice Management, Communication, Case Acceptance, Planning, Occlusion, TMD and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Mark has been involved in Sleep Dentistry for over 25 years, is an AADSM member, and has trained with several of the leading sleep dentists and training institutes. He is an informative and entertaining speaker, blending a stand-up style of humor and anecdotes with current evidence-based research that you can take home and use in your practice right away.Thank you to our sponsors for making this education possible:Nierman Practice Management, ProSomnus Sleep Technologies, Kettenbach Dental, and Sleep Apnea Leads

New Thinking on How to Grow and Keep Great Team MembersEpisode #637 with Dr. Rebecca BockowYour practice isn't just your practice. It also belongs to the people who help you run it. Your team is the most valuable part of your business, and Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Rebecca Bockow, an instructor from Spear Education, to help make your practice the place they want to be. To learn how you can grow, nurture, and keep an amazing team, listen to Episode 637 of The Best Practices Show!Episode Resources:Follow Dr. Bockow on InstagramLearn more on Dr. Bockow's websiteSubscribe to The Best Practices Show podcastJoin ACT's To The Top Study ClubSee ACT's

Our guest, Dr. Jeffrey S. Rouse, D.D.S., is a distinguished figure in the world of dentistry. He's a private practitioner in San Antonio, Texas, but his career has spanned across various roles and locations, including a teaching stint at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ, and an adjunct professorship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.Dr. Rouse's journey began with general dentistry, followed by a specialization in Prosthodontics. He's an esteemed member of dental organizations and a published author, making significant contributions to the field.In this episode, we explore Dr. Rouse's dental journey, the often-overlooked biology in dentistry, shifts in dental education, and the various TMJ treatment perspectives. We also touch upon the distinctions between maxilla and mandible, common mistakes made by general dentists, and his personal experiences. Dr. Rouse emphasizes the importance of diversity in his mentorship program and discusses dental leadership.Join the conversation, where we uncover the transformative aspects of dentistry and gain valuable insights from his wealth of experience.We talk about:[0:00] Intro[04:02] Dr. Jeffrey Rouse's dental journey[09:28] The overlooked biology of dentistry[13:21] The changing landscape of dental education[16:14] Different TMJ camps[25:30] Maxilla vs. Mandible[28:30] What general dentists get wrong[32:56] Dr. Jeffrey's Rouse personal experience[36:55] Diversity in Dr. Rouse's mentorship program[45:17] Dental leadership[49:18] What's on the horizon for Dr. Jeffrey RouseResources mentioned:https://www.speareducation.com/study-club/module-details/id/169https://www.speareducation.com/study-club/module-details/id/179Connect with Dr. Jeffrey Rouse here:https://www.rousedds.com/Connect with Tiffany here:Courses: https://www.tmdcollective.online/https://www.tmdcollective.comhttps://www.instagram.com/tmd.collective/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tmdcollectiveSupport the show

Alan is joined by Dr. Matt Chesler, an endodontist practicing in Southern California. Matt has recently joined the Spear Education faculty where he's going to begin teaching clinical endo in Scottsdale! Matt's journey is an interesting one and we do, as advertised, give a lot of endo love! Matt has strong positive feelings about his dental training in the military and the Health Professionals Scholarship Program The new endodontics courses at Spear Education (who is it for--primarily GPs) Endodontics polarizes dentists (love/hate) Matt on the lit (hot teeth and blocks) Dental microscopes in endo vs. restorative What you'll learn from Matt at Spear (and yes, there is hands on!)  The part where Al forgets Dr. Doug Benting's name The importance of diagnosis and treatment planning in endo and how does CBCT change this? Are PA's useless in endo?  The value of referring a difficult person that's not necessarily a difficult root canal When is the best time to permanently seal a root canal access? (spoiler: while it's still under isolation) Which teeth are the toughest endo? (you might be surprised at his answer!) The endo-implant pendulum may be swinging back toward endo Endo/oral surgery and case selection bias Specialist confessional: what Matt would love to tell all his referrals The endodontist as "grim reaper" Some links from the show:  Predictability in Clinical Endodontics with Dr. Matt Chesler (at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ) Advanced Clinical Endodontics with Dr. Matt Chesler (at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ) AAE Case Difficulty Checklist Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

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: Damien BonnerBusiness Name: CAD-RayCheck out Damien's Media:Website: www.cad-ray.com Cloud-based Dentist CAD Software: https://www.clinux.pro/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cadraydentalDamien's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayorofkp/Email: damien@cad-ray.com‍Other Mentions and Links:PattersonCERECAlign TechnologyMedit Scanner3Shape TRIOSSpear EducationZoomTeamViewer‍Host: 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:Be careful with tech companies that sell products without healthy support. At CAD-Ray, they walk through it with you step by step, even offering assistance in the clinical realm.Patients want to see your cool new tech. Be sure to proudly display it in the office and give patients a chance to share on their social platforms!If you make the patient part of the process with your technology, they will love to share with their friends.Change is good, but too much change at once in your office can be tough on your team.If the team isn't 100% on board with the tech changes, the switch will go poorly. Be sure to show them the value of your new tech!‍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, Damien Bonner. Damien, how's it going? Damien: Good. Good. How are you? Michael: Doing pretty good, man. If you don't mind me asking, where are you Damien: located right now? well Actually right this second, I'm in New York, I'm a longtime native of New York, but moved to Florida market about 18 months ago, just up here visiting some family this week.Michael: Oh, okay. Moved to Florida just for funsies or like it was. Damien: I don't know if I want to get into all that too much politics, too much taxes, too much things in New York that uh, after 43 years of living here, I've had enough and uh, took the family and moved to what we thought was gonna be greener pastures.And, so far has been everything we thought it would be especially with the, uh, no state income tax on my, uh, salary. So very important for us. Nice, Michael: man. Awesome. So then, Damien, talk to us a little bit about your area of expertise. What Damien: specifically do you do? so I'm a believer in in your why and what your why is, Not so much what I do, it's why I do what I do. So my goal is to help every dentist become digital so that they can offer a higher level of, Thank you. Patient care and patient satisfaction for their patients. So what does that mean that I actually do? I sell digital technology in the dental space.I've been doing so since 2008. What Michael: type of digital technology do Damien: you sell? In 2008, I started with Patterson Dental as a CEREC specialist, so in office manufacturing, CAD CAM systems digital technology back in the day. Sarah was one of the only players, if not the only player in the marketplace.When I first started today that's obviously grown to many other technologies that offer digital scanning. Intraorally 3D comb beam technology practice management software, CAD software in office manufacturing. And now the big thing is that 3D printing. I went from being a specific CEREC specialist to now selling all the products I just mentioned.Yeah. Michael: Man, that's really good. So then how'd you get into this? Damien: by accident I was in the mortgage industry back in the early 2000. So if you've ever seen the movie the big uh, now I can't remember the name was the movie was but It was a movie about the mortgage industry and subprime lending.I was right in the middle of that noticed things pretty early on that I was making way too much money for doing way too little work and something wasn't right. lo and behold, the market crashed and. I went from a decent salary and commission to making 25, 000 a year.And I didn't want to go back to that part of my life where it was very based on the market, I wanted to do something that I felt was going to change people's lives for the better. And I think everybody needs. Dentistry in their lives. They should. And I had a friend who worked for a line technology and said, Hey, there's this product called Eric and uh, there's an opening.I think you should apply for it. So sort of how I got into it and no idea what I was doing and how I got into it, but haven't looked back one day. Man, Michael: so rewind a little bit. Talk to me about how you felt when you were at that oh man stuff is racking up as far as like bills and stuff like that.Damien: Yeah It's very demoralizing Hard on relationships Having to borrow money from my then girlfriend now wife to make ends meet but she stuck with me through everything realizing that you're at the highs, there's absolute highs and then there's the absolute lows. And I was definitely in a low and while starting in dentistry at 25, 000 a year and slowly building my gradual climb to a normal lifestyle.Was a slow and steady pace, but again, I haven't looked back since my mentor once told me that, you can be up here and down here and up down here and never have a steady aspect of life, but you can maintain the course and just gradually increase what you do. and that's where um, you know, I'm at today and that's how I try to live life is, not go for the gusto and, take life gradually and build upon that every day. I Michael: like that, man. That's really, really good. Really smart. So then the selling part of the digital technology. Do you feel like now there's less selling to do and more people are reaching out and like, hey, we need this, but there's more options?Or do you feel like now we still got to like teach show them like you need technology? Damien: Well, There's a lot of different technologies out there, and they're all great. There's, probably 30 different inter role scanners which needs to be the hot topic for most offices.Getting into digital technology is where they start that aspect. If you look at a practice in general, digital starts with the practice management. So you have your practice management. Which is full digital, at least, hopefully, at least, 95 percent or so have digital and they're not paper files anymore.And then it goes digital x ray, It's no more film turning that corner. From there, intral scanning seems to be the next logical step where panoramic x ray, 3D comb beam, something of that nature. And then comes in office manufacturing. So, We used to call it when I was at Patterson Dental, the digital waterfall of where you have your, 90 percent market share of doctors who are doing practice management digitally, then you have the next level, which was falling over from there.It would be your, digital x ray. And now that market is complete. So now we're back up here. And now we're still at that intro scanner market, which is probably in my estimation, 45 to 50 percent penetration into marketplace. So there's still a lot of dentists who don't have digital technology in their office in some format.We're starting to see that it's going to start shooting a lot higher, a lot more people adding the technology to their practice quicker but adding the right technology is the important aspect. And that's sort of where I come in. Again, when I worked for Patterson, I was selling 1 product.We were selling CEREC. And it was pretty much the only product available at the time, and it was 120, for a full system set up. Not something a lot of people wanted to partake in or invest in as time has gone on. There's been, internal scanners and some people. Who don't want to do in office manufacturing, so they send the files off to a laboratory digitally.The market was dictating that people didn't want to pay extra fees or high prices for these items. And so we at Cadre discovered Medit early on. Medit is an internal scanner that has no fees involved with price point when we first started selling was at 18, 000. So a price point that was unmatched in the industry for the most part without additional fees. that sort of broke down that barrier for a lot of people to start looking seriously at digital technology. and today we're the number one dealer of Medit in the world. We also have Trios. We have Shining 3D. I mean, it's not just, all our eggs in a basket of Medit, but the idea was that We could overcome the obstacle the barrier of many offices, which is cost with the product, as long as the product works and more importantly, we were able to support the product people would adopt to it pretty quickly.And so that it had grown to a point where they have a new system out. The I 700 came out a couple of years ago at an even better price point and even easier to use. And I think that sort of put the industry on notice to re look at their pricing and their fee structures. So a lot of the companies like 3Shape Trios uh, lowered their price, what cost you 41, only a year and a half ago, now cost you 21, 900 with no additional fees.If it has done anything for the industry, it's break down that barrier and also force other companies to look inward and redesign what they're doing. And so I know it's around about answer there, but to answer your question, there's still a lot of selling to do to doctors to make sure they make the right choice.I think they all know they need digital technology in their office at this point. I think, that they're all going to adopt to it, but making sure they adopt to the right one is where our job comes in. Michael: that's interesting. So then, if we rewind a little bit, you said Meta broke down big barriers, right?Big barriers and people were able to adopt it better. To you, what would be the biggest barrier then? Would it be the price point? Damien: Price is always the biggest barrier. again, I can bring it back to my CEREC days at 120, 000. Price is always going to play a factor in any decision anybody makes, whether it's buying a car, buying a house buying anything.Now I choke at spending 3 more for For avocado Chipotle. So price is an important factor for most people, but once you break that price barrier down, I feel it becomes about a mental state of, can I do this? Is it easy to use? And then it comes to, will I be supported? So not just for the sale, but after the sale and beyond the sale.And that's where we at Cadre sort of take over. To give you a little background on Cadre, if I can for a second. we're a distribution company now, since 2018. Again, Medit was our first product. But prior to that Cadre was started by our CEO and clinical advisor, Dr.Armin from Los Angeles. he's a one of the founders of sericdoctors. com. Which is now part of spear education. When he sold his aspect of that sericdoctors. com, he still wanted to maintain educating doctors and bring in technology to these doctors to... Show them what helps him in his practice and educate others, spread his love for technology his geekiness for the digital technology aspect.But one thing he always maintained was Cadre. Cadre was a digital implant planning company. So back when comb beams were 200, 000 and more he had the idea to start these scan centers where. Doctors would be in a metropolis area, like Chicago or la and they can send their patients in to get scanned.He would then take the file, planning the implant and send a surgical stent so that they can do digital implant planning without having to invest in a cone beam. Technology. Obviously, prices on cone beam have come down now. You can get into a cone beam for as low as $40,000. and do the planning yourself.So the scan aspect went away, but the digital planning was still a big part of the business, but education was always his biggest thing and trying to find a product that made sense to expand and educate doctors on was something that he was continuing to look for.So my former colleagues. Rich and John both worked with me at Patterson as CEREC specialists joined forces with Armin and created Cadre Distribution with the idea that we know what it takes to support a doctor. Again, education from Armin on the clinical side of, CEREC dentistry has always been his background.Rich, John, myself, a CEREC specialist for Patterson Dental for over 12 years. we know what it takes to support a doctor to make them successful. and we sort of felt that was where other companies fail. Anybody can sell the product, but supporting the product is the most important aspect. So when we started this venture, it was about the customer first, not about us, not about the product. In many ways, I feel like we're a education and support company first and a sales company second. And doctors noticed that. And we are very, very organic. Company in that we do no outbound marketing at all.Everything we've grown to become has been through social media and through referrals from doctors and you don't get referrals unless you do something really good. and our support with medit has allowed us to grow to where we are today to bring in other products and support our doctors.After so if you were to Google Cadre we have hundreds of five star reviews.Some people talk about the products we sell, but every single person talks about the service, support, and education they receive from us. And that's our calling card. So support is by far the most important aspect of what we do on a daily basis. Nice. Okay. Michael: So then some of the biggest barriers we talked about was like money.But then at the same time, I guess a great point is the support that's how referrals happen. Right. Like you said, Oh my God, they're fantastic. Not so much like, Oh yeah, they're cheap, but they suck. Right It's more like the referrals, their support is really, really great. So then you mentioned something about, Okay. you guys know what it takes to make a doctor successful. what does it take to support a doctor to be successful? Damien: Knowledge, obviously, right? So from a technical standpoint, be able to make sure their technology is working.So if they have an issue, they have one phone over to call. More importantly, they get a live human every single time. There's no numbers to press. Hey, enter your phone number. Let me put you on hold when you call our number. You're going to get a live human anytime between the hours of 8 a. m. and 8 p.m. East Coast time Monday through Friday. From there, that's the technical aspect. More importantly is the clinical aspect. we were virtual before virtual was cool during coven. So we started basically very slow as a virtual company where the beginning we were. Two sales reps and a CEO that was educating people.And we were able to reach anywhere in the country through zoom, like we're doing right now. So the idea of selling technology over zoom, instead of a knee to knee aspect or a clinical demo in an office was something sort of new at the time obviously it's changed now where it's a very um, status quo for most companies, it was, new at the time.so being able to utilize the tools like zoom and team viewer to support the doctors was very important. So one zoom to educate them and train them and then to the team viewer aspect. So we have all sat chair side digitally. In a dental office even our support team. Now, as we've grown, we've brought them in.They have all been dental assistants who have sat chair side. So we speak the lingo. We know the procedures. So at any time the doctor is doing, let's say the 1st implant scan and they need help. not just going to offer them technical help. We're going to log in with them and sit virtually chair side with them and support them to that case.Hey, this is where you need to go next. Okay. You need a better scan of that area. And make them feel comfortable in doing those cases. And we can do that anywhere in the world, at any time, between the hours of 8 and 8, of course. but that's the important factors. Yes, companies can offer technical support, but where they fall, sometimes it's in that clinical aspect.And that's where we take over. Gotcha. Michael: So it kind of leads to my next question. What can a practice owner, a dentist, do today in your opinion, to improve their marketing or their business? Damien: I've always been a believer that if you build it, they will come digital technology in general has been ingrained in me and I've been great at my doctors and I've seen practices grow by adding digital technology.not for just from an overhead perspective. Hey, we're going to cut costs here, or we're going to be able to mail in office and cut down our procedures. But. Referral word of mouth from digital technology, the patient base, I believe, is getting younger and smarter. They know technology, they want to see technology for me growing up I'm 46, my 1st dentist, it was a rotary instrument dentist with you know, big octopus looking thing coming at me.Those things are ingrained in my memory and my kids. Today they go to the dentist with no issues because they like to see the technology and they're not afraid of what's going to happen to them. I fully believe that adding digital technology, no matter how little or how big is definitely helpful to help build that patient base and garner more attention to your practice.Gotcha. Michael: Have you seen any of all the practices you work with, any of the practices where they market the technology in like a unique or smart way or, Damien: or what do you think? well, I mean, social media obviously is a big thing and, you know, especially with tick tock videos and instagram. There's a lot of great information out there now. But back when I first started, there wasn't social media aspect and everyone's doing social media now for the most part.But, displaying your technology, being proud of the technology, bringing patients through 1 thing that I've learned. Walking into thousands of dental offices is that not every single dental office is the same. There's offices that have wood paneling on the walls. They're very old. Nothing wrong with them.Not, knocking the dentistry that's done in those offices, but are they pleasing to the eye? No. And then I've seen offices that are absolutely gorgeous and have no patients. where's the difference there? Where does it lie? And totally always believe it lies in the doctor and the bedside manner of that doctor.And their staff more importantly but I'll ask meeting a new friend or whatever. Ask who their dentist is. And they tell me and I go, oh, okay why do you choose them? I know the office and I've seen the office and I've seen the dentistry that comes out of the office sometimes.And I'm like, all right, I probably wouldn't send my friends and family there, but I'm interested to know why you go there. And, they say it's I've been going there for years, or I just doctors so nice and doesn't oversell me on things. And, it's important to them, but they've also never stepped into another dental office.I'm sure if they walked into a beautiful boutique dental office, they might change their mind of who they see just based on looks. Doesn't necessarily mean they're pumping out great dentistry. But displaying the technology getting people to know that technology exists through marketing digital social media, not so much paid ads.again, personally speaking from my point of view, I think, Facebook ads and social media ads are a waste of money. I think there's a lot of clickbait and a lot of farmers out there that just take your money and people that you want to see really aren't seeing it you think they are.but just through organic social posts and shares I always love the viral videos but, to go back to your original question.Yeah, just marketing technology putting it on display. If you have 3D printer, it's really cool technology. Why not put it where patients can see it and see what's happening or a milling unit in the office, putting it somewhere on display behind a glass case. Patients can see their tooth being made they'll take their phone out.They'll go right up to it. They'll take a video, put it on their social media. And then share it to their friends and family. It's a really cool experience when you see that happen. it happens time and time again when you actually make the patient part of the process. They're always going to pull their phone out and video it.Michael: Yeah, I like that, make the patient part of their process. It's really interesting. now these next questions are just to get into the head of someone who isn't totally involved on the clinical side of dentistry, Working in their mouth every single day. What would you, Damien, like to see more from a Damien: dentist?not to be afraid of adding technology come to courses and learn. I think we fell out of the realm during covid of people attending trade shows and courses and starting to come back a little bit at the trade shows doing lately, seeing more people out there, but definitely not where it was.7 years ago I think that doctors, there's only so much you can learn online and that you need to get out there and learn things in person especially with the C courses, they take the required courses. They take some ancillary courses that you may want to take, but I think anything that you get hands on with.We'll change how they feel about certain things. So if you're curious about digital technologies, definitely take a hands on type course. So you can involve yourself in the dentistry that you want to do. Or thinking about doing not just learning online because it's a big difference when you get to see it, feel it, touch it.Then when you are just, reading something online or reading a Facebook post as many people do. Michael: Yeah. You mentioned afraid, like have you noticed that like a lot of people are afraid to add technology their practice? So why? Damien: Again, it's, it comes down to their mindset. the barrier of prices, I don't think any longer there because it makes more sense to invest in technology than it is to continue to do the analog processes just from a financial aspect.That makes sense. I think from a team perspective is where most people have a hiccup. Whether they don't want to make changes on their team or the team is resistant to change. What I found time and time again is if your team is not on board, you're going to fail with the technology. So having the proper mindset going in with your team is of utmost importance in my opinion.Michael: Okay. And then right now, what do you dislike or Damien: hate about dentistry? There's nothing I really dislike about dentistry. In general, from my perspective, from a patient perspective I hate dental insurance. I see so many people letting dental insurance dictate their all care not doing certain procedures because the dental insurance is not paying for it's not health insurance and while it's nice to have a little discount with your insurance. I would never let that dictate my oral care. If I need something done, I want to get it done, but many patients don't understand that. And, I think it's an education aspect of the patient to let them understand what insurance actually is in the dental world and what it covers and what it doesn't cover.But I see it time and time again where, patients go to get their teeth pulled versus getting an implant because that's what the insurance is paying for. And they don't realize how important their teeth are. So I think education for the patient is the most important aspect of that. Michael: Yeah.No, a hundred percent. Yeah. I agree. And then what needs to change? In your opinion, for people to be more open to dentistry. Damien: I think it's starting to change now just because the population is getting younger and more aware. There's a lot more research going on with overall body health leading from the oral cavity. And, you know, there's a lot of airway issues going on and breathing issues that lead to high blood pressure and other health factors. and they're starting to. Realize that and put a positive spin on dentistry. I think there's a lot of negativity towards dentistry, especially from the patient population when it comes to cost. but I think as the patient population gets younger, starting to realize how important things are that go on inside the mouth and we're starting to see a change there, at least in my opinion.Michael: No, yeah, I agree. I agree 100%. We're starting to see that pivot. Right now, any final pieces of advice or suggestions you'd like to give to our listeners, specifically like startups, people who are practice owners. Damien: So for us, especially with startups and, younger dentists we believe, or I believe especially that we need to meet the doctor where they are today.It's nice to sell about the future. But I don't want to oversell a doctor on an idea or a promise that I can't manufacture for them. What I mean by that is if you're starting practice and you want to add technology, you may think you need a milling unit. You may think you need a printer and a scanner, All at once start with one. technology is still going to be there when you're ready to buy the rest of it. But especially from the team perspective. Change is always good in my opinion, but too much change at once could have a negative impact on a practice. And so if you're getting into digital technology, start with the scanner, start with a comb beam and then go from there.Once you master those things and realize the investment on those products, then you can add the other products. we're all sales reps at the end of the day at Cadre. But it's not about us. It's about the doctor at the end of the day and what's right for them. So don't overbuy buy what you feel comfortable with and get into that mindset of you can always add things on later on.Nice. I like Michael: that. Damien, I appreciate your time. And if anyone has further questions or they want to reach out to you, where can they find Damien: you? You can go to cadray. com. You can reach me personally at Damien, D A M I E N at cad ray. com. And I'm sure you can find me in any social media group involving, dental. I'll be, uh, commenting typically in any digital technology group. So if you haven't heard of me stay out of the group. So you'll, get annoyed by me. Michael: No, they haven't. Now they have, man. Now they have heard of you. So awesome, Damian. We appreciate your time, man. It's been a pleasure and we'll hear from you Damien: soon.Sounds great. Thank you so much for the time.‍

Alan is joined by orthodontist Dr. Tyler Rathburn to talk about the state of orthodontics in 2023 as well has the new workshop that he'll be teaching at Spear Education! This wide ranging conversation covered a lot of ground. Some of the highlights: Growing up in an orthodontic office The orthodontist that had ortho as a kid Dentists having ortho on themselves...more knowledge = more treatment How Tyler became Spear Education faculty (there is a CerecDoctors connection!)  As expected, the Spear ortho curriculum focuses a LOT on diagnosis and treatment planning as well as aligners Both workshops will incorporate hands on! Who should be taking this course? Learning orthodontic case selection Specialists feeling protective vs. generalists biting off more than they can chew "Don't be the dentist that only calls their orthodontist when they're in trouble." Aligners have been pushed by marketing and technology...we need knowledge driving treatment Are aligners overused? Aligners and compliance "12 year old boys are dirtbags." Materials changes are going to make aligners even more useful Appliance selection is always last Aligners are a tool in the box, not the end of of orthodontic therapies Orthodontists and airway...a challenge moving forward Treating faces and skeletons vs. "just moving teeth" Some links from the show: Fundamentals of Orthodontic Aligners in Clinical Practice at Spear Education Advanced Orthodontic Aligner Use at Spear Education Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

A couple years ago I was asked to host a round table featuring the amazing faculty of Spear Education. In this throwback episode I was joined by Dr. Gregg Kinzer, Dr. Jeff Rouse, Dr. Ricardo Mitrani and Dr. Bob Winter to discuss a wide variety of topics! You're going to learn a bunch of stuff that you hadn't heard about these visionaries! As always, it's obvious how much affection these guys have for each other and it makes it pretty entertaining to listen to! Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

Ovate pontics are what you choose when you want the best aesthetics for fixed dental bridges - but how do you go about prescribing this to your lab? https://youtu.be/ffg0gX4L8ng Watch PDP158 on Youtube How do you carry out 'pontic site development' and how can you assess the soft tissues for suitability? Get your onions ready, Protruserati, it's another cracker with that man Dr Jason Smithson who will make ovate pontics tangible. We've also made a kick-ass infographic for you to download alongside 2 PDFs recommended by Dr Jason Smithson, summarising all that Dr Smithson taught on this episode. [Also available in the Protrusive Vault for premium subscribers] Protrusive Dental Pearl: Jaz's Rule for Resin Bonded Bridges For Metal winged adhesive bridges, do not accept more than 1 compromise For Zirconia RBBs, do not accept any compromises! Examples of compromises: small abutment teeth (and thus smaller surface area for bonding), poor quality enamel, awkward path of insertion, dodgy occlusions etc Join us on Saturday 30th September for Occlusion and Communication Day at London Heathrow - amazing speakers on 2 huge topics! As promised, check out the PDF on Ovate Pontics by Professor Bill Robbins and more about the E-Pontic here. Learn more from Dr Jason Smithson and his Restorative Programme. Also, check out his courses with Spear Education. Highlights from this episode to follow. Robbins Ovate Pontics PDFDownload If you enjoyed this episode, you will also like PDP132 Success with Resin Bonded Bridges Did you know? You can get CPD from the Web App or Phone App and watch premium clinical videos, for less than a tax deductible Nando's per month?

In this episode of Jaw Talk, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Rebecca Bockow, a remarkable dual-trained orthodontist and periodontist, who is the only dual-trained provider in Seattle and one of only a handful in the country.Dr. Bockow is not only a skilled practitioner but also a passionate educator. She regularly lectures nationally and abroad on topics such as periodontics, orthodontics, interdisciplinary orthodontics, airway, and skeletal growth and development. Her dedication to sharing knowledge extends to contributing to multiple professional journals as an author and editor. As resident faculty at Spear Education, Dr. Bockow continues to inspire and train the next generation of dental professionals.In this episode, she shares insights into interdisciplinary dentistry, the shift towards airway-focused care, and the importance of early intervention and growth guidance in establishing a solid foundation for oral health. Dr. Bockow also discusses the interplay between posture, musculoskeletal system, and dental health, and the power of collaboration in providing comprehensive patient care. Tune in to gain valuable insights from an esteemed expert in the field of dentistry.We talk about:[0:00] Intro[02:42] Dr. Bockow's path to interdisciplinary dentistry[05:47] The shift to airway dentistry[07:38] Intervention and growth guidance from an early age[13:41] The interplay between posture, musculoskeletal system, and dental health[15:26] Navigating the interdisciplinary workflow[19:52] Balancing the benefits of modern imaging[25:22] Exploring educational opportunities[26:50] Addressing signs of disrupted sleep and airway issues in children [30:30] What Dr. Bockow is excited for[32:28] Enhancing patient care through collaboration[34:38] Biggest myth in orthodontiaConnect with Dr. Bockow here:https://inspiredortho.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-bockow-b7467235/Course: https://www.arnettgunson.com/healthy-growth-healthy-faces-seattleConnect with Tiffany here:https://www.tmdcollective.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/tmdcollectiveSupport the show

Do you want to attract new patients immediately, increase your brand awareness, and be seen as the "Go To" practice in your community? Then start doing Ground Marketing today! Our Ground Marketing course offers a range of actionable strategies that will help you attract patients from your local restaurants, gyms, corporate locations, and small businesses in your area! With step-by-step scripts, foolproof plans, and real-time video demonstrations, you'll master the art of effectively engaging with your local community to attract new patients effortlessly. Click this link to begin your transformative journey with our Ground Marketing Course now! https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/the-ground-marketing-course-open-enrollment/‍‍Guest: Syed ShahabuddinPractice Name: 311 DentalCheck out Sundar's Media:Website: http://www.311dental.comEmail: 311dentalfam@gmail.com‍Other Mentions and Links:VenmoStudio8e8Heartland DentalKool-AidFerrariToyota CorollaMaseratiDr. Farhan MominJoe Ross and Associates - Real Estate BrokerUPSA-dec ChairSpear EducationCareStackCMOShare MarketingMVP MailhouseContagious - Jonah Berger‍‍For more helpful tips, strategies, ideas, and marketing advice:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedentalmarketer/‍The Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041‍‍My Key Takeaways:Performing a happiness exercise can be a great way to find what's really important in your life and align your values for the future!It is a privilege for us to see patients every day, so show them that they matter with a warm greeting and recognition!You do NOT need the most fancy piece of dental gear to impress patients. Get something they will actually talk about like a massage chair!All team members need to buy into the vision of the practice. When everyone brings their ideas and support to the practice, that's where it really shines.Personal touch can be lost in the fast-paced lifestyle of corporate dentistry. Honing in on one practice can really nurture and develop quality relationships with patients.‍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. Saed Shaha. Budin. Saed. How's it going? Syed: It's going well, man. I'm blessed. Blessed to be here. Thanks for having me, Michael: man. What do we gotta do to get one of them shirts?Syed: It's a tough uh, a tough ask man. That's where I got 'em from. Oh, Michael: nice man. Syed: Nice. I like that bunch brand new materials, man. This is just the beginning. This is, this is just the beginning. Yeah. Studio Michael: 88 made that for you, right? Syed: Studio 88 did the logo for me. Yeah. So I can't take any credit. I chose it. So I guess that takes some work, but yeah.Michael: Yeah. That's a big decision. Yeah, no, that's true. But also say, can you tell us a little bit about your past, your present, how'd you get to where you are today? Syed: Sure man. I'd love to. So, I grew up in Chicago land, Chicago land area, about 40 minutes west of city of Chicago. In the suburbs. You know, one of the only brown kids in my entire class.Always had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, always had some prove, you know, grew up. I wanted to always be I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Weird thing for a kid to want to be, but my uncle was a psychiatrist and I just saw the kind of respect that people gave him. He had his own business and I knew that he talked to, you know, his business was dealing with people and talking to people, and I loved that.And that's really kind of what I wanted. Started a little, learn a little bit more about that and decided, nah, actually that's not what I wanna do. The field isn't what I thought it was. You know, you're kind of just pushing pills more than anything. But I, I can say that my sister's like psychiatrist have, at the same time that I was like, you know, late high school I was getting braces.My orthodontist, I don't know how, what kind of language I could use on this. But he wasn't a very, like, he wasn't, he was nice, but he was kind of like full himself. So he I mean, I would go in and I'm a 16 year old kid, and this guy was just your typical uh, like Indian guy who always wishes that he wasn't Indian, he wishes he was white, you know, one of those guys.So I have vivid memories of going in there and him just bragging about his life and where he is and where, how he got there. You see that girl up front? That white girl, that's my wife. And I'm like, okay. he pulled out his appointment book. He goes, look at all these patients. They all pay me $200 a month.And I'm like, okay. He's like, see that car up there? That's mine anyway. Full of himself. Right? And I was like, man, this guy, I never wanna, I don't wanna be this guy. But when he would talk to me about why my mouth was the way that it was, I had some crazy issues. You know, I looked like a vampire canine teeth coming in weird ways.He would talk to me about why my mouth did that, how my teeth got to where they were. And I just thought it was like, I thought that was so cool. And I was fascinated. So I was like, I wanna do this butt be this guy. So, that started my fascination with dentistry, man. You know, fast forward through college, I thought about nothing else.I didn't have any backup plans. If I didn't get to dental school, I was gonna be a hand model in California or something. I didn't have anything. I had nothing planned. So, yeah, man. Went to dental school in Indiana. I feel weird just talking this long by myself, man, by the way. But Michael: you're like, I've never done.You feel like you're orthodontist guy. Yeah, Syed: man, man, we're going full circle here. That's crazy that Michael: he was like that though, that he was real quick. Backspace a little bit though. Psychiatry. When was the pivoting point where you're like, Nope, nevermind. Syed: Good question. I, I just started to learn more about it and it was late.And I just like, sat with my uncle and asked him like, what's, you know, what's like your life? Like, what's the day in the life like for you? And it's a lot less, I mean, what I realized is that I wanted to be something more of like a counselor or like a psychologist rather than a psychiatrist, because you spend like a couple minutes with the patient, I would hear him on phone calls and a phone call goes like this.You know, this is Dr. Whatever. Dr. S. Yeah. What's going on? Okay. That medication's not working for you. Okay, let's try this other medication. I'll call it in for you. That's like mainly your conversation with patients. Sometimes it's like, okay, and they're very like, just deadpan. Okay. Yeah. You're thinking about hurting yourself.Okay, let me get you started on this other medication. And that's all it is. It's a lot less of like, you know, Tell what, what's your, how are you feeling and what all that kind of stuff. I dunno, the, the connection isn't really there the way that I thought it would be, at least not for adult psych. Mm-hmm.You know? that was the pivot when I was just like, it's kinda, you know, it's not what I thought. Yeah. It's not what, so you've always kind of had like any psychiatrist out there. If you're a psychiatrist, man, do your thing. I can't do it. Michael: I can't, you know, you've always kind been, or it sounds like, I dunno if you've always, but like, You wanted to help, but more like on the internal, you know what I'm talking about?Syed: Yeah. Michael: Yeah. So why, why did, why did dentistry Syed: have, how did that happen? I was fascinated by the science of it. My parents were typical Indian parents. We barely went to the dentist, like barely ever. But I just was like, I know I wanna do something, help. Because I wanted to make people feel better.But I also wanted to have that connection. So like general medicine was kind of in the back of my mind, but then I started looking into dentistry as well. And I dunno, there, I think there was a website or something that I saw and it's talked about pros and cons of being a dentist and all that jazz.So I was looking into this, you know, looking into, started looking into it and I was like, this is it. Own your own business, which is a big thing as well. I wanted to do. Big, huge part of wanting, wanting to be a dentist, and you build connections with people and you can make them feel better pretty easily.So yeah, man. Michael: Okay, nice man. So then fast forward and then you decided to open up your practice. How long were you an associate or working for an Syed: associateship? Yeah, good question, man. There's a story there, but Graduated in 2017. I worked for Heartland Dental, big Corporate.Mm-hmm. Dentistry they're like almost double the size I feel like, than they were when I started working with them. Worked with them for four years and then moved back to Chicagoland area. When I was working for them, the first, I really only had a plan to work with them for like a year, and I'm like, I'm just gonna work with them for a year, maybe learn some things, get my speed up, and then I'm go do my own thing somewhere.I lost track of the vision. the vision was I wanna have my own business. I wanna be a leader. I wanna have my own practice throughout dental school. This is what I was thinking. And I'm like, you know, everything that I was learning at dental school, additional CE and stuff that I was doing in dental school, additional leadership, things I was learning was all to set me up for that.But when you work for a place like like Heartland, again, I'm not trying to throw shade, but you drink the Heartland Kool-Aid, everybody tells you there's no way out of this corporate thing. You gotta work with us and this is the best option. All these people who have practices, they're gonna be gone.We're gonna buy them all out, all that jazz. And it was just, you know, I was just listening to it and I should have paid no money to it, you know? So I lost track of the vision, when I was working for them. Michael: Okay, so when did you snap back into reality, I guess you can say, and been like, nah, man, like, I'm gonna do my own thing.Syed: That's a good question, man. You're a good interviewer. Can we just take a second? AppreciateMichael: that'll. I'll Venmo you somebody later. Yeah, yeah. Cool, cool, cool. Syed: Corny, I did a happiness exercise. My wife and I did a happiness exercise. This is what the exercise is, and I always advise everyone to do this Wherever you are in life, whether you've already started working, or you haven't started working, you haven't even thought of your profession yet, here's the exercise.Sit down, think very, very deeply about everything that you need in life to be happy. Everything that. Money, what kind of money you wanna make? What kind of material things do you wanna do? You want a Ferrari? Are you okay with a Corolla? What kind of house do you want? What kind of life do you want? Do you wanna have free time?Do you wanna go and travel? Do you wanna have time with your family? You wanna live close to family? All of that jazz, literally everything. And take like a full day and just do that. And then you have a vision. You have a life that you've built out for yourself in the future. You've decided these are the things that are gonna make me happy and just never compromise on those things. What happens is you get caught up in the chase. I'm sure that you know, you can sympathize. I'm sure that a lot of you guys can sympathize.You get caught up. This other person, this other, this friend that I went to dental school with is now they have three practices and I'm still here as an associate or whatever it is. You know, my friend who was went into, didn't even go to college, is driving a freaking Maserati and I'm out here with my whatever, it's, the chase clouds you here and it's it's dangerous because it keeps you from again, You lose track of your vision.What's gonna keep me happy? What do I need to be happy? So, in that list that I wrote up was living close to my family. I didn't live close family when I was working with Heartland, having my own thing, I would, that wasn't the case for me. So just a whole list of things, Michael: you know. That's interesting. besides that, besides owning your business and living close to family?What were some of the things that you needed or you need to be happy? Syed: I need to be fulfilled in what I'm doing, and part of that involves just providing like a great patient experience that, I can only do if I'm doing my own thing. So that's one thing is being fulfilled, you know, in my job, I'm not even gonna mention the the money thing because I'm making my less money right now and probably will be for a year than when I was working with Heartland, probably for the next three years, to be honest with you.But I had a number in mind and it's actually, it doesn't cost that much to, to keep me happy. Personally. I wanted to be stress free and be able to spend time with my wife, like a lot of time with my wife and not just like two, three hours in a day. I needed to be close to my parents.there's a lot on the list, but Yeah, I dunno. Okay, Michael: man. No, it's good. Its good now. No, it's good. It's good. Like, uh, right now, does your wife work with you or no? Yeah. Okay. So you're close, right? Yeah. Like it's good. Yeah. And then so the other stuff is I can't get away from her, you know?You don't want to either, man. It's nice like, yeah. Yeah. That's good. It's good that you're, you know what I mean? You did a happiness test and like realized and pivoted. How easy has this process been? So let me ask you like, When did you start looking for locations? Syed: I started looking for locations. It would've been around like May, June last year. Officially started like, kind of like looking at locations and turning off the idea of buying a practice and then turned to the idea of starting out my own. Oh, so you were looking Michael: for an acquisition first?I was. did you not find one that you were looking for or? Syed: yeah, partly that is part of the thing. For the longest time. So I'm really risk averse. I mean, this is the biggest risk I've ever taken in my life. I really try to make calculated decisions and I play it safe.Like I play it really safe. So my first thought was if I'm gonna have, if I'm gonna buy, if I'm gonna get a, have a practice of my own, I want something that's already established where I already know it's gonna be successful. I already know there's a guaranteed income already coming in. There's patients already there.So, I started looking into different brokers and talking to them about what kind of practice did they had and nothing was it, you know? and then I started realizing, as I talked to like more and more people outside of brokers, the way that the dental market is the, for offices, there's a couple of people, especially if you're in a big city like I am, Chicagoland.There's a couple of people who have, the brokers have them on speed dial because they're gonna offer the best price. And Heartland Dental's one of them, all these corporate places, you hard to compete with those people. If you don't have that kinda capital, you don't have anything to really show for it, you know?So, the only other option really was to then hit up dentists who are gonna retire or people practices that I liked, and then tell them, Hey, when you retire, would you be open to me buying this practice? Okay, when are you gonna retire? Two, three years? Two outside of my time zone, you know, it was like it was gonna take too long.Had a conversation with a friend of Farhan. I'm gonna shout. He was gonna start up a practice and I was gonna buy a practice. We had that conversation and we flipped. He bought a practice and then I started up my own practice. Mm-hmm. Cause he was just like, these are the, here's the pearls for having a practice, start a practice.Like you can set everything. That sounds really good. That sounds awesome. It's gonna take some time, but it's my own thing and I made every decision and it's a startup and it's something I'm always, I mean, it's sounds like it's a lot of fun. And he just realized like, I don't think I wanna do that. I think I just wanna buy something more established.It was weird. We did this 180 thing, both of us, but Michael: So then you found the location, you, was it immediately the first location you found, or were you like, Syed: no.Yeah, I worked with I worked with a couple of real estate brokers here. Dental real estate brokers. Mm-hmm. Actually not just dental, but health. Joe Ross and Associates. I gotta give him a shout out. They gave me kind of like a list of all the places that were sort of available and I went and checked out a bunch and I was like, okay, sure.Yeah. Maybe this one. Maybe this one. They checked some of the boxes. They weren't checking all of them, but I was like, I have to. And then I just went on a drive one day and I just found this spot here and it's the perfect size widthwise that I wanted. And it looked nice. Like it relatively new built like 10 years ago, I think, 19 years ago in the location that I wanted.before we scouted locations, my wife and I made dental appointments at a bunch of offices. Like in the area, and I was like, okay, I know what my competition is now. Yeah. Hold on, hold on. Michael: Why'd you do that? Why'd, why'd you, what was the point of that? Syed: The point of it was to, I'm always trying to learn.I'm always trying to improve. I picked up little things here and there from some of these places. Like, a little thing that I put into the patient experience here, but mostly to see, okay, what is my real competition care if I open up? Is there somebody down the street who's gonna do a better job than I'm?And if that's the case, I can't have confidence in myself and if I can't have confidence in myself, how is anybody else? But, so that's, that was kinda the reason why I did that. did you go, Michael: you went to these locations and got the, Syed: my wife and I did. Yeah. What were some of the things you Michael: picked up?Syed: One of the places that I went to wasn't even in the areas that I was looking at, but they're a huge name in Chicago, land area. I won't say their name. Mm-hmm. But they're a huge name here and you've probably heard of them and everybody probably has. their design was incredible. It was impeccable.Whoever is designing those offices, freaking kudos to you. And there was a lot of stuff like, they're really like one of. Cool offices, you know, so they had little, little things that I was like, that's, that's a thing that I'm gonna try to put incorporate later on, you know? But then there was things about the patient experience that I didn't enjoy.And the sad reality is that, single location practices are kind of few and far in between. That I have found, at least in the big city like Chicagoland, even that place that I'm talking about has like seven locations. They're opening their seventh and eighth location, and when that happens, man, the patient experience just falls by the wayside because the owner of the practice, the, the person who has the most stake in that business is not in the practice.And when that's not the case, then who's overseeing this? Somebody that you just pay. An office manager or somebody, they don't have the same stake in the practice as you do as a practice owner. So yeah, that stuff just falls by the wayside. And then you, you know, because the patient experience is suffering, now you gotta, now you've gotta compromise on cost for things.You gotta compromise on the time you spend with patients. It's all related. Mm-hmm. It's all related. So then you gotta change the vision for your whole practice and. I'm just gonna start thinking now mold seven, eight locations and just getting my profit that way versus just honing in on that one practice and providing the best experience.That's just kind of what I have seen working with the corporate places that working with Heartland that I, you know, I did for four years and then just kind of looking around and being like, look, there's a practice here quarter of a mile down the way, literally two minutes you turn here and there's another practice there.Three on the street over here. There's like so many practices that are around here, and every single one of them is one of X locations, and the patient experience is not there, you know? Mm-hmm. So that was my vision now then was to, I'm just going to hone in on that and that's what's gonna be, that's what's gonna be our shake.It's gonna take us a little time to get there. In terms of, success, let's call it. But if my patient experience is the way that I have envisioned it and the way that my team has envisioned it, we've come up with it together, people will be happy So then Michael: when it came to the specific things like the design, what was it like? You're like, I'm gonna, what was it, what was it and the design that you're like, I'm gonna take that, and what was it where you're like, dang, they're patient experience cause of this specific thing sucks. Syed: Design was the way that they engaged, like social media was a thing.Mm. I was like, I wanna do that. Cause people want that. People would love for their dentist to have that. So this is the way that they engaged with their audience was good. Like, there were hashtags things, there were QR codes everywhere. Why are my teeth bleeding? QR code? It takes it to a video of theirs.You know, it was like that kind of stuff. Mm-hmm. So that's down the line. That's where I'm going. That's where I would like, I would love to have that kinda thing. The list of things that I picked up that were negative is way longer. as simple as when you walk in, are people even noticing you?Mm-hmm. Are they taking you for granted as a patient? Do they appreciate you as a patient or are they just like, yeah. we're here and it's a priv, it's your privilege to be here and have an appointment with us. It's really the opposite. I mean, our field has changed. It's more customer service oriented and you have to have the mindset because it's true that it's our privilege to treat any of these people.It's our privilege. So that they let the, that they let us put our hands in their mouths and, for even to have 'em sit in the chair, we spend the money to get them in. so you have to realize that it's a privilege to see patients. And I didn't treat, I didn't, I wasn't treated that way when I was at these places.Like I walk in nice. Two gals at the front, none of them acknowledged me. I went up and I'm like, Hey, they're like looking up to me bored and not fulfilled with their jobs. So they're just like, yeah, can I help you? I'm like, yeah, I got an appointment. what do you mean? What do you think I'm doing over here? selling you watches? Like what do you think is happening I have an appointment. My name looks like it might beha. Just do your little research, you know? Little things like that, There was just no clarity on who's gonna even see me and who's gonna do my cleaning.Like Mm. Just it was clear that it was the male, you know? And then after I come in, there were like 10 people who came in after me. People were waiting. Wow. Michael: so then you mentioned something you're like, I'm gonna keep doing, I want to hone in on this, which is the patient experience, right.Until you reach success, what's success look like to you? Syed: Great question. Success for me is we are able to provide care for a lot of people and not compromise on our patient experience. That's success to me. And I pay my bills. pay my bills and I keep myself happy and my wife happy. and that's really it.That's success to me is being able to provide patient experience, enough that I am happy and my staff is happy and my patients are happy. That's vague. I know. And I'm sorry, but, I don't know if I have a number in mind, you know, but what's your, what's your breakeven number? there's some things that I spent a lot of money on.There's some things I did not spend a lot of money on, but, per month it's around like $35,000 would be breakeven. Michael: Okay. Okay. So Syed: it's for a seven operatory location, 2200 square feet. Uh, Around there, you know, that's including, that's the loan, that's everybody's salary and included, excluding mine, Which, yeah, I mean, I saved up some money. I'm not paying myself really a lot. Yeah. I pay myself a little bit, but I'm not paying myself a lot. Yeah. I'm paying myself, my wife and I on the same salary. Michael: Okay. Gotcha. Gotcha. When it comes to, uh, what you spent a lot on, in little on, what was that? Syed: I don't even say a lot.I spend money on things that when people come into the office, it's the things that they talk about. I got a massage chair. Mm-hmm. Um, It's not a lot. It's $1,600. One of my, one of my chairs is $7,000. My dental chair at $7,000. So like what's $1,600? Anybody who comes in? The UPS guy. Anybody who delivers anything.My cleaning people when they come in, Patients when they walk in, they walk when we're giving them the tour, I don't even point out to massage chair. They walk by and they, they walk like this and then they go, what is that? And they do a double take I'm like, well massage. What is that about?I'm like, if you have to wait a long time, I don't want you to have a bad experience. You can sit in the massage chair or even after today. Why don't you sit right now? And I give 15 minutes in massage chair and walk out and. where do I sign up? It's small things like, dude, I, I have sat in my chair, massage chair like once, but and it's a great one, but it was just an Amazon massage chair.It's nothing special. But one of the things I learned is that if you just go, if patients expect this, you just gotta be just right, just right above that and they're gonna be minds blown minds. Mm-hmm. You know? Thousands of dollars on 3D printers and all of this stuff. Some of it to market to patients.I mean, if you're gonna use it, do your thing. I mean, I'm probably gonna get one too eventually. But they just like spend all this money on things that, for the patient experience that patients never pick up on. Like if ate a chair. Mm-hmm. Chair, it's not me. If you do it, that's cool. A deck. No shade, but I just didn't feel like patients ever cared.I've been in offices where there were eight egg chairs and patients never mentioned it once, but my cheap chair has a $500 massage in it. And patients comment on that all the time. Yeah, just like these little balloons that rise and fall behind you, like right here. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. They just love it.They love it, man. So, the things I spent a lot of money on were, I didn't even, I negotiated. Tenant improvement. I didn't even negotiate rent. I was like, whatever your rent number is, that's fine. I'm probably paying a lot for this area. It's gonna be like rent and my maintenance stuff in by close to $9,000.Mm-hmm. So I don't know if that's a lot or not, but I I feel like it's, Michael: yeah. $9,000. Yeah. Yeah it is. Okay. So then these are some of the things I like that the, the cook for marketing, the massage chair. Right. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah. It's really, really interesting. Yeah. When it comes to um, the, well, actually, let me rewind a little bit.How much was your build out? Syed: Build out was, I just wrote the check yesterday, the build out, the final one. 300, like 34, 30 5,000. Michael: So it was three around $335,000. How was the construction process? Syed: You know what, man? I hear some horror stories out there.I did not have that. Thank God. you know, the guy that I went to, he builds a bunch of offices around here. I know several people who, he was definitely quick. But he was quick, but I had no idea when he was gonna do what, like there was no schedule. So it was kind of like unpredictable.But I'm grateful to be where I'm, where I am. We started, we broke around in October and then we were built out mostly February. like, I had equipment and it people come in. So, you know, like four or five months I hear some horror stories where it takes people a year, I think if you're gonna go through that process, that's an important question to ask of contractors is how many projects do you have going on right now?How long does it usually take for you to build out an office from where it is right now to the final, you know, thing? So that's a question I asked everybody. He was like, I take four months, just write, like, just right off the bat. And I was like, oh, okay. Other people were like, ah, it depends, you know, this, this, so he took four months.He did a great job. There were small things that I wish I had more input in. It definitely wasn't a thing where we sat down and came up with the vision for the practice. He is like, yeah, okay, we gotta layout together. He just started doing it and I was like, wait, wait, wait. What about uh, this? He's like, okay, I guess we can do that if you wanna do that.And I'm like, well, you already did the whole other thing. Let's just go that route. Michael: Yeah. Yeah. What were some things that you wish you had more input on? Syed: Man. Design stuff. It's all just finishes mostly. Mostly finishes. The floor plan I had input on, we sat, we, we did as something. We sat together and were like, this is where I want these ops and all that jazz.I want them this big. But design stuff like, you know, we have a sink in the hallway and he just put up this blue tile and this ugly gold little border. And I was like, dude, this looks like my mom designed it, but. I mean, yeah, it would've been nicer if I could have found a better thing. To be fair though, now that everything's built, it actually looks pretty nice, so, ok.He knows what he's doing. I don't, but, you know, no, that makes, Michael: makes sense. Right Now, how many employees do you have? Syed: Four, including myself. When did you open this week? Michael: wow. Wow. Syed: Okay. Okay. Technically this week. So we I mean we had a soft opening. we've been technically seeing patients for like two weeks.That's just been friends and family. We started seeing our outside patients this week. Technically Thursday actually, but last Thursday. Okay. Okay. It was an accident, but yeah. Michael: Lemme ask you, lemme ask you what, are you open? Did you feel like. At the end of the day, once your first opening day or once this weekend, would you like we were prepped, we were prepared, or were you like, I forgot this, I forgot that.Or I should have thought about this, or We should have done this. Syed: Yeah, no, I mean, we're prepared. Okay. We're good. I don't, we're not like, we're not crazy. Busy, busy. So there are things that I wish I had done earlier, which is where a schedule would have, I think helped. You know, a schedule for my contractor, but I wish, I wish I started marketing efforts earlier.I wish I started ground marketing earlier. I wish I did all these things earlier, but, it is what it is. So, like, you know, that first day we saw, like we saw three patients, the appointments, there's I do something called a tour appointment that I got from spear. Education. basically it's like a 90 minute appointment and I take them on a tour of their mouth.I take photos of my DSLR camera, we take an interoral scan, we do a bunch of stuff. so that's like a 90 minute appointment. And we had three of those first day. And then the next day it was like, you know, a couple, this has been a couple every day. It's not like I'm packed. No, I get, we have the time.I to also just sort of. It's not like we're slammed and we're like burnt out, I'm still going home at six every day. We close at six, we go home at like six 15 every day. But it's because I put in a lot of prep work. We started training like I hired in January and for the first week, We were just at home just learning stuff for the software.We, we use Cares Stack. Mm-hmm. So we were just learning Carest Stack for a full week and then we spent a good month training outside of the office on our vision. We spent two days just getting to know each other, learning new personality types and all that stuff. We went an escape room together. But basically just coming up with the vision for the practice together.I needed my everybody to buy into the vision of the practice, to buy into the experience, to buy into what kind of things we're gonna be doing for people. And they really did. I'm so grateful we, I did that because now anything that's going up on our social media is them. Anything that, any new ideas that we have, marketing wise, it's them.It's not me. I'm not great at that stuff, you know? Mm-hmm. So, they really bought in and made it theirs. It's been awesome to see. I'm proud of them. Nice man. Michael: That's good. What are you guys doing for marketing and advertising then? Syed: Good question. We so Studio a, d a, you would mentioned them. So they built out my website.I have SEMO share doing my online marketing, SEO and ads and stuff like that. We just started like maybe a month ago with that stuff, ask me in a couple months how it's going. But and then we've got MVP mail house. We're using them for print marketing and your ground marketing course.Have you started ground marketing or no? Yeah, so we did. We did, but so many people were asking, are you guys open yet? And we're like, we have to say like, no, we're not yet, but in a month, check this out. Ha ha. They're like, oh, ok ha. And then you can see them just the interest just weighing down. And part of that is to us, we probably could have done better things during the, during our scripts, but now, like next week, we're gonna hit it very hard.You know, we're gonna hit ground marketing very hard every day. We're going as we have a couple hours planned. Yeah. And we're just gonna be on the community. We're doing a couple of things here and there. Like next week we have a middle school, we're going to a career fair, so we're gonna have a spin wheel.I think it's gonna be cool. We've done a couple of daycares and sent home some stuff with the kids, you know, being like, Hey, we're three 11 dental to their parents. So we've done a couple of things here and there. We're gonna be at farmer's markets and all that stuff. So yeah, we had meetings where we decided this, we're gonna hit up this event, we're gonna be at this event, we're gonna be at this event.That's what we wanna be. We wanna be that office that is very active in the community and that like, you know, you're a little annoyed with because of how much they, they're in your face. Yeah. We're not gonna do a billboard or anything, but I wanna be out there, you know? Michael: Yeah. No, that's good. So hold up real quick.Rewind. You didn't get their information when they're like, are you open yet? Syed: We did. And then some of those people when we called back, we got some people scheduled. It's not like, yeah, half the people that we have scheduled were from those lists. But a lot of them were like, oh no, I need to find somebody like right now.And I was like, you can't just wait. They can't wait like a month. You can't wait. Well, you know, two months actually. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Some of them are like, yeah, you know what uh, call me back at this time. You know, call me back in a couple months where you guys are. So we have called those people back. We're gonna hit up those businesses again.Yeah. It's not a big deal. We're gonna get it again. You know? Yeah. Now that everything is built out, now that this place is like, it looks so nice. I'm trying to be aggressive with getting people into the office and meeting us. Cause we're on conversion there. Who much and us. it's good.So we're trying to be aggressive. So, at first I was like, I don't know if I should offer free whitening. Sounds like it's gonna cost a lot per patient, but now I'm like, yeah, whatever. I mean, whatever gets people in I'm confident that they'll stay. Yeah. Michael: Okay man. Yeah, I mean, remember like as long as you're following up and calling them right and following up or, you know, you can text too.They feel like people reply faster with text now, but however you wanna do it, like keep it up man. You know what I mean? When it comes to these leads. Cause they, they were interested in you. They're like, yeah, gimme my information. They already do that first transaction, Syed: you know? Right, right. Yeah. Michael: So do you have, are you doing that or is it your, somebody in your team doing that or?Syed: It was me and my team. My wife would be answering calls. Sh she wouldn't be with me. She's also not like a crazy people person, but my front desk assistant and my dental assistant, they don't think they are, but they are. Yeah. So, I take them with me and we go, and sometimes I just send them, you know, they have different conversations that they had, they can have with people when I'm not even there.Sometimes I just send Syed Shahabuddin DRAFT-cm: them Michael: out. Okay, man. That's good. So then, sorry, throughout this process, I guess from the moment you decided I'm gonna do my own practice, right? Maybe you were still in Heartland, but you decided it. Right. So today, what's been some of your biggest struggles or fails or pitfalls?Syed: From the moment that I decided, just believing. In myself. And like I said, I'm risk averse. I don't take big risks. So overcoming that and being like, if you have a set vision and if you believe in yourself, you believe in the experience that you provide, what's gonna stop you?Sure. It'll take a little time, but you'll be good. You know? Mm-hmm. That's just, just having confidence. That's kinda the biggest thing. I mean, I'm confident in my clinical ability, and I'm confident when I talk to people and case acceptance wise, that kind of stuff, I'm confident there.But, you know, as far as like the business goes and then going out into the community and getting people and. Having a brand of your own to be proud of and to be confident in is kind of a different thing. So, it didn't take me long though, to be honest with you. Mm-hmm. It took a couple, it took just some, some time just to think about myself and my wife and just talking about it and what really sped that up was going to these other offices and being like, okay, you know what, nah, I think we're fine.Yeah. You know, That was my biggest pitfall, I would say. But I mean, it's just small things here and there. Every day there's a new pitfall, there's little things every single time, you know? Yeah. Like, you know, we, we, we had got these hip out bins for organization and putting those things together was like a freaking pain and a half.It took whole day, went back and forth to Menards, got the wrong thing, those stupid little things like that. I'm grateful. It's been nothing big. Yeah. Getting was an issue. That was kind of a big issue, but you know, I don't know if you want me to talk about that, but Yeah, Michael: no, we, we, we can dive into that a little bit.I just wanna back to the confidence thing. Yeah. You still feel like you struggle Syed: with that?I'm gonna sound like a douche bag. No, I don't. Yeah. I don't, I'm Michael: what helped. What helped? Because it sounds like maybe you don't struggle with that part of the confidence, but when it comes to like, I dunno, ground marketing or anything else, you're a hundred percent confident or Now I am. Syed: Okay. Why? Because I've seen what's out there.I've seen what's out there. I've gotten a couple of patients in and they're, I, I see what they enjoy and I just see the look on their faces when they walk into an operatory and it says, Hey, Saed. And there's a customized thing to them based off of a menu that they filled out, you know? Mm-hmm. And I just hear the comments from people, things like I walked in and I didn't, I thought I was in the wrong place.I didn't know it was a dental office. That inspires confidence. people who are like, okay, for instance, like my, one of my assistant's moms with my, my first patients here has been a little afraid to go to the dentist for years. Came in, met me, saw the place. She needs some extensive treatment and she's excited about the treatment.Now after having gone through this whole experience here. So that inspires confidence. I mean, it's just little things like that, you know? I think the lack of confidence was, are people going to enjoy it? Are I spent so much time building up this vision, building up this experience, picking little tiny things, you know, I spent all this damn money on this place.Are people gonna enjoy it enough to. am I gonna be able to pay these bills? So, seeing how people come in and seeing what's out there, what's around me in terms of like, you know, the other offices that are here, they're all corporate. That inspires confidence. The phone calls that we get, listen to them and then people being like, I just came from this other office and bike.I don't know what they're doing, but that's they, the whole thing just went downhill. I was a patient with theirs for years, and now I feel like I'm a number, Yeah. I mean, I'm kind of being kinda redundant, but all of that expires confidence for me. Michael: honestly say, I feel like you kind of had always, or you've had that hope, and then once you met it here halfway, they were like, Yes.They, they confirmed your hope, right? They confirmed your faith or your, or whatever you wanna call it, confidence, right? And then boom, right. Confidence. You're like, I thought this was gonna happen. This is happening, right. Kind of thing. Yeah. That's a good, Syed: yeah. You should be a psychiatrist, dude.You needed Michael: medicine. And uh, yeah. So then one of the last questions I wanna ask you is, throughout this process, how is it affecting your personal life? Syed: You know what? My wife works with me. It's not, if anything, it's improving our relationship, honestly. I mean, like I said, we talked about the happiness, my happiness I dunno what you wanna call it.That dude the exercise, the happiness exercise. Mm-hmm. She was a big part of it. We went through that together, so, it's improved my personal life as far as my wife is go. I don't see friends. Yeah. Like at all anymore. I haven't met up with friends for a long time. I used to meet up with them on the weekly, you know, and I, we used to be fairly social, but in the past six months, Yeah, I can count on my hands the number of times I've hung out with people.Family, you know, I try to see family on the weekly. I see my parents at least, but I definitely see them a lot less. But I know that that's temporary and that's right now, but my wife was the biggest part of my life. Mm-hmm. I see her every day. That's great. I mean, I see her for hours. I see her every single second pretty much.Yeah. Yeah. You know, which I advise if you can make that happen and you like the person that you were married to.You? Yeah. Good. Cause this sucks, man. When I started working and when you first get outta dental school, you know nothing. So I spent, I would come home from work and you'd already be burnt out. And then I spent three hours on spirit online education, just learning stuff for like five months. I did that and then, you know, and my, my wife is just, She's working as well.But then, you know, there, we didn't spend much time together and we were relatively young in our marriage. Like three years in when I, that was happening. I spent five months doing that. And then even still, I come home after that and it's three hours and two, three hours. I'm burnt out, I'm tired. It's like, are we gonna talk about now?It's just watch TV and go to sleep and just repeat. Mm. You know? And so I just didn't like that. Yeah, I don't Michael: at all. Yeah, it's not a good way to, you know what I mean? There's no Syed: communication. Yeah, but that's the average, that's your average marriage, right? I mean, think about it nowadays, but nowadays people are working from home and maybe it's different, but um, this is before Covid, so I mean, that's just your average marriage and it's just you have the weekend and you have some evenings to each other if you're not burnt out, and then that's when communication fails and all of that stuff, Yeah, we're really getting into more marriage counseling here, but, Michael: No, no, but it's good man. It's good. It's, that's why I asked the question about how it affects your personal life, right? It's of course cause um, yeah. It's a good thing. But some, I guess some people are like, oh man, you know, it, I'm, I spend less time with my family.All this does cause my startup, but it's also a good side to it, right? it doesn't have to be that way where you spend less time with people, right? Yeah. You can be spending more time with people. Yeah. So it's really, really good. Awesome side, man. Yeah. If you can, can you tell our listeners where they can find you if they have any questions or they wanna reach out to you or anything like that?Syed: Sure. Well, if you're in Chicago land, just come, just come check me out, dude. I'm at Bowling Brook Southwest Chicago Land. Come check with the office. That'd be awesome. I'd love, I'd love to show people I take pride in it. You can tell. you can just reach out to me by email three 11 Dental fam like family gmail.com.If you have any questions, I'd be so happy to help. Michael: Awesome. So like guys, that's gonna be in the show notes below. And sai, thank you so much man, for being with us. Before we sign off, any last piece of advice or favorite quotes you wanna share with us? Syed: Any last pieces of advice? Man, I've been talking for a long time.The biggest piece of advice I have is do that happiness exercise. If you have not done that, when people give you advice, take it with a grain of salt. Even when I give you advice, take it with a grain of salt.Do your own research. Learn things on your own and take a little bit from everyone and never just take just one person's word for everything. I've had to do that. Michael: Awesome. Awesome. So thank you so much for being with us. It's been a pleasure. Yeah. And we'll hear from you soon.Syed: Thank you so much. Appreciate it.‍‍‍

Robert G. Ritter D.M.D., has a practice that focuses on adhesive esthetic dentistry. He promotes esthetic dentistry as part of his mainstream dental care. He was raised in Palm Beach County and  resides in Palm Beach Gardens. Dr. Ritter received his dental degree from The Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine in 1994. He is Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry, Dental Research Administration at Tufts School Of Dental Medicine. He is a Fellow of The American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry and a member of  The American Academy of Restorative Dentistry. He is a member of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics and the American Society for Color and Appearance Dentistry. He is a member of  The American Dental Association. In addition he is a board member and Past President of The Florida Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He was a member of the Seaside Study Club, a component of the Seattle Study Club. He is a member of the International Association of Dental Researchers. Dr. Ritter is both a Kois Center graduate and a Spear Education graduate. He and his partner are the directors of their own course, The Protocol, a live in person teaching curriculum.      Dr. Ritter is on the editorial board of Inside Dentistry and The Journal of The Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and has published many articles on adhesive and cosmetic dentistry in several publications, including PPAD, Signature, Spectrum, Dentistry Today, DPR, Contemporary Esthetics, and Inside Dentistry. In addition, Dr. Ritter is an Editorial Board member of REALITY, a publication to keep dentists up-to-date with advances in the products, techniques and research of esthetic dentistry. He is also a product consultant to numerous dental manufacturers. He lectures over 30 times a year nationally as well as internationally on cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, materials, and social media as well as  digital technologies in and for the modern dental office.  Dr. Ritter and his wife Dr. Isabelle Ritter have a daughter Olivia and enjoy golf, tennis, the beach, movies and travel.  

Redefining Early Orthodontic InterventionEpisode #607 with Dr. Rebecca BockowAdults with dental problems weren't always adults with dental problems, so what happened earlier that led to that point? Today Kirk Behrendt brings on Dr. Rebecca Bockow, a true rockstar of the dental industry, to discuss why you need to redefine early orthodontic intervention. Orthodontics is so much more than just straightening teeth—find out how it can make patients healthier in Episode 607 of The Best Practices Show!Episode Resources:Learn more at Inspired Orthodontics Follow Dr. Bockow on InstagramSubscribe to the Best Practices Show PodcastJoin ACT's To The Top Study ClubJoin ACT's Master Class See our Live Events Schedule here Get the Best Practices Magazine for Free! Write a Review on iTunesLinks Mentioned in This Episode:Check out Specialty Imaging: Temporomandibular Joint and Sleep-Disorded Breathing by Dr. Dania TamimiLearn more about Spear EducationLearn more about the Pankey InstituteLearn more about the Kois CenterRegister for Dr. Bockow and Dr. Mike Gunsun's courseMain Takeaways:Orthodontics is about more than just straightening teeth.Don't just wait for the adult teeth to come in to deal with problems.So much growth happens in the first few years of life.Braces aren't necessarily the answer for everything—use the right tool at the right time.Keep asking questions.Quotes:“One of the things that really struck me as a restorative dentist was I saw a lot of breakdown that was really related to the foundation. The bones in the gums weren't in the right place, which led to a lot of the breakdown I saw as a general dentist. And I thought, ‘If I can help put the bones and the gums in the right place, and the teeth, of course, then I could partner with phenomenal restorative dentists to rehabilitate a patient.'” (02:37—03:07)“Back in 2013, I sat through a three-day course called Airway Prosthodontics before [Dr. Jess Rouse] joined Spear Education, even. And I was blown away. Kirk, I sat in the front row and I thought to myself, ‘All of these adult patients have airway issues. They all have orthodontic problems.' And I started talking to him about the things I learned about expansion. And really a lot of the things I learned I had to learn on my own...

DOT olsenna.com   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083386410139 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cevi_dental/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cevi-dental/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cevi_dental   Jeffrey S. Rouse, D.D.S. maintains a private practice in San Antonio, Texas and practiced with Drs. Gregg Kinzer and Frank Spear in Seattle, Washington. In 2017, he became a member of the Resident Faculty at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ. He was also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Prosthodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio from 2004-2019. After graduation from dental school in San Antonio, Dr Rouse completed a 2-year General Practice Residency at the University of Connecticut Health Science Center. He practiced family dentistry for twelve years before returning to school. Dr Rouse received his specialty certificate in Prosthodontics from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 2004. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the American College of Prosthodontists, and past president of the Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry. Dr. Rouse has written numerous journal articles including a portion of the “Annual Review of Selected Dental Literature” published each summer in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. He has a textbook published in 2016 by Quintessence titled "Global" Diagnosis: A New Vision of Dental Diagnosis and Treatment Planning written with his teaching partner, Dr. Bill Robbins. Furthermore, he has contributed chapters on porcelain veneers and anterior ceramic crowns to three editions of a dental textbook. Dr. Rouse lectures nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics ranging from dental esthetics to airway prosthodontics.   For his entire career, Dr. Kinzer has been committed to furthering the art and science of dental education. He is highly recognized lecturer both nationally and internationally and continues to serve as an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the department of Graduate Prosthodontics at the University of Washington. In addition, he is the Director of Curriculum and Campus Education at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ., where he also resides as full time faculty. Dr. Kinzer is a member of many professional organizations including the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, where he sits on the Executive Council. He serves on the editorial review board for several recognized dental publications and has written numerous articles and chapters for dental publication. He has been honored with the American College of Prosthodontics Achievement Award and most recently has been awarded the 2018 Saul Schluger award for clinical excellence in diagnosis and treatment planning. Dr. Bockow is a board-certified orthodontist and periodontist. She lectures internationally on topics ranging from interdisciplinary treatment planning to airway and sleep disorders, skeletal growth and development, and corticotomy-facilitated orthodontic therapy. Upon completion of her dental degree at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, Dr. Bockow practiced as a general practitioner in the Seattle area for two years. She ultimately decided to return to school and completed her dual training in orthodontics and periodontics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her master's in oral biology during dual residency. Dr. Bockow serves as an instructor in Spear's Interdisciplinary Treatment of Esthetic Dilemmas seminar and has also served as an affiliate assistant professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Orthodontics. She maintains a private practice in the Seattle area limited to orthodontics and periodontics.    

DENTAL ONLINE TRAINING link DOT: Use DENTALDIGEST for 10% off  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Connect with Melissa on Linkedin Jim Janakievski D.D.S., M.S.D. Jim Janakievski received his D.D.S. from the University of Toronto, which was followed by a general practice residency. After several years in general practice, he completed his post-graduate training at the University of Washington, where he received a certificate in Periodontology with a M.S.D. degree and a fellowship in Prosthodontics. He began his academic position at the University of Washington as assistant director of Graduate Periodontics and is currently an affiliate assistant professor. Dr. Janakievski is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. He is a reviewer for several dental journals and has published in the area of interdisciplinary dentistry, dental implants and tooth autotransplantation. Dr. Janakievski teaches at Spear Education in Scottsdale Arizona. In addition, he participates in practice based clinical research through the McGuire Institute. He maintains a private practice in Tacoma, Washington.

DENTAL ONLINE TRAINING link DOT: Use DENTALDIGEST for 10% off  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Connect with Melissa on Linkedin Jim Janakievski D.D.S., M.S.D. Jim Janakievski received his D.D.S. from the University of Toronto, which was followed by a general practice residency. After several years in general practice, he completed his post-graduate training at the University of Washington, where he received a certificate in Periodontology with a M.S.D. degree and a fellowship in Prosthodontics. He began his academic position at the University of Washington as assistant director of Graduate Periodontics and is currently an affiliate assistant professor. Dr. Janakievski is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. He is a reviewer for several dental journals and has published in the area of interdisciplinary dentistry, dental implants and tooth autotransplantation. Dr. Janakievski teaches at Spear Education in Scottsdale Arizona. In addition, he participates in practice based clinical research through the McGuire Institute. He maintains a private practice in Tacoma, Washington.

Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Connect with Melissa on Linkedin Dr. Janakievski is an affiliate assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics at the University of Washington and faculty member at Spear Education. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and fellow of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. He is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, serves as a reviewer for several dental journals and has published on the topics of dental implants and tooth autotransplantation. Dr. Janakievski received his D.D.S. from the University of Toronto, which he followed with a general practice residency. After several years in general practice, he completed his post-graduate training at the University of Washington, where he earned a certificate in periodontology with an M.S.D. degree and a fellowship in prosthodontics. He maintains a private practice in Tacoma, Washington.

This throwback episode reaches all the way back to 2019 where the Dental Hacks talked with Dr. Steve Ratcliff at Spear Education! Steve was an early team member of Spear Education (all the way back in 2009 when it was the "Scottsdale Center") and helped create the way study clubs worked and the online offerings at Spear Education. Steve gave us a pretty intimate look into his past and his evolution as a clinician and educator. We think you'll walk away with a lot from our talk with Dr. Ratcliff. Some links from the show: Spear Education Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

The 2023 Spear Summit is happening right this very moment and unfortunately, Al wasn't there this time. Some amazing podcast conten has been created over the years at this meeting. So in celebration of our friends at Spear Education having their summit, we're throwing back to the very first "face to face" podcast interview I ever did with Dr. Frank Spear at the 2019 Spear Summit. IT's a little bit of time travel because this discussion happened before the pandemic, before masking and before Zoom meetings became a way of life. I think you'll find it pretty interesting. "Jason and Alan had the privilege of sitting down with the one and only Dr. Frank Spear. We had an hour during the Spear Summit to pick up where we left off from  episode 235 and it was very interesting. Frank opened the meeting with a talk that discussed the stories that dentists tell each other about where the profession is going and then presented some data that suggests a lot of these stories aren't exactly true. Some of the things we discussed: Why do insurance companies cover things so differently from state to state? The beauty of practicing in groups. But not necessarily a DSO. Could someone become Frank Spear in the way that Frank did considering student debt as it is now? How did beautiful temporaries make a difference in Frank's career? Why does Frank feel responsible to help the narrative that dentists tell each other? What's the data the Frank would really like to see? Why is it so impossible to compare dental businesses and income across the country? How can you compare apples to apples? Take home message: things are better than dentists are telling themselves! What is dental school like when your dad is Frank Spear? How could dental school teach things with more context? Are there useful parallels between dental and medical education? How will Frank's teaching schedule be changing in the future? How is the curriculum at Spear Education changing? What kind of "big numbers" has Frank been impressed with lately? (spoiler: it has to do with Spear Practice Solutions)" Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

"What amazes me is how much you can communicate with so few words." - Dr. Jeff Rouse on Dr. Frank Spear  The Spear Summit is very much like a family reunion of the whole Spear Education family! (also just about the best dental meeting anywhere) The history of the Spear Summit Young dentists need Spear Education as much as Spear needs young dentists! How the pandemic affected dental school and what Spear was able to help The new generation of dentists (including Frank's son) On being a "dental dad." Frank on storytelling Dental needs, personal dental values and patient resources Anyone who shows up in your office has some value for dentistry 43 patients that I this dentist didn't want If you want to have a long, healthy life in dentistry...do these things Do procedures that you want to be doing... On patients that you want to be doing them on... With a team that you love working with Setting patients free Some links from the show:  Spear Education Spear Practice Solutions Spear Online Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," "McWethy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “verydental10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!   CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

"...a hygiene dollar, even in the best of times, has at best a 15-20% profit margin. A doctor dollar has up to 60%..." -Amy Morgan Amy Morgan will give you 52% clinical excellence. But she wants 48% for business excellence! Amy joined Spear in 2018 as Vice President of Consulting Strategy. For more than 25 years as a She's been a consultant and trainer for more than 25 years and is the former CEO of Pride Institute.  Amy and Alan had a wide ranging conversation at the Spear Summit back in September. Some of the topics they covered include: How did Spear quickly retool for the COVID crisis? Is she over Zoom? Once the "fight or flight" crisis was over, what did Amy and Spear Education learn?  "The Great Hygiene Migration" What's the strategy for the lack of hygienists? (spoiler: you can't wish for something that's not there) Healthy patients vs. less healthy patients Doctors should NOT be doing hygiene Embrace your inner hypochondriac What do you do for COVID no-shows? (RFR..."reason for return") Having patient sign their financial commitments ("we hold this spot for YOU") "Lost time fee" vs. "missed appointment fee" (you can have that one for free!) "It's OK to not like people" Paying your team well is important, but you need to know how to do it right. "Don't chase behaviors but question beliefs" How does a team member show their value objectively? Variable component of pay: quarterly bonuses paid out over a quarter A very fat pitch for Spear Practice Solutions! A specific hygiene formula: hygiene wages should range 30-40% of their production Some links from the show:  Spear Education Spear Practice Solutions Spear Online Go get your ticket and your room for Voices of Dentistry 2023! Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," "McWethy" or "Lipscomb!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “verydental10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!   CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

Dr. Gregg Kinzer sat down for a conversation with Alan back in September at the incomparable Spear Summit! For those that aren't familiar with Gregg, he's the prosthodontist that joined Dr. Frank Spear (you may have heard of him) in practice awhile back. He also lectures in many programs at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ. He's essentially the backbone of many of the programs at Spear Education, so he doesn't get many chances to go take CE of his own. And that, my friends, is how speakers are chosen for Spear Summit! Some of the topics they discussed: Gregg vs. Jeff Rouse at Spear Summit How Gregg chooses speakers for Summit Live Seminars are BACK at Spear!  Virtual seminars vs. live seminars Picking your friendly face when you're on stage Summit is a challenge for a speaker...how to bring your A game. AV at meetings...it's a whole thing Gregg needs to come to the Vedder Society! Gregg on social media and how he and Jeff have evolved on social media and influence Why don't they teach literature review in dental school? It's not about quoting, it's about understanding experimental design Some links from the show: Spear Education Spear Faculty Club Elite (Gregg and Jeff's continuum) Go get your ticket and your room for Voices of Dentistry 2023! Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy." If you'd like to support the Very Dental Podcast Network then you should support our sponsors! -- It's time to stop hating removable! Dr. Russell Schafer is teaming up with our friends at CAD-Ray to teach Dentures: Fit, Bite and Smile at the CAD-Ray Las Vegas campus! You'll learn analog and digital techniques to provide predictable and efficient complete denture care! Check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/lasvegas. -- Our friends at CAD-Ray want you to know that there has never been a better time to get into intraoral scanning! They sell and support all kinds of digital dentistry products from scanners, to printers and even cloud based software! For instance, the Medit i600 itraoral scanner is priced at just about $13,000! And if you didn't know, CAD-Ray now distributes 3Shape scanners and the amazing Trios 4 wireless just had a $10,000 price cut! It comes in under $25,000. And all these options come with CAD-Ray's unbeatable support! Go check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/cadray! -- If there is one thing that's changed the way I look at teeth the most, it's probably the headlight I use with my loupes. Our friends at Enova make amazing loupes and distribute Zumax dental microscopes, both the best you can buy. But the amazing, weightless and cordless Qubit, Quasar or Quantum headlights (all others are just toys) are the biggest game changer. But be careful…if you try one, you're going to buy one! Why haven't you checked out Enova Illumination yet? You can get a killer deal on all things Enova by using the Very Dental link you'll find at verydentalpodcast.com/Enova! -- Have you been looking at your supply bill lately? Prices are REALLY going up on all the things you use every day in your office. Our friends at Crazy Dental understand and are here to help! Very Dental listeners can get 10% off their orders from Crazy Dental by using coupon code “VERYDENTAL10”! Go check out their amazing catalog and save yourself 10% off of their already amazing prices at verydentalpodcast.com/crazy! -- If you're looking for a one stop dental marketing solution, then look no further than the Wonderist Agency. Wonderist can help you with branding and a killer website. They'll design ad campaigns no matter how you want to get your name out there. But maybe most importantly, they'll show you how your marketing plan is working! They have industry leading analytics that help you understand what works and what doesn't in your area and they'll help you spend your marketing dollar in the wisest way possible! Go check out the Wonderist Agency at verydentalpodcast.com/Wonderist!