Podcasts about ultradent

Kiera is joined by Ted Osterer of Synergy Dental Partners to talk about the money field of dentistry in this moment of 2025, including tariffs, negotiating and raising fees, finding supplies, and more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent (00:01) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera. And today I am jazzed. I have a super fun guest on the podcast today. We're going to talk about the tariff sheriff, how that's impacting dentistry, the rise of dental supply costs, and honestly what to do because I'm so annoyed by all these pieces. What's the economic outlook? How do dentists freaking survive? Like, gosh, it just seems like a funny world out there. But we have Ted Osterer. He is with Synergy. I love this buying group. I think they're   Absolutely incredible. We're gonna shed some light for you guys. So Ted, welcome to the show today. How are you?   Ted Osterer (00:32) I am doing very, very well. Thank you so, so much for having me. Congratulations on your thousandth episode recently. I'm happy to be a part of this and any value I could bring to your listeners, hey, we're all better for it.   Kiera Dent (00:39) Thank you.   Well, thanks, Ted. And yes, ⁓ I'm still in utter awe that we hit a thousand episodes. Like when I started this, it was just a whim, a pipe dream. Jason and I were hiking. It's not a joke. I literally was hiking half-dome. Mind you, Jason had said, hey, let's go down to Yosemite. I'd love a nice relaxing weekend down there. And I had learned that you could go get, like, this is prior. You can't do this anymore. That you could get these like day passes, like these day camping passes. And if you just went and sat at this little lodge for a few hours.   So I was like, Jay, yeah, of course we'll go down there for this very calm, welcoming, welcome, like very easy, relaxing weekend. Little did he know I had full plans to try and get half dome tickets and like hike half dome. I even brought the gloves, like I was ready to go. And sure enough, I got the lottery, got the tickets. Jason was like, what the heck? We're going to freaking hike half dome. Like, Kiera, we haven't even prepped for this. We haven't done any of this. We don't even have a hotel. We got a hotel an hour away. We had to drive an hour outside of town. It was the nastiest hotel. They were like,   I'm not even joking. There was like hair and like this little pill on the pillow that were not ours. Jason's like had the worst sleep of his night and I'm like listen there's no hotels around me of 70. Like we're filing so we had a place. We went back super early the next morning to hike Half Dome and lo and behold on our hike I said Jay I think we need to build a podcast. This is where it all started. It was like one of those things that I never imagined a thousand episodes would hit and here we are.   Ted, you're hanging out with me a thousand in. And I think it's just fun because of all the value, all the stories, all the people. And like you and I were talking about pre-show, the podcast is really just a place where I get to selfishly hang out and just have a good conversation with people that I like. I get to meet new people in the industry. And as a byproduct of my nerdiness and excitement of meeting people, all of our listeners get benefited by this. So Ted, I'm so happy you're a part of this. Thank you for that. ⁓   Outside of Yosemite, let's talk about the rising cost of dental supplies, the tariffs, how this is going to impact. Because I know people are really nervous about it. I see in lots of dental groups out there, and you guys are really great. That's why I had you come on, because I think you're a huge solution to these problems. So take it away, Ted also, so the listener know how on earth did you even get into dentistry? Let's talk about that first, and then let's talk about what this even looks like for dental practices long-term.   Ted Osterer (03:00) How did I get into dentistry? ⁓ It was fate, it was just destiny. Growing up, I had 13 teeth pulled. I had braces for five years and it was like, well, I'm here for life, I guess. And this is just how we can all grow as a unit. ⁓ I've been in dentistry for about 15 years now. I started out as a dental supply rep. I was going door to door for over five years and...   funny enough that, you know, this isn't the, I grew up in the New York area. This is the major metropolitan New York area. And I had a really good buddy and he was like, I think you'd be a really good fit actually managing anal practices. And I can actually introduce you to someone. And it was like a small like eight practice group. I can introduce you to somebody, the practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Go see if you'd be a good fit. And I'm just kind of like, sure, guess. know, it's like always like have a conversation.   And I had a conversation and sure enough, I got along really well with a particular office manager ⁓ from this group and I went to go work for this office manager. ⁓ Within three months, I had my own practice. I was a practice manager. You know, it's so funny going from a supply rep to an office manager, right? I learned the first and I'm not saying this is everybody, but I learned the first day of being in a dental office that I knew nothing.   Kiera Dent (03:59) Yeah.   Ted Osterer (04:29) about what happens in a dental office, right? Like I'm like, could, God, it's gonna be a piece of cake. I've been in dentistry for five years. And so I could tell you how strong and impressive material was. That does not help with insurance codes or posture downgrade or presenting treatment or creating a schedule or reading a schedule, anything like that. So, much respect to everyone that manages offices that's listening right now that my goodness, you're fighting the good fight. Keep up the good work. ⁓   Kiera Dent (04:40) does not.   Agreed.   Ted Osterer (04:57) I did that for some time. I was recruited to work for care credit. I oversaw New England for a few years where then they moved me to South Florida. And then a few months after that, I was recruited by Synergy. I've been here since 2021. And this is really, really cool. You know, I came to Synergy because the message was, do you want to make an impact in the dental world? You know, like you love what you do, but do you really want to make an impact? Do you want to help independent dentistry? And I was like,   man, what a line, right? Like I was suckered in and I really wanted to make a difference. And sure enough, almost four years later, we're still here at, you know, we're the largest dental buying club in the country. We are the fastest growing dental buying club in the country. And we're just trying to preserve independent dentistry by giving them the same supply and overhead cost at a 20 plus practice DSO would get. that, know, we were founded by dentists. It was as black and white as, Hey,   If enough of us order from the same places, they'll give us a discount. And now we have people in charge of negotiating pricing. You know, we have a dedicated team to each member to make sure that they're getting the values worth here at Synergy and they're not ordering more than they have to. And you you asked about tariffs, the rising overhead costs, all of that really, really fun stuff, right? Let's dive into that, right? You know, the perceived economic uncertainty of everything. Are prices going to go up? Yes, of course.   Does that mean you need to buy everything right now at the same time to save money in like six months? No, you probably shouldn't do that either. You know, the waiting game generally always pays off, be it in dentistry or outside of dentistry when it comes to money, you know, you're better off just kind of, you know, hold the chips, hold down the fort, you know, you're, it's not, you do not sound the alarms, of course, right? You know, the price of your crowns is not going to go up 10,000 % like.   Kiera Dent (06:21) Yeah.   Ted Osterer (06:50) Calm down, chill out, right? It's what we've monitored. Have tariffs affected some prices? Yes. ⁓ Many have already gone down. Many have plateaued with that price increase and we kind of have a safe, what, just gauge on what those actually are, right? The percentages have been minimal. It's a few dollars here and there.   Kiera Dent (06:52) Yes, I agree.   Ted Osterer (07:17) Again, the industry is not belly up. really should not be your ⁓ primary concern. Providing optimal quality ⁓ of treatment should be your number one concern still to this day. I don't think it's going to make a difference whether you're getting a new sensor or not. If your sensor goes, you're OK.   Kiera Dent (07:36) It's It's really true. Well, Ted, I love that. And I love your story. And I love that you have the real life experience in dental practices, because that's something that we pride ourselves on at Dental A Team. It's like, we've been there, done that, and done it successfully. And you're right. Being in a practice is no small task. It's no small feat. And ⁓ I think the supply costs, I do agree with you. think certain people were getting a little bit, maybe extra on this, of how concerned we are of cost. And I don't think it's a wrong thing.   to look at, to project down and to forecast forward to make sure that you keep in line with your overhead. Like people who are looking at this, I'm high-fiving you because you actually are looking at your numbers and you understand the cost of your supplies. But at the same time, I remember I was at a, I have a friend who's very wealthy. We're talking like this person brings in 28, 30 million annually a year. And like, I just giggle because it is a great friend.   Ted Osterer (08:25) Sounds like a great friend. There you go. All right.   Kiera Dent (08:29) I thought he said he was a   cosmetic dentist when I met him and he's surely not a cosmetic dentist. He's a cosmetic chemist. So skincare, things like that. And I remember we were talking and he was like, yeah, I just got so freaked out about the stocks. I pulled everything out of the stock market. This was two years ago. And I'm like, bro, like the amount of gains because you got so scared is incredible. And I had another friend, we were sitting at a wealth conference and we had like Ray Dalio there and Paul Tudor Jones and gosh.   Marks, Howard Marks, like so many of the big players in wealth and they weren't talking. And this guy named Harry Dent came in and Harry Dent has been known for being right and wrong on predictions of the market. And I remember like, I'm not kidding you. We talked in this conference of do not make rash decisions. Like we're here to gather all the information, synthesize it out and then make best decisions. And I kid you not, we are two days into this five day conference and I met this guy and he's like, Harry Dent just freaked me out. I went and sold all my...   like sold everything like that night pulled everything out of the stock market. I was like, dude, you're the reason people talk about what not to do because you should never be this radical. And so I feel like while those are extremes, I feel like dentistry can kind of be that way with the supply. Like we feel it's the stock market plummeting on us within our supply chain because we've got tariffs on there. When the reality is let's remember dentistry by default, a lot of our products already have very high margins on them. Like I'm not going to say it to the world in case there are people who are not dentists listening.   but you can just think about fluoride for one second. So fluoride has insane margins on it, which are very profitable for you. The bulk of dentistry is very profitable. So these small rises, agreed, let's take a look at that. But like you said, Ted, it's not the end of the world. So I am curious though, from my like nerdy side, what things have gone up the most? What are you guys seeing across the board that the tariffs or the uncertainties, like the economy's gone up you guys. Bread, I'm shocked.   or gasoline, you want to talk about gas prices? Like I don't know, in Florida it's way cheap. Here I'm in Reno in California. I kid you not in Truckee it was $7 a gallon and I like wanted to throw up the gases that much money, but I'm like if gas for a gallon is $7, bread prices, I mean you're paying five bucks, six bucks a loaf for bread, like supplies are going to be higher. It's not something that I'm like, oh my gosh, my cotton rolls went up. Well yeah, of course they went up. does like everything in the world has gone up.   Home prices have gone up, but I am curious, what have you guys seen that the tariffs hit the most? Like what are some of those supplies? But we're ashricking this. Everyone listening, you have to promise you will not be either of my two friends who go radical. So when Ted tells you which one's worth a little bit higher, do not go out and give me like your prepping situation where you go buy all this because you're freaking out about it. Like steady the course, stay consistent, and just like watch the scene because most things will level out just like in stocks, just like in investments. But if we're radical and being wild on it, that's where you get.   Like it just does not benefit. So I think Ted, everyone has promised. I made them just promise like everybody. Yes, you promise. Don't be radical. Ted, what are some of the ones that are seeing the highest hits? Like what, what products, what things are you guys seeing?   Ted Osterer (11:33) Since you all promised ⁓ not to be radical, I will go ahead and share. Yeah, unbreakable. We know that's unbreakable.   Kiera Dent (11:36) You promised.   It's unbreakable.   You did that, you like kissed the thumb, something like that. And then you like do a dance. All of them have done that, right? Nobody better lie. Don't be radical. Okay. They're good.   Ted Osterer (11:52) Excellent.   So for those listening at home, I did a very, very impressive interpretive dance, but for those watching, you saw it, it's all good. ⁓ So with a lot of the terrorists I've seen, and look, it's so volatile, you know, and for those, again, listening, I'm doing that thing with your finger, you go up and down a lot about how much it goes up and down. You know, look, I mean, you saw a lot of the anesthetics made in Canada go up a significant percent.   You saw a lot of lab cases sent from overseas or, you know, it's funny enough, for those that don't know what the gray market is in terms of the supplies in the industry, Products are made overseas, totally fine, right? There's nothing wrong with products that are made overseas. However, sometimes they're made in factories that are only authorized in certain countries, even though it could be big name, know, supply partners, major manufacturers.   I won't name drop, you know what I mean? I'm not trying to, you can Google it, you have access to the internet, congrats. When it comes to, these products that are made overseas are only regulated to be in select countries, they still have to be refrigerated certain ways, they still could have, they could have been made a long time ago, they're set to expire. They are mailed here and then they are sold to the United States, they're unregulated. You'll see their costs are...   Insanely low to the point where it's too good to be true spoiler a lot a spoiler it is too good to be true right in the event that someone You know your malpractice insurance Is kicked in you use great, you know gray market products. You might be losing a case and that's not the smoke you want However, in the event of these tariffs funny enough what went up these gray market products, right? ⁓ They went up to the point where   Kiera Dent (13:25) Yeah.   Interesting.   Ted Osterer (13:46) They're the same pricing, if not more than what your rep is offering you now. know, and look, you don't want to be caught with something like that. And it goes to show you that you, again, you're worried about optimal care. You should be worried about what you're putting in your patient's mouth as well. And depending on where you order it from, right? Like picture yourself, you're a patient in a chair, okay? And an assistant walks in to set,   you know, to set the room, to put the supplies that you're going to use on that tray and she opens an eBay box. Imagine what the patient must be feeling knowing that or an Amazon box. It's like, wait a minute, if your patient's aware at all, you probably don't want that. And now that price is the same price that a major dealer is going to offer you or a rep can offer you. That's the worst case scenario. I believe that that's what I've seen went up the most. And there were some labs from overseas.   Kiera Dent (14:23) Yeah, no. No. No.   I'm just.   Ted Osterer (14:44) ⁓ where the tariff was taking effect, a lot of the tariffs they were getting, were passing directly onto the consumer. I've seen that stop also. I'm not gonna say it's not gonna happen again, but it's not like you can order in bulk all these cases, you know? So, you know, again, when it comes to your labs, if you're satisfied with your lab, play the waiting game. You should be fine.   Kiera Dent (14:53) Mm-hmm.   It's true.   Yeah, that's actually really helpful to know Ted, because I was really curious and I think it's one of those things of, I don't know, I'm the clinician inside of me. I originally dental assistant, office manager, treatment coordinator. We have a lot of hygienists on our team. ⁓ I think all of us in consulting, well, yes, we watch the numbers exponentially, which is why I brought Ted on. I wanted synergy to be here. I think it's a great solution for your numbers. The biggest thing I will also say is like,   Please don't be so obsessive with the numbers that you cut your amazing dentistry and you are actually not doing the best dentistry for patients. I believe that when we do good by our patients, when we take care of them, when we use great products, I'm not saying you have to be I have a car. I'm not saying you have to be like high, high end. You can if you choose, but just making sure that we're doing right by our patients. Like I said, dentistry is a very profitable industry.   as is, like we have done a really good job of keeping the practices profitable in spite of insurances and all of that. But I really just want to make sure people, when we're looking at this, let's not penny pinch and nickel, like watching all of our nickels when we're actually doing a disservice to our patients. So agreed, like that gray market, things like that. Yes, I like to be a good shopper. I love to get a good deal, but making sure that it's a good deal that's also taking care of your patients would be my like word to the wise.   Again, I believe that when we are good and we're honest to our patients, people feel that there's good karma, there's good energy, it's all the way around. So Ted, how does synergy work? Like how do you get around this? Because things are going up. Being a business owner, mean, our margins are, they've been high, so maybe they're a little less high. I will also say, like doctors, I hope you've increased your fees too. You should do that. like, it's not just supplies that get to go up.   Dentistry also gets to go up and it should be going up. And if you haven't raised your fees, I'll just asterisk that right now. Like that is very common. It's very normal. It should be done every single year. I think that's a way to offset some of these costs for you too. It's ethical and honest, but Ted kind of walk us through like independent dentists, which are most of the practices listening. We do have some DSOs on there. I think sometimes you can feel like, I don't know. It's like the little brother who's watching the big brother drive the car and it's like, why can't I get these deals? Like I know I'm just one practice, but.   Sometimes you feel neglected. sometimes feel like distributors and manufacturers don't give you as good of a deal. Like, let's be real. The DSOs do get better deals than you do. I I've heard, I go talk to a lot of people and they're like, well, yeah, if you've got 20, 30, 50 practices, we're going to give you like pennies on the dollar compared to my solo practice that's going to be paying more for it due to the bulk distribution. So how can we have that of like, how can Independence Dennis win? Not have these costs hit them and to still play in the big leagues, even though they don't want to necessarily practice that way today.   Ted Osterer (17:53) Yeah, awesome question, right? You hit on the head. What did DSO's do? They strong arm these dealers, manufacturers, distributors, and they say, look, I have 30 offices. We all want to order from you. We'll commit to this amount of spend. We'll commit to this amount of product. Give me the absolute best deal that you will, or I'm going to the other distributor that's on the next page of this advertisement that I am looking at, right? So they're just negotiating fees all day.   That's what the ESOs are doing. They have people in place to negotiate these rates all day. That's what Synergy Dental Partners has, Independent Dentistry, ⁓ I mean, look, it's alive and well. We see it every day, you know, just because there's not major conferences that you're demanded to go to like the ESOs and things like that doesn't mean they're not alive and well and band together and know what's actually going on in dentistry, right? So Independent Dentists will subscribe to Synergy.   to have access to the same pricing that those 20 plus, 30 plus practice DSOs would get, right? We negotiate with these supply partners all day long on the supplies that you're already using, right? I mean, that's what we do. We bully our vendors. We come to an agreement with specific supply partners to be in our network and have very attractive offerings that they will only offer to Synergy members, right? We're partnered with major distributors. We negotiate with...   them all day, we're partnered with different implant organizations, with different rotary organizations, with different services. Depending on what you're looking for, we're going to offer you something that you would not be able to get on your own, right? Do you have to order in bulk with a synergy member? No, that's the point of us because we have enough dentists all ordering from the same place that the bulk is taken care of. Order as you go, right? So Darby is our anchor supplier, shines the largest distributor in the country.   Patterson's the second largest distributor in the country. Darby's the third largest distributor in the country. When you place an order with them, everything comes in one to two days. As a synergy member, any order over $249, there's no shipping charges. And let's think about that in itself. Do you have to order in bulk now? No, do you have to hit a crazy minimum? No, you can order four times a month and not pay shipping. Everything's gonna come in one to two days. Now regarding all these manufacturer deals,   Kiera Dent (20:01) awesome.   Ted Osterer (20:15) Oh, I like to buy four to get one free. like to buy three to get one free. You hear the word free. Awesome. Great. Now we do have a lot of offerings just like that care, right? However, we've negotiated the net costs of those buy four, get one threes, get one free, buy three, get one free for just one. So you can order one. You don't need to spend $700 on your favorite composite to get one free. And now shade C3 is going to sit on your shelf for the next three years and it expires. You're going to throw it away anyway. So you wasted all that money.   Kiera Dent (20:23) Right.   Mm-hmm.   Ha!   Ted Osterer (20:43) The point of us is inventory control. It's cash flow management. I mean, if cash is what you're worried about, well guess what? mean, order as you go, you're probably not gonna pay shipping anyway. You have the supply you need. My goodness, Kara, have you ever had to clean out a supply closet? Is it not the worst day of the month? You know, when people order the wrong things, yeah, maybe you'll return it, or what are you gonna do? You're gonna check it off that checklist and then put it where you think it goes. Now it's gonna sit there forever. Yikes, right?   Kiera Dent (21:02) Yep.   Yep.   Ted Osterer (21:13) You know,   with Darby, things are easy to return. You order as you go, it's not gonna get lost in some shuffle if you order as you go, right? We are partnered getting discounts with Strom and NeoDent for implants and BioHorizons and Zest for the locator attachment through overdenture materials, Comet and Brassler for rotary. ⁓ We just rolled out our partnership with Bisco. We're partnered with UltraDent, Crestor, LB, Phillips. I'm going to put your listeners to sleep as I shamelessly plug these.   Incredible companies offering the incredible deals are giving our members but the whole point of us is Carrie said you love to shop Bad news pal. I'm taking that phone away from you. We've done that shopping for you We know where your pricing should be is every price the lowest price on the market. I can't confidently say yes It's not true. I can confidently say that a lot of them are the best price in the market But every price is going to be competitive and if you're taking four or five hours to place an order with six tabs open   texting four different reps. That's four patients that you could have seen in that time. not only, let's say you order from all those places. Now you got five different shipping charges. And now you don't know when any of these orders are gonna come. It could take weeks. Something could be on back orders. Something could be expired. But hey, you saved a dollar on gloves. Congratulations, you know?   Kiera Dent (22:16) you   I love it. And I think that this, is why I like Synergy. I feel like it's, you get the Costco discounts without the bulk requirements. And that's something that I really enjoyed about it because something we teach with our clients is do not be stocking up. I remember I worked at Midwestern University's dental college for a few years. And I remember I went through their supplies and because there was so much   Ted Osterer (22:44) Yep.   Kiera Dent (22:58) We, like, I remember throwing away boxes and boxes and boxes of expired supplies, things that we couldn't use anymore. And it was disgusting. And I was shocked and I was like, that's it. We have to get this to where we can see everything. And so we're really big in consulting of like tip out bids, having clear things, having it where your order is not like tucked in boxes and nooks and crannies. ⁓ And the way you're able to do that is by buying as you need it, rather than buying. Like I remember buying when I was an assistant ordering.   Ted Osterer (23:07) What a waste.   Kiera Dent (23:25) I think like 10 boxes of gloves. Like we had them stacked everywhere. It was just like an absurd amount because we were like, well, we got the deal. We need to have this versus like, no, like what are we using? That also keeps our costs down. We're not having these high end fluxes and low drops in our supplies. We're able to have that more consistent, have more consistent overhead. And like you said, sometimes Costco is not the cheapest. Sometimes I can get it cheaper at other places, but the reality is the time we're saving and also the more dentists buying within Synergy.   more we're able to get the bulk discount. So it's like, it's the biggest DSO you can be a part of without being a part of a DSO, like air quotes around it, because you're not a part of a DSO, but it's the collective community group that's driving down the pieces for it. And Ted, correct me if I'm wrong, I feel like when I've talked to Synergy in the past, you don't have to give up your reps, because I know people get really weird about like, but like we've been best friends with so and so, and it's like, you can still order from the companies you want. Is that correct? Or do you need to like order through Benco? I thought it was like something with that, but help us understand like,   Do I have to give up my rep? Do I have to only order through your guys' people? How does this work for me to transition over? Because I do know dentists are very loyal and I think that's an amazing attribute. I would say like stay loyal. Also make sure that your overhead's making sense as you're going and buying supplies.   Ted Osterer (24:36) If you're a member of Center Gentle Partners, feel free to order from whoever you'd like. There's no minimums or anything like that. Now, are you better off buying from the suppliers in our network if you're trying to save money and time? Yes, like you just said. So Darby's our anchor supplier. They're the only distributor that we work with. If you're best friends with the Banco rep and you're looking to save money,   and you give us a shot and like I said the sole point is to save money we can very much help you and there's plenty to go around that if you need to order from Banco who you mentioned earlier or any other distributor have at it but I mean if we can cut your supply cost by 25-30 % you keep your reps for service you keep your reps for whatever you choose to keep them for yes by all means we are not offended there's no exclusive like that.   Now relationships are important. know, like you said that regarding manufacturers, if you have a rep already with Darby, you don't have to change who you're already ordering from as long as they're network. We don't force you to do anything differently. But hear me out. You brought up Costco. Now, you know, you went to Costco, you you only have how many free hours in a week? You know, either you can get that at Costco or you could spend the gas money and the time.   Kiera Dent (25:44) Yeah.   Mm-hmm.   Ted Osterer (26:01) to hit up Walmart and Publix and somewhere else on the way home and now you're too tired to go do whatever it is that you wanted to do that night. But hey, you saved like 26 bucks, have at it, well done. How valuable is your time to you? Yeah.   Kiera Dent (26:05) Yeah.   Well done.   Yeah. And if your gas is $7 a gallon, you did not actually make any money. thinking about that, but like for dentists, I think there's a good book, Dan Martell, I raved about him quite a few times to buy back your time. And I think this is a zone where we can have, where you can actually save time. You can save money and you can actually, even your assistant. So doctors, you might not be ordering, but your assistant's ordering. Think of like, if I didn't have to give up five hours or four hours of my assistant's time, which is what I used to have to block off.   Ted Osterer (26:22) You   Kiera Dent (26:43) and you can see more patients with that assistant rather than them ordering that right there is a cost saving. So I did some quick math because I heard what you said. If we are able to save you usually 25 % on your supply costs. So I just thought, okay, let's say there's a million dollar practice. This million dollar, that's about 83,000. We'll just do 84,000 rough math. A month is what this practice would be producing. We like as a consulting company for your supply costs to be about 5 % of that. So I was like, okay.   That'd be like 4,200 bucks that month that could go towards supplies. If you guys save 25%, that's a thousand dollar savings, over a thousand dollar savings on that 4,200 a month. I was thinking about that, like a thousand dollars a month. This is on a million dollar practice. I didn't go for a sky high one. If you're bigger than that, obviously it's way more than that. But I just thought Ted, like, if you could save a thousand dollars a month, cause I know you guys have this, like you guys have sexy stats on how much you're able to save practices. I understand you might have to have two, three conversations with your reps.   of like, guys, for us, we care about you, we love you. The reality is, I'm willing to have that conversation if I'm gonna get thousand bucks a month. Because that's now $12,000 for the year. And I think about, well right there, if you're looking at other things, virtual assistants can cost you $12,000 for a year. They can do all your billing, they can do outsource pieces for you, you could hire a personal assistant for you for $12,000. Even that extra $1,000 a month, I'm thinking, could you bring on different team members for that?   What does that look like? I understand like a full assistance not going to cost you 12 grand, but I'm like virtual assistance are outsourced billing, different things that you could use those funds for that right there to me. I'd be willing to have some conversations and just look at. So that's where I want to, I'm really big on numbers because I'm like, cool, 25%. But I'm like, when it breaks down to like thousands a month that I could then reinvest and use in better areas, just like I'm like, you guys, you can keep spending money on Indeed. Go for it. And I'm not here to say indeed is not great.   but you could also switch to AvaHR, which used to be VivaHR. It's literally 149 bucks a month for unlimited posting of ads. I took my cost of posting ads. I'm doing the same thing. I'm literally posting ads on the exact same platforms. I used to spend $15,000 a year on that, and now I pay about $1,200 a year. Right there, I'm like, that's a switch I'm willing to make. Yes, bummer, I don't get to like post directly to Indeed anymore. Same thing, I don't maybe get to like buy directly from my rep.   you still can keep the relationship. Like if you need to buy equipment or different things like that, like you can still keep the relationship. But I think, and they will try to sweet talk you, but I've seen it with the buying groups, the savings that you get, I just say have the conversation. A thousand bucks a month, go on, get a massage, do something fun. Like, I don't know, take your kids on vacation for 12 grand, whatever it is, but that's just literally buying the same materials through a different platform and getting...   money kickback. don't know. To me, Ted, it's always been a no-brainer, which is why I bring you guys on the podcast. So that's my spiel. But Ted, anything you have to take, wrap this up because I think with the tariffs, with the rising costs, realizing it's not that big of a deal, buy as you go. You can use these buying groups. You can be like a DSO, but you can buy what you need, not having to get all these deals. You're able to cut your costs. You said about 25 % on supplies and just go look at what you spent on supplies last three months. Think if you got 25 % of that back.   I think I'd be willing to have a conversation. But Ted, you tell me what you think. Those are my thoughts on this.   Ted Osterer (30:06) I said, I was going to say like the exact same thing, unfortunately, but I, you know, I'll take that one. I'll take that one second further to really, really simplify it. Right. And just summarize everything you just said. You know, we're partnered with over 50 supply partners, including eight different labs. Right. So as a consulting agency, right. Like we see labs as high as 10, 15%, you know, it should be what six to 8%.   Yeah, so I mean, let's say you're a million dollar practice. That's the practice Kiera just said. If I save you just 1 % of your overhead, that is a $10,000 that Kiera's talking about. And it is so easy to save that as a member of Synergy. And my goodness, thank you so much for having me on. It really means a lot. And thank you for acknowledging.   Kiera Dent (30:59) Yeah,   of course. I think it's a matter where Ted, I, when I get really passionate about things, like I love Swell. They do their Google reviews so well, you're able to save costs on your marketing, but get like really incredible patients. When I see a zone where I'm like, supplies are supplies are supplies. I understand you love your rep, but I'm like, supplies are. If I can get the exact same anesthetic, like I need my Lido, it's certified and I can buy it from Benco or I can buy it from Shine, but I can get it for...   X versus Y and I'm going to save substantially to me that's a way doctors it. I think that this is just being a higher level CEO that realizes just like DSO CEOs do as much as I love the product from X. I'm going to buy it from here because I'm literally able like it's the exact same thing. just get it on sale. So why would I not do that? And as a female like that's girl math for you Ted. Like if I can get it on sale, I'm going to buy it because I can use it to go get what I want over here. I just think like   These are the zones, dentists, that the elites do. These are the zones that the multi-million dollar practices are doing. So learn from their strategies. Again, it's gonna be one, two, three, maybe a little bit uncomfortable conversations. You don't need to burn the relationship. But I would say if I was you sitting there looking at my overhead, looking for ways to do cash flow, I would radically consider something that's not going to impact your patient care, that's going to make your practice much easier and also give you more time back in your life. So that's why I you guys on. Again, I don't work for Synergy. We don't have an affiliate relationship with them.   I love them, I adore them. I truly think you guys are just doing a great thing in the business. We are working on a partnership with them in the future for all of our clients. It's something that's really been big on my mind because I feel like, hey, why not? All of our clients that are with us, let's get them the best deals. But this is why I wanted you guys on the podcast. So Ted, how can people connect with you? How can they try you guys out? Again, you don't have to burn your rep. can just go even test it out. ⁓ But how can they try you guys out just to see what this looks like for their practice?   Ted Osterer (32:53) Go to the TheSynergyDentalPartners.com know, leave your information with us. Please, please, please tell us that the A team sent you, you know, of course extra promotional offers if the A team, I mean, A plus team in my book, of course. ⁓ Yes, yes, A plus plus. And please let them know that you were sent by them so we can make the offering even more attractive for you. And you know, when you join Synergy, you don't even have to have that typical conversation. You can just hide in the bathroom.   Kiera Dent (33:05) Thank you. Thank you. I agree.   Ted Osterer (33:23) and we're all good. It's okay.   Kiera Dent (33:25) Yeah,   it truly is. Don't make this wild, you guys. ⁓ Ted, I appreciate it. Thank you so much for coming and talking about what the reality is and what things have gone up in pricing and how you guys have been able to watch it go up and down. You're seeing so many more supplies than just the solo practitioners seeing. so you're able to see, kind of like stock markets, we're able to see at a bird's eye view of what's really going in the landscape of it. And I want to just remind people, you guys, the future is bright. No matter what's going on, the future is bright. There's always solutions.   Ted Osterer (33:29) Thank you.   Kiera Dent (33:53) And I think right now is where we get a bit more scrappy, a bit more innovative, and truly you shouldn't be seeing much of a hit. Like shoot, if you're seeing a hit, just switch over to Synergy and you won't even see that hit. So try it out. ⁓ Ted, thank you for being on the podcast with me and thank you for everybody. I really think this is an awesome way for you guys to truly take care of your practice, take care of your patients, and make life easier, which is what we're all about. So Ted, thanks for joining me today. I super appreciate you.   Ted Osterer (34:03) Yeah.   ⁓ I'm happy to be here. Thanks again.   Kiera Dent (34:19) And for all of you listening, thanks for listening and we'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.

What is better than a roundtable discussion going back to the basics? Not much if you ask me and Crystal and Hartley were so much fun to be around. If you are looking to brush up on the "why", then this episode is for you. We touched lightly about a lot of the popular topics - careers beyond clinical, whitening, ergonomics and handpieces, mobile dentistry so so much more. If you want to reach Hartley - message the Ultradent account and you'll find her there - @ultradentproducts If you want to reach Crystal, you can find her at @cmarluv

What is better than a roundtable discussion going back to the basics? Not much if you ask me and Crystal and Hartley were so much fun to be around. If you are looking to brush up on the "why", then this episode is for you. We touched lightly about a lot of the popular topics - careers beyond clinical, whitening, ergonomics and handpieces, mobile dentistry so so much more. If you want to reach Hartley - message the Ultradent account and you'll find her there - @ultradentproducts If you want to reach Crystal, you can find her at @cmarluv

We dive deep into vital bleaching, from factory to patient outcome. Fabio shares from his extensive knowledge of bleach, Opalescence and Consepsis chlorhexidine scrub. We finish with a bright chat about the Valo curing light. https://www.adansw.com.au/CPD/CPD-Presenters/Fabio-Fowler

Today's episode of The New IT Podcast discusses Ultradent and their use of tech in the manufacturing and production industry! Ultradent is an organization that's mission here is to improve oral health globally through science, creativity, and education. They strive to provide clinicians with progressive and trustworthy solutions while always respecting the patient and promoting their well-being. “Once we find a candidate, at least on paper, that looks good we usually move pretty fast, and so I think that you know if they go through all the checkpoints and everything from the time that we got their resume to the time that they're starting it's usually you know, I would say around 4 weeks would probably be the overall time frame. A lot of times what takes longer is just, especially for certain positions, is just getting those qualified candidates in the first place, and so sometimes that can take a month or two to find the type of position." Brad Anderson, CEO of TechBridge, a Salt Lake City IT staffing company, and Bobby Glen James, Author, Speaker, and founder of BoTecha IT Support, along with guest speaker Ryan, the Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Information Technology, discuss how Ultradent is using tech in an innovative way to connect their consumers with improved oral health in many different ways across the Globe. Their use of tech helps optimize their process and ensure maximum efficiency. Hear what this tech expert has to say on the subject in this week's episode of the New IT podcast, “Ultradent” For more information on IT staffing and recruiting visit https://techbridgeinc.com For more information about a career with Ultradent Visit: https://www.ultradent.com/company/careers

Ever so often you meet someone who simply stands out from the rest. For me, recently, it was Mr. David Alsop, the Vice President of Human Resources at Ultradent.If you read any of the content David puts out, especially on LinkedIn, or you look back to past interviews or speaking engagements David has done, you'll see that he truly is all about authenticity. I'm so excited to release this episode for your benefit and enjoyment.David spent the better part of 13+ years with the Kraft-Heinz company starting off in Sales and quickly working his way in and up the ranks of HR leadership.He joined Ultradent in 2017 and today serves as the organization's Vice President of Human Resources. David is a contributor and council member for Forbes, and he is also the Founder of an organization called Jump Spark. Jump Spark was a cause born to build a community of leaders who inspire the future of human experience in the workplace and beyond.Ultradent is a company dedicated to improving Oral health globally through science, creativity, and education. The company was recognized in 2021 by Fortune Magazine as a Best Workplace in Manufacturing & Production.Some highlights of what we covered:-Why the rules of Talent Acquisition need to be thrown out in order to actually hire the best people and help them succeed-How underdog stories lend themselves to great hires-Why seeking out the "excluded" is like seeking out diamonds in the ruff when it comes to hiring-Why hiring highly experienced and highly educated people may actually be a detriment to your overall company goals...and so much more!David Alsop on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidalsop/Ultradent on the Web www.ultradent.com

Recently, Dr. Susan Madsen, Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, talked to a variety of company leaders from different industries about their “family-friendly” practices and policies, particularly as they related to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women. This episode is the fifth in a series of episodes focusing on this very thing. In this new series, we highlight one company per episode, and continue here with Ultradent. Dr. Madsen is joined by Dirk Jeffs, President and CEO of Ultradent Products, and David Alsop, who is the Vice President of Human Resources.Support the show

On today's episode, host Reid Hiatt, CEO and Co-founder of the hybrid work solution Tactic, sits down with Blaine Dudgeon to talk about his experience and success with managing a hybrid workforce.Blaine is an Associate Manager of Talent Success at Ultradent Products In. and he played a key role in helping Ultradent rank in the top 10 of Forbes Best Workplaces in Manufacturing in 2021.He has some great insights that are incredibly valuable for any manager looking for ways to improve their company culture, attract new talent and better connect with their team.

On this episode of the Raving Patients Podcast, Len sits down with Anissa Holmes, Founder of Delivering WOW, to discuss how you can maximize your marketing online.  Takeaways from this episode include:  Simple Facebook Campaigns To Bring In Internal Referrals and Build Awareness In Your Community How to Integrate Existing Patients Into Your Marketing How To Attract High-Value Patients At The Lowest Cost. How To Use Google My Business To Repurpose Your Content To Scale Your Marketing Results How to Get New Patients From Clubhouse   Founder of the Delivering WOW Platinum Coaching program, Dr. Anissa Holmes helps practices grow by focusing on leadership, effective case presentation, systems optimization, and implementing high return marketing. Dr. Holmes is also dentistry's leading digital marketing expert, having trained over 5000 practices to leverage social media to effectively grow their practices.   Dr. Holmes has been named one of Ultradent's Female Icons of Dentistry, Dental Product Report's TOP 25 Women in Dentistry, and has been featured in top publications such as Dental Economics, Dentistry IQ, Dental Products Report, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Dr. Holmes is also the author of the bestselling book, Delivering WOW: How Dentists Can Build a Fascinating Brand and Achieve More While Working Less.   In addition to coaching and being an International Dental Speaker,  Dr. Holmes has been a featured speaker at Social Media Marketing World and Funnel Hacking Live and her Delivering WOW Dental Podcast has listeners in over 125 countries.

David Alsop is currently the Head of HR for Ultradent, a manufacturing company with over 1,400 employees. He is also the founder of Jumpspark, a new movement in HR. David will be teaching us how to approach HR and spark change to the 401(k). Check out the video of this episode here. Text me 385-220-8548 to (k)eep in touch. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/401klub/message

David is the founder of Disrupt HR SLC and currently sits as the Senior Director of Human Capital at Ultradent Products. Ultradent is a leading developer of high-tech dental materials, devices, and instruments, with subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, Brazil, China, and Japan, employing approximately 1,300 individuals and manufacturing and packaging more than 500 materials, devices, and instruments.

It was so wonderful to talk with Dr. Anissa Holmes. She truly positively influences the dental community, helping practices grow by focusing on leadership, effective case presentation, system optimization, and implementing high return marketing! She has helped over 1,000 practices to enhance their social media presence to grow their practices effectively. This dental boss lady shows what passion, hard work, and drive is all about. She helps many of her dental colleagues learn how to scale their practices through proven systems. Dr. Holmes has been named one of Ultradent's Female Icons of Dentistry, Dental Product Report's TOP 25 Women in Dentistry, and has been featured in top publications such as Dental Economics, Dentistry IQ, Dental Products Report, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Dr. Holmes is also the author of the bestselling book, Delivering WOW: How Dentists Can Build a Fascinating Brand and Achieve More While Working Less. In addition to coaching and being an International Dental Speaker, Dr. Holmes has been a featured speaker at Social Media Marketing World. Funnel Hacking Live and her Delivering WOW Dental Podcast have listeners in over 125 countries. It was an honor to speak with Dr. Holmes. She is so inspiring and is such a great speaker! I was glad to hear about what pieces of tech she is excited about that has been a major advantage in her practice! *Key Questions* 1. Diamond In The Ruff: what product did you use most in practice that's been a major advantage to helping with productivity and efficiency. Dr. Holmes highly recommends using Asana. It is a great tool to keep your team organized. It helps map out deadlines, increases accountability, and helps with great communication. https://asana.com/ 2. No-Risk | No-Reward: What was your big investment of time or money in technology that paid off. Dr. Holmes enjoys using her digital scanners. She has both and iTero and Trios. She explains the major benefit they bring, which is more efficient. https://itero.com/ https://www.3shape.com/en/software/trios-smile-design 3. The Flop: What did you buy into that was a waste of time and money? Dr. Holmes explains her perspective on what a Flop means to her and how they have helped build upon her success. She says flops have helped her understand what will and will not work. To not be afraid to try something new she explains how she is not afraid to fail. She explains it is best to flop and then to get back up and learn from the experience. Connect with Dr. Anissa Holmes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deliveringwowdental/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/ deliveringwow Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NlLQssLVIM0eyn9zPMUsJ Website: https://deliveringwow.com/about/ Looking for digital diagnostic tools, visit our website: https://www.sodiumdental.com/ Follow Us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sodiumdental/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=sodium%20dental Dental Tech Chat podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/58G5yOLED9y0ZE2ZfMsgu4 Thank you for supporting the Dental Tech Chat podcast. Please like, subscribe, and share (: --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dentaltechchat/message

Dr. Raphael Beolchi discusses indications for direct and indirect restorations, favored adhesives and materials, lighting and magnification, pulp capping, isolation, and current controversies in esthetic dentistry. Dr. Rafael Beolchi majored in Dentistry from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in the year 2000. He has maintained a private practice since 2001, working mainly in aesthetic dentistry and oral rehabilitation. In 2009 he received his Master's degree on Biomaterials from the Institute of Energetic and Nuclear Research, from the same University. He is the teacher responsible for the Continuing Education Course on Aesthetics with Direct Composite Resins of the Union Health Academy in São Paulo, Brazil. He also teaches in Aesthetic Specialization Courses around the world, focusing on advanced handling of dental materials with an easy step-by-step approach that simplifies the procedure. He also provides advice on materials and aesthetic dental products for the dental industry. He is a teacher at the post graduation course of the Faculdade São Leopoldo Mandic, Campinas, Brazil He is the author of several articles in Portuguese, Spanish and English, about the topics of direct placed esthetic restorations and lightcuring, topics on which he still maintains his activity as a researcher until today. He also the author of book chapters on the fields of Lightcuring and Restorative Dentistry. Currently he is back to the University of São Paulo as associate researcher. He also collaborates on studies with several other Institutions around the World. He also acts as consultant for esthetic products and materials for the Dental industry, where he applies his clinical and scientific knowledge helping in the development of new and better dental products. He particularly prefers advanced direct restorations with composite resins, and has presented several lectures and workshops addressing this topic throughout Brazil, North, Central & South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, in more than 50 countries.The Dental Clinical Companion Podcast (DCCP) is provided for general informational purposes only. The DCCP, MounceEndo, LLC, and Dr. Richard Mounce personally have no liability for any clinical, management, or financial decisions or actions taken or made by you based on the information provided in this program. The DCCP is not intended to offer dental, medical, legal, management, investment, surgical, tax, clinical, or any other professional advice. Reliance on the information in the DCCP is done entirely at the listeners own risk.  No guarantees, representations, or warrantees are made with regard to the completeness, accuracy, and/or quality of the DCCP.  The DCCP takes no responsibility for, does not endorse, and does not imply a relationship/affiliation to any websites, products, services, devices, individuals, organizations which are hyperlinked to any DCCP component or mentioned in the DCCP. Third party materials, hyperlinks, and/or DCCP content does not reflect the opinions, standards, and policies of MounceEndo, LLC (owner of the DCCP, Dr. Richard Mounce, the guest, or show sponsors). The DCCP makes no warranty that the Podcast and its server are free of computer viruses or other destructive or contaminating code elements. The Dental Clinical Companion Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special consequential or other damages arising out of any individuals use of, reference to, reliance on, or inability to use, this podcast or the information presented in this podcast. http://www.dentalclinicalcompanion.com/Support the show (http://mounceendo.com/)

Dr. Shea Bess graduated from Loma Linda and returned back to Utah after graduating and started his own practice about a year later. He Is both a general dentist owner as well as a consultant in R&D at Ultradent. He focused on bonding and learned a ton about bond strength. The biggest issue in bonding failure is that the dentist doesn't follow the instructions. The developers have worked very hard to make the most effective product, but it isn't being applied correctly and therefore, fails. Another issue that is common is that when the bonding agent is thinned, the dentist will wave their air and water syringe back and forth. This creates ripples that are uneven. Push one time in one direction to keep it even. You also need to pay attention to the proper time. You need to account for time for the solvent to evaporate. All bond strengths are not equal because not all products are equal. Which bonds have you tested? Many are products outside of Ultradent as well as all Ultradent products. The range of effectiveness was staggering and show easily where you can avoid bonding issues. Why do you use a different product when you bond to dentin vs enamel? Consider the strength you need and the impact the surface will take. Be prepared to use either once you prep ad evaluate. What advice would you give for new grads? Whatever the truth is, tell it. Things will not always go perfectly, but be honest when something goes wrong. How can they get ahold of you? Shea_bess@yahoo.com

On this episode of the Dentist Money™ Show, Ryan interviews BJ Sorensen, Senior Manager of Marketing Strategy and Research at Ultradent. While we may have a front-row seat to the economic effects of COVID-19, BJ's job is to understand how current trends might alter the future. What will be the behavioral impact on dentists? Where is practice ownership headed? What jobs will today's dental students find? BJ and Ryan offer their answers to these questions and many more.

Dr. Susan McMahon discusses "A New Generation for Cosmetic Dentistry:  Delivering the smile for the Selfie Culture." In a wide ranging discussion of esthetic dentistry, Dr. McMahon discusses materials, techniques, and current trends as well as her experience as a woman in dentistry. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, Dr. McMahon enjoys one of the largest cosmetic dental practices in Western Pennsylvania.   She is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry,  and an invited Fellow of the prestigious American Society for Dental Aesthetics.  An author and lecturer, Dr. McMahon has devoted her professional career to the pursuit of advanced technologies in cosmetic and minimally invasive dentistry.   She is a past clinical instructor in Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry at the University of Pittsburgh.   She is the Director of New Product Evaluation  and a Speaker for Catapult Education.  She frequently lectures across the United States on minimally invasive dentistry and conservative cosmetic dentistry for teenagers and young adults. .  A seven time award winner in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry's Annual Smile Gallery.  Dr. McMahon has twice been awarded gold medals.   She had been honored as a Top Dentist 15 times.   She has also been voted by her peers as a Top Pittsburgh Dentist every year for over a decade.  Along with dentistry, Dr. McMahon developed and is an active partner in Bakn restaurants  in Pittsburgh.  Bakn, chef driven, funky brunch-all-day restaurants, have enjoyed great success and notoriety since opening in 2015.  Bakn has been featured on The Food Network and Travel Channel.   Very Active in charity work and fundraising, Dr. McMahon is a founding board member of Music for MS.  Music for MS, Roots Music Festival, is a daylong, family friendly, live music festival held annually at Hartwood Acres.  Proceeds benefit the MS Society, Keystone Chapter.   Bakn restaurants partner and fundraise for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.  Dr. McMahon lives and raised her three children in Pittsburgh.  The Dental Clinical Companion Podcast (DCCP) is provided for general informational purposes only. The DCCP, MounceEndo, LLC, and Dr. Richard Mounce personally have no liability for any clinical, management, or financial decisions or actions taken or made by you based on the information provided in this program. The DCCP is not intended to offer dental, medical, legal, management, investment, surgical, tax, clinical, or any other professional advice. Reliance on the information in the DCCP is done entirely at the listeners own risk.  No guarantees, representations, or warrantees are made with regard to the completeness, accuracy, and/or quality of the DCCP.  The DCCP takes no responsibility for, does not endorse, and does not imply a relationship/affiliation to any websites, products, services, devices, individuals, organizations which are hyperlinked to any DCCP component or mentioned in the DCCP. Third party materials, hyperlinks, and/or DCCP content does not reflect the opinions, standards, and policies of MounceEndo, LLC (owner of the DCCP, Dr. Richard Mounce, the guest, or show sponsors). The DCCP makes no warranty that the Podcast and its server are free of computer viruses or other destructive or contaminating code elements. The Dental Clinical Companion Podcast expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special consequential or other damages arising out of any individuals use of, reference to, reliance on, or inability to use, this podcast or the information presented in this podcast.  Support the show (http://mounceendo.com/)

Dr. Dan Fischer is the founder and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc., a dental manufacturer with a 30-year history of innovation and quality. Now an international leader in the dental industry, Ultradent began humbly — in Dr. Fischer’s basement, with his children as its first employees. Over three decades later, Dr. Fischer is still revolutionizing the dental industry. He has numerous patents to his name, and regularly lectures and writes articles about state-of-the-art dentistry. He also works part-time in his daughter’s dental practice, which enables him to connect with patients and practice minimally invasive dentistry—a philosophy around which Ultradent develops products and procedures. Driven by a strong moral code, Dr. Fischer lives his life according to the same values that guide Ultradent: integrity, quality, hard work, innovation, and care. When he isn't working, he enjoys tending to his garden and spending time with his wife, children, and 30 grandchildren.

Here's a story you have to hear to believe. A curing light was dropped from 100,000 feet back to earth. What happened next is something you have to hear to believe. A special edition of our podcast, talking with our friends from Ultradent. #TogetherWeRise #IgniteDA

David tried a lot of different paths that led nowhere. He eventually attended a college class that really clicked for him. Learn how finding his passion launched his career on Learn From Others.

Karen's story of working at UltraDent: When I started in dentistry as a dental assistant many years ago, I was actually quite shy and had been that way my whole life—through childhood and as a young adult. Quite shy! In a crowded room, I was always the wall flower, but I loved dental assisting. Then, when the opportunity to work for Ultradent came around, I started coming out of my shell as I had to go in to dental offices as a sales rep. Later, as a regional manager, again, I blossomed a little bit more. After a few years in that position, I became a product trainer and remember distinctly a few occasions where I would talk to my mother on the phone and say, “Oh, I have a class of 30 people to train today,” or “I’m going to speak at our National Sales Meeting and I have 100 people to present to.” One day she stopped me and said, “Oh my gosh, Karen, how do you do that? You’re SO shy!” It stopped me in my tracks and it was an “Aha!” moment for me. That moment was a real marker for me in my career because I had almost forgotten that I used to be shy and to look back and go, “How did I get here?!” was amazing.I realized, and told my mom, that when you love what you do, and you’re passionate about it, you gain confidence. I mean, I went from being incredibly timid to public speaking and presenting for a living! I believe this all happened because Ultradent recognizes passion in people and fosters growth in those areas. That’s what I love the most about Ultradent. The only reason I’m in the position I am today as the director of U.S. sales is because Ultradent identified and recognized the passion I had for our products at the beginning, and helped me cultivate it and build on it by making me a trainer, which helped develop my skills further to help me become what I am today. I thank God for that and that I’m part of a company that does that for and with their people.

A dentist and an inventor, Dr. Sigal Jacobson from Melbourne Australia is an internationally acclaimed lecturer with more than 22 years of experience in aesthetic dentistry. The dental product report has nominated her as “this year's top 25 women in dentistry “Dr Sigal published several articles in major dental magazines and invented the world-renowned Uveneer™ system which is a template system to deliver predictable and efficient aesthetic composite restorations. Uveneer is distributed exclusively by Ultradent and is used by thousands of clinics all around the world. She is also working to create more innovations that aim to make the general dentist’s work more efficient and predictable, while simultaneously Making it easier and more affordable on the patients. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dento-Facial Aesthetics, member of the Australian AADFA and a key speaker for Ultradent.   www.uveneer.com

Dr. Dan Fischer says dentists should be brand conscious about two products: curing lights and bonding agents. Ultradent created a notched-edge bond strength testing method that is so accurate, it has been the ISO standard for testing dental adhesives since 2013. Accurate testing means improved formulation and development of truly non-compromising adhesives. Learn about the advantages of a non-compromising adhesive and hear Dr. Fischer's recommendations for high quality adhesives in this week's episode. Dan E. Fischer is President and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc. He is extensively involved in the research and development of many dental products and maintains a part-time practice with an emphasis on esthetic dentistry.

Soft tissue diode lasers are extremely versatile, being used for treatments such as gingivectomies, troughing, frenectomies, hemostasis, and more. Samantha gives an overview of soft tissue diode lasers, including specifics about Ultradent's Gemini Diode Laser and why Dr. Fischer thought it was such a good product, he wanted to add it to the Ultradent catalog. She also gives examples of procedures that can be completed using a soft tissue diode laser. Samantha Lujan is the Laser Specialist for Ultradent Products Inc. She started her dental career over 20+ years ago as a dental office manager and helped one of her doctors with a dental laser startup called Zap Lasers. Due to a series of mergers & acquisitions she has helped other dental companies successfully introduce soft-tissue lasers to the dental market. Out of all of the dental products and technologies Samantha has worked with, she is most passionate about dental lasers, and has helped educate dental companies, dentists and orthodontists on how to successfully implement soft-tissue lasers into their practice.

Today we're talking with Dr. Dan Fischer, the founder and president of Ultradent, on the early days of the company, their dental philosophy, and how Ultradent is shaping the future of dentistry. As a visionary and a forward thinker, Dr. Fischer has great insight on the industry. They discussed the growth of Ultradent, conservative versus restorative dentistry, and patients' needs and wants. Dr. Fischer strives continuously to “Improve Oral Health Globally,” and hopes to one day discover a cure for caries. In pursuing these goals, Dr. Fischer is a generous philanthropist, regularly donating time, money,​​​​ and products to countless personal missions and organizations such as Sealants For Smiles, which places sealants on the teeth of children with limited preventative dental care. Dr. Fischer also champions The Diversity Foundation, which provides educational opportunities to vulnerable and underprivileged children, and has helped transform the lives of many young people who have been victims of FLDS polygamy. Links: Dan Fischer

Today we’re talking with Dr. Dan Fischer, the founder and president of Ultradent, on the early days of the company, their dental philosophy, and how Ultradent is shaping the future of dentistry. As a visionary and a forward thinker, Dr. Fischer has great insight on the industry. They discussed the growth of Ultradent, conservative versus restorative dentistry, and patients’ needs and wants. Dr. Fischer strives continuously to “Improve Oral Health Globally,” and hopes to one day discover a cure for caries. In pursuing these goals, Dr. Fischer is a generous philanthropist, regularly donating time, money,​​​​ and products to countless personal missions and organizations such as Sealants For Smiles, which places sealants on the teeth of children with limited preventative dental care. Dr. Fischer also champions The Diversity Foundation, which provides educational opportunities to vulnerable and underprivileged children, and has helped transform the lives of many young people who have been victims of FLDS polygamy. Links: Dan Fischer

Kim has 40 years experience in the dental trade, having started with a local dental supply company in Salt Lake City right after graduating college in 1976. During his 40 years in the industry, he has worked in sales, manufacturing, R&D, marketing, and product development. As the Endo Product Manager at Ultradent, he was tasked with the responsibility to manage the development and bring to market Endo Eze AET. Later, at SybronEndo, Kim managed the development and release of a number of Endo products, including TF Adaptiv, ApexID, K3XF, and System B Cordless. Currently, Kim has his own company, Lean Dental Solutions, Inc. and has developed and is selling the Grasshopper Mouse dental office inventory control system. Kim was married 40 years ago in June and he and his wife Laura have four children and 13 grandchildren. Kim & Laura live in Santa Ana, California.   www.GHMouse.com

Dr. Dan Fischer, founder and president of Ultradent Products, Inc., shares the minimally invasive approach that surrounds everything he does.     Dr. Dan E. Fischer graduated from Loma Linda University in 1974. Following graduation, Dr. Fischer maintained a full-time private practice for 15 years. Since 1990 he has been practicing dentistry part time while working extensively in the research and development of many products used in the dental profession. He is president and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc., an international dental manufacturer that owns and operates offices in nine countries throughout the world in addition to its U.S. headquarters. In 2013, the Utah Governor’s Office for Economic Development named Dr. Fischer International Man of the Year for Ultradent’s success in establishing and sustaining economic and cultural relations throughout the world. The Loma Linda University School of Dentistry named Dr. Fischer Alumnus of the Year in 1994 and bestowed upon him its prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002. Additionally, Dr. Fischer has received several nominations for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the AACD in 2005, and he was inducted into the American College of Dentists in October 2011. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Loma Linda University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. He enjoys maintaining a rigorous lecturing schedule where he presents to students and fellow clinicians around the world every year       www.facebook.com/ultradentproducts   Public Relations contact: shalyse.walker@ultradent.com

Ultradent's origin story is an incredible example of the American Dream. One wonderful part of the story is that Ultradent was founded to meet a need. There were no products on the market that could predictably control bleeding and sulcular fluid. So, Dr. Fisher invented one! Dr. Fischer also discusses the company core values of Integrity, Quality, Hard Work, Innovation, and Care.

Some companies understand that there’s a lot more to business than making a profit. Ultradent is one of those companies. For more than 30 years Ultradent has been innovating and creating quality products. They are a truly an international leader …  

Join practice management consultant Dr. Shannon Griffin for a discussion about systems for hiring and training new staff, office communication, and other intangibles that can make a good dentist great. Shannon Griffin, DMD, coaches all dental teams, but often coordinates projects for the Jameson Launch program, designed specifically for those starting a new practice from scratch. These Launch clients may be composed of experienced dental teams looking to build a new office or of recent dental school graduates planning to start out with a new practice plan of their own. Dr. Griffin studied dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston and continued her practical dental education in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at the University Of Oklahoma College Of Dentistry. She is a general dentist in private practice, a part-time clinical instructor in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency program at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and a regular guest lecturer at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She also finds time to be a devoted wife and mother of two and occasionally serves as dentist to the wild animals (including lions) at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

Join Dr. Gerard Kugel for a discussion about successful veneer placement and pitfalls to avoid. Gerard Kugel, D.M.D., M.S., Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research, and Professor of Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. With an expertise in Clinical Research and Esthetic Dentistry, he is a reviewer for The New England Journal of Medicine, JADA, The Journal of Esthetic Dentistry, Esthetic Technique and CRA. He is on the Editorial Board of Functional Esthetics & Restorative Dentistry, The Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry, and The Journal of Adhesive Dentistryand he is Editor -in- Chief of Inside Dentistry. He is a Fellow in the American and International Colleges of Dentistry as well as the Academy of General Dentistry and the Academy of Dental Materials. Dr Kugel is on the Board of Directors of the CRAand has his M.S. in Anatomy and Cellular Biology and his Ph.D. in Dental Materials. Dr. Kugel has published over 120 articles and over 200 abstracts in the field of restorative materials and techniques. He was given over 200 lectures both nationally and internationally. Dr. Kugel is part of a group practice, the Boston Center for Oral Health, located in Back Bay, Boston.

Listen as Dr. Howard Strassler discusses causes of Intrinsic discoloration and decalcification before introducing a minimally invasive treatment alternative to veneers. Dr. Strassler is Professor and Director of Operative Dentistry at the University of Maryland Dental School. He has presented over 400 programs throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe and has published over 450 articles in the field of restorative dentistry and innovations in dental practice, in addition to coauthoring several chapters in texts. Dr. Strassler is a Fellow in the Academy of Dental Materials, a member of the Academy of Operative Dentistry and International Association of Dental Research and was the Academy of General Dentistry's Year 2000 recipient of the Thaddeus V. Weclew Honorary Fellowship. He is on the editorial review board for several prominent dental journals, acts as a consultant to the VA, and a consultant and clinical evaluator to over 15 dental manufacturers. Dr. Strassler has a general practice in Baltimore, Maryland that is limited to restorative dentistry and esthetics.

Tune in as Dr. Nasser Barghi reports on necessary curing light intensity, effects of insufficient curing light output, and results of testing curing lights in hundreds of dental practices.

Dr. Nasser Barghi discusses porcelain repair, including considerations for the nature and zone of the fracture. Listen as he explains the negative impact of hydrofluoric acid on tooth structure and his recommendations for silanation. Dr. Nasser Barghi is a Professor and Head of the Texas Health Science Center at the University of Texas, San Antonio Dental School. He has authored and co-authored over 180 articles and abstracts in scientific journals. Dr. Barghi has completed a great amount of research on bonding and etched porcelain bonded restorations, and has lectured extensively in the United States and abroad on the topic of esthetic dentistry.

Join two of Ultradent's marketing experts for a discussion on increasing bleaching business in your dental practice. They discuss average treatment prices, available marketing materials, and tips for marketing bleaching to your patients without becoming a "salesperson." Steve Clark is Ultradent's product manager for the Opalescence whitening line. He is heavily involved in whitening market research for the company. Steve Gerber has worked at Ultradent for 13 years. He has held positions in U.S. and international sales departments and has given whitening presentations to dentists all over the world.

Learn about a study performed at the University of Iowa, College of Dentistry that proved the strength of dentin is much higher than traditionally reported. Neil Jessop also discusses forces that occur in the oral cavity and the clinical relevance of high adhesive strengths. Neil Jessop is the head of Ultradent's research and development departments. He has performed thousands of laboratory bond strength tests and developed an adhesive testing method that is used in research and educational facilities throughout the world.

Dr. Newton Fahl, Jr. discusses how dentists can gain new excitement for their profession by incorporating creativity and artistry into their procedures. He relates how Renaissance artists were able to become prominent in their field and how this relates to the dental profession in providing patients with the optimal esthetic result. Dr. Fahl received his DDS degree from Londrina State University, Brazil, in 1987. In 1989 he received the Certificate in Operative Dentistry and Master of Science degree from the University of Iowa, USA. After returning to Brazil, he settled in Curitiba, where he maintains a private practice emphasizing esthetic dentistry. Dr. Newton Fahl, Jr. is a member of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (AAED), and founding member and past-president of the Brazilian Society of Aesthetic Dentistry (BSAD). He is a MCG-Hinman Foundation fellow. Dr. Fahl has published several enlightening articles on direct and indirect bonding techniques. He is on editorial board of the European Journal of Esthetic Dentistry, and of Practical Procedures & Aesthetic Dentistry – PPA&D. He is an active consultant for several manufacturers in the development and refinement of new materials and techniques.

Dr. Dan Fischer discusses the differences between Bis-GMA and Bisphenol-A and their use in dental sealants. He also summarizes flaws in the original "Granada" study, which generalized that all dental sealants release Bisphenol-A. Test results from a well-respected laboratory indicate a 0.00000% presence of Bisphenol-A in our UltraSeal XT plus. Dan E. Fischer is President and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc. He is extensively involved in the research and development of many dental products and maintains a part-time practice with an emphasis on esthetic dentistry.

Dr. Ron Kaminer discusses caries prevention with xylitol, ozone therapy, and fluoride. He also explores minimally invasive dentistry and early diagnosis. Dr. Ron Kaminer graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1990. He practices Laser and Comprehensive Dentistry in Hewlett and Oceanside. He has lectured nationally on the subject of using lasers in Dentistry, teaching dentists how to use lasers in their practice. He is a member of the Academy of Laser Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, American Dental Association, and Academy of Operative Dentistry. He lives in Hewlett, NY with his wife Jackie and three children.

Join Dr. Stace Lind as he discusses how general practitioners can venture into treating a small number of simple endodontic cases while building their practices. This is the third of three practice building episodes by Dr. Lind. Dr. Stacy Lind is a teacher and lecturer nationally and internationally at dental schools and state dental societies concerning techniques, methods and materials of composite placement, tooth whitening, and current endodontic concepts for the general practitioner. Dr. Lind practices in Littleton, Colorado.

Join Dr. Stace Lind as he discusses overhead management and patient communication in the second of three practice building episodes. Dr. Stacy Lind is a teacher and lecturer nationally and internationally at dental schools and state dental societies concerning techniques, methods and materials of composite placement, tooth whitening, and current endodontic concepts for the general practitioner. Dr. Lind practices in Littleton, Colorado.

Join Dr. Stace Lind as he discusses tooth whitening as a practice builder in the first of three practice building episodes. Dr. Stacy Lind is a teacher and lecturer nationally and internationally at dental schools and state dental societies concerning techniques, methods and materials of composite placement, tooth whitening, and current endodontic concepts for the general practitioner. Dr. Lind practices in Littleton, Colorado.

Learn about the eight factors that can improve bond strengths to dentin and enamel, regardless of your bonding system. Neil Jessop has performed thousands of laboratory bond strength tests and developed an adhesive testing method that is used in research facilities throughout the world. Neil Jessop is the head of Ultradent's research and development departments. He has performed thousands of laboratory bond strength tests and developed an adhesive testing method that is used in research and educational facilities throughout the world.

In an excerpt from a lecture given at Ultradent's corporate office, Dr. Dan Fischer discusses providing quality dentistry to the masses, Ultradent's vision for progressing dental health care, and lessons he has learned from patients. Dan E. Fischer is President and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc. He is extensively involved in the research and development of many dental products and maintains a part-time practice with an emphasis on esthetic dentistry.

Dr. Van Haywood continues our tooth bleaching discussion. He explains theories about and treatments for bleaching sensitivity, the effects of bleaching lights, carbamide peroxide vs. hydrogen peroxide and bleaching tetracycline stains. Dr. Van Haywood is a Professor at the School of Dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Haywood co-authored the first publication in the world on nightguard vital bleaching with carbamide peroxide and has completed extensive research on bleaching tetracycline stains.

Dr. Van Haywood discusses the way peroxide works to whiten teeth, bleaching over orthodontic brackets and the use of carbamide peroxide for caries control. Dr. Van Haywood is a Professor at the School of Dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Haywood co-authored the first publication in the world on nightguard vital bleaching with carbamide peroxide and has completed extensive research on bleaching tetracycline stains.

Dr. Frank Milnar discusses the creative aspect to dentistry, including composite placement and shade selection. Dr. Milnar has a background in many disciplines: dental science, preventive dentistry, and biology. He unifies this background with advanced education in the latest techniques in smile design, health rejuvenation and comfortable care.

Dr. Dan Fischer discusses two additions to the Opalescence whitening family: Opalescence Treswhite Supreme and Opalescence PF 35%. Dr. Dan E. Fischer is President and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc. He is extensively involved in the research and development of many dental products and maintains a part-time practice with an emphasis on esthetic dentistry.

Dr. Jaimee' Morgan gives some practical tips for creating composite restorations quickly without sacrificing quality or esthetics. Dr. Jaimee' Morgan graduated from the University of Texas Dental School at San Antonio. She has been heavily involved in research in association with the Division of Esthetic Dentistry at the University of Texas in San Antonio, and has presented numerous scientific papers as well as having had several articles published in the leading dental journals. She lectures internationally on esthetic and restorative dentistry from a combined research and clinical approach. She has been touted as one of the most practical speakers heard in that she focuses on real dentistry for real people, and offers practical solutions to everyday problems. Dr. Morgan practices cosmetic and restorative dentistry in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Dr. Phil Brown and Norman Hicks discuss the similarities and differences between various types of fiber posts and important criteria for selecting a fiber post system from available products. Dr. Phil Brown entered private practice over 20 years ago and has also spent 12 years assisting dental companies in performing research, development and marketing of new dental products. Norman Hicks is a 31 year veteran of the dental materials industry. He has worked for five major dental manufacturers and is currently self-employed as a consultant for several others. He was directly involved with the introduction of the original fiber post to the U.S. market in the mid 1990's.

Dr. Phil Brown and Norman Hicks discuss the differences between metal and fiber posts, using "Pathways to the Pulp" as a guide for selecting the most appropriate option. Dr. Phil Brown entered private practice over 20 years ago and has also spent 12 years assisting dental companies in performing research, development and marketing of new dental products. Norman Hicks is a 31 year veteran of the dental materials industry. He has worked for five major dental manufacturers and is currently self-employed as a consultant for several others. He was directly involved with the introduction of the original fiber post to the U.S. market in the mid 1990's.

Dr. Phil Brown discusses different types of matrices, including Tofflemire, disposable matrix retainers, and sectional matrix systems. Dr. Phil Brown entered private practice over 20 years ago and has also spent 12 years assisting dental companies in performing research, development and marketing of new dental products.

Carol Jent, RDH discusses pit and fissure sealants, specifically the predictability and versatility of UltraSeal XT plus. Carol Jent, RDH is part of Ultradent's clinical staff and volunteers at the not-for-profit clinic in Salt Lake City.

Dr. Rich Tuttle and Kim Bleiweiss discuss resin-based root canal sealers and resin susceptibility to free radicals. Dr. Richard Tuttle has been practicing dentistry for 30 years. He had a dental career in the military and currently works in Ultradent's Research and Development department. Kim Bleiweiss has also been working in the dental industry for 30 years, including positions at Deseret Dental Supply; Whaledent, Int'l; Harry J. Bosworth, Co.; and Ultradent Products.

Dr. Michael Esposito discusses a direct restorative technique using UltraSeal XT plus, a dual-cure core material and a traditional composite. Dr. Michael Esposito is a general dentist who practices in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He has lectured in his local market as well as in Las Vegas. Dr. Esposito has published articles in Dentistry Today, Dentaltown and Contemporary Esthetics and is an active Townie member.

Dr. Phil Brown and Steve Gerber discuss the evolution of cements, the superiority of resin cements and the various uses of PermaFlo DC. Dr. Phil Brown entered private practice over 20 years ago and has also spent 12 years assisting dental companies in performing research, development and marketing of new dental products. Steve Gerber works in product training department for Ultradent.

Drs. Rich Tuttle and Shea Bess discuss various impression making techniques and the features they appreciate in PVS materials. Dr. Richard Tuttle has been practicing dentistry for 30 years. He had a dental career in the military and currently heads up Ultradent's Research and Development department. Dr. Shea Bess practices dentistry in South Jordan, Utah.

Dr. John Kanca discusses his involvement in the development of ViscoStat Clear and its advantages for use in anterior restorations. Dr. John Kanca has revolutionized the field of adhesive dentistry and is the inventor of "wet bonding." Dr. Kanca has published more than 50 original articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and has developed adhesives for many manufacturers.

Dr. Dan Fischer and Carol Jent, RDH provide an illuminating view of the benefits fluoride varnish can bring to different types of patients. Dan E. Fischer is President and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc. He is extensively involved in the research and development of many dental products and maintains a part-time practice with an emphasis on esthetic dentistry. Carol Jent, RDH is part of Ultradent's clinical staff and volunteers at the not-for-profit clinic in Salt Lake City.

Porcelain restorative authority Dr. Nasser Barghi discusses the addition of composite to his formerly all-porcelain practice. Dr. Nasser Barghi is a professor and head of the Texas Health Science Center at the University of Texas, San Antonio Dental School. He has authored and co-authored over 180 articles and abstracts in scientific journals. Dr. Barghi has completed a great amount of research on bonding and etched porcelain bonded restorations, and has lectured extensively in the United States and abroad on the topic of esthetic dentistry.

Join Dr. Phil Brown and Kim Bleiweiss as they discuss the advantages of fiber posts and specific post designs. Dr. Phil Brown entered private practice over 20 years ago and has also spent 12 years assisting dental companies in performing research, development and marketing of new dental products. Kim Bleiweiss has been working in the dental industry for 30 years, including positions at Deseret Dental Supply; Whaledent, Int'l; and Harry J. Bosworth, Co. Kim is currently working as Ultradent's endodontic sales manager.

Dr. Dan Fischer discusses the anti-caries benefits to whitening with Opalescence. Dan E. Fischer is President and CEO of Ultradent Products, Inc. He is extensively involved in the research and development of many dental products and maintains a part-time practice with an emphasis on esthetic dentistry.