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Latest Episodes
How Much Does it Cost? Building Trust with Transparent Patient Billing | Dr. Ryan Hungate | 530
How do effective dental billing practices shape the trust between patients and doctors? In this episode, Michael sits down with Dr. Ryan Hungate, a visionary orthodontist, to discuss the pivotal role transparency plays in the billing process within dental practices. Dr. Hungate challenges the opaque systems currently in use, drawing parallels to other industries where costs are known upfront, and highlights the absurdity of keeping patients in the dark. He passionately discusses how advancements in technology, like the innovative Eligibility Pro tool integrated within the Dentrix management system, streamline insurance verifications. By automating these processes, dental offices not only alleviate the administrative burden but also provide patients with clear and accurate cost estimates right away, fostering trust and enhancing the patient experience.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Hungate emphasizes the broader implications of transparent billing on treatment acceptance rates. By approaching financial discussions with clarity and empathy, and offering flexible financing options, practices can significantly improve patient outcomes. He underscores the importance of regular process reviews to ensure that dental practices are exceeding patient expectations. The takeaway is clear: adopting automated solutions isn't just a technological upgrade; it's an ethical commitment to providing transparent, affordable care.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The impact of transparent billing on patient trust and satisfaction.
- Technological advancements in dental practice management.
- How automated tools can streamline insurance verification.
- Methods for enhancing patient experience and treatment acceptance.
- The importance of regular assessments in optimizing dental operations.
- Strategies for presenting financing options to patients.
Join us as we explore how transparency is crucial for building lasting patient relationships!
Sponsors:
Gusto: Dentist payroll for the modern practice. Gusto’s cloud-based software provides all the payroll and HR tools you need to run your dental practice efficiently. Having it all on one platform keeps our prices low, and makes your job so much easier. Enjoy best-in-class support, benefits like health coverage for your team, and more. Visit or copy and paste the link here for a special offer! https://gusto.com/tdm
Guest: Dr. Ryan HungateBusiness Name: Henry Schein OneCheck out Ryan's Media:Website: henryscheinone.com
Website: dentrix.com
Eligibility Essentials and Pro: learn.dentrixascend.com/dentrix-ascend-eligibility-pro
Instagram: instagram.com/rjhungate
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryanjhungate
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Host: Michael AriasWebsite: The Dental MarketerJoin my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society
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.
Why Patients May Benefit from the No-Hygienist Model | Dr. Ron Schefdore | MME
Can a dental practice function on a NO-hygienist model? In this Monday Morning Episode, I sit down with Dr. Ron Schefdore, a trailblazing dentist who dared to challenge the conventional hygienist-dependent model and hasn't looked back since. He bravely shares his transformative journey, detailing the hurdles and victories of running a practice without hygienists. By prioritizing time with patients and refining diagnostic capabilities, Dr. Schefdore not only enhanced patient care but unveiled significant financial benefits. He offers a candid look into the operational dynamics of his practice, demonstrating how a focus on customer relationships can complement financial growth in the dental industry.
Further into the conversation, Dr. Schefdore delves into practical strategies for managing the shift, particularly in scenarios involving the exit of hygienists. His methodical approach includes a gradual dropping of insurances to attract and maintain loyal and high-quality patients, while emphasizing the pivotal role of training and teamwork. Ron passionately challenges the traditional mindsets that dominate dental practices and invites you to do the same!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The compelling advantages of a no-hygienist dental practice model.
- Steps to overcoming operational challenges without hygienists.
- Financial benefits of spending more time on patient diagnostics.
- How to navigate network transitions for retaining top-tier patients.
- The critical role of training and teamwork in a restructured practice.
- Strategies to shift the mindset of traditional dental practices.
Tune in now to explore the no-hygienist model with Dr. Ron Schefdore!
Sponsors:CareStack: Modern, Secure, Cloud-Based Dental Software for Growing Your Practice! With state-of-the-art features including Online Appointments, Integrated Payments, Text Reminders and more. Click the link here for a special offer: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/carestack/
You can reach out to Dr. Ron Schefdore here:
Website: https://www.pharmaden.net/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dentalcoachingsystems/
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If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:
My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041
Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)
Michael: Hey Ron. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning?
Ron: Don't worry about not finding a hygienist or having hygienist issues because I did a no hygienist model very successfully for decades. And I teach that to dentists now and how to do the same thing.
Michael: Interesting. Okay. So if you can a little bit expand on, how did you first transition to the no hygienist model and what were the biggest operational challenges you faced?
Ron: The first 17 years in practice, we built three practices. I owned the three buildings. Staff of 36 associates out of network financially.
It was fantastic. It was like every dentist's dream, right? And what I realized after that long of managing people that that is not my forte drove me nuts somebody offered me some stupid money and I took it And thank God because it gave me an opportunity to grow up now being a dentist and say, you know, what do I really want to do?
Why am I here? What excites me? And for me, it was spending more patient time, which a lot of doctors want to do. So I says, if I want to spend more doctor time, and I really want to help people with their perio, get them cure basically of perio, get them to look better, the things that excited me and the work I wanted to do, that means that I can't be chair hopping.
Forget the chair hopping. I don't know a dentist that likes it. I mean, There is some weirdos that like it, but who the hell wants to keep jumping from chair to chair? This never excited me, never interested me. And not getting paid, they're all joining these cut rate insurances.
Why you went to all the schools, spent all this money and you're an expert. Why are you doing that? I never bought into that and I had, a bunch of money. So I didn't really need to worry about the money when I opened up the second practice of a new hygienist model. we figured it out and very quickly in today's dollars, we got up to doing a million dollars and bringing home ham and I did that for a couple of.
and I had six weeks vacation, sometimes a little bit more, took a month off. A lot of times, it was the best of all worlds. And so once I retired the second time, five years ago from clinical dentistry, I started getting on Facebook and just telling dentists, Hey, you guys could still have it all.
It works out really good. You're having so many hygienist issues. You don't need those anymore. Hygienists are valuable. However, they're getting theirselves. Out of the market, they're pricing themselves out of the market. They have quite an attitude. So many of them think they're doctors and it's like, no, you're an employee.
You might be a colleague, but you're still an employee. So let's not cross that line, it's just a weird dynamic. Now, I've met hygienists that are awesome. I'd hire them in a second. That's 5 or 10 percent of them that I've met. And this is a real problem with most dentists that I've talked to.
Don't do a hygienist model. Get out of network or minimize the PPOs. Keep just the best ones. You only need 400 active patients. For this. That's it. If we all only had 400 active patients, there's plenty of patients to go around. All these dentists are fighting over. I need 1, 000. I need 2, 000. I need 3, 000 patients.
That's crazy. No, you don't. You know, just, Just stop the nonsense already. So that's my advice.
Michael: Okay. Okay. So then when you apply this or what systems or workflows did you have to adjust to maintain or improve your patient care without a hygienist?
Ron: One column, see one patient at a time, minimize the amount of re cares that you do, and it's assisted hygiene.
No, it would be stupid for a doctor to do hygiene all day long. Get that out of your brain. Oh, I'd rather do something else where I make more money. I could prove to you, any dentist can make six to seven hundred dollars an hour doing a re care visit. I've done this on dozens of practices.
How many doctors are making 700 an hour without even breaking a sweat? I mean, That is about the easiest appointment you could do. Why not have some appointments during the day that are easy on us both emotionally and physically? There's nothing wrong with that. So, you know, 800 an hour and you get a 50 percent overhead, that's a million a year and bringing home 450, 000 pace.
Why do we need a hygienist? Most dentists, if they made a half a million dollars a year take home, they would be very, very happy with that. I did that for decades, took six weeks off, and it was, dentistry's still hard, but you know, I only had three cross trained staff. So when you're doing hygiene, you minimize the amount of re care that you do, and you use a great cross trained assistant with you.
That's all you need to do, and you fit those half hour appointments, it's half hour doctor time, half hour assistant time on the recare, that time that you spend with them is so much more fun, and it's relaxing in between all the hard work that we have to do, look, I don't have any physical problems, it didn't burn me out, it was so much easier than what dentists are doing.
Please do this, please look at this.
Michael: Gotcha. Yeah. if we are already, we have a hygienist our new patients are coming in, we're pretty bustling office, right? And then right now our hygienist left. We're listening to this episode and we're thinking, man I, I want to do this, but we just have too many patients at this time.
would you recommend in that situation?
Ron: That's when you strategically over 18 months get out of network and half the patients will fall off, which is fantastic because the ones that stay will stay pay and refer because they like your service, but you got to change the mentality of a PPO doctor to an out of network doctor.
It's a big change and you need some coaching on it. If it's not me, get a successful other network doctor to talk to you on how to treat, how to present treatment to patients, how to make the appointments in your schedule. It's. It's way different than a PPO. You can't expect a network patients to get the care that they receive in a PPO setting.
It's much different. So you gotta learn that.
Michael: Okay, interesting. So then, how have the dentists you've taught responded to the model? Like What are the most common difficulties or misconceptions they have when transitioning?
Ron: Number one, oh, it's going to cost me money to do a recare visit because I could make so much more money by going and doing blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And that's their belief. And I say, well, why are you making half the income that I am? And I'm seeing half the patients. I had to change their belief system. And it's the common belief with dentistry that they miss. The biggest reason they missed that is because. Where do we make our money in dentistry?
Every dentist misses this. It's the diagnosing. The PPO doctor spends two minutes diagnosing. Why would you do that when I could spend 30 with the patient? If I spent 30 minutes with the patient and you spend two, who's going to diagnose more work? Who's going to get more acceptance? Who's going to do bigger cases?
Me, all day long. the thing that makes dentists the most income and the most fun is the diagnosing and helping the patient get through that process. They're not doing that. So when you get the hygienist out of that, and the doctor does more of that, it's great. Keep your hygienist. Keep her doing the scalings.
Most of the office I see, 16 percent to 10 percent of their patients are going through scaling and replanting, or less. Where 50 percent of the public has periodontal disease. If you don't have at least 30 percent of your practice going through scaling and replanting, there's a lot of bloody profits being done.
It's just a fact. And your two minute exams, I'll fly anywhere in the country. I'll follow you around, doctor, after you do the exam, and I'll find five to fifty thousand dollars worth of treatment every week that you didn't even diagnose or talk to the patient about. So don't give me that bullshit.
Thirty seven years, I can't be bullshitted. There isn't nothing you're going to tell me that I haven't seen in dentistry in thirty seven years.
I challenge any doctor at that one. I've done this already.
Michael: Yeah. Okay. So then how has the dynamic when this happened your team changed the removal of a hygienist?
Like, did you need to train your dental assistants differently? And how does this affect the efficiency?
Ron: Yeah. I mean, You have to spend time with the hygienist, which was a lot of fun teaching them dentistry. My assistants knew almost as much as I did, and technically with their hands, geez, I had two assistants.
They were better with their hands than mine. You should see their temporaries. Their were awesome. They were very good with their hands. So you might be surprised that one of your team members might be just as good, if not better than you. And they're quick. they come up with ways to make things more efficient.
So you just spend time with them, nurture them. And there are a lot of smart people that really appreciate that can really help you, but yeah, you have to train them and be patient. It's like a child. You know, If you're at home, what are you going to do? Scream at them all day? You got to be very patient.
Michael: Yeah, no, that makes a lot of sense. So then, did you communicate the change to your patients? Or, like, did you face any resistance? if so, how did you overcome that?
Ron: At first I did, there's always remarks and dentists, this is one of the things the challenges they have is the patients will mentioned something about the hygienist and most dentists look like, oh, you're doing so bad that you can't even get the hygienist.
I flipped that around. I said, look, I spent eight years in school. Would you rather have somebody clean your teeth that's been in school for eight years or somebody that's been in school for two years for the same money? And I had to shut up. Every patient then laughed and says of course, eight years.
I go, good. Then you win me today. All right, let's go. And that was the end of it. You built more of a concierge service and a better service. It's like, holy cow, no doctor in this community spends this kind of time with their patients. That's what made us unique. And those are the kind of patients that you're willing to attract, that are willing to pay your fees.
Most of my patients were not rich. They were middle class America, but they were looking for better service and they found the money or payment plans in doing a treatment in stages.
Michael: I like that. So then is there any fear, Ron, where it's Oh man, I don't ever have time off almost a thing, right?
Like I'm going to be called for emergencies for any little thing, for cleanings, all these stuff. It's too much on me. I want to start delegating these things that I kind of don't like like pro fees and stuff like that Where does that mentality go?
Ron: Okay. The mentality is Doctor do you like to make money?
Well, Of course Well, then you better find a way on how to do a recare and do part of the pro fee You're not doing the full pro fee you're doing part of it. So my sonic cleaner I thought of it as a perioprobe, it just wiggles up and down, because I go through every pocket and look at every tooth and take pictures along the way.
To me it was a diagnostic tool. So doctors, it's how you look at things, I looked at it as this has given me an opportunity to find the work that I want to do. All of a sudden I'm doing cases I want to do. So it's the bad attitude that they have, the belief that they have. you got a lemon, make lemonade out of it.
It was great. I'm lemonade all day long like this. I was in such a saturated market in Chicago that there was like 15 doctors within walking distance. I was always busy. I made more income. I took more time off and they all were doing the opposite of what I was. And when I told him about it, I go, no, that'll never work.
Okay. You keep doing what you're doing, because others clean up here.
Michael: Yeah,
Ron: works. It works every time. You just have to change your belief system and I'll prove it to him. I've been doing this for so long.
Michael: Yeah, no, that's wonderful. Now, real quick. One of the last questions is this model.
Cause you mentioned where you were at in the location. Is it scalable for practices in different settings, like urban, rural, large or small, what adjustments would need to be made?
Ron: It's easier to do in the rural area because you're the only one there. And if you give better service than any dentist, within 30 miles, 40 miles around, holy cow, they immediately drop all the insurance.
They can't believe it. I can give you a bunch of names of a bunch of doctors that haven't to in urban areas where there's a lot of competition. New York City, Chicago, big cities that are wealthier. This is perfect because you don't need a lot of patients. There's patients that want good service in urban areas, period.
you don't need a lot of them because it's so condensed. It's not that difficult to find 400 patients. you gotta get a really good marketer, but you gotta learn how to answer the phone. the doctor has to present treatment and treat people well.
You have to learn those leadership skills and those presentation skills too.
Michael: Awesome, Ron. Thank you so much for this. I appreciate your time. And if anyone has further questions, you can definitely find them on the Dental Marketer Society Facebook group, or where can they reach out to you directly?
Ron: Okay.
DRS Coaching Systems, Facebook page. Just go there. You'll hear what a bunch of doctors are saying about the coaching. And go to make an appointment with me at pharmaden. net. That's P H A R M A D E N dot net. Yep, at my calendar. that's my nutraceutical company. we figured out at Loma Linda, we did a double blind test and figured out the periodontal disease.
If you give them a certain nutraceutical during treatment the outcomes are much better. The bleeding pocket depth was much better. We created that 20 years ago, used that on so many patients. go to there, go to the website, go to the calendar, make an appointment. I'll talk to anybody for free.
I'm not an expert, I'm just going to tell you what worked in our office. what worked really well and what we achieved, most dentists are trying to achieve. So I'm not saying I'm some guru, I'm just going to tell you what worked for me. and I'd be happy to show you exactly the same way.
I got no special skills. If I could do it, you guys could do it.
Michael: Nice. Awesome. So that information is going to be in the show notes below and Ron, thank you so much for being with me on this Monday morning episode.
Ron: Thank you very much for inviting me.
From Concept to Collaboration: Starting Your Emergency Care Practice | Dr. Rasheeda Johnson | 529
What do the ins and outs of an emergency care practice partnership look like? In this episode, we dive into the remarkable journey of Dr. Rasheeda Johnson, who shares her path from a passionate young dental enthusiast to the proud owner of Dentcare Now. Dr. Johnson reveals how her early experiences working in various practices laid the foundation for her career, eventually culminating in the creation of her innovative urgent care dental model. Open seven days a week, Dentcare Now stands out by offering emergency dental services even on most holidays, challenging the norms of traditional dental clinics. Through her story, Dr. Johnson illustrates the importance of having a strong vision, team alignment, and the courage to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Facing the unexpected twists brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Johnson not only kept her practice afloat but successfully doubled its revenue by 2022 through strategic adaptations like adopting CareStack and enhancing patient accessibility with online tools. Her candid discussion on the importance of empathy and flexibility in staffing reveals key elements behind her practice's success. Dr. Johnson also offers practical advice for aspiring practice owners, emphasizing the critical nature of meticulous planning and communication, especially in business partnerships. Opting for new practice startups over acquisitions, she shares insights on establishing a distinct and effective operational model.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- How Dr. Rasheeda Johnson built an innovative dental urgent care facility.
- The critical steps in planning and launching a successful dental practice.
- Importance of empathy, compassion, and flexibility in building a team.
- Techniques for doubling revenue through efficient systems and technology.
- Insights into the dynamics and benefits of business partnerships.
- Dr. Johnson's approach to new practice startups versus acquisitions.
Tune in now to discover how Dr. Johnson revolutionized dental care with her unique business model!
Sponsors:CareStack: Modern, Secure, Cloud-Based Dental Software for Growing Your Practice! With state-of-the-art features including Online Appointments, Integrated Payments, Text Reminders and more. Click the link here for a special offer: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/carestack/
Guest: Dr. Rasheeda JohnsonPractice Name: Dentcare NowCheck out Rasheeda's Media:Website: https://www.dentcarenow.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetraveldentista/
LinkedIn: Rasheeda Johnson
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Host: Michael AriasWebsite: The Dental MarketerJoin my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society
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.
Dentist to CEO: Secrets to Balancing Clinical Work and Business Mastery | Dr. Rehan Shahid | MME
How can a dedicated CEO day skyrocket your practice growth? In this episode, Dr. Rehan Shahid shares his wisdom on transitioning from merely being a dentist to embracing the role of a CEO. Discover how to "work less and earn more" by implementing efficient systems that streamline operations and enhance patient care. Dive into the nuances of building a robust practice, where patient feedback is the compass guiding success and training your staff is the keystone to maintaining excellence.
Dr. Rehan opens up about his personal journey, taking you through the trials and triumphs of managing a practice from the ground up. Explore his strategies for time management during the challenging startup phase and understand the critical importance of dedicating time to strategic business planning. Through practical tips and heartfelt stories, this episode sheds light on creating sustainable growth in your practice by sharpening operational efficiency and elevating the patient experience. Whether you're a new practice owner or a seasoned dentist, Dr. Rehan's insights are your roadmap to redefining dental success.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- Key strategies for shifting from a clinical role to a CEO mindset.
- How to work smarter with efficient systems for patient care.
- The art of effective staff training to ensure consistent quality.
- Importance of patient feedback in measuring practice success.
- Time management techniques for startup practice owners.
- Significance of scheduling CEO time for strategic planning.
- Steps to enhance operational flow and patient experience.
Tune in now to discover how to elevate your practice's growth with Dr. Rehan's expert advice!
Sponsors:
Studio 8E8: Dentistry’s story-driven marketing agency. Traditional marketing repels. Story-first dental marketing attracts.
We bring your story to life in a way that captivates and connects: https://s8e8.com/affiliates/tdm?utm_source=tdm&utm_medium=affiliate&wc_clear=true
You can reach out to Dr. Rehan Shahid here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrehanshahiddds/
Email: drrehanshahiddds@gmail.com
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LMS - Learning Management System
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If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:
My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041
Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)
Michael: Hey Rehan, talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning?
Rehan: Hey, Michael, the best piece of advice I would give would be work less to make more money.
Michael: Work less to make more money. Expand a little bit on that. What do you mean?
Rehan: Yeah. So it's kind of, ironic when you actually play less dentist and play more the owner or the CEO of your company, you'd actually end up making more money.
And a lot of people find that counterintuitive, but when you actually really dive deeper into that, it makes 100 percent sense.
Michael: So for example, when you're doing your startup, you're opening up things like that, you kind of have to be on the clinical side, don't you?
Rehan: Yeah. So you have to be on the clinical side, but in a startup example, someone has to be actually creating the systems that you do in your office.
Figuring out your marketing campaigns, figuring out, Hey, if I want to do this amazing new patient experience. What does that look like from someone walking into the door to leaving the door? And that's not going to be your team, really, that's coming up with all of that because it's a startup.
Like you have to, as an owner, create that. And so a lot of people make that mistake and they just jump right into dentistry. And that's good as a producer, but then you're not really playing the owner at that point. So you don't want to be your own associate. You want to be the CEO of your company.
Michael: So that just
Rehan: happens to do dentistry.
Michael: Yeah. I like that. So then I know many practice owners, struggle with, streamlining their operational flow. So for you right now, what specific systems or processes have you implemented that have made the biggest impact do you measure their success?
Rehan: there's a couple of ones that we've done, but one of the most important ones is what I call. Follow the patient. And that means from the moment the patient literally stops their car and walks in the building from that moment, all the way until they're leaving the door, really mapping that out.
So when they're walking in, What are they looking at? So, Aka, what's on the front door? What's your signage look like when they open the door? What are they walk into? Do they just walk into a huge smelly dental office or is it nice aroma, a refreshment center on the side, etc. So, Really mapping out every single moment from that patient walking in to walking out has been a game changer for us.
Michael: Okay. So follow the patient. Interesting. I like that a lot. And so then that operational flow that came from where, why did that come out to such specifics?
Rehan: I think a long time ago and you might've heard of Scott Luna before. I took a course a long time ago when he was previously feeling with breakaway.
He had a thing called the five senses, which was as a patient, what do you smell? What do you touch? What do you see? What do you feel? What do you hear? And all the five senses and just expanding that further. I took it on myself and just call it the follow the patient from walking into walking out.
And when you started doing that, you really get to put yourself in the patient's shoes. AndIt allows you to find all the areas of improvement that you're not probably doing, but also really to focus on areas. So when a patient comes in, as a patient, I want someone to greet me and even tell me where the bathroom is or offer me some water, little things like that.
Now that I'm mapping it out. Helps me provide the best experience, but then also allows me to create an operational flow for the team to be able to, do just that.
Michael: So you created that system. And then how do you measure its success? How do you know? It's like, Hey guys, we're doing it.
We're making it happen. And everything's going greater.
Rehan: So there's something called NPS. Something score. I forget the word off the top of my head, but just random audits and then getting feedback from patients. So occasionally we'll get patient feedback and say, Hey, actually describethe flow.
Hey, when you walked into walked out,what was the amazing things you saw? What was some areas of improvement? And then just asan owner. I like to just randomly walk in and not say anything, but every morning when I'm walking into the office, I'm pretending I'm a patient. So I get to kind of see that almost daily when I'm walking first thing in to see, their aroma?
Am I seeing that, when they're greeting the patients? It's just really auditing it every single day and then allowing the patients to audit it at a frequency that you're comfortable with.
Michael: Gotcha. Okay. That's interesting. So then when you're doing this training staff, and I know possibly the operational flow is like new patient calls, things like that.
Right. And we know that's crucial. But how did you go about creating an effective, training program for a lot of these things? Especially like new patient calls or, yeah. The things like that, what key metrics do you track for that?
Rehan: first is always just understanding the why behind it, meaning, hey, why do I even care about this?
For example, a new patient call, why do I even care about how it goes? If the team's in alignment with why it's so important, then you get to actually, when they understand the why, talk about now how do we actually make it better or even improve it? Things that we then track is one, how's the quality of the call?
So if you're using some sort of phone tracking vendoryou get to actually write that and you put a frequency on that where some former of leadership team or manager. Is listening to a call once a month, which is, you know, very, very easy to do, spot auditing calls where I have literally my family members call my office and just tell them, Hey, give me your feedback right after that.
And I'll record that, date and time or they'll record it and then I'll be able to listen or have a leadership team member listen and say, Hey, here's X, Y, Z that they didn't do. And believe it or not, you can actually tell if a person is smiling through the phone. Just by their tone of voice.
And so that's one of the things are great on is, Hey, is everyone smiling a few seconds right before they pick up the call? And then just, you know, there's certain parameters in the call that we look for. Like, Did you mention the patient's name? Which is the most beautiful word in the English language is what people say, patient's name.
Did you repeat that name multiple times throughout the conversation? Did you offer. A scheduling opportunity. And then did you follow the two concepts of yes. Meaning instead of saying, when would you like to come in? Did you give them a, Hey, we have Monday at two and a Tuesday at four, meaning either way, it's a yes.
So we're looking for certain key things that they're saying in that call, and if they're not allowing training opportunities to help get them there, members like that,
Michael: I like that, man, real quick, how long have you been
Rehan: I'm a COVID grad. It's a 2020. I have four offices and so I work clinically about half the week and then I focus on running the actual organization the other half the week.
Michael: Wow. So since 2020. you graduated and then you opened up four offices.
Rehan: Yeah, so 20, 20, I mean, a Covid grad, we got tipped off on our education, so I had to kind of learn a little bit on my own.
But I was the very big, from dental school I was gung-ho on hey, I want to learn as much as I can about business because my goal was to be my own boss and have an empire really. And so just been really. Spearheaded toward that. And blessed to be able to hit the goals that I want and just continue to keep that path growing.
Michael: Interesting, man. Okay. So then I have a question, like when you were doing these, I guess the operational flows and the systems, do you, cause I feel like a lot of the times, Rehan, we focus on.
got to get new patients. I got to get patients just in general. Right. I opened up, it's just my family. I'm seeing right now. I got to get more. So we focus on like filling that up and then sometimes we create systems based on mistakes, right? That are we're seeing are based on flow. Is that what happened with you or no you, you created this infrastructure.
First,
Rehan: you have to really focus both at the same time, a lot of people will focus so much on that new patient acquisition, throw a bunch of dollars in marketing, et cetera. But then their phone call system sucks. So they're getting all this influx of calls, which they're not even tracking.
And they're wondering, you know, why am I not getting patients? I'm spending crazy amount of dollars on marketing, but they never realized, Hey, maybe it's not the marketing dollars. It's the training that's lacking or the system flow that's not there. we kind of talk at the same time where, Hey, I'm going to pay a marketing company to do the marketing.
but I'm also going to focus on my time on leading the company. And so when you tackle it from both ends you're tackling all the variables that are involved. that's super important. You can't just put all your marbles in one bag, so to speak.
Michael: Okay. Gotcha. So you're kind of doing both at the same time.
Now, how do you balance your time between producing as a dentist and playing the CEO role?
Rehan: Yeah. So I think as a startup, you have the privilege of time. versus, you know, when you buy an office, let's say, or have already producing office, you don't have that as privilege because the startup, you have the time because you're not as busy, like you said, if you're just seeing predominantly family members or, one or two patients a day, utilize that time like crazy to create those systems, because that is the time to do it When you have that luxury of time after you've, you get busier now, you have to buy time. I'm a big fan of Dan Martell wrote the book, buy back your time. And what I do now is the reason I have an admin day is I purposely created time where I have to have time to actually focus on the company. So for people that struggle with that, you know, taking half a day, like an afternoon to where you're still produced a morning.
And then the rest of the afternoon, you're not saying.Doctor patients. Maybe hygiene can still go without exams. So your flow is still going over the office, but now you're focused on What actually needs to happen doing half a day, once a week is not a hard thing to do, especially if you recognize the need for it.
you have to be able to give the company time to be able to work on the company instead of in the company. That's a big mindset shift.
Michael: Yeah. have you ever seen it where it was like, Hey man, I'm the only doctor and I just have one assistant, one office.
Rehan: Right.At the end of the day is where I can likeeither have time for myself to focus on, But then you also have your family you have to think about and then you know all these other thingswhat advice would you have for a doctor like that where it's likehey money to friday And then I have to work my associate too because i'm not making enough yet So I think you just described the average dentist,
Michael: right?
Rehan: And that's the reason the average dentist, if you really survey people, they're really are unhappy because they're working on Monday through Friday. moonlighting at an associate on a Saturday. They're coming home now and actually working on their business and now they've taken away time from family, loved ones, friends, and that's where they become unhappy and experience burnout.
So my big thing is. I don't think it's hard to get half a day. If you can't get half a day, then getting two to three hours during a workday, I'm a strong believer of don't bring work home because it never works out for the better for anyone. When you bring work home, you're already drained from the day.
Your significant other is upset with you, et cetera. But if you choose like, Hey, if you work till five, three to five is my CEO time. Now you actually have two dedicated hours when you're still mentally in work mode. You're in scrubs or whatever you're in work mode. You're not chilling at home on a couch.
Like you're actually still in work mode and you're able to dedicate to creating something for your company. So I always tell people, you know, start with something two hours a week. That's enough for that point until you get to the next level, which is half a day, and then finally the full day. every single owner that I know, they all have some form of admin time to work on the company instead of in the company.
And it is a mindset shift. you have to value your time more than, money because you see the bigger picture at the end of it.
Michael: So what specific tasks do you focus on during your dedicated CEO time? And how have you seen it drive your practice growth?
Rehan: So for example, today during my CEO day I'm focusing on the operational component where, we're revamping all of our, operational flow. So that's the job descriptions. That's every system for every position, every system for every role, every system for. Every task that a team member has to do.
So I'm revamping it creating it into video formats. So when new people come onto the company, it's not dependent on me running the show anymore. It's now they get to watch a video, get a handout and essentially creating this LMS, the learning management system. So people can actually be set up for success from day one.
A lot of dentists rely on the manager that'll train them or they'll train them themselves and. It's kind of so dependent on a person rather than the system. And when the person quits you're stuck right there. You have to now go and train and you're, you get more burnt out from that.
I'd rather create something, spend some time and then let the system do the teaching with a mentorship position created as well to help guide that teaching.
Michael: Interesting. So right now you're creating that, right? Systems in your practice, because you have four.
Yes.
Rehan: So we have the systems already. What I'm doing is revamping them. So every once in a while we hit a level of growth where we have to go and revamp something. Previously, for example, we had systems on paper. I'm adding the video component to it. So just to give it a little bit more of a, more detail, more, takeaways, more tips, et cetera.
Michael: Can you give me like clear signs when you hit a new level of growth?
Rehan: For us it was when we hit four offices we had to hire Levels of leadership. For example, we have an operations manager. Now, some people would have a regional manager at that point. Now the regional manager or this person operations manager, they have to have certain things that they look for.
And so I have to create certain things now for that whole position. You start creating an HR position now at that point. So you have to create new job descriptions that you didn't really have those issues at one office. So you may not need an HR person because the manager is the HR person in one office or the doctor is.
Now when you grow, you start having to develop different positions because you're tackling that level of growth.
Michael: Interesting. Interesting. Rehan, man, thank you so much. This has been awesome, and I appreciate your time, and if anyone has further questions, you can definitely find them on the Dental Marketer Society Facebook group, or where can they reach out to you directly?
Rehan: They can always find me on Instagram, Dr. Rehan Shaheed, or my email which is drrehanshaheeddds at gmail. com, or just tag me in the Facebook group. I'm a part of your group, Michael. I think it's an awesome group where a lot of people get to learn a lot of different things and feedback.
Michael: Nice.
Awesome. I appreciate that. And that's all going to be in the show notes below. And Rehan, thank you so much for being with me on this Monday morning episode.
Rehan: Yeah. Thank you for having me.
REAL Team Culture: Insights from Coaching $100M+ of Dental Care | Dr. Eric J. Roman | 528
Dive into the world of dental entrepreneurship with Dr. Eric J. Roman as he candidly shares the triumphs and trials of steering a $13 million dental group. In this episode, Dr. Roman reflects on his dynamic journey from being a chairside dentist to a strategic CEO. He recounts how regulatory challenges led to the company's dramatic collapse, shedding light on the crucial lessons learned. As he navigated these changes, Dr. Roman emphasizes the power of hiring and nurturing talented dentists for multi-location success and reveals the intense personal costs, including strains on his family life and mental health. His story is one of resilience and reevaluation, as he ultimately pivoted from business ownership to coaching, focusing on blending professional ambitions with personal fulfillment.
You will gain practical wisdom on leadership and operational excellence within the dental field, as Dr. Roman shares actionable strategies derived from his experiences. He stresses the critical role of consistent communication and meaningful interactions in fostering a motivated workforce, encouraging practices such as weekly check-ins and quarterly reviews. Further, he delves into common operational hiccups like patient flow and billing automation, offering concrete advice for improvement. Ultimately, Dr. Roman advocates for creating a supportive workplace culture that champions holistic employee well-being, making this episode a treasure trove of insights for dentists and entrepreneurs alike.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- How to transition from hands-on dentistry to effective business leadership.
- Strategies for identifying and nurturing high-quality dentists for practice expansion.
- The impact of business demands on personal life and finding a work-life balance.
- Importance of regular communication and check-ins with team members.
- Building a workplace culture that supports employee growth and wellbeing.
- Tackling common operational challenges in dental practices.
- The role of automation in streamlining billing processes.
Tune in to uncover invaluable lessons on merging personal growth with professional accomplishments in the dental industry!
Sponsors:
Gusto: Dentist payroll for the modern practice. Gusto’s cloud-based software provides all the payroll and HR tools you need to run your dental practice efficiently. Having it all on one platform keeps our prices low, and makes your job so much easier. Enjoy best-in-class support, benefits like health coverage for your team, and more. Visit or copy and paste the link here for a special offer! https://gusto.com/tdm
Guest: Dr. Eric J. RomanBusiness Name: 1LifeSystemCheck out Eric's Media:Personal Website: https://drericjroman.com/
Business Website: https://1lifesystem.com/
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Host: Michael AriasWebsite: The Dental MarketerJoin my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
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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.
Demystifying DIY: Startup Insights From Ideal Practice's CEO | Stephen Trutter | MME
Does the DIY approach lead to success in the dental startup world? This Monday Morning Episode launches into the realities of starting a dental practice with insights from Stephen Trutter, president of Ideal Practices. Throughout the conversation, Stephen dispels common myths surrounding DIY methodologies and unveils critical insights into building a successful practice from the ground up. He emphasizes the indispensable role of demographics, advising against relying solely on generic ratios when choosing a location. Instead, understanding competition, patient trends, and the unique characteristics of a community can create a foundation for lasting success.
Real estate considerations and marketing strategies also take center stage in today's episode. Stephen cautions against the temptation of skimping on real estate investments and stresses the role of thorough representation in negotiations. Moreover, he discusses how DIY marketing efforts often fall short, advocating for a balanced strategy that incorporates professional guidance to maximize long-term ROI. As the episode wraps up, Stephen invites listeners to deepen their knowledge with additional resources like his two-day "Startup Practice Blueprint" course and his insightful book, "The Startup Dentist."
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- Why understanding demographics goes beyond simple ratios when choosing a location.
- The essential role of proper real estate representation for long-term success.
- Why DIY marketing may not suffice and how to execute a robust strategy.
- How Stephen's strategies balance short-term savings with long-term ROI.
- Resources to advance your journey with specialized industry education.
Tune in now to discover if the DIY approach is right for your practice!
Learn More About the Ground Marketing Course Here:Website: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/the-ground-marketing-course-open-enrollment/
You can reach out to Stephen Trutter here:Website: https://idealpractices.com/
Startup Practice Blueprint Course: http://www.startuppracticeblueprint.com/
Stephen's Book - The Startup Dentist: http://www.thestartupdentistbook.com/
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Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)
Michael: Hey, Steven. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning.
Stephen: The one piece of advice I give you, Michael, is DIY practices are cheaper. There you go. DIY do it yourself. It's going to be cheaper.
And I know that feels awkward because. Wait a minute. Like, I am the owner of ideal practices. And if most people don't know who we are, like we are one of the largest, if not the largest startup dental consulting in the country. What I'm saying is you don't need me. You don't need anybody.
You can do a DIY practice. It can be cheaper. Now I did look this up this morning. You and I were laughing a few minutes ago in the Oxford dictionary the Google Oxford dictionary, whatever there is one cheaper means inexpensive because of inferior quality. So can you build a cheaper practice on your own?
Sure. I think the challenge is that's kind of the undercurrent that's, existing today. So can you do it yourself? Absolutely. Can it be cheaper? Depends on if that's what your goal is and depends on if that's who you want to be in the community or are used to be known as that cheap dentist on the corner.
most people when they ask ideal practices, there's like 3 things that are on most associates mind. There's these 3 areas of. Their startup that they're most concerned about and it's demographics. It's real estate and marketing. These are three hot buttons
Here's what you need. You need space money and chairs. There is a practice you can start a practice tomorrow with space money and chairs, but there's a lot more layers that are there when I talk about these three layers of demographics real estate marketing These are probably the three biggest Components or probably the mosthot buttons that mostassociates think about now funny story.
I was just in one of the facebook's groups And doctor was asking about some questions about buying a practice he said, Hey, this thing is going to fall through. What do you think? And this and I responded and I gota DM from I'll call him Dr Jake Dr Jake said, Hey, that deal is going to fall through.
I was looking to do a startup. Can you help me? I contacted this company that does demographics and they said, basically, just best ratios are the best thing to go for. But that's what everybody says. Everyone thinks that demographics is about finding the best ratios. thing is, you could get a demographics report, find great ratios, and the best ratios are going to be somewhere maybe you don't want to be.
They could be rural areas. a lot of people say, go for, if you're a general dentist, a 3, 001 ratio. So that means 3, 000 patients for every one provider. of the almost 1, 000 startup practices I've been a part of, maybe less than half have attained that great industry standard, yet we have highly successful practices, million dollar practices in 12 months.
So you got to look beyond the ratios when it comes to the demographics. You got to look at things like, who is that competition? Is that my competition? How many other startups are in that marketplace? What are the travel patterns within the area? Here's a big one. Are my patients actually there? If you just chase a ratio, folks, because somebody on some forum said, chase ratios, then you're going to find yourself in an area that you don't love.
And I've seen a couple of posts even recently this week where doctor said I'm here. I'm making great money It's an underserved area, but my marriage is taking a toll My marriage is suffering because my wife doesn't want to be here. My kids don't want to be here. So If you just want to open your doors and find some high ratios, you can go do that, but it may not be the best area for you, for your vision, or not even have the patience there that you want to serve.
Michael: So that's number one. Demographics is the big part. And I've seen that so many times where they're like, hey, the demographics don't make sense. But this is, I love this town. Like I, this is where I grew up. This is what I want to do. Yeah. So they go against the forum, say, right. so there's a lot more to it.
Stephen: Yeah. And sometimes the advice is I see people out there say go rural. Not everybody wants to be in the middle of. Central Illinois, by the way, that's where I grew up. Like it's great. That's home. I'm surrounded by windmills and, cornfields and bean fields.
Is it underserved? Yes. But if that's not where you want to be and that's not where you want to grow up, or maybe that's even not the patient base you want to go for, then don't do that. So be aware when people say go find high ratios. It may not be the best place for you or don't skip over demographics.
A lot of DIY doctors, what they do, they chase the second big thing. They chase real estate So the second big topic is real estate. Most people skip demographics because they think it's expensive. Cheaper save money. Don't. Hold demographics, just go chase real estate. All right, real estate, big signs and visibility.
What most people say is, you'll be successful if you find the space with big signs and visibility. But, you could overpay for that real estate. Sometimes a DIY means, I'm gonna go negotiate it myself.
Unless you have transacted hundreds of commercial real estate associate dentist, don't do it because you may think you're going to get cheaper because someone told you somewhere That the landlord won't have to pay for the commission for your agent if you negotiated it yourself.
No, what the landlord did was take that money that they were going to pay somebody that's going to represent you and slide it back in their pocket. Because they're going to save that money themselves as opposed to saving an agent. don't chase the big signs when it comes to real estate. The other big thing on real estate is Ownership so many people i've had clients that have been at dental society meetings one of our clients up in connecticut He said want to own and I said, okay cool.
You want to own real estate? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I just want to own. Well, why well, I was at a meeting and this doctor told me I should own Said, oh, okay. Why? She said, I owned my real estate and I bought it 12 years ago.
What happened 12 years ago is irrelevant to that doctor today and what this doctor's looking for.
So I think real estate. you're chasing the big signs of visibility, you may actually, instead of being less expensive, you may end up saying, Oh, I'm not properly represented. maybe I don't have an attorney. Okay. You can save money. Maybe negotiate with an agent, but agents are paid to transact.
And the other part about this is at the end of your lease, let's say you end up leasing space. What most people don't understand is If you skimp on things like legal representation or you hire an attorney that says charge a flat fee for a lease negotiations, that attorney is built in only a certain amount of hours to negotiate that.
Once they hit that mark, they're going to say, good, here's your lease. It's good enough. Good enough may be a really big death sentence for your practice 10 or 15 or 20 years from today. Because one of the biggest sticking points that I see with acquisitions is this. Everybody agrees to the deal. one doctor is going to buy another doctor's practice But there's a lease problem.
The lease is not transferable. The landlord won't transfer the lease. So folks, DIY your practice. Find out what happens 10 or 15 years from today. What you save today, you may lose hundreds of thousands of dollars tomorrow. Or maybe you've got to pay a huge buyout to a landlord or proceeds of the sale of your practice because you thought, if I did it myself, I will save money today.
You save money tomorrow. You lose. Hundreds of thousands of dollars when it comes to real estate. So be aware, make sure you're properly represented when it comes to your real estate.
Michael: man. Okay. So then the first one would be demographics, right?
Stephen: Demographics. Don't chase ratios,Don't just look at the number and say, yep, that looks good.
Michael: Gotcha. Okay. And then second is real estate.
Stephen: Real estate don't chase big signs and visibility and make sure that you are properly represented. Do not do it yourself. So actually I'm saying, sure, it's cheaper to do yourself, not pay an attorney, maybe an agent does it, but the agent, whether it's representing you or not, they are paid commission based upon how high the rent is in the total economics.
Michael: And then what's the third, would there be a third?
Stephen: There is a third marketing without marketing, Michael, we don't have patients. And here's the thing I see all the time. seen this and I cringe. They go online, they go into one of the groups and I'm not talking about groups as a bad thing.
I think doctors go for free advice. They go into a group they type in this question. Hey everybody, this is a question I've seen before. I'm opening my doors in a month or two. who's everybody using for marketing or what's everybody doing for marketing? Marketing is not just about an agency.
Michael, you, of all people know, ground marketing is so key to a successful startup. But what I also hear is, ooh, marketing's expensive. Okay, maybe you can bootstrap it. Maybe you can figure out a way to build your own website, do your own Google ads. Now, when do you have time to then actually go out and get More patients.
How do you train your team? How do you go out in your community? Marketing is not about Trying to save money because you have two choices when it comes to marketing either spin less or earn less make a choice
you need to understand your marketplace when it comes to marketing diy approach to marketing isn't just hiring an agency simply and saying I hired an agency Now i'm going to sit back and wait for all these patients to come through And then a couple months later, you're going to say, I'm looking for a new agency.
This one stinks. No, the agencies don't stink. You stink. You stink at ground marketing. if you're not in your community and if you're not in your community with a bigger purpose to make connections with other business owners, to make connections with the community, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to drive more patients into your practice.
So what you'll end up is the typical startup, typical practice in America gets in a roughly 25 ish new patients per month, 20 to 30. That is the average dental practice in America. You could be that average one. You could DIY and to say, I hired an agency, check the box and say, I have marketing or I built my own website or found it on online source.
They could build a website for 500. Cool. You have a 500 website. That isn't responsive, doesn't drive patients there, has no information, doesn't tell your story, doesn't connect to your community, but you opened your doors. Congrats.
Michael: Interesting. So, Stephen, do you feel like sometimes we're just trying to run a race to open the doors?
we're not really taking the time to meditate to okay. Marketing. If I really did it all on my own, probably gonna not be the best where's my mind gonna go with real estate? Where's my mind gonna go with? We're only one person. Can't do it. That's right.
Oh, on your own. So do you see, the mindset fall here?
Stephen: I think the mindset falls in if IDIY, this practice. I'll probably save because I want to pay for all these other services or I'll find free advice online But where's that free advice rooted in? Is it rooted in your vision? Is it rooted in hundreds of examples or hundreds of experiences with startups or is it rooted in one person's one time experience?
Like my client in connecticut 12 years ago. So a dentist bought a building 12 years ago. That is not applicable to today's advice And I think there's a rite of passage or a bragging opportunity that I see sometimes it's like maybe there's that one doctor who says, I built my first startup for 100, 000.
Michael: Yeah.
Stephen: That is not reality. know nothing about the story of like, okay, was the space already built out? Was there chairs in there? Was it technically a shell practice? There's so many things that I think people chase like cheaper will get me open and beLess risky. . Mm-Hmm. . What if you skimped on your budget in the wrong areas?
What if you didn't prioritize marketing? What if you ended up with the wrong space on the wrong side of town? What if you chased the wrong demographics because you found a ratio? There is the race to DIY, but there's also a little bit of a blind spot for some associates where it's like if I trudge through over a couple of years, I'm going to feel better about myself. No, you could have just had a fast track. There's a lot of great people that are out there that are skilled at guiding startups. They're skilled at what they do. while it may have a greater investment, what is the return that you get?
there is the race of the DIY of getting open faster, but there's also the blind spot that most people think is like, if I do it myself, I will have a greater sense of pride. I pick on people like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and lots of other people in the world.
Elon Musk, you think about they all have coaches, they all have advisors. Why? Because they want somebody that's smarter than them that can say I've done this hundreds of times. Dentists, you're trained by dentists at dental school that have done, what, hundreds of crowns? So think about your first crown. If they've done one crown, they don't have experience.
If they've done it hundreds of times or someone's mentoring them, then they're going to have a faster path and an easier path. So ask yourself where this advice is coming from. Is it rooted in hundreds of experiences that applicable to me, is it just, fished for information.
Michael: If, If Steven, one of the last questions here real quick, it just might be going a little over time, but I just want to know, for owners who are concerned about upfront savings versus long term ROI How can they balance both without cutting corners?
I think there might be some areas when it comes to maybe equipment, maybe there's some elements there. If you find some used options that are out there when it comes to equipment, you can find a balance of some savings on some hard things.
Stephen: But for example, when we look at demographics, I have analysts that look at hundreds of demographics studies For a year, we look at hundreds of real estate transactions. pulling upon those experiences. Demographics. If you have never looked at a demographic study, you may just be looking at numbers going.
I don't know what these numbers mean, but I think they're good. think by skimping on that, you're missing out on a big piece. So could you save some money on maybe some equipment elements? Yeah, I think so. But at what cost, what other things are losing on a long term basis?
Michael: is
Stephen: a marathon.
Michael: Yeah. I like that. I like that analogy. It's not like a super sprint, right? It's just, it's a long marathon, but awesome, Stephen, I appreciate your time. And if anyone has further questions, you can definitely find them on the dental marketer society, Facebook group, or where can they reach out to you directly?
Stephen: I say this, if you wanna learn more about a startup, I got a couple spots for you. You can either attend one of our courses is atwo day course called Startup Practice Blueprint. You can go to startup practice blueprint.com to register. Do it twice a year with 30 Associates immersive.
We're gonna feed you with a fire hose, or you can check up my book, the Startup Dentist,at the startup dentist book.com. Pick up a free copy today.
Michael: Nice. That's all gonna be in the show notes below, so definitely check it out. And Steven, thank you for being with me on this Monday morning episode.
Stephen: Thanks, Michael.
AI for Dentists: Beyond Automation to Patient Excellence | Dr. Kathryn Alderman | 527
Imagine a dental practice where technology seamlessly enhances patient care and optimizes administrative processes. In this enlightening episode, Dr. Kathryn Alderman shares her hands-on experience with integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into her practice. From clinical applications and administrative tasks to strategic business development, AI is reshaping how dentists manage their day-to-day operations. Dr. Alderman discusses how AI stands as a powerful ally for dental teams, confronting common industry challenges such as labor shortages and communication barriers, and offering innovative solutions through tools developed alongside MIT’s AI programs.
Dr. Alderman provides practical insights into AI's role in modern dentistry, emphasizing the technology's potential to streamline repetitive tasks like patient communication and diagnostics. You will hear firsthand about the transformative impact of AI on tasks like x-ray diagnostics, ensuring greater accuracy and consistency. However, the path to embracing AI is not without hurdles. Dr. Alderman openly talks about overcoming resistance from staff wary of job displacement, sharing strategies for easing transitions by starting with manageable pilot projects. The episode wraps up with Dr. Alderman's advice for any dental practice keen on staying competitive: the future belongs to those who courageously integrate AI into their everyday workings.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- The transformative role of AI in dental practice management.
- How AI enhances efficiency in patient communication and diagnostics.
- Strategies for overcoming staff resistance to AI adoption.
- Examples of AI tools like ChatGPT in administrative tasks.
- Insights into leveraging AI for superior patient engagement.
Tune in to discover how AI can revolutionize your practice and set you ahead for the future!
Guest: Dr. Kathryn AldermanBusiness Name: Intelligent Care AllianceCheck out Kathryn's Media:Website: https://intelligentcarealliance.com/
Email: intelligentcarealliance@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkathrynalderman/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkathrynalderman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntelligentAllianceGlobal
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371: DR. KATHRYN ALDERMAN | NEBRASKA FAMILY DENTISTRY – THE DENTAL MARKETER PODCAST
WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO HAVE A SCHEDULE FULL OF NEW PATIENTS FOR MY NEW START-UP?
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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.
Conquer Resistance: Empower Your Team with Effective System Strategies | David Jenyns | MME
Imagine enjoying the freedom to focus on visionary leadership while your business runs like a well-oiled machine. This Monday Morning Episode dives deep into the art of systemization in business operations, partnering with systems expert David Jenyns to reveal transformative strategies that liberate business owners and team members from monotonous daily tasks. Discover insights behind legendary organizations like McDonald's and Netflix, as David sheds light on the benefits of implementing documented processes. This episode not only highlights how these processes lead to career growth, job security, and streamlined workflows but also tackles the common hurdle of team resistance, providing actionable advice on engaging early adopters and ensuring positive introductions to new systems.
David emphasizes the importance of clear communication and tailored processes that strike the ideal balance between systemization and empowerment. He discusses how business owners can remove non-compliance excuses, set clear expectations, and build a team of systems-driven individuals, paving the way for sustainable success. Tune in to learn how to transform your business into a systemized powerhouse, where creativity and structure coexist seamlessly, all thanks to tried-and-true methodologies.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- Benefits of documented processes for career growth.
- Strategies for overcoming team resistance to new systems.
- How clear communication and setting expectations lead to smoother workflows.
- Techniques to remove excuses for non-compliance.
- The impact of surrounding yourself with systems-driven individuals.
- How renowned companies like McDonald's and Netflix utilize effective systemization.
Tune in now to transform your business with expert strategies for systemization!
You can reach out to David Jenyns here:
Website: https://www.systemology.com/
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If you want your questions answered on Monday Morning Episodes, ask me on these platforms:
My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041
Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)
Michael: Hey Dave, so talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning?
David: When it comes to stepping out of the day to day operations as a business owner, you've got to capture your systems and your processes. And most importantly, you've got to get your team on board. And I feel like that's probably the biggest challenge for a lot of business owners.
They try to systemize, they try it for a little bit, maybe one team member follows, maybe most of them don't, and then before they know it, everybody's forgotten about it, and it's just back to the way that things have always been. And it really, this one piece of advice I've got centers around how do you get your team on board?
How do you get your team to follow process? And even. resistant team members. How do you get them to go, Oh, this is how we do things here. And key here is the way in which it's introduced to your team. A lot of business owners, when they go, Oh, we're going to start documenting our process. And we're going to have a particular way of doing things.
The team member in their brain, they start to think, Should I be worried about my job? Is he trying to document what I'm doing so that he can replace me? Is he going to take my job offshore? I kind of like having this little black box where no one really knows what I'm doing because. It creates some level of job security for me.
I don't want to capture my process and have that available and accessible for everybody else. So that's some of the things that go on in their head and that's what can make them resistant and then fall back to the ways that they may have done things in the past or not even want to share what it is that they're doing.
So the bit of advice and the secret here is to really think about How it's going to benefit the team member. rather than just introducing it where the team thinks, Oh, the business owner is doing this to replace me, or maybe they want to go on a holiday. And, don't want to support that.
Show them how, hang on, if you document your process or capture the way that you're doing things, this can help you move up in our organization because, by documenting process, we could delegate down to some newer team members. And that doesn't make you less valuable. It makes you more valuable because now you can work on higher value tasks.
You can start to work your way up and work on these higher value activities. That's might appeal to some people. For other people, you might need to say, Hey, when you go on holiday and you tell me you want two weeks off and I say fine, but then I call you up every second day to go, Oh, where's that client's file up to?
Oh, is that job up to? Do you remember where we saved that thing? And I'm on the phone calling you every second to try and find out what's going on. By documenting our process, it means that other people can step in and do some of those tasks, and the team can keep things moving while you're on leave, so when you come back, those things are done, and you can have a proper, restful holiday.
So that might appeal to someone else, or, maybe it's, hey, there are going to be times when you're going to need time off for family. So, having process and the enable systems just means that people can step in and keep things moving. And that makes your job more secure and this business more secure.
So again, a lot of it has to do with how you frame it and how you let them know this is going to benefit their situation. That'll dramatically increase the adoption of a systems culture.
Michael: Gotcha. Okay. So then, David, can you share specific communication strategies you've used to address this type of resistance?
How do you ensure the message is understood and embraced by team members?
David: Well, The first thing to do and it's a little bit counterintuitive, is you actually don't think about who's going to resist it up front. Think about who's going to support this initiative. So when you first introduce the topic and you say, Hey, we're going to look to build a systems culture and want to capture some different processes.
Hey, I've got, this book or this podcast that I want to share with you, just that talks a little bit about what we're doing and then see who resonates with it, who listens to it, who gets it and say, Hey I'm looking for some people who want to help me drive this forward. Who sticks their hand up.
And then start off by leaning into them. So that's kind of step number one. You start to empower them, you get the first set of systems down and then you start to celebrate system wins. when a team member does something, you go, Hey, we just documented this new process. Jenny did an awesome job over here.
Hey, Sarah, we normally have this frustration when someone goes on leave, but Sarah documented this process. And then we had John step in and do the task. Hey, Sarah, you're awesome. And you shine a spotlight on that. Maybe you give out a monthly most valued player award to the person who really embraces this idea.
that's the best place to start because then you start to go, Hey, we're going to celebrate and showcase, and this is what we want more of. So that's the first step. And then you start to watch out for the. resistant team members. Now, the best thing that you can do for them is firstly lead by example, and then by shining a light on the people that are, doing it.
And then you want to give those team members every opportunity to jump on board because new things you have to figure it out. And some people are going to embrace change more than others. And you try and support them. And then you need to really think about every team member and their situation.
And the real key is a lot of times team members, their default excuses. Yeah, but I didn't know how, or I didn't know that was expected of me. So one of the first things that you need to do is. To remove that. So by capturing a system and a process, you're then saying, Hey, well, we have a way of doing things.
You want to make sure that's never more than one click away from when they actually are doing the task. So if it's, setting up something in the dental practice, we'll have a QR code that they scan on their phone. Maybe it's on the printer or something, and it jumps to the. System or the process after scanning that QR code, or maybe it's setting up the dental practice in the morning and here's the 10 point checklist that needs to be done.
It's got to be so obvious. So front and center. So you can remove that. And then the conversation can start to change. Okay, you did know we've got a process. It's listed out here. My expectation is that you follow the process. I don't care if you've got it open or not, if you're doing it right, but since you don't yet know the process, you've got to have it open, but once you get it right, then fine.
You don't have to have it open every single time, but at the start, this is my expectation. And that's kind of just the start of how you address it. You've got to remove excuses.
Michael: so then what consequences do you implement for team members who continually resist systems? Even though you've, done these systems, you've,Remove the excuses or try to, have you found incentives to be effective in encouraging this type of adherence?
David: you can, like I said, have something like the MVP where you might reward the system wins and shine a spotlight. You can even link it towards KPIs either the generation or the following of process.
can do a few things like that. I think the reality is. A lot of business owners don't realize up front how important it is to have someone who follows process. And it's not something that they've, incorporated into their recruitment process. Once you get this moving forward, it actually gets a lot easier.
Because you look for people who will adopt this way of doing things right from the get go. The challenge is always the existing staff who are used to doing things a certain way, who there may actually be some people in there who aren't processed people. you'll need to navigate through that.
Am I saying that you might need to jump in and do a whole bunch of, layoffs? that's definitely the last resort. And I know in certain different industries, finding labors can be challenging, but the reality is a business is infinitely easier when you surround yourself as a business owner with systems driven people.
And that goes double if the business owner, or maybe the. dental practitioner owner isn't a systems person. If you don't see yourself as a systems person, then you better make sure that you're surrounded by systems driven people. Because again, business just works better that way.
So do have to navigate through it. I've not seen, incentives. work amazingly well, generally you want people to do it, who do this naturally and then naturally organized people and you giving everybody the chance to jump on board and then addressing the ones that don't, oftentimes you're the employer, like the person listening to this, you're paying, they're there to do a job and it's okay for you to have, A set of expectations around the way that you want things done.
That's your right as a business owner. But just persist with it. Cause it's, challenging at the start, but you get over this hump and then business just gets so much easier.
Michael: Yeah, I like that. Okay. So then you mentioned KPIs to like, do you track and measure whether team members are following the systems specifically as a leader?
Like what role do you personally play in and ensuring systems are followed?
David: there's a couple of different ways that you can do it depending on the task, depending on who it is. If you've got some sort of project management software in how tasks are signed out, you can look at how they complete the tasks many times they're checking certain things off.
You can have a look at error rate depending on if certain tasks causing you some challenges because people aren't following process and it's causing errors. So you can track that error rate and you're looking for reduction in that by following the process. it comes down to this whole idea that, to improve something, you have to track it.
So you just have to think about what is it that you want to improve? If you want to improve the fact that they're. Opening the process or successfully completing it. Maybe there's some final step that they have to complete, which confirms that they have reviewed and followed the checklist.
And then you're monitoring how often they're doing that, or are they doing that? depend on the situation and the task.
Michael: Gotcha, gotcha. I like that. that in mind, like at the end of the day, make sure you're,you let me know, or you send me an email or you do this checklist.
And then office manager at the end of the week, we'll look at how many people did this. How do you balance being hands on with empowering your team to take ownership of these systems versus it's seeming like, man, he's just micromanaging everything.
David: Yes. Yeah. The main thing there is depending on what the work is, you've got to Systemize all of the things that need to happen in business.
There are certain things that kind of just need to happen a certain way. patients will need to be checked in a certain way or they have to fill out certain forms, maybe The practice or the studio needs to be set up a particular way, try and systemize all of the mundane pieces or parts of business that just need to be done a certain way.
And sometimes leaving out the creative part or doing those types of systems a little bit more high level, You, you've got to think about who's doing the task and documenting to the level that's required for that person. If they're a skilled operator, you don't need to tell them well, here's exactly how you log into MYOB.
Here's the exact buttons that you need to check. it can feel, like you're micromanaging at that level. It's art and science, to try and find the right balance for this. look at something like McDonald's, And McDonald's has systemized every possible aspect down to the minute detail, but they're also running a hamburger business that is taking very unskilled operators, flipping hamburgers.
So they've got to go down to that level and it can really feel. Like micromanagement, whereas a lot of people are going to be running, a successful business with high quality team members, and you've mightnot need to get down to that level. A quote that Reed Hastings said from Netflix and he said, when we started systemizing, we wanted to systemize every possible aspect of the business. We wanted to make sure our business was dummy proof. The only thing was once we got it to that level, only dummies wanted to work there. Because they'd gone too far on the systemization spectrum.
So again, lot of this has be with, thinking about the situation, the individuals and what they need to do a great job. If it feels like micromanagement chunk up a level, have a higher quality or higher level checklist that has, key milestone levels instead of these super micro details.
Michael: Nice. Awesome, David. I appreciate your time. And if anyone has further questions, you can definitely find them on the Dental Marketer Society Facebook group or where can they reach out to you directly?
David: Yeah, best to just go to systemology. com and there's some links through to, all of the ways to contact us or follow us on social media.
Michael: Awesome. So that's going to be in the show notes below. And David, thank you so much for being with me on this Monday morning episode.
David: Pleasure. Thank you.
Selling PPO Profits: Building a Trustworthy, Stress-Free Organization | Vivek Kinra | 526
Have you ever considered how a single moment of clarity can transform your entire entrepreneurial journey? In this revealing episode, we have Vivek Kinra back on the show to delve into the highs and lows of his unique entrepreneurial path. Vivek opens up about the conception and growth of PPO Profits, detailing his approach to revolutionize practice profitability and navigate through contract restructuring. A true turning point came with the mounting stress from his multiple roles, culminating in a profound mental breakdown in March 2023, which forced him to re-evaluate his priorities. By candidly sharing his struggle with mental health, Vivek emphasizes the necessity of mental well-being in sustaining not just a business, but a balanced life.
The discussion takes a transformative turn as Vivek explains his rationale for selling PPO Profits to Benco, focusing on ethical considerations, employee welfare, and ensuring a robust future for his team. Reflecting on his journey, he highlights lessons of trust, competence, and the importance of leading with integrity, both in business and personal life. This ethos paved the way for his company, Verrific, where Vivek continues to uphold the principles of stress-free management and ethical standards. Tune in to learn about his personal evolution towards a life that balances between professional success with personal peace, along with his insights on maintaining high ethical standards to enhance employee well-being and client trust.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:- What Vivek learned along his entrepreneurial journey.
- The importance of balancing mental health with entrepreneurial responsibilities.
- Ethical considerations in selecting business partnerships and buyers.
- Developing a management style that prioritizes honesty and integrity.
- Techniques for stress management and maintaining a peaceful work environment.
- The benefits of fostering a supportive and trustworthy team dynamic.
Join us for an insightful journey into entrepreneurship and mental well-being—listen now and discover how integrity leads to both personal and professional success!
Sponsors:CareStack: Modern, Secure, Cloud-Based Dental Software for Growing Your Practice! With state-of-the-art features including Online Appointments, Integrated Payments, Text Reminders and more. Click the link here for a special offer: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/carestack/
Guest: Vivek KinraBusiness Name: VerrificCheck out Vivek's Media:Website: https://www.verrific.biz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vkinra
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145: VIVEK KINRA | FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS HAVE BAD FEES – THE DENTAL MARKETER PODCAST
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Host: Michael AriasWebsite: The Dental MarketerJoin my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
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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.Bio of The Dental Marketer
The Dental Marketer Podcast, hosted by Michael Arias. This engaging podcast is dedicated to helping dentists worldwide by addressing their dental marketing questions and concerns. The Dental Marketer Podcast aims to empower dental professionals with actionable insights and practical tips to excel in their dental marketing efforts.
Listeners can expect a wide range of topics, including campaign breakdowns, effective strategies, and discussions on Ground Marketing. With a genuine desire to support and uplift dental professionals, Michael Arias brings a unique blend of expertise and relatability to the podcast. By fostering a sense of community, The Dental Marketer provides a platform for dentists to share their experiences and learn from one another.
Through thought-provoking conversations, industry trends, and motivational stories, The Dental Marketer Podcast serves as an invaluable resource for both seasoned dentists looking to enhance their marketing strategies and dental students eager to learn more about effective promotion.
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