You might recognize today’s guest as one of our sponsors, but we just can’t talk enough about Berman dental instruments. That’s why we brought Dr. Lou Berman, founder of Berman Dental Instruments, onto the podcast today. As an entrepreneur of many ventures, Lou’s got plenty of slang to spare. Working across different industries not only “heightened his business acumen” as he says, but it also helped him become a better dentist. 

If you think there aren’t many business opportunities for dentists these days, think again. Lou’s seen it all, from community banking to real estate investment. This kind of experience and access to information helped shaped the way Lou learned why things are done the way are, inspiring him to find ways to do it better. This kind of attitude ultimately inspired him to launch the business we all know him for today - Berman Dental Instruments.

But before we get into all that business talk, we talk first about Lou’s career as a dentist. He’ll say he’s been practicing since he was 12 years old. So many of us have those childhood memories of playing pretend, never thinking that it would shape our futures or our careers, but it really and truly does. That childhood confidence is what led Lou to start his own private practice fresh out of residency. But it was his taste for business that kept him from following that well-traveled road of dental practice.

Lou loves dentistry, and he especially loves his field of endodontics. The dental slang Lou uses in his practice is both silly and practical, like all slang is, but it really works to help patients understand the sometimes very complicated procedures Lou performs. Yet after doing thousands of root canals and other pulp procedures, Lou was looking to expand his perspective. There are different entrepreneurial projects dentists can get into that don’t involve teeth, and Lou shares a bit about what going out on a limb with some of these business ventures is like. 

His first venture was a community bank he started with his friends. This lasted for a decade before he sold that business and took a shot at real estate investment. Both of those are things some dentists would never think of - we sure didn’t! - but it’s interesting to hear how Lou ties it all back into his love of dentistry. We really dive into what inspired him to start Berman Dental Instruments, and how his own experiences in business influence the ways he helps other dentists get the most out of their own dental practices and dental businesses. 

Dr. Lou Berman is looking out for his dental colleagues. Whether you’re looking for high-quality dental instruments at affordable prices, or need tips on how to build an online community, Lou is overflowing with advice. Launching the website for Berman Dental Instruments really gave him some insight on how to leverage Instagram to his advantage, and we discuss the different ways social media can create a sense of community between fellow dentists as well as dentists and their patients. If you’re interested in making Dr. Lou part of your community, tune in now and connect with him right on his website at www.BermanDentalInstruments.com.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• Exactly how many editions of Pathways to the Pulp there are 2:55
• The highlights of Lou’s dental career 6:30 
• How Berman Instruments is solving modern day dental problems 10:40
• How to get the best prices on your dental tools without being part of a corporate group 16:00
• Why new dentists don’t have to be afraid of starting their own practice from scratch anymore 18:00
• Why Lou chose to use Italian steel for the new premium line of dental tools 21:58

Some Questions We Discuss:

• How can seasoned dentists get their hands on the new edition of Pathways? 4:24
• What kinds of entrepreneurial projects can dentists get into? 8:05
• How does Lou use social media communities to promote Berman Instruments? 13:42
• What new tools are coming down the pipe at Berman Instruments? 20:56
• What’s Lou’s favorite dental slang in endo? 23:57

Resources:

• Visit our website: www.DentalSlang.com
• Connect with us on Facebook: Dental Slang
• Click here to order your next dental tools from Berman Instruments

If you’re looking for new dental slang, today’s episode is for you. Coming fresh off a great dental day today, and Jodi is sharing some of her new slang right off the bat. Our guest today, Dr. Paul Feuerstein, also shares the slang he learned in his first week of practicing dentistry, but that’s not all he’s talking about today. The godfather of dental technology has his own tips and tricks for using slang to boost the morale at your dental office. 

Paul is a real rockstar in the dental office. He may have turned down a year of traveling on the road with his band to finish dental school, but he still plays guitar a few times a month with friends and brings that rockstar performance into his dental practice. Paul’s speciality is restorative dentistry, and he’s been working with the same assistant for twenty years. Working this closely with someone means their slang is sometimes just a nod or a wink, but his strategy is really about including the patient in on the fun.

As dentists, we’re often up close and personal with our patients. So are our assistants. In this case, Paul likes to talk to and compliment his staff over his patients. This way, everyone’s included in the conversation and the procedure. This kind of personal approach really helps patients understand their treatment plans and what’s going on inside their mouth without the awkward confusion of complicated dental terms.

Talking slang with your staff and your patients is a key way to raise the morale at your practice and make this fun. Patients can pick up on either the chaos or the serenity of your office, and you want to create a space that’s as comfortable as possible. For Paul, that secret for serenity lies with his staff. He empowers his staff by showing his appreciation. There are different ways to do this, and we all discuss our favorite ways to compliment, appreciate, and empower our assistants and staff members in today’s episode. 

Who we work with and how we work together is a key force behind the success of your dental practice. We’re putting on a performance every time we go to work. Sometimes this performance is in what we do, but it’s also in how we talk. How dentists talk to their staff reflects on how they talk to their patients, and vice-versa. Paul’s attitude toward putting on this rockstar performance every day in his dental office is all about making sure everyone knows their role and how important they are in it. It won’t hurt your staff to remind them how awesome they are every day, no matter what slang you use to tell it to them.

Not only does Paul have plenty of slang to share, he’s also sharing his tips and tricks for finding the best impression scanners and 3D printers. His simple test for finding the best impression scanner can help you narrow down which brand works best for you and your patients so you don’t have to trudge through anymore dramatic online reviews or arguments about which is better. When it comes to 3D printers, the godfather of dental tech is sharing his two cents. While the realm of 3D printers hasn’t peaked yet, Paul is looking forward to the emerging trends. Tune in now to find out why he thinks 3D is essential for any dentists doing their own implants, and the slang that goes along with it. 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• What it takes to be a rockstar and a dentist 3:55
• Why Paul calls it a “dental performance” 8:50
• The dental slang Paul learned in his first week of practice 12:09
• The different ways to compliment and appreciate your staff and assistants 16:50
• Paul’s favorite slang to use with his assistant Karla 20:00
• Paul’s trick for finding the best impression scanner 24:09
• What 3D printers can actually do for the modern dentist 28:15

Some Questions We Discuss:

• What should everyone be doing in their dental office every day? 8:10
• How does Paul use slang to help patients understand their treatment plan? 9:40
• How do you keep your patients engaged during your appointments? 15:30
• What does Disney have in common with dentistry? 18:38
• What new dental tech is Paul most excited about? 23:20
• What one thing should dentists be careful of? 27:40
• What slang are other dentists using in their offices? 32:02

Resources:

• Visit our website: www.DentalSlang.com
• Connect with us on Facebook: Dental Slang
• Get some practice management tips from the late Robert Barkley 
• If you’re in Bar Harbor, bring Paul a lobster roll. Otherwise, you can connect with him here at Dentistry Today 

It might be a little early, but I’m calling it - today’s guest is our favorite by far! 

Dr. Alan Mead is a podcasting guru and one of the inspirations behind the production of the Dental Slang podcast. Alan has been listening to podcasts since the early 2000s, downloading them to his mp3 player (if anyone remembers those anymore). He’s always been fascinated about people coming together remotely to talk about the things they’re passionate about, and today he’s hosting two podcasts of his own. 

But his podcasting knowledge isn’t the only reason we invited him onto Dental Slang today. Alan is talking mostly today about the slang he uses when referring to his dental tools. In fact, we all use slang for our tools. Most dental tools have terrifying names, with words like “blade” in them. No patient wants to hear words like that while they’re sitting in your chair! For that reason, we all come up with our own unique, sometimes completely nonsensical, words and phrases to describe the tools we use. 

Dr. Alan is being completely honest when he says he’s never called a dental tool by it’s real name. In fact, many of us can claim the same. This can cause a lot of problems when we start using the same slang for different tools. For Alan, he’ll call too many of his burs “footballs”, downright confusing his team so they end up bringing him all of the football-shaped burs rather than risk bringing the wrong one by accident. 

Regardless of these funny little stories, Jodi brings up an excellent point in today’s episode. The slang we use, while sometimes silly, really works at humanizing what it means to be a dentist and sit in a dentist’s chair. Think about it - a lot of our patients are anxious about their dental appointments. It’s a pretty scary, sometimes uncomfortable, place to be. Being able to use slang and other analogies to explain what we’re doing can help patients feel at ease, and can even help them understand the most confusing aspect of dental practice - dental insurance. 

On today’s episode, the three of us are sharing the different analogies we use with our patients. There’s slang we use to describe our tools, and there’s stories we tell to help patients understand the procedures we’re performing on their mouths. More than that, we use analogies every day to help patients understand the billing process and insurance claims. Anyone practicing in the dental industry today knows the woes of the in-network vs. the out-of-network patient. And sometimes it’s better not to talk about insurance at all. But we can’t avoid that conversation forever. Especially when many of us, like Jodi, are fee-for-service offices. This can often change the dynamic if your patient relationships, and she shares her unique analogies for helping patients understand the charges they’re seeing. 

Alan and Jodi share their experiences with different insurance slang, and we’re eager to hear your feedback and what slang you’re using to help patients understand your practice. We know that these conversations can be hard to have, and it can help to have a few slang terms and stories to reference when trying to explain something as complicated as dental insurance. So tune in now to hear what dentists like Dr. Alan Mead are telling their patients. 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• What “glamping” really means 1:43
• How Alan’s mentorship shaped the production of the Dental Slang Podcast 9:34 
• All of the jokes you’ve ever heard in a dental office 12:48
• Our favorite slang and analogies to use with patients 25:27
• The slang we use to help patients understand dental insurance 34:46
• Our favorite analogies to use on patients who don’t floss 45:19

Some Questions We Discuss:

• What does Alan mean when he calls himself a “plain jane” dentist? 4:15
• How did Alan create a social life online? 6:35
• Why did Alan want to start a second podcast? 8:40
• Which slang does Alan use in his dental office? 11:20
• Where does the ridiculous slang for dental tools come from? 17:30
• Which phrase from Jodi’s slang repertoire is Alan going to steal? 32:11

Resources:

• Visit our website: www.DentalSlang.com
• Connect with us on Facebook: Dental Slang
• Check out Alan’s podcasts: Dental Hacks Podcast and The Alan Mead Dental Experience
• Get in touch with Dr. Alan Mead at the Dental Hacks Nation Facebook
• Give it a listen: The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe Podcast

Never stop learning. No matter what field you work in - never stop learning! For all the dentists listening in out there, this goes beyond staying up-to-date on dental tools and practices. That’s important too, of course, but today’s episode is about learning something new, something modern.

That’s right - we’re talking about social media marketing! We invited Dr. Brian Baliwas onto the podcast today to share a little about what he knows about social media and all of its slang. Brian will be discussing how to grow a social media following with a few tactics of his own that include injecting his content with a little dental humor. He also shares why it’s important to build something called a “static page”, slang we go into a little later in today’s episode. 

But first we want to make sure you’re not afraid to enter the realm of social media. Instagram and Facebook shouldn’t be intimidating. Social media isn’t something you “suck” at, even though Jodi thinks she does. We know that’s not true! Social media management is just something we need to learn a little bit more about.

Today we discuss the first steps to take to get onto Instagram and start building a following. You’ll learn how to use a little heart and a little humor in your social media posts, and Brian shares the ways you can stay engaged with your followers to keep the conversation going. Social media management is like playing the long game. You’re not going to gain thousands of followers overnight, but remaining engaged on a regular basis is key to successfully building a following on Facebook or Instagram.

One of the biggest mistakes we make on social media is thinking we have to go “viral”. We spend too much time trying to post content that will get a lot of likes very quickly when we should be focusing on what people are already talking about. Brian recommends joining the conversation that’s already happening by following content you like, whether it has to do with dentistry or not. Following, responding to, and posting content and photos that are actually meaningful to you will help you build a following that is sincere and loyal to your business. Sure, it’s a lot slower than going viral, but good things always come to those who wait.

If you want to get hands on and learn more about incorporating social media into your dental practice, check out the upcoming Dental Influencers Alliance Meeting. Brian started the event as a meetup for fellow dentists, but it’s evolved into an overnight conference with speakers, breakout sessions, and plenty of opportunities to see how industry influencers are changing modern dentistry. Social media marketing is just scratching the surface. If you’re interested in learning more, tune into this episode right now to hear Dr. Brian Baliwas explain it in his own words.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• How humour brings a fresh perspective to social media 5:25
• How to take the first step into Instagram 9:10
• Brian’s favorite resources for social media management 13:54
• How to bring more heart into your social media posts 16:30
• How to attend the Dental Influencers Alliance Meeting this December 21:28

Some Questions We Discuss:

• Why do you think you “suck” at managing social media? 12:15
• What is a “static page” and how can it help build your social media following? 19:44
• Ever heard of a “lurker” on social media? 22:08
• How can we build marketing relationships with social media that really pay off? 27:57

Resources: 

• Reach Dr. Brian Baliwas on IG @sfdentalnerd
• Learn more about the Dental Influencers Alliance Meeting 
• Visit our website: www.DentalSlang.com
• Connect with us on Facebook: Dental Slang

Welcome to the BRAND NEW Dental Slang Podcast! We are your hosts - Dr. Christopher Phelps from North Carolina and Dr. Jodi Danna-Denton on the mic from Texas. We’re ready to talk about something that’s often overlooked in a dental office - slang.

What is slang? Well, slang is more than just the way people talk. What we’re interested in is why people say the things they say. Where do these terms comes from and what inspired them to stick around? Because sometimes slang can stick around for so long that the very people using it don’t even remember where it came from!

Dentists are no different. We use slang in our offices to describe everything, from dental tools, to fluoride, even insurance claims. Patients use their own slang with us, too. It can be a riot learning all of our different analogies and slang. If you’ve ever been curious as to why people say the things they say and what inspires these little nuances in our language, then tune in to this podcast right now.

What kind of slang are you using in your dental office today? Because we’re talking about the latest slang in the dental industry in today’s episode. Maybe you’ve heard of “mobile dentistry” and maybe you haven’t, but it’s something that’s starting to change the way patients look at their dentist. Jodi shares her experience with the latest mobile dentists in Dallas, and we can’t wait to hear your feedback and what you think of these latest changes happening within the dental community. 

Today’s episode is a short one, but stick around! The Dental Slang Podcast will be talking to dentists from across the country to see how our practicing styles vary. Because there’s more than one way to practice dentistry. Learning from all the different ways we work can really help you become a better dentist. You might also pick up on some slang you never heard of before! So give us a listen, follow our podcast, and see what new slang you can bring back to your dental office this week. 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• Why we started this podcast and which guests we’ll be bringing on 1:02
• A little bit about each of us and we wanted to start the Dental Slang Podcast 5:28
• Where dentists get enough free time to produce a new podcast 9:15
• The different insurance slang we use in the dental office 10:05
• All the different styles of practicing dentistry 13:24

Some Questions We Discuss:

• What IS dental slang? 1:19
• How long does slang last? 1:36
• What is the newest slang term in dentistry right now? 11:05
• Should we start our own dental trivia games? 14:10

Resources: 

• Visit our website: www.DentalSlang.com
• Connect with us on Facebook: Dental Slang