Building a practice is not something that’s taught in dentistry school. Instead, you need to dramatically expand your business skills to make a success of your new practice. Today we speak with Dr. Curt Hayes about how he built his practice from scratch and why he removed narcotics from his pain management strategy. We open our conversation by exploring Curt’s training and career, which includes caring for troops who were injured in Afghanistan. We then dive into what he did to build his practice, the challenges he needed to overcome, and his top learnings from opening a business. We then focus on what Curt did to grow his practice. He shares the value that business books have brought him and the importance of hiring the right people for the right jobs. We touch on how you can get referrals from engaging with your dentists in your area and how speaking with other carers can help you with your cases. A key theme in this episode, Curt highlights how uses alternative pain-relieving strategies while avoiding narcotics. After talking about the link between oral surgeries and opioid exposure, Curt gives listeners specifics about how he uses EXPAREL in his procedures. Near the end of the episode, we discuss how his approach to narcotics has impacted his sedation techniques and why you should separate yourself from your patient’s issues. Tune in for more insights into building a practice, the benefits of using EXPAREL, and removing narcotics from your procedures. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today’s guest, maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Curt Hayes.
• Exploring Curt’s training and many career highlights.
• Hear what Curt learned from treating injured soldiers coming out of Afghanistan. 
• Details about Curt’s practice and what he spends the bulk of his time on.
• Overcoming the challenges of opening a private practice. 
• The prairie dog problem; dealing with unexpected costs.
• Curts talks about how long it took to develop a steady stream of clients.
• How business books have helped guide Curt’s practice.
• Insights into how Curt built his customer base. 
• The value of engaging with your local dentistry community.
• How Curt’s has changed his practice by using alternative pain management strategies. 
• Why limiting your patient’s exposure to opioids is better for your community. 
• Specifics on how Curtiuses EXPAREL. 
• What led to Curt’s passion again using opioids in his practice.  
• How Curt’s anti-narcotics approach has impacted his sedation techniques.
• What you feel matters: creating a practice that you’re proud of.
• Curt shares some final advice on continual learning and not being affected by your patient’s problems. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Curt Hayes

Coal Creek Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center

Wilford Hall Medical Center

Simon Sinek

What’s Your Why? On Amazon

EXPAREL

NPR

Colorado-CURE

Pacira