https://youtu.be/RrlpTKu6k8I

Our transcript of the discussion between Dr. Mark Hyman and  Jameson Files host Carrie Webber has been lightly edited for flow. To enjoy the audio conversation, you can watch on YouTube or listen to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Spotify

Dr. Hyman Recounts His Lifelong Commitment to Continuing Education

Carrie Webber:

Welcome to the Jameson Files. I'm the Jameson Files host, Carrie Webber, from the Jameson Group., and we are thrilled to be recording this episode of the Jameson Files live at the American Dental Association's SmileCon 2022 meeting in Houston, Texas. I'm also thrilled to be sharing the main stage with our dear friend, colleague, Jameson client, and truly Jameson friend, Dr. Mark Hyman. So Dr. Hyman, thank you so much for being with me again.

Dr. Hyman is speaking once again at the ADA meeting this year, two times a day. He’s been a speaker and an educator for over 20 years at this point. And that’s above and beyond the extraordinary practice he built. Dr. Hyman is an adjunct professor at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry. As a key influencer, speaker, and educator across the country, he has been recognized as a leader in continuing education for dentists for years and years. Truly, truly a remarkable contributor and gift to the dental community, helping to motivate and educate doctors and teams to realize their ideal vision for their practice and how to elevate patient care.

The Power of Education for Dental Teams

Carrie Webber:

So, I wanna take an angle in our session today. You've been a guest on the Jameson Files podcast before, and today I want to take a different approach and talk about the power of education and continuing education for dentists and their teams, and also the power of education with our patients. 

So let's start with you and your story. You know, we know your story as a dentist and the amazing practice that you built for yourself, but I'd love to learn a little bit more about your story as an educator. What has led you to where you are today as the prominent speaker and educator that you are?

Worst First Semester Story

Dr. Mark Hyman:

Sure, Carrie. I appreciate that. Why am I here? You know, I would probably be considered the worst first semester dental student in the history of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry. I was our class president, cruising along, and midterms came, and I got crushed and barely made it out of first semester dental school. The first week back of spring semester, on Thursday night, I quit. I knew I couldn't be a dentist. I'd never make it, and I hated every part about it. But a young professor, Dr. Ron Straus, saved my life. I went to the dean's office, told him I was gonna quit, walked out, and ran into Professor Strauss. He just said, “Mark, it's okay. Being a dental student is nothing like being a dentist. Give it another hour. Give it a day. See how you do.”

I resented how we were taught.

And I did. I muddled my way through the spring semester, started in clinic, and graduated in three and a half years. So, I kind of went from worst to first. But I resented how we were taught. There was so much intimidation and humiliation, and it just didn't have to be that way. That's not the way to motivate excellence to me. 

First Speaking Gig Fiasco (Almost)

So when I was a resident at UNC, I got to do the orientation for the first year dental students. And I thought that's kind of cool. And then three years out of practice, Professor Ron Strauss asked me to come back and tell my story to the first year dental students. Being the excited young speaker (not), the thought of going back to the dental school…? I've got diarrhea and I'm nauseated, and after I worked in the morning, I jumped in my car … and I'm outta gas.

I fly to the gas station, fill up, jump back in. And I hear a rip. I've ripped my pants from my belly button to my tush. And I'm like, ah, I'll be behind a podium and no one will see my pants are ripped. Then I thought, Idiot, get outta here! I flew home, got a pair of pants, drove to Chapel Hill, 90 miles an hour, run into the room, the audience, the students, were already waiting for me. I'm 10 minutes late, I'm sweating, I'm nauseated. … 

I ran up and said something, and a couple of 'em laughed...

I ran up and said something, and a couple of 'em laughed, and I said something else, and a few more laughed, and I said the third thing, and they started howling, and I finished and I got a standing ovation. And Professor Strauss came up to me and said, “You just had a magic moment there. You don't get many of those.” And I was like, “I don't know what that was, but I wanna do that again.” So I've done the intro to private practice class at UNC for 32 years. Since 1989 I've taught every first year dental student.

At the Pankey Institute

So, I muddled my way through some small study clubs and basically my results were, “Eh, he's a nice guy. He's trying hard.” But it wasn't impactful. So that was 1989. In 1990 I started at The Pankey Institute where I went every January through six years. Then I got to teach there. And one of the Pankey precepts is quid pro quo—to whom much is given, much is expected—you're expected to give back to the profession. 

So I had the calling to try to spread the word for our type of dentistry. I did my first study club in 1993. The payment for that meeting was, they paid for my dinner. You gotta like that. At least I had that going for me. 

A Winning Gig in Front of the ADA Scouts

And then, Dr. Dennis Shinbori from the CDA was dear friends with a friend of mine at UNC. I saw the ADA was gonna be in Hawaii, and I thought I'd like to be paid to go to Hawaii. So I called my friend and said, “I wanna speak at the ADA.” And she kind of looked at me like, you're on drugs, son. I'm like, yes I am! She said, “You don't do it that way. You have to be scouted. So I'm gonna try to get you on the CDA at Anaheim.” So in April, 1999, thanks to Dennis Shinbori, I had my first gig in front of the scouts. 

And with the CDA, you pay your way there, you pay your food, you pay your hotel, but you get an hour, right? And one hour before I was supposed to start, I'm in the Ho Anaheim Hilton with my wife and our three kids. And I absolutely decompensated. I'm like, I don't have an opening story. And I'm stomping around the hotel room, and my brown eyed girl, Danielle Rose, tugged at my sleeve. My eight-year-old Danielle. And she looked up at me with those beautiful brown eyes and said, “Dad, what if nobody comes to hear you?” And my wife, my jersey girl, said, “Honey, these Californians can be tough. So don't try to be witty. Don't try to be clever. Don't try to be cute. Just be yourself.”

And from that one meeting, I got the ADA, AGD, Yankee Chicago, greater New York, Hinman, TDA, Florida…

And that was my opening story at the CDA. And from that one meeting, I got the ADA, AGD, Yankee Chicago, greater New York, Hinman, TDA, Florida…. I ran the table and the rest is history. So that was pretty cool. 

Dental Educators That Motivated Dr. Hyman

So again, I bought basically a bankrupt private practice on July 1st, 1986. My third month of private practice, I heard Linda Miles speak, which was life changing. Then I heard this woman from Oklahoma, Dr. Cathy Jameson, who just blew me out of the water. So in April of ‘99, I spoke at the CDA in Anaheim in May. Dr. Billy Dorfman from Beverly Hills had the Discus dental meeting. He and I had a conversation, and he put me on the discus meeting, took all the speakers to Cirque du Soleil “O” at the Bellagio and sat my wife and I next to Doctors Cathy and John Jameson. 

And that changed my life.

Dr. Cathy Jameson just blew me out of the water.

So then I took my team to hear Cathy speak, and they were blown away. So we started working with Jameson Management and Consulting. And that was impactful at a partnership that wasn't working out. Dr. Cathy Jameson spent a full day with my partner, trying to raise her game. Then we lovingly decided to part ways, 2005. I got fired, moved to my new building, Cathy came back in, and we went all in with coaching and consulting. 

Rocketing Profitability Came With Jameson Coaching

Every four months, we had two days of in-office consulting. I had a monthly management call, leadership call, and a weekly marketing call. So I say to my students, “Coaching's expensive, isn't it?” And the answer that the UNC students will give is, “Compared to what?” 

And my practice grew over $500,00— working fewer days per month!

So I probably paid, I'm guessing at that time it was like $40,000 for coaching in a 24-month period? And my practice, my million dollar practice, grew over $500,00— working fewer days per month! Now that sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? To grow $500,000 while working less days per month. What is that over 24 months? It's one extra tooth a day. It's one extra crown in your eight hour day. 

Having elegant coaching and consulting that looks at your 25 systems and just tweaks each of the systems, the white average Jameson client goes up 25% to 30%. I only went up 52% in 24 months—and kept growing after that. So that was the gift of constant coaching and leadership training and marketing training. 

And I’ve built that into my seminars: You don't have to humiliate a student to learn and grow. You don't have to humiliate a teammate to inspire them and turn them on. You just have to give 'em predictable systems and train 'em and get out of their way. So that's been the gift to me that your family and your organization gave to me. Cuz I was a wild man, bouncing from room to room, putting up big numbers, but in misery. And just by refining the systems—it gave me such joy, better patient care, better team retention, better profitability, and a lot more fun.