Love Your Practice

We all communicate each and every day. And how we do that has an amazing impact on our team members and our patients. On this episode, I am pleased to welcome Katherine Eitel Belt, CSP, Founder and CEO of LionSpeak Communications Coaching. Katherine focuses on both team-facing and patient-facing communications. This episode explores the importance of always delivering messages from a place of integrity and from a good emotional space as we recognize that we want the best for ourselves and those around us.

As dentists, we all want to help people. But when we wear all the hats we need to wear as dental practice owners, we can feel overwhelmed. And then we can get into negative head spaces — or as Katherine says "emotional platforms" — where we suffer from negative thoughts, especially when we need to deliver bad news to employees or patients. However, this episode will help you develop your ability to center yourself before conversations so you can enter them from the platform of trying to make things better for both you and the person to whom you are speaking. You will learn to see your conversations — and change the framework of your conversations — as opportunities to create better alignment for both parties moving forward. Listen now to learn more about the framework for mastering your emotions so you can master your conversations!

Highlights from this episode:

• The need for good communication tools that we can use to shift our emotional platform
• Best emotions to experience before conversations
• Goals to have when communicating with others
• What patients see and hear in the verbal cues when information is delivered to them
• The reality and proof that situations can look one way and end up turning out much better than expected
• Recognizing that things "happen for us" as opposed to happening to us
• What high performers do when mastering their emotions
• Four reasons people don't do what we want them to do

Resources and links mentioned:

• Katherine Eitel Belt's website: LionSpeak
• Katherine's Courageous Conversation Support Sheet: https://www.lionspeak.net/leader/
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

Are you unhappy as a dentist? If so, you are not alone! Many are unhappy in their practices even though our profession is such a beautiful profession! In this episode, I welcome Dr. David Galler, DMD who has transformed thousands of lives through Invisalign and as the leader and instructor of Reingage, a network of thousands of dentists committed to improving the lives of patients through Invisalign and advanced alignment techniques. We discuss how powerful a smile is, how alignment can change lives, some theories on why dentists are unhappy, and how we need to have the proper mindset in our careers.

I always tell other dental practice owners to start your day thinking how and who you can help … We can all improve the lives of our patients by offering them what we know how to do. Alignment can be an integral part of proper treatment for many patients and is something to be valued. In this episode, we delve into what a difference it can make in many people's lives!

We also discuss how we all, as dentists and practice owners, face many of the same fears and anxieties. For example, we seem to all have the pressure to constantly "do more," whether that is opening more offices, upgrading to the latest equipment, working to treat more and more patients, or countless other ways that we aren't ever "doing enough." It's time to change that way of thinking! Our feelings come from our thoughts. If we want to be happy, it starts with being aware of what is going on in our minds. This episode can help you change your mindset; listen now to hear some great advice and suggestions to feel good about your work and your practice!

Highlights from this episode:

• Why so many dentists are tired and miserable
• Ways to change your mindset
• The importance and necessity of feeling confident
• Valuing alignment in addition to other treatments needs
• The difference alignment makes in the lives of patients and the power of the smile
• How our brains sift through information we take in and the effects of our thoughts
• The factors that cause our anxieties
• Advice to improve your thinking and your practice

Resources and links mentioned:

• Dr. Galler: American Academy of Clear Aligners
• Dr. Galler's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgaller/
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

What would your life be like if you weren't afraid to FEEL a "sucky" thing? Ladies, sometimes that's exactly what we need to do! There are steps we can take to move through hard times, and in this episode, I share how important it is to work to move away from feeling threatened and to recognize and use our power!

Emotions are created from what we are thinking in our brains. Sometimes we need to adjust our thinking so we can look at the facts of any situation we are in, recognize what elements we are in charge of, and determine what we have the power to cultivate. As dental practice owners, we like to help people. On some days, it may just be best to be curious and ask "How can I help people today?" Focusing on cultivating our teams and our patients feels good. When we do this, we give ourselves the power to show up for ourselves!

Do you know what emotion helps you stay in a good frame of mind and do things in the best way? Listen to this episode now to hear the answer to that important question that can change your life and to learn how we all can turn our hardships into opportunities for ourselves, our practices, and our patients!

Highlights from this episode:

• Causal coaching - what it is and where you can hear more about it
• An intentional model that can help you get through a rough time
• The importance of looking at facts in a very neutral way
• Recognizing your power
• Look at opportunities available to you to do good
• How incredible the feeling of gratitude is
• What it takes to turn a hardship into an opportunity and how valuable that is

Resources and links mentioned:

• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en
• To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

Managing a dental practice can be so difficult some days. Have you ever felt really bad about something that has happened in your practice? One event can create a cascade of negative feelings! This can happen to anyone, and in this episode, I walk you through how I am processing my thoughts and emotions after the resignation of a key employee.

This is a very candid episode for me as I open up and share what I am doing personally - in my mind - to process this significant event within my own practice. I discuss what metacognition is and why this is essential in processing thoughts. You will hear about how our brains work to protect us, often creating conversations in our own heads that can lead us to build walls around ourselves. But in the end, those walls will not help us manage our practices or care for our patients! Listen to this episode as I explain how we can effectively process our thoughts so we can move on to something new when we feel ready!

Highlights from this episode:

• What metacognition is and why it is essential to do this when something unpleasant happens
• Becoming familiar with our "curiosity goggles"
• The steps involved in processing thoughts and the emotions they generate
• Understanding that the brain wants to protect us but that putting up walls will not help us with our practices
• Being able to move on to something new when we're ready

Resources and links mentioned:

• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

Are you feeling burned out, stressed, or overwhelmed from your dental practice? My guest on this episode knows exactly how you feel! Dr. Laura Brenner holds a very unique place in dentistry. She was a dentist for 10 years and, after burning out, left the practice to follow her passions along another path. She is now a career coach, and in this episode, we discuss some common concerns and solutions for those dealing with the challenges and frustrations facing dentists today.

Have you ever considered the idea that sometimes our problems with practicing dentistry come from within ourselves? We often create a desire to please others and have to deal with our own perfectionism. However, there are steps you can take to relieve some of these stresses. It is critical to not sacrifice yourself to your work - it can lead to resentment and worry. Rather, it is necessary to look at yourself and figure out what is important to you, right now, in your own life. As Dr. Brenner says, "We all have to define success for ourselves. That's the first thing we need to do." You don't have to settle into and feel stuck in your current role of work. Give yourself the permission to move past what is holding you back!

And that may mean making some changes. Are you in love with your dentistry? If not, now is the time to do something about it. From side gigs to a career change, you can make a change in your life so you are having FUN! There are ways you can enrich other people's lives other than solely through your practice of dentistry. What is most important is that you find balance and fulfillment in your life - sometimes adding a side gig can improve your dentistry. Shift your energy, and be willing to change. You CAN design your career so you can align it with your life, creating happiness for yourself.

Are YOU still having fun with dentistry? This episode will help you find contentment within whatever path you choose for your life. Listen to this episode now to help you find clarity and happiness!

Highlights from this episode:

• Recognizing your career should be FUN and the solutions available to you if you are not in love with dentistry
• How a side gig can help you find balance and fulfillment - and improve your practice of dentistry
• The necessity to NOT sacrifice yourself to work
• Creating boundaries (from others as well as yourself) and a vision and consistency for yourself
• Some of the biggest challenges facing dentists
• The necessity of choosing your self-talk
• Self-examination of why you practice dentistry

Resources and links mentioned:

• Dr. Laura Brenner's Facebook page: Lolabees Career Coaching
• Dr. Laura Brenner's Facebook group: Dentist Side Gigs
• Dr. Laura Brenner's website: Lolabees Career Coaching
• Dr. Laura Brenner's blog: 10 Reasons Your Dentist Probably Hates You Too
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en
• To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

It is such a pleasure to welcome one of my favorite teachers, Dr. David Clark, to this episode. Dr. Clark is a dentist who has revolutionized how we can treat cracked teeth, going beyond doing crowns. He has created a system of matrices called the Bioclear Method, a new approach to cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Today we discuss practice management and how we present to patients about amazing treatments they actually want, versus just what they need.

Friends, you are not going to have to worry about being poorly compensated for doing this beautiful dentistry that patients actually want. We know that our patients want to keep their natural teeth… And we want to help them achieve that! Bioclear overlays can help them keep their teeth, and they have many advantages such as that they feel more comfortable and have almost zero chance of snapping off or creating a need for a root canal. The important aspect is that you can offer this to patients as a treatment "choice." When given the choice of how to treat their issue, many will be happy with choosing rejuvenation over extra drilling time on their teeth and will be comfortable paying the appropriate level of compensation to you. This treatment option makes so much sense and can transform your practice! Listen to this episode to hear more about this great procedure to offer to your patients and how you can learn to do injected moldings.

Highlights from this episode:

• The magical question of asking patients what they want to do when you have multiple treatment options to offer and how it feels when you give patients what they want
• Benefits of overlays
• How to offer choices to your patients so that they don't mind paying what the procedure is worth
• Rejuvenation of teeth as a choice
• Features of injected moldings and patients' reactions to them
• How to begin learning about how to do injected moldings
• Great opportunities that exist for offering rejuvenation

Resources and links mentioned:

• Dr. David Clark's website: Bioclear Clinic
• The discount code for Dr. Clark's intro course: LYP50
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en
• To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

Sometimes we give away our power to others! Do you often feel resentful of your employees, your partners, or even your dental practice?? This episode will empower you to know you can feel how you want to feel: independent of what others may do so you can make the decisions that are best for you.

There are four principles that work together to make you feel how you want to feel. This episode will help you examine relationships in your life - including your relationship with your practice - and allow you to see that you're in charge of your emotions and that you can decide how you are going to view your impactful relationships. I provide practical examples of how you can adapt these four principles to situations you are facing and need to alter to change how you are feeling. You'll hear the necessity of intentional thinking and getting the actual facts of a situation so that you don't go down the wrong path. This episode will help you understand that YOU are in control of your own emotions… This is so empowering to figure out and can make an immediate difference in YOUR life! Don't miss this episode - listen now!

Highlights from this episode:

• "How do you want to feel in this situation?" is an important question to ask
• Emotional adulthood - its definition and how freeing it can be to your life
• Why many people stay in a state of emotional childhood
• Relationships - a new way to view them
• Drawing boundaries and the behavioral changes that can come from this
• Practicing awareness of your emotions and identifying where they come from in our minds
• The paths our minds follow by default and what that creates in us

Resources and links mentioned:

• Laura's podcast episode #65 How To Draw A Proper Boundary With Someone
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

Today's episode is a follow-up to one I recorded two years ago. While the bulk of the episode is a replay, I explain how what transpired in that episode is finally coming to an end.

Have you ever had a decision to make but you just put it off and off for quite some time? And you just can't make a decision? This "Decision Fatigue" can be exhausting. This episode will help show you the way to fight through this, make a decision and move forward without regrets!

We've all been there. We have a major decision to make, but all of the options run through our brains and grip us so tightly that we don't move on. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at the facts surrounding the decision you have to make so you can objectively decide the best and worst scenarios of your situation. In this episode, Laura provides you with methods to analyze decisions you need to make and offers a wonderful mantra to guide you through the process so you can feel confident in the path you select. Are you ready to lower your stress regarding making decisions? Listen to this episode to learn ways to embrace the choices you make and skip the regrets!

Highlights from this episode:

• What "Decision Fatigue" is
• Reasons to make a decision and move forward
• Steps to analyze the scenarios of your choices
• The key to making your decision a good one
• Avoiding being mad at yourself
• Redefining making "mistakes"

Resources and links mentioned:

• To get my FREE class Love Your Employees, text Loveyouremployees (all one word) to 66866
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

Fear. This is a powerful emotion! Do you sometimes find yourself fearful of taking certain steps - steps you know are necessary - in the management of your dental practice? Fear can prevent anyone from doing things, but this episode will help you to feel empowerment instead of fear!

Employees are leaving dental practices, patients are looking for appointments, the employees who are left behind could also leave if they are pushed the wrong way… There are so many sources of stress in the management of a dental practice! Are you fearful of correcting your employees because if you do, they may leave? If so, you are not alone. This is a common situation happening right now. However, there is a new way for you to look at these and other circumstances that are causing you to not be the leader you want to be! Listen to this episode now for some exciting new ways to view and address the opportunities facing you and your practice in this moment!

Highlights from this episode:

• Finding the right ways to deal with employees leaving our practices
• Looking at change as an opportunity
• Implementing major changes in a practice… They can be much easier than you think!
• Steps you can take to stop you from being directed by fear in your leadership

Resources and links mentioned:

• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura

It is such a pleasure to welcome back Dr. Ankur Gupta to the podcast for a second time. In this episode, we explore the reality that it is okay to be both a human and a dentist. We all have flaws - nobody is perfect - and that truly is okay. We simply need to build these flaws into our philosophies and change our futures for the better.

"In the world of CE, it is not as common to highlight our flaws," according to Dr. Gupta; and, yet, we all have flaws but must learn to "change the systems around us" so others don't have to suffer from our flaws. This episode explores the expectations placed upon us: the fact that they are there and how we handle them. It is essential to realize that thoughts are voluntary and can create a lifetime of suffering if we let our brains give in to unrealistic expectations instead of enjoying life! Now is the time for change: changing how you are thinking about various elements of your life and focusing on small physical changes you can do right now can alter the trajectory of your future. Devoting just a few minutes a day to physical improvement can create a big impact! Listen to this episode for some examples of what you can do and the empowerment that can come from these physical and emotional changes. You HAVE the time and the ability to change your future… Listen to this episode to start right now!

Highlights from this episode:

• The reality that success can come, even though we are all flawed
• Handling the pressures of the expectations placed upon us
• Exploring our vulnerabilities and the actual sources of those pressures we feel
• How damaging it is when we look at what others do and subsequently create "shoulds" in our brains
• Small changes and how they can impact the trajectory of a person's life
• Devoting time to posture, balance, diet and other wellness practices: how we view these and the importance of focusing on these actions
• Information on Dr. Gupta's upcoming retreat near Chicago on July 29-30

Resources and links mentioned:

• Dr. Ankur Gupta's retreat: TheHappyDentistRetreat.com
• Retreat coupon code for "Love Your Practice" listeners: LOVE
• Watch Laura's podcasts on YouTube: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's email: [email protected]
• Laura's website: LoveYourPractice.net
• Laura's podcast: Love Your Practice!
• Laura's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drlauramach
• Laura's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauramachdds/?hl=en

Laura's Facebook pages:

• Love Your Practice with Dr. Laura Mach
• Love Your Practice
• Laura's personal page

Thank you so much for tuning in to this podcast! I would love it if you would share it with others and leave a review for others to see!

~ Laura