Start Your Dental Practice

As I've mentioned, on a few previous episodes of SYDP, I had the pleasure of speaking at and attending the Voices of Dentistry Podcast Event.

It's not often that I go to conferences that absolutely blow me away, but I can honestly say this was one of those times.

During the event, it wasn't long before I discovered what I can only explain as 'superwoman' --- who was anywhere and everywhere helping making sure everyone has a great time.

Turns out superwoman, aka Ashlee Evans, was not only responsible for running a virtually flawless Voices of Dentistry Podcast event -- but she has also been Dr. Mark Costes right hand woman in building the extremely successful Dental Success Institute l for the last 5 years.

After getting to know her at the event, I just knew I had to have her on the show.

We cover a ton of ground, talking about hiring, productivity, and getting the most from your team. As well as how she's able to get a seemingly impossible amount done in her day to day life.

How You Hire Is Important. Learn Ashlee's Secrets To Hiring And Getting More Done Click here for the video and presentation

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• Why you should hire for culture first.
• How to motivate and encourage your employees to get more done.
• The importance of sharing your values with your team and employees.
• 3 Things Ashlee Does With Every New Hire
• How To Build A Culture of Communication.
• The leadership qualities it takes to succeed

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Ashlee for coming on the show. Building a great culture can make all the difference in your practice.. And that starts with hiring the right people and making sure you're the best leader you can be.

As a bonus for today, Ashlee has shared a powerpoint presentation and video on how to hire effectively for your practice. If the success she's had so far in career is an indicator, you definitely won't want to miss it. Hiring the right way can truly make all the difference.

Click here to access the video.

Quotes:

"Hire for culture first" – Ashlee Evans

Resources:

True Dental Success

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

Everyone has their own reason for wanting to build a successful dental practice, and ultimately that reason is what keeps you pushing through, even when times get tough.

Somedays you'll be on top of the world, and others you'll think about throwing in the towel.

But as they say, the journey is what makes things worth it in the end.

Today, I'm excited to share another conversation I recently had at the Voices of Dentistry event with Dr. Peter Boulden, host of the BulletProof Dental Podcast and owner of several successful practices in Atlanta, Georgia.

Peter has cracked the code on what it takes to building a successful practice, and his optimistic attitude is contagious.

In our conversation we talk about how to stay focused and the best tips and strategies to take your practice to the next level.

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"] Want to get the most out of your next Dental conference? You'll love my 5 Ways To Get More Out of Your Next Dental Conference Guide Click here for the guide [/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• How Peter discovered embezzlement in his practice and what he did to recover.
• The power of setting ambitious goals, and why you need to think big.
• How to deal with naysayers, especially your family and friends.
• Why you should embrace your mistakes, not hide from them.
• What Dr. Boulden would do differently if he had to start over today.
• How to know if you're "ready" to become a practice owner.

  And much more...

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Peter for sharing his insights and strategies on how to build a thriving and profitable practice. It's not always easy, but doing the hard things today, will set you up for a rewarding future down the road.

Since I've released my how to get more out of your next conference guide few weeks ago, I've received a ton of great feedback and it just might be exactly what you need to make your next conference your best one yet.

I put a ton of effort into this guide, and if you plan on attending a conference this year, I know you'll love it.

Click here for the guide.

Quotes:

"I knew I wanted to be the chief of my own dentistry." - Dr. Peter Boulden

Resources:

Bulletproof Dental Practice

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

Dental. Supplies.

No, I'm not trying to intentionally give you a headache or make your blood pressure immediately rise by mentioning those dreaded words.

But.. if we're being honest.. It's no secret that finding the right supplies at the right cost.. In a time efficient manner… is one of the hardest things to do as a dentist.

And we didn't even mention good quality.

There has been a lot of innovation in the dental space over the years, but I haven't seen anything quite like what today's guest is doing, helping dental owners get the best supplies for the cheapest cost.. In just a few clicks.

Today I'm very excited to share my conversation with Tiger Safarov -- CEO of Zen Supplies. His story is nothing short of incredible, and I really believe he just might be able to change the way you look at dental supplies when it comes to your practice.

Take Tiger's Inventory Challenge -- He'll Help You Save Money or You Get 12 months access to ZenSupplies for free. Click here to learn more.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• Tiger's Inspiring Story On How He's Disrupting The Dentist Industry With His Tech Startup
• The Quickest Way To Reduce Your Inventory Cost.
• Why Most Dental Software Doesn't Have The End Consumer (You) In Mind And How Tiger Hopes To Fix That.
• The Bad Habits Most Dentist's Have When It Comes To Purchasing Inventory And How To Fix Them
• Why The Secrecy Behind Dental Inventory Is Hurting The Community.

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Tiger for sticking around and sharing some incredible insight on his mission to change the dental world.

As you heard, Tiger has generously offered to take a look at your some of your most recent invoices --- and personally show you how you can reduce your supply costs.

Because he knows SYDP listeners take action he also issued an exclusive SYDP challenge. If he can't help you reduce your costs.. He'll give you 12 months of free membership to ZenSupplies.

This is definitely one of those times you want to take action.

You really have nothing to lose.

Click here to learn more about the challenge.

Quotes:

"With Zen Supplies our main driver is to make things as easy as possible for you." - Tiger Safarov

Resources:

• Zen Supplies

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

The tools and software you use to run your practice can either help enable you get more done.. Or make life needlessly complicated.

For dentists, it's often the latter.

Fortunately, we've seen some incredible innovation in the dental tools and software space over the last few years which is why I'm incredibly excited to share my conversation with Kevin Rossen of Divergent Dental, whom I had the chance to sit down with a few weeks ago at the Voices of Dentistry event.

In our quick chat we covered a ton of ground about how to effectively track the numbers in your practice, in a way that doesn't drive you insane.

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"] Want to get the most from your next dental conference? You'll love the guide I put together. Click Here For The Guide [/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• Kevin's Morning Huddle Method To Instantly Boost Team Productivity
• The 3 metrics that are essential to track in your practice.
• Why not all dental software is created equal, and how to choose the right tools.
• The metrics you should know daily, and the metrics you can "ignore" when starting out.
• How To Overcome The Barriers To Tracking Certain Metrics (And Increase Staff Buy In)

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Kevin for joining the show today. If you build the right systems for your practice, you can effortlessly track the numbers that matter.

Over the last few weeks I've talked a lot about some amazing conferences to grow your practice. Several listeners have reached out asking how I make the most out of each conference I attend. So today, I put together a free guide "5 Ways To Get More Out of Any Conference You Attend"

I really think you'll get a lot out of the guide, even if a conference isn't quite on your radar yet.

I talk about tips for networking and why setting goals for your conference is important.

Click here to get the guide.

Quotes:

• "You don't have to know all your numbers daily. Just the right ones." - Kevin Rossen

Resources:

• Divergent Dental

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

Look.

Running a successful dental practice is incredibly difficult.

Day in and day out, you're juggling marketing, budgets, growing your team.. and a million other things on your always expanding todo list.

I get it.

And yet… at the end of the day, as a practice owner, you have to remember, you're in the SERVICE industry.

Which means, everything you do should be focused on providing the best service you possibly can.

Because ultimately that's what keeps the lights on.

Which unfortunately, many dentists often forget.

Today I'm excited to share my conversation with Dr. Anissa Holmes from Delivering Wow. You may remember her from episode 9 of the SYDP podcast where she shared her insight on how to get the most out of Facebook.

We recently had a chance to reconnect at the Voices of Dentistry Summit and I knew I had to have her back on the show. I'm absolutely blown away with what's she's been able to accomplish since we last sat down to chat.

As cliche as it might sound, she really delivers the wow in this one and shares exactly how to do the same for your practice.

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"]Enjoy the episode? You'll Love The Delivering Wow Roadmap Checklist from Dr. Anissa Holmes Click Here For The Checklist[/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• What "delivering wow" means to Anissa, and how you can apply it to your own practice.
• Anissa's expansion to teaching, and how it's also helped accelerate her own practice.
• Her decision process on whether to purchase another practice.
• How to grow your practice and WORK LESS (yes, it's true.)
• The systems and team you need to fast track your growth.
• How to increase your "Luck" through discipline.
• The power of "reverse engineering" and how it applies to you.

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Anissa for coming on the show. As she has proven time and time again, by over delivering in your practice and life, you can blow your competition out of the water and deliver an experience that your patients won't ever forget.

If you want to "deliver wow" in your own practice, you'll love her free delivering wow roadmap checklist. She goes through dozens of things you can do TODAY, to create the best possible experience for your your practice.

It goes without saying, she's one of the very few who actually practice what the preach, and I know you'll get a ton out of the roadmap.

Click here to get the checklist.

Quotes:

• "I've grown my practice.. and work less." - Dr. Anissa Holmes
• "A great experience matters." - Dr. Anissa Holmes

Resources:

• Delivering Wow
• Twitter

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

As you may know, a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the Voices of Dentistry event.

It was easily one of the best events I've attended in recent memory, and I was fortunate to connect with some of the best in the business.

Turns out, when a bunch of podcasters get together for a live event, they tend to.. Well.. record some podcasts.

I hope to be sharing what I learned over the next few weeks as well as some of the many conversations I had with other top performing attendees and speakers.

Today I'm excited to share my chat with Dr. Mike DiTolla, who you might know from the Accidental Genius Podcast or the Dentsply Sirona event.

He dives deep into mastering the art of crowns and bridges as well of some of his best tips and tricks to grow your practice. Without exception improving your crown and bridge procedures can make a huge difference in your practice.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• How To Leverage Community To Grow Your Network And Practice
• How Dr. Mike DiTolla got into the Dentist Industry And What He's Learned From 25 + years in the field.
• Why "Mobile" is so important for your practice and continued education.
• 3 Mistakes New Dentists Make And How To Avoid Them
• Why Dentists Are Like Professional Athletes and What That Means For Your Practice
• The Best Way To Learn From Your Peers To Improve Your Procedures.

And much more.

Bonus

A special thanks to Mike getting into the nitty gritty on how to improve crown and bridge procedures as well as sharing his 25+ years of dental industry knowledge.

As Mike mentions, most dentists never truly master the art of crowns and bridges. I hope this episode has inspired you to rethink and improve your current procedures. Master the clinical side of your practice, and I know you'll see great results.

If you want to get an inside look into the planning, and strategy of fast growing dental practice owners you'll love the event The Dental Ownership Summit.

Quotes:

• "There's no excuse to not do great crown and bridge preparations." - Dr. Mike DiTolla

Resources:

• The Dental Ownership Summit
• Dentsply Sirona World
• Accidental Geniuses Podcast

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

There comes a time in the life of every dental practice when one practice just isn't enough.

Which brings you to the next logical step -- expansion.

Maybe acquiring your first (or yet another) practice has been on the top of your goals for 2017. Or maybe you're not quite there yet.

Regardless, knowing how to navigate the often turbulent waters of practice acquisition is an important skill to build a thriving practice now and for many years to come.

Today I'm excited to share my conversation with Hunter Smith owner of the Southern Dental Group.

What he's been able to do at the young age of 28 is nothing short of amazing.

You may remember him from episode 38 of Dentist Metrics where he talked about his process on how he was able to acquire 5 practices.

In the short time since we've last talked, he's acquired yet another practice and has positioned himself to continue to invest in his future while sharing what he's learned along the way.

Even if you're not "ready" to acquire a practice yet , I know you'll get a ton out of our conversation .

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"]Learn Everything You Need To Know About Buying Your First Practice At The Dental Ownership Summit Learn More Here.[/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• When You Should Consider Acquire A Practice And When Not Too
• How Hunter Is Able To Acquire A Practice Nearly Every Quarter
• Why Acquiring Your First Practice Is Harder Than Expanding Further
• The "Double Effort Myth" When It Comes To Acquiring A New Practice
• The Chicken Before The Egg Mistake And How To Avoid It
• The New Practice Mindset and How To Develop It
• How To Handle Staff Transition During The Acquisition Process.
• The Leadership Factor When Buying A New Practice
• How To Be Confident During Chaos And Demonstrate Leadership To Your Team

Free Episode Bonus:

Want to learn more about dental ownership? You'll love the upcoming Dental Ownership Summit February 16th and 17th in San Antonio, where some of the best in the dental industry share what they know to take your practice to the next level. You'll learn virtually everything you need to know about how to buy a practice successfully.

I personally know many of the attendees and speakers and know you'll get a ton of value out of the event. Texas is always wonderful this time a year as well so you'll get the best of both worlds.

Learn More Now

Quotes:

• "Buying your first practice is always the hardest step. But can make all the difference." - Hunter Smith

Resources

• Dental Ownership Summit (February 16th and 17th In San Antonio Texas)
• [email protected]

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

There comes a time in the life of every dental practice when one practice just isn't enough.

Which brings you to the next logical step -- expansion.

Maybe acquiring your first (or yet another) practice has been on the top of your goals for 2017. Or maybe you're not quite there yet.

Regardless, knowing how to navigate the often turbulent waters of practice acquisition is an important skill to build a thriving practice now and for many years to come.

Today I'm excited to share my conversation with Hunter Smith owner of the Southern Dental Group.

What he's been able to do at the young age of 28 is nothing short of amazing.

You may remember him from episode 38 of Dentist Metrics where he talked about his process on how he was able to acquire 5 practices.

In the short time since we've last talked, he's acquired yet another practice and has positioned himself to continue to invest in his future while sharing what he's learned along the way.

Even if you're not "ready" to acquire a practice yet , I know you'll get a ton out of our conversation .

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"]Learn Everything You Need To Know About Buying Your First Practice At The Dental Ownership Summit Learn More Here.[/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• When You Should Consider Acquire A Practice And When Not Too
• How Hunter Is Able To Acquire A Practice Nearly Every Quarter
• Why Acquiring Your First Practice Is Harder Than Expanding Further
• The "Double Effort Myth" When It Comes To Acquiring A New Practice
• The Chicken Before The Egg Mistake And How To Avoid It
• The New Practice Mindset and How To Develop It
• How To Handle Staff Transition During The Acquisition Process.
• The Leadership Factor When Buying A New Practice
• How To Be Confident During Chaos And Demonstrate Leadership To Your Team

Free Episode Bonus:

Want to learn more about dental ownership? You'll love the upcoming Dental Ownership Summit February 16th and 17th in San Antonio, where some of the best in the dental industry share what they know to take your practice to the next level. You'll learn virtually everything you need to know about how to buy a practice successfully.

I personally know many of the attendees and speakers and know you'll get a ton of value out of the event. Texas is always wonderful this time a year as well so you'll get the best of both worlds.

Learn More Now

Quotes:

• "Buying your first practice is always the hardest step. But can make all the difference." - Hunter Smith

Resources

• Dental Ownership Summit (February 16th and 17th In San Antonio Texas)
• [email protected]

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

Budgets. If we're being honest, they don't always have the reputation as the most "fun" topics in the world of dentistry. But a solid budget can make all the difference in keeping the lights on at the end of the day. The good news is, budgeting is a skill can that be learned, regardless of what stage your practice is in today. The more you budget, the better you get. The better you get, the more time you can use to focus on the things that will take your practice to the next level. Who doesn't like a little more time? In today's solo episode, I'll be exploring one of the most requested topics from SYDP listeners and my DentistMetrics clients. Don't worry, I won't bore you with useless stats or random formulas, but instead I'll share my perspective on the pros and cons of budgeting and some suggestions I've found to work. If you loved today's episode, you'll enjoy my Budgeting Example Spreadsheet that will help you get a better understanding of how to create a budget that works. Click Here To Check Out The Examples

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• The Biggest Mistakes Dentists Make When Budgeting And What To Do Instead.
• 3 Questions You Should Answer Before Starting Your Budget
• How "Over Budgeting" Can Actually Hurt Your Practice
• Why You Should View Budgeting As A Tool Rather An Annoyance
• The Types of Budgeting Needed For All Stages of Your Practice (Yes.. They Are Different)
• The Key Steps To Avoid "Waste" In Your Practice
• Why Budgeting Once A Year Is Not Remotely Enough
• The Budgeting Formula If You're Just Getting Started
• When To Know If You're Spending Too Much Time On Budgeting
• How To Incorporate Education Into Your Budget.. And much more...

Free Episode Bonus:

Now's the time to take action. Saying you want to get better at budgeting is one thing. Actually making the time to make that happen is a totally different story.

For today's episode, I've created a free Budge Example Spreadsheet — that will help you get a better understanding of what a successful budget entails and exactly what you need to do to make it work for you.

Click here to access that now.

Quotes:

• "You want to spend money to make more money." – Jonathan VanHorn

Support The Show

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

A strong marketing strategy is essential to get more patients in the door.

You know that. But… unfortunately, with so many options out there, it's so easy to feel overwhelmed and stuck.

Maybe you can relate.

Instead of mastering the basics, you jump from one marketing strategy to the next.. And not surprisingly you might not see the results you were looking for.

As most SYDP listeners know, the dental industry does have a few bad apples that ruin things for everyone. Trust can be a little hard to come by.

No there is no magic pill to get 1,000 new patients in your door by next week.

No there is no SEO strategy that will get you on the first page of Google overnight.

A good marketing strategy requires relentless testing, patience, and a little bit of good luck.

Which is why I'm so excited to share my conversation with Laura Maly and Michael Anderson, founders of the the Wonderist Agency an agency that focuses exclusively on serving the dental community.

Several practice owners and SYDP listeners have emailed me to praise their work. And I think you'll find our conversation on the state of dental marketing surprisingly refreshing and you'll walk away with several actionable insights such as…

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"]If you like today's show, you'll enjoy Laura and Michael's Ten Ways To Get New Patients PDF Click Here To Check Out The Guide[/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• How Laura And Michael Got Into The Dentistry Industry
• Why Most Dental Agencies Are So Out Of Date
• The Key Metrics You Should Track Consistently For Improvement
• The Importance of Avoiding "Shiny Object" Syndrome.
• Why One Size Fit All Marketing Can Kill Your Practice
• How To Get Started With Tracking And Which Metrics You Should Measure
• 3 Bad Marketing Habits You Should Avoid
• The "10 Million Dollar Mistake" You Might Be Making
• How To Stop Being Overwhelmed With Your Marketing
• Why You Need To Communicate With Your Staff About Your Marketing Strategy

Free Episode Bonus:

As Michael and Laura discussed, doing marketing the right way is what's going to take your practice to the next level. You don't have to follow every random marketing suggestion or tactic. Instead, pick a few areas you want to focus on and get to work.

If you loved today's episode, than I know you'll get a ton out of Laura and Michael's Ten Ways To Get New Patients PDF You'll definitely want to take action on how to get more from patients referrals. I highly recommend you give it a look.

Click here to access that now.

Quotes:

• "You have to be tracking." - Michael Anderson
• "Start Call Tracking Today. No really." - Laura Maly

Resources:

• CallRail
• CallTrackingMetrics
• Wonderist Agency

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

Note: This is an encore of SYDP episode 48 with Dr. Alan Mead updated with time sensitive information about the Voices of Dentistry event you won't want to miss! If you want a weekend full of learning and connecting with the best of the best Voices of Dentistry is for you. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming on Monday 1/16/2017 !

Today's show features a pioneer in dentistry and to dental podcasters.

Dr. Alan Mead is the master behind Mead Family Dentistry and the widely known Dental Hacks Podcast.

Dr. Mead grew up around his dad's dental practice and quickly found his passion in running a practice of his own at a young age.

Just like with any dental practice business, Dr. Mead has seen his fair share of ups, downs, and everything in between.

There's something for you in this episode if you've been running a practice of your own, wanting to start one, or if you're in the startup phase.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• How Dr. Mead basically "stole" a practice from someone else
• What happens when you think you're a terrible business person (and what to do to combat this)
• The mistakes you DON'T want to make when running your own practice
• The advantages of owning a "dive" practice
• What to do if you're brand new, fresh out of dental school, and looking to start a practice
• The best skill you can have when opening up your first practice
• What to look for, demographics-wise, when opening up a practice in a new geolocation
• An event you need to attend, if you're serious about dentistry, to meet some of the biggest names in the industry

Voices of Dentistry Event!

Quotes:

• "If you can not buy into the marketing of what a dental practice 'should be'. You can save money in the bigger decisions." – Dr. Alan Mead

Resources:

• Mead Family Dentistry
• Dr. Mead's Podcast
• Dr. Costes' Podcast
• The Skeptics Guide To The Universe
• Muggle Cast
• David Mallolly's Podcast
• Voices of Dentistry | Dentistry's First Podcaster Summit

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this should wouldn't exist.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please go here to give the show an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.