The Golden Age of Orthodontics

Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein invited Align’s President & CEO Joseph Hogan back to the podcast to talk about the future of orthodontics. Joseph is adept at taking advantage of the opportunities for advanced technology to increase market share in the medical industry. He brought his expertise from the Healthcare division at GE to Align Technology. In this 30-minute podcast we speak to Joseph about the digital transformation in orthodontics.

We cover many topics including:

• What is driving this digital transformation in orthodontics?
• How COVID-19 created the need for virtual consultation applications
• Adjustments that Align Technologies made to help orthodontists during the pandemic
• Marketing plans for Align Technologies to promote Invisalign for orthodontic partners
• The genesis of the new Invisalign Stickables product
• Listener Question: Is there a future for the now-closed Invisalign retail outlets?

Joseph Hogan joined Align in June 2015 as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Align Technology. Mr. Hogan has extensive experience leading large companies, including CEO roles at ABB, a global power and automation technologies company based in Zurich, Switzerland and GE Healthcare.

For show notes and more: pplpractice.com

In the past year and a half we have had over 10,000 downloads of our podcast. This month we are doing a “best of” episode where we feature a few highlights form our previous podcast episodes including great guests like Dr. Jonathan Nicozisis, of the Aligner Fellowship Institute; Landy Chase, president and CEO Ortho Yes; Mark van Weelde, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Dental Marketing; Chris Bentson, a partner in Bentson Copple & Associates; and many more.

For show notes & more: https://pplpractice.com/episode-18/

During this 30-minute podcast episode, we speak with Stephen Kaufman, head of the Wright, Constable & Skeen LLP healthcare law group. Steve discusses how orthodontists should approach new employment opportunities and negotiating contracts with employers. We also touch on the new legalities surrounding COVID-19 and take a question from a listener.

For show notes & more: https://pplpractice.com/podcast/

During this 30-minute podcast episode we speak with Greg Pellegrom, CEO of SmileSnap, a company that develops software for virtual dental consultations that integrates with your current workflow. We talk about how technology that promoted online, remote appointments provided a lifeline for offices and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic but also extends beyond this use to the future of orthodontic practice.

For show notes & more: http://pplpractice.com/episode-16/

During this podcast we speak with Dr. Alfred Griffin III, Founder and CEO of LightForce Orthodontics, a 3D printing, orthodontic insight and digital treatment company. Personalized healthcare is a trending topic in the medical industry and orthodontics is no exception. In this episode we touch on how to use LightForce to increase efficiency in treatment and customized care. LightForce is a technique more than a product and we discuss what makes it different.

For show notes and more: pplpractice.com

We speak with Amy Demas, president of Communicating Excellence, about the importance of practice communication for your front office. In the new normal, best practices for communication are vital as your staff will be overburdened with new and current patients asking questions about scheduling appointments, navigating your practice’s changes to accommodate social distancing and safety, and transitioning from all virtual appointments.

For show notes and more: https://pplpractice.com/podcast/

We speak with Jooan Garbo, a premier change agent for orthodontic practices. Over the past 30 years Joan has led over 2,000 seminars in effective communication and relationship skills, team-building, and customer service. She empowers dental teams in the areas of communication and leadership with her insightful and humorous presentations. Her high energy level and enthusiasm inspire people to action, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and the resources for motivation.

Our podcast is a special one to address the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis and how it is affecting the orthodontic industry. Our industry relies on in-patient treatment to be effective - there is no getting around that. But we can help mitigate the impact it has on our patients as we practice safe social distancing and even temporarily close our offices. Part of that strategy includes telehealth technologies to help you continue to serve your current patients and even attract new ones.

The White House Coronavirus Task Force and the AAO recommends that the public postpone all elective dental visits to help flatten the curve. In this podcast we talk about our strategies to help orthodontists get through this crisis and we speak with Dental Monitoring CEO & Founder Philippe Salah.

In this 30-minute episode we speak with Dr. Bill Layman about how to build an orthodontic practice that can capture the easy aligner cases and make them profitable through available in-house technology. Dr. Layman is a board certified orthodontist practicing in Clearwater, FL who advises practices on this very subject.

Direct to consumer aligner companies are spending $300MM annually on marketing directly to patients. As distasteful as that is to many orthodontists, they are creating a market - a desire among patients to get their teeth straightened. In this episode we discuss in detail about the printing technology to install in your practice and the cost factors involved to create a fully digital workflows that eliminates the need for impressions, reducing the reliance on outside aligner companies.

Topics covered also include:

• Strategy of marketing to attract the retreats and the limited treatment cases - by lowering your price point while also lowering you aligner overhead you can increase your profitability

• Nitty-gritty details of the different available in-house 3D printers

• Three qualities to look for in choosing an in-house 3D printer

• How to choose the right software for your in-house aligner treatment cases

• What next generation technological breakthrough in 3D printing is on the horizon

• Marketing your fully digital practice to attract more cases

About Our Guest:

Dr. Bill Layman was raised in a small Virginia farm town, and worked during high school as a farmhand, loaded dog feed, mowed church lawns, and pumped gas. He used his wages to help pay for his braces — an experience that set him on the path to becoming an orthodontist. After graduating from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science in biology, cum laude, Dr. Bill served as a paratrooper with the Army’s 82nd Airborne. While in dental school at the Medical University of South Carolina, he was elected and served four years as class president while earning his Doctorate of Dental Medicine.

As an orthodontic resident at Vanderbilt University, he was part of the cleft palate and cranio-facial anomalies team and received extensive training in the dental treatments of obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Bill was also chosen by his classmates and faculty to serve as chief resident. Dr. Bill has also recently completed his Masters of Business Administration at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania where he received the Ben Franklin award. The Ben Franklin award is voted on by one's peers as the student recognized for their leadership contributions to the class.

We speak with Dr. David Sarver, an orthodontist with his own practice in Alabama, author of multiple books on the industry including a new release coming out February 2020, and a prolific speaker with over 400 engagements under his belt in the United States, Europe, Australia and the Middle and the Far East. He also played Division 1 basketball in college. Dr. Sarver talks to us about his unique take on building trust in a practice for both the young clinician and the established orthodontist.

Topics covered also include:

• Thoughts on differentiating a practice based on quality and trust
• Considering the aging smile in your treatment plan
• The value both clinically and as a marketing tool of bringing patients back over the years for follow up appointments
• Personal growth and knowledge needed to bring the highest quality care to your patients

About Our Guest:

Dr. Sarver received his DMD from The University of Alabama School of Dentistry and M.S. in Orthodontics from the University of North Carolina in 1979. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, a member of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists, a Fellow in both the International and American Colleges of Dentists and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.

In addition to his private practice, Dr. Sarver’s book, "Esthetics in Orthodontics and Orthognathic Surgery" was published in September 1998. He is also co-author (with Dr. Proffit and White) of the surgical text “Contemporary Treatment of Dentofacial Deformity), and is co-author the 4th and 5th editions of Proffit’s classic textbook “Contemporary Orthodontics”. He has given more than 300 professional presentations in the United States, Europe, Australia and the Middle and the Far East.

Resources:

https://sarverortho.com/