The Making of a Dental Startup

Moving the Goalpost: Ashley's Talk at the Dentist Money Summit

Ashley shares the talk she gave at Dentist Advisors' Dentist Money Summit. The team asked for a talk on having your business under control and not moving the goalpost. She gave the opposite one, and this is it. Recorded live, so you'll hear her reference slides you can't see.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

How the Talk Almost Didn't Happen
Ryan Isaac invited Ashley to speak after they recorded a podcast together. She drafted an email telling the team to find another speaker, but Brian read it first and told her not to send it. Why she scrapped the talk she planned and gave a different one.

Becoming a Practice Owner
Ashley's path from associate and new mom to practice owner, including the year in LA when she wrote the Smile & Co. business plan during nap times, and the vacant 1970s building in Folsom she almost deleted from her inbox.

The Day She Got Fired and Went Live
The story behind the May 2017 Facebook Live announcing Smile & Co. Folsom: she was let go from her associateship the same day, sat in her car for 45 minutes, and went live anyway. The video passed 11,000 views.

Hitting the Number and Moving the Goalpost
Early practice chaos, a surprise pregnancy, a trademark dispute, and the milestone that kept moving after the first million. Ashley shares what therapy in 2020 helped her see about what she was really chasing, and why she built a second office when the first was already doing well.

Why Moving the Goalpost Isn't Always Bad
Ashley's case that moving the goalpost is a sign of growth, and that a goal doesn't have to be a revenue number. Hers last year was a three-minute interval on a treadmill.

What Do You Want?
The question she left the room with, plus a perspective-shifting story about her youngest son's hospital stay in 2021 and why she believes that if a problem can be solved with an action, you don't have a problem.

A Note from Ashley
In her new intro, Ashley reflects on how re-listening to this talk hit differently after Brian's cancer journey over the past year.

Learn More About Dentist Advisors
Thank you to the Dentist Advisors team for hosting the summit and letting us share this talk. If you're looking for help with financial planning or investing as a dentist, visit Dentist Advisors or listen to their podcast, The Dentist Money Show.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8: Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

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Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

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The Making Of Smile & Co. — The Art of the Yes: Communication, Selling, and Reading the Room

Ashley and Collin catch up after a busy stretch away from recording, starting with Smile & Co.'s first full team meeting in a long time. What follows is a deep dive into the communication framework Ashley built and taught to the whole team, why "selling" isn't a dirty word in dentistry, and how to read a patient before you ever sit them in the chair.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

A Four and a Half Hour Team Meeting
Ashley walks through her first solo-run team meeting, a 72-slide presentation built for 17 team members, including many new hires who didn't know Smile & Co.'s backstory. Why she used the time away from the practice during Brian's health scare to reconnect with the "why" behind the business.

Smile & Co.'s New Core Values: CHIC
Ashley breaks down the simplified core values she landed on with help from AI and a review of years of podcast transcripts and Google reviews, Create unreasonable hospitality, Honor, Inspire growth, and Cultivate a thriving team and community.

Why Selling Isn't a Dirty Word
Ashley's exercise asking the team who believes selling is bad, and who wants to earn more money, and the discrepancy it revealed. Her reframe: selling in dentistry is an exchange of conviction, not a hard pitch.

The 80/20 Rule in Practice
Why 20% of patients drive 80% of production, Ashley's "Chanel of dentistry" mindset for knowing your worth, and her permission to the team to dismiss patients who drain more energy than they're worth.

Mirroring and the Four Patient Types
How Ashley reads a patient's energy and adjusts her own, the difference between how people want to be treated versus how they want to be sold to, and a breakdown of the four patient types Smile & Co. trains around: the warm talkative patient, the analytical quiet patient, the fast moving professional, and the nervous deferential patient.

Why the Nervous Patient Matters Most
Ashley shares how winning over anxious, previously underserved patients built Smile & Co.'s Folsom location with zero paid marketing, and why that patient type often becomes a practice's biggest referral source.

What's Coming Next
This conversation is the first in a multi-part series, with more to come on the buying equation and Ashley's Smile Framework. Ashley is also compiling a community-sourced list of startup regrets for a future episode.

Catch Ashley Live
Ashley is speaking at the Wellness Dental Forum, hosted by Dr. Katie To, on October 17th and 18th.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!

Have you subscribed? Don't miss a single episode!

The Making Of North Star Implants & Periodontics with Dr. Paula Cohen Schlemmer

Dr. Paula Cohen, a periodontist opening North Star Implants and Periodontics just outside Dallas, joins Ashley to talk about the winding road from dental school to specialty practice, and the first steps of building her own office from scratch.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

From General Dentist to Periodontist
Paula's path through a general residency in San Antonio, several years of associate and corporate work during COVID, and the moment she realized specialty practice was the right fit. Why she believes doctors who practice first make stronger residents, and the mentor who first showed her what periodontics could look like.

A Research Win Worth Bragging About
Paula shares her Balint Orban Award-winning research on wound healing in older patients, using single cell RNA sequencing to understand why bone quality lags in patients over 65, and what that could eventually mean for patient care.

Finding the Right Space
Why acquisition and associate opportunities didn't line up with Paula's timeline once she moved back to Texas, and how a broker's demographic report led her to a space three minutes from her own house, with strong growth numbers and specialist-friendly neighbors already in place.

Working With a Broker
How Paula's broker was paid, what he caught in her lease and LOI before it reached her lawyer, and how he negotiated her tenant improvement allowance up and her rent down.

Naming North Star Implants and Periodontics
The story behind the name, a joke from her husband that stuck, and the surprise she found on Instagram after committing to it, another nearby startup with a nearly identical name.

Building for Growth From Day One
Why Paula built out seven operatories and plumbed for two full-time doctors and two hygienists from the start, even though she's opening solo, and her five-year goal to bring on an associate or partner.

Referral Marketing as a Specialist
Paula's approach to building relationships with 40-plus general dentist offices in her area, including office visits with local snacks, a referral folder outlining her communication process, and why she's prioritizing lunch and learns with her marketing budget.

Hiring and Opening Timeline
How Paula found her surgical assistant and patient care coordinator, her plan to stay flexible with scheduling in the early days, and her target opening date in early October.

Asking the Community
Paula's open questions for TMO listeners: how far in advance to bring on staff before opening, and reception chair recommendations that hold up to real patient traffic.

Where to Find Paula  @thecraftydentist 

North Star Implants and Periodontics @northstarperio and www.northstarperio.com

Connect with Ashley: Instagram: @ashleyjovesdds

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

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Ashley shares a personal update recorded on a quiet Sunday evening, no clinical talk, just life.

What's In This Episode:

Brian finished radiation and is back at work. His follow-up PET scan came back with a possible cancer recurrence scare that lasted over a week of waiting. Ashley shares the toll that wait took on her, a girls' weekend in Napa, a hard conversation with Brian mid-run, and the relief when his results came back normal.

She talks openly about anxiety, faith, and leaning on community during hard seasons, whether it's health, business, or life in general.

If you're in a season of waiting right now, this one's for you.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!

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Back Where It Started: Ashley Reunites with Michael Arias of The Dental Marketer

Before Smile & Co. existed, before The Making Of existed, there was Michael Arias. He was the first person to ever interview Ashley about her plans to open a dental practice, recorded when Folsom was still just an idea and a construction timeline. That conversation, and Ashley's decision to keep documenting the build in public, is what became The Making Of.

Ashley sits back down with Michael on his show, The Dental Marketer, to catch up properly for the first time in a while. The question driving this one: what happens when the practice you built is forced to stand without you? What starts as a catch-up between two old friends turns into personal conversations, covering the decade since that first interview, the second practice, a family health scare that changed everything, and what she's chasing now that "more" isn't the goal anymore.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

Where It All Started
Ashley and Michael revisit their first interview together, recorded before Smile & Co.'s Folsom location opened, and how documenting that build in real time became the foundation for The Making Of and its Facebook community. Ashley admits she was so nervous before that first recording, she had to run to the bathroom ten times.

What 2017 Ashley Wanted vs. What 2026 Ashley Wants
A look at how Ashley's priorities have shifted since opening her first practice, from chasing independence and building a brand to redefining what growth actually means to her now.

Brian's Health Scare
Ashley shares the story of discovering a lesion during a routine check on her husband Brian, the biopsy that initially came back benign, her decision to push for a second opinion, and the diagnosis and treatment that followed. She speaks candidly about the importance of oral cancer screenings, for patients and for the people closest to us.

Building Smile & Co. #2
Why Ashley opened the Roseville location in 2023, how its first year outperformed Folsom's numbers on a fraction of the patient base, and the backup plan Ashley had in place if she'd needed to step back entirely.

When Growth Stops Being the Goal
How Smile & Co.'s systems and team held steady when Ashley had to step back from day to day practice, what that transition revealed about the difference between being a boss and being a friend to her team, and why she now measures success by how little the practices need her.

What Actually Builds Loyalty
Ashley's take on why hiring for core values matters more than any technology or design investment, and the low cost habits that have created more patient loyalty than anything else at Smile & Co.

Redefining Success
Ashley reflects on what success has and hasn't fixed, why "more" stopped being the goal, and what she's chasing instead: practices that run without her, more white space, and a life where the people who matter most still want to be around her.

Where to Find Ashley
Instagram: @ashleyjovesdds, [@smileandcompany], [@themaking.of]
Facebook Community: The Making Of a Dental Startup

Where to Find Michael
Instagram: @thedentalmarketer
Podcast: The Dental Marketer

Support the show

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Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

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The Making Of Smile & Co. #2 — Episode SEVEN: Supply Ordering, Storage, and Building the Buzz

Dr. Ashley Joves and co-host Collin Al-Samarrie sit down in person to break down how supply ordering, storage, and pre-opening marketing looked different the second time around, from Folsom's early over-ordering mistakes to the systems built into Roseville from day one.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

Folsom vs. Roseville: Ordering Then and Now
Why Ashley's first round of ordering in Folsom followed a rep's list rather than her own procedures, including oral surgery kits she rarely used. How writing down every procedure and every item involved, down to the smallest supply, shaped ordering for Roseville from the start.

Upgrading the Basics
The jump from Ya Bang Bang high speeds and single-use burs in Folsom to engraved Brasseler bur blocks in Roseville. Why joining the Kois and Synergy buying groups changed the hygiene instrument game, and the switch from PDT scalers to HuFriedy.

Centralized Storage vs. Scattered Cabinets
Why Folsom ended up with a she-shed for overflow and supplies spread across multiple cabinets, and how Roseville's single centralized supply closet with open shelving and a painter's tape system changed the game. Why open shelving beats hidden cabinets for avoiding expired product.

Basecamp vs. the Tag System
Ashley and Collin compare two ways to track low supplies, a shared Basecamp task list versus a physical tag system. Collin breaks down why Basecamp won out for her, one centralized login, visibility across both locations, and no more chasing down missing tags.

The Supply Budget Formula
Ashley breaks down the spreadsheet method from her Net32 blog: keeping lab supplies around 3 to 4% of collections, working backwards from the previous month's numbers, and why that number holds the whole team accountable, not just the back office. Read the full breakdown on Net32.

Why Buy-More Deals Aren't Always a Deal
The real cost of buy three get two promotions when product sits and expires before it's used. Why Septocaine is the exception and how excess PPE from re-gloving mid-procedure quietly eats into supply costs.

Handing Off the Ordering
Ashley's approach to finding the right person for supply ordering, documenting the system first, and setting spending checks so the role doesn't fall back on the owner. The maintenance rule for small fixes versus owner approval, and why Sirona chairs are a hard no for DIY.

Building the Buzz Before Opening
Coming soon signage, neon A-frames, and weekly social media updates during construction. Joining the Roseville chamber, a ribbon cutting, a farmers market appearance, and partnering with a neighboring wedding venue's bridal fair for lead generation.

What's Coming Next
A first look at the SOP binder Ashley has been building, currently 77 pages and still growing, covering both Folsom and Roseville with front office documentation still to come.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!

Have you subscribed? Don't miss a single episode!

The Making Of Evelina Smiles - SEVEN

One Month In: What Actually Happens When the Doors Open
 Ashley catches up with Dr. Rich Constantine for his first update since Evelina Smiles saw its first patient. Real numbers from opening week, the 90-minute new patient experience, a few good MacGyver moments, and the one thing Rich would do differently with his loan allowance.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

Opening Week, By the Numbers
First patient seen July 22nd. One patient on day one, five or six by day two. Now averaging four to eight patients a day with a team of four. Why it feels busy even when the schedule isn't full yet.

The 90-Minute New Patient Visit
CBCT scan, full X-rays, and an iTero Lumina scan before Rich ever walks in the room. Why hygiene leads the visit. How Rich drops chart notes for the team mid-scan so patients hear about treatment needs before he enters. Why extraoral photos are reserved for aesthetic and ortho cases only.

Scanners, Software, and Workflow Choices
The jump from older iTero models to the Lumina. Primescan for in-house restorative work, Williams Dental Lab for smile makeover cases. Why Rich chose B Smile over Invisalign for ortho and what that collaboration with an orthodontist looks like.

Growing Pains of a New Space
T-Mobile as an internet bridge while waiting on AT&T fiber. Occasional glitches with cloud-based imaging software. Why Rich says most of it comes down to a new team learning a new space together, not broken equipment.

Marketing Held Back on Purpose
Why Rich waited roughly three weeks before turning on Google ad spend. Getting in-network with insurance companies first. The one regret: not allocating more of his loan toward marketing from day one, and why he says the ROI is there if you track it.

Building the Team Around Full-Time, Not Part-Time
Four-day work weeks, Mondays and Wednesdays 8 to 4, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 to 5. Why Rich built around full-time staff instead of splitting people across multiple offices. Wednesday 2 to 4 team training, and why he's committed to keeping it even as the schedule fills.

Supply Runs and a Few MacGyver Moments
Running out of glycerin mid-delivery. Building a curing light tack tip out of electrical tape and a rubber dam hole punch. Why Rich still checks Amazon to dodge the dental tax, and how ordering runs through Benco for now.

Branded Merch, Round Two
Banded T-shirts from Rich's first startup, and why he skipped the toothbrush-and-toothpaste goodie bag this time around. Getting particular about Pantone matching, print quality, and fit before handing anything out. The B2B idea Rich heard on a podcast: marketing in-office membership plans directly to local businesses as an alternative to traditional dental insurance.

What's Next
A fall grand opening on the horizon, plus upcoming content days with Studio 8E8 and a second outside creator.

Connect with Ashley: Instagram: @ashleyjovesdds
Connect with Rich: Instagram @dr.c_smiles or [email protected]

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!

Have you subscribed? Don't miss a single episode!

Michelin Star Moves: The Smile Design Process

Dr. Ashley Joves sits down with co-host Collin Al-Samarrie to walk through how Smile & Co. approaches cosmetic cases, from the first consult to the sneak peek reveal, and why she built this into her practice in the first place.

Where It Started

Ashley's interest in aesthetics began in dental school as part of NYU's honors aesthetics program, taught in part by a then up-and-coming Dr. Michael Apa. She later completed a highly competitive three-resident program outside Philadelphia, where weekly specialist-led sessions gave her hands-on experience across surgery, perio, and complex case planning.

Finding Her Niche

Ashley initially considered orthodontics before dental school but found her calling in the artistry of general dentistry instead. After years of "bread and butter" work as an associate, including an implant residency she ultimately stepped back from, she didn't return to cosmetics full time until opening Smile & Co. in 2017.

The Digital Smile Design Process

Patients start with a virtual or in-person consultation, Kois-protocol photos, and an iTero scan sent to Ashley's ceramist for an initial digital design. Weeks later, patients return for a "sneak peek" try-in day using Luxatemp, a no-drill preview Ashley calls the test drive before commitment.

Setting Expectations

Ashley reframes the "cement day" as a "try-in day," to remove pressure from the process. Patients are told upfront that a smile may take more than one try to get right, and that dentistry isn't meant to last forever given how hard people are on their teeth.

Vanity vs. Need

Ashley pushes back on the idea that cosmetic dentistry is purely vanity, pointing to Kois' teaching that healthy enamel should wear only one millimeter every 150 years. Visible chipping, thinning, or shortening are signs of an active disease process, not aging or vanity.

Looking Ahead

Ashley shares her longer-term goal of building Smile & Co. to a place of profitability that allows for more charity smile work, referencing past "Give Back a Smile" cases. The conversation closes with a teaser for an in-person TMO community meetup.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!

Have you subscribed? Don't miss a single episode!

The Making Of | Brian Is Back: A Life Update From The Centurion Lounge

In this episode Ashley and Brian record from the Centurion Lounge in Phoenix while waiting for a delayed flight home from a conference in Scottsdale. It is the first time Brian has been on the podcast in months and they cover a lot of ground together. From completing radiation to returning to work part time to the big questions this past year has forced both of them to sit with.

What You'll Hear In This Episode:

Brian's Health Update
Brian completed radiation at the end of May. Eight to nine weeks post radiation he is returning to work part time and progressing better than his doctors expected. He still has some recovery ahead but the momentum is there.

The Forced Slowdown
This past year gave both Ashley and Brian something they never would have chosen but are genuinely grateful for. Time. Time with the boys. Time at the park. Time to sit with the big questions about purpose, fulfillment, and what they are actually building and why.

Reevaluating What Matters
Brian opens up about the deeper work this year has asked of him and Ashley reflects on the new filter it has given her for everything. What is the true calling? Why did they go through this? And how do they want to spend the energy they have going forward. Brian also talks about the urgent versus important framework and how he has started walking out of meetings that do not move the needle.

The Conference And The Community
Both Ashley and Brian reflect on what they loved most about the conference they just attended. Not the keynotes. The conversations. The connections. And how much it reminded them of why The Making Of retreat is so special and why they cannot wait to get back to it.

The Comeback
Ashley is back in the practice figuring out how to grow leaders so the business can not just run without her but be profitable without her. Brian is going back part time and easing back into life one day at a time. They are both still figuring it out and they are grateful to have this community figuring it out alongside them.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

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The Making Of Smile & Co. #2 — Episode SIX: The Tech Behind The Practice

In this episode Ashley and Collin get into all the technology behind Smile & Co. #2. From practice management software to in house milling, scanners, 3D printing, and the music that patients always comment on. This one is packed with real world insight for any startup doc trying to figure out what technology is actually worth investing in and when.

What You'll Hear In This Episode:

Practice Management Software
Ashley shares why she went back to what was tried and true after exploring a cloud based option for the Roseville location. She also breaks down the pros and cons of cloud versus server based software and why the ability to see both locations in one consolidated view has been a game changer.

IT Support: Local Versus Remote
Ashley makes the case for local IT every single time. When the phones go down or the server goes kaput you want someone who can just come. Not someone you have to troubleshoot with over the phone.

Imaging Software and Sensors
Ashley walks through the imaging software and sensors at Smile & Co. #2 including why she chose to rent sensors instead of buying them and what she has learned from the very expensive lesson of owning sensors at the Folsom location.

AI Radiograph Analysis
Ashley and Collin talk about how AI radiograph analysis has changed the patient education experience at Smile & Co. #2. Patients see shades of gray on a radiograph. AI shows them exactly what is going on in a way that actually makes sense to them.

CBCT
No CBCT at Roseville yet. Ashley explains why and when she would invest in one. Spoiler. It comes down to what you are actually doing clinically.

Scanners: Folsom vs Roseville
Two different locations. Two different workflows. Ashley breaks down the scanners at both offices and why the difference between them is night and day when it comes to restorative cases.

3D Printing
The 3D printer has been at the Folsom location for years. Ashley shares what they use it for now, where 3D printing is headed, and why the latest advancements in printable restorations have her attention.

Cerec and In House Milling
Ashley walks through the entire same day crown workflow at Smile & Co. #2 from the pre-scan to the prep to the design to the mill and fire. Her fastest case? Three crowns in under 25 minutes of milling time. She also shares why she would not recommend in house milling to a startup doc right out of the gate and why she has no plans to bring one into the Folsom location.

The Music
90s and 2000s hip hop and R&B. It is in the core values. Patients love it. And yes there have been assistants sprinting down the hallway to skip a song mid appointment.

Coming Next Episode
Ashley and Collin get into systems. How Smile & Co. #2 got off the ground and everything that went into building the workflows that run the practice today.

Thank You to Our Partners

• Net32: The dental marketplace that helps practice owners stop overpaying for supplies. Compare and save at net32.com/themakingof.
• Studio 8E8 — Dentistry's story-driven growth agency for startups. s8e8.com/vsl
• Kasper Opportunity Finder: Fill those empty chairs and reclaim lost revenue with one click. Get it free at meetkasper.com/register.

Support the show

Find Out More

Thank you for listening to The Making Of podcast. If you enjoyed it, please share with anyone you think will gain value from the show by clicking on one of the sharing tabs above.

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER HERE

Also, please consider leaving an honest review on iTunes. It helps other listeners find the show, and I would be forever grateful.

Questions or comments? Feel free to contact us at - [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and improve your dental practice every day!

Have you subscribed? Don't miss a single episode!