We explore the latest tip on closing open bites more predictably using dental TADS. 👉 Become an OrthoPreneur today: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OrthoPreneurs

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Nicole Scheffler. She is one of the amazing speakers lined up for the Orthopreneur Summit in September.

Dr. Nicole Scheffler received her dental and orthodontic training from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. She practices full-time in Boone, North Carolina.  

She lectures a lot on closing anterior open bites all over the country and the world.

Back in the year 2000, when nobody was doing TADS in the US, Dr. Nicole went to Belgium to learn how they were placing TADS and how the patient experience was. She came back and approached ORMCO, and that’s how VectorTAS came about.

Nicole recommends closing open bites with dental TADS in conjunction with an open bite splint to intrude the posterior because it’s just as stable as jaw surgery.

We also talk about creating a vibrant office culture where staff want to come to work. This is important as we all know getting and keeping dental assistants who are the right fit is key to the success of your practice.

💬Quotes

“Back in 2000, nobody was really doing TADs in the U.S., so I went to Belgium to learn how they were placing them and what the patient experience was like.”

— Dr. Nicole Scheffler

“Closing open bites with dental TADs in conjunction with an open bite splint can give us stability comparable to jaw surgery.”

— Dr. Nicole Scheffler

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Intro (00:00)
• Dr. Nicole Scheffler’s background and journey in orthodontics (01:38)
• The importance of the pedo-ortho relationship (06:48)
• How Nicole became focused on anterior open bites (10:30)
• When orthognathic surgery enters the conversation (14:31)
• Understanding the etiologies behind anterior open bite (16:14)
• Aligners vs. TADs for closing open bites (20:27)
• How to find and retain great assistants (22:53)
• Advanced Dental Assisting Academy (24:33)

🟦 Additional Resources

If open bite cases are still among the cases that make you stop and think twice, this conversation is worth your time. Nicole brings years of clinical experience to a problem that can easily become unpredictable when the underlying etiology and mechanics aren’t fully understood.

And if staffing is one of the bigger challenges in your practice right now, pay attention to the second half of this episode too. Better clinical systems matter, but so does building a team of people who actually want to stay, grow, and contribute.

👉 Airway Meeting:

 https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 

👉 For more information about Orthopreneurs, visit: 

https://orthopreneurs.com/ 

👉 Become an OrthoPreneur and join the free Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 

What if I told you there’s a guaranteed way to make your orthodontic practice more profitable—and it starts with identifying just ONE number?

Most practice owners know they want more production, better profitability, or higher case acceptance. The problem is that knowing you want growth isn’t the same as knowing exactly where to focus. In this Five Minute Friday, I’m challenging you to stop trying to fix everything and identify the one KPI that could make the biggest difference in your practice right now.

💬Quotes

“What is that one KPI you need to work on, and what are you going to do right now to solve it?”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“You’ve got the power. You’re smart enough. You were driven enough. Are you still driven enough to get it done?”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

• The challenge: Find the one KPI that matters (00:00)
• There’s a way to make your practice more profitable right now (00:49)
• Why you can’t simply cut your way to profitability (01:13)
• Use AI to identify growth opportunities (01:31)
• Case acceptance, overhead, new patients—or something else? (01:56)
• Find the one KPI you need to fix (02:02)
• Why knowing the answer means nothing without execution (02:17)
• Stop waiting and start working on it now (02:31)
• The final challenge: Are you still driven enough? (03:04)

🟦 Additional Resources

I’ve seen firsthand how focusing on the right number can change the trajectory of a practice—but only if you actually do something with it.

So here’s your assignment: identify the one KPI that needs your attention most. Then sit down, use AI, talk with your team, and figure out what you can do to move that number. Don’t put it off until next week or when things “slow down.”

You’ve already proven you’re smart enough and driven enough to get where you are.

Now ask yourself: Are you still driven enough to get to the next level?

Go get it.

- Airway Meeting:
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 

- For more information, visit:
https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

What if I told you the difference between a stressful orthodontic practice and an efficient one could come down to eliminating just a handful of recurring problems? 

The episode is about orthodontic efficiency with Dr. Ron Roncone, exploring decades of strategies to optimize orthodontic practices, reduce appointments, and improve patient care while discussing broader business and treatment philosophies in orthodontics.

💬Quotes

“You can greatly reduce your stress by tackling the two or three issues causing most problems in your practice.”
— Dr. Ron Roncone

“It’s always been about what we need to do to reduce the number of appointments each patient has.”
— Dr. Ron Roncone

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Introduction (00:00)
• The drive for efficiency in orthodontics (01:28)
• Reducing appointments and eliminating emergencies (07:34)
• How to reach $600,000 in production per team member (11:08)
• Smarter scheduling strategies (21:56)
• Occlusion and treatment philosophy (37:28)
• The cost of ignoring basic occlusal principles (45:16)
• Why continuing education still matters after decades in orthodontics (49:14)

🟦 Additional Resources

If your practice feels busier than it should, don’t automatically assume you need more people, more chairs, or more days in the office. Start by asking where unnecessary appointments, emergencies, scheduling problems, and clinical inefficiencies are stealing your time.

Listen to the full episode and identify the two or three recurring problems creating the most friction in your practice. Fixing those first could dramatically change your stress level, productivity, and patient experience.

- Dr. Ron Roncone Course: The Just Short Of Perfect (JSOP)

- Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

What if doubling your take-home next year has less to do with working harder—and more to do with removing the limits you’ve placed on your own practice?

Too many orthodontists set goals based on what feels comfortable instead of what might actually be possible. In this episode, I want to challenge you to stop asking, “What do I think I can grow by next year?” and start asking a much bigger question: What would have to change for me to double my take-home, take more time off, and enjoy my practice more?

💬Quotes

“It was a self-imposed limitation that you put on yourself.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“I want you to come up with a way that next year you’re going to take off more time, you’re going to double your take-home, and you’re going to be happier.”
 — Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Intro: Double your take-home and take more time off (00:00)
• The rope maker story: How self-imposed limits hold us back (00:38)
• Why a $3M practice may be capable of much more than $3.4M (01:49)
• Your inability to imagine growth may be the real constraint (03:13)
• Growth vs. scale: Why they’re not the same thing (03:43)
• How technology and remote monitoring can create leverage (04:16)
• Real orthodontists who dramatically changed their practices (05:11)
• The challenge: Envision doubling your take-home (05:36)
• Why the goal is more income with less stress and more time off (08:14)
• How badly do you actually want the result? (08:42)
• Building a practice that gives you the freedom to walk away younger (09:14)
• Your homework: Build the plan instead of dismissing the possibility (10:04)

🟦 Additional Resources

I don’t want you working until you’re 85 because you have to. I want you practicing because you love it—or having the financial freedom to walk away when you choose.

So here’s your homework: sit down and figure out what would need to happen for you to double your take-home next year while taking more time off and lowering your stress. Think about your marketing, your technology, your systems, your training, and every assumption you’ve made about what your practice can handle.

Don’t start with why it’s impossible.

Start with: What would have to be true for this to work?

You’ve already proven you’re capable of doing difficult things. Now it’s time to stop measuring against the same nine-foot wall.

- Airway Meeting:
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026

- For more information, visit:
https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

For years, I’ve talked about working on your practice instead of getting buried in it. But the truth is, even the most successful orthodontists waste hours every week on tasks that someone else could do better, faster, and with less stress. In this episode, I sit down with someone who has completely transformed the way I work: Falyn Golub, founder of The Invisible Assistant.

Falyn isn’t your typical virtual assistant. She’s an executive assistant, project manager, strategist, and problem solver who helps entrepreneurs reclaim their time by taking ownership of the countless details that steal their focus. We dive into what an executive virtual assistant actually does, why delegation is one of the most valuable skills you can develop, and how protecting your time allows you to become a better leader, doctor, and business owner. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the never-ending to-do list that comes with running a practice, this conversation will completely change the way you think about productivity.

💬Quotes

“I help many entrepreneurs execute. Whether it’s a personal task or corporate operations, I help organize my clients, give them peace of mind, and free up their mental load so they can focus on what they do best.”
 — Falyn Golub

“The most exciting part of my job is preventing problems my clients never even know were going to happen.”
 — Falyn Golub

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Intro (00:00)
• Meet Falyn Golub and The Invisible Assistant (00:30)
• What an executive virtual assistant actually does (01:26)
• Why delegation creates more time—not more hours (03:20)
• Trading money for time as your practice grows (05:12)
• Real-life examples of how executive assistants remove stress (07:56)
• Managing personal and business projects seamlessly (09:38)
• How hiring support protects your time and energy (15:28)
• Why entrepreneurs struggle to delegate—and how to change it (20:06)
• How executive assistants use AI without losing the human touch (21:36)
• Pricing, onboarding, and what to expect (24:17)
• Why the best assistants become long-term strategic partners (31:02)

🟦 Additional Resources

If you're spending valuable clinical or leadership time managing travel, scheduling, hiring, research, projects, or countless other administrative tasks, it may be time to rethink how you're using your most valuable asset: your time.

To learn more about The Invisible Assistant, visit:

🌐 https://www.theinvisibleassistant.com

📧 [email protected]

Whether you're looking for executive-level support or simply wondering if a virtual assistant could help your practice run more efficiently, Falyn and her team are a great place to start.

- Airway Meeting:
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 

- For more information, visit:
https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, I’m challenging one of the most common tendencies I see among orthodontists: taking a proven system or technology and immediately trying to “make it our own.” We’re highly educated, driven, and clinically capable—but those strengths can become weaknesses when we assume we can redesign every workflow better than the people who built and refined it.

As staffing becomes more difficult, the practices that thrive will be the ones that implement technology before they are forced to. My goal is to help you build a more efficient, resilient practice—one that allows you to spend less time working inside the business and more time leading, growing, and enjoying it.

💬Quotes

“Don’t be too smart for your own good. Be intellectually humble and recognize that there are better solutions out there than you can come up with—and maybe you should embrace them.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“Will you begin working on your practice instead of in your practice? Absolutely.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

Why orthodontists try to outsmart proven systems (00:00)
The importance of having a written practice plan (00:41)
When intelligence becomes a business weakness (00:52)
Why you should not immediately customize established technology (01:16)
The Michelin-star lesson: trust the expert process (01:43)
Clinical expertise does not automatically equal business expertise (02:10)
Homework: identify the systems and policies that are not working (03:42)
Why the staffing crisis makes automation more urgent (04:07)
The wrong way to implement remote monitoring (05:17)
Follow the recommended workflow before making changes (06:17)
How inefficient customization increases doctor and team workload (07:03)
Preparing your practice to operate with fewer team members (07:15)
Using digital concierge and AI-powered solutions (08:28)
When a virtual assistant is—and is not—the right solution (09:17)
Why outsourcing can increase freedom, productivity, and profitability (10:08)
The financial case for outsourcing repetitive clinical tasks (10:29)
Final challenge: practice intellectual humility (11:21)

🟦 Additional Resources

I’ve seen firsthand how the right technology can reduce stress, protect your team’s time, and help you build a more profitable orthodontic practice—but only when you stop trying to reinvent it.

Review the systems and policies in your practice that are creating frustration, delays, or unnecessary doctor involvement. Then ask whether a proven solution already exists—and whether you are willing to implement it the way it was designed before attempting to customize it.

Reach out to me anytime if you’d like to continue the conversation.

- Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

In this episode, I sit down with Lindsay Quinn, founder of Heartwise Collective, to explore how orthodontists can move beyond basic ChatGPT prompts and begin using AI as a true operational partner. Lindsay has spent 20 years in orthodontics and the last decade helping practices improve their systems and efficiency. In her own business, she used AI to double growth for two consecutive years without adding team members—and now she’s teaching orthodontic practices how to create that same leverage.

We discuss how AI can support every department of your practice, from marketing and financial analysis to treatment coordinator training, lead nurturing, and policy development. Lindsay also explains the difference between simply asking Claude or ChatGPT a question and building an AI system that understands your practice, brand, patients, and goals. You’ll walk away with practical ways to reduce stress, improve predictability, strengthen accountability, and spend less time rebuilding the same systems from scratch.

💬Quotes

“Don’t be in search of a problem because there’s an answer for it. Always start with: Do I have a problem, and how can I partner with AI to help solve it?”
— Lindsay Quinn

“The biggest advantage with AI is not us just building the thing, but you learning the skill set.”
— Lindsay Quinn

🎯 Key Takeaways

- Intro: Using AI to fill operational gaps in your practice (00:00)
- How Lindsay doubled her business without adding team members (01:38)
- Building AI systems instead of relying on isolated prompts (03:01)
- Creating an AI-powered marketing department (04:13)
- Using AI as a financial and overhead analysis tool (05:05)
- Avoiding AI overwhelm and shiny-object syndrome (06:11)
- Building an AI conversion coach for treatment coordinators (07:36)
- Why many orthodontic practices are leaving revenue on the table (08:36)
- The difference between a generic Claude prompt and a trained AI system (13:28)
- How AI projects, instructions, and knowledge bases work together (13:58)
- Understanding agentic AI and automated workflows (16:51)
- A real example of AI researching every meeting automatically (19:06)
- Why foundational systems still matter before adding AI (21:13)
- Warning signs that your practice systems are not working (22:13)
- The KPIs every orthodontic practice should begin tracking (23:33)
- The ACRE framework for writing better AI prompts (23:46)
- Using AI to reduce no-shows and improve lead follow-up (25:06)
- How AI can help practices build their own internal tools and apps (27:19)
- Why learning AI now may put your practice years ahead (29:02)

🟦 Additional Resources

If your practice could run more efficiently, predictably, and profitably—but you feel overwhelmed by where to begin—this episode will show you how AI can help close those gaps.

Lindsay’s AI group coaching program teaches orthodontic practices how to build their own systems, automate repetitive work, and develop the skills to keep improving long after the program ends.

To learn more about Heartwise Collective, email:
[email protected]

- Airway Meeting:
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026

- For more information, visit:
https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, I’m breaking down the different financial stages most orthodontists move through, from struggling with student debt and survival mode to having enough capital to access investments that may not have been visible earlier in your career. I share my own experience of rebuilding financially during orthodontic residency, the investing mistakes I made, and the lessons that changed how I think about preserving and growing money.

This is not individualized financial advice, but it is a challenge to become more educated, ask better questions, and surround yourself with experienced professionals and peers. The goal isn’t simply to earn more—it’s to use the income orthodontics provides to create greater freedom, security, and opportunity for yourself and your family.

💬Quotes

“Poor people see money as a means of survival. Middle-class people see money as a means of getting credit to buy things they can’t afford outright. And rich people see money as a way of making more money.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“Until the amount you’re putting in is earning at least one-to-one interest, capital preservation matters. Rate of return doesn’t matter at all.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

Intro (00:00)
Why traditional retirement projections may deserve closer scrutiny (00:22)
The three financial stages orthodontists commonly experience (01:46)
Dr. Krieger’s personal experience with survival mode (02:43)
How joining an OSO introduced new investment opportunities (03:31)
Commercial real estate, private equity, and access to capital (05:00)
Why new investors should prioritize capital preservation (06:46)
Understanding the one-to-one investment ratio (07:22)
Why orthodontists have a strong opportunity to build long-term wealth (08:58)
The financial argument behind earlier OSO affiliation (09:18)
Understanding the three-to-one investment ratio (10:01)
When it may be time to enjoy more of what you’ve built (10:40)
Learning from experienced investors and trusted peers (11:05)
Balancing stronger returns with responsible risk management (12:12)

🟦 Additional Resources

I’ve seen firsthand how dramatically your financial opportunities can change when you preserve your capital, educate yourself, and connect with people who have already traveled the path ahead of you.

Take an honest look at your current stage. Are you still building your foundation? Have your investments reached the one-to-one threshold? Or have you reached the point where your money is producing significantly more than you’re contributing?

Reach out to me anytime if you’d like to continue the conversation.

- Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

In this episode of The Orthopreneurs Podcast, I sit down with my friend Djamil Abiyev, founder of Partners Dental Studio, to explore some of the most exciting innovations happening in orthodontics today. From custom 3D-printed metal and titanium appliances to digitally guided MARPE placement, airway workflows, and cutting-edge expansion protocols, Djamil shares how his team is helping orthodontists solve complex cases with greater precision and predictability. If you've ever wondered where orthodontic technology is headed next, this conversation will challenge the way you think about treatment planning.

But this episode isn't just about technology—it's about investing in yourself, believing in the value you provide, and having the confidence to charge appropriately for advanced care. We discuss why orthodontists shouldn't let lab costs dictate clinical decisions, how innovation creates better patient outcomes, and why embracing new techniques can transform both your practice and your patients' lives. Whether you're already treating complex airway cases or simply looking to elevate your clinical results, you'll walk away with practical ideas you can apply immediately.

💬Quotes

"Innovation is the key for any practice, for any company in today's society. We cannot be standing still—I want to know where we're going to be in one year."
— Djamil Abiyev

"I always say, I'll take care of all the challenging cases. Don't worry about the rest. I'm going to guide you, and I'm going to take care of your difficult cases myself."
— Djamil Abiyev

🎯 Key Takeaways

Intro (00:00)
Meet Djamil Abiyev (02:01)
Why innovation matters (03:21)
Custom digital airway workflows (06:45)
Tiger Screws & modern skeletal expansion (09:33)
The future of titanium appliances (15:50)
Charging what advanced treatment is worth (24:24)
Expansion, airway & patient outcomes (29:14)
Guided Bollard Plates (35:25)
Building an innovation-first practice (43:03)
What's coming next? (46:36)

🟦 Additional Resources

If you've been looking for ways to improve your clinical outcomes, embrace digital innovation, and confidently tackle more complex orthodontic cases, this episode is packed with ideas you can put into practice.

Contact Djamil Abiyev

📧 Email: [email protected]
📱Text: 612-345-0165
💻 Website: https://partnersdentalstudio.com/
💻Website: https://www.gotbraces.com/about-us/
🔹 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PartnersDentalStudio

Whether you're interested in custom MARPEs, airway-focused workflows, titanium appliances, or simply want to see what's possible with modern digital orthodontics, Djamil and his team are an incredible resource.

- Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

What if I told you that much of what you’re hearing about OSOs, DSOs, private equity, and debt is missing the context you need to make an informed decision about your practice?

In this episode of Five Minute Friday, I break down some of the fear, misinformation, and clickbait surrounding private equity-backed orthodontic organizations. After receiving dozens of questions about the financial health of OSOs—particularly following a recent article—I want to explain how debt, refinancing, equity, and partnership structures actually work in the private equity world.

This episode is not an argument that every orthodontist should join an OSO or DSO. It is a call to educate yourself, understand the structure of the deal, and stop allowing fear or industry rhetoric to make major financial decisions for you. My goal is to give you context so you can evaluate whether affiliation is right for your practice, your family, and your long-term goals.

💬Quotes

“You can disagree with the way things are headed, but to root for people in your industry to fail—good people, people who have families—I mean, that’s just disgusting.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“Nobody knows where the future of any private equity-backed company is headed. All signs may point toward good things happening, but bad things can happen. That’s the nature of business.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

The danger of rooting for your peers to fail (00:00)
Why Dr. Krieger’s OSO and private equity education is different (00:50)
Why smaller OSOs may carry significantly greater risk (01:44)
Capital preservation and evaluating the risk of a partnership (02:05)
Understanding cash, retained ownership, and parent-company equity (02:49)
Why parent-company equity can be an important part of the deal (05:01)
How leverage and debt are used in private equity transactions (06:55)
Why refinancing debt does not automatically signal financial trouble (07:39)
The difference between restructuring, failure, and ordinary refinancing (08:17)
Smile Doctors’ history of equity turns and what that means (09:21)
Why no one can guarantee the future of an OSO or DSO (10:24)
How to decide whether an affiliation is right for your practice (11:30)

🟦 Additional Resources

Before you make a decision involving your practice, your equity, and your family’s financial future, take the time to understand the actual structure, risk, and potential reward. Affiliation is not right for every doctor, every practice, or every stage of a career.

Reach out and DM me if you want to have an honest conversation about private equity, OSOs, DSOs, associates, satellite offices, or the future of your practice. I will never try to pressure you into a deal. My goal is simply to help you ask better questions and make a more informed decision.

- Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/