Today we’re thrilled to introduce you to Amber Aplin, owner of "The Gentle Touch" dental practice in Kelso, Scotland. Amber’s journey is anything but ordinary—born in Australia, raised in the UK, and spending 16 years in Army dentistry before carving out her niche as a practice owner. Her story is one of transformation, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

In this episode, Amber shares:

Her Unique Career Path: From growing up in a military family to studying at Newcastle University and thriving in Army dentistry, Amber’s experiences have shaped her philosophy and leadership style.  

The Gentle Touch Philosophy: Discover how her practice focuses on patient experience, a "gentle" approach, and a culture of shared values that keeps her team motivated and thriving—think high standards, consistent branding, and even team trips abroad!  

Innovative Dentistry: Amber is a pioneer in biomimetic dentistry, offering longer appointment times for tooth preservation and patient-focused in-house finance options that make advanced care accessible.

Future-Focused Growth: Hear about her plans to expand the practice, take on mentorship opportunities, and embrace a balanced lifestyle as she transitions to fewer clinical days.  

If you’re curious about how to combine cutting-edge techniques with a personal touch—or you’re looking for inspiration to elevate your own practice—this episode is for you.  

Anushika Brogan is the owner of Damira Dental Group. After graduating from Kings, Anushika was destined to be an entrepreneur. She quickly purchased her first dental practice in 2003, and Damira was born. Since then, she has expanded the group to 42 locations throughout the UK, including brand new practices specialising in facial aesthetics. She is also the only female CEO of a dental corporate in the UK.

You might think that managing a thriving Dental group would keep her busy, especially since she operates without a COO or CFO. However, Anushika still finds time to do a full day of dentistry every week. In this podcast, she shares why she prioritises this and why it's so important to her.

In this episode of "Two Reds are Better than One," you will discover:

• How Anushika achieves fantastic balance in her life and the role discipline plays in it

• How she maintains a strict fitness regime that will inspire you—hint: she wakes up at 4:30 am every weekday

• The lessons she learned from a messy divorce and a four-year battle in the High Court to save her business

• Why being hands-on in the business and knowing what's going on is crucial

• Her steely attitude and her life philosophy, "If you can do it, so can I"

• Her tips on recruitment and how she manages associates

Dr. Katie Blake is co-founder with her husband Alex of Blake Dental, in the small market town of Witham, Essex, mid-way between Chelmsford and Colchester.   Katie has a special interest in dental implants, not only delivering to their own patients but working in other practices, lecturing, training and mentoring.   Alex is a former maths teacher, who has become the Business Manager.   They have also created a strong senior management team within the practice, through internal development and promotion.   In this entertaining conversation, Katie shares with us stories of her childhood, living with entrepreneurial parents, forming her own proto-business as a child (hence the title - you’ll realise), and then volunteering for work experience at a family friend’s nearby dental practice after he suggested to her parents that a career in dentistry would be a good choice.   We follow Katie to University, into hospital to become a maxillofacial first-responder to trauma injuries and then into Ownership.   She will share the experience of buying their practice, whilst she was heavily pregnant and just before Covid lockdown - yikes - and how they survived and have prospered.   You will love this conversation - a no-frills approach to life and a genuinely happy Dental Business Owner and clinician. A lovely couple who prove that the good guys can win!

Imagine opening a Practice with no social media, prohibited from advertising, not allowed to have a website, plus you are timing this at the start of one of the worst recessions the country has ever known.   These were the circumstances faced by Dr. Kieran Daly when he opened his squat Practice in North Dublin during 2007.     Fast forward today, 17 years  after opening the doors, his Practice employs over 50 people and has expanded to a multi disciplinary Practice, treating patients with Implants, Orthodontics, Perio, Endo, and Restorative dental treatments, taking referrals from dentists all over Ireland. His journey is nothing short of remarkable.   Kieran never stands still, he is constantly developing himself both personally, and technically, he is the only Irish Orthodontist that is certified by the European Board of Orthodontics & The Angle Society of Europe. He is a leader in his field.    In this podcast you will learn;

• When Kieran opened his Practice, he was not allowed to have a website or allowed to advertise, what he did to grow his Practice to a World Class Multi-Disciplinary Practice 
• The importance of using different types of marketing to grow your Practice and not relying on one source
• How he has put a Management Structure into his Practice, which allows him to spend 40 hours a week treating patients and work ON his business every Friday
• How delegation really is a game changer and essential to growing your Practice 
• How he continues growing his Practice and how he has created a super motivated team
• How he still manages to get to the gym every day and enjoys 5 weeks holiday 

AND MUCH MORE

Our second conversation with Dr. Marina Rhode, Founder of DRMR

In our first conversation with Manrina we explored the influences from her early life that formed her philosophy and then travelled with her through 18-years as a London-based "career associate", working with some of the top names in the capital.

We now explore the vision for and creation of her own clinic and brand - DRMR:

• How she used pen and paper to jot down ideas during her associate years and developed a vision of the practice that she wanted to own;

• The search for premises that would “fit the bill” and how she responded when told that her dream premises wouldn’t be suitable;

• The 18-month build project and why her attention to detail and obsession with perfection became a reality - a clinic of great beauty;

• The biggest challenge of the first two years - building a team.

In the final part of our conversation, we discuss The Manrina Rhode Mentorship Programme, launching on 1st September 2024 and the difference Manrina intends to make when she “pays it forward” to other dentists who need a fresh impetus in their career.

Manrina is a breath of fresh air in the UK dental landscape and you will emerge from our conversation with a smile on your face and hope in the future.

Listen to the podcast now via your favourite podcast streaming service or the player below.

In this episode, we interview Manish Chitnis to discuss his dental practice management software, DenTTrack, a task management software that provides clarity on who does what in a dental practice, including training for each task.

Manish explains the importance of internal marketing and utilising the patient database to drive new patients amidst current market conditions. There are two main survivor groups in dentistry: high-end practices focused on excellent patient experiences, and high-volume, low-cost providers.

DenTTrack Software

• Task Management: Provides checklists of tasks for each role, ensuring the team knows exactly what to do.

• Training Included: Offers training on how to complete each task.

• Growth and Legacy: Aimed at practices wanting to grow and create a legacy business.

• Contact: Reach out to Manish directly to explore if DenTTrack is suitable for your practice.

Current Market Conditions

• New Patient Numbers: Experiencing a dip in new patient numbers and demand for high-end treatments.

• Internal Marketing: Focusing on internal marketing to the existing patient database.

• Direct Mail Campaigns: Emphasising the importance of direct mail campaigns and building one-on-one connections.

Future Outlook

• Rising Costs: Costs are rising by 30% across staffing, materials, and labs.

• Survivor Groups: Two main groups are expected to survive - high-end practices focused on a great patient experience, and high-volume, low-cost providers.

• Challenges for Middle Group: Practices in the middle may struggle with rising costs and staffing issues.

Tune in to hear more insights from Manish Chitnis on how to navigate the current dental market and leverage technology for practice management.

If you want to be inspired by the potential of a career in dentistry, no matter what your age or background, listen to the journey of one of the UK’s most interesting dental practice owners.

As a child, Manrina Rhode wanted to become an actress, but an enlightened Headmistress saw the opportunity of combining art and science and encouraged her to study dentistry. The UK dental community (and her patients) can be glad that she did. 

Right at the start of her career, she secured a position with Dr. Surinder Hundle at Lund Osler, one of whose clinics was based in Harvey Nicholls, London - innovative in its time.

Surinder, famous as an original participant in the TV show "10 Years Younger" opened up opportunities that you can only dream of (learn how Manrina beat her competition to get this job).

After several years at Lund Osler, she worked for Tim Bradstock-Smith - The London Smile Clinic. 

Along the way, she ran a Music Label in Atlanta, that is another story you need to hear.  

In the last 2 years, she has finally opened her own clinic - DRMR - and you’ll hear why Chris was speechless with admiration when he first visited.

In this episode you will discover; 

• What it takes to become a true success in dentistry

• The importance of finding your passion in dentistry and to do what you love to do

• The big lesson she learnt from her father. If you have children, the most important message you can give them, so that they are a success in their lives

• The importance of finding mentors and networking with the very best

• If you are running an Instagram page you need to do this ONE THING to make it work for you

AND SO MUCH MORE.

It’s a delight this month to listen to the founder of a Champions League dental practice in the beautiful Lake District - Neil Cooper has been a friend and a client of both of us for many years.

Here, we delve into Neil’s childhood fascination with how things work and an early dedication to a career in dentistry, based on his experiences as a child patient.

Following Neil to school, university, early days as a VT and associate, we then discover what happened when he caught the Ownership bug and used a unique approach to become co-purchaser of an antiquated practice on Kendal High Street.

It’s now a 7-surgery clinic with a brilliant team, providing the highest complexity of dentistry.

Throughout his career, Neil has always responded to the phrase “that will never work here”, with a determination to prove the critics wrong.

As you listen, you will also hear about Bex Cooper and the contribution she has made to the development of the business since the pandemic.

It’s a fantastic story about a fantastic practice created by lovely people - you will be inspired.

An interview with Dengro CEO - Neil Stephen   Listeners - if you think this month’s podcast is an advert for Dengro - think again.   CEO Neil Stephen has a fascinating CV, including starting and selling a number of international tech businesses over the years, as well as running The London Olympic Beach Volleyball competition in 2012.   He “gets” business and speaks with the authority of having worn all the t-shirts in business development over the years.   In our conversation we discuss:  

• Why a fascination for building teams led him into the tech sector;
• His previous life in business and how he ended up as CEO of Britain’s most popular Dental CRM company;
• Top tips for start ups - whether tech or dental;
• More top tips when you come to sell your business and when (and when not) to take on investors;
• Probably the clearest explanation of the benefits of CRM that you will ever hear;
• Crossing the implementation gap - how to get your team to buy into and start using new technology;
• What’s coming - where A.I and telecoms innovation are going to take CRM and dental practice management over the next three years.

  This conversation is a cracker - line this up for a commute, a dog walk or wherever you enjoy your podcasts the most - and prepare to be educated and entertained by a true business leader.

This week we interviewed David Taylor, an ex Dale Carnegie International Master Trainer & Leadership Trainer, who shares the benefits of developing a Monthly Action Plan.

Many Dental Practices report that finding the right people, retaining them and the paying their true worth challenging, this concept can help in all three areas and can make the Dental Practice a much more productive and a happier environment

On this podcast you will discover;

• What is an 'Action Monthly Plan' and the benefits it brings to the Dental Practice 

• How to conduct an accountability meeting with your team

• Hear some example of how it raises the performance of your team and how they get really excited about being part of something bigger

• How to have challenging conversations with your team and associates without creating a toxic atmosphere

• The Wall flower concept and how it changed the direction of Chris, Ashley and Dave's career for the better and how you can have the same impact with your team

• Recite of Paddi Lunds 8 non negotiables in his Practice 

• New Recruits-How to have a 'Expectations Contract' right at the start and the benefits it brings to the Dental Practice' 

AND SO MUCH MORE