Two Reds are Better than One

After graduating in 2012, Gareth Edwards began his dental career by treating patients in Middleton, North Manchester for the first five years. He then embarked on an 18-month journey through Asia and South America, dedicating time not only to traveling but also to reading a diverse range of books.

In 2019, Gareth returned to Bournemouth, his hometown, and formed a partnership with Zak Kara. Sharing similar philosophies about dentistry and business, they initially took over a three-surgery practice. However, they quickly outgrew it and moved into a larger, purpose-built clinic, giving birth to Smile Stories. Their philosophy was centered around creating an experience "nothing like your old dentist."

This interview was excellent, with Gareth generously sharing the secrets that make Smile Stories a success.

In this podcast, you'll discover:

• How Smile Stories has become a unique dental practice by fostering lifelong patient relationships, incorporating innovative design, and utilizing comprehensive digital dentistry. You'll also learn about their ideal client.

• Their inspiration from outside the dental field and various examples of where they gain this insight.

• The creation of a work environment where team members are eager to come to work, engaging every team member in each stage of the patient journey with their "Triangle formula."

• Gareth and Zak's calculated approach to risk, enabling rapid growth and expansion.

• Their strategies for marketing, enhancing patient experiences, and cultivating a strong team culture that resulted in 571 five-star Google reviews. You'll learn their "Peak and Rule," identifying the optimal time and method for requesting reviews.

• Examples of how they surprise and delight patients, including team celebrations at the end of treatments.

• Personalised marketing approaches for each new patient, sending tailored marketing messages that cater to the individual needs and desires of the patient.

And much more!

In this exciting episode of Two Reds Are Better Than One, Chris Barrow and Ashley Latter share their personal and professional aspirations for 2025 within the dental industry. From digital workflows and AI to personal communication mastery, this conversation is packed with insights to help dental professionals navigate the evolving landscape with confidence and agility.

Key Takeaways:

• Digital Dentistry Advancements:Chris and Ashley highlight the game-changing impact of intraoral scanning, treatment planning software, and 3D printing. AI is poised to revolutionise all areas of dental operations, making this an exciting time for forward-thinking practices.

• Adapting to Change:The importance of staying agile and innovative cannot be overstated. Chris encourages listeners to "fail fast" and adapt quickly to market trends and new technologies, creating resilience regardless of external economic conditions.

• Personal Communication is Key:Despite rapid technological advancements, Ashley and Chris agree that empathetic, face-to-face communication remains vital. Delivering a high-quality personal service can still set a practice apart—Ashley's new book focuses on this very topic.

Ashley is thrilled to announce that his new book, The Eight Steps to a Perfect Consultation, is 95% complete and scheduled for release in spring 2025. This updated work will guide dentists in conducting exceptional consultations, helping more patients say "yes" to their treatment plans and enabling practices to deliver outstanding care.

Ashley shares his excitement about his upcoming speaking engagements in California (May) and Australia (March). He's also looking forward to a potential visit to the stunning Yosemite National Park.

What are you looking forward to in 2025? Chris and Ashley invite you to share your goals and aspirations by emailing us.

• Don't buy into the economic doom and gloom

• Stay innovative and embrace change

• Be agile and willing to fail in the pursuit of success

• Keep an eye out for Ashley's book release and invest in your consultation skills!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Two Reds Are Better Than One and share it with your network. Let's continue the conversation on how to make 2025 a remarkable year for dentistry!

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.