Practice Autonomy Podcast

Back in 2011, I gave a lecture called “The Coming Storm for Dentistry.” I warned that insurance companies would choke reimbursements while corporate dentistry scaled up and swallowed private practices. Fourteen years later… well, here we are. In this week’s Practice Autonomy Podcast , we open that time capsule and compare those predictions to the real 2025 data — and it’s chillingly accurate: 🦷 P...

Staff has gotten so expensive. It's so expensive to keep good team members that any successful dentist knows it is the #1 item on the P&L by far these days. And yet, it's so important to keep those key players. The success or failure of a dental practice is overwhelmingly dependent on its staff, who function as the critical intermediary between the doctor and the patient. A significant portion...

Most of us waste a ton of time each day. I'm not asking any dentist to rush through any procedure or exam. You should demand excellence for yourself every second of every day. But, you're kidding yourself if you think you're not wasting time. My theory is that if you are taking a day away from your family to be at the dental office, you should make every second count. What I believe you will find...

20 Bootcamps in 5 years. Enough was enough. It was time to move on.... But, it was a ton of fun and also super challenging. I'll share what made it great and what some dentists do to try to make your life miserable if you put on courses to try to help them. The REAL life of a dental speaker isn't what you think it may be. Here's what the Practice Autonomy Podcast is all about. Each episode, you'll...

Here's what the Practice Autonomy is all about. Each episode, you'll hear proven systems, strategies, and stories that help you cut insurance dependence, streamline your workflows, bring more work in-house, and protect one main thing as a private practice dentist, your freedom.

Current events are full of crisis events that affect so many, dentists included. In 2013 a lightning strike started a fire that burned down my dental practice. 4 months later I delivered a lecture on how we responded to the crisis in 12 steps. While some things have changed, the principles and many of the action items are uniquely appropriate for any dentist who finds themselves in the midst of ca...

CAD/CAM milling technology including CEREC is dying on the vine. The march to 3D printed crowns is underway and if you get in on the front end of the bandwagon, you can save tons of overhead on your lab bills. There are 3 Big Ways to 3D print crowns right now. Listen up and catch the wave of the future before most dentists know what hit them. Go to 3DPA.org for a free report: 3 Big Mistakes Most D...

Some of the things dentists rave over as they add 3D Printing to their practice are really cool, but don't exactly move the needle when it comes to ROI. Then, there are a small few that pay the way for everything else the super techy nerd gene that all dentists have (myself included). Today we're going to talk about the procedures that will pay off your initial investment the fastest. After you pa...

You realize you need to start 3D printing. You're busy. We're all busy. But... You realize you need to start 3D printing for all the amazing reasons you're hearing and reading about. What is the easiest and simplest way to start from absolute zero? Here are the 3 simplest ways to start printing and realize the power of what it can open in your practice. Get more free 3D printing resources at 3dpa....

Case acceptance and case presentation problems are rampant in our profession. Is it us or is it the patients who get in the way of them getting optimal care? Maybe it's a little bit of both, but luckily things are getting easier. 3D Printing can break down some of the biggest barriers that cause "empty chair" syndrome. After you listen to this episode you will want to go on over to the 3D Printing...

Will we, won't we... Are we going to have a recession, who knows? The "Experts" all say we will. But, most dentists I know haven't seen it yet. Still, if there was a way to improve your practice overall while securing your practice in the case that we MIGHT have a recession. Well, that's what I call a no-brainer. We've talked in the past about the Aesop's fable of the ant and the grasshopper. This...

3D Printing can be expensive enough when you're first getting started. Why not use FREE software if it's just as good? We think so, too, and this episode is dedicated to helping you make good and informed decisions as you start your 3D printing journey. Visit us at www.3dpa.org for more 3D printing resources and to claim a copy of the checklists we use for our Top 3 3D printed procedures.

Same Day Service has been a buzzword in dentistry since the early days of the CEREC and milled crowns. Until 3D Printing burst onto the scene in 2020, most dentists didn't feel like things like same day starts for clear aligners or dentures were possible. Everything is changing rapidly and here are 3 ways 3D printing can make same day dentistry a reality like never before. And, as a result, 3 ways...

I'm not only talking about only lowering overhead or reducing the need for more staff, I'm talking about making the quality of your practice better. Here are 3 ways 3D printing will do that. Go to www.3DPA.org to get 3 FREE checklists for our Top three 3D Printing Procedures we use everyday in my practice. Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/vE_Z6fD3HoQ

Dentistry is always changing, but 3D Printing is speeding that up fast. Learn 3 procedures that dentists do everyday that will be so impacted, that they will be changed forever... And sooner rather than later. Go to www.3DPA.org to get FREE checklists for our Top 3 3D Printing Procedures we use everyday in my practice. Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/NP6_gibD75M

There is a ton of buzz around the topic of 3D printing in dentistry today. 3D Printing opens the doors to ways that 3D Printing can help any dentist. If you're just now starting your journey, or you are just now realizing there is something to this, don't worry... You're not too late! Here are 3 Big Reasons 3D Printing can positively impact you and your practice. Go to www.3DPA.org to get FREE che...

A quick update on the No Surprise Act from the ADA and, then... The main event. An article from a hygienist explains how we can keep hygienists happy. That way they won't quit and cut off the lifeline of the practice and such. Every dentist should hear this one and then read the article for themselves. You really don't want to miss this one!

Once again, dentists are caught in the crosshairs of more regulation. While it seems it could have been worse, all of us will likely have to change some of our ways to stay on the right side of the law. On today's Dental Headlines Show, we will discuss: Which (Very Few) Dentists are Exempt The Most Likely Area You Will Be Affected What Seems Like the Most Commonsense Way to Approach these Changes...

Dentistry in the News: January 7th, 2022 WHO finally recognizes SDF. What's on 2nd. I dunno who's on 3rd. AI is coming and where is Will Smith when you need him to fight a robot? Dropping PPOs is always a good idea apparently... Duh Bonus points if you know what POSA is and what to do when you see it. The alphabet squad explains why mobile and teledentistry are good for everybody ...And Much, Much...

Dr. Tom Larkin is a professor and a private practitioner. He has been screaming (well, not screaming, he's pretty soft-spoken) from the rooftops for years that we had to change the way we operated because it was just a matter of time before our profession would be changed forever. Enter COVID19. If we want to re-open and get back to any type of pre-covid normalcy, there are things that we MUST do...

When this crisis if over, we must Restore our Practice, Remake our Systems, Rebuild our Dreams, and Reclaim our Future. Note: you can watch this video in our Facebook group here In 2013 I faced a similar crisis when my practice burned down overnight. This lecture details the exact steps I took then to rebuild my practice This is your opportunity and now is the time for all of us to "Burn Down" and...

TOO BUSY TO LISTEN RIGHT NOW? GET THE TRANSCRIPT HERE Dr. Amanda Wilson levels with dentists about what is going on in ortho today and with Smile Direct Club, including strategies to take them on and use their millions spent to boost your own practice. Dr. Amanda candidly pulls back the curtain about what is really going on with the Purple People Eaters and the decline Orthodontists have seen for...

Jerry Jones and Dr. Chris Griffin unveil the #1 way to rescue dental practices under assault using memberships among other brilliant ideas. Recently Jerry Jones released the shocking 6th edition of the State of Dentistry.  He has researched every aspect of the current dental economy and interviewed the very best in our field. His conclusions are startling and this post-report interview might even...

The Dynamic Duo of Erin Elliott and Tarun “T-Bone” Agarwal is fighting the status quo of how to practice and how to learn better than Batman and Robin teamed up to fight crime.  Just exchange Raleigh, North Carolina for Gotham and you get the idea.  Nestled in the Appalachians is one of the hottest learning centers in America and it’s not by accident.  Whether it’s Dr. Erin...

Elijah Desmond is the dental Super-preneur whirlwind who is famous, not for being a hygienist, or for co-founding DentalHub 360, or for co-founding Smiles at Sea, or Driven Dental Marketing…. Those things are cool and all, but Desmond is famous for being just a tremendous human being. This was evidenced over the holiday when I saw his video about helping an anonymous dentist who was struggli...