The Irreplaceable Practice - For dentists who refuse to become a commodity

What does it mean to create a team of leaders? We all know that great leaders don’t create more followers but inspire followers to become leaders. As practice owners, we aspire to have a self-managing team to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, however, it is pretty standard in the dental practice that staff functions based solely on the dentist’s command. Therefore, it defaults to an extra layer of...

A confident team is a by-product of a confident leader. Trust is one of the core values of a coherent team. A leader that exhibits confidence is easier to trust, and team members generally feel positive around leaders who exude confidence. I struggled with my confidence early in my practice, and it took a toll on me, my team, and my patients. You can find show notes and more information by clickin...

Transformational leadership is a process and a complex one at that. It involves not just you but is composed of interconnected cogs that dynamically work in synchrony and harmony. Your role, as the leader, is to keep it well oiled to run smoothly and accomplish its objectives.  

Whether big or small, any organization has an established mission and vision to define its objectives and approach to reach its goal. However, the most crucial aspect of building an organization is the founding principles for which they stand. Core values are what bind the company, its employees, and the people they wish to serve. It may be uncommon in dental practice, but having a solid foundatio...

Can you pick out the dominant need in your team, patients, family, and friends? This exercise is very challenging, especially to dental practice owners wearing multiple hats -- juggling the demands of the business, the employees, and the clients.   You can find show notes and more information by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/needy-team

Many people find gossiping fun, enjoyable, and addictive until they become the focus of the idle talk. However, in a professional setup like the workplace, gossipmongering is an enormous time and productivity waster, not to mention unprofessional. In addition, it increases anxiety among employees, puts a strain on teamwork, erodes trust,    and crushes morale.   You can find show notes and more in...

Results are going to come from taking action. And all action starts with a decision.   Having to decide on something is naturally hard, most especially if the decision is transformative. However, decisive leadership is vital to effectively execute the plan of action toward achieving the organization’s goals.    You can find show notes and more information by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/deci...

Money won’t make you happy, but happiness will make you money.   At this point in your life, you must be able to distinguish pleasure from happiness. Although both bring joy and good feelings, they produce contrasting outcomes. Pleasure is momentary and visceral, while happiness is long-lasting and transcendental.   You can find show notes and more information by clicking this link: https://bit.ly...

More than ever, dentists need to have a well-defined mission and a compelling vision to reinforce their practice, not only for themselves but also for their staff and patients. It provides a clear and consistent direction as to where the practice is going.   Faced with many challenges aggravated by these uncertain times, dentists need to run a successful business to avoid plateaus. One key aspect...

Mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSD) can lead to a wide variety of health risks. Yet, more than 80% of people with OSD are utterly unaware that they are suffering from this condition.   Recently, Vivos launched VivoScore Diagnostic Technology. It is a comprehensive home sleep apnea test for children and adults. It includes a proprietary ring-like device that you can slide into your finge...

Listening is the single most essential skill in business. Poor listening skills may lead to assumptions and misunderstanding that will eventually result in ineffective decisions and costly mistakes. It further deteriorates team cohesion and causes a lot of tension and stress. Effective listening should be attentive, responsive, and active. Pay close attention to non-verbal expressions to understan...

Where in your relationships, your health, your financial situation, your clinical dentistry, can the realism of progress take precedence over the fantasy of perfection?   At one point in our life, we have been in a situation wherein we strive to be perfect, only to realize that it is only an illusion that we put upon ourselves out of fear of criticism and rejection.   The key to perfection is ackn...

Have you been scouring the internet trying to look for the best reward system for your employees? Let me tell you a secret; there's none! I've tried different approaches, many times myself, and they didn't work.   The bonus system aims to give out incentives (monetary or otherwise) to motivate employees to bring out their best and be productive. However, this kind of approach is cou...

Stephen Covey was spot on when he said, “The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.”   If you want to make more with less work, you need to leverage the principles of ruthless prioritization, that is, eliminating anything that does not add value toward achieving your goal. Sometimes, you need to get rid of the good to focus on the great.   You can fi...

How do we secure a productive environment in our practices? One that doesn’t get disrupted by the increasing tension in society and result in a toxic culture that could compromise your livelihood?    Let’s engineer a work environment that brings out the best in you and your team!   You can find show notes and more information by clicking this link: http://bit.ly/depolarizing-practice  

This week’s guest, Stuart Faught of Praze, is a well-known figure in the dental sphere as his expertise in reputation management has assisted thousands of dental practices grow exponentially by helping them develop and enhance long-term trust.   You can find show notes and more information by clicking this link: http://bit.ly/Stuart-Faught    

I am re-releasing one of the more popular and the No. 1 most downloaded episode of all my podcasts. It features the incredibly insightful Dr. Thomas Grass as he recounts the story of how he found dentistry and the path that led him to this career. This is one of the most powerful conversations I have ever had on the show, as Tom delves deep into the importance of being present and how to avoid alw...

Two of my favorite people in this profession, Dr. Molly Karmazin and Dr. Corey Karmazin, join me on this week's podcast to unpack their secrets to success. Drs. Corey and Molly are among those featured in my "Dentist On A Mission" book. They practice in a gorgeous, state-of-the-art facility in Sioux Falls, SD alongside a very enthusiastic high-performance team.   You can find show n...

It feels great to reconnect with a good friend, Dr. Peter Bowman, whom I guested in my podcast 5 years back talking about The Art of Believing and Achieving. Fast forward to the present, Peter now owns a world-ranked 9-hole golf course and his dental practice is currently focused on implant cases in varying degrees of complexity, sedation dentistry, and Invisalign.   Listen in as Peter gives us a...

Dr. Jordan Brown reminds me of what’s good about the profession of dentistry. His “Why not me?” attitude is truly admirable. He may be a resident, but don’t let his youth fool you — he is wise beyond his years. His robust story, compelling bio, and positive disposition will surely inspire many in our profession.   Listen in as Dr. Jordan talks about skyrocketing dental tuition, becoming a lifelong...

Hiring is complicated. You don't want to be working with a team who doesn't embrace and support your goals. Good thing Laura Nelson is there to guide us throughout the process. She recently released a new book, "Hiring without Hesitation: A How-To for Small Business Success" which I am excited to share. I've known Laura for a long time, and I admire the honest value she&ap...

I have a confession to make. My journey to business was not a piece of cake. You see, I’m an introvert posing to be an extroverted guy trying to connect with the community where I was building my practice. Then came Matthew Pollard, the person that I can relate to. He is the author of the well-received book “The Introvert's Edge. How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone”. He’s also a confesse...

In 2009, in this dusty space in Avon, Colorado, I spent all my cash on learning for a six-month Ortho, Sedation, and Invisalign because I wanted to be this marketable person. One thing I could say, it is much harder than it looks -- but not for Grace Rizza. She’s been growing businesses at the age of 22, and her approach to business is both commendable and inspiring. It’s no wonder she was a 2019...

Over my years as a podcaster, some of my very favorite interviews have been when I’ve brought friends onto the show, and this episode will definitely fall into that category. Dr. Pete McClellan is a dentist with multiple practices in Kansas City, a visionary, and a fantastic leader who was named a top dentist in Hawaii for two years in a row. Listen in as we talk about the importance of creating a...

The single most important decision I made in my dental practice was the moment I stopped trying to create followers with this broken, top-down management style and started a leadership development program for everyone on my team. Today’s guest, Chuck Blakeman, is a world-renowned expert on this topic. He is a successful entrepreneur, best-selling business author, and TEDx speaker who has built 12...