As I’ve mentioned, on a few previous episodes of SYDP, I had the pleasure of speaking at and attending the Voices of Dentistry Podcast Event.

It’s not often that I go to conferences that absolutely blow me away, but I can honestly say this was one of those times.

During the event, it wasn’t long before I discovered what I can only explain as ‘superwoman’ --- who was anywhere and everywhere helping making sure everyone has a great time.

Turns out superwoman, aka Ashlee Evans, was not only responsible for running a virtually flawless Voices of Dentistry Podcast  event -- but she has also been Dr. Mark Costes right hand woman in building the extremely successful Dental Success Institute l for the last 5 years.

After getting to know her at the event, I just knew I had to have her on the show.

We cover a ton of ground, talking about hiring, productivity, and getting the most from your team. As well as how she’s able to get a seemingly impossible amount done in her day to day life.

How You Hire Is Important. Learn Ashlee's Secrets To Hiring And Getting More Done Click here for the video and presentation  

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• Why you should hire for culture first.
• How to motivate and encourage your employees to get more done.
• The importance of sharing your values with your team and employees.
• 3 Things Ashlee Does With Every New Hire
• How To Build A Culture of Communication.
• The leadership qualities it takes to succeed

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Ashlee for coming on the show. Building a great culture can make all the difference in your practice.. And that starts with hiring the right people and making sure you’re the best leader you can be.

As a bonus for today, Ashlee has shared a powerpoint presentation and video on how to hire effectively for your practice. If the success she’s had so far in career is an indicator, you definitely won’t want to miss it. Hiring the right way can truly make all the difference. 

 Click here to access the video. 

Quotes:

“Hire for culture first”  – Ashlee Evans

Everyone has their own reason for wanting to build a successful dental practice, and ultimately that reason is what keeps you pushing through, even when times get tough.

Somedays you’ll be on top of the world, and others you’ll think about throwing in the towel.

But as they say, the journey is what makes things worth it in the end.

Today, I’m excited to share another conversation I recently had at the Voices of Dentistry event with Dr. Peter Boulden, host of the BulletProof Dental Podcast and owner of several successful practices in Atlanta, Georgia.

Peter has cracked the code on what it takes to building a successful practice, and his optimistic attitude is contagious.

In our conversation we talk about how to stay focused and the best tips and strategies to take your practice to the next level.

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"] Want to get the most out of your next Dental conference? You'll love my 5 Ways To Get More Out of Your Next Dental Conference Guide Click here for the guide [/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• How Peter discovered embezzlement in his practice and what he did to recover.  
• The power of setting ambitious goals, and why you need to think big.
• How to deal with naysayers, especially your family and friends.
• Why you should embrace your mistakes, not hide from them.
• What Dr. Boulden would do differently if he had to start over today.
• How to know if you’re “ready” to become a practice owner. 

  And much more...

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Peter for sharing his insights and strategies on how to build a thriving and profitable practice. It’s not always easy, but doing the hard things today, will set you up for a rewarding future down the road.

Since I’ve released my how to get more out of your next conference guide few weeks ago, I’ve received a ton of great feedback and it just might be exactly what you need to make your next conference your best one yet.

I put a ton of effort into this guide, and if you plan on attending a conference this year, I know you'll love it.

Click here for the guide.

Quotes:

“I knew I wanted to be the chief of my own dentistry.” - Dr. Peter Boulden 

Dental. Supplies.

No, I’m not trying to intentionally give you a headache or make your blood pressure immediately rise by mentioning those dreaded words.

But.. if we’re being honest.. It’s no secret that finding the right supplies at the right cost.. In a time efficient manner… is one of the hardest things to do as a dentist.

And we didn’t even mention good quality.

There has been a lot of innovation in the dental space over the years, but I haven’t seen anything quite like what today’s guest is doing, helping dental owners get the best supplies for the cheapest cost.. In just a few clicks.

Today I’m very excited to share my conversation with Tiger Safarov -- CEO of Zen Supplies. His story is nothing short of incredible, and I really believe he just might be able to change the way you look at dental supplies when it comes to your practice. 

 Take Tiger's Inventory Challenge -- He'll Help You Save Money or You Get 12 months access to ZenSupplies for free. Click here to learn more.  

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• Tiger’s Inspiring Story On How He’s Disrupting The Dentist Industry With His Tech Startup
• The Quickest Way To Reduce Your Inventory Cost.
• Why Most Dental Software Doesn’t Have The End Consumer (You) In Mind And How Tiger Hopes To Fix That.
• The Bad Habits Most Dentist’s Have When It Comes To Purchasing Inventory And How To Fix Them
• Why The Secrecy Behind Dental Inventory Is Hurting The Community.

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Tiger for sticking around and sharing some incredible insight on his mission to change the dental world.

As you heard, Tiger has generously offered to take a look at your some of your most recent invoices --- and personally show you how you can reduce your supply costs.

Because he knows SYDP listeners take action he also issued an exclusive SYDP challenge. If he can’t help you reduce your costs.. He’ll give you 12 months of free membership to ZenSupplies.

This is definitely one of those times you want to take action.

You really have nothing to lose.

Click here to learn more about the challenge.

Quotes:

“With Zen Supplies our main driver is to make things as easy as possible for you.” - Tiger Safarov

The tools and software you use to run your practice can either help enable you get more done.. Or make life needlessly complicated.

For dentists, it’s often the latter.

Fortunately, we’ve seen some incredible innovation in the dental tools and software space over the last few years which is why I’m incredibly excited to share my conversation with Kevin Rossen of Divergent Dental, whom I had the chance to sit down with a few weeks ago at the Voices of Dentistry event.

In our quick chat we covered a ton of ground about how to effectively track the numbers in your practice, in a way that doesn’t drive you insane.

[su_note note_color="#028000 " text_color="#ffffff " radius="5"] Want to get the most from your next dental conference? You'll love the guide I put together.  Click Here For The Guide [/su_note]

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• Kevin’s Morning Huddle Method To Instantly Boost Team Productivity
• The 3 metrics that are essential to track in your practice.
• Why not all dental software is created equal, and how to choose the right tools.
• The metrics you should know daily, and the metrics you can “ignore” when starting out.
• How To Overcome The Barriers To Tracking Certain Metrics (And Increase Staff Buy In)

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Kevin for joining the show today. If you build the right systems for your practice, you can effortlessly track the numbers that matter.

Over the last few weeks I’ve talked a lot about some amazing conferences to grow your practice. Several listeners have reached out asking how I make the most out of each conference I attend. So today, I put together a free guide “5 Ways To Get More Out of Any Conference You Attend”

I really think you'll get a lot out of the guide, even if a conference isn't quite on your radar yet.

I talk about tips for networking and why setting goals for your conference is important.

Click here to get the guide.

Quotes:

Look.

Running a successful dental practice is incredibly difficult.

Day in and day out, you’re juggling marketing, budgets, growing your team.. and a million other things on your always expanding todo list.

I get it.

And yet… at the end of the day, as a practice owner, you have to remember, you’re in the SERVICE industry.

Which means, everything you do should be focused on providing the best service you possibly can.

Because ultimately that’s what keeps the lights on.

Which unfortunately, many dentists often forget.

Today I’m excited to share my conversation with Dr. Anissa Holmes from Delivering Wow. You may remember her from episode 9 of the SYDP podcast where she shared her insight on how to get the most out of Facebook.

We recently had a chance to reconnect at the Voices of Dentistry Summit and I knew I had to have her back on the show. I’m absolutely blown away with what’s she’s been able to accomplish since we last sat down to chat.

As cliche as it might sound, she really delivers the wow in this one and shares exactly how to do the same for your practice.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• What “delivering wow” means to Anissa,  and how you can apply it to your own practice.
• Anissa’s expansion to teaching, and how it’s also helped accelerate her own practice.
• Her decision process on whether to purchase another practice.
• How to grow your practice and WORK LESS (yes, it’s true.)
• The systems and team you need to fast track your growth.
• How  to increase your “Luck" through discipline. 
• The power of “reverse engineering” and how it applies to you.

And much more.

Free Episode Bonus

A special thanks to Anissa for coming on the show. As she has proven time and time again, by over delivering in your practice and life, you can blow your competition out of the water and deliver an experience that your patients won’t ever forget.

If you want to "deliver wow" in your own practice, you'll love her free delivering wow roadmap checklist. She goes through dozens of things you can do TODAY, to create the best possible experience for your your practice.

It goes without saying, she's one of the very few who actually practice what the preach, and I know you'll get a ton out of the roadmap.

Click here to get the checklist.

Quotes:

As you may know, a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the Voices of Dentistry event.

There comes a time in the life of every dental practice when one practice just isn’t enough.

Which brings you to the next logical step -- expansion.

Maybe acquiring your first (or yet another) practice has been on the top of your goals for 2017. Or maybe you’re not quite there yet.

Regardless, knowing how to navigate the often turbulent waters of practice acquisition is an important skill to build a thriving practice now and for many years to come.

Today I’m excited to share my conversation with Hunter Smith owner of the Southern Dental Group.

What he’s been able to do at the young age of 28 is nothing short of amazing.

You may remember him from episode 38 of Dentist Metrics where he talked about his process on how he was able to acquire 5 practices.

In the short time since we’ve last talked, he’s acquired yet another practice and has positioned himself to continue to invest in his future while sharing what he’s learned along the way.

Even if you’re not “ready” to acquire a practice yet , I know you’ll get a ton out of our conversation .

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• When You Should Consider Acquire A Practice And When Not Too
• How Hunter Is Able To Acquire A Practice Nearly Every Quarter
• Why Acquiring Your First Practice Is Harder Than Expanding Further
• The “Double Effort Myth” When It Comes To Acquiring A New Practice
• The Chicken Before The Egg Mistake And How To Avoid It
• The New Practice Mindset and How To Develop It
• How To Handle Staff Transition During The Acquisition Process.
• The Leadership Factor When Buying A New Practice
• How To Be Confident During Chaos And Demonstrate Leadership To Your Team

Want to learn more about dental ownership? You’ll love the upcoming Dental Ownership Summit February 16th and 17th in San Antonio, where some of the best in the dental industry share what they know to take your practice to the next level. You'll learn virtually everything you need to know about how to buy a practice successfully. 

I personally know many of the attendees and speakers and know you'll get a ton of value out of the event. Texas is always wonderful this time a year as well so you'll get the best of both worlds.

Learn More Now

Quotes:

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• The Biggest Mistakes Dentists Make When Budgeting And What To Do Instead. 
• 3 Questions You Should Answer Before Starting Your Budget 
•  
  How "Over Budgeting" Can Actually Hurt Your Practice 
   
• Why You Should View Budgeting As A Tool Rather An Annoyance 
   
• The Types of Budgeting Needed For All Stages of Your Practice (Yes.. They Are Different)
   
• The Key Steps To Avoid "Waste" In Your Practice 
   
• Why Budgeting Once A Year Is Not Remotely Enough 
   
• The Budgeting Formula If You’re Just Getting Started
   
• When To Know If You're Spending Too Much Time On Budgeting 
   
• How To Incorporate Education Into Your Budget..
   
   
  And much more...

Quotes:

A strong marketing strategy is essential to get more patients in the door.

You know that. But… unfortunately, with so many options out there, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed and stuck.

Maybe you can relate.

Instead of mastering the basics, you jump from one marketing strategy to the next.. And not surprisingly you might not see the results you were looking for.

As most SYDP listeners know, the dental industry does have a few bad apples that ruin things for everyone. Trust can be a little hard to come by.

No there is no magic pill to get 1,000 new patients in your door by next week.

No there is no SEO strategy that will get you on the first page of Google overnight.

A good marketing strategy requires relentless testing, patience, and a little bit of good luck.

Which is why I’m so excited to share my conversation with Laura Maly and Michael Anderson, founders of the the Wonderist Agency an agency that focuses exclusively on serving the dental community.

Several practice owners and SYDP listeners have emailed me to praise their work. And I think you’ll find our conversation on the state of dental marketing surprisingly refreshing and you’ll walk away with several actionable insights such as…

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• How Laura And Michael Got Into The Dentistry Industry
• Why Most Dental Agencies Are So Out Of Date
• The Key Metrics You Should Track Consistently For Improvement
• The Importance of Avoiding “Shiny Object” Syndrome.
• Why One Size Fit All Marketing Can Kill Your Practice
• How To Get Started With Tracking And Which Metrics You Should Measure
• 3 Bad Marketing Habits You Should Avoid
• The “10 Million Dollar Mistake” You Might Be Making
• How To Stop Being Overwhelmed With Your Marketing
• Why You Need To Communicate With Your Staff About Your Marketing Strategy

Quotes:

Note: This is an encore of SYDP episode 48 with Dr. Alan Mead updated with time sensitive information about the Voices of Dentistry event you won't want to miss! If you want a weekend full of learning and connecting with the best of the best Voices of Dentistry is for you.  We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming on Monday 1/16/2017 !

Today’s show features a pioneer in dentistry and to dental podcasters.

Dr. Alan Mead is the master behind Mead Family Dentistry and the widely known Dental Hacks Podcast.

Dr. Mead grew up around his dad’s dental practice and quickly found his passion in running a practice of his own at a young age.

Just like with any dental practice business, Dr. Mead has seen his fair share of ups, downs, and everything in between.

There’s something for you in this episode if you’ve been running a practice of your own, wanting to start one, or if you’re in the startup phase.

• How Dr. Mead basically “stole” a practice from someone else
• What happens when you think you’re a terrible business person (and what to do to combat this)
• The mistakes you DON’T want to make when running your own practice
• The advantages of owning a “dive” practice
• What to do if you’re brand new, fresh out of dental school, and looking to start a practice
• The best skill you can have when opening up your first practice
• What to look for, demographics-wise, when opening up a practice in a new geolocation
• An event you need to attend, if you’re serious about dentistry, to meet some of the biggest names in the industry

Happy New Year SYDP fans! I hope the first few days of 2017 have gotten off to a great start! I’m honored to have you be a part of the SYDP community.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• How “Marketing Pipelines” Can Transform Your Practice And How To Get Started
• Why Throwing A Local Event For Your Community Should Be A Priority in 2017
• 5 Boots On The Ground Marketing Strategies That Actually Work
• How Targeting Local Businesses Can Be A Great Marketing Method
• The Importance of Authenticity When Marketing Your Practice
• 3 Current Marketing Trends You Should Be Trying
• Why Specific Incentives Are So Powerful For Your Practice.
• The No Excuses Way To Get More Patients In The Door
• Why You Need To Outsource Your Marketing And Sales
• How To Get Comfortable With Rejection

It’s clear from our conversation, Michael makes things happen, and I promise if you take action on today’s episode you’ll definitely see results.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, you absolutely don’t want to miss the awesome bonus Michael has put together for SYDP listeners. He’s shared his short “How Many Patients Should My Practice Be Attracting” quiz, which will help you get crystal clear on how to get the most from your practice.

Just answering the questions alone, will be incredibly helpful in building out your 2017 marketing strategy.

Click here to access that now.

Quotes:

A  few weeks back, my wife and I were craving sushi and decided to turn to the all knowing Google for answers.

I pulled out my iPhone and typed,“ Best sushi in Little Rock Arkansas.”

Within seconds, we had dozens of places to choose from.

After scanning the page for a few moments, we decided to go with the 2nd listing on Google.

We placed our order and the sushi turned out to be fantastic.

As the sushi place can attest, that’s the power of Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.

Unfortunately, most dental practices consider SEO as an afterthought, when in fact it can often be one of the most important methods of marketing for your practice.

Today, I’m excited to have Mike Pederson, founder of Dental Boost back on the show. You may remember him from SYDP episode 51 where he shared the best practices for your dental website.

I wanted to bring him back on the show and have him share all things SEO. When thinking about your marketing plan for 2017 SEO is a great place to start.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• The Bare Minimum Basics For Learning SEO
• 3 SEO Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make
• The SEO tactics that are working RIGHT now.
• Why You Need To Take SEO Seriously in 2017
• How To Know Which SEO Services Are Worth It
• The Importance of Focus When It Comes To SEO Marketing
• What To Know When Building A Website For The First Time
• Why You Should Give Back To Your Local Community
• The “Light Grey” Method To SEO
• How To Avoid SEO Penalties For Your Site
• Buyer Intent Keywords and Why They Matter

One of my favorite quotes by Benjamin Franklin is when he says “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

And yet.. Time and time again, when I talk with owners who are struggling to grow their practice, it almost always comes back to a lack of a proper plan.

While I’m a huge fan of taking action (it’s essential), a solid strategic plan can make all the difference especially when acquiring a practice.

Today I’m excited to share my conversation with John Cotton, Founder of Dental Team Performance. He’s helped hundreds of new and veteran practice owners alike create and execute their strategic plan.

We dive deep into the what makes a strategic plan so powerful and why you need one regardless of whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• The Importance Of Team Accountability And How To Implement It In Your Practice.
• Why You Need A Strategic Plan Even If You’re 95 years old.
• The “10K Mistake” You Might Be Making
• Why You Need A Strategic Plan Even If You “Don’t Have Time
• The Perfect Length For A Strategic Plan
• When To Strategic Plan When Acquiring A Practice
• How To Establish An Effective Employee Bonus System
• The Bottom Up Strategic Management Philosophy
• When To Outsource And When To Do It Yourself
• How To Define Effective Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
• The “BAM” Method To Increase Team Morale
• How To Effectively Handle Raises With Your Team

Quotes

You can have the best staff in the world, deliver the best patient experience possible, and have the perfect marketing plan, and still struggle to grow your practice.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode:

• How To Identify An Outgoing Going CPA (Joke)
• What Most Dentists Get Wrong About Choosing Where To Start Their Practice (And What To Do Instead)
• The Most Common Myths Of Choosing The Right Location For Your Practice
• How To Determine If Demographics Are Viable For Your Practice
• Why Choosing A Location With A Lot Of Competition Can Help Skyrocket Your Business
• The Ideal Ratio Dentist / Population Ratio And When It Doesn’t Matter
• 3 Misleading Metrics That May Mislead You On Your Path To Practice Growth
• How To Plan The Future Of Your Practice Through Studying Demographics
• The Best And Worst Locations To Start Your Practice
• “The Pet Method” That Helps Build Rapport With Your Patients
• Why You Have To Do A Demographic Report When Starting Your Practice
• The One Thing That Makes A Dentist Location Viable
• How To Make The Most Of Your Demographic Report Data

Quotes:

“It’s not the data that’s important, it’s what you do with that data that matters.” -  Scott McDonald

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I know, I’m still recovering from all the delicious food I had.

• How a simple post Trent made on DentalTown took off.
• Trent’s journey from dental school to practice ownership
• The biggest mistake Trent made when starting out (and how to avoid it.)
• How to overcome your fears of building your practice.
• Trent’s 3 tips to improve your hiring.
• Why you should ALWAYS double check your hiring references.
• What drives Trent to build a thriving dental practice.
• How Trent stopped being a “people pleaser" and you can too.
• Why “luck” plays such a large role in your practice success (and how to increase it.)
• Trent’s biggest piece of advice for new practice owners.
• How to choose the right location for your practice (it matters more than you might think.)
• Trent’s five your vision for his practice.
• Why delegating can make or break your business.

Quotes:

• “That’s part of our vision, to be a part of the community, and give back. It’s so important.” - Trent McCord

Time and time again, we talk about how important it is to execute if you want to run or grow a successful dental practice.

Hard, smart work matters.

But contrary to popular belief, you don’t have work 100 hour weeks to make things happen. In fact, in our experience, that will only lead you to burn out.

Focusing and executing on the right things, is far more important than how much you work.

Which is why I’m so excited to share with you my conversation with Dr. Cole Brenny.

Cole is the founder of Practingdentist.com one of the most popular dentist communities online. He is also a practicing dentist and owner of Ivory Dental Group in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

You’ll quickly notice in our conversation how much passion he has for the world of dentistry, and why that has allowed him to be so successful.

At the end of the episode, you’ll also find out where you can get access to Cole’s brand new book “Dental CEO” for free. He breaks down everything you need to know about branding, marketing, and creating the ultimate patient experience.

So be sure to listen all the way through this entire interview to get access to that.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode:

• How to have open and honest conversations (that will boost morale)
• Why dentist partnerships are like marriage, and how to keep the “romance” alive.
• 3 Big Areas To focus on to improve Your practice
• The marketing on steroids method of acquiring patients from another practice.
• How to shift from associate to partnership thinking.
• Why less is more when it comes to growing your business.
• The different types of dentist styles and why they matter.
• Why not getting a mentor is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
• Best practices for acquiring a practice, even if it’s your first time.
• The steroid marketing method of acquiring patients from another practice.
• Why  Cole focused on “recreating the patient experience and how it transformed his business.

Quotes:

Cash. Is. Oxygen.

In order to run a successful practice, not only do you have to provide exceptional service to your patients, you also have to master the art of collecting money.

Here at Dentist Metrics, we talk all about marketing, branding, and getting the most from your staff…  But at the end of the day, collecting on your accounts receivable is what keeps your doors open.

Unfortunately, collecting from your patients, isn’t always easy.

Patients in financial distress. Countless insurance calls. Maybe your new front desk hire makes a mistake.

As way say… running a practice is hard.

But.. time and time again, we see that the most successful practice owners have their ducks in a row.

They know how to collect their money.

Which is why I’m so excited to share my conversation with today’s guest Andy Cleveland. Self proclaimed AR Ninja, Andrew is an accounts receivable consultant who has helped hundreds of practices master the art of collecting money.

In our conversation he shares a ton of tips and tactics on how to make sure you’re getting paid, while staying professional.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• 3 Simple Tricks To Recover Lost Revenue
• Why Andy got into the dental business.
• The power of specialization in your business and life.
• When it’s too late to collect payment...
• Why filing insurance properly is SO important to your business.
• Why outsourcing your insurance might make sense for you.
• The philosophy of continuous improvement.
• How to use escalation in your language to get paid more
• The best time to call patients to collect overdue invoices. 

We all have different reasons for wanting to start a dental practice. Maybe you’ve always had a passion for the dental industry. Or maybe you love making a difference in your patients lives. Or perhaps, you just love the challenge of building a thriving dental business.

The truth is, whatever your reason, what you do matters.

But it’s sometimes easy to forget.

We get so caught up in the grind to build our  practice that we let it run our lives.

And yet, I truly believe you can have both a successful practice and a lifestyle you love.
Which is why I’m so excited to share my conversation with today’s guest Ben Kacos.

Ben is a private practice dentist and a coach and consultant for the Dental Success Institute. He is also the founder of ExploreEducationCE, a unique continuing education program which mixes dental education with an outdoor sports twist.

He’s been fortunate enough to be mentored by some of the best in the business, and has some surprising insights on how to take your practice to the next level.

His unique story is something you won’t want to miss.

Here are a few things you'll discover in today's episode

• What to do with employees that aren’t “coachable”
• Why Ben, choose less money to learn more when starting starting his dentistry career.
• The mistakes Ben made when he acquired his first practice.
• How to overcome the “it costs too much” objection.
• How Ben, was able to acquire his second practice at a rapid pace.
• The power of “simple systems” and how they can reduce your stress and make you more profitable.
• The importance of “scaling the unscalable” when merging a practice.
• Why Ben became a dentist coach and what he’s learned.
• How to mix business and pleasure, and why Ben runs a duck hunt while teaching dental practice info.
• How to build relationships with other dentists in your town and location.
• Why you should avoid a “fee for service” practice when looking to buy.
• The importance of having a “clinical mentor”
• 3 Creative ways to build loyalty with your patients.
• How Fluoride can dramatically improve your practice.

One of my favorite guilty pleasures when winding down to relax, is to watch an episode of the hit the ABC T.V show Shark Tank.

Some get a deal. Others don’t.

They don’t know their numbers.

You have to REALLY know them.

Rohit’s story is fascinating, and I guarantee you’ll find something to implement in your practice today.

If you enjoyed today’s show, make sure to sign up for a free demo of The Practice By Numbers Software.

Rohit will use your actual numbers during the demo. Get that here.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode:

• The power of instant feedback, and why it matters.
• A simple way to leverage competitiveness within your practice.
• The boiling frog analogy, and why it matters to you.  
• The secret to setting achievable goals.
• How to A/B test different strategies with your practice.
• 3 metrics you should know off the top of your head.
• Why growing a practice is so hard, and the key to push through growth barriers.
• How 70 percent of dentist data comes from “unknown sources” and how to fix it.
• How tracking your numbers can help you communicate better with your staff.
• The cost of not knowing your numbers.

As an added bonus for today, Rohit has generously offered a free demo of his software, Practice By The Numbers. He’ll hop on a quick call with you and use your actual data for the demo.

Click here to schedule a call today.

Quote:

“Creating busywork doesn’t create accountability. It just creates busy work. - Rohit Garg

Resources:

• Practice By Numbers
• Practice By Numbers Facebook

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this show wouldn’t exist.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please go here to give me an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

Is stress controlling your life?

Chances are if you're listening to this,  you're more than familiar with the stresses of everyday life. 

Student loans. Family obligations. Personal issues. Overcoming barriers with your practice. The list goes on and on. 

It's tough. On top of that, running a successful dental practice is hard. It demands your best 24/7 and then some. 

And at times, you may feel like giving up. According to recent statistics 1 in every 5 Americans consider themselves "extremely stressed," and that's of the general population. Not practice owners like yourself.

The good news is, you're not alone. Having talked to hundreds of practice owners, it's something each and everyone one of us deals with on a daily basis.

The even better news is that you don't have to let stress run your life. It's entirely possible to change your relationship with stress and be insanely productive and happy.

It's possible to build a business and life on your terms.

Today I'm excited to chat with Jen Butler, founder of Jen Butler partners -- A stress management and resiliency training firm. She’s helped hundreds of dentist owners improve their relationship with stress and take control of their businesses and lives. 

If you like today’s show, you’ll love Jen’s “10 Ways To Be Less Stressed” guide. She’ll share some of the best ways to reduce stress and get more done.  Get that here.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode 

• 3 Common stress triggers and how to overcome them.
• The “B word” that might be hurting your practice.
• Why your problems are more common than you think.
• 5 Things all successful practices have.
• Common limiting beliefs that are holding you back.
• The science of stress and why it’s so important.
• How to improve your “adaptability.”
• The best way to feed your mindset on a routine basis.
• Why you won’t always be “On” and why that’s okay.
• The power of the “unconscious mind” and how it affects you.
• Why the brain is built to focus on the negative and how to overcome it.
• The difference between “knowing” and “thinking and why it matters.

Free Episode Bonus:

Enjoyed today’s conversation with Jen Butler? Than you’ll love the free bonus she’s prepared for you.

Jen has put together a free guide, “10 Ways To Be Less Stressed.” I’m definitely going to be trying some of these suggestions out, and I know you’ll get a lot out of it as well.

Click here to access that now.

Quote:

• “Dentistry isn’t easy. So you have to be passionate to succeed.” - Jen Butler

Resources:

• 3 Myths Dentists Believe That Hold Them Back From Success (Blog post)
• Jen Butler Partners (Her website)
• Connect On Twitter

Jen’s Personal Cell Phone Number - 623-776-6715

A few weeks ago, I shared some of the best strategies, tips, and lessons  I’ve learned from talking to hundreds of practice owners in various stages of their practice.

It was without a doubt one of the most popular episodes on the Start Your Dental Practice Podcast.

Today I’m excited to expand on some of those ideas and share some actionable steps you can take to continue to grow your practice.

I had a blast doing this and am confident you’ll come away with some new insights you can apply right away.

At the end of the episode, I’ll also share some more information about the 2nd opening of my exclusive dentist practice mastermind.

I’ll share a little bit more about the mastermind and help you decide if it’s right for you. Be sure to listen to the end as spots are extremely limited.

Whenever I talk with a practice who is struggling to get where they want to be… The first thing we look at is how they answer their phones.

It’s deceptively simple, but can often make all the difference in the world.

Listening to your phone calls isn’t “sexy” but it can often give you tremendous insight on areas to improve.

Today’s guest, Matt Prados founder of MessageMetric, has  spent years mastering the art of phone tracking and knows exactly how to transform your front desk into a referral generating machine. You definitely don’t want to miss today’s episode.

If you enjoyed today’s show, you’ll LOVE the bonus Matt has put together on how to get started with call tracking, and a few tips and tricks your front desk will love. Get that here.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode:

• How to know EXACTLY where your customers are coming from.
• Why you HAVE to call track in your practice.
• Why you should NEVER have your phone go to voicemail during business hours.
• Why you’re never too busy to listen to your phone calls.
• An intelligent way to respond to insurance questions over the phone.
• The secret to being an “effective executive.“
• How “whisper messages” can transform your practice.
• How to improve your staff training with a simple step.
• Why you’re never too busy to listen to your phone calls.
• A simple way to reduce your patient acquisition cost.
• Why reviews are essential, and how to get them more.
• Why more data isn’t enough.. And how to execute on your information you track.
• How the average front desk wastes 50 percent of the leads.”

Free Episode Bonus:

If you loved today’s episode, then you’re going to enjoy the bonus I’ve prepared for you.

There are tons of business and dental podcasts out in the wild, so today you’re getting access to the top 5 dental podcasts for young dentists or existing dentists looking for high-quality shows.

Click here to access that now.

Quote

• “I want you to talk to the person on the other side of the phone like you talk to your mother.” - Matt Prados

Resources

• Matt’s Twitter
• Message Metric - Call Tracking Platform
• Message Metric Contact
• Message Metric Telephone - 1 949-383-4022

Support The Show:

Without you, Ambitious Dentists, this show wouldn’t exist.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please go here to give me an honest rating and review in iTunes.

This allows me to evolve the show as it goes on, and also helps spread the word to other podcast listeners since iTunes promotes shows with active engagement.

It’s no secret that virtually every potential patient for your practice spends hours online searching for the “perfect dentist” before picking up the phone.

Taking your website seriously can truly be the difference between struggling month to month or having your phones ring nonstop.

Today’s guest Mike Pederson, founder ofAznetmarketing.com, has helped hundreds of practice owners perfect their website and make them stand out online.

He know’s exactly what it takes to build a website that stands out and brings in clients day after day. In our conversation we dive deep into SEO, Facebook marketing, and online marketing strategies.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode:

• The mindset of the average customer browsing the web for a dentist.
• How to position your phone number to skyrocket your SEO.
• The importance of “call to actions” on your website.
• How to know if your website is designed for success.
• The most important metric to track for your website.
• One minor tweak that can significantly improve your website.
• Why generic stock photos could hurt your business, and what photos to use instead.
• The type of media you NEED on your website.
• 3 usability Issues your website probably has and how to fix them.
• How Facebook marketing could drastically your business.
• The most important page on your website.
• Why your website is essential in building trust.

Running a dental practice is one of the most fulfilling things in the world. It’s also one of the toughest. Not to mention.. It can get a little lonely.

Which is why I’m so passionate about building a community where practice owners can come together and share their knowledge and skills to help each other succeed.

Here at Dentist Metrics, we like to focus on the good guys (and girls) who go above and beyond to share their knowledge and passion for the world of dentistry.

Bottom line…

We think it’s important to give back.

Today I’m excited to share with you my conversation with Dr. Richard Low founder of SharedPractices.

His podcast helps aspiring and veteran practice owners take control of their practice by guiding them through the ups and downs of practice ownership.

Each “season”, he dives deep into a specific area of dentistry helping you rise to the top.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode:

• Should Your Dental Practice Start A Podcast?
• The Importance of Having Tough Conversations.
• What Makes A Successful Dental Practice Owner
• The Difference Between A Startup And Acquisition.
• The Importance of Giving Back To The Dental Community
• The Best Books That Will Help You In Your Dental Practice
• Why You’re Not As Good of A Leader As You Think
• Why Understanding Your Overhead Can Make Or Break Your Dental Practice Business
• When You Should Scale Your Marketing

The one thing that separates the just OK dental practice from the top performing dental practice — is a great front desk.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get this right. New employees come and go. Front desk training is often neglected. There are a million of other things needing your immediate attention.

Yet the reality is, your front desk is often the life of your dental practice. It’s the first touch point for new and old clients alike.

Today’s guest has mastered the art of front desk training, and has helped hundreds of practices improve their bottom line through intensive online front desk training.

Laura Hatch is the founder of Front Office Rocks, an online education training program, designed to help dental practices train their front desk staff. With over 180+ videos it’s one of go to resources if you’re looking to train your front desk staff.

Here are a few things you’ll discover in today’s episode:

• The one thing you should NEVER say when answering the phone.
• Why most dental practices fail in customer service.
• The secret to having great staff meetings.
• How open door communication can make or break your dental practice.
• Why good dentistry is like a “performance.”
• The importance of an “always be improving” mindset for your team.
• How to reduce resistance when implementing new procedures or training.
• The biggest mistake most front offices make and how to fix it.
• Why your “numbers” shouldn’t be your main focus.
• How to get the staff to “buy in” your your dental practice mission.