When it comes to what dreams are made of for a dentist, it is the “perfect patient”. You know what I’m talking about. The patient that calls up asking for a comprehensive exam and tour of your office followed by a second visit where they can bring their spouse in and listen to you expound upon the benefits of a comprehensive full mouth ...

While considering this next myth, I began to think of one of the words in the title that most of you may have just glossed over. Most of you registered and understood the word “myth” but I’m willing to bet that no one really thought of the consequences or implication of the word “chasing”. Everyone has heard of myths, but most know to ...

Allow me to take one moment to define the perspective and wisdom of identifying myths vs the reality of seeking truth in a dental practice business model. I do suggest that if this is the first of the “Myths” discussions you are reading, please take the time and go back and review and familiarize yourself with the substance of previous ...

Most of us when faced with a challenge or competition tend to psych ourselves up by demeaning our adversary. Nowhere is this more common than on Facebook and nothing is more frequent than dentists dismissing the onslaught of DSO’s and large multi-office corporations in the face of our new dental economy. To set the record straight, I will agree ...

This may be one of the foundational myths that doctors chase: If I just spend more money on marketing, my practice will finally turn around. I tend to hear this in a phone call with a doctor under the guise of “I have a great office and staff; I just need more new patients”. A cursory glance at this statement really reveals nothing wrong. ...

Deep inside each of us there resides a list. A “to-do” list that is unique to each of us. In a way this accumulation of tasks almost feels like it defines us as a human being. What’s weird is that dentists seem to have created additional subliminal lists and unless we can check them off, we feel like failures. While varied, most dentists ...

In the pursuit of chasing myths, I find this article to be near and dear to me. There is rarely a week that goes by that some recent graduate does not pose a question related to the pursuit of myths that began in Dental School. I am sure there has never been a recent graduate who just received their diploma from Dental School who was joyously ...

I know what you’re thinking. I used to think that way too. It took decades, but I finally figured out why employees are always a bad idea. I am guessing that right now you are going to be a bit confused. Is Mike saying that we shouldn’t hire or even have any employees? The answer is no, “but”. This article will explore the “but”. When ...

Thinking back to dental school graduation, I’m sure I was pretty naïve as I planned my future. I was going to work as an associate, and within a year or two open my own practice or end up partnering with my first jobs owner. I was going back to my hometown and already had that job with my childhood dentist. The weekend following my graduation I ...

For over 25 years, my main practice was a “fee-for-service practice”. Demographics, insurance, corporate dentistry, and DSO’s challenged that status quo and I found that the dental economy was changing in every state. These changes certainly morphed at different rates in different states, but as we look at the new reality in healthcare and ...