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One of my pet peeves is watching capable people held back by their fears. I’m not talking about seeing someone scared by a spider that eats birds. No, I’m referring to the everyday fears that we encounter in our day to day lives that keep us from being all we can be…if we give into them.

Of course, WE can see the overreaction when we look at other paralyzed into inaction when we see it as an observer, but all too often, we fall victim to them ourselves.

At the inauguration of FDR, he said: “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Wise man.

I tend to not worry too much. I’m just built that way and I recognize and respect that we are all wired differently. But we need to keep in mind that there’s silly, unnecessary risk and then there’s calculated risk. If you’re reading this, you probably took a calculated risk with taking out student loans. But you probably didn’t buy into a Canadian gold mining company that your friend’s cousin told you to buy when you met them at a wedding. Or buy that “can’t miss stock” your patient told you about.

Maybe you want to own a practice but are afraid of the risk. Perhaps you need to hire another assistant because of long wait times, but you’re worried about the risk. Maybe you don’t want to invest in a patient appreciation party because it might cost too much. Perhaps it’s avoiding that CE course because after all, it IS a lot of money.

To be clear, I am not telling you to take silly risks. I AM suggesting that you consider taking calculated risks. Sometimes. You know which ones I’m talking about, Maybe you’re facing one right now.

You got here because you’re smart and sometimes you just need to move outside your comfort zone. Again, don’t bet the house on it, but some of the greatest things in my life have come when I’ve carefully analyzed possible outcomes and decided that the benefit outweighed the downside risk. So, don’t be reckless, but sometimes if it feels right, it is.

And you will lose from time to time and that’s OK. We are built to weather storms. Just don’t be reckless.

I once asked a mentor: “How do you get experience?”
He said: “Through failure and learning from it.”
I asked: “How do you learn from it?
His response? “Through experience.”

So true.

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we do deep dives into these discussions (and more) , please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

Wishing you all the best!!!

GLENN KRIEGER IS AN ORTHODONTIST WITH 20 YEARS OF RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY EXPERIENCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO ORTHODONTIC RESIDENCY. DR. KRIEGER LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-DESIGNED PRACTICE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS DURING A YEAR AT THE SCHUSTER CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S “DENTIST AS CEO” PROGRAM. HE IS THE HOST OF “THE ORTHOPRENEURS PODCAST” AND MANAGES THE ORTHOPRENEURS FACEBOOK GROUP.

There’s a well known orthodontic practice near me that simply doesn’t accept any adult patients. You’re a parent of a current patient and want treatment? Sorry, find another practice.

There are also orthodontic practices around the US that do not accept any pediatric patients and only treat adults.

Then there are the rest of us, who treat anyone who needs or wants straighter teeth, but attracting and treating everyone can be complicated.

Do you think that adults want to be treated in a space decorated for kids or vice versa?

What about marketing?

And then comes the bigger question: Which population do you really want to treat? Each group has significant pros and cons. From home care and compliance to “pickiness”, they present totally different rewards and challenges.

If you’re set up for both populations and you’re happy treating that way, that’s awesome. My practice currently sits at 53% kids and 47% adults.  I guess I haven’t done a great job of differentiating, and I know those percentages are a bit unusual, but I’m very happy with the mix of patients and procedures.

I saw a recent thread in our Facebook group about trying to increase the number of parents being treated in a practice. My question to you, is if the population you’re currently treating isn’t what you ideally want, what steps are you taking to make the change?

You can make your practice anything you want it to be. Just plan it and do it. 🙂

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group (OrthopreneursRD) where we do deep dives into these discussions (and more) , please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Glenn Krieger is an orthodontist with 20 years of restorative and cosmetic dentistry experience before he returned to orthodontic residency. Dr. Krieger learned about the importance of well-designed practice policies and systems during a year at the Schuster Center for Professional Development in Scottsdale Arizona, and an understanding of general accounting practices and industrial psychology at the University of Washington Graduate Business School’s “Dentist as CEO” program. He is the host of “The Orthopreneurs Podcast” and manages the Orthopreneurs Facebook group.

Ever read Dustin Burleson’s book The Truth About Referrals From Patients and Dentists? I was reading it yesterday and he makes some amazing suggestions, but most importantly, it made me stop and think of all of the ways in which we attract patients.

A lot of discussions in our groups revolve around patient referral programs and whether or not it makes sense to outsource to a third party to help us with implementation. Many are in favor of such referral programs which others are staunch opponents. But Dustin’s book made me think about the referral process as going way beyond the simple rewards component.

We need to be focused on things like serving our best referrers, dentists and their teams, social media, community events and so much more.

The question I’ll leave you with today is this: Have you implemented a complete, killer referral program that focuses on all aspects of your referral funnel, focusing on every step of the referral process from the beginning until the end? If not, what are you waiting for?

If you’re one of the rare practices that doesn’t need to market much to grow, that’s amazing. But for the rest of us, referrals are our lifeblood and we need to be focused on helping that phone ring or getting people to click that “make an appointment now” button on our websites.

So, I’ll ask you again: Is your referral program everything you want it to be? If not, what are you going to do about it?

If you want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group where we do deep dives into these discussions (and more) , please message me. To learn more about your region’s availability and what it’s all about, click HERE.

Wishing you all the best!!!

I’m in the middle of reading “Making Money is Killing Your Business” by Chuck Blakeman. In the opening pages, he uses the term “ambitiously lazy” to describe his approach to work. It means that he worked his butt off really heavily early in his career because he wanted to coast later on. In essence, he was very ambitious with his labor to grow his business so that later he could work way less.

Is orthodontic practice ownership different? We do indeed have to work our butts off to grow our practices. Gone are the days of dentistry when you could open a practice and be “in the black” (making money) two weeks after opening (yes, that’s the way practice used to be). We have to wear a ton of hats like manager, leader, entrepreneur, HR chief, PR manager, etc, etc, etc.. It takes a lot of work.

People often ask me if they should open their own office or keep working their corporate gig. I always say that owning a practice isn’t for the faint of heart. If you want to race home 5 minutes after the last patient and not work on marketing or business plans, then by all means do not own a practice. But if you want the advantages of being your own boss and setting your ship in the direction of your choosing, then practice ownership can be so incredibly rewarding,  But you must work at it, and unlike Mr. Blakeman,  who runs an online business, we must continue at it.

If you plant a tree, you need to dig a hole and work hard to water it, stake it, feed it and eventually it will bear fruit. But what happens when it’s “mature” and you neglect it? Sure, it will still offer fruit, but eventually it will start to decline and ultimately the tree will die. Our practices are the same.

We all have seen the more mature clinician who hasn’t tended to the practice the way they used to, believing that their popularity alone will gain them patients. Ask them how their FB marketing is going and they’re likely to say: “I’m not on social media” and their websites show no signs of updating in the last decade. As a friend of mine once said, they’re “riding their dinosaurs into extinction” and there isn’t a practice around that’s immune to the outcomes of neglect.

So, heed my advice and spend some extra time working on your practice every day. Focus on that extra FB post or a new system for lab tracking or maybe have that difficult talk with that team member instead of rushing home. Most importantly, if your practice is mature, continue doing the things that made you successful. Whether you plan on working for the next 20 years or retiring next year, the extra work will benefit you.

Being ambitiously lazy isn’t for orthodontic practice owners. Now go do one special task to make your practice better. 🙂

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.

I’m a continuing education junkie. I admit it. I can’t help myself.  As a matter of fact, I am writing this in an uber on my way to Logan Airport in Boston after a great weekend of education on clear aligner therapy. My friends me that they can’t understand how I have the energy to travel for so much CE, but I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

Yes, some courses aren’t as amazing as advertised, but even under the worst of circumstances I can find at least one great nugget or pearl to take home, whether it’s taught to me from the stage or from a fellow attendee.

In our OrthopreneursRD group, I believe we have at least 100 hours of  in-person CE scheduled every year and the best part of just spending time with people I care about. The education seems like a great side bonus.

I know that not everyone is built this way, and traveling can be expensive and time consuming, but I couldn’t imagine practicing without trying to constantly get better at my craft.  Best of all, early in my career, it was the live attendance courses that helped me make connections and accelerate the growth of my practice.

Sure, you can take webinars and read journals and textbooks, but I’m just an “in-person” kind of guy. Plus, I absolutely love seeing my peers. We tend to practice in our own spaces, and it’s refreshing when I get to connect with others who are on a parallel journey, sharing tips, tricks and best of all, the journey.

But you say that don’t have time to take courses? You have a busy life or young kids or a spouse who works or you’re a single parent. I totally get it. Life obligations can get in the way, and I’ve been there with three young kids. I just couldn’t imagine telling my patients that I don’t really take every opportunity to get better and luckily, my spouse knew this about me when we got married.

I’m not here to tell you that you should be as crazy and take a couple of hundred hours of CE every year or visit a dozen practices, but I think as health-care professionals, in addition to being members of study groups and FB groups, we owe it to our patients to give them the best care we possibly can and that innovation and growth can often come only in live-learning situations. Could you imagine going to a surgeon who, before performing the procedure, told you that he/she couldn’t take much CE this year because their child had a lot of travel softball games, so they simply couldn’t find the time? Think this doesn’t happen in orthodontics? Guess again.

Before the Orthopreneurs Summit, I will get numerous messages from orthodontists asking me how many hours the meeting is because they need “x” amount of hours to meet their state’s minimum continuing education requirements.

All day long on FB we’ll hear comments like “I do my best to help my patients” and “I love being an orthodontist” but it’s also important to remember that our obligations to both comments includes the inconvenience, cost and burden of staying up to date on the newest materials, techniques and practice management through continuing education.

Without a doubt, the best clinicians I’ve ever met, with the most fulfilling practice and personal lives are the ones whom I’ve met on my jouney, and as matter of fact, the meeting I just left had at least 4 doctors (out of 16) in their 70’s with practices that most of us would love to have.

So, if you don’t take a lot of live CE, try your best to take that extra course, or visit that extra meeting. It’s hard for me to recall a course or meeting that I regretted attending and best of all, we get to spend time nurturing our professional self and connecting with those who really understand our journey and commitment.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.

 

I often see posts where people seem really unhappy. Maybe it’s a patient who irked them or a team member who is taking advantage of them. There are many examples where you can just feel the unhappiness through the computer screen. Is it endemic to our profession? Is it our lifestyles? Is it our ages? Studies show it may very well be the latter variable.

American Psychologist, Professor Laura Carstensen  found  that senior citizens are generally happier than their younger counterparts. Do they face less trouble, or uphill battles? Absolutely not. Professor Carsetensen  explained that seniors simply view their lives as not having enough time left to be unhappy. How do they make this shift to happiness?

Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky wrote The Myths of Happiness in 2013 and explained to author Robert Cialdini that there are specific steps people can take to increase their happiness and be more like seniors in terms of a happiness outlook. She explained there’s good news and bad news (from Robert Cialdini’s Pre-Suasion):

People can follow three steps to increase happiness, if done every single day:

1. Count your blessings and gratitudes at the start of every day and then give yourself concentrated time with them by writing them down.
2. Cultivate optimism by choosing beforehand  to look on the bright side of situations, events and future possibilities.
3. Negate the negative by deliberately limiting time spent dwelling on problems or on unhealthy comparisons with others.

Cialdini references the “Live Happy” app that helps users engage in the activities that make them happiest and greater happiness correlates with more frequent use.

But take note: You must practice the aforementioned steps regularly. Dr. Lyubomirsky likens your happiness journey to losing weight. “You can’t just do it from time to time and expect great results. You must live it and make it a regular part of your life. Relocate psychologically to the places that keep you happiest.” Sounds tough, right?

Well, if you’re not a senior citizen, it is pretty tough to get there. Why?

Dr. Lyubomirsky explained:

“…when you’re young or in middle age, your mind’s attention has been turned towards learning, developing and striving for achievement. Accomplishing these objectives requires a special openness to discomforting elements: demanding tasks, contrary points of view, unfamiliar people, and owning mistakes and failures.”

Cialdini further described that as a result, it makes sense that when we’re young or in middle age, it can be so hard to turn our minds away from our tribulations. We need to be receptive to the real negatives in our lives so that we can learn from them and deal with them. So how do we deal with them and at the same time be happy?

Do not allow yourself to become mired in the negative loop of unhappiness, and that’s where Dr. Lyubomirsky’s exercises become so helpful.

So, start following the three steps to train your happiness and the next time something bad happens and you find yourself becoming unhappy, hopefully you’ll be trained to get out of the negative feedback loop and realize all of the amazing things in your life.

As they say, you can’t affect what happens in your life, but you CAN choose how you deal with it.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.

A couple of days ago in the Orthopreneurs group, many of us jokingly answered the question: “You know you mad a mistake in hiring when….”

The answers were both hysterical and horrifying. From odd behavior to criminal activity, it was clear that for many of us the hiring process led to a less than perfect outcome. There have also been many in the 4000+  member group who have often remarked that they just can’t seem to find a team member who’s honest, hard-working, shows up regularly and gets along with the other team members.

So, today I ask you two questions:
1. Why do we see such odd employee behavior our industry?
2. How can we manage an applicant pool that often causes us to lower our standards of what we deem “acceptable”?

I can’t give you an answer to the first question. I have lots of theories and hypotheses, but I can’t prove any of them, so what’s the point?

However, with respect to the second question, there’s a lot we can do. We can lengthen the hiring process, do our due-diligence, let our team play a role in the process of adding new team members, have well-written job descriptions, solid policies and systems and a formal indoctrination process.

We can also be role models for our team members. In 27 years in practice, I’ve probably met and gotten to know hundreds of team members from my office and others. Many come from broken homes, perhaps with limited life options and immediate financial needs that caused them to choose dental assisting or office administration. I know, that’s not all of our team members, but it’s a trend I feel I’ve seen.

Many of our team members have also never seen or had a positive role model in their lives. We have an opportunity to help them learn things (together while we learn them) that will change their lives. Things like money management, communication skills, interpersonal relationship success, nutrition for health and so much more to which they have never been introduced.

While we strive to make a difference in the lives of our patients, we often forget that the ones whose lives we can change the most (beyond our families) are those of our team members. We often don’t have full control of the employment pool from which we choose team members, and never forget that once we bring them on board, it’s up to us to try and help them become everything they can be both in and outside of our office.

I have also been plagued with some pretty poor hiring choices, but I will nonetheless never stop trying to help them be all they can be and try to make my team and my office culture as positive and welcoming as possible.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.

I started Orthopreneurs because of an accountant.

There I was, a recent ortho grad and a fellow co-resident, hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, asked me how to find an accountant. I felt it was borderline criminal to allow a resident to get into that kind of debt yet not offer any of the most basic advice on how to be even remotely competent in business. It’s  classic example of the E-myth in action, but that’s for another post.

So, how does one find an accountant, and what’s the big deal anyway? Aren’t they all the same? But then again, aren’t all orthodontists the same? Ummm, no.

I have used single accountants who were not at all knowledgable on dentistry, single accountants who were dentist-based, groups that were dentist knowledgable and those who had no idea.

At the end of the day, all are “competent” but there are nuances to what we do and understanding these intricacies allow good CPAs to help us maximize deductions and pay  Uncle Sam as little as legally possible.

You certainly can get many good names by asking friends in person or online. But how do you figure out if they’re a good fit? Well, consider an interview where you ask them how they stand out from the rest. Then ask for references. But even then, you may not find someone who is a good match.

I had an amazing CPA who worked with a number of dentists but when I ultimately switched to a dentist-centric CPA firm, they redid his return and saved me $14,000. There IS something to a CPA who understands our profession.

It’s also important for your CPA to be a good match for your aggressiveness. Some docs want to stay way within the line and others put their toes right on the edges. Your CPA should be a good match for your level of aggressiveness. Note that no CPA will cross that line because it’s their license at risk as well as your freedom.

Bottom line: There are lots of choices and you can get names of CPAs from friends but ultimately, it’s on you to do your due diligence and figure out who is the best fit.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.

I once had the privilege to listen to a presentation given by the late Captain Denny Fitch. You may know him because he is a co-holder of a dubious world record: Longest sustained flight of an aircraft without flight controls.

On July 19th, 1989, Flight 232 from Denver lost all flight controls and hydraulics shortly after takeoff and the heroic efforts of Denny Fitch and the other pilots saved 184 passengers. You’ve probably seen the video of the plane cartwheeling into a cornfield outside Sioux City, Iowa

Here’s a link to a great movie about the crash and how they managed to even get close to landing the flight near the Sioux City Airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8vdkTz0zqI

How did they survive in such a bleak situation? According to Captain Fitch, it was because of one idea: “Attitude affects altitude”. In other words, when things go poorly, the outlook will determine how long the plane stays in the air.

The same is true for our practices. Things won’t always go well. There are ups and downs. But a positive outlook will help your practice grow. Do NOT undervalue the importance of strong, positive leadership on the growth of your practice and the attitude of your team.

It’s easy to get down when someone calls in sick or the phone isn’t ringing enough with new patients. I’ve been swayed by negativity. But everyday, I make a few promises to myself:

-I will be a positive influence on those around me

-I will not react emotionally

-I will be patient with my teammates

The impact on my practice has been enormous. We’ve grown at an amazing rate, patients tell us they want to apply for a job working with us, and my team is thrilled with the office culture.

Being positive at all times-even when bad things happen-is simply a healthier way to travel through the day, but your bottom line will be positively affected by your amazing attitude.

If you’re not a naturally upbeat person, then “fake it till you make it” as the old saying goes. I promise you that it’s way nicer to go through the day with a  smile, rather than a frown or scowl.

So, the next time your assistant informs you that a case isn’t back in time, or a mom needs to talk to you about your comments regarding her perfect child’s amazing rubber band wear, take a deep breath and keep Captain Fitch’s message in mind.

Your attitude WILL affect the altitude of your practice and impact the trajectory of growth.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.

I just had the pleasure of attending Dr. Stuart Frost’s 2 day “finishing” course in Phoenix. Dr. Frost is (IMHO) a master clinician and a gentleman of the highest order. His case outcomes are spectacular and the way he finishes his cases was the REAL takeaway for me.  His attention to the soft and hard tissues -the way he regularly sculpts his finished cases with a laser and reshapes the teeth-transforms beautiful finishes into exceptional “Frost Smiles”. Best of all, he teaches with patience and passion.

Almost everyone knows that Dr. Frost uses Damon brackets and I was the only orthodontist in the room who wasn’t a Damon user. As a matter of fact, he knew that I was a KOL for Henry Schein when he let me into the course.  I didn’t even know that it had anything to do with Damon until I showed up and it didn’t matter to me at all. (Disclosure: I am not a Damon KOL, nor do I currently receive any support from them aside from their vendor sponsorship (along with 40 other companies) of the Orthopreneurs Summit.)

You see, his course was about “finishing” NOT Damon brackets. Sure, Dr. Frost firmly believes that his outcomes are a result of the entire Damon system and certain advantages he believes it offers, and until my finishes rival his, I am not in a position to argue for or against his position. If I were to switch to Damon brackets tomorrow, he’d be genuinely happy for me. If I continue with my current bracket system, he wouldn’t judge me.

My point is that irrespective of your bracket system and how you feel about Damon brackets, this weekend was an example of a gifted teacher doing what he does best: Teaching. He doesn’t  get paid if I switch to Damon and he doesn’t care what I’m using. His job (and he did it very well) was to show me how he gets exceptional outcomes using the techniques he implements. He treated me with respect and vice versa. I have 6 pages of notes to implement in my practice starting Tuesday morning, and none of them say “Damon” on them.

Let’s realize that exceptional education crosses all boundaries. I will listen to any speaker, irrespective of who sponsors them and respect their right to talk about the system, bracket, wire, appliance, etc of their choosing. I just want to learn and get better and here’s the entire point of this post…..

There is a small, but vocal minority that is so loud in attacking speakers sponsored by companies, that many of them (I’ve spoken to numerous KOLs on this subject) will not post their best material online because they don’t need the hassle. This small, but loud group (who disguise their contempt for KOls under the rally cry of “we need to know who pays your bills”) are keeping the rest of us from being able to hear the messages of some of the most accomplished and experienced clinicians out there. If they get paid commission, they should disclose it, but otherwise, I’m totally OK with you sharing your knowledge with me so I can look at your cases and make up my own mind. It would be great if all KOLs disclosed it in their posts, but I have personally seen many KOLs attacked when they shared their observations from treating many cases using a particular method, and the attacks have come AFTER they’ve clearly stated their affiliations.

For me, it’s not about the bracket. It’s about the person and I sincerely hope that you all experience the “non-partisan” learning and collaboration I just got to experience over the last 36 hours.

We all have so much to share and I’ll admit that at least I have so much to learn. We chose an exceptional profession that is evolving at such a rapid pace that we need pioneers on the technology adoption curve (i.e.-KOLs)  to go out and push the envelope and come back and report what they’ve found. Let’s realize that their journeys are often fraught with difficulty and failure and that they save us a lot of time and trouble in our practices and there may not be any science on their observations for years to come. Let’s be vigilant with doing our own investigations after hearing their messages and above all, be kind and polite when we express our opinions.

Wishing you all the best!!!

Want to be a part of a geographically exclusive Facebook group like none other? With monthly webinars and CE courses with top speakers in the industry, there are only two prerequisites: You’re an orthodontist (yes, you can be an associate) and you want to contribute to a group of like-minded peers who have come together to share our practice ideas and solve our common business, leadership and management issues. Email me at Glenn@OrthoPreneursRD.com to learn more and to see if you’re region is available.