It has been said that after meeting with the great British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, you left feeling he was the smartest person in the world, but after meeting with his rival Benjamin Disraeli, you left thinking you were the smartest person. It’s human nature to feel good about people who make you feel good.…
The other day I wrote about anger and its presence in the online community, particularly on Facebook. I spoke about how it often consumes people at a time when all they have to do is either say something nice or keep their mouths shut. However, there’s another emotion that often plays an even bigger role in…
A friend of mine recently got invited to be a part of a prestigious dental organization and posted it online, not knowing whether or not he should accept the invitation. The response from the members of his orthodontic social community ranged from apathy to near contempt for a genuinely prestigious non-ortho organization they clearly knew…
Ok, first off, I am most definitely NOT recommending that you eat an actual elephant, but rather, use that famous figure of speech to help you take control of your practice and life. Every single day I have conversations with younger (and some older) clinicians who feel overwhelmed with their ability to run their practices, let alone…
20 years ago, shortly after I purchased my practice, I had a patient who was THAT patient. You know, the one who always shows up late, never pays his bills, has a gag reflex, can’t be reclined in the chair, always complains about your fee and treats your team like garbage. I finished a bunch…
I’m here in San Diego, about to head home after seeing some great speakers and learning a lot from those I respect so much. I got some great practice pearls and learned a ton of ways to help my patients get better outcomes. Most of all, I love watching great dentists talk about their practices. I…
In Ancient Rome, commanders would order bridges to be set afire behind their troops when invading a new territory. It meant that to get home, the troops needed to fight through whatever obstacles were in front of them. The term “burning bridges” has now become synonymous with destroying relationships to which one can never return. Clinicians do…
I can tell you from personal experience that having a mentor has caused exceptional changes in my life. He was (and remains) one of the most savvy individuals I’ve ever met and his prescient views helped me navigate many hurdles I’ve faced in my business and personal lives. Every Sunday morning we would meet and discuss…
Let’s be honest, as clinicians we love to spend money on the newest, latest or greatest tool touted to make our practices succeed. Sometimes they work out as planned and sometimes they don’t. My practice’s proverbial closet is crammed full of ideas and investments that may or may not have worked out over the years. Some…
