WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.520 Welcome to Bite Size Dental Marketing. In this 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:05.660 episode, we talk to the one and only Marissa 00:00:05.660 --> 00:00:09.099 Krugoff. Marissa is co -founder of the Dental 00:00:09.099 --> 00:00:11.779 Practice Management Agency and is a certified 00:00:11.779 --> 00:00:15.279 life coach trained under Tony Robbins. With over 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:18.739 25 years in dentistry, Marissa brings a rare 00:00:18.739 --> 00:00:21.780 blend of clinical expertise, business strategy, 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:24.640 and a people -first leadership to the table. 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.739 We talk about the real challenges that dentists 00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:30.339 face when they go straight from graduating into 00:00:30.339 --> 00:00:33.280 being expected to own and run their own dental 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:36.219 practice. Marissa shares how understanding human 00:00:36.219 --> 00:00:39.240 needs, training with intention and practicing 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:42.939 radical candor can transform not only the systems 00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:46.039 in your practice, but also your entire team. 00:00:46.179 --> 00:00:54.280 Enjoy. So Marissa, one thing that I always love 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.859 to do is to just understand the background and 00:00:57.859 --> 00:00:59.600 the story of our guests when they come and join 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:02.619 us on the podcast. I went and I had a look and 00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:05.040 everything from life coach to your experience 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:07.060 in dentistry to the type of unique techniques 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:10.680 that you implement. You don't just learn that 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:12.879 overnight. So if you can please just give us 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:15.239 a bit about your background and how your journey 00:01:15.239 --> 00:01:17.920 has led you to where you are today. Absolutely. 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:20.140 Yeah. So I've been in dentistry my whole life. 00:01:20.299 --> 00:01:23.540 I started when I was a very young teen and I 00:01:23.540 --> 00:01:26.379 started as a hygiene coordinator and I was very 00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:30.159 lucky to be with a dentist that taught me kind 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:31.760 of everything dental. He taught me how to read 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.159 x -rays and kind of taught me like you would 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:36.500 an associate. And so I fell in love with dentistry 00:01:36.500 --> 00:01:38.879 and his wife taught me everything insurance. 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:41.700 And so eventually that led me to the front office 00:01:41.700 --> 00:01:47.379 where I was a front office admin person, Eventually, 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:50.340 I was a regional manager for a large DSO or a 00:01:50.340 --> 00:01:54.799 corporate office dentistry. You know, I loved 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:57.900 that because I could help people on a greater 00:01:57.900 --> 00:02:02.060 scale. But what I was missing was the culture. 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:05.540 And so I loved the systems. Corporate has some 00:02:05.540 --> 00:02:07.900 beautiful systems. But what they are missing 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:10.840 typically, not always, is that culture and communication 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:13.419 piece. And I just thought if you could marry 00:02:13.419 --> 00:02:16.539 the two of those. What could that do for an office? 00:02:16.860 --> 00:02:20.699 So that's why I started consulting and being 00:02:20.699 --> 00:02:23.599 able to grow that in the practices and watch 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:27.080 not only the humans grow. But the business grow, 00:02:27.340 --> 00:02:28.840 because if you grow the humans, you grow the 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:32.479 business. I wanted to do more. And I found life 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.240 coaching. I took a class and got certified under 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:37.099 Tony Robbins. For those of you who are under 00:02:37.099 --> 00:02:40.740 35, Tony Robbins is a big life coach guru. He 00:02:40.740 --> 00:02:43.120 was like the first authentic rough and tumble 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:45.360 kind of life coach. And I just really resonated 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.460 with that. I thought he was so authentic that 00:02:47.460 --> 00:02:50.099 I wanted to be like that. So I got certified 00:02:50.099 --> 00:02:53.080 under him. And we now use that in our business 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:56.620 to. grow communication grow culture grow the 00:02:56.620 --> 00:03:00.319 humans um and and couple that with that beautiful 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:03.099 system um you know accountability that grows 00:03:03.099 --> 00:03:05.699 the business and that it's been amazing it just 00:03:05.699 --> 00:03:07.699 kind of has been a journey that fell in my lap 00:03:07.699 --> 00:03:10.780 but i just i don't say no to anything it's always 00:03:10.780 --> 00:03:14.219 yes i want to know more just keep growing yeah 00:03:14.219 --> 00:03:17.960 the tony robbins um you being a certified tony 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:19.800 robbins coach i saw that and i was like that 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:21.960 is very interesting i definitely want to ask 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:24.400 marissa about that was it just like You said 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:26.080 now you resonate with him and you're like, I 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:28.639 just want to learn more and go take that on. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:31.280 Or was it that was dentistry in the back of your 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:34.599 mind of we need to marry this in some way? Or 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:36.580 did it just come kind of come together for you 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:39.759 when you had done both those things? Dentistry 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:41.800 was not in my mindset at all when I took those 00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:45.120 classes. I really wanted to. grow people and 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.659 give that's my purpose is to give back to people 00:03:47.659 --> 00:03:50.500 and to help them find their best selves it just 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:52.199 that's my purpose and it took me a minute to 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.280 find out that that was my purpose but I just 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:57.319 get to do it both with my life coaching and with 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:59.500 dentistry now and I just kind of put those both 00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:01.419 together because I love them both. One thing 00:04:01.419 --> 00:04:04.460 that I hear again and again and again that I 00:04:04.460 --> 00:04:08.360 feel so many dentists are faced with is they 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:13.550 study for a minimum of eight years to even just 00:04:13.550 --> 00:04:16.829 become a dentist. I mean, now I don't know anything 00:04:16.829 --> 00:04:19.610 else at this point. I've just become a dentist. 00:04:20.189 --> 00:04:23.350 And they're then thrown into this world where 00:04:23.350 --> 00:04:28.389 they're expected to run a business and know team 00:04:28.389 --> 00:04:30.790 dynamics and the psychology of a team and dealing 00:04:30.790 --> 00:04:33.350 with the emotions of a team and processes. What 00:04:33.350 --> 00:04:36.339 is your thoughts on... the experience that dentists 00:04:36.339 --> 00:04:38.300 have during that time, during that transition 00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:41.620 of having to wear so many hats when they've just 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:44.259 kind of completed one chapter. When you first 00:04:44.259 --> 00:04:46.420 get out of dental school as a dentist, what I've 00:04:46.420 --> 00:04:49.199 seen time and time again is they're just getting 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:52.339 their feet like on solid ground of, oh, I don't 00:04:52.339 --> 00:04:54.399 have to have a professor check me every time 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:56.899 I do something. Oh, my crown can't take me four 00:04:56.899 --> 00:04:59.220 hours to do, you know, like they're just getting 00:04:59.220 --> 00:05:02.620 the dental piece. And so it really takes. about 00:05:02.620 --> 00:05:05.500 three to five years for them to start to look 00:05:05.500 --> 00:05:08.540 up and be like okay i've got this dentistry thing 00:05:08.540 --> 00:05:11.819 down and the dentistry is the easy part it's 00:05:11.819 --> 00:05:13.699 all the other things you were talking about the 00:05:13.699 --> 00:05:16.160 business all of that stuff and you know we we 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:19.439 have this joke in dentistry that um dentists 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:20.939 don't know business because we don't teach it 00:05:20.939 --> 00:05:22.759 to them in dental school kind of where it's always 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:24.819 you know they're terrible you know business people 00:05:24.819 --> 00:05:27.259 but the honest truth is is that that joke is 00:05:27.259 --> 00:05:30.189 not that funny because after these docs get out 00:05:30.189 --> 00:05:32.550 within five years of them graduating typically 00:05:32.550 --> 00:05:35.870 most of them own a business a small business 00:05:35.870 --> 00:05:38.990 that they don't know how to run and and i think 00:05:38.990 --> 00:05:41.129 that that's the scary part for me you know they 00:05:41.129 --> 00:05:43.629 know the dentistry that's easy to them you know 00:05:43.629 --> 00:05:46.790 there's some harder things but they what they 00:05:46.790 --> 00:05:50.470 don't know is what's the admin team doing how 00:05:50.470 --> 00:05:53.579 are they billing and collecting money how are 00:05:53.579 --> 00:05:55.699 they supposed to take all that paperwork at the 00:05:55.699 --> 00:05:57.500 end of the day and make sure that the bank account 00:05:57.500 --> 00:05:59.779 matches that stuff how are they supposed to deal 00:05:59.779 --> 00:06:02.240 with the fact that susie the hygienist is mad 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:04.660 at you know rachel the assistant because they're 00:06:04.660 --> 00:06:06.360 not doing their own instruments you know like 00:06:06.360 --> 00:06:08.540 all of that stuff or you know the talent pool 00:06:08.540 --> 00:06:10.860 is so shallow in dentistry right now that you 00:06:10.860 --> 00:06:12.800 can't find a great human if you do they want 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:14.420 so much money how are you going to pay them so 00:06:14.420 --> 00:06:17.019 all of these things including bill paying all 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:19.300 that just it stacks up and they're in a mouth 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:22.899 all day long So it's really hard for them to 00:06:22.899 --> 00:06:25.740 switch gears from, I have to be the main producer 00:06:25.740 --> 00:06:28.480 to, oh my gosh, my business has to be ran as 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.759 well. And honestly, the best advice I have in 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:34.120 those moments is get a team of Avengers. Like 00:06:34.120 --> 00:06:37.699 you need just everybody that can teach you how 00:06:37.699 --> 00:06:40.139 to do those things. One of the things I learned 00:06:40.139 --> 00:06:42.540 in my life coaching class that Tony Robbins preaches 00:06:42.540 --> 00:06:46.379 is if you go your lifetime and learn your lessons, 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:51.199 you'll know a lifetime of lessons. Get those 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:53.879 gurus or those people that are just like, I know 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:56.459 these things very well. And you learn what they 00:06:56.459 --> 00:06:59.680 know. You've learned many lifetimes of things. 00:06:59.819 --> 00:07:02.060 And I think sometimes dentists, especially because 00:07:02.060 --> 00:07:04.259 they're in their own small little practice, they're 00:07:04.259 --> 00:07:06.199 on their own isolated island. They know what 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:08.920 they know. And sometimes they're held hostage 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:11.680 by their employees because of that. So it's hard. 00:07:11.819 --> 00:07:13.879 That's the biggest challenge I see is the business 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:15.379 piece. It's not the dentistry. You can figure 00:07:15.379 --> 00:07:17.500 that out. And there's plenty of CE out there 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:20.079 if you can't. But when it comes to business, 00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:23.779 there's not that many. And recently, within the 00:07:23.779 --> 00:07:26.040 last three years, I have caught over a million 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:28.519 dollars of embezzlement just in dental practices 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:31.279 because dentists don't know their business. They 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:35.160 take whatever Susie at the front desk tells them 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:38.339 at face value because they have no idea what 00:07:38.339 --> 00:07:40.560 insurance is doing, how they're billing, how 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.480 they're collecting, what are they supposed to 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:44.279 do with all these papers at the end of the day. 00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:47.980 So if I, again, had the best advice I could get 00:07:47.980 --> 00:07:51.930 is, Get educated on your business because that's 00:07:51.930 --> 00:07:53.709 the part, no matter how much you're producing, 00:07:53.930 --> 00:07:56.850 if someone's taking your money or not billing 00:07:56.850 --> 00:08:00.269 it correctly or writing it off erroneously, that's 00:08:00.269 --> 00:08:04.069 hurtful. What are those main problems besides 00:08:04.069 --> 00:08:06.649 embezzlement or the problems inside of the team 00:08:06.649 --> 00:08:08.910 or the team dynamics that you are seeing with 00:08:08.910 --> 00:08:12.290 all of the dental practices that you've worked 00:08:12.290 --> 00:08:14.069 with in your time? What are some core issues 00:08:14.069 --> 00:08:18.769 that you can mention to us that dentist maybe 00:08:18.769 --> 00:08:21.470 won't feel as alone or can get a better understanding 00:08:21.470 --> 00:08:24.050 of hey these things are happening but you can 00:08:24.050 --> 00:08:27.089 do something about it lately what i've seen the 00:08:27.089 --> 00:08:30.250 most of is dentists being held hostage by the 00:08:30.250 --> 00:08:32.649 person that's the only person that knows how 00:08:32.649 --> 00:08:35.429 to do this thing whether and typically it's admin 00:08:35.429 --> 00:08:37.029 team because you know you can find an assistant 00:08:37.029 --> 00:08:39.730 that knows how to do things unless the assistant 00:08:39.730 --> 00:08:41.450 that's leaving is the only one that knows how 00:08:41.450 --> 00:08:43.649 to run your airway practice or the only one that 00:08:43.649 --> 00:08:45.950 knows how to do your seric crown so you know 00:08:45.950 --> 00:08:48.350 obviously making sure that people are cross -trained 00:08:48.350 --> 00:08:51.850 i oftentimes hear docs when i go in you know 00:08:51.850 --> 00:08:54.149 and we're just doing our observation to see if 00:08:54.149 --> 00:08:56.330 they want to be a client we want to bring them 00:08:56.330 --> 00:08:59.230 into our program I hear them tell me, oh yeah, 00:08:59.389 --> 00:09:01.309 you know, if Susie ever goes on vacation, my 00:09:01.309 --> 00:09:03.730 insurance claims don't get posted. Like I don't 00:09:03.730 --> 00:09:06.149 get paid. So they just stack up and I wait for 00:09:06.149 --> 00:09:08.029 her to come back and then she posts them because 00:09:08.029 --> 00:09:10.509 nobody else knows how to do it, you know, or 00:09:10.509 --> 00:09:13.230 she won't let anybody else. So there's just certain 00:09:13.230 --> 00:09:14.730 things that I think, you know, having people 00:09:14.730 --> 00:09:17.490 cross -trained, making sure that no one can hold 00:09:17.490 --> 00:09:19.950 you hostage in your own business because of their 00:09:19.950 --> 00:09:22.690 level of knowledge is very good. That's a good 00:09:22.690 --> 00:09:24.730 way to protect your business. You know, the other 00:09:24.730 --> 00:09:27.179 thing that I see is lack of leadership. I have 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:29.960 a lot of doctors that, you know, because they're 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:31.960 in a face all day and they frankly didn't want 00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:33.659 to be business owners, they wanted to be dentists. 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.440 So, you know, they get done with that and they're 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:39.700 so exhausted. They don't want to have to go into 00:09:39.700 --> 00:09:42.940 the leadership mode and holding people accountable. 00:09:43.100 --> 00:09:45.340 And it's just like, gosh, I just want to go home. 00:09:45.639 --> 00:09:47.679 and i get it you know after all of that i totally 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:50.480 understand that but when we sign up to be a business 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:52.919 owner it is an ultimately heavy responsibility 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:55.980 and that means we take on all of it and again 00:09:55.980 --> 00:09:57.980 that's having systems of accountability making 00:09:57.980 --> 00:09:59.799 sure you're holding people accountable so that 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:02.039 they're coming to you and bringing you that information 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:04.860 instead of you like wondering all the time which 00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:07.480 is something we set up with our teams but we 00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:10.440 years ago put leadership first so we have a 12 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:13.840 months program our first two months is just leadership 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:16.580 It's making sure that the doctor and the leadership, 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:18.679 whoever that might be, if they have leads or 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:21.779 office manager, whatever, are solid, communicating 00:10:21.779 --> 00:10:24.960 well, holding people accountable, creating systems 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:27.259 well, before we ever even work with the team. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:29.679 Because if we don't, it's going to fail. It's 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:32.179 not going to work. And you mentioned a word multiple 00:10:32.179 --> 00:10:33.980 times there, accountability, accountability. 00:10:34.299 --> 00:10:37.480 I heard that word three or four times now. Tell 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:42.139 me. I know that is a cornerstone of the work 00:10:42.139 --> 00:10:43.840 that you do and the systems that you implement 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:47.779 with practices. What does accountability mean 00:10:47.779 --> 00:10:50.440 to you in a practice? You know, accountability 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:54.980 is we have set these systems. We've all agreed 00:10:54.980 --> 00:10:56.440 that this is how we're going to do something. 00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:00.320 And our integrity level is so high that we hold 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:02.080 each other accountable. It doesn't have to be 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:04.480 a doctor or an office manager. It could be a 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:07.549 front office person. holding an assistant accountable 00:11:07.549 --> 00:11:10.149 to passing really well so that they can get good 00:11:10.149 --> 00:11:11.950 treatment acceptance and the patient is communicated 00:11:11.950 --> 00:11:15.370 well with. It could be, I'm going to go to the 00:11:15.370 --> 00:11:17.509 person that I have an issue with instead of gossiping 00:11:17.509 --> 00:11:20.710 behind their back or going and tattling to somebody 00:11:20.710 --> 00:11:22.509 that is in leadership. I'm going to kindly go 00:11:22.509 --> 00:11:25.870 to them and now I have ways to do it and ask 00:11:25.870 --> 00:11:27.850 them, hey, what's going on for you? You haven't 00:11:27.850 --> 00:11:30.889 been showing up to huddle on time. Showing up 00:11:30.889 --> 00:11:33.090 to huddle on time. Everybody shows up on time 00:11:33.090 --> 00:11:35.629 because they know that's what's expected. There's 00:11:35.629 --> 00:11:39.009 plenty of agreements and rules, but a lot of 00:11:39.009 --> 00:11:42.289 it is just us agreeing together that this is 00:11:42.289 --> 00:11:45.009 how we are going to roll. This is our brand. 00:11:45.090 --> 00:11:48.149 This is who we are. And we are unapologetic about 00:11:48.149 --> 00:11:50.629 holding everybody accountable. It's kind. But 00:11:50.629 --> 00:11:53.350 when we see teams get to that level, it has to 00:11:53.350 --> 00:11:55.190 come from the doctor first, though, or the owner 00:11:55.190 --> 00:11:59.960 first. Yes, because the tail will wag the dog. 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:01.919 Like if they're not holding people accountable, 00:12:02.059 --> 00:12:03.940 all of a sudden they're like, none of these systems 00:12:03.940 --> 00:12:06.539 work. We had block booking forever ago, but no 00:12:06.539 --> 00:12:09.019 one ever followed it. And the first thing I wonder 00:12:09.019 --> 00:12:11.340 is, well, why isn't the doctor holding them accountable? 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:12.740 And usually it's because they're uncomfortable 00:12:12.740 --> 00:12:15.360 with having those hard conversations, which is 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:17.559 90 % of people, right? Nobody wants to have that 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:20.019 sit down conversation and talk about what people 00:12:20.019 --> 00:12:23.320 aren't doing right. The level of success that 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:25.679 doctors achieve or any person really in their 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:28.840 life is equal to the level of hard conversations 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:32.220 they're willing to have. Just that complete radical 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:36.360 candor of this is what's going on. And I loved 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:39.419 what you said there of if the team, and that's 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:42.100 why I know you said now talent density is thin, 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:45.600 but I will still say it. The team that you choose 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.929 and surround yourself with. needs to agree with 00:12:48.929 --> 00:12:51.370 the vision of the practice that the work ethic 00:12:51.370 --> 00:12:54.250 of the practice the type of patients we want 00:12:54.250 --> 00:12:56.049 in the practice how we want to treat our patients 00:12:56.049 --> 00:12:59.610 i guess i'll ask you then let's say i am trying 00:12:59.610 --> 00:13:04.129 to do that as a dentist but ian is a difficult 00:13:04.129 --> 00:13:07.549 team member and in i've asked him to show up 00:13:07.549 --> 00:13:10.389 now i've asked him to do this a certain way in 00:13:10.389 --> 00:13:12.679 that a certain way And I'm still struggling. 00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:14.779 And the team knows it. And the doctor knows it. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:18.779 But Marissa, I can't fire Ian. Because where 00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:20.960 am I going to find another hygienist? Or where 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:23.960 am I going to find? Because it's a problem. So 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:27.639 where do you land on that when that does become 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:29.799 a problem? You can't necessarily fire someone. 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:34.480 But you need to deal with it. Yeah. I mean, we 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:37.980 teach what we call high confront. So when moments 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:40.960 happen that are little, like Ian first decides 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.799 that he's not going to show up to huddle, I'm 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:45.659 going to immediately pull him in privately and 00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:47.500 have a conversation about what's going on for 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:49.799 him. I noticed you were not in huddle today on 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:52.320 time. What's happening for you? Immediately. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.539 I'm not accusing. I'm first just asking the why 00:13:55.539 --> 00:13:58.220 to try and understand so that the person doesn't 00:13:58.220 --> 00:14:00.820 get defensive immediately. Exactly. Yeah, because 00:14:00.820 --> 00:14:02.600 if you get defensive, your walls are up and you're 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:06.919 disconnecting to self -protect. So I just have 00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:09.039 a human conversation. I had to have three of 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.659 these last week with different team members. 00:14:11.899 --> 00:14:16.039 It happens a lot. But what conversations have 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:17.980 always worked well for me, and I learned this 00:14:17.980 --> 00:14:21.340 way back in my DSO days, is when you sit with 00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:23.919 someone and you pull their walls down so that 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:25.799 they're human and you're human on a level and 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:28.720 it's not a... me coming down at you you're bad 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.200 you did something wrong it's more of a you know 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:35.840 ian you are so valuable to this team when you 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:38.600 show up to huddle you're prepared you're ready 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:41.179 you're my rock star and you bring such a light 00:14:41.179 --> 00:14:43.220 we're always so happy and like joyful when you're 00:14:43.220 --> 00:14:46.279 here when you're not i notice it and i need you 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:49.379 to be here tell me what's going on for you that's 00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:51.679 having you not be here and i listen and once 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:54.460 you give me whatever the reason is can i count 00:14:54.460 --> 00:14:56.730 on you in the future to show up for us I want 00:14:56.730 --> 00:14:59.850 you on this team. Can I count on you for that? 00:15:00.009 --> 00:15:02.929 So I just already told you, you've got this beauty, 00:15:03.070 --> 00:15:05.409 this crap that you're doing in the middle, it's 00:15:05.409 --> 00:15:08.210 kind of overshadowing your beauty. Can I count 00:15:08.210 --> 00:15:09.870 on you to give me your beauty? Because I need 00:15:09.870 --> 00:15:12.110 that. I look forward to it every day. That's 00:15:12.110 --> 00:15:14.389 a different conversation than if you don't show 00:15:14.389 --> 00:15:16.230 back up to huddle, I'm going to write you up 00:15:16.230 --> 00:15:18.429 and you're going to get fired. Would you say 00:15:18.429 --> 00:15:20.450 most dentists do that? I know it's not their 00:15:20.450 --> 00:15:22.450 fault where dentists aren't taught psychology 00:15:22.450 --> 00:15:24.590 or the type of techniques that you just said 00:15:24.590 --> 00:15:27.850 of build someone up, empower them, don't just 00:15:27.850 --> 00:15:30.809 tell them what they did wrong. I mean, I'm sure 00:15:30.809 --> 00:15:33.210 we get it wrong every day in our daily lives 00:15:33.210 --> 00:15:37.750 too with how we approach it. So how can dentists 00:15:37.750 --> 00:15:40.110 change? Are there some techniques besides what 00:15:40.110 --> 00:15:42.850 you said now that you learned with the Tony Robbins 00:15:42.850 --> 00:15:46.649 coaching and stuff that people can use? to help 00:15:46.649 --> 00:15:48.889 them to keep mind of these things as they work 00:15:48.889 --> 00:15:51.389 with this stuff? Yeah, I mean, you know, what 00:15:51.389 --> 00:15:54.269 we do on our team is we do a DISC personality 00:15:54.269 --> 00:15:57.409 profile for all of our people, for every team 00:15:57.409 --> 00:15:59.049 member, and then we talk about it with the team. 00:15:59.149 --> 00:16:01.330 So everyone communicates differently. Some people 00:16:01.330 --> 00:16:03.169 are very direct. Some people are a little bit 00:16:03.169 --> 00:16:05.149 more sensitive. You know, some people are more 00:16:05.149 --> 00:16:07.750 analytical. So we break that down for the doctors 00:16:07.750 --> 00:16:09.549 and the leadership so they know exactly who they're 00:16:09.549 --> 00:16:11.950 dealing with. And then we also talk about the 00:16:11.950 --> 00:16:14.429 six basic human needs, which is a Tony Robbins 00:16:14.429 --> 00:16:19.009 idealism. But it basically talks about which 00:16:19.009 --> 00:16:22.289 human need is your most important one that drives 00:16:22.289 --> 00:16:24.929 you. So there's certainty, uncertainty, love 00:16:24.929 --> 00:16:28.309 and connection, and significance. Those are the 00:16:28.309 --> 00:16:30.409 top four. Those are the main ones that we have 00:16:30.409 --> 00:16:33.769 as drivers. So certainty is just, I need to know 00:16:33.769 --> 00:16:36.590 that my paycheck is here at 4 p .m. on Friday, 00:16:36.669 --> 00:16:39.330 like you said it was going to be. I don't like 00:16:39.330 --> 00:16:41.750 not knowing. So it's I'm not going to go just 00:16:41.750 --> 00:16:43.789 go to Vegas and on a whim and like, you know, 00:16:43.789 --> 00:16:45.970 go live my life like that. Nope, I'm not going 00:16:45.970 --> 00:16:47.289 to do that. I'm going to plan it for seven months. 00:16:47.309 --> 00:16:50.350 Right. That's certainty. Exactly. And whereas 00:16:50.350 --> 00:16:52.190 variety would be the person that's like, hey, 00:16:52.230 --> 00:16:53.629 you want to go to Vegas right now, Ian? And you'd 00:16:53.629 --> 00:16:55.549 be like, heck, yeah, let's go to Vegas. I'm down. 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:57.460 I don't care what we're doing. Let's just go 00:16:57.460 --> 00:16:58.820 right now. Don't threaten me with a good time. 00:16:59.340 --> 00:17:01.700 Exactly. Exactly. And, you know, significance 00:17:01.700 --> 00:17:03.840 are people that really need to know that what 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:06.339 they're doing is unique and special. And they 00:17:06.339 --> 00:17:08.960 need that attaboy often. They need people to 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.460 notice how great they're doing. And, you know, 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:13.319 love and connection is pretty self -explanatory. 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:15.819 It's just they need to feel important and loved 00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:18.519 and connected with and with the team as well, 00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:22.309 not just them specifically. We all have that 00:17:22.309 --> 00:17:24.349 in us. We all need those things. It's like the 00:17:24.349 --> 00:17:28.529 food, water, and shelter of the spirit, basically, 00:17:28.630 --> 00:17:31.170 that we have to have those things. And so those 00:17:31.170 --> 00:17:35.410 four top basic human needs for us is find out 00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:37.690 which one is driving that person. Because if 00:17:37.690 --> 00:17:40.069 it's significance for you and you're not showing 00:17:40.069 --> 00:17:42.309 up to huddle, that thing that I just said about, 00:17:42.349 --> 00:17:45.269 I need you here, you're my rock star, I lean 00:17:45.269 --> 00:17:47.750 on you. It fills you up. You're like, oh my God, 00:17:47.890 --> 00:17:50.500 they need me here. That's my one. I was just 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:52.759 about to say, Marissa, as you mentioned and explained 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:56.019 that, that is 100 % me. Like if I lose significance 00:17:56.019 --> 00:17:58.779 in the work that I do or if I'm working on something 00:17:58.779 --> 00:18:00.980 and I've not gotten some direction from Eric 00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:03.119 and Andre or my team members or something as 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:05.599 like, hey, this is aligned with what we need 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.160 in the agency. You're doing great, amazing. It's 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:11.460 not about feeding the ego as much as it really 00:18:11.460 --> 00:18:15.019 just is about that reassurance. And that probably 00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:17.589 goes back. to my childhood days where my mother 00:18:17.589 --> 00:18:20.829 was someone that was very telling me like you're 00:18:20.829 --> 00:18:23.289 doing an amazing job keep going i know you took 00:18:23.289 --> 00:18:25.529 one on the chin but you can do this and we need 00:18:25.529 --> 00:18:28.950 you like so i can see how all of us i always 00:18:28.950 --> 00:18:31.289 like to say is we are children in some way we 00:18:31.289 --> 00:18:33.049 all grew up in a certain way needing certain 00:18:33.049 --> 00:18:35.990 things and if you can be the type of boss or 00:18:35.990 --> 00:18:38.910 the type of leader that can understand the employees 00:18:38.910 --> 00:18:42.049 as you just said and to tap into that side not 00:18:42.049 --> 00:18:45.170 to manipulate but to actually and encourage and 00:18:45.170 --> 00:18:48.970 engage and support. I mean, it's the magic. That's 00:18:48.970 --> 00:18:51.210 the magic. 100%. It's not one size fits all. 00:18:51.309 --> 00:18:53.109 And that's the thing I often get from docs is 00:18:53.109 --> 00:18:55.130 like, how do I do all of this for all these people? 00:18:55.549 --> 00:18:58.049 It's sad to say, but it's like kids, right? Like 00:18:58.049 --> 00:19:00.490 if you had six kids, you wouldn't be able to 00:19:00.490 --> 00:19:02.109 treat them all the same. They all need different 00:19:02.109 --> 00:19:03.769 things. So what we help them, and that's why 00:19:03.769 --> 00:19:05.789 we do leadership ahead of time, is we help them 00:19:05.789 --> 00:19:07.970 figure out what do each one of their kids need, 00:19:08.089 --> 00:19:09.970 right? Like what is it that they need? Because 00:19:09.970 --> 00:19:12.109 if I come to you and give you significance and 00:19:12.109 --> 00:19:15.299 you need certainty, That's a different conversation. 00:19:15.380 --> 00:19:16.839 That's not going to fill you up. It's not going 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:19.019 to work for you. So I need to figure out what 00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:21.019 your driver is, exactly what your personality 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:23.180 style is. And then I can come and communicate 00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:25.099 to you in a way that you're really going to hear 00:19:25.099 --> 00:19:26.940 me and it's going to make a difference. And if 00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:29.200 that doesn't work, have we had to fire people? 00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:31.519 You bet. I mean, there's plenty of times, but 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:33.400 I will tell you, I've never once fired anybody 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:36.700 ever in all my 28 years in dentistry and not 00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:39.119 had them look at me and say, I know I lost this 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:42.430 job for myself. because I worked through that 00:19:42.430 --> 00:19:44.670 with them. I tried everything I could to support 00:19:44.670 --> 00:19:47.029 them. I asked them what they needed. And in the 00:19:47.029 --> 00:19:49.450 end, I didn't take that job from them. They lost 00:19:49.450 --> 00:19:52.009 it on their own. But you have to be unapologetic 00:19:52.009 --> 00:19:53.630 about that. You know, I think because the talent 00:19:53.630 --> 00:19:55.750 pool is so shallow, people are accepting people 00:19:55.750 --> 00:19:57.309 that should not be in their business and they're 00:19:57.309 --> 00:19:59.170 losing the good people because they're doing 00:19:59.170 --> 00:20:03.029 it. And when doctors are scared to let someone 00:20:03.029 --> 00:20:04.829 go because, oh my gosh, what's going to happen? 00:20:04.910 --> 00:20:07.210 Susie's been here forever or whatever, you know, 00:20:07.230 --> 00:20:10.410 whatever the answer is. It's like you're running 00:20:10.410 --> 00:20:13.430 forward with a weight around your waist. You 00:20:13.430 --> 00:20:15.349 are not going anywhere until you let go of that 00:20:15.349 --> 00:20:17.710 person. And every person has been like, I wish 00:20:17.710 --> 00:20:19.529 we would have done that sooner. We are so much 00:20:19.529 --> 00:20:22.769 better without that person. 100%. And you just 00:20:22.769 --> 00:20:26.089 sparked a thought for me, Marissa. Can you share 00:20:26.089 --> 00:20:32.390 with us the toxicity or how negative that is 00:20:32.390 --> 00:20:34.690 actually to your business if you try and hold 00:20:34.690 --> 00:20:36.789 on to that person just because you're scared? 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:39.799 of they've been here so long or i'm not going 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:41.480 to be able to find someone else have you seen 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:44.619 examples of it destroying a practice's culture 00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:47.480 or or even the production of that practice the 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:50.920 actual success of that business oh yeah yeah 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:54.299 i've seen it happen time and time again um where 00:20:54.299 --> 00:20:56.559 you know docs are for whatever reason they're 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:00.140 unable or unwilling to let that person go um 00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:04.039 and it it ultimately does affect production i 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:06.700 mean like their numbers start to tank And there's 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:08.460 been clients I've had to let go because they 00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:11.740 weren't willing to take their business by the 00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:14.599 horns and be like, no, this is my business. I 00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:17.400 am working hard about it to get it where I need 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:21.099 it to be. And they weren't willing to do those 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:24.000 hard things. And I can't get people past that 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.960 success level. I can't. I can only get them so 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:28.119 far if they're unwilling to make a change. You 00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:30.420 know, it's my same in my life coaching. When 00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:33.019 people tell me they want change, but they actually 00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:35.079 show me they want change are two very different 00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:37.630 things. So I have plenty of people that say, 00:21:37.690 --> 00:21:39.369 I want to lose weight, Marissa. I want to save 00:21:39.369 --> 00:21:41.769 money. I want to have a better relationship, 00:21:42.009 --> 00:21:44.190 whatever. But they don't do the work. Well, that's 00:21:44.190 --> 00:21:46.549 not true. You don't want it. So at some level, 00:21:46.569 --> 00:21:48.849 we've had to let clients just go fly on their 00:21:48.849 --> 00:21:50.190 own because they weren't willing to make those 00:21:50.190 --> 00:21:52.809 hard decisions. Because for me, I cannot sit 00:21:52.809 --> 00:21:55.190 back and watch them not be successful because 00:21:55.190 --> 00:21:57.349 they're unwilling to make those hard decisions. 00:21:57.890 --> 00:22:00.150 We don't get to do that in business and be successful. 00:22:00.230 --> 00:22:03.450 You can't have both things. Nothing changes if 00:22:03.450 --> 00:22:06.910 nothing changes. Exactly. Yep. And you will get 00:22:06.910 --> 00:22:09.670 what you allow. Yeah, you will get what you allow. 00:22:09.869 --> 00:22:15.130 And it can even be one employee. It does not 00:22:15.130 --> 00:22:18.410 have to be this person's bad. And that I've seen 00:22:18.410 --> 00:22:20.230 time and again, as you mentioned now, Marissa, 00:22:20.309 --> 00:22:23.730 like one person in the team can just poison that 00:22:23.730 --> 00:22:26.130 entire well and just make it bad for everyone. 00:22:26.210 --> 00:22:29.430 So dentists like really listen to what Marissa 00:22:29.430 --> 00:22:32.420 is saying here. it can ultimately impact your 00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:35.099 business in a very real way. And make those difficult 00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:38.500 decisions. Like you need to step up and do something 00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:40.940 if you want to protect your baby. Because at 00:22:40.940 --> 00:22:45.279 the end of the day, that business is not only 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:47.400 looking after that one person, it's looking after 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:50.339 your family, the other families that's also in 00:22:50.339 --> 00:22:52.180 that business, and this whole tribe, and the 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:54.299 patients that love and care for your practice, 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:57.619 that want to come to you. deserve better so so 00:22:57.619 --> 00:23:01.559 practice doing the uncomfortable things as marissa 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:04.180 is saying you've said that a one -size -fits 00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:06.339 -all type of approach does not work with practices 00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:09.539 because each practice has their own needs based 00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:12.019 on their team can you share with us a bit about 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:15.380 why you've taken that approach how would how 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:17.539 it applies in the real life for when you go to 00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:20.799 a practice or you judge these things yeah you 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:25.680 know i think um All of the people that are on 00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:28.000 my and my business partner, Chris's team now 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.859 in our Wolfpack, we've all had consultants in 00:23:32.859 --> 00:23:36.200 the past before we became them. And we all had 00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:38.160 the consultant that really tried to squeeze us 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:40.720 into that cookie cutter approach, no matter where 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:44.119 we were, small town, big town, whatever. And 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:46.319 what we noticed was, is that it doesn't work. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:48.339 You know, you have certain pieces of it that 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:51.470 might work, but not all inclusive. And when dentists 00:23:51.470 --> 00:23:53.430 go from consultant to consultant to consultant 00:23:53.430 --> 00:23:56.250 to consultant, they have all these weird mismatch 00:23:56.250 --> 00:23:57.990 systems. They don't know what's going on. It's 00:23:57.990 --> 00:24:00.990 too much. The team gets confused. It's a lot. 00:24:01.190 --> 00:24:04.690 So we really try and customize the best we can 00:24:04.690 --> 00:24:07.049 so that they have this one -stop shop. And we're 00:24:07.049 --> 00:24:08.890 happy to do the 12 -month program and let them 00:24:08.890 --> 00:24:11.029 fly. We do not keep our clients into perpetuity 00:24:11.029 --> 00:24:14.130 like most people do because we want them to go 00:24:14.130 --> 00:24:16.309 out and never need a consultant again. They shouldn't 00:24:16.309 --> 00:24:19.200 if they keep doing the right things, right? what 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:21.460 we do first is we do an observation we see what 00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:23.839 they're doing well and we don't touch it we might 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:25.799 spit shine in a little bit but that's it like 00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:28.019 we're not touching the good stuff but the stuff 00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:30.259 that might need some more love we really go in 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:32.539 and and dive into each department so we have 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:34.420 department trainers for each department so we 00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:37.839 have assistant trainers digital dentistry trainers 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:40.500 hygiene trainers admin trainers leadership trainers 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:43.019 and then doc doc we do the business training 00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:46.400 with And we go through each department and just 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:50.099 leave no stone unturned. And it's really customized 00:24:50.099 --> 00:24:53.019 to creating an SOP manual for each one of those. 00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:56.200 And then we leave them with an online electronic 00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:58.920 SOP manual for each department. Again, so they 00:24:58.920 --> 00:25:00.640 don't need us forever or anyone else for that 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:04.019 matter. But that really has been our best approach 00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:06.339 to make sure that all of the things really fit 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:08.380 in well. That's how we customize it and why we 00:25:08.380 --> 00:25:10.400 customize it. Because again, not everyone's the 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:12.799 same. I can't go to... You know, I grew up in 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:14.859 a very small town in the dentist there that I 00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:18.220 started with. He did not do things like those 00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:21.339 big DSOs did down in downtown Denver, right? 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:25.779 Nor should he have, right? So I think us looking 00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:28.140 at that and realizing that every single office 00:25:28.140 --> 00:25:30.619 is different. Now, do we have a core set of 12 00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:32.579 -month program? This is how we do this every 00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:35.740 single month? Yes, we do. But we kind of customize 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:37.220 it along the way to make sure that they have 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:39.480 exactly what they need. You obviously work across 00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:42.500 multiple types of dentistry and you work with 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:45.579 all types of people, all types of dentists. Have 00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:47.740 you picked up any trends and things in certain 00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:51.079 types of dentistry or in certain even areas in 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:52.779 the States or the work that you do that you're 00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:56.059 like, we tend to keep finding these type of problems 00:25:56.059 --> 00:25:59.599 with? this kind of or like a cosmetic dentistry 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:02.140 because of them having to deal with x y and z 00:26:02.140 --> 00:26:04.720 or maybe an implant specialist because their 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:07.619 systems are a bit different and the type of money 00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:10.480 that's being dealt with is full arch forty thousand 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.380 dollars so it's a bit different than the general 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:16.740 or do you kind of see it as these are problems 00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:19.500 that dentists are dealing with and i and we need 00:26:19.500 --> 00:26:22.700 to solve them they're honestly very similar there's 00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:25.279 like it just it's it like it's all the stuff 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.859 we've been talking about you know holding team 00:26:26.859 --> 00:26:28.900 accountable and running the business and what 00:26:28.900 --> 00:26:30.920 to do and i don't have enough time and you know 00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:33.160 all the things like it's it's all exactly the 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:37.259 same um there really isn't much difference i 00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:39.599 mean of course like a surgeon's going to have 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:41.940 some a couple of different things as far as systems 00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:44.559 go differently but for the most part the bigger 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:47.420 issues that we're seeing it's mostly just not 00:26:47.420 --> 00:26:49.200 knowing how to communicate well with the team 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:51.740 and not having the gumption to hold them accountable 00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:56.759 and is the Anything if you look forward, I mean, 00:26:56.779 --> 00:26:59.960 the dental industry moves fast. Trends and things 00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:04.859 that you're seeing, I'm even just thinking how 00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:07.480 technology changes or how we work with insurance 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:10.900 companies or how anything with how fast the industry 00:27:10.900 --> 00:27:13.759 is moving. What are you seeing that dentists 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:16.299 will potentially deal with in the future and 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:18.619 that they can be aware of within their team dynamics 00:27:18.619 --> 00:27:21.240 or how they're running their business that they 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:24.410 can think about? The biggest thing that we've 00:27:24.410 --> 00:27:27.269 seen lately that's been just kind of like this 00:27:27.269 --> 00:27:30.089 bubbling, tumultuous thing is insurance. And 00:27:30.089 --> 00:27:34.470 it's getting harder and harder to work with them. 00:27:34.670 --> 00:27:36.450 There's all these different rules. They're not 00:27:36.450 --> 00:27:38.289 paying these things. You have to have this x 00:27:38.289 --> 00:27:39.710 -ray and that x -ray. It has to be this many 00:27:39.710 --> 00:27:42.650 days between this to get paid for this. There's 00:27:42.650 --> 00:27:46.700 so much that... I'm starting to see more and 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:49.539 more doctors be like, I don't care anymore about 00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:52.140 how many new patients I have. I don't want to 00:27:52.140 --> 00:27:54.319 be in network with all these insurances because 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:57.259 you know, that's a big marketing push for doctors 00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:59.440 is that's how they market. I just get a network 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:01.460 with a bunch of insurances. Even if I get them 00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:04.000 negotiated with a PPO negotiator and I'm getting 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:06.440 pretty good reimbursements, it's that great. 00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:08.240 You're getting great, good reimbursements. If 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:11.099 insurance pays you. If your front office knows 00:28:11.099 --> 00:28:13.740 how to appeal things and does the hard work, 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:15.880 if they follow up, you know, it's just, it's 00:28:15.880 --> 00:28:18.640 so time consuming. And so I think within the 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:21.019 next five years, hopefully sooner, we're going 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:23.740 to start to see a shift of dentists being like, 00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:26.380 I'm done with this. I'm not, you know, I'm over 00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:29.619 the insurance dictating my care. And sadly it 00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:34.420 has. tough person at that front desk or the person 00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:36.140 that's doing your insurance claims and those 00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:38.440 things to battle with these people. And often 00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:40.460 that is, I know that's likely where your team 00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:43.700 comes into in training these people and helping 00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:46.980 these people, but it's, man, that's a difficult 00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:49.859 job because insurance companies make money when 00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:54.059 they don't pay you money. Exactly. That is ultimately 00:28:54.059 --> 00:28:57.650 their goal is to make this as difficult. I mean, 00:28:57.690 --> 00:28:59.670 I hear this similarly to you, Marissa. I hear 00:28:59.670 --> 00:29:02.529 this all the time. It's just like I'm sick of 00:29:02.529 --> 00:29:04.269 these insurance companies that are trying to 00:29:04.269 --> 00:29:08.450 dictate the type of care that I do, the money 00:29:08.450 --> 00:29:10.250 that I'm actually going to make from this. And 00:29:10.250 --> 00:29:12.069 sometimes you do all that work and then the insurance 00:29:12.069 --> 00:29:15.230 is like, no, we're not going to cover that or 00:29:15.230 --> 00:29:17.289 we're not going to reimburse for that part or 00:29:17.289 --> 00:29:20.609 something. And it's tough. It creates problems. 00:29:20.809 --> 00:29:24.859 So I'm with you. Marissa, I have a last question 00:29:24.859 --> 00:29:27.460 for you, which is something that I always enjoy 00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:31.619 doing. This is your megaphone. This is your platform 00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:35.039 now. If you had a message to dentists out there 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:37.980 now to summarize a bit what we spoke about and 00:29:37.980 --> 00:29:39.880 everything that you've learned in all the years, 00:29:40.119 --> 00:29:43.559 what stays true to you after all of these years 00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:46.000 of being in dentistry that you want dentists 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:48.599 to understand? That's a really good question. 00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:51.460 And it kind of reminded me of an article that 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:53.539 I read years ago in Dental Economics that talked 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:55.380 about how the average US dentist spends anywhere 00:29:55.380 --> 00:29:59.339 from like $8 ,000 to $16 ,000 on clinical CE 00:29:59.339 --> 00:30:02.180 every year, just becoming a better dentist, clinician, 00:30:02.380 --> 00:30:05.339 whatever. But the article later goes on to talk 00:30:05.339 --> 00:30:07.359 about how the average US dentist spends $0 to 00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:11.000 $100 on anything business acumen, leadership, 00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:15.240 communication, $0 to $100. So that would be my 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:18.470 biggest push. and best advice i could give a 00:30:18.470 --> 00:30:21.890 dental practice owner is educate yourself and 00:30:21.890 --> 00:30:25.210 don't just grab you know podcast after podcast 00:30:25.210 --> 00:30:27.849 after book after you know this guy that you used 00:30:27.849 --> 00:30:30.369 to know in dental school like get somebody who 00:30:30.369 --> 00:30:33.609 is knowledgeable in that specific thing that 00:30:33.609 --> 00:30:35.970 you're trying to learn and find out what they 00:30:35.970 --> 00:30:38.069 have to to give you so that you'd have their 00:30:38.069 --> 00:30:40.740 lifetime of knowledge i mean we we are small 00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:43.880 business owners we we are and so it's very important 00:30:43.880 --> 00:30:46.359 that we protect our business and the only way 00:30:46.359 --> 00:30:48.339 you can do that is by knowing the ins and outs 00:30:48.339 --> 00:30:51.279 of everything especially that front vest like 00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:53.880 i said i've caught so much embezzlement if dennis 00:30:53.880 --> 00:30:56.880 knew what was going on up front half of that 00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:59.980 would not have happened fantastic marissa tell 00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:02.160 me if people want to get in touch with you if 00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:04.700 people want to to learn more about what your 00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:09.140 team is doing workshops website please tell us 00:31:09.140 --> 00:31:11.940 where we can find you. Yeah. So if they go to 00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:16.099 dentalpracticemanagementagency .com is our website, 00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:20.059 all the information's on there. The contact is 00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:22.440 actually my cell phone. So reach out. We'd be 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:24.279 happy to help with whatever, even if it's just, 00:31:24.279 --> 00:31:28.200 I have questions. I'm worried. I'm five years 00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:29.940 before retirement. I don't know what to do. We 00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:31.460 talk to people all the time and don't charge 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:33.640 them. truly are here to make sure that people 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:36.099 are successful and not suck their time and money. 00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:38.960 That is our motto of our company. Fantastic. 00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:40.759 Marissa, thank you for your time. I appreciate 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:42.720 you being with us today. Yeah, thank you for 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:43.519 having me. It was awesome.