The Drill - Volume IV

the drill Q U A R T E R L Y

C L I N I C A L

Dr. Daniel Fenton with Dr. Cyril Canga (Las Vegas, NV) All-In-One Solution Fixed Arch Cadaver Course

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WELCOME TO THE DRILL,

THE NEWSLETTER JUST FOR DENTISTS. 2 0 2 2 V O L U M E

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MESSAGE FROM THE CCO Dr. Anthony Naranja, DDS Chief Clinical Officer It's 2022! While it's been a wild ride the past several years, I have continued to monitor our practices' growth with pride and amazement. Our network of clinicians is nothing short of incredible! I hope each of you are as excited to see the potential of this new year - and its wealth of new possibilities - as I am.

The Affordable Clinical Team has been hard at work these past six months, evaluating our support services to identify where we can better serve the Affordable practices and dentists. We've focused on a few key areas where we know we can make the most difference, and we're jumping into action this year to deliver! We're excited to re-launch the improved Enhanced Patient Experience (EPE) Clinical Support Program, with focused, accelerated support services to ensure our dentists are able to successfully implement implants into each practice as a treatment option. In addition, we have an impressive and

the drill

expanded Clinical Education continuum this year, with enhanced curriculum customized for our unique patient population, industry-leading training partners, and more courses offered than ever before in our network. Last but not least, we are preparing for our bi-annual CARE Conference this October, a chance to bring our network of dentists together for education, celebration, and connecting to one another - and our most anticipated event of the year. I hope each of you take advantage of these exciting offerings in 2022!

The Affordable Clinical Team is thrilled to kick off 2022 with our continued core focus on our clinicians. Our goal, each and every day, is to support our dentists and practices, and everything we do is built with your needs in mind. Never hesitate to let us know what we can do to better serve you! We are honored to be part of your journey at Affordable!

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2022 CARE CONFERENCE CONNECT. ACCELERATE. RECOGNIZE. EDUCATE. Mark your calendars! The Affordable CARE Conference is our network's elite event focused solely our network of dentists. At CARE, we offer industry-leading clinical education programs, organizational strategic updates, vendor product education and resources, peer networking and plenty of fun! The weekend culminates with the CARE Gala, a celebration recognizing our star dentists in the network. You won't want to miss it!

Can you guess where CARE will be? We'll give you a hint: pack your sunglasses! Stay tuned for more information!

SAVE THE DATE: October 6 - 8, 2022

NEWS WORTHY AROUND THE NETWORK

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE Dr. Khalid Ragab, BDS, DMD Practice Owner, Toledo, OH The first thing to know about Dr. Khalid Ragab is that he rises each morning well before the sun does, something he learned from his father. “The first thing I do every day is reset myself.” He acknowledges any frustrations, puts them away, and selects a new outlook. “You can choose your mindset. Will you be positive or negative?” He rarely chooses the latter.

The second thing to know about Dr. Ragab is that family is everything.

Born in Orange County, California, Dr. Ragab grew up alongside his older sister and younger brother. During high school, his father grew homesick, propelling the family to move back to Egypt, where he finished school and received his bachelor’s degree in Dental Medicine and Surgery. After seven years practicing dentistry in Cairo, Dr. Ragab returned to the U.S. in 2011 to advance his career, beginning as a patient coordinator and assistant at an Endodontics practice in Virginia. Three years later, he moved to New Jersey to attend dental school at Rutgers University. In November 2014, at the start of his first semester, he received heartbreaking news from Egypt about a family tragedy.

In a matter of hours, Dr. Ragab rushed back to Egypt with his wife and young son to help and mourn with his family. He returned to New Jersey with only two weeks left in the semester. Behind in his studies, Dr. Ragab was approached by faculty and staff members of Student Affairs, who advised him to consider dropping out and re-enrolling the following year.

“That didn’t sit right with me. I expected support after such a tragedy,” he remembers. “It was at this moment when I realized that I was at a turning point in life that would shape my character and future. I chose the more difficult route and got it done.”

Dr. Ragab worked into the wee hours of the morning finishing his requirements until the end of the semester. “Don't ever tell me I can’t do something. I wasn’t brought up to give up, to give in,” he says.

That’s the third thing one needs to understand about Dr. Ragab: his will is rock solid.

Upon receiving his DMD, Dr. Ragab and his family moved to Michigan in 2016, where he worked as an Associate General Dentist. The following year, he took his first implant course at the Oral Implantology Association of Egypt, where he placed 30 implants. His passion for surgery was ignited. “I enjoy it more than anything else,” he says. He returned from his “mini-residency,” thrilled at the single implant and bone grafting cases that were waiting for him. By 2019, Dr. Ragab decided he couldn't do another filling.

Dr. Ragab brings the will to learn and the patience to teach to his practice every day. His drive to take complex

Research and networking led Dr. Ragab to DDS, which had recently been acquired by Affordable. Fortuitously, the owner of the ADI-affiliated Toledo, OH practice, located just thirty minutes from Dr. Ragab’s home, was planning on retiring. Dr. Ragab became the new practice owner in February 2020. Just as quickly as the practice opened under his leadership, COVID shut it down. Still, he looked for the good. “Everything happens for a reason. I enjoyed my time at home with my family and realized how awesome my kids really are,” Dr. Ragab admits.

cases and turn them into life-changing smiles is unprecedented.

- Jana McKee, Regional Implant Specialist

Never one to be idle, Dr. Ragab spent his time during the shut-down seeking learning opportunities, expanding his knowledge of implants and fixed arch treatments. He also became acquainted with Dr. Bruno Arnaud, who has included him in a small group of mentors who support their fellow practitioners in implant surgery cases. “He has provided such great advice and has continuously been there for me," says Dr. Ragab.

When the practice re-opened in June 2020, Dr. Ragab’s positive outlook was put to the test when only one staff member returned. Undaunted, he got creative. He found a dental assistant who agreed to work Saturdays, so Saturdays were designated for his fixed arch cases. During the week, he became a one-man show. He’d put his coat on for procedures and take it off for payments, shifting from front desk assistant to dental assistant to doctor and back again. “It was a very traumatic time for me, being short-staffed, but I had to make it work,” Dr. Ragab says. “The only staff I could rely on were the lab techs. I’m so thankful for them. If they weren't there, I would have been dead in the water.”

Though the ramifications of the pandemic may have disrupted his plans, Dr. Ragab quickly got back on course. Since 2020, he’s attended the All-on-X mini residency at the California Implant Institute, an All On Four course with Dr. Clark Damon, multiple sessions at Implant Pathway, Engel Institute and customized surgical courses in Egypt. He has shadowed and trained with Dr. Dan Holtzclaw, which provided an invaluable learning experience for him. His love of learning is seemingly endless, and has always been a top priority, He is a member of the AGD, AAID, and the Academy of Oral Surgery, and an alumni of the Pikos Implant Institute. His impressive training history is only the beginning, as he continues to grow and learn.

Armed with his ever-growing knowledge and skills, Dr. Ragab has trained the lab technicians and new dental assistants in high-level procedures. “Over the past year, our practice has seen a massive spike in implant cases.” he reports, crediting much of practice success to his office manager, Zak, and lead dental assistant, Marry.

Upon taking ownership of his practice, Dr. Ragab was determined to be in the top ten percent of practices in the network, and today, he’s proud to have achieved that success. With an increase in implant and overdenture cases, as well as full fixed arch procedures, Dr. Ragab’s practice is booming. When comparing practice income from 2019 to that of 2021, profits have increased 1888%.

Through the ups and downs, struggles and achievements, Dr. Ragab has held tight to his positive mindset and that “keep going” mentality that seems etched into his being. He attributes his inspiration, strong will and motivation to the people in his life - his team, his patients, and most of all, his family. "None of this success would have been possible without my parents and especially my wife, who spent many weeks and months alone with our three crazy boys," Dr. Ragab acknowledges. "She needs a statue of gold for putting up with me!" he laughs.

We think you deserve a gold statue also, Dr. Ragab.

PERSERVERANCE AND PARTNERSHIP Dr. Peter Fereg, DDS, Practice Owner & Monica Cajias, Treatment Coordinator Lake Mary, FL When Dr. Peter Fereg became practice owner of the Lake Mary, FL, affiliated practice in 2019, building the right practice team poised for growth was top of mind. Dr. Fereg strongly believes that his success does not only lie not in his mastery of skills and the number of patients he treats, but also in the team that stands beside him. And so, he called Monica Cajias.

Dr. Fereg first met Cajias, then a Clinical Team Lead and dental assistant, a year prior at a general dentistry practice. His first day on the job was hers as well, and it would be just the beginning of an incredible partnership and friendship - the meeting of two like-minded caregivers from uniquely different backgrounds.

Monica Cajias & Dr. Peter Fereg

Dr. Peter Fereg is Floridian by upbringing and Egyptian-American by heritage. "I feel blessed and proud to be a firstgeneration son of immigrant parents," he says with a smile. Raised in Jupiter, Florida, he stayed close to home when the time came for college, enrolling at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. There, he struggled to land on a major for the first two years, exploring multiple different interests and career choices. After several major changes, he finally selected biology with the intention to continue on to medical school, a career which he believed would fulfill his desire to help others.

Despite being accepted to medical school in Tennessee, it still never felt quite right and he remained unsure of his decision.

Dr. Fereg considered taking time off to make a final decision following his senior year, but fate would intervene. Just after he graduated, he met a dentist who invited him to spend some time in his office. That summer would prove life-changing. “I was able to see how special the dental field was... it grabbed my attention and I haven’t looked back since,” Dr. Fereg notes.

He declined his medical school offer and instead applied to dental school.

While studying at University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Dr. Fereg’s passion for dentistry grew. While challenging, his time in Baltimore is one he looks back on fondly. "Dental school was four of the best years of my life," he recalls. "I was frequently challenged and pushed to my limits, but the friendships and experiences I had living in Baltimore gave me memories I cherish to this day."

Following dental school, Dr. Fereg secured a year-long GPR at the Orlando VA Hospital, which would continue to broaden his clinical skills. He developed a love of oral surgery, prosthetics and tooth replacement. The ever-present desire to help others, a constant in Dr. Fereg’s life, was finally met. “I had the honor to treat veterans who often had very complicated dental needs,” he remembers. At long last, he'd found the right fit.

In 2018, Dr. Fereg joined the Affordable Dentures & Implants affiliated practice in Port St. Lucie as an associate dentist and immediately thrived under the leadership of Dr. Daniel Fenton. “My experience was invaluable there,” he reflects. “I had an amazing mentor who challenged me, pushed me and taught me surgery and prosthetics. The most valuable skills I gained from my time with Dr. Fenton were in watching how he ran his office, treated his staff, and most importantly, treated his patients.”

It wouldn't take long for Dr. Fereg to be ready to take the reins himself. When an opportunity to become a practice owner came up in 2019 in Lake Mary, FL, Dr. Fenton encouraged him to go for it. Dr. Fereg jumped at the chance, and the newly opened AD&I practice was officially under his leadership.

Like Dr. Fereg, Monica Cajias shares a passion for dentistry, but then again, dentistry has always been in her blood. Raised in Venezuela, Cajias knew she wanted to be a dentist at a very young age and she worked tirelessly to achieve her goal. By 2012, Cajias had been successfully running a private practice for over twelve years as a dentist in Venezuela when she and her family were suddenly forced to flee to due to the country’s unrest coupled with her husband’s political involvement. Cajias, her husband and their two young children boarded a plane to Orlando, Florida - originally a planned vacation to Disney World, one of their family's most beloved destinations. This trip, however, would be one-way. “It put us in a hard situation,” Cajias recalls. “We had tickets to come here for vacation, so we just ran away. We grabbed our children, four suitcases, two bags, and just moved here.”

Cajias had to leave her private practice and career behind, while her husband, once a business owner in Venezuela, took a dishwashing job at Disney World. Without a license to practice dentistry in the U.S., Cajias instead applied for dental assistant openings. Again and again, she was denied. “No one would hire me. They just kept saying I was overqualified,” Cajias remembers. Disappointed but in need of work, she took a position as a medical billing office but remained focused on one day returning to dentistry. Years later, when she secured a job as an office manager in a private dental practice, her opportunity arose. Cajias quickly achieved the goal of becoming a dental assistant and was later promoted to Operations manager. “Everything that happened...it was God,” Cajias says. “I’m a faithful person and I know He has always been putting things in the right place for me and my family.”

Dr. Fereg & The Lake Mary Team

It was when Cajias joined another private practice several years later that she met Dr. Fereg and formed that immediate bond. “We built a great relationship,” Cajias says of Dr. Fereg. “He’s so kind and humble. He took an interest in my being a dentist in Venezuela and so we would share what we had learned and how we had trained.”

Their initial working relationship would be short-lived, as Dr. Fereg left the private practice to join AD&I in Port St. Lucie quickly thereafter. However, he and Cajias remained in contact. When just a year later, in 2019, Dr. Fereg became the practice owner in Lake Mary, he wasted no time in inviting Cajias to join his team. “Monica is very skilled in what she does, but it goes farther than that – I can trust her and she has a good heart, which is most important to me.” That foundation was exactly what he felt he needed beside him to be successful.

Cajias began working alongside Dr. Fereg as the practice’s Treatment Coordinator, a role that applies her clinical knowledge while highlighting her natural ability to connect with patients. Together, they have constructed a well-oiled team, focused on continual growth, building the kind of workplace culture that attracts great talent, and delivering the best patient experience.

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NEWS WORTHY

Lake Mary, Continued

Growth is the mantra by which all the practice strive for more each and every day. But growth build the right foundation for success. “Monica optimistic, funny, hardworking and dependable.

staff operate, and Dr. Fereg challenges himself and his team to continually does not always come easily, and Dr. Fereg credits Cajias with helping him has revolutionized my practice,” he attests. “She is fun, caring, determined, It is contagious and everyone follows her lead.”

Dr. Fereg is so humble and kind. He is always willing to listen and he really cares about his patients and his staff.

I took this job because I believe in him.

- Monica Cajias, Treatment Coordinator, Lake Mary

It truly is a team effort, Cajias explains. “Dr. Fereg is always willing to listen and he really cares about his patients and his staff. I took this job because I believe in him. “WE CARE, WE HELP. That makes the difference. Every day we make patients feel that we really appreciate them. We built a relationship with the staff where they all feel comfortable and happy to do more each day. We set goals for our practice and let everyone know that it is possible with team effort.”

The Lake Mary team has fine-tuned their workflow, ensuring each member is consistent and supportive in reinforcing Dr. Fereg’s clinical vision with the patient. Dr. Fereg first consults with each patient and provides an individual diagnosis and treatment plan, then hands off to Cajias, who discusses next steps and financing options and creates an overall game plan.

With the team working in unison, it quickly builds trust and credibility with patients. “I depend on Monica greatly,” acknowledges Dr. Fereg. “She has experience and that gives me confidence because I know she is there to back me up. She pushes me and keeps me positive.”

Cajias believes the power of a focused and supportive team cannot be understated, with each member playing a critical role.

She shares her unique perspective with the next generation of dental assistants. “I remind them of how blessed they are to have that job next to the dentist, and how important their position is.”

Today, Lake Mary is a shining example of both clinical excellence and teamwork combined, consistently ranking in the top 10% or better of all Affordable practices. But success is not something that either Dr. Fereg or Cajias take for granted, especially when considering the long, winding roads that have brought them together.

As Dr. Fereg reflects on all he's been able to accomplish, he attributes much of the success to the people that have been there along the way notably Cajias. When asked what advice he would give to other dentists looking to build their team, he says, “Find a mentor that has been successful and consult with them often. Understand that it is the team that makes or breaks you. Find quality people to work with – that is more important than skill or intelligence. You can train people to work in your office but you cannot train people to be honest or to have a good attitude.”

Dr. Peter Fereg

Though their individual journeys to arrive at the Lake Mary practice took vastly different routes, Dr. Fereg and Cajias see a successful future together on a shared path. Their exceptional teamwork, unrelenting drive for clinical excellence, unwavering focus on patients, leadership with the practice staff, and mutual respect for one another are unique and enviable. The road ahead looks brighter than ever.

SAVINGS & SMILES WITH

Sevaredent. It’s a bit mysterious, no one quite knows how to pronounce it, and one might wonder how it’s different from Affordable.

Chip Purcell and Blake Hibray, Sevaredent

The truth about Sevaredent is less mysterious than one might imagine, but no less interesting. Created in 2019, Sevaredent was the result of the innovation and creativity of Affordable’s CEO, Gene Kirtser. Drawing from his career history in healthcare group purchasing and supply chain, Kirtser immediately noted the lack of comparable solutions available in dentistry upon joining Affordable in 2017. “The medical side of healthcare is decades ahead of dentistry in terms of supply chain sophistication,” Kirtser acknowledged. “In dentistry, product prices are highly variable and inflated compared to what you see on the medical side. This largely due to a general lack of industry consolidation across the supply chain stakeholders (manufacturers, distributors, providers) and dentistry has higher operating margins than what we see on the medical side. As a result, providers just have not felt the financial pressure to invest in Supply Chain capabilities, nor hired the right talent to drive innovation. We have the benefit of scale at Affordable Care and decided to shake up the industry by building out Sevaredent, dentistry’s first Group Purchasing Organization of scale. As Sevaredent grows in membership, they will have more negotiating power, and the long-term benefit to ACI’s affiliated clinics is higher availability and lower cost for goods and services. I am 100% confident that this is the right thing for us to be doing.” Seeing an opportunity, Kirtser sought to break ground at Affordable and hired a well-respected and knowledgeable Supply Chain leader.

Enter Blake Hibray, President of Sevaredent. Originally from the Midwest, Hibray graduated Iowa State with a science degree in both microbiology and biology and started his career as an industrial microbiologist for a global life sciences company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Over the next 20 years, his role expanded to include leadership positions in plant operations, supply chain, marketing, e-commerce, and the development of national and strategic account sales teams to serve the largest domestic academic research institutions and the global pharma/biotech industry. In 2006, Hibray joined Mercy Health System, shortly before the company successfully commercialized their supply chain division, ROi (since acquired by HealthTrust), and led the sales, analytics and customer account management functions with rapid expansion. In December 2018, Gene Kirtser called Hibray and asked if he was willing to help create a new business unit at Affordable. Hibray thought it over, did some market research, and decided he was up for a new challenge. He and his wife Linda packed up and headed for Raleigh.

Hibray focused his attention for the first several months on creating the right formula for success.

Foundationally, Sevaredent uses three primary criteria as the basis for every sourcing initiative: 1) Ensuring the best clinical quality for each product; 2) Ensuring the chosen vendor will support and improve overall operations; and 3) Ensuring practices will be afforded the most competitive product pricing. Using the sizable Affordable network as leverage, Sevaredent could create pressure with vendors to deliver on all three criteria, ensuring clinical quality, better service overall and more competitive pricing. As Hibray considered the opportunities ahead, he concluded that partnering with like-minded providers would create even more leverage, compelling vendors to expand services and increase savings further.

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NEWS WORTHY

Sevaredent, Continued

The timing couldn’t have been more opportune. In 2019, Affordable acquired DDS Dentures + Implant Solutions and Hibray was tasked with aligning spend for the two merged companies. Sevaredent was officially formed in July 2019, with the first priority of going to bid on implants, the largest category of spend in the network – and one which was hotly contested with competitor products being used between AD&I and DDS at the time of the merger. For weeks, a panel of clinicians and leaders met with prospective vendors and considered all options.

Ultimately, a dual source award was finalized with both BioHorizons and Straumann/Neodent, saving over $2 million immediately and gaining substantial new benefits to the network including dedicated clinical specialists, onsite practice support and tailored clinical education. It was a home run.

Morrisville office during COVID-19

Hibray began building Sevaredent, starting with hiring a team of experienced leaders with healthcare supply chain and group purchasing backgrounds. Just as things began to take off, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world, creating an especially volatile and challenging environment for supply chain. Due to the sudden skyrocketing demand of hospitals and medical centers that were overrun with COVID-19, PPE and disinfectants were redirected toward acute care, and the global supply chain couldn’t keep up with the demand – making it challenging, if not impossible, to secure adequate PPE and supplies for the Affordable network. With the Affordable network of practices shut down and most employees furloughed, Hibray became a one-man department, jumping into action to do whatever was necessary to get PPE secured for practices preparing to re-open – and he had to be creative. Hibray began buying PPE from previously unknown brokers and cottage industry manufacturers that sprung up overnight, often having to rely on Facetime video conferences to visually inspect and verify, albeit remotely, the contents and quantities of large lots of PPE, just prior to releasing escrow funds for payment. Gone were the days of reasonable pricing and payment terms, it was now cash up front, or lose the inventory to another healthcare provider or state agency competing for the same case of masks, gowns, and infrared thermometers.

He turned his home and garage into a temporary warehouse, solicited new vendors wherever he could find them,

recruited volunteers to help pick and pack shipments, and spent endless hours via text and cell personally communicating with dentists. Eventually, the makeshift warehouse was moved to the Affordable support center, closed to employees at the time, filling the aisleways and conference rooms with PPE supplies and materials.

Sevaredent’s team was slowly brought back from furlough and worked alongside employee volunteers, diligently focused on performing the duties of distribution center personnel to ensure practices had the needed supplies for patient care. While a stressful time, Hibray reflects on it with a smile. “It was a wild ride, but I got to know the docs and they were incredibly understanding and accommodating during a tough time. It made me fully appreciate how dedicated they are to their patients,” he recalls. “Some of my best sources for PPE came from our network docs, who provided introductions and leads through a neighbor, distant cousin, or spouse working in entirely different industries than dental. That really helped us get through some lean weeks.”

With much of the initial uncertainty of the pandemic in the rearview, Hibray refocused on building Sevaredent to support the future of Affordable. He openly acknowledges this effort has created significant changes for practices. “There’s been a tremendous amount of change management and transition in the past few years for The Beaumont Team changed vendors in many areas, from distributors, dental chairs, uniform vendors, office practices – we’ve supplies, even waste management. We know that affects our practices. Sometimes things go smoothly, but sometimes change is painful. Our practices have been amazing with handling the hiccups and we appreciate their support.”

There is more change coming, too. Affordable’s procurement platform, ePlus, was adopted in 2001 and is showing its age. There are now more robust dental-centric procurement solutions that can better serve the entire Affordable network. Hibray and his team have been aggressively working to upgrade to a “practicefriendly” platform that provides a a much improved user experience, which they plan to launch later this year.

They continue to laser focus on expanding the product portfolio while also driving higher savings with existing vendors. Sevaredent works closely with Affordable’s Development and New Center Opening teams to ensure equipment and services are secured and ready for practice transitions, new affiliations and openings, which is no small feat given the ongoing pandemic impact on overseas shipments and delays. With the growing network needs in mind, Hibray recently announced the addition of Angela Miller, Vice President of Strategic Sourcing for Affordable. Miller has over 30 years’ experience in sourcing, group purchasing and supply chain leadership, most recently as Divisional Vice President of Strategic Sourcing for Kindred Healthcare, a major healthcare system comprised of over 100 hospital campuses. Miller, a U.S. Air Force veteran, worked closely with Hibray at ROi prior to joining Kindred, and now joins Affordable to lead sourcing and contracting for the network.

As he looks ahead, Hibray is most excited about Sevaredent’s clinical product development and innovation initiatives.

Sevaredent has partnered with the Affordable Clinical Team to identify and contract for new portfolio products that will add clinical value and standardize the armamentarium, from dentures to fixed full arch procedures, in an effort to build a consistent and quality product formulary customized to the unique Affordable network. In January, Sevaredent launched Dr. B’s Denture Care kits, which will be rolled out to the full network by mid-year, as well as a host of new items under the SuraDent label, a new private label brand. As Affordable continues to grow and innovate, Hibray expects there is much more to come in this arena.

Today, Sevaredent remains the only GPO of scale focused on DSO’s – a true industry innovator.

While Affordable remains at the heart of Sevaredent’s purpose, the network of commercial customers continues to grow. Sevaredent carefully selects partners who are not in competitive SuraDent Logo, Dr. B's Denture Care Kit positions to Affordable practices yet are like-minded providers with similar product needs. Sevaredent’s customer base, some 1,600+ locations strong and growing, encompasses pediatric and adult general dentistry, oral surgery centers, university dental schools and special non-profit clinics including the Foundry in Alabama and Local Start Dental in RaleighDurham. Hibray believes this ability to offer a supply chain solution to other providers aligns with Affordable’s roots in helping others, while also Do you have product delivering increased savings to Affordable practices. Since its creation, Sevaredent has saved the Affordable network several million dollars - and ideas or needs? they are just getting started. “As Sevaredent’s membership grows, our ability to leverage the scale and volume of our combined customer base Sevaredent wants to drives increased savings,” Hibray reports. “It’s a win for everyone.” hear from you!

Hibray notes the irony of the Sevaredent name – derived from the Latin words for save and tooth. “We replace teeth here at Affordable – we don’t typically save them. Our primary focus is to save our practices money and build better products and services to support them. Sevaredent gets excited about savings just as much as our dentists get excited about teeth.”

It appears a perfect match.

Email Blake Hibray, President (Blake.Hibray@sevaredent.com)

Or schedule a call through Calendly: https://calendly.com/blake-hibray

NEWS WORTHY

All-In-One Solution Prosthetics

Engel Institute

Implant Pathway

Zest Masters

Implant Pathway

Implant Pathway

Zest Masters

PICTURE WORTHY Our Dentists in Action Engel Institute

All-In-One Solution Prosthetics

All-In-One Solution Prosthetics

Engel Institute

Implant Pathway

Engel Institute

All-In-One Solution Fixed Arch Cadaver

All-In-One Solution Prosthetics

Engel Institute

Learning is a constant process of discovery - a Zest Masters

process without end.

- Bruce Lee

favorite things THESE

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Take Care of You Make sure you're staying healthy: eating lunch, drinking water, sleeping well at night, and setting boundaries with your time - your health is important! I also recommend spending time on yourself by finding something that makes you, you! I like to exercise, schedule a spa treatment, call a friend or colleague, or spend a little extra time with my family. Striking a balance personally helps me improve efficiency and keep my energy high for my patients.

Recognize Your Team Acts of appreciation go a very long way for your team. Take time to celebrate birthdays, accomplishments, special occasions and great performance with your team members. The return on investing in your people is that your team becomes a well-oiled machine, looking out for one another and working seamlessly for the best possible patient experience. Set aside time monthly or quarterly - it's easy to get busy and forget to add it to your calendars, but it matters!

Create a Vision Board Setting and reinforcing your goals makes a huge impact! Create a Vision Board in your practice where you and your team can see it daily. I personally like to post our daily and monthly practice goals, including revenue, patient satisfaction reviews and referrals. I also use it to communicate our successes and celebrate performance with my team. Use bright colors and make it fun!

Level Up Your Skills FEATURING

Dr. Jumoke Adedoyin DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL RELATIONS

Ongoing clinical education has been a critical element to my success. Take advantage of all the courses that Affordable has to offer to level up your clinical skills. Your practice will thrive and patients will be more satisfied when you're able to offer more treatment options.

Find Your Community Meet a colleague! Introduce yourself to someone during your next CE course or reach out to another dentist in an Affordable practice via phone or email.

Connecting with your peers in the network to form your community of clinicians will do wonders.

You can share best practices, troubleshoot tough cases, or even just share a coffee (or wine!) I've been privileged to get to know many of the docs in our network and they have inspired me as a clinician!

ENLIGHTEN UNLOCKING PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT

JUST SMILE Case Acceptance & Conversion Program Delivering a SMILE for every budget We are thrilled to announce the JUST SMILE Case Acceptance and Conversion Program in 2022! JUST SMILE is designed to support the entire dental practice team in gaining confidence and skills necessary for patients to accept treatment plans and ultimately say YES. As with any goal, your team needs a consistent and strategic process to be successful, and JUST SMILE is designed to help you implement proven best practices to achieve optimal results. Improving case presentation and acceptance is one of the fastest ways to increase overall practice production, and JUST SMILE can get your practice on a more efficient and rewarding track in just a matter of weeks. JUST SMILE consists of five key learning components:

Preparing Ahead The patient relationship begins with the first point of contact. JUST SMILE uses the Welcome Call to gain valuable information on patient expectations, understand their chief complaints, reconfirm the appointment, reduce no-show's. and obtain insurance, financing and medical background details., Implementing a Daily Huddle is an easy way to start each day with a shared vision and clear goals, discuss incoming patients, and build your team communication.

Does your schedule often seem less than ideal? Optimizing your schedule will allow your practice to ensure proper patient flow, maximize service mix, reduce over-scheduled and under-scheduled days, and help guide patients to lighter scheduling times, while keeping the team energized and focused.

Creating a First Impression Patients' first impressions of your practice will shape their overall experience! Ensuring your practice staff is welcoming, caring and courteous is of utmost importance. JUST SMILE will help your practice adopt easy ways to make an excellent first impression.

Educating the Patient Patient education is an important element in getting a YES to treatment. Utilizing patient models, speaking with confidence and clarity, having a unified team approach and helping the patient understand the clinical basis for the treatment plans will allow the patient to commit. JUST SMILE will help your team tackle the treatment planning discussion with ease.

Financial Arrangements The patient financial discussion can be a sticky one without an experienced team. JUST SMILE helps your practice staff understand common pitfalls of these conversations and how to avoid getting stuck. By presenting the financing options available and finding the right fit, your team will ensure the patient's needs are met with the right payment option identified.

Following Up Creating a dedicated follow-up contact process with unscheduled patients is an important step in your daily practice routine, as is tracking of patient conversion overall. It will assist you in better understanding where you are doing well and where you may have opportunities for improvement.

To learn more about JUST SMILE, email us at: ClinicalTraining@AffordableCare.com

MEET THE TRAINER KATELYN TRENHOLM

Katelyn started her journey with Affordable as a dental assistant in an affiliated practice in Rockford, IL, before joining the Affordable Care Clinical Team. While it was a difficult choice to leave the practice, today Katelyn loves being a trainer. "I have learned so much from being with Affordable and I love being able to take that knowledge to teach others. I love seeing everything come together while I'm in a practice; the doctor feels accomplished, the staff now has the knowledge to feel comfortable in a surgical setting, and our patients leave with treatments that will improve the quality of their lives. It's truly life-changing for everyone involved."

Katelyn is dedicated to supporting Affordable's EPE Clinical Support Program in the Midwest region. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, being a dog mom, cooking and doing home projects on her recently purchased home. Katelyn resides just outside the Chicago area.

Favorite Quote: "Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means don't just do it for yourself. You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived."

-Ruth Bader Ginsburg

THE CO-MANAGED CARE PROGRAM Saving One Patient Three Years and Thousands of Dollars in Austin, TX When Dr. Sherri McGee was confronted with a highly complicated patient case and extremely expensive treatment plan, she chose to opt for the Co-Managed Care program instead.

Dr. McGee inherited a challenging and complex patient case when she became practice owner of the Affordable practice in Jessup, Maryland. Nearly three years before, an out-of-network contractor performed an implant-supported denture surgery on Taylor, a young female patient in her mid-thirties. Unfortunately, there were many complications with the case, including bone loss and implant failure, which resulted in Taylor returning to the practice for further treatment.

Dr. McGee reviewed Taylor’s case and initially attempted to refer the patient to the University of Maryland. Much to Taylor’s dismay, the University recommended an extremely expensive treatment plan consisting of multiple surgeries, including a painful and complicated process of growing and grafting bone from the patient’s hip. The treatment plan would have taken over three years to complete, assuming no complications, and would have cost over $80,000 to the patient. The end result, after the painful, expensive and time-consuming procedures, would have been a snap-on denture.

After hearing about the Co-Managed Care program from an Affordable webinar, Dr. McGee suggested to Taylor that she consider an alternative route. With a family member in tow for emotional support, Taylor visited the Austin Dental Implant Center in Austin, TX, where Dr. Dan Holtzclaw personally performed her procedure. Dr. Holtzclaw placed quad zygomatics, nasopalatine, and pterygoid implants. The entire procedure took only a single day, and Taylor was able to walk out of the practice that same day with a winning smile. She will return to Dr. McGee’s practice in Maryland, where Dr. McGee will provide the follow-up care and provide the final prosthetic.

Rather than an overly expensive case and multiple painful surgeries over several years that would still only have resulted in a snap-on denture, Taylor now has a permanent prosthetic for half the price – in a single day. Through the Co-Managed Care program, the impossible is made possible for patients like Taylor.

BEFORE: Multiple Failing Implants

AFTER!

LAUNCHING THE ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION FIXED ARCH CADAVER COURSE This past January, eighteen of our network doctors participated in an All-in-One Solution (AIO) Fixed Arch Cadaver training course, led by Dr. Dan Holtzclaw, Director of Fixed Arch Solutions. The course was hosted by BioHorizons in Dallas, TX, and was the first course that Affordable Care coordinated and created independently of an outside dental training institute.

The course is designed as a two-day intensive, with one day of lecture and one day of cadaver surgery. Day one consisted of 6 hours of didactic lecture in which Dr. Holtzclaw covered all aspects of AIO treatment, including: History and success rates, rationale and diagnosis, anatomy, treatment planning, surgical procedure, temporization, final restoration, and dealing with complications. Having personally written a number of AIO-related research articles and an industry leading textbook on the subject, Dr. Holtzclaw also presented dozens of AIO cases demonstrating a variety of different treatment scenarios.

Following the didactic lecture on Day One, Dr. Holtzclaw provided a live demonstration of the “Texas 2-Step” suture technique and an AIO model surgery. Each course participant received a suture board on which to practice suturing techniques and models on which to hone their AIO implant placement skills. Under the guidance of course mentors Dr. Daniel Fenton (Director of Clinical Education for Affordable), Dr. James Sanderson (BioHorizons), and Dr. Holtzclaw, participants practiced on the models in preparation for cadaver surgery. Day One of the cadaver course concluded with a wonderful dinner in which all participants had a spectacular time!

Day Two consisted of cadaver surgery where course participants could put their AIO knowledge and skills to work. The day started with Dr. Holtzclaw performing a demonstration AIO surgery and then the doctors partnered up to perform work on their own cadaver heads. Outstanding AIO mentorship was provided by Dr. Daniel Fenton and Dr. Sanderson, with the support of several assistants and reps from BioHorizons as well as trainers and lab specialists from the Affordable Care team.

Dr. Holtzclaw noted, “I am very proud of our docs at this course!

The level of interest and thirst for knowledge they displayed at this AIO course was amazing.

I am excited for them to take their learnings from this course and apply them to their practices back home.”

For information on the Co-Managed Care Program or All-In-One Solution, please visit the clinical page on Inside Affordable.

The course was very helpful for my understanding of surgical placement of angulated implants in close proximity to maxillary sinuses and to the floor of the nose, as well as to get understanding of why some implants should be really long to reach all the way to cortical plate for stability. I had an opportunity to visualize critical anatomical landmarks, and to experience variety of ways to deal with possible surgical complications.

- Dr. Natalie Farber, Mentor, Ohio

CLINICAL EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

ZEST MASTERSHIP

The Zest Masters Affordable class, December 2021

In December 2021, Affordable launched its first-ever Zest Mastership Certification program, customized for our network. With 20 dentists in attendance, the Zest team took over the Affordable support center in Raleigh to create a 2-day, unique learning event focused on our unique patient demographic that often seek Denture Stabilization.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Zest Locator attachment system was top of mind for Dr. Daniel Fenton when he accepted the position of Director of Clinical Education and Implant Training in the summer of 2021. Reinforcing the industry respected philosophy that implant dentistry is restoratively driven, Dr. Fenton believed that ACI's existing implant training programs lacked detailed focus on the key prosthetic elements involving the Overdenture, so he sought to incorporate a solution that would better prepare our network of dentists to effectively serve the edentulous patient population in addition to the surgical training aspects. The timing could not have been more ideal, as Zest launched its maiden voyage of the Zest Mastership Certification program within just months of Dr. Fenton's appointment - and he was sure to be in attendance for the course.

"I'm a loyal believer that implant dentistry is a prosthetic discipline with a surgical component, not the opposite. This course highlights that concept precisely and is affiliated with the most prominent Overdenture-specific attachment system in the world. I'm proud that this echelon of learning is available to our doctors now, as it exudes relevance and invaluable information to all implant clinicians who aim to master the Overdenture, regardless of their experience level. Few things in dentistry increase the quality of our patients' lives more than us having the ability to provide them a secure denture for nourishment, comfort, and confidence simultaneously," Dr. Fenton reports.

This year, the Zest Mastership Certification program will be offered six times to all dentists in our network, and will serve as a standardized education program in conjunction with live implant surgical training at both Local Start Dental and Implant Pathway. The Zest Mastership Certification program consists of multiple online training modules to be completed prior to the live training, culminating in a 2-day, 16-CE credit weekend course including hands-on education and premium course materials. The program aims to educate attendees on the foundational elements of building a strong overdenture practice, treatment planning, and procedural execution. Course highlights include didactic lectures as well as hands-on training for impression and attachment pick-up techniques for the successful treatment of the edentulous patient utilizing contemporary implant-retained, tissue supported treatment options. The course provides a simplified, step-by-step approach to providing the final prosthesis that meets the patients' functional and esthetic expectations. With the two most notable industry-leading Overdenture course educators leading the event, Dr. Michael Scherer and Dr. Joseph Massad, the program is already generating excitement throughout the Affordable network.

"Words cannot describe how awesome it is to be working closely with Affordable. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be working with. The ACI clinicians are among the most incredible and compassionate people and it is such an honor to be a part of this journey." notes Dr. Michael Scherer, Chief Clinical Officer of Zest Dental Solutions.

Zest Mastership is open to all dentists! To learn more, email us at ClinicalEducation@AffordableCare.com.

THE AFFORDABLE CLINICAL TEAM News & Announcements

No

Bones about it!

we're excited about bone grafting!

Have you participated in a No Bones About It Training session yet? If not, you're missing out! No Bones features live practice education delivered virtually for your whole team as well as a practice kit, complete with product samples and information, pricing and coding information, bone models for patient use, case studies and much more.

Training is offered monthly to a limited number of practices.

Email us at ClinicalTraining@affordablecare.com to learn more!

YOU GO, GIRL CELEBRATING WOMEN IN DENTISTRY

March is the month to celebrate the Women of Dentistry! If you are a female dentist in the Affordable network, keep an eye out for a mailed gift from the Clinical Team - we are honored to support you!

Thanks for all you do!

We will be spotlighting the amazing women of Affordable in the next edition of the Drill, and we want your photo featured! Send your photo to Emily Buechler (Emily.Buechler@affordablecare.com).

AFFORDABLE IN THE INDUSTRY Are you attending a dental industry event this year? Come visit the Affordable booth at one of the following events!

Hinman | March 17 - 19 | Atlanta, GA Implant Pathway Symposium | April 29 - 30 | Phoenix, AZ NCDS Annual Meeting | May 19 - 20 | Myrtle Beach, SC Florida Dental Convention | June 23 - 25 | Orlando, FL AAID | September 22 - 24 | Dallas, TX ACP | November 2 - 5 | Austin, TX ICOI | November 3 - 5 | Las Vegas, NV

WELCOME NEW DENTISTS new to the network Dr. Loan Nguyen (West Houston, TX) Dr. Carolyn Moore (Albany, GA) Dr. Duhwan Rasmussen (Valdosta, GA) Dr. Jae Lee (Bloomington, IN) Dr. Eric Smith (Lincoln, NE) Dr. Collin Miller (Monroe, LA) Dr. Devon Burns (Weeki Wachi, FL) Dr. Kalyani Starr (Kannapolis, NC) Dr. Leonorda Dysart (Montgomery, AL) Dr. William Veazy (Binghamton, NY) Dr. Marlo Bulza (Vancouver, WA) Dr. Samir Hassan (Orland Park, IL) Dr. Glenn Noble (Asheville, NC) Dr. Vasudha Basava (West Chester, OH) Dr. Anthony Smith (Cedar Hill, TX) Dr. Ibrahim Shuaib (Springfield, IL) Dr. Panni Howil (Cicero, NY) Dr. Oliver Moradian (Tampa, FL) Dr. Darshon Bhalodie (Lancaster, PA) Dr. Yolanda Banobre (Tallahassee, FL) Dr. Christopher Hayes (Muncie, IN) Dr. Tracie Battle (Arlington, TN) Dr. Mohammad Kahlil (Lansing, MI) Dr. Kevin Vernet (Delray Beach, FL) Dr. Catherine Goodson (Lake Jackson, TX) Dr. Jun Soo Shin (Downer's Grove, IL) Dr. Dan Bartok (St. Clairsville, OH) Dr. Pavana Chakrapani (Cypress, TX) Dr. Isaac Brown (Clarksville, TN) Dr. Niru Gaind (Mt. Laurel, NJ) Dr. Jacob Bell (Augusta, GA) Dr. Gail Njoku (Lake Worth, TX) Dr. Jihad Abdul-Majid (Woodhaven, MI) Dr. William Verillo (McDonough, GA) Dr. Varun Mittal (Yuba City, CA) Dr. Kemi Osusan (Montgomery Village, MD) Dr. Cody Neil (Charleston West Ashley, SC) Dr. Rosetta Shelby-Calvin (Little Rock, AR) Dr. Frank Nelson (Gilbert, AZ) Dr. Lavanya Inampudi (Maplewood, MN) Dr. Mark Mery (Waco, TX) Dr. Soheil Karbassi (Odessa, TX) Dr. Srividya Putchha (Kokomo, IN) Dr. Tiffany White-Parker (Greenville, NC) Dr. Colin Du (Midwest City, OK) Dr. Kevin Lee (Colfax, NC) Dr. Andrea Sidle (Oak Park, IL) Dr. Darrell Walker (Mobile, AL) Dr. Richard Ciliier (Lake Mary, FL) Dr. Alex Shabanovich (Arlington Heights, IL) Dr. Jennifer Morehouse (Conover, NC) Dr. Jake Philip (Arlington, TX) Dr. Karthika Basireddy (Fayetteville, NC) Dr. Anna Dao (Jonesboro, AR) Dr. Samir Hassan (Orland Park, IL) Dr. Ken Ngo (St. Peters, MO) Dr. Veena Ananthasayanam (Erie, PA) Dr. Komal Sharma (Erie, PA) Dr. Blake Bufford (Livonia, MI) Dr. Andrew Paez (Florence, KY)