Publisher & Editor
Glenn L. Vo, DDS CEO, Dental Lifestyles PublishingManaging Editor
Ethan Webb
Project Manager
Hanna Garcia
Art Director
Jess Beltran
Editorial Board
Dr. Christopher Hoffpauir
Dr. Brittany Vo
Nick Pavlidis
Contributors
Corbin Rayburn
Harsh Patel
Dr. Houman Dehdashti
Ian Miller
Dr. Kathryn Alderman
Leah Rolling
Dr. Roshan Kalra
Sean Ryan
Dr. Tony Tomaro
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Dental Lifestyles is published quarterly by Dental Lifestyles Publishing Group. Advertisers may sponsor some articles and/or content. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion. Dental Lifestyles is not responsible for omissions or information misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and their agencies assume all liability for advertising content. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher.
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Publisher’s Note
The Gratitude Advantage: Finding Happiness and Fulfillment in Dentistry......................................
Business Life
Maximize Tax Credits to Benefit the Practice, Grow Wealth.......
The 5 Major Pitfalls for Dentists (When it Comes to Financial Planning)....................................
Investment Life
Let’s Get “Real”: Why Real Estate Should Be A Pillar Of Your Financial Portfolio.....................
Escaping the “Golden Handcuffs” of Dentistry Through Real Estate Investing......................................
Practice Life Keeping Your Sanity as a Dental Professional with Mauty.............
Best Dental Conferences
Vendor Life
What’s Medidenta Up To & Why Do You Care?................................
Business Life
6 Easy Steps to Optimizing Your Google Profiles and Traffic from Google Maps.................................
Dental Life
Finding Fulfillment Even if You Don’t Love Dentistry....................
Practice Lifestyle
Dr. Layla Lohmann’s Dallas Dental Group: Where Dental Care Feels Like Home...................................... Dental
become a dentist—what he had put himself through and what he was prepared to do. And it made me think of how sometimes we say we are sick of this profession or ready to move on when, at one point in time, becoming a dentist meant everything to us.
Do you remember how you felt when you got your dental school acceptance letter?
What about when you survived another year of dental school? Got through your first clinical procedure? The boards? And then the feeling you got when you were handed that diploma at graduation.
I was talking to my roommate from dental school, reminiscing about old times, when he brought up a pep talk I gave to him during an extremely tough stretch of exams and patients during our third year. I had told him that we were at a life defining moment.
We were going to succeed or we were going to fail. And our lives would be forever changed as a result. Our future depended on this. Our families were depending on this. My friend joked at how dramatic I got... but it worked.
He brought up this memory because he liked to remind himself how important it was for him to
And I share this story with you, because sometimes we need a dose of reflection and a lot of gratitude to combat the self inflicting abuse we put on ourselves as dental professionals. So, the next time you’re feeling imperfect and inadequate as a dental professional, focus on the things that you have accomplished and do every single day in the operatory.
Embrace Your Awesome Skills and Impact:
Hey, let’s take a moment to pat ourselves on the back! We’ve spent years mastering our dental skills, and it’s no small feat. Gratitude helps us realize just how awesome we are and the incredible impact we have on our patients’ lives. Also, reflect on the amount of additional training you put in via CE, conferences, and networking so that you can be the best version of yourself. This should and deserves to be celebrated.
We Build Real Connections with Patients:
Dental care isn’t just about fixing teeth—it’s about connecting with people. Gratitude is like a secret handshake that opens the door to meaningful patient relationships. When we genuinely appreciate our patients’ trust and confidence,
it shows in our interactions. We listen better, understand their concerns, and create a comfortable space where they feel valued. Building these genuine connections helps us forge long-lasting relationships, turning our dental chair into a friendly hangout spot. So, be grateful for the opportunity to forge these relationships and reflect on the enormous impact its made in your own life.
From Obstacles to Learning Opportunities: Life throws challenges at us left and right, and dentistry isn’t exempt from that rollercoaster. But hold on tight because gratitude can turn these challenges into cool learning opportunities. When we approach tough cases or setbacks with gratitude, we flip the script. Instead of getting down, we focus on the lessons hidden in those experiences. Reflect on the lesson learned from the obstacle and be grateful for the opportunity
Rock that Work-Life Balance: We know how easy it is to get swallowed up by work. But wait—gratitude to the rescue again! By taking a moment each day to appreciate the good stuff outside of work, we find balance in the chaos. Gratitude reminds us that there’s more to life than just drilling and filling. We cherish our personal relationships and make time for self-care, making our lives richer and more fulfilling on every level. So be reflective on all the things that dentistry made possible for us in our personal lives and how it continues to provide for us.
Finally, I’d like to tie things up with a story about relationships. Because dentistry is more than just teeth. Its a profession focused on relationships. And the biggest and most impactful relationships we create are the ones with our team members. I have had the privilege of helping a number of my own team members reach their goals and dreams. Whether it was CJ who went from a RDA to a RDH or Tiffany who went from a DA to dentist, I am grateful for playing a small part in their journey. So, as you reflect on what has made your career in dentistry so worthwhile, simply look to the relationships you’ve cultivated to find your answer.
may not have another such opportunity for immediate cash.
The Research and Development Tax Credit (commonly known as the R&D) and the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) provide dental practices an influx of cash that business owners can use in a variety of ways, including hiring new employees, investing in new technologies, or otherwise investing in the business to create growth and generational wealth. The cash infusions from these programs can help business owners jump-start profitable tax and financial plans.
The R&D rewards business owners for investing in their employees and businesses, yet businesses are still uncommon to claim and take advantage of the tax credit. This dollar-for-dollar credit allows businesses to recoup the money they have spent to grow their business through investing in new technology, processes, employees, workflows, etc. Many business owners hear “research and development” and preemptively disqualify themselves from the credit. However, it is beneficial for companies to claim these funds, not only because businesses are entitled to them but also because they
Once a business receives money from the R&D and/or ERTC, it may be unsure how to deploy it best. Moreover, the business may need additional assistance in reducing its tax liability. Various long-term and shortterm tax strategies are available to dental practice owners that can save them thousands of dollars each year. Most business owners do not have a tax plan or strategy, as this is not their specialty area. However, this is a very important aspect of the business, and many owners may be leaving money on the table if they are not comprehensively reviewing their tax situation and creating and adhering to a strategy. By reducing its tax liability through a customized tax plan, a company can save significant money, thus increasing its bottom-line revenue.
A financial services partner can help a business create a plan and then work with that business to ensure the plan gets implemented properly. Many financial plans fail because of a lack of follow-through. This is where a financial services partner assists. Most business owners face many day-to-day challenges to fully and successfully implement a tax plan; thus, the right financial partner injection from R&D can help businesses with the implementation of their financial plan.
Meanwhile, the ERTC is available to dental practice owners to recover employee costs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This credit allows business owners to claim wages paid if they either saw a 50% decline in gross revenue, were otherwise impacted by a full or partial shutdown, or
experienced nominal disruptions of operations of 10% or more. The credit has been intentionally created broadly enough to encompass many businesses, especially in the healthcare field. This credit is the government’s response to the many expenses businesses incurred related to the pandemic, such as the installation of plexiglass barriers and the distribution of masks.
Most business owners believe they have received all they qualified for. Still, they likely were only filing under the “gross receipts test” and only received no more than $5,000 per employee, which may have been further reduced by the Paycheck Protection Program. In sum, even if a business already qualified for and accepted ERTC, new regulations allow for even more money to be received.
Utilizing R&D and ERTC can help businesses save money on taxes and recover overpaid taxes. Still, it is also essential to roll that money into longer-term investments for the purpose of creating generational wealth. The financial services partner should be able to help business owners create individualized investment plans based on their personal financial goals, which can be kick-started by the money saved on taxes. These exciting new tax and financial planning opportunities can allow business owners to develop and meet seemingly unreachable financial goals and attain financial freedom.
Along these lines, a fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) can serve an indispensable role in keeping a business on the financial track. Fractional CFO services are a cost-effective alternative to hiring a full-time
CFO, providing top-tier financial expertise while managing practice expenses efficiently. A fractional CFO can offer guidance through the intricacies of financial management specific to dental practices. Such an asset provides comprehensive support to enhance the practice’s financial management, saving practice owners time and granting them the reassurance and peace of mind of having a qualified professional diligently overseeing their finances, allowing them to focus on dentistry and productivity optimally.
In summary, business owners should ensure that they save the maximum amount on their taxes and recover overpaid tax dollars. Then, they should roll that newly found wealth into financial tools and plans that build self-sustaining wealth. Partnering with a financial advisor who can walk them through this process can be most beneficial.
Scan the QR code to reach out to Medical Incentive Advisors and mention Nifty Thrifty Dentists
1. Not properly measuring financials.
You need to do this on a monthly or (at least) quarterly basis. If you’re not accurate and timely with measuring your finances and struggle to understand the meaning of them, you’re missing out on a crucial component of achieving financial success.
level. He’s aware of what benchmarks and targets you should aim for, and how to achieve the vision that you have in mind for your practice
By Dr. Glenn VoLet’s be honest, expectations are key—especially when it comes to the person handling your hard-earned cash.
People always have a kind of “run-of-the-line” set of expectations for their CPA. But you should always set the bar high—especially for the person handling your finances. You shouldn’t settle with a CPA who just shoots for the status quo; you want someone who asks the right questions, measures the right diagnostics, creates the right reports—you name it.
I love working with all kinds of CPAs, always striving to find the right one, because I know one thing for sure: when it comes to financing, the smallest changes make the most significant impact.
That said, there’s always been one CPA who has been serving both myself and the Nifty Thrifty community. I mean, c’mon, why don’t we just call this man the CPA of Nifty Thrifty Dentists? After all, he’s been hooking my crew up for a while. Most of you probably know exactly who I’m talking about already: Harsh Patel, the owner of HMP Consultants.
So, what does Harsh believe to be the five major pitfalls for dentists when it comes to financial planning? Well, keep reading.
For those who are multi-practice owners—especially for those at DSO level of ownership—you need to compare yourself to other practices. Overall, it is imperative that things are being delivered on time and also done consistently throughout the year. That’s why HMP Consultants is focused on benchmarking, where they can deliver specific diagnostic reports. Through differing KPI analyses, they can measure numbers such as production, staff performance, etc. and then compare those metrics to other practices not only within your region, but also throughout the industry itself.
That’s something that a lot of practice owners simply don’t do—let alone CPAs.
So many dentists get stubborn, assuming they can go through some cousin who’s a CPA—or something along those lines. But I’ve worked with Harsh personally, and he always touches upon subjects, obstacles, etc. that are so relevant to dentistry. Any CPA might know what it takes to go about measuring finances—P&L’s, KPI’s, etc.—but Harsh always uses that lingo that only us dentists can understand. A CPA who doesn’t have a strong grasp on the industry and has zero exposure to dentistry is going to have a hard time knowing what to do with a dental practice—and that’s why Harsh is different.
He knows how to take your dental practice to the next
Other CPAs just won’t ask the same questions, which is what makes him so invaluable. Between cash-flow analysis, evaluating benchmark data, viewing charts on sales, measuring collection reports, and more, Harsh and his team will really start to peel through each layer of the onion.
2. Not setting the right expectations.
A major mistake dentists make when hiring a CPA is not fully utilizing their CPAs capabilities. And I’m of the opinion that this issue often stems from not setting the right expectations.
To keep expectations on the right track to make your way to your vision, it’s important to set consistent meetings— monthly, preferably—to go over results. When your spending isn’t providing a comfortable ROI, it’s worth studying why.
3. Not being diligent about taxes.
Dentists or not, many entrepreneurs often fall victim to the misconception that taxes are taxes—what they pay is what they owe. But, the reality is, with the right tax-planning, you can save quite a few bucks.
For example, one thing Harsh points out is that there are different layers of “government credits”—such asemployee-retention credits. Not many people know about that—do you know about that?
Some people are eligible, and some are not. But what is even worse is that some CPAs don’t even let their clients know about that government credit. Between government subsidies, payroll taxes, equipment purchases, and more, it’s a bit of a
tricky subject to tackle—unless you’re someone like Harsh, who can explain it so simply. When a consultation comes and the communication becomes too “muddled” with technicalities, important points—and pivots— fall through the cracks.
One of the trickiest subjects for any CPA—especially for one dealing with the dentistry game—is the legislation.
On that note, Harsh wanted to bring up an important new law: “Bonus Depreciation.” Effective 2023, instead of 100% owner distribution, it’s going down to 80%. And, every year afterwards, it’s dropping down an additional 20% until it phases out. In other words, if you want to make a big purchase, this would be the year to do it. So, how can you tackle “Bonus Depreciation”? Well, there are two different methods. But, for the sake of this article, we’ll just dive into one.
If you have five-year pieces of equipment—meaning they’ll last five years or more—you can depreciate those over five years.
Again, in 2022, the “Depreciation Law” ran to 100%. However, in 2023, you can only cap it off to 80%. From there on, it phases out—you can do the remainder of the math between months, years, etc.
Compare that ratio to the portion you’d earn this year. It can be subsidized to $100,000, $50,000—whatever is relevant to your situation. If you’re re-doing your office, this is important to consider! To see what savings you can make, just reach out to Harsh himself.
4. Not keeping current with the trends of dentistry. When you came out of dental school years ago, maybe you were working as an associate. Back then, everything was much more basic: W-2’s, plug
in some other stuff, and you’re done. But when you’re owning a practice, everything has surfaced to a whole new level. And when you’re owning multiple practices, things have escalated even further. Add on kids, multiple employees, etc., and think about how the requirements change. So, with all these factors, how much could you potentially be losing?
When it comes to the multi-practice range, you could potentially be losing millions of dollars due to poor financial planning, lapses in efficiency, outsourcing marketing—you name it.
So, what do you do?
Keep an overwatch. Look at how your competitors are doing— and adjust.
It’s easier when you have one practice but, when you’re managing multiple practices, there’s more to take care of.
That’s why it’s super imporant to take a good, long gaze at the financials. Where can you cut costs, especially if you have practices side-by-side. You really need to look at every single item, every single month. The important component is making sure that your vision remains on track. Thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars can be missed if you’re not careful.
Although taking care of patients is a priority for all dentists, it is just as important to take the time to be diligent about your finances—especially if it means you’re sloping on your ROI.
5. Not doing your own book-keeping. On that note, let’s dive into a hot issue I’ve seen time and time again: Us dentists love to do our own book-keeping.
As they say: You can spend your money for time, or spend your time for money. For those of us who didn’t go to school for accounting (most of us), why would you try to play accountant?
Sure, check your books for 2-3 hours and save a buck. But, honestly, with that investment, you could definitely make 10x the amount of money sitting patients in chairs or exploring other business ventures. If you keep all the pieces of the puzzle separated between book-keepers, tax planners, etc., things will get muddy.
Back-and-forths between parties will sometimes create complications, errors, and so on.
Harsh often finds that dilly-dallying and lapses in communication make room for critical errors. So, when you’re keeping the books, make sure your go-to is reliable.
“Not to” not do next? Contact the man himself for a free tax and accounting analysis session to practice owners, with a 10% off Nifty Thrifty discount.
Joe Fogg is the CEO of onDiem, a national on-demand staffing platform that connects dental practices with verified dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and front-office professionals. They combine the flexibility of the gig economy with the benefits of traditional staffing, creating an on-demand professional labor force.
Joe’s always prioritized “caring for the people who care” in his business. It’s no wonder onDiem is the first in its class to be W-2 compliant nationwide—which means the company can provide a unique suite of benefits for all dental professionals who find work through their platform. That includes Care Benefits, a monthly stipend that dental workers can use for costs related to childcare, fitness, wellness, and more; think everything from copays to yoga classes.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Joe about the story behind onDiem, and how they’re reimagining what it means to run a business “for good.”
Dr. Glenn Vo: Thank you so much for sitting down to talk with me. Readers will surely recognize you as the founder and CEO of onDiem. Tell us a little bit about how you ended up starting onDiem.
Joe Fogg: Before onDiem, I was part of startups that had nothing to do with healthcare or staffing, some of which we scaled and sold to publicly traded companies. I helped run those businesses post-acquisition. While running those businesses, I operated on a key principle: If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers—and your customers will take care of your business. We offered great benefits to our employees, including dental insurance.
At one point, I noticed a slow adoption rate of employees actually utilizing their dental insurance, particularly among hourly workers. They wanted to but, for various reasons, couldn’t take time off to go to the dentist or even find dentists with available appointments. Others didn’t have transportation. This lack of access to critical care was unacceptable to me, so I decided to create a mobile dental clinic business to literally bring the dental office to the patient.
That led me to learn the business side of dentistry, such as operatory revenue yields, hygiene production, hard costs, and more. After completing my initial projections, I connected with dentists who were willing to share their information with me. I was shocked to see how different their actual numbers were from my projection, particularly with respect to production. I assumed practices were productive five full days per week—but I discovered that production fluctuated greatly. Operatories sat empty, often for days at a time.
When I asked why, I learned that demand wasn’t the problem—staffing was the problem. Practices couldn’t get hygienist or assistant coverage to stay productive for more than a couple of days a week. That’s when I just knew I needed to help practices, professionals, and patients by creating a staffing solution—not a mobile clinic solution.
Dr. Glenn Vo: So, the genesis of onDiem was when you stumbled upon a different problem from the one you were trying to solve originally?
Joe Fogg: Yes, exactly. I knew mobile dentistry was already a thing. There were other companies doing it and doing it well. I was going to make more mobile clinics available, which was important. But I felt like I could help even more people by solving the staffing problem that kept clinics empty and patients without many appointment options for critical treatment or preventative care.
As I started onDiem, I realized most practices were just like the ones I analyzed while researching mobile clinics. Keeping operatories staffed with talented, hardworking clinicians was a much bigger problem than marketing for the vast majority of practices. So, they were forced to schedule people out months into the future. If they could get those operatories staffed, they wouldn’t have to schedule people out. They could schedule them sooner and drive more revenue with full operatories.
I also learned that many hygienists work part-time and didn’t have healthcare benefits. Imagine that: These healthcare providers didn’t have health insurance. That was another light bulb moment. My mom was a nurse for 40 years, and it pained me to think that healthcare providers couldn’t care for themselves. I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that we could take care of our healthcare providers—and
do it well.
I decided to build a platform that could allow hygienists to get the pay, flexibility, and benefits they want and deserve. But I committed myself to doing it in a way that helped practices maximize their productivity in a way they could afford—which wasn’t possible with existing staffing models.
Dr. Glenn Vo: How did you come up with the name, onDiem?
Joe Fogg: We wanted the name to not just embody our beliefs and intentions, but also how the reality of how the world works these days. So, we combined our beliefs with the on-demand nature of our lives to create onDiem: A combination of on-demand, per diem, and carpe diem.
On-demand reflects the Uber/ Netflix nature of consumer behavior, which our app facilitates. Per diem represents how we refer to placing professionals by the shift in healthcare. And carpe diem means “seize the day,” which not only reflects our attitude toward making a positive impact but also onDiem’s vision of building a community of practices and professionals that can truly seize every day. Practices can get the staff needed to fill their operatories every day—and professionals can get work on their terms and their schedules.
Finally, we designed our company logo to represent our core value of helping practice owners and dental professionals achieve balance. By “balance,” we don’t just mean work-life balance; we also mean balance in relationships, balance in problem-solving with intuition and logic, and balance in caring for others while also caring for yourself. We believe everyone needs to find balance in their life, so we designed our logo accordingly.
Dr. Glenn Vo: Tell me a little more about that principle of balance and how you integrate it into onDiem?
Joe Fogg: The short answer: Practices use onDiem to achieve balance—such as worklife balance or more balanced, consistent revenue. I believe a person has to live a balanced, well-rounded life to deliver the maximum value and the maximum output for what they want to achieve. You have to be healthy physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.
If you suffer in any one of these aspects—I like to call them “spokes” of your life—you’re going to eventually suffer in all of them. Entrepreneurs find balance a challenging art because they want to grow quickly, which can sometimes come at the expense of the people and things that bring them joy. You can move fast in business, but you can’t do it at the
sacrifice of your family. When you work so much that you’re not close to your family, you’re not healthy—you compromise your health. You do all of this great work for your business but, if you end up sacrificing your own health or hurting the people you love, then it’s not even worth it.
I’m very proud that one of the greatest benefits people get when they use our platform is balance. Some practices use onDiem regularly to fill their operatories with trained and hardworking clinical staff. Some dentists use it to be able to take vacations. Some use it to allow staff to take time off more easily. Some take it to fill their operatories with talented workers all day, every day. Clinical staff use it to achieve more customized and flexible schedules as well. Our platform lets practices and professionals grow their businesses and livelihoods while enjoying the gift of life and leisure.
Dr. Glenn Vo: Personally, I love onDiem. Your company helped me when I needed hygienists— my operatory didn’t sit empty, costing me money. But talk with readers about how onDiem differs from other staffing models.
Joe Fogg: It differs in so many ways. For example, temp staffing is expensive. Temp agencies add high fees to cover taxes and other costs associated
with their traditional business model. Moreover, if a practice wants to hire one of the temps full-time, they have to pay a big fee.
We built our platform to achieve efficiencies and economies of scale. We created technology that allows us to serve thousands of dental practices and tens of thousands of dental professionals with a corporate staff of about thirty people—most of whom came from actual experience on the clinical side. They know the pain points and struggles. They know the balancing act of trying to make sure you’re really strong clinically and doing everything to make the practice and the doctor happy. They also know what it’s like to raise a family and juggle their careers. They know how hard of a grind it is. But they’re also so passionate about it and work hard to help each other solve this big need in dentistry.
In the end, we have very low overhead and can keep costs much lower while providing a higher level of service to both practices and professionals. We automate everything we can through our platform and built in all the protections you would expect with staffing. We onboard every professional just like a regular employee and take care of all the administrative and regulatory sides of things.
I want to emphasize that many companies—even those outside
of dentistry—have landed in hot water by misclassifying employees as 1099 independent contractors. They’ve been forced to pay significant fines, fees, taxes, and worse. Most practices don’t have human resources in-house to help them stay compliant, no employment lawyer to help guide them with labor and payroll laws, and no internal payroll processing. So, they end up making a lot of costly mistakes.
Our costs are significantly lower than direct hiring, too. To the average practice, a person who makes $50 an hour will cost another 45% on top of that for taxes, workers’ comp insurance, and other labor costs. So, a $50-an-hour employee costs around $72.50 an hour to the practice. On the other hand, onDiem’s average markup is only 22%, so we are able to lower the fully-adjusted cost by around 20% in addition to providing all the other benefits. Practices can utilize us with their existing staff or part-time staff to save costs and add benefits—and do it legally, in a compliant manner, almost like a professional employer organization or PEO.
Finally, from a user-experience perspective, clinical workers set up their accounts just like they would if they were renting out an Airbnb, knowing that anyone they hire has already been fully onboarded with compliance taken care of. They select the days they want to work, and then office managers log in
and book them when they need them. It’s really that simple.
Dr. Glenn Vo: What’s next for onDiem?
Joe Fogg: There are a few things I’m excited about. On top of our already-extensive suite of benefits, we’re looking to provide a full health insurance benefits plan for all of our dental workers—in the very, very near future. This is so important because many dental workers who only work one or two days a week have no insurance. We want to change that— and we will. On top of PTO, Care Benefits, unemployment pay-in, discounted American Dental Hygienists’ Association membership, workers’ comp insurance, and so much more— this full health insurance benefits plan would allow more dental care providers
everywhere to enjoy the care and protections they’ve deserved all along.
Dr. Glenn Vo: Before we wrap up, do you feel optimistic or pessimistic about the future of dentistry?
Joe Fogg: I am 100% optimistic. Having seen the inside of dentistry and worked with thousands of dental practices and professionals, I know the future is bright in dentistry for practice owners, staff, and people who so urgently and immediately need more and better access to care. I’m especially proud that onDiem was one of the first platforms to actively address the issue, and unapologetically put the care of our fellow humans first.
become a dentist and completing that rite of passage means you have the ability to handle easily just about any stress real estate can throw at you.
you see and do is exactly what you want to do.
The real estate industry might be very different from the dental industry, but I truly believe it should be a part of every dentist’s financial portfolio. The returns are just too good to pass up, and most times with a good team, it is able to run itself with minimal input or time. My rental portfolio of 54 units takes 2 hours a month to meet with the property manager and manage. Of course, when I am managing full remodels, those take significantly more time, but that’s a more involved investor and not applicable to most who read this.
The path of dentistry often draws high achievers who are always hungry to grow—both personally and professionally. When it comes to the prospect of creating a profitable secondary income stream using real estate, the majority of us are interested—but not without some hesitation. Maybe you resonate as this as someone who wants to dive into the real estate game but doesn’t want to make that leap blindly without a sense of security or know-how.
I’m here to give you some insider information on real estate investing on some common themes I get asked about from dentists.
1. “Dentistry is hard enough, why do I need another job?”
Dentistry is tough. It can be tiring, mentally exhausting, and literally back breaking. However, if you can do dentistry, you can do real estate. We go through a grueling process to
While you can’t drill into a tooth without a dental degree, success in real estate only requires the willingness to learn and act. It starts by reading the right books (I recommend the books by Brandon Turner), connecting with the right network, being savvy to the right strategies, joining the right social media group, attending the right seminars, etc. Most importantly though, it takes action. Most dentists I’ve talked to fall into the category of wanting to invest followed up by learning how to invest… and then never pulling the trigger. Taking that leap of faith the first time is the hardest, and the most crucial. For me, buying a house is just like seeing an implant or crown prep on the schedule. I’m excited, but not afraid. After taking that first step, the next becomes easier, and the next becomes even easier, and so on. Whether it is dentistry or real estate, having done reps is your best source of confidence. Believe it or not, there has been a time I forgot I was buying a house and had to rush to the title company late to make sure I did end up buying the house! Buying another property has become enough of a non-event, I can even forget that I am doing it. And if you do enough real estate investing, it will happen to you too, just like forgetting you’re doing a crown or an implant that day.
So why should you invest in real estate? Simply put, you can scale real estate to make money without you being in the business. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to learn how to lease your houses or how to unclog a toilet. A right system and the correct property manager will make sure that all
Dentistry is scalable in the same way. In fact, dentistry will make you even more money if you can scale it to the point you are not in the business. Did a real estate guy just say you can make more money in dentistry? Absolutely I did. With general practices selling at a 7-9x EBITDA, taking home $500K to $1 million as a dentist means your practice may be worth upwards of $5 million! But (and it’s an important but) scaling dentistry is exponentially more difficult than real estate. Dealing with staffing issues, credentialing and insurances, opinionated dentists on something as silly as only wanting to use a diamond 330 bur vs a carbide 330 bur, the list goes on. Most of you scaling your practice have already learned to deal with these and even expect them.
On the other hand, when you scale your real estate empire, your job actually becomes easier. So what if you had a unit with an AC system go out? You have 10 other houses to cover that bill. When you only have 1 house, if it goes vacant, you have 100% vacancy. But when you have 10 houses, and 1 goes vacant, you don’t stress because you are still getting 90% of your overall rent. In this way, scaling a real estate empire is not only easier than scaling a dental empire, but it actually gets easier the bigger you get. The inevitable problems are lessened because you have scaled. Compare staffing problems if you scaled a dental business. If you have multiple offices, you probably have dealt with headache and migraine-inducing staffing issues over the last few years. To top it off, your overall costs have skyrocketed and insurances are even lowering reimbursements. But you know what hasn’t changed, even with people not working as much
and demanding more money? The fact that they need to live in a house and need a roof over their head. In fact there are really only 3 necessities in life: Food, Water, and Shelter. Food has incredibly low margins, I have no idea how to invest in water, which leaves shelter as the last necessity. I like to invest in something that people require, not want. It makes it Recession/Amazon/Internet/ War proof.
Ultimately, the beauty of real estate is you do not have to directly be involved to make money. Imagine if you made enough money to match your dental income through real estate, what kind of freedom would you have? You could change your practice to implant or cosmetics only, you could drop insurances, you could cut days down and spend more time with your family, you could practice exactly the way you have wanted to in your dreams. You could do all of this with no lifestyle change.
Or if you’re like me, you can decide that you want to travel the world and no longer want to hold the handpiece. I would much rather try new foods, explore my hobbies (I’m an avid foodie, traveler, and adventure junkie), and learn new skills that may be completely unnecessary but could be fun like pottery making. These things bring me more happiness than working in a moist cramped cave of a mouth explaining for the millionth time why flossing is beneficial.
Whether you like dentistry or not, the point of real estate is freedom. Freedom to do what you want, with whom you want, how you want, and where you want. And once you get the right setup, it doesn’t require much action—a relatively semi-passive income is effectively created. So instead of
asking yourself why you should get into real estate, ask yourself what kind of life are you giving up because you are not in real estate.
2. “How fast can I make money?”
If you are asking this, you have the wrong mindset. As a dentist, you know that success doesn’t happen overnight. Just like managing a dental practice, a truly successful real estate approach requires a years-long strategy—there’s no reliable winning in the short term. While there are times that markets are being sent to the moon, so to speak, real estate has—historically—always been a “slow and steady” kind of deal.
So, know this: If you’re trying to just get in and get out with a wad of money, then odds are that you’re better off going to Vegas. Keep the big picture in mind, because real estate requires a commitment. However, that commitment is extremely well rewarded.
3. “How do I make money in Real Estate?”
There are actually four ways to
make money in real estate: cash flow, mortgage paydown, depreciation (tax benefits), and appreciation. While I always recommend you focus on cash flow, the benefits of the other 3 ways can not be underestimated. In the past 2 to 3 years, housing prices have been on a rip and have gone up in value by 30 to 50%. Imagine if you had 10 houses that all appreciated by 30%. You likely will have gained more net worth just via appreciation than working as a dentist for the full year. And unlike the stock market, there are two major advantages. The first is tangibility: unlike an investment in the stock market or funding a business idea, you can actually touch real estate—it’s a physical property. The second is leverage: you’re only putting 0-20% for a downpayment, but you’re getting 100% of the returns. If a house goes up in value and you only invested 20%, the bank doesn’t take 80% of it—it’s all yours.
To be fair, the biggest negative compared to the stock market is that real estate investing is a much more involved process. There are no
set-it-and-forget-it index funds. But the pros far outweigh the cons.
4. “What kind of legacy can I create?”
Real estate is something you can handle, while also being a full time dentist. Sure, it requires grit, but that isn’t something too new for most of us dental professionals. As a dentist, every day is a delicate dance between managing multiple patient appointments, addressing unexpected dental emergencies, and ensuring the smooth operation of your team amidst the ever-present chaos of running a busy dental practice.
So if you know you can handle it, how far can you take it? That’s totally up to you! For me, my financial freedom is secured. I no longer need to work at the office, and in fact, I am selling my office. I am now considering what I can do to pass my hard work on to future generations. I have set up such a huge trampoline that my successors can soar as high as they want and literally do whatever they want. With a few guiding
principles (namely, hold onto assets and don’t sell them!), my heirs can do whatever they fancy. What if someone wants to be an artist, but there is no money to be made in oil paintings? Well with their financial backing, they can be a true renaissance man (or woman!) and follow their passions. What kind of accomplishment or benefit can they provide to humanity, given that money is no longer a factor, and they are doing what they were put on this earth to do?
I also want to show dentists how they can achieve financial freedom in ten years or less! That’s why I have a facebook group called Real Estate Investment for Dentists and hold an annual live conference in September. I want to not only enjoy what I’ve worked for, but also show you and others how they too can achieve their financial freedom. And ultimately, that’s the legacy I want to have - one of empowering my heirs and my peers. If you had the true freedom to do what you want, what kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?
his father’s sudden triumph in the same field.
Dr. Jonny Withananchi’s journey from growing up in a poor immigrant family from Sri Lanka to a successful endodontist and real estate investor in the United States is a testament to hard work and determination.
Growing up, Jonny’s parents emphasized the importance of education as a means to escape poverty, and he took this to heart. Excelling in school, he became the first person on both sides of his family to graduate from a university (with his brother following suit two years later).
Initially considering a career in medicine (and even taking the MCAT), Jonny only stumbled upon dentistry after a medical student recommended it for its shorter schooling, promising earning potential, and lower liability.
Thus, Jonny set his sights on dentistry instead. As a guy who describes himself as someone who “likes to take on whatever is most difficult,” it makes sense that the man chose to specialize in endodontics. Jonny’s fascination with the real estate industry was sparked during his third year in dental school, finding inspiration in
Jonny’s transition from being stuck in the Rat Race to striking a family-focused balance. Jonny’s father gave him a book named Creating Wealth with Real Estate by Robert Allen. After he read it, Jonny was soon telling all of his dental schoolmates that he was going to make his wealth in the real estate industry. And, true to his word, Jonny made his first investment in real estate only 8 months after becoming an endodontist.
Initially focusing on residential properties, Jonny later shifted to commercial real estate, which proved more profitable and scalable. The money started pouring in, and Jonny experienced a dramatic change in lifestyle, indulging in luxuries he could never afford before.
Following his marriage and the joyful addition of a daughter and son to his life, Jonny started to acknowledge that his unwavering focus on making money was impacting his personal life. Working as an endodontist and managing a growing portfolio of properties left him overwhelmed and unable to spend quality time with his kids. Missing his daughter’s kindergarten recital was a wake-up call that prompted him to reevaluate his priorities.
Jonny recognized that financial freedom was his ultimate goal, and he realized that his currentreal estate strategy wasn’t achieving it. To regain control of his life, he decided to sell his commercial properties and transition to generating passive income in real estate.
With a renewed focus on his family and a smarter approach
to generating cash flow, Jonny now enjoys a balanced life. He spends only 20 hours a week at his dental practice (instead of the 65 hours he would spend before). He takes more time to be with his wife and children, attending his son’s basketball games, never missing his daughter’s recitals, and taking them all on 6-8 vacations each year. Jonny’s new approach to real estate investing has also allowed him to have time for himself again, giving him the ability to focus on his goals as a real estate entrepreneur.
Are you shackled by the “Golden Handcuffs” of dentistry?
Jonny founded his company, The Walk of Wealth, with a vision to liberate dentists from the so-called “golden handcuffs,” where they feel tied to their chairs, solely focused on dentistry while neglecting their financial aspirations. Through education and guidance, Jonny enlightens his clients, demonstrating how simple it can be to take the reins on generating passive income.
Walk of Wealth’s Mission: To Help 1000 Dentists Reach Financial Freedom Through Passive Investment in Real Estate.
Unlike the unpredictable ups and downs of the stock market, Jonny views real estate investing as a stable and rewarding journey. By holding onto tangible assets with consistent cashflow, investors can gradually attain passive income without relying on volatile national markets.
While real estate investments involve some degree of risk, Jonny adopts a prudent 80-20 rule. He allocates 80% of his investments to low-risk,
cash-flowing assets that steadily build wealth, reserving the remaining 20% for higher-risk ventures. This strategic approach ensures a balance between security and growth.
Jonny can help you learn to invest passively like a pro. In the past five years, Walk of Wealth has amassed an impressive portfolio of over $221 million worth of real estate across various emerging markets, ncluding Houston (Texas), Phoenix (Arizona), Birmingham (Alabama), and North New Jersey. Jonny’s success story exemplifies the transformative power of wise investment choices and the pursuit of a life truly worth living.
He’s also currently developing a two-day workshop called “The Dentist’s Fast Track to Investing Passively Like a Pro.” This “crash course” is for beginner dentists who are just trying to get started, costing about $2,500 per person. Stay tuned for that, get connected with Jonny, and get direct access to his resources by joining his Facebook group: Financial Freedom for Dentists.
If you’re a dental professional on social media, you’ve probably laughed, got triggered, or have been shocked by something Dr. Steven Mautner posted. But as someone who has known Dr. Mautner for many years, I like to give credit to those posts to his social media alter ego “Mauty.” Because Mauty shares the stories and comments that we think about but dare not post. And let’s be honest here, there’s plenty of funny material to work with in dentistry.
So before we get into Mauty’s 4 tips in keeping your sanity in dentistry, let’s talk about the man behind Mauty—Dr. Steven Mautner.
After graduating from dental school at New York University, he spent three years practicing dentistry alongside his dad in New York before moving down to Florida in 1996. Rumor has it that Steven had to leave his Father’s practice after one too many wisecracks about his Father’s crown preps. Fast forward to the present day, and Steven has been running his own practice in Florida for the
By Dr. Glenn Volast 33 years (and counting).
He nows spends his days avoiding his denture patients, trying to find new insurance plans to sign up for, and fact checking any news from the liberal media. When asked how much longer he’ll be practicing dentistry for Dr. Mautner responded, “They’ll have to pry my handpiece out of my cold, dead hands or when my alimony settlement ends. Whichever happens first.”
Without further adieu, here’s Mauty’s 4 tips:
1. Don’t take things too seriously.
First and foremost, Mauty believes that it’s essential not to take things too seriously. “They’re just teeth, and no one cares about their teeth in America,” he told me with a chuckle. After all, a dental mishap can be fixed—and “life goes on.”
2. Don’t get too fancy with basic business stuff.
When it comes to hiring staff, Mauty believes in keeping it simple. You don’t have to act
like the “head of NASA.” To Mauty, it’s not rocket science.
In fact, he trusts his girlfriend, Elizabeth, to do the initial interviews and, if she likes the candidate, he then talks to them. There’s no need for extensive personality tests and fancy HR departments—it’s all about finding someone with a good personality and a willingness to work hard.
3. Burnout is real in every profession—not just dentistry—and it’s up to you to manage the stress of a job you decided to pursue.
As our conversation drifted toward burnout and stress in dentistry, Mauty dismissed it as “nonsense.” He takes a pragmatic approach to the profession, acknowledging that it’s a job and—like any other job—it comes with its ups and downs.
Mauty suggested quitting your job and going on welfare if you’re feeling overwhelmed. The problem with that, he says, is that it might be just a tad bit more stressful than what you’regoing through now (ha!).
4. Mauty’s three tips for a young dentist:
Mauty has some golden nuggets of advice for the younger dentists eager to embark on a long and successful career. First, remember that patients are responsible for their dental health; if treatment fails, it’s not your fault. Second, avoid denture patients AFTER they’ve been inserted and paid for. Lastly, be careful with who you marry because it could painfully prolong your career.
Don’t let his online persona fool you; Dr. Steven Mautner is a wealth of knowledge. The one thing that many people say when they meet Dr. Mautner in person is how different he is in real life. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still experience his sense of humor. But you’ll also find a person who has a wealth of knowledge and the willingness to share it with others.
Patients today continue to raise expectations of esthetic restorations. Anterior, posterior, direct, and indirect are no longer evaluated just on durability, as once was the expectations. Perhaps the phrase that best describes the patient’s expectation for the final restoration is, “Mimic the Natural Tooth.” This can be a difficult challenge for today’s clinician. The evolution of procedures and materials has enhanced a predictable outcome, in the pursuit of the ideal restoration.
Visalys Fill and Visalys flow are universal nanohybrid composites introduced by Kettenbach. With the introduction of universal nanohybrid composites the clinician no longer is required to have an inventory of composites for the dilemma of anterior versus posterior restorations. Esthetics was the main concern for anterior composites versus durability, strength, and esthetics for posterior composites in that order. They are ideal for use in minimally invasive dentistry as they provide excellent bonding strength requiring minimum tooth preparation.
The following are the attributes clinicians have come to expect in a universal nanohybrid composites:
Shade matching and translucency makes them for ideal use in the anterior and posterior with beautiful esthetic results, due to smaller particle size. I refer to this as a chameleon effect.
High strength and durability: high compressive and flexural strength are especially beneficial in the posterior restorations.
Easy handling and placement. Clinicians consistently tell manufacturers nonstick handling and the ability to polish are 2 of the most important details they want in a composite.
Smaller particle size contributes to two major physical properties: First - allows for a more even distribution of stress and strain, which reduces the likelihood of crack propagation and fracture. Making them more durable and long-lasting option for teeth that are subjected to high biting forces,
clenching, and grinding. The wear resistance is enhanced and wear to opposing teeth is truly minimal. Second - better adaptation and bonding to the tooth structure. Low shrinkage and stress reduce the risk of gaps and microleakage. This helps to prevent bacterial infiltration and secondary decay which can compromise the restoration.
This article will showcase clinical cases of Visalys Fill and Visalys Flow to highlight the predictable clinical results of a universal nano hybrid composite.
Case #1
A patient presents with an open contact and decay on the distal of tooth #29 as seen in Figure #1.
at 2000 rpms. A bevel was placed at the enamel cavosurface margins with a football shaped fine diamond, (yellow grit), at 50,000 rpms to complete the preparation. With decay removal and a minimally invasive preparation the results are a healthy tooth structure that will support the patient’s occlusion.
Composi-Tight 3D Fusion (Garrison Dental Solutions) sectional matrix and wedge were placed and adapted to create a distal contact on tooth #29. Followed with selective etch of the enamel cavosurface, 35% phosphoric acid gel, Ultra Etch, (Ultradent Product), was applied for 20 seconds as seen in Figure #2.
preparation. A shade selection of A3.5 was selected. A thin layer of Visalys Flow was placed in the proximal box and occlusal floor and light cured, as seen in Figure 3.
The bicuspid is slightly rotated mesially. The patient mentioned the open contact is a constant food trap and irritating to the gingivae. The patient was informed the goal of treatment was to remove the decay, close the distal contact, and provide a strong durable esthetic restoration. The patient was given a buccal infiltration to tooth #29, Septocaine (articaine 4% with 1: 200,000 epinephrine). The conservative preparation and the decay removal using a 557-carbide bur in an electric handpiece, NSK. All remaining decay was removed with a Cera Bur (Komet),
The etch was rinsed and the enamel was air dried. A seventh-generation bonding adhesive, BeautiBond, (Shofu Product), was applied to the enamel and dentin. Per manufacturer’s instructions, after application leave undisturbed for 10 seconds. The bonding adhesive was air dried with oil free air, start at an inch away and gently dry for 3 seconds and then with stronger air until a uniform bonding layer is obtained. The procedure will dissolve the solvent(acetone), in the BeautiBond. The bonding adhesive is light cured, Valo-Grand (Ultradent Product), for 20 seconds rotating the light to capture the entire
Visalys Fill was layered (12mm), shaped, and contoured to adapt to the remaining preparation. The layers were light cured for 20 seconds each.
Occlusal adjustments and anatomy placed with finishing burs. Polishing was completed with One Gloss PS (Shofu Product), Super Snap on the mesial and distal (Shofu Product), and Jiffy Brush (Ultradent Product).
Figure 4 shows the completed restoration Visalys Fill shade A 3.5.
The outstanding blending and highly polished anatomical occlusal surface resulting in the chameleon effect. The shaping and the contour of the material for an ideal contact.
The final restoration achieved the desired goals; a minimally invasive preparation, eliminate the food trap with a well contoured distal contact. A durable and functional esthetic restoration. Figure 5, tooth #19, is a similar case with open contacts and decay on the mesial and distal.
A 330-carbide bur was used to penetrate the enamel and outline the initial preparation, with an electric handpiece, NSK, as seen in Figure 8.
A patient presents with recurrent decay, tooth #8, as seen in Figure 7.
Remaining decay was removed with a Cera Bur (Komet), at 2000 rpms. The buccal and lingual enamel cavosurfaces were beveled with a fine flare shaped diamond bur, at 50,000 rpms, Figure 9.
removed and the restoration was light cured on the buccal and lingual for 20 seconds. A number 12 surgical blade (Ace Product), was used to shape, contour, and remove all excess composite in the contact between #8 and 9. The contact area was finished with Epitex Finishing strips (GC America Product), from coarse to to extra fine. Occlusal adjustment with diamond finishing burs. Finishing and polishing completed with Rally Mini Polishing (Garrison Dental Solutions), and Jiffy Polishing (Ultradent Product).
Figure 10 illustrates the completed restoration and the capability of Visalys Fill to adapt to the shape and contour of the lingual surface of tooth #8.
a gloss for many years. Kettenbach’s Visayl Fill and Visaly Flow does mimic the natural tooth. The clinician can easily achieve aesthetics, strength, and function in their restorations. As a universal nanohybrid composite, it will provide many years of service to our patients.
About the Author:
Visalys Fill and Visalys Flow, as universal nanohybrid composites would be an ideal material for this class 3 restoration. The patient was shown the decay and agreed to have treatment. The patient was given a buccal infiltration tooth #8, Septocaine (articaine 4% with 1:200,000 epinephrine).
Shade A3 was selected. The preparation, dentin and the enamel beveled surfaces were total etched with 35% Ultra Etch (Ultradent Product), for 20 seconds. Rinsed thoroughly and air dry. Leaving slightly moist, avoiding desiccating the dentin. Followed with the application of BeautiBond, the bonding agent, as previously described in case #1. An Epitex Mylar Strip (GC America Product), was placed between teeth #8 and 9, and secured with a Composi-Tight Wedge. A thin layer of Visalys Flow, shade A 3, was placed and light cured for 20 seconds. Visayls Fill, shade A 3, was shaped and manipulated into the preparation. The mylar matrix was wrapped on the buccal and lingual surfaces. The Visalys Fill was light cured for 5 seconds. The mylar matrix was
The restoration shade blends to the natural tooth shade. The sealed restoration should give the patient many years of service.
Closing Comments
The author’s evaluation of Viaslys Fill and Visalys Flow demonstrates the criteria and definition of a universal nanohybrid composite. The cases presented demonstrate it is suitable for use in the anterior and posterior restorations. The “Flex Shade System,” is available in 5 shades to cover the entire Vita Classical (A1D4), bleach, and opaque A 2. The chameleon effect makes it easy to match the natural tooth shade. The creamy consistency makes it effortless for the clinician to shape, contour, and manipulate the Visalys composite to their preparation. The particle size allows for easy polishing and should maintain
Dr. Tomaro received his D.D.S.degree in 1980 from The University of Michigan, Master”s Degree in Biology/Histology at the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Science -University of Michigan. Prior to his relocation in Las Vegas, Dr. Tomaro enjoyed 26 years of private practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He returned to private practice in 2008 in Las Vegas, after 3 years as Director of Clinics at Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. He presently practices in Chicago, Illinois and Naples, Florida. Dr. Tomaro was awarded the American Dental Association, “Lifetime Achievement Award.” Past Chairman, 3 years, of the ADA Peer Review Board of Southern Nevada. Dr. Tomaro is listed as one of Dentistry’s Today’s Leaders in Continuing Education. Yearly voted, “Top Dentist,” in Grand Rapids and Las Vegas. As a member of Catapult Education Speakers Bureau, Dr. Tomaro lecturers in the United States and abroad on Aesthetic dentistry and his unique process for natural smile design and the treatment of worn dentition. Dr. Tomaro is particularly famous for his style of veneers-smile design. Using facial landmarks to dictate tooth position can enhance esthetics and conserve tooth structure.
He conducts full day seminars focusing on Comprehensive Dentistry: treatment planning to restorative. Review of materials, procedures and hands on available. Dentistry the Business: Achieving 55% Overhead and the Clinical Procedures that produce profits. Dr. Tomaro has the passion to motivate and place the excitement of dentistry in his colleagues. He can be reached at drttomaro@gmail.com
Figure 6 is the completed restoration. Both patients were extremely pleased.
Case #2
Figure #5
Figure #6 Completed restoration
Figure #7 Tooth #8 Note: recurrent decay on existing composite filling
Figure #8 Initial preparation Note: decay
Figure #9 Completed preparation with beveled cavosurfaces
Imagine setting sail on a luxurious cruise ship, embarking on a journey that promises unforgettable experiences and moments of pure joy.
Elijah Desmond is the founder of the “Smiles at Sea” dental cruise, where dentists embark on a fun-filled round-trip adventure that includes all the perks of a cruise vacation while earning 10 CE credits from leading dental speakers.
Now, Elijah wants to share his excitement with you about two new extraordinary cruises that promise to be nothing short of magical. One is aboard the beloved Disney Cruise Line—renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere—while the other is an adult-only cruise aboard Richard Branson’s Virgin Cruise Line. Both promise to be oneof-a-kind, exclusive adventures.
While distinct in their offerings, both cruises share one commonality: providing Continuing Education (CE) opportunities for dental professionals. Both options deliver value and educational growth for those seeking to enhance their dental knowledge while immersing themselves in an exceptional cruise experience.
So, let’s dive in. What are the unique offerings of each cruise? And why should one of these cruises be the next CE event for your dental team?
Disney Cruise Line: Where dreams come true. Everyone knows the Disney Cruise Line for its enchantment and wonder, drawing families from around the world to experience the magic of the high seas.
Unlike the typical large-scale parties found on Elijah’s Smiles at Sea cruises, the Disney Cruise Line opts for a more intimate setting, allowing guests to create lifelong memories with their loved ones. It caters to both dentists and their families, offering courses not just for dental professionals but also for their spouses.
One standout course, “The Business of Marriage,” presented by Dino Watt, focuses on fostering healthy relationships within the dental community. It encourages participants to invest as much time and effort into their personal relationships as they do in their professional lives, leading to a more fulfilling and successful journey both in and out of the dental practice.
Additionally, the cruise offers a program for younger attendees, allowing kids to participate in activities with other children of their age group. These range from motivational speeches for high schoolers to programs like “Guys With Ties” and “Girls with Pearls,” emphasizing respect, kindness, and community
involvement. If you’re interested in experiencing the Disney Magic, this cruise is scheduled to set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 19 - 22nd, 2024. While the date might be a ways away, you might want to act fast on getting a ticket to this cruise, as there are limited rooms available.
Virgin Cruise Line: A voyage of exclusivity and adventure. If you’ve ever embarked on Smiles at Sea with Elijah, the Virgin Cruise Line is more along the lines of what you experienced during that voyage. So, as you can imagine, your experience aboard Virgin promises to be exhilarating.
This adult-only adventure for dental professionals will be unique, sophisticated, and fun simultaneously. The upcoming five-night cruise is scheduled for September 13th, 2024, so— like its Disney counterpart— you’ll have plenty of time to prepare.
The Virgin Cruise Line stands out with its specialty dining approach. Unlike traditional cruises where everyone eats together, the Virgin cruise offers a plethora of specialty restaurants, elevating the dining experience to new heights. With a focus on unique destinations, this cruise With a focus on unique destinations, this cruise offers a delightful mix of culture, adventure, and relaxation.
One of the highlights of the Virgin cruise is its adult-only status, ensuring a serene and sophisticated environment for guests to unwind and revel in the company of like-minded individuals. The ship boasts WiFi inclusion, making it easy for guests to stay connected during their voyage while indulging in the wonders of the ocean.
Book your dental getaway! For Elijah, the decision to diversify his cruise offerings was driven by the desire to innovate and adapt to changing market dynamics. The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges, prompting the need to pivot and redefine the cruise experience.
Whether you seek the enchantment of Disney with your family or the sophistication and exclusivity of Virgin, both voyages guarantee a journey like no other. Elijah’s visionary approach in diversifying the cruise offerings reflects his commitment to providing exceptional experiences, cementing his cruises’ status as top contenders in the world of dental getaways.
February 22-24, 2024
Chicago
www.cds.org/midwinter-meeting
August 24-26, 2023
New Orleans
thedentalfestival.com
October 26-27, 2023
St. Louis, Missouri
greaterstlouisdentalsociety.org
January 25-27, 2024
Boston
yankeedental.com/Exhibitors
November 24-29, 2023
New York gnydm.com
July 17-20, 2024
Minneapolis agd.org/agd-meeting
March 21-23, 2024
Atlanta, GA hinman.org
September 7-9, 2023
Anaheim cda.org
October 11-16, 2023
NY to Bermuda
smilesatsea.com
August 25-26, 2023
Dallas swdentalconf.org
January 18-20, 2024
Denver
rmdconline.com
May 16-18, 2024
Sept. 20-23, 2023
San Diego aaoms.org
September 8-9, 2023 Grapevine, Texas reidentistscourses.com
May 9-11, 2024
Seattle
wsda.org
tdameeting.com
Sept. 21-23, 2023
Las Vegas dentsplysirona.com
September 2023
Houston
tbod2023.rsvpify.com
June 20-22, 2024
Orlando
San Antonio Texas floridadental.org
Medidenta has been serving Dental Professionals for 80 years. Innovation, quality products & exceptional customer service have been its mantra since day one. That tradition continues today with expanding product lines, continued growth in manufacturing & production as well as seasoned staff that are always eager to help. While we are predominantly an E-Commerce selling outfit, we have a team of professionals ensuring full customer satisfaction at the back end. The Medidenta team is here for you should ANY question arise in research, purchase, and/or use of any of our products. Located in Las Vegas, NV, our staff works extended hours to accommodate both our East and West Coast customers. See more about us at https://medidenta.com/
Being in business for 80 years people often feel a company arrives at complacency. One of our top goals that’s instilled in the Medidenta culture is to constantly strive to be better. In recent years, Medidenta has made strategic moves to catapult our growth to higher levels. Acquisitions of the Prophy Magic brand, Whiter Image Dental, and Ultradent’s Genius Endo System as well as in house contract manufacturing emphasize our expansion in today's business climate. Continuing with expansions, we are extremely excited about our new Medidenta Education Program! Recognizing the importance of quality Continuing Education for dental professionals we’re taking education to the next level using our 26,000 sq ft facility in Las Vegas. We just completed a full build out of our training facility. A full education/hands-on training facility with state-of-the-art audio/video, microscopes, x-ray, and operatory. View our listing of upcoming LIVE in-person events at https://medidenta.com/events-dashboard/
September 9th hosted at Medidenta
This one-day course will provide the attendee with the most critical aspects of CBCT interpretation in pediatric patients (18 and younger). The course will present in a step-by-step process the fundamentals of CBCT interpretation. The course will also include common radiographic lesions in children and adolescents, the main aspect of radiation safety and CBCT, basic principles of image acquisition and quality assurance, and the course will discuss different CBCT machines currently available. Limited Seating! For registration & more information go to https://medidenta.com/events-dashboard/
October 14th hosted at Medidenta
As a general practitioner, you should be able to care for most of the kids in your practice, without having to refer them out to the pediatric dentist across town. Taking care of your kids should be fun and stress free. Learn how with the most up to date methods and techniques for intra-coronal restorations, primary dentition full coverage, pulpotomies and more. Step by step instructions will be provided to help you become a superstar with the kids and parents in your practice. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” In this course, you will be involved. Limited Seating!
For registration & more information go to https://medidenta.com/events-dashboard/
don’t know about Medidenta?
About the author: Dr. Kathryn Alderman's mission is to create a successful business FAST without BURNOUT for dentists or teams. Dr. Kathryn Alderman has been practicing dentistry and mastering the business of dentistry while growing from one location to seven locations. Currently, she is the CEO/Founder of Nebraska Family Dentistry (multiplication group practice) and Progressive Dental Mentor. ( agency supporting dental practices.)
In today's digital age, the importance of an effective online presence cannot be overstated, especially for dental practices. Among the various digital platforms, Google Maps and Google Business Profiles are crucial in driving traffic and attracting new patients. In this SEO article, we’ll explore the best strategies to optimize your Google profiles and maximize the benefits of Google Maps to enhance your practice's visibility, attract new patients, and improve SEO.
In addition to enhancing your practice's visibility on Google Maps and attracting more patients, optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) page also positively impacts your overall SEO efforts.
Here’s how optimizing your GMB page translates to an increase in SEO:
Local Search Visibility: When potential patients search for dental services in your area, Google uses various factors to determine which businesses to display in the local search results. By optimizing your GMB page with accurate and relevant information, you increase your chances of appearing in these local search results, thereby improving your overall online visibility.
Improved Search Rankings: Google considers signals from your GMB page when determining your website’s search rankings. A well-optimized GMB page sends positive signals to Google about the legitimacy and relevance of your dental practice. This, in turn, can positively influence your website’s search rankings, making it more likely for potential patients to find you when searching for dental services.
Trust and Credibility: A fully optimized GMB page with positive customer reviews, accurate information, and engaging visual content helps build trust and credibility with both Google and potential patients. Trust signals play a crucial role in search engine algorithms, and by optimizing your GMB page, you enhance your practice’s reputation in the eyes of search engines and prospective patients.
Increased Click-Through
Rates: An optimized GMB page can lead to higher click-through rates (CTRs) when your practice appears in search results. A well-crafted business description, appealing visuals, and positive customer reviews can entice users to click on your listing, driving more traffic to your website. Search engines see higher CTRs as an indicator of relevance, which can positively impact your SEO efforts.
Enhanced User Experience: When potential patients come across your GMB page, they expect to find accurate and
helpful information about your practice. By optimizing your GMB page, you provide a better user experience, making it easier for users to find essential details such as your address, phone number, business hours, and services offered. A positive user experience contributes to improved engagement metrics—such as longer website visit durations and lower bounce rates—which can indirectly benefit your website’s SEO.
By recognizing the interconnectedness between your GMB page and overall SEO, you can leverage the power of Google Maps and GMB optimization to drive more organic traffic to your website, improve search rankings, and establish a strong online presence for your dental practice.
The 6 Easy Steps to Optimizing Your Google Profiles and Traffic from Google Maps.
Step 1: Claim and Use Multiple: Google My Business (GMB) Listings.
According to Google, you can have a Google My Business listing to represent the entire dental practice. You can also create separate Google My Business profiles for each dentist who works at the clinic. This allows each dentist to have their own online presence, and patients can find and review them individually. However, it’s essential to ensure that each dentist’s profile is correctly linked to the main practice listing and follows Google’s guidelines to avoid potential issues or duplicates.
When creating practitioner listings, it’s essential to consider their potential impact on the main practice listing. To prevent any issues, follow these guidelines:
Name: The practitioner’s name should not include the practice name but solely represent the individual dentist.
Phone Number: Use a different phone number for the practitioner’s listing, even if you
need to set up a tracking number that forwards calls to the actual dental clinic.
Website Link: Link the practitioner’s listing to a different page than the one linked to the main practice listing. This is where the category part on Google My Business becomes crucial.
The key lesson to remember is that when creating separate practitioner listings, they must be distinct from the original dental practice listing. Google’s algorithms are sensitive to similarities, and if they detect duplicate content, they may flag the listing, leading to its removal.
Step 2: Complete Google Business Page (GMB) with accurate information. This is crucial for building authoritative links and establishing a strong online presence. Provide comprehensive details about your dental practice—including your address, phone number, website, and business hours. Ensuring consistency between your GMB profile and information on your website and other directories is essential for credibility and trustworthiness. In addition to accurate information, adding URLs to your website on the Google Business Profile (GBP) page is crucial in optimizing your online presence and boosting your SEO efforts.
URLs you can add to your GBP:
• Homepage URL
• Online booking
• Teledentistry (if you offer it)
• Links to your service pages on your site
Step 3: Select ALL Relevant Categories and Add Services. The most critical ranking factor for your Google My Business profile is properly selecting your primary category. This choice is crucial for dentists, significantly affecting your visibility and ranking.
Choose the most relevant primary category for your dental practice. Additionally, take advantage of the option to add specific services or specialties
your practice offers. This helps Google understand your business better and improves your chances of appearing in relevant search results.
Among the 16 categories that dentists must choose from, selecting “dentist” as your primary category holds immense importance. Avoid using the “dental clinic” category, as it does not rank as effectively as “dentist.” This is because “dental clinic” has negative connotations in the U.S., hindering your ranking performance.
Using secondary categories can boost your visibility and help potential patients find your practice for specific services they seek. For instance, if you aim to rank for emergency dental services, include “emergency dentist” as an additional category or subcategory in your GMB profile.
Step 4: Optimize Your Business Description and Use Keywords. Craft a concise and compelling business description that accurately reflects your practice and the services you provide. While crafting your business description, it’s essential to incorporate relevant keywords that describe your dental services naturally. Including relevant keywords describing your dental services naturally improves your chances of appearing in search queries. These keywords are specific terms or phrases that potential patients might use when searching for dental care in your area. For instance, if your practice specializes in family dentistry, consider including phrases like “family dentist,” “dental care for all ages,” or “gentle and friendly dental services.”
Under the “Services” section of your GMB profile, take the opportunity to provide a comprehensive list of the dental services you offer. Include detailed descriptions for each service, explaining the benefits and outcomes patients can expect.
For example: “Cosmetic Dentistry: We offer a range of cosmetic dental procedures, including teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, and smile makeovers. We create beautiful, natural-looking smiles that boost your confidence.”
Add the link to your website’s URL describing this service. Adding URLs to your website on the GBP page is crucial in optimizing your online presence and boosting your SEO efforts.
Step 5: Encourage and Respond to Customer Reviews. Patient reviews play a significant role in influencing potential patients and improving your search rankings. Four factors play crucial roles in ensuring you benefit from Google reviews:
1. You need at least ten reviews on each one of the profiles you choose.
2. Google values velocity and the consistent flow of ongoing
reviews and ranks Google Business Profiles higher when there’s a consistent flow of reviews. In other words, the sustained influx of reviews over time is more important than getting a burst of reviews all at once. You don’t want to get a sudden surge of 100+ reviews from a single email blast and then stop actively seeking reviews. Instead, the key is consistently and regularly receiving reviews, which sends positive signals to Google that your business is active and valued by the public.
3. Reviews with photos hold more value for Google. Encourage your patients to leave reviews with photos.
4. Encourage and respond to customer reviews.
Step 6: Upload Pictures to Show Your Practice’s Brand. Visual content is highly engaging and can help showcase yourpractice to potential patients.
So, make sure to upload images and videos that accurately portray your practice’s personality and create an inviting atmosphere for all who visit your Google Business Profile.
You have two fantastic ways to upload visual content:
Directly to your profile: Add captivating images directly to your Google Business Profile. These pictures will be visible to anyone searching for your practice, leaving a lasting impression on potential patients.
Making posts and updates: Stay engaged with your potential patients.by regularly posting fresh content, such as office updates, behind-the-scenes moments, or patient success stories. These posts keep your profile active and add authenticity to your practice. Do remember to include the URL to your website pages when making posts.
Optimizing your Google profiles might be the game-changer your dental practice needs.
Optimizing your Google profiles and leveraging the power of Google Maps through a well-optimized Google Business Page page is a game-changer for your dental practice’s online presence. Not only does it improve your visibility on Google Maps and attract more patients, but it also significantly boosts your overall SEO efforts.
By following the six easy steps outlined in this article, you can take control of your online presence and reap the rewards of improved search rankings, increased click-through rates, and enhanced user trust. Optimizing your GMB page signals to search engines that your dental practice is credible, relevant, and trustworthy, resulting in improved visibility and higher search rankings.
If you’ve been in dentistry for any time, you know not everyone loves dentistry. So, while I love featuring articles about all the great things about dentistry, it’s important that we discuss how to carve out a fulfilling career and enjoy your life when you find yourself working in dentistry without a passion for dentistry.
If you’re in dentistry but don’t love it, you could certainly leave the industry. But what if that’s not the right decision for you right now? What if you enjoy some of it, such as the money or relative flexibility in your schedule? What if you need that income to take care of your family or cover dental school debt?
I recently sat down with Dr. Matthew McMasters to discuss what to do when you don’t have a passion for dentistry. He shared openly that he doesn’t love dentistry. He likes his
By Dr. Glenn Vopatients, helping people, and other aspects of the industry. But he readily admits not liking dentistry as a whole. So how does he stay happy, healthy, and positive? Here are two tips he shared.
Digital marketing, social media, and high-value procedures are all the rage these days. You can’t go a day without somebody telling you about the latest marketing craze or high-value procedure that’ll buy you your next vacation home.
“No matter what people tell you, you don’t have to do any specific marketing strategy or perform every type of procedure to succeed,” says Dr. McMasters. “As you grow as a dentist , you will understand that some of the best money you will ever make are on the cases that you never start, because the stress just isn’t worth the payday.”
If you’ve been stressed by thinking you need to run your practice a certain way, you might find more enjoyment carving your own path and ignoring the noise.
Just because you’re in dentistry doesn’t mean dentistry has to be what fulfills you.
“Fulfillment is just not going to happen with every job. Very few people are going to be 100 % fulfilled from their work all the time. That’s why it’s called a job,” says Dr. McMasters. That doesn’t mean you have to accept that you can’t be fulfilled in life if you’re not getting it from your job.
“If your circumstances make it not realistic to leave your job, make it as tolerable as possible and find your primary fulfillment elsewhere. Whether it’s a hobby or enjoying time with your family, you can find fulfillment even if you don’t love dentistry or your job.”
If you’re struggling to find fulfillment in dentistry, consider taking a holistic view of your life using Dr. McMasters’s tips. Perhaps you can find more fulfillment in dentistry, carving your own path and building an even more enjoyable life outside of working hours.
Dr. McMasters has built his practice based on strong principles of honesty, integrity, and compassion. He is committed to excellence and working side-by-side with patients in addressing their treatment needs, as well as helping them obtain their personal vision of oral health.
By Dr. Glenn Vo
Dr. Layla Lohmann, owner of the Dallas Dental Group, has managed to create a dental practice that stands apart from the norm.
Located in North Dallas, the Dallas Dental Group boasts an impressive 5,000 square feet facility with a total of 17 operatories, offering an extensive range of dental services, from advanced restorative, implant, and cosmetic treatments to general dentistry procedures. However, it is the practice’s unique culture and welcoming atmosphere that truly sets it apart and brings it beyond the conventional clinical experience.
Understanding that a visit to the dentist can be an anxiety-inducing experience for many, Layla has gone the extra mile to ensure her practice remains open and inviting, making patients feel at ease during their visits. The last thing she wants is for a patient to feel
trapped or overwhelmed during their dental appointments.
To further enhance the welcoming ambience, Layla and her team have thoughtfully divided the practice into two distinct areas: the Hygiene Hall and the Doctor Hall. The Hygiene Hall houses six operatories dedicated to dental hygienists, while the Doctor Hall boasts eleven personalized operatories for the dentists. This thoughtful arrangement serves to create a homey and comfortable environment, as hygiene patients walking from the front desk to receive something painless—like a tooth cleaning or whitening—won’t feel overwhelmed by passing a series of doctors with loud drills.
In the Doctor Hall, each operatory is tailored to the respective doctor’s preferences and personality. Patients often appreciate getting to know a bit about their dentist, and this personalized touch further
fosters a sense of trust and connection. Layla’s operatory is a notable standout in the Doctor Hall, adorned with yearly photos and delightful caricatures of her family. These unique caricatures, created by Bill Kalfas of Kalfas Art, showcase Layla’s life journey and her family’s growth. The caricatures serve as an icebreaker, sparking conversations and helping patients feel more comfortable in the dentist’s chair.
Every five years, Layla commissions a new caricature that adds to her collection, giving her patients a glimpse into her evolving life and creating a friendly, relatable environment within the dental office. This personal touch aligns perfectly with Layla’s people-centric approach to dentistry, where she places significant emphasis on building relationships with her patients and positively impacting their lives.
Layla firmly believes that providing dentistry is an intimate
experience, where patients should feel fully comfortable with their dentist. To her, dentistry is not merely about treating dental issues; it’s about connecting with individuals, understanding their concerns, and building trust. She is more than willing to invite her patients into her life because she understands that she is about to become a part of theirs.
This commitment to creating a welcoming and intimate environment at the Dallas Dental Group extends to every aspect of patient care. Whether it’s a first-time patient seeking a new dental home or an existing patient undergoing an extensive dental treatment plan, Layla and her team prioritize making patients feel at home throughout their dental journey.
eventually experienced burnout. Overwhelmed and exhausted, she contemplated selling her practice and leaving dentistry behind.
Seeking solace and guidance, she embarked on a trip to India with her family to visit her 100-year-old grandmother, whom her children had never met. Gayatri opened up to her mother about her physical and mental struggles during this trip, and her mother’s advice was simple yet profound: Try incorporating more yoga and meditation into her life. Intrigued by the idea, Gayatri and her family took an unexpected detour, visiting a holy area in India.
There Will Always Be: A heartwarming tale takes shape.
universe guide her. In the midst of the negativity brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gayatri has chosen to focus on the positives and accept things as they are. She believes in the power of meditation and yoga as tools or delving deep into the soul to find answers.
Gayatri offers us all a lesson on embracing life’s (many) twists and turns. Nowadays, Gayatri tries everyday to remain optimistic and is on a constant journey toward seeking happiness. She has learned to embrace the lessons the universe has to offer. In addition to running a dental practice, Gayatri is currently preparing for a mini-triathlon as she approaches her 43rd birthday.
Dr. Gayatri Raina’s journey into dentistry wasn’t one she’d initially considered. Growing up in India, regular dental visits were a rare piece of her upbringing.
Gayatri’s perspective on dentistry began to shift during her time in Canada (where she moved during her childhood). Influenced by her friends who had chosen the dental path, Gayatri didn’t realize at the time the potential impact she could make in our field.
Determined to pursue her career and goals, Gayatri obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree from Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry in 2008 before completing a one-year residency at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.
Gayatri’s journey from performing routine procedures to discovering a deeper purpose in dentistry.
In the early years of her dental
career, Gayatri primarily focused on generic, routine procedures—what most of us might call “drilling and filling.” It wasn’t until several years into her practice that she started questioning her purpose with dentistry and why so many people have dental problems. What was the link?
Gayatri started seeking more from her profession and committed to learning more, taking continuing education classes to learn about the profound connection between oral health and overall well-being. Thus, Gayatri learned how many systemic diseases—diabetes, heart problems, etc.—can evolve from poor oral health. This realization prompted Gayatri to dive deeper into areas such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) and sleep apnea, expanding her role as a dentist to encompass a more integrative approach to wellness dentistry.
Everyone has a breaking point.
Juggling family and work became a lot for Gayatri and, finally, like many professionals in the healthcare field, she
When there, Gayatri visited a bookstore to buy a book for her kids that’d teach them about the history of this significant place. Little did she know, this encounter would be the catalyst for a transformative experience. When she opened the book to page three, it had her children’s names in it with a message: “To Ayana and Arrav, the two darlings who taught us the joy that lies in storytelling.” While this message was there for the author’s kids, Gayatri chose to see this as a blessing and a sign.
Back in America, Gayatri followed her advice and embraced the daily practice of yoga and meditation—and the impact was profound. In the midst of her spiritual journey, Gayatri found herself inspired to write a poem for her children one morning. This creative energy persisted throughout the day, eventually leading to the birth of her first children’s book,
For Gayatri, the creation of this book felt like a spiritual gift from the universe. She started on a path of self-discovery and began letting the
“If there is one piece of advice I could give my 20-year-old self,” Gayatri said, “it would be that everything happens for you—not to you. Those things lead you to your true path. Not every day is sprinkles and cake for me—I still have my bad days, weeks, and months. I am human, not a robot. But I have taught myself in this journey to talk things through with myself and accept how I feel at the moment in time and work on it. I believe in myself: I believe in the power of meditation, yoga, and looking within myself for answers.”
I believe that every problem we have is a confidence problem. I believe that what we have been conditioned to believe about confidence is the very thing that keeps us from having it at the level we want and deserve.
Most of us have been led to believe that there is a hierarchy of greatness or “betterness”. We have been conditioned to believe that there are some people who are better than us and more successful than us while there are some people who are not. There are some people who are less successful, less talented, and less than us in some way.
I want to debunk this lie with some TRUTH.
There is no such thing as a hierarchy of greatness or “betterness”. There is no vertical line of worth. For there to be a vertical line of worth, it would mean that shame and pride would be facts of reality and not interpretations of belief. In other words, to believe that someone is better than you and is above you on this vertical hierarchy would mean that you were less than them, that you were not as good as them—and that is a lie. Shame is rooted in a belief, in a thought error that is not true.
By Leah RolingNow, also on this vertical hierarchy, you might offer that you are just a little bit better than others in some way. This is pride, and pride is also rooted in a belief that you are better than someone else—and this is also a thought error that is not true. Now if you are questioning this theory, stay with me. If there were a TRUE hierarchy of greatness—global greatness— everyone would have to agree on the term, right?
I mean you can’t leave a hierarchy of global greatness up to the whims of perspective. Which means that we would all have to agree upon what it meant to be great. What it meant to be successful. What it meant to be better than another human being. I could ask 10 different people and get a similar number of answers on what the requirement is for “better.”
What is the scale of greatness? Is it money? And if so, how much? And is too much, too much? Is it approval, fame, or popularity? How many letters do you have behind your name? Is it how fit, strong, or healthy someone is? If we all can’t agree on it, then how can it be a standard that we have been living from?
It is super important to understand that there is no one better than you and that there
is no one worse than you—that our worth is set.
There is nothing you can do to make yourself more worthy. There is nothing that you can do to make yourself less worthy. You are 100% worthy and you had nothing to do with it. You didn’t, because you didn’t create yourself. And when we pull the veil off, the truth is revealed. There is not a vertical hierarchy of worth but rather a horizontal line of confidence that is available.
What you do or don’t do doesn’t make you better, it just changes your experiences on this earth. It changes the options you have; it changes the people you find yourself with; it changes the opportunities available—but it does not make you better.
We have to know that. I believe that the reason we are all walking around feeling insecure about not being enough is that we are comparing ourselves vertically and not horizontally. We compare ourselves by standards that we make up in our minds and then move the standard. Why do we move the standard? Because we thought we would FEEL better when we reached the standard and when it doesn’t, we keep climbing.
We’re told that if we were just
smarter, prettier, skinnier, wealthier, or more accomplished, we would “FEEL” better, but it doesn’t feel better on the climb. It feels exhausting because we keep moving the standard, the worthy point keeps getting pushed up and, as long as we keep searching for it, we will never claim it because it is not something you find—it is something that you are. Confidence is an inside job—a choice—and it comes from choosing to embrace the entire truth about humanity and ourselves. It is defined for ourselves, by ourselves.
Leah Roling is A High Performance Coach and Strategist empowering and challenging you to live into the fullest possibility of your potential. A high performing life requires a different set of tools and habits backed by science and research in order to reveal themselves to themselves. Leah helps organizations, teams, leaders and individuals move from good to great in both their professional and personal life. Progression, meaning, satisfaction and joy are the byproducts of her work.
The rubber really hit the road in 2015, when I made a life-changing decision to enlist the services of a professional bodybuilding coach. This change in focus resulted in adopting a strict diet plan, meticulously measuring my food intake to gain muscle and lose body fat. While this disciplined lifestyle didn’t come without challenges, I found that getting more tactical with my physical health not only improved my ability to manage stress but also enabled me to finally attain my personal, physical aspirations.
Now, I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been—all while practicing dentistry full-time. So, what were some fundamental lessons I learned along the way?
1. Small, frequent meals throughout the day are healthier than 2-3 big meals a day
For dental professionals seeking to enhance their physical health while navigating a busy dental career, mindful eating is of paramount importance. Moderating carbohydrate and calorie intake plays a crucial role in safeguarding our overall health whether we work out or not.
I recommend consuming small, frequent meals with the right protein-to-carbohydrate ratio to facilitate muscle gain and overall well-being. This eating pattern supports muscle repair and growth while preventing energy crashes by providing a steady flow of nutrients throughout the day. Balanced meals help regulate blood sugar levels, enhance metabolism, and keep hunger in check.
2. Sugar isn’t just bad for your teeth.
As dental professionals, we are well aware of the potential oral health risks associated with processed and sugary foods. Just like maintaining healthy teeth, being well-informed about dietary choices is critical to maintaining optimal health.
The research shows that excessive sugar intake can lead to inflammation in the brain (which can contribute to mood swings, anxiety, and cognitive decline) as well as chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and more. There’s a reason many modern health experts believe that sugar is poison.
In the past, there were misconceptions that a higher protein diet could harm the kidneys and liver, while excessive sugar intake was not considered a concern. However, recent studies underscore that the opposite is true. Years of research have shown the benefits of a higher protein diet for overall health, mental well-being, and disease prevention.
3. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym, you just need to fully optimize a short amount of time there.
It is crucial to dispel the misconception that excessive hours in the gym are necessary for muscle gain. In truth, shorter yet effective workouts—such as 20 to 30 minutes of weight training four times a week—are more than sufficient for achieving your fitness goals. So long as you’re optimizing your time in the gym with the right workouts, “quality” will almost always triumph over “quantity.” Rest days are equally vital, as they allow our muscles to recover and grow.
You can start your journey from dental drills to dumbbells today. Throughout my journey, I have learned invaluable lessons about the connection between physical and mental well-being. Prioritizing mindful eating, avoiding excessive sugar intake, and optimizing workout time have been essential in achieving my fitness goals. It all started with small steps, though. If you’re looking to get in shape, then there’s no better time to begin than now.
It was during my teenage years when I became enthralled with the concept of sculpting and transforming my physique. This passion for bodybuilding remained steadfast throughout college and dental school, as I incorporated weight training into my regular routine more and more.
The Instapot is one of my favorite kitchen appliances! Now, most people think that an Instapot is only good for soups and stews. Don't underestimate this powerful appliance. It has the power to turn an average cook into a bonafide hero! Check out my
Ingredients:
-1-2 racks pork ribs
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon chilli powder
-1 teaspoon onion powder
-1 teaspoon light brown sugar
-1 cup water
-1/2 cup apple juice, or 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional *
-1 cup barbecue sauce, homemade or store-bought
Instructions:
1. Remove membranes from the back of ribs, if needed.
2. Rubs seasonings over both sides of ribs.
3. Place wire trivet rack in the bottom of the instant pot.
4. Add water, apple juice (or apple cider vinegar) and liquid smoke (optional, but recommended for that great smokey flavour.)
5. Place the ribs upright, with the meat side facing out. If you’re using one large rack of ribs, then circle them around the pot.
6. Secure lid and close vent.
7. Press “manual” or “pressure cook” and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
8. When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 min, then turn the valve to quick release.
9. Carefully remove ribs to a large, foil-lined baking sheet and slather them in BBQ sauce.
10. Optional: broil them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the bbq sauce.
My mom passed away earlier this year at the age of 99. So in honor of her, here is a cocktail recipe created with some of some of her favorite things. I call it the Norma
Ian Miller Director of Global Sales for Hier Labs
Ingredients:
Caramel Vodka
Ginja Rossio Cherry Liqueur
Cherry Ice Cream
Caramel Syrup
Nougat
Instructions:
-Blend ½ shot of Ginja Rossio with two scoops of Cherry Ice Cream
-Blend ½ cup of ice with one shot of the Vodka
-Pour the ice cream mixture into a separate glass cup
-Layer the caramel syrup over the ice cream mixture
-Pour the Vodka ice over the top of the caramel
-Top the drink off with the Nougat
