Expert interviews

I don't have the time. It's a common refrain among all professionals when asked why they don't make changes within their organizations. If you find yourself saying this, you need to ask yourself, am I productive, or just busy? Gary Zelesky is a professional speaker on the subject of passion, specifically, how to use it to drive business success. In this clip, Zelesky explains the importance of making time to focus on individual members of your team.

Yes, dentists need to read major clinical publications in order to keep their practice up to par. But what about business journals? Entrepreneurial dentists need to feed their minds by reading about business, says Robert Pick, D.D.S., M.S. and principal of Progressive Periodontics & Implants. In this clip, Pick describes what dentists should be reading in order to keep their practices growing.

The loss of patient data is a serious matter and can leave a dentist facing thousands of dollars in HIPPA fines. The good news is, many of the oversights that lead to violations are easily avoidable. In this clip, Pat Little, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., C.F.E., CEO, and Founder of Dental Risk Concepts and Prosperident, describes the common oversights he sees dentists making that often lead to the loss of patient data.

Dr. Nick Conte outlines how to protect the floor of the proximal box during Class II restorations.

Many children dream of one day walking in space. Scott Parazynski, M.D., is one of the few who has had the privilege. As an accomplished adventurer, he's also the only astronaut to have also successfully summited Mount Everest. In this clip, Parazynski describes what it's like to be on a spacewalk.

According to Gary Zelesky, a speaker who often discusses the power of passion, dentists need to be more open to change in their personal and professional lives. On the professional front, this means allowing their team members to express their passions. In this clip, Zelesky describes the steps one orthodontist took to show appreciation for his hard-working team.

It can be hard for a dentist to hear, but they need to receive criticism from their teams. This is how they grow to become better practice leaders. In this clip, Robert M. Pick, D.D.S., M.S. and principal of Progressive Periodontics & Implants, explains how he takes the weaknesses his team identifies and turns them into strengths.

Dentists need a first line of defense against identity theft in their practices. For many of them, according to Pat Little, D.D.S., that should be a reputable IT provider. Little is the CEO and Founder of Dental Risk Concepts and Prosperident, two organizations dedicated to keeping dental patient data secure and stopping embezzlement in dental practices. In this clip, Little explains why you need to contract with a reputable IT company to manage your dental practice.

The field of orthodontics is changing, but what force is behind that change? And what are the prevailing trends that will matter over the years to come? These questions were on the mind of orthodontists who attended the AAO 2017 Annual Session in San Diego. Chris Bentson, a partner at Bentson Copple & Associates, an orthodontic consulting firm, offers his insights in this clip.

For dentists, especially orthodontists, millennial mothers represent a key demographic. These are your patients of the future, and more important, they are in many instances the financial decision-makers in households. Maria T. Bailey is a speaker, author, and authority on the subject of marketing to mothers. In this clip, she explains why focusing on the millennial demographic is so critical.

Scott Parazynski, M.D., is the only astronaut to have also summited Mt. Everest. Because of his experiences in space and on earth, he knows a few things about managing risk. In this clip, Parazynski describes one of the most challenging scenarios he found himself in on a spacewalk: repairing a damaged solar panel.

According to Gary Zelesky, professional speaker, dentists can be hyper focused. Sometimes, he says, that comes at the expense of the bigger picture. To live happier, more fulfilling lives, Zelesky says dentists should look to find humor in everything. That includes with their dental practice teams and with their families.

It's a simple question, but one that isn't easy to answer: What does your dental practice do better than any other practice? The answer is your Unique Selling Proposition. Robert M. Pick, D.D.S., M.S., and principal of Progressive Periodontics & Implants, says your practice absolutely must have one if you want to succeed. Watch this clip as a basis for forming one for your practice.

Over the years, the targets of identity thieves have changed. It used to be that social security numbers were prime areas for attack. However, dental and medical records have become more valuable commodities on the black market. In this clip, Pat Little, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., C.F.E., CEO, and Funder of Dental Risk Concepts and Prosperident, explains what accounts for this shift.

Scott Parazynski, M.D., is the only astronaut to have also summited Everest. From his perspective, there is such a thing as being too risk-averse. Parazynski says that risk often forces us to rethink certain situations and how we approach them. Consequently, this also often leads to innovation.

According to Gary Zelesky, a professional speaker who has spent years helping professionals use passion to improve their businesses, the hardest thing for dentists to do is accept change. When dentists do commit to change, however, Zelesky says they see that change through to the end. In this clip, Zelesky gives reasons for dentists and their teams to embrace change.

Some dentists tend to micromanage, says Robert M. Pick, D.D.S., M.S., and principal of Progressive Periodontics & Implants. Responsibility for social media, however, is one thing that dentists should delegate. In this clip, Pick suggests assigning a team member in your practice the role of social media coordinator and having this team member prioritize posting strong content at the right time.

Password security: It's a simple concept. Make sure each member of your dental practice team has their own password for accessing patient information.

Whether you're heading up Everest or placing a crown, there's a certain amount of risk involved. Managing that risk, according to Scott Parazynski, M.D., who is also the only astronaut to have summited Everest, boils down to knowing what your goals are in advance. Those goals often involve everyone going home safely. To that end, doctors need to know when they're out of their league.

Gary Zelesky is a professional speaker on the subject of passion. He works to help dentists and other professionals use passion to make their businesses more successful. In this clip, Zelesky talks about how passion can make or break your dental team's successes.

If you want your dental practice to operate like a Fortune 500 company, you need to build your practice's team from the ground up. That starts with taking culture-shifting actions, such as corporate retreats and monthly meetings. These aren't just for the Wall Street titans. Robert M. Pick, D.D.S., M.S., and principal of Progressive Periodontics & Implants, says you need to put these strategies in place with your practice's team as soon as possible.

Are you a victim of embezzlement in your dental practice? How would you know if you were? Pat Little, D.D.S, F.A.G.D., C.F.E., CEO and Founder of Dental Risk Concepts and Prosperident describes some of the red flags that may indicate that you are being embezzled. Look out for them to stop the crime in its tracks.

You may not be as ready for retirement as you think you are. For example, have you talked to your spouse about what he or she will do with you being around the house more often? Kerry Straine, CPBA and CEO of Straine Consulting, says that this is one of two common retirement mistakes he sees dentists making. Discover the second, and how to avoid both, in this clip.

Scott Parazynski, M.D., is the only astronaut to have summited Mt. Everest. His career in the space program and taste for adventure have taught him a few things about managing risk, a subject he lectured on at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting. In this clip, Parazynski, who is also the CEO of Fluidity Technologies, explains when it just isn't worth it to risk it.

Gary Zelesky is a professional speaker on the subject of passion. He works to help dentists and other professionals use passion to make their businesses more successful. In this clip, Zelesky talks about how you can motivate your dental practice team with passion to improve the patient experience.

Dentistry is a business that requires sound relationships. Whether it's the relationship built with a patient over the course of treatment or the relationship built with a team in the operatory, dentists need to cultivate both. Robert M. Pick, D.D.S., M.S., is the principal of Progressive Periodontics & Implants, an Associate Professor of Surgery at Northwestern University Medical School, and CEO of the dental consulting firm, The Pick Group. In this clip, Pick explains why relationships are vital to your practice's success.

You suspect that there is embezzlement happening in your dental practice. You've confirmed it with an investigation. Now how do you confront the embezzler? Pat Little, D.D.S, F.A.G.D., C.F.E., CEO and Founder of Dental Risk Concepts and Prosperident describes the steps a dentist must take when confronting an embezzler.

As the CEO of your dental practice, it's up to you, the dentist, to come up with the policies your practice will use. According to Kerry Straine, CPBA and CEO of Straine Consulting, quite simply, policies are your dental business philosophy as it is to be implemented by your staff. Having effective policies means being clear on your philosophy and putting appropriate resources into training your staff. Here's how to start putting better policies in place in your practice.

Scott Parazynski, M.D., is the only astronaut to have summited Mt. Everest. His career in the space program and taste for adventure have taught him a few things about managing risk, a subject he lectured on at the 2017 Hinman Dental Meeting. In this clip, Parazynski, who is also the CEO of Fluidity Technologies, explains how to think critically when approaching a risky scenario.

Gary Zelesky is a professional speaker on the subject of passion. He works to help dentists and other professionals use passion to make their businesses more successful. In this clip, Zelesky talks about how passion in a dental practice can translate to higher productivity and profit.