Dentistry North Texas
2014 CONVENTION ISSUE
a business and lifestyle magazine for north texas dentists
Balancing the Cross
The Legacy and Wisdom of My Father, Dr. David Hildebrand Special Feature
Fuji Dental Laboratory
Smiles in the Spotlight Edward P. Allen, DDS, PhD Treatment of Cervical Lesions
Profiles
Heartland Dental Bank of America Practice Solutions US Oxygen Supply National Target Mailing & DentistryPostcard.com
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Dentistry North Texas
Balancing the Cross ON THE COVER
The Legacy and Wisdom of My Father, Dr. David Hildebrand
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ON THE COVER: Dr. Sloan Hildebrand reflects on the influence of his father on his life and the lives of others.
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SWDC BOOTH LISTING
Chart your course for the convention and don’t miss a thing
PROFILE
US Oxygen Supply - Your gas supplier is an important team member
PROFILE
Heartland Dental - Rick Workman, DMD
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
Just Breathe Guidelines for dentists who treat patients with sleep-disrupted breathing
PROFILE
Bank of America Practice Solutions - Tom Angeloni, Vice President
SMILES IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Edward P. Allen DDS, PhD - Treatment of Cervical Lesions
SPECIAL FEATURE
Fuji Dental Laboratory Your dental practice is only as good as your dental laboratory
COMMUNITY NEWS
Dental Health Arlington - It Takes A Dental Community
LEGAL MATTERS
Practice Acquisitions - Are You Getting Ripped Off?
PRACTICE MARKETING
Google’s Latest Update - Big change for online marketing
HEALTHY LIVING
Sweet Potato Hummus - Is hummus the new salsa?
PRACTICE TRANSITION
Selling Your Practice to a Relative How to make it work without becoming adversaries
PROFILE
National Target Mailing & DentistryPostcards.com Robert Zimbro www.northtexasdentistry.com
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North Texas Dentistry Advertisers 2014 Southwest Dental Conference Booth Listing
Children 1st Dental & Surgery Center provides dental treatment for children ages 2-8 under deep sedation or general anesthesia in a state licensed Ambulatory Surgical Center. Currently C1DS has two locations in DFW and will be expanding to Houston in 2014.
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Heartland Dental is one of the leading dental support organizations in the United States with more than 500 affiliated dental offices located within 26 states. Based in Effingham, IL, Heartland Dental supports over 700 affiliated dentists and 5,000 team members by offering continuing professional education and leadership training along with a variety of non-clinical administrative services including staffing, human relations, procurement, administration, financial, marketing and information technology.
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For more than 40 years, Pacific Continental Bank has been providing individually tailored financing solutions to dentists. At Pacific Continental, we strive to understand the needs of dental practices with a personalized level of service that is unique to each client. Our bankers strive to help dental practices and practice owners reach their financial goals by operating efficiently and making the most of opportunities.
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Burkhart Dental Supply has served dental professionals for 125 years. It provides supplies, equipment, office design, equipment repair and maintenance, and software. Important to its associates are integrity, knowledge and client success.
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BB&T is a full service bank providing Commercial Credit, Payment Solutions, Merchant Services, Insurance Services, Credit Cards and Wealth Management. We invite you to experience the difference that a true partnership with BB&T can make today. Sharing knowledge, growing businesses.
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Structures and Interiors is a commercial general contractor specializing in dental office construction offering design-build services including new building construction, interior finish out, office improvements and renovations.
Fuji Dental Laboratory has been in business for more than 25 years and continuously maintains a prestigious reputation in crown and bridge ceramics. Our objective has always been to be the best in the dental field, and to seek out doctors with the same goals who appreciate the fine craftsmanship that our team produces on a daily basis.
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DENTAL LABORATORY
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AFTCO is the oldest and largest national dental transition network with over 150 programs customized to meet your needs. AFTCO is truly the nation’s leader in dental practice sales, with 1.5 billion dollars of practices sold to date.
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Dental Directions, Inc. is a full-service dental placement agency with over 15 years experience fulfilling employment needs for dental professionals. Whether you’re a dental office seeking temporary or full-time help or an applicant searching for the perfect job, our friendly professionals can help.
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Bullseye Media is a McKinney, Texas based full-service marketing agency that provides turnkey programs for dentists and dental specialists who want to leverage the internet to get high value dental patients.
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Dental Auxiliary Service has been serving the Dallas dental community since 1979 and has been a leader in employment placement for dental personnel. Dental Auxiliary Service is a full service staffing agency that takes responsibility for paying temporary personnel, minimizing IRS and TWC unemployment issues for its clients.
COME VISIT US AT
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Midco Dental is a family owned company with branches in Irving and San Antonio, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We offer merchandise, service, equipment and office drawing.
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Med+Tech Construction is a general contractor which specializes in design, construction and renovation of dental offices across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
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ESA Construction has been designing and building dream offices in the Dallas Metroplex area and serving the dental industry since 1994. “Your Partner for the Future�
McGregor and Oblad, PLLC is a Dallas-based law firm specializing in dental law. Their attorneys assist the dental industry with entity formations, leases, practice transitions, employment matters, and name trademarks.
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LegacyTexas Bank is an independent family-owned bank that has served North Texas for 50 years. Hundreds of dentists and physicians trust our team of specialty bankers to meet their professional and personal financial needs.
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RT Edwards & Associates, P.C. is primarily an advisory firm that also provides tax and accounting services to those in the dental industry. In addition, the firm offers comprehensive, individually tailored, fee-only financial planning, retirement guidance and investment services.
US Oxygen Supply provides medical gases and gas management for dental offices, as well as hospitals and surgery centers. They strive to help their clients control costs by eliminating waste.
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Higginbotham is the second largest independent insurance firm in Texas with statewide offices offering a single source solution for insurance, risk management and employee benefit services. Higginbotham is endorsed by TDA Perks.
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Bank of America Practice Solutions provides extensive expertise, helpful loan solutions and the attention to detail their clients deserve when seeking competitive financing rates.
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Dentistry North Texas
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At National Target Mailing / DentistryPostcards.com, we create marketing solutions designed to meet the specific needs of dentists and have created and executed effective, customized marketing strategies and materials for hundreds of dental practices all over the country.
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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from the publisher
Happy New Year to All!
As 2014 begins, North Texas Dentistry is once again excited to present the Convention Issue for the Southwest Dental Conference. We look forward to continuing to bring our readers the latest news and information of interest to the North Texas dental community. I hope to see many of you at the Southwest Dental Conference, January 30 - February 1, at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. North Texas Dentistry will be in booth #1125. Please stop by to say hello and tell us about your practice or business.
During the coming year we plan to continue expanding our cover features to spotlight both dental industry businesses and leading dental professionals. A cover feature can promote your business, increase referrals to specialty practices, highlight cutting-edge technology and create high quality marketing materials. Let’s discuss the possibilities for your business or dental practice!
For this issue’s cover story North Texas Dentistry offers a tribute to Dr. David Hildebrand through the eyes of his son, Dr. Sloan Hildebrand. David Hildebrand’s life philosophy shaped the values and attitudes of his family, the kids he coached, and the dentists he mentored. You don’t want to miss this heartfelt salute to a wonderful man.
This Convention Issue is packed full! Fuji Dental Laboratory is spotlighted in a Special Feature. Owner Kip Estep stresses the importance of a good model room in producing quality restorations and a key step to reduce chair-time and remakes. Kip’s dad, Dr. Earl Estep, offers his ‘pearls of wisdom’ on dental practice management. Custom Profiles highlight Heartland Dental, Bank of America Practice Solutions, US Oxygen Supply and National Target Mailing and DentistryPostcard.com.
Dentistry North Texas
Publisher | LuLu Stavinoha Photographer | Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios Contributing Writers | Dr. Edward P. Allen, Tina Cauller, Kimberly Clarke, Jennifer Eure Fuentes, Dr. Richard V. Lyschik, Joseph McGregor, Jill Talman, Kathy Duran-Thal
Ray Bryant
PHOTOGRAPHY
Tina Cauller
WRITING / DESIGN
Enjoy these features and much more!
Smiles in the Spotlight features a case by periodontist Dr. Edward P. Allen on the proper treatment of cervical lesions.
Don’t miss the Southwest Dental Conference Special Booth Listing (pgs. 4 and 5) for the North Texas Dentistry advertisers who are exhibiting at the conference. Plan to stop by their booths to see the products and services they offer and let them know you appreciate their support of this publication. Keep smiling and I look forward to seeing you at the 2014 Southwest Dental Conference!
LuLu Stavinoha, RDH Publisher
Remember to “Like” us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/NorthTexasDentistry
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Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of editorial material published in North Texas Dentistry, articles may contain statements, opinions, and other information subject to interpretation. Accordingly, the publisher, editors and authors and their respective employees are not responsible or liable for inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or other information in material supplied by contributing authors. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is prohibited.
Advertise in North Texas Dentistry For more information on advertising in North Texas Dentistry, call LuLu Stavinoha at (214) 629-7110 or email lulu@northtexasdentistry.com. Send written correspondence to: North Texas Dentistry P.O. Box 12623 Dallas, TX 75225
Putting
profile
US Oxygen on Your Team
Brings service and transparency to a dental practice staple US Oxygen Supply provides medical gases and gas management for dental offices, as well as hospitals and surgery centers. US Oxygen Supply has become a leading choice for dentists who know the benefits of a higher level of service and professionalism. Co-owners Jeff Palmer and Matthew Rodriquez founded US Oxygen Supply in 2011. Together, the executive team has more than 50 years of experience in the field, and their expertise is a distinct benefit for their dental clients.
My gas supplier changes our tanks every week on his route. Do you?
Better yet – we’ll save you money! In most cases, dental practices use two
tanks of oxygen for every tank of nitrous oxide. This makes the common practice of “routing” dental clients and routinely replacing tanks every week highly
inefficient and wasteful. When technicians are incentivized to route dental
US Oxygen Supply helps dental clients control costs by eliminating waste, but it also offers significant cost savings in its straightforward, no-mystery pricing structure. practices, they typically remove tanks before they are empty, resulting in enor-
mous waste and unnecessary cost to the customer. US Oxygen Supply pro-
vides dental clients with two tanks, and instructs clients to call for a replacement tank when they switch to the reserve tank for efficient, continuous
service. This ensures that 100% of the product is used before the tank is
replaced. A friendly, courteous team member is dispatched the same day or next morning to install the replacement tank. Customers are provided with
contact information to call the US Oxygen Supply team directly anytime, day or night, so convenient, uninterrupted service is ensured at all times.
How is your delivery service any different from all the rest?
We offer courteous, professional service. We work hard to minimize inconvenience to you, your patients and your staff. Rather than sending any driver
who is available, your dental staff will appreciate seeing the familiar face of a
technician they recognize and trust. And, while large suppliers often rely on
massive 18-wheelers to deliver their product, the US Oxygen delivery fleet
includes both large and small trucks, so maneuvering through a small parking lot is never a hazard or an inconvenience for patients.
Our service already gives us a great discount. How is your pricing any better than the others?
We offer straightforward pricing. While all suppliers charge a delivery fee, many gas suppliers offer “discount” pricing, then tack on an administrative fee,
a distribution fee, a fuel surcharge, and product surcharges (to offset any
fluctuation in their product cost) with a complicated pricing structure that rivals
the jibberish on your utility bill. The touted “discount” price of a tank of oxygen
can quickly climb to as much as $100. US Oxygen Supply helps dental clients
control costs by eliminating waste, but it also offers significant cost savings in
its straightforward, no-mystery pricing structure. Outside of the standard delivery charge, all services are included and there are no add-on fees.
Wouldn’t it be a hassle to switch our gas supply service?
Switching to US Oxygen Supply is simple and fast. For new dental clients, it costs nothing to switch providers and there is no first time set-up cost.
Switching is a simple process that takes about 15 minutes.
Do you serve my area?
We serve dental practices around North Texas. US Oxygen Supply serves dental practices all over the Metroplex and all across North Texas, west as far as Stephenville, east to Terrell, as far north as Denton and south to Corsicana.
We’ve used our gas supply company for years. Why change?
We’re looking out for you. US Oxygen Supply clients feel confident that
their gas supplier is a trusted, professional member of their team who is
helping to serve their practice and protect the bottom line. “Our customers
rely on us to provide personal, individualized service with the highest
integrity,” notes Matthew Rodriquez. “We take pride in living up to that
expectation and exceeding it every day we are on the job.”
For more information on US Oxygen Supply, call (214) 930-6236, send an email to: jeff@usoxygensupply.com, or visit www.usoxygensupply.com.
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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Photos by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
cover feature
Balancing the Cross
The Legacy and Wisdom of My Father, Dr. David Hildebrand Drs. David and Sloan Hildebrand spending quality time together at the North Forty
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by Tina Cauller
or all of us, turning the calendar to a new year is typically a time for personal reflection, self-assessment, and renewed resolve to effect the changes we wish for in our lives. We may set goals to be more forgiving to others or ourselves, reconnect with a friend or loved one, or to finally set out on the adventure that we have always dreamed about. But the most sought-after goals – to live a content life and to leave the world a better place by our existence – are sometimes too much for a simple New Year’s resolution. That takes real wisdom, which can be harder to come by.
Dr. David Hildebrand, who practiced dentistry in the Dallas area for over 32 years, lived a rich and contented life. For his four children, wife and the many others whose lives he touched, he mod-
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eled a way of living that was the foundation of his own contentment and fulfillment, and taught his most important lessons by example. When his health began to decline, his son, Dr. Sloan Hildebrand, stepped in to take over his elite dental practice. Sloan had already witnessed his dad’s remarkable example every day of his life. Now, he also saw evidence of his father’s wealth of professional knowledge and commitment to exceptional dentistry firsthand.
“As a restorative dentist, my Dad was a genuine master of his craft,” Sloan notes. “He placed a high priority on balancing occlusion and creating esthetically functional restorations that maintained the natural contours of the tooth. As a result, his restorations have incredible longevity – many of them restored
20 or 30 years ago and still with seamless margins.”
“I feel blessed to have taken over for my dad in the family oriented boutique prosthodontic practice,” notes Sloan. “Although his retirement was bittersweet and I knew that filling his shoes would be a Himalayan task, I had just finished my master’s specialty in prosthodontics and it was certainly a special practice to step into. He had established an elite practice model and had intentionally built up his practice over a lifetime. He had accumulated a base of dedicated superb patients, a wonderful loving staff, and handpicked professional relationships with interdisciplinary doctors. I was fortunate to have his direct mentorship for nearly two years while he was phasing out of active practice, so I could step onto the platform he created without missing a foothold and the transition was seamless as well. His commitment to high quality, ethics-based dentistry was obvious from my first visits with some of his long-time patients.” Sloan knew that his father had amassed a wealth of knowledge over his distinguished career, and felt it imperative to absorb and preserve as much of it as possible. “Sitting in the chair at my dad’s desk, I was surrounded by a lifetime of notes, contacts, personal letters and professional presentations. I realized how important it was for me to tap into his knowledge, and I began talking with peo-
Photo by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
Photo courtesy of Sloan Hildebrand, DDS
Like father, like son – Drs. David and Sloan Hildebrand sitting at their family dental desk seeking to serve.
ple who had mentored him and whom he mentored. A few close family friends and colleagues of my dad actually reached out to me during this process of taking over his practice and went to lengths to share
McDonald who welcomed my brothers and I into the profession with open arms. Each one of them have been generous enough to personally seek me out and sit down with me to share anecdotes about
“My father’s activities were a testament to his character – his life reflected his mission to help others better themselves.” with me the philosophy that my dad lived by professionally. Among many were Drs. Pete Dawson, Dewitt Wilkerson and Mac
my dad and add to what I already knew about his character, way of life and how they were impacted by the bar he set,
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David and Carol, kindred souls for over 47 years alongside Sloan and Elizabeth. "We feel blessed to have parents who intentionally set a living example of a Godly, loving marriage."
But, while Dr. David Hildebrand was a widely-renowned dentist, Sloan had a much broader shared experience with his father than just dentistry. “In addition to being a dentist, he was an active and devoted father, husband, and coach to my mom, brothers, sister and me. He was very involved in our lives and sports activities during high school, and then when my brothers and I were at Baylor University, he still traveled to Waco to coach us in collegiate soccer in between the days he spent practicing in Dallas. He had a way of influencing and nudging us and our teammates through the avenue of sports, using maxims like ‘no compromise in character, attitude and spirit’. He imparted his wisdom constantly and quietly, and guided us by example, specifically in team building with lessons that extended beyond the playing field to other facets of our lives.”
In addition to practicing, parenting, and coaching, Dr. Hildebrand served with a passion. He volunteered at schools and youth camps, gave numerous dental presentations and lectures locally and internationally, was a dedicated member of his church, and was passionate about caring for others and helping the seemingly less
fortunate. On many a Christmas Eve, Dr. David Hildebrand and the family served in the local soup kitchen at Union Gospel Mission in Dallas. Yearly, he voyaged overseas to developing countries to provide desperately needed dental care to others. Photos by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
which is a high bar. It wasn’t long before I realized that it would be fitting for me to carry the same torch and to share his philosophy of always striving to lead a content life with others.”
Cheryl, Lisa and Martha are treasured members of Dr. Sloan Hildebrand’s dental family.
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Photo courtesy of Sloan Hildebrand, DDS
Baylor College of Dentistry in 1969, then completed a dental surgical internship at Michael Reese Medical Center in Chicago. He became a dental associate with Dr. John Anderson of Glenview, Illinois. When he and his bride, whom he loved well for over 47 years, moved the growing family from Chicago to The North Forty in Dallas in 1974, his staff followed him. Goldy, originally from Sweden, continued to work for him for another 21 years after she moved to Texas with his family, before retiring and returning to her family in Sweden.
Baylor soccer team with coach David Hildebrand at the helm. Siblings Brody, Sloan, Jed and Katherine were all coached by their dad as kids, through college and beyond ~No Compromise~ Dr. Hildebrand treasured the people in his life and made them feel valued. He treated his staff exceptionally well, as he considered them family, and they rewarded him with loyalty and longevity. Dr. David Hildebrand graduated from
Photo by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
Dr. Sloan Hildebrand has followed in his father’s footsteps on the mission field and has taken even larger leaps abroad. Sloan has literally circled the globe as well as lived extensively with native locals over the past decade in remote villages throughout Haiti, Brazil, Africa, Romania, India, Nepal, Southeast Asia, Micronesia and on islands scattering the South Pacific seeking out those that are geographically isolated or financially constrained and in need of dental care.
Now that the practice is in the hands of his son Sloan, the strength of Dr. Hildebrand’s friendships and professional relationships is even more apparent. Over the years, many distinguished dentists and their spouses entrusted their care to Dr. Hildebrand and have chosen to continue with the practice with Sloan at the helm. “We haven’t lost one patient or referring doctor,” Sloan points out. “It’s impressive to see the deep feelings of
“My father’s activities were a testament to his character,” notes Sloan. “His life reflected his mission to help others better themselves. He was always seeking to serve but never self-serving, and he put his beliefs about service into action locally and around the earth.”
As busy as he was, Dr. Hildebrand understood the value of balance and demonstrated it in his daily life. Dr. Hildebrand was one of the first leaders and teachers at the Pankey Dental Institute in Florida and served on faculty there for almost 30 years. He spoke frequently about the crucial importance of maintaining balance in life. He talked about “balancing the cross”, focusing equally on work, play, love, and worship, with contentment at the center.
Balanced cross in the woods at the North Forty given to the family by loving, lifelong friends in honor of Dr. David Hildebrand – Work, Play, Love, Worship ~Contentment~ www.northtexasdentistry.com
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confidence and loyalty that have resulted from my father’s approach to dentistry. I truly consider our patients and team part of our extended dental family.”
David Hildebrand went to heaven on November 8, 2013. There is no question that he led a rich, full and balanced life and left the world a better place for having done so. Sloan Hildebrand still finds it remarkable how many lives were touched by his dad. “At the service to celebrate my dad’s life, I asked that anyone who had been coached by, coached with or had been forever impacted by playing sports with my dad to stand, and nearly a third of the sanctuary rose to their feet. He had such a positive impact in every arena he entered and guided so many lives in the right direction, including mine.” He adds, “I was blessed to have my father as a parent, coach, mentor and as a friend, and I want to honor him and the influence he had on my life every day.” 12 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Sloan W. Hildebrand, DDS, MS “Our doors are always open to serve new patients.” (972) 931-0681 www.drsloanhildebrand.com 16910 Dallas Parkway, Suite 210 Dallas, TX 75248
Photos courtesy of Sloan Hildebrand, DDS
Serving those in need, a family tradition. Drs. David, Sloan, and Kim Hildebrand, along with Elizabeth Hildebrand loving others around the world through dental missions ~Pure Joy~
FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A
ON DENTISTRY
creating compelling professional images that speak for your practice
817.966.2631 www.Bryant Studios.com raybryant@me.com
Building the office you’ve “ Structures and Interiors helped us bring to life
the exact look and design we had desired. They gave us quality workmanship, and have been available to answer any questions we have had along the way. I believe their honesty, attention to detail and extensive knowledge of the building industry are characteristics that would make them a great choice for anyone doing a building project of any kind!”
– Deji V. Fashemo, DDS, MPH Fourth Dimension Orthodontics & Craniofacial Orthodontics
Structures & Interiors proudly specializes in helping Healthcare Professionals like you to design and build your dream office. With over 19 years of experience, we can help you build the office you’ve always imagined! Call us today at (817) 329-4241.
This warm and welcoming space is comfortable, upscale and contemporary. We worked with the client to create an elegant space with unique and interesting design elements, all the while sticking to an established budget. The crown jewel of the lobby is a simulated “fire and ice” fireplace utilizing LEDs embedded in crushed glass.
In this graceful lobby, we worked with Enviromed Design and ACRES Development to ensure that even the smallest specifics on the plans were completed with the utmost attention to detail. The suite features stained cherry doors, a handsome wood paneled front desk, layered ceilings and materials selected and installed for lasting quality.
always
Imagined
“ I’ve always wanted to have my own dental office that I can be proud of and where I can practice dentistry. Structures and Interiors helped me achieve this goal beyond what I could imagine. Their professionalism and patience with their clients is what I feel sets them above anyone else. I felt cared for and very prepared each step of the way. I feel confident in recommending Structures and Interiors to anyone who is interested in building their dream office.
This lobby makes the most of transitional-style architecture with clean lines and graceful curves. The traditional elements such as a coffered ceiling and oil-rubbed lighting fixtures are combined with sleek interior finishes and comfortable furnishings to create a fresh and up-to-date look that’s sure to stand the test of time.
We transformed the traditional operatory corridor by introducing a softly undulating and backlit architectural cloud. Each twelve o’clock wall is thickened and rounded, allowing deep, graniteadorned art niches. Custom hand wash stations feature matching granite counter tops, ceilingheight glass tile, and art glass bowls.
”
– Doan Bui, DDS Family Tree Dentistry
The ORIGINAL dental design builder
profile
Rick Workman, DMD
Founder and CEO, Heartland Dental
A
Tell me a little bit about how Heartland Dental got started. What were some of the challenges?
RW: I founded Heartland Dental in 1997. After graduating from the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine in 1980 and starting my own office, I set out to create a worldclass dental support organization that would relieve the management burdens for their affiliated dentists by offering an array of non-clinical administrative support such as human resources, accounting, supply and equipment procurement, marketing and customer support.
Q &
Spending 50 hours a week at the dental chair and spending 25-30 hours on the business side of dentistry, I experienced first-hand the issues with balancing both. Realizing other dentists were facing the same thing, I developed a solution – a system of support that would become the reason for Heartland Dental’s existence. This solution provided accumulated knowledge and support that most solo dentists don’t have access to. This also provides the opportunity for newer dentists to be exposed to education and the experiences of others earlier in their careers, instead of years down the road.
What are some of the programs affiliate offices have access to?
RW: Heartland Dental offers continuing education that’s among the best in the nation, and is one of the main reasons doctors affiliate with us. Courses affiliated doctors and team members have access to include Doctor Leadership, Doctor Dental University, Partnering for Excellence, Bell Leadership and more. These courses are offered across the nation, as well as right here at the Heartland Dental Home Office in The Institute at Heartland Dental. The Institute features top clinicians and speakers from around the country, both affiliated doctors and other speakers. In addition, affiliated doctors and team members have access to a network of successful, tenured dental professionals and preferred vendor relationships that save them money on supplies.
What are some examples of ways the affiliated offices benefit from these programs?
RW: We provide affiliated offices with the necessary tools to advance their skills – both clinical and leadership. Tools they would not receive anywhere else. Affiliated doctors and team members learn successful practice management techniques and how to become a leader (balancing clinical skills and effective
Heartland Dental Rick Workman, DMD
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communication to motivate and inspire their teams). Also, the mentorship and networking opportunities are invaluable, especially for less-experienced doctors. Having a seasoned mentor who has grown familiar with the business of dentistry and optimal patient care can be very helpful to a young dental professional.
Why has Heartland Dental’s model resonated with dentists?
RW: Our support helps dentists be dentists. They didn’t graduate from dental school to be accountants, marketing gurus or HR specialists. Our support helps them focus on patient care, develop as clinicians and develop as leaders. Heartland Dental’s vision isn’t restricted to one type of doctor either. We have effective solutions for doctors of all career levels from all walks of life. For new doctors, we offer the chance to start their careers out on the right foot, providing excellent growth opportunities. For doctors looking for work-life balance, we offer the support to help them achieve that. For doctors looking for the right exit strategy, we offer the means for them to control their career on their terms.
What are some ways Heartland Dental works within the local communities?
RW: Continually, affiliated offices donate their time and efforts both locally and outside their communities. Each year, many affiliated offices hold Free Dentistry Day events in their communities, providing free dental services to those in need. In 2012, more than 3,500 patients were helped and more than $1.3 million worth of dentistry was donated. So far in 2013, affiliated offices are on pace to help over 4,000 patients and donate over $2 million worth of dentistry. In addition, many affiliated doctors and teams participate in dental mission trips throughout the world, helping the less fortunate in countries such as Columbia, Haiti, Honduras and more.
Why has Heartland Dental been able to see growth in a challenging economy?
RW: Dentistry is still valued in our population and will always be valued. Dental disease doesn’t cure itself, so lifetime, preventative care will always be important and helps save people money in the long run. Heartland Dental has been built around a strong business model providing us the ability to grow. The economic problems we’ve seen have established a new reality – many dentists are unable to sell or share their offices with associate dentists, and young dentists with $100,000 worth of student loans can’t finance a new office or startup on their own. This has led to a doubling of the number of quality dentists
searching for employment with affiliated offices. The importance of this is obvious and cannot be overstated.
Are there any marketing, staffing, health records or other initiatives you are developing or implementing you’d like to share?
RW: The success, achievement and advancement of Heartland Dental start with the right people. We invest in people with passion, people willing to go the extra mile, people who never settle for second best. With the right people, we’re able to keep up with our continual growth, both at our Home Office and in our affiliated offices.
What are Heartland Dental’s goals for the near future and next five years?
RW: We will continue to work toward our mission of becoming the leader in dentistry. Over the next five years, we will continue supporting the opening of new startup offices and affiliate with new existing offices. ABOUT HEARTLAND DENTAL
Heartland Dental is one of the leading dental support organizations in the United States with more than 500 affiliated dental offices located within 26 states. Based in Effingham, Illinois, Heartland Dental supports over 700 affiliated dentists and 5,000 team members by offering continuing professional education and leadership training along with a variety of non-clinical administrative services including staffing, human relations, procurement, administration, financial, marketing and information technology. For more information, visit www.Heartland.com. Follow Heartland Dental on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. CONTACT INFORMATION
For Affiliation Opportunities: (877) 490-3489
For Dentist and Team Member Career Opportunities: (866) 281-6515
www.Heartland.com www.northtexasdentistry.com
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NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY
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Just Breathe
by Jennifer Eure Fuentes
After a rollercoaster year of hearings and proposed rulings, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry alumni with sleep-based dental
E
verything changed for Jean Graber in 1952. She was just a first grader, and life was about climbing black walnut trees in her backyard, playing in barn haylofts and hanging from the monkey bars on the school playground. Then polio hit.
For the next three months, home became the hospital, and those first six weeks all of her breathing was done for her in an iron lung — a metal tank that went up to her neck. Air pressure changes guided her chest wall up and down, creating the inhalation and exhalation needed to keep her alive. Graber’s mother kept vigil while her father made the three-hour drive back and forth to the hospital in Hutchinson, Kansas, each weekend. A survivor of bulbospinal polio, Graber lost complete use of her left arm and partial use of her right. But she learned to drive using just her legs, went to college and became a teacher.
practices may finally get the resolution they desire. Some worry the fight to help their patients breathe is far from over. band make the seven-hour drive from their farm near Pretty Prairie, Kansas, to have Thornton make her a new custom sleep mask.
At such visits Thornton and Graber meet at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, where Graber climbs into an iron lung. Since she can’t breathe on her own when lying down, the device is necessary while Thornton makes a mold of the area extending from Graber’s chin and cheeks to above her nose.
She stays in the metroplex several days while the clear acrylic mask is created. Thornton attaches the mask to a monoblock appliance that uses the teeth to hold the mask in a fixed position. The mask is then attached to a volume ventilator. A sleep study is performed to make sure the mask doesn’t leak.
“I can just slip it in my mouth, and I’m ready to go,” says Graber of the strapless mask. “I
love that freedom. The mask gives me independence, and that’s primary for me.”
Thornton’s ability to help — and that of many dentists who treat patients with sleep-disordered breathing — may hinge on the outcome of a Texas State Board of Dental Examiners open session that took place on November 8 in Austin.
In April 2012, an Austin-based sleep dentist began a correspondence with the state board. He wanted clarification on what a dentist can and can’t do in terms of treating sleep-related breathing disorders. Currently, dentists are permitted to independently diagnose and treat nighttime breathing problems such as snoring and upper airway resistance syndrome, but treatment and fabrication of oral appliances for obstructive sleep apnea — when the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep — can only be done in collaboration with a physician’s diagnosis and orders.
Graber wasn’t expecting what happened next. In 1980 came the second diagnosis. She had post-polio syndrome, and by 1983 she needed nighttime ventilation.
“A lot of people who had bulbospinal polio — which damages nerve centers that control swallowing and talking — died before they could figure that out,” says Graber, whose journey to breathe during sleep began with an airtight nylon “poncho wrap” with a sweeper motor and has evolved to breathing masks connected to ventilators.
These days she sees TAMBCD alum Dr. Keith Thornton, who owns SleepWell Solutions, a Dallas dental practice dedicated entirely to sleep-related breathing disorders.
Once every few years, Graber and her hus-
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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The inquiry set off a firestorm. It didn’t take long for the TSBDE to consult the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Association of Sleep Medicine for their constituents’ opinions. In the 18 months since, a rollercoaster of hearings and proposed rulings has ensued, and at times throughout this dialogue, the right of dentists to independently treat and sleepdisordered breathing has hung in the balance. At the core of the issue is a dentist’s right to order a sleep study or diagnostic home sleep test in order to rule out obstructive sleep apnea. Such studies are interpreted by a licensed Texas physician, and until recently, ordering these tests for patients was something dentists could do without question.
According to an April AASM member e-newsletter, the academy’s official stance is that dentists should not be able to order either test. This would mean that even for issues unrelated to obstructive sleep apnea, such as snoring, dentists would need to refer patients to physicians before providing treatment.
“If you just say you’re snoring, and you tell your patients to go to a sleep physician before you will help them, they will likely not go,” says TAMBCD alum Dr. David McCarley, president-elect of the Texas Dental Association. “That would shut down a lot of patients.”
Perhaps no one is more passionate about this issue than Thornton who, in addition to creating custom sleep masks for patients, has a patented oral appliance known as the Thornton Adjustable Positioner. Thornton
describes this “TAP” device as a tent pole that works by propping the mouth open, preventing the tongue and soft tissue of the throat from collapsing into the airway. It’s become a popular alternative to continuous positive airway pressure — or CPAP — machines, which keep the airway open during sleep through increasing air pressure in the throat.
“My device has been FDA-approved for any physician or dentist to purchase and fit,” Thornton says. While he isn’t pushing to treat obstructive sleep apnea patients independently of physicians, Thornton’s concern is that if dentists must refer patients to a physician before using his oral appliance for any breathing problem, dentists could be cut out of the process entirely.
“Treating sleep-disordered breathing with a dental device to position the jaw is a dental problem with a dental solution,” says Thornton, who, along with several TAMBCD alumni, formed the nonprofit Clinicians for Healthful Sleep to advocate their viewpoint to the state dental board. “That is why I have fought so hard for dentists to do it.”
McCarley adds that some appliances can cause temporomandibular joint problems if incorrectly made or adjusted.
“The sleep physicians really are not trained to diagnose occlusal problems,” says McCarley. “Sometimes these occlusal problems will lead you to a better diagnosis of what patients are doing in their sleep.
“You need both sides. Our intent at the TDA is to work with physicians on something. We don’t want to set up these barriers.” Dentists won’t have to wait long. According
to a Sept. 13 proposal issued from the TSBDE, dentists would still be able to order sleep studies as a screening tool for sleep disorders as well as diagnose and treat any dental comorbidity related to snoring and upper airway resistance syndrome. Diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea would continue to require collaboration with a licensed Texas physician. If the meeting concludes without the opposition that occurred at an August open session, those recommendations could become the official state rule.
If not, and dentists are eventually deprived of their right to independently diagnose and treat non-sleep apnea breathing disorders, it could create a domino effect nationwide, says neurologist Dr. Richard Dasheiff, a former director of the Sleep Medicine Program at the Dallas VA Medical Center.
“If Texas goes through with this, all the other states could follow suit,” says Dasheiff, who is a member of the AASM but has supported the cause of dentists throughout this debate and even testified on behalf of Clinicians for Healthful Sleep.
During Dasheiff’s time at the VA, his team relied on a variety of treatment options, ranging from the use of CPAP machines and oral appliances to prescription medications and — in severe cases of sleep-disordered breathing — surgical intervention through tracheostomies.
“We always tried to educate patients on what their options were,” says Dasheiff. “Having this restricted would ultimately reduce the number of patients who get adequate care.”
Founded in 1905, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas is a college of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. TAMBCD is a nationally recognized center for oral health sciences education, research, specialized patient care and continuing dental education.
Jennifer Eure Fuentes is a communications specialist at Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry. A 2006 graduate of Texas Christian University, she has worked in the communications and editorial field for five years.
20 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
www.AFTCO.net
AFTCO is the oldest and largest dental practice transition consulting firm in the United States. AFTCO assists dentists with associateships, purchasing and selling of practices, and retirement plans. We are there to serve you through all stages of your career.
Come visit us at the Southwest Dental Conference in Booth #314
Gordon C. Damon, Jr., D.D.S. (UT Houston 2011)
has acquired the practice of
Jay W. Baxley, D.D.S. & (Baylor College of Dentistry 1986)
Chad C. Perry, D.D.S. (Baylor College of Dentistry 2002)
Fort Worth, Texas
Preston C. Carter, D.D.S. (University of Tennessee 2011)
has acquired the practice of
Terry V. Braswell, D.D.S. (Baylor College of Dentistry 1974)
Texarkana, Texas
Jay H. Oakey, D.D.S. (University of Oklahoma 2011)
has acquired the practice of
Rick E. Cofer, Jr., D.D.S. (Baylor College of Dentistry 1990)
Whitney, Texas AFTCO is pleased to have represented all parties in these transitions.
Call 1-800-232-3826 today for a free practice appraisal, a $5,000 value!
Q: What is the most important advice you can offer dentists?
TA: For the seasoned dentist, it is critical to keep in mind that profitability is more important than production. Although the allure of becoming a multiple practice owner is tempting, personal liquidity should be achieved before expansion.
Tom Angeloni Vice President
Bank of America Practice Solutions
(800) 920-1559 thomas.angeloni@bankofamerica.com
A
At Bank of America Practice Solutions, we know that obtaining a competitive rate is essential to any dentist seeking financing. While we also understand the importance of rate, experience dictates that optimizing monthly cash flow has proven to make the definitive difference between success and failure in many practices. You can count on us to provide extensive expertise, helpful loan solutions and the attention to detail you and your practice deserve.
Q &
New dentists have different challenges to overcome. They should first surround themselves with specialists in the industry who can offer expert advice based on experience. When choosing between financing options, cash flow is “king�. New practice owners need to focus as much on term and repayment structure as they do on interest rate.
Q: What is the most common financial mistake dentists make?
TA: The under-prioritization of a well thought out savings/pension plan, from day one, is becoming a common occurrence when managing personal finances. Misplaced priorities can also be a problem in managing the practice. Dentists frequently launch too many locations too quickly or focus so much on production that they get distracted and fail to keep a watch on profitability.
Today, too many new dentists start off without clear guidance or a well thought out financial plan. Rapid growth is not always the path to financial stability.
Q: What roadblocks are dentists encountering when applying for a loan?
TA: Dentists are not immune to the problems that are rampant across our country. Many depend on revolving credit to maintain both their practice and their personal lifestyle. This can lead to a whirlpool of credit card debt that threatens their financial future and can make it difficult to acquire a loan.
Bank of America Tom Angeloni
22 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Many new graduates also look to open a practice with little to no experience. Associating first will provide both the clinical and business experience necessary for success. Although planning for growth is a key factor in the project phase of a new practice, starting with an oversized practice can result in cash flow issues and also hinder the likelihood of an approval.
Q: What special services do you offer that are a particular benefit for the dental practice?
TA: While traditional banks offer little to no dental-specific benefits, Bank of America Practice Solutions (a Dental specific lender) offers a number of invaluable services to the dentist. A local industry specialist is available to advise on all facets of a dental project. We have a team of business professionals to assist with budgeting, performance analysis, marketing, industry standards and more.
When dentists are setting up a new practice, we can offer demographic reports to assist them with identifying the best location for their office, as well as a complete suite of products designed to support the efficient operation of the practice – including checking, merchant services, payroll, and so on.
SMILES SPOTLIGHT in the
Case Presentation
A 45 year-old female patient presented with a cervical lesion on her maxillary right canine. Examination of the site revealed a notch of moderate depth in the root surface with no involvement of the crown. The marginal tissue was mobile mucosa with an absence of attached gingiva. There was 6mm of root exposure with no loss of interdental tissues, so complete root coverage could be achieved. The patient has a high lipline and is concerned about the esthetics of her smile. Treatment decision: Root coverage grafting using an allograft in a tunnel technique.
LEADERS IN NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY CREATING UNFORGETTABLE SMILES
Treatment of Cervical Lesions
Cervical lesions are commonly seen in adult patients. These lesions may be asymptomatic or they may present patient-related concerns including sensitivity, food retention, or esthetics. Determining the proper treatment for cervical lesions presents a perplexing problem for both periodontists and restorative dentists because the tooth defect is usually accompanied by gingival recession. Restorations placed in or on root surfaces often lead to undesirable outcomes, especially in the absence of adequate marginal gingiva.
After determining and managing the causative factors, asking and answering six questions simplify determination of proper treatment of cervical lesions. All six questions must be answered before making the treatment decision.
6mm root exposure with absence of attached gingiva.
1. What are the dimensions of the cervical lesion?
2. Is the cervical lesion located on the crown or the root ?
3. What are the dimensions of the gingiva apical to the cervical lesion?
4. How much root exposure is there?
5. Can the root be completely covered?
6. Is esthetics a concern?
Edward P. Allen, DDS, PhD
Center for Advanced Dental Education 8335 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 210 Dallas, Texas 75231
www.DrEdwardPAllen.com center@epallendds.com
24 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Root planing removed sharp angles, and tunnel recipient site prepared.
Edward P. Allen, DDS, PhD
Dr. Allen is a periodontist in Dallas, Texas with a practice focused on minimally invasive soft tissue grafting. He is founder and director of the Center for Advanced Dental Education in Dallas, where he teaches hands-on surgical technique courses. More than 1,500 dentists from all 50 states and 12 countries have completed his courses. He has over 100 publications and has presented numerous lectures and performed live surgical demonstrations worldwide.
AlloDerm graft secured within pouch to the level of the CEJ.
Marginal tissue advanced to cover the allograft.
Complete root coverage and ideal esthetics at 5 years postsurgery.
Dr. Allen has served as President of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation. He is the recipient of the Master Clinician Award from the American Academy of Periodontology and the President’s Award for Excellence in Dental Education from the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. Currently, he is the Periodontal Section Editor for the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry and serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Periodontology and the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry.
Before treatment: Displeasing appearance of smile due to root exposure.
After treatment: Beautiful smile restored
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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SPECIAL FEATURE
FUJI DENTAL LABORATORY
How a Failure at 40 Can Retire a Millionaire at 50
“The Obvious Secret”
Dr. Earl Estep DDS
Dr. Estep has helped literally thousands of dentists create a “wealth-building dental practice”. As a renowned dentist, author and speaker, ‘Earl the Pearl’ has visited thousands of dental practices all across the U.S. and attended every dental seminar available to him. He took the ‘meat and potatoes’ of what he learned and taught the best of the best practice management strategies that made successful dentists more profitable.
Some of “Earl’s Pearls”:
“The drip ain’t usually where the leak is.”
“There ain’t no medicine to cure laziness.”
“The people to get even with are the ones who have helped you.”
Dr. Earl Estep opened his solo dental practice in the small farm and ranch town of Athens, Texas at age 33. After 10 years in practice, he realized he was still broke and accumulating more debt. He was just following the crowd and doing the things that everyone else does.
Within one month, after changing one key thing in his practice, things started to change. All within the first couple of years: • He worked out a plan to pay off his debts!
• His bank account multiplied tenfold!
• His new patient flow doubled! Then it doubled again... and again!
• His staff began to enjoy the office!
• Their patients began referring more!
Dr. Estep contends that anyone can do the same thing. Anyone can become financially independent.
There is probably not a dentist in America who traveled more in search of better ways to do things than Dr. Estep. He is down to earth in his approach to everything. He is extremely clear with his no-nonsense, common sense approach to everything he does – even fishing, golf, and poker – he’s country, he’s a little controversial sometimes, but he’s good.
Make Your Practice Thrive
Dr. Estep believes that there are four things that set the superior office head-andshoulders above all the rest. These four key elements are:
1. Your skills in ‘human engineering’ - the ability to deal with people and present dentistry the correct way. Dr. Estep’s method never fails! (you will learn how you can receive this information later in this article) 2. Your capability in esthetics - especially in anterior cases. You’ll learn about Master Ceramist Yuji Ono and his team who ensure a superior life-like look.
Call Fuji at (800) 624-9412 and ask for “The Millionaire Letter”. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to increase your crown and bridge business almost immediately.
3. Your ability to not have remakes. It all starts in the model room of your lab.
4. Your ability to seat posterior crowns in no more than 1½ minutes of adjustment time.
In his Laugh and Learn seminars, Dr. Estep outlines in detail a step-by-step method to present treatment plans and be successful.
26 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Photos by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
The model room team at Fuji Dental Lab
Over 25+ years, Fuji Dental Laboratory has established a proven track record of providing quality restorations that result in minimal seat time and fewer remakes and adjustments. Having the world’s most talented esthetic team gives Fuji’s doctors the confidence to sell dentistry.
As we all know, remakes and adjustments are not good for your practice or for the lab. They cost both time and money. There are many different factors that can contribute to remakes or adjustments, starting with the doctor taking the impression and going all the way to polishing the crown. As with any project, you must start with a strong foundation, and in the dental lab industry, the model room is the foundation.
Typically, model room employees have one of the least glamorous positions in the lab but one of the most important. With that being said, Fuji Dental Lab has constructed a rock solid team of individuals to work in their model room to ensure that the first step in the process is taken on a strong foundation. Mark Butler has more than 20 years of experience in the dental lab industry and is the Quality Control Manager for Fuji Dental Lab. Mark and lab owner Kip Estep oversee the different departments of the laboratory, including the model room. Mark’s responsibility is to make sure that all team members are doing their part to produce the quality work on which Fuji has built their reputation. There are many avenues that can be explored as to why remakes occur. Die spacing and equilibration of models are two of the most important things that Fuji does in their model room that many
DENTAL LABORATORY
There is no such thing as bad luck. Your dental practice is only as good as your dental laboratory – and your dental laboratory is only as good as its model room. Fuji’s goal is to have the best model room in the country.
other labs don’t do properly. For example: 50 microns of die spacer is not especially a large amount, but a difference of 50 microns of die spacer is enough to prevent a crown from going all the way into place. This was proven more than 40 years ago by Dr. Mack Sullivan and Dr. Alvin Fillastre. Once die spacing was implemented, crowns immediately started fitting better. Die spacing is one of the greatest discoveries of restorative dentistry, but it is not being used correctly by most other dental laboratories. Most labs do not use die spacer because it takes up room to carve good occlusion and it takes more time. Dr. Fillastre determined that three to four coats of die spacer are the optimum amount and Fuji Dental Laboratory follows this rule.
When you have a crown that fits on the model but is high in the mouth, one cause is a lack of equilibration. The reason is because stone does not fit together as tight as real teeth do. All stone models should be equilibrated down to where cusp tips are resting on 90-degree stops on opposing fossa and off the marginal ridge.
Estep says, “Fuji equilibrates all of our models to cusp-fossa occlusion instead of mashed potato occlusion to eliminate high crowns.”
He adds, “As far as I know, we are the only lab that equilibrates the stone models back to their natural position in the mouth. If you think you can send an impression to a lab in China or some other outsourcing lab and get these things done – it is impossible. Fuji Dental Lab does not outsource. All of Fuji’s products are made in the U.S.A.” www.northtexasdentistry.com
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Photo by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
Fuji Dental Laboratory’s executive team is dedicated to personal service and providing consistently high quality restorations. Pictured from left: Mark Butler, Mike O’Boyle, Bobby Baker, Cheryl Hiser, Kip Estep, Christie Oliver, Jill Hubbell, Kelli Mabe, and Ana Ortiz.
Esthetically Speaking
Some of the greatest compliments dentists could ever receive are the ones they never hear. When a patient has someone say to them “You have a beautiful smile” – that’s priceless! What dentist wouldn’t want to have “walking billboards” around town, advertising their cosmetic work?
Photo courtesy of Fuji Dental Laboratory
In order to give your patients the confidence they deserve in their new smile, you must have confidence in the esthetic team at your lab. Fuji Dental Lab is proud to have one of the top five Master Ceramists in the world as a partner in the company, and hundreds of dentists around the country are glad to have him, too! Yuji Ono became a partner of Fuji Dental Lab in 1983 and has helped doc-
tors change many lives with his talented team of elite Master Ceramists.
Yuji Ono was an instructor at Osaka University and at Tokyo University’s College of Dental Technology before partnering with Estep. Yuji personally trains each ceramist at Fuji and has had countless students travel from Japan to the U.S. on a student visa program to train under him. This has allowed Ono to hand select only the most talented ceramists to join his esthetic team. Their skill in giving anterior restorations a life-like translucency with natural labial and lingual anatomy, perfect contours, concave necks and uncompromising attention to detail is second to none. “We have the most talented Master Ceramists ever assembled under one roof,” says Estep. He adds, “There is not a better esthetic team in the world and that gives our doctors the confidence to do more cosmetic restorations with even the most particular and high-profile patients.”
DENTAL PRACTICE BUILDERS
Custom Shading
Yuji Ono (top right) leads the esthetic team at Fuji Dental Laboratory.
28 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Fuji Dental Lab realizes the importance of a strong partnership between your dental practice and your dental laboratory. That’s one of the reasons why Fuji Dental Lab offers chairside or in-lab custom shading for doctors in the Dallas and Fort Worth local delivery area. Once partnered with Fuji, all you have to do is call Kelli at Fuji’s front office and she’ll coordinate the scheduling for their ceramist, Tam Thi (pronounced “Tam Tee”) to customize the shade of your patient’s anterior crowns prior to scheduling your patient. The folks at Fuji know how important this type of per-
sonal service can earn you more repeat and referral business and that’s why they do not charge extra for this valuable service* to doctors who regularly send Fuji their single unit posterior units.
Photo by Ray Bryant, Bryant Studios
*Certain conditions may apply.
Fuji Dental Lab offers chairside or in-lab custom shading.
Both doctors and patients love Tam Thi’s personality and happy demeanor. She makes patients feel at ease and is a very talented ceramist. She has more than 15 years of experience and truly cares about doing a good job for you and your patients. It’s not uncommon for patients to request her to personally do their future cases because of the pleasant experience they had while having their teeth custom shaded.
No Rush Fees
Fuji Dental Laboratory’s local 15,000 square foot facility, combined with their technology and the fact that they do not outsource (all of Fuji’s restorations are made in the U.S.A.), allows them to produce crowns with a shorter turnaround time than most other laboratories. Most labs have a standard turnaround time of 2-3 weeks, but Fuji has a standard turnaround time of about a week (3-5 day production time on posterior e.Max and Bruxer crowns). A posterior crown can be manufactured in two days if necessary. While most labs have a “rush” turnaround time of a week, that is considered a standard turnaround time for Fuji Dental Lab. Owner Kip Estep says, “We don’t want to nickel and dime our loyal doctors. If they need a case in a hurry, we take care of them and their patients as best we can.” Estep also said that this service is provided at no extra charge for doctors who send Fuji their regular work. This emphasis on customer service has helped Fuji build its reputation as a ‘partner’ and not just a lab.
Fuji Dental Laboratory
2686 S. Goliad Street Rockwall, TX 75032
(800) 624-9412
www.fujidentallab.com
AN INVITATION TO
Laugh and Learn with Dr. Estep
If you graduated dental school after the year 2000, you probably did not have the pleasure of attending one of Dr. Estep’s fun-filled and educational seminars, including “The Giants of Dentistry” seminar in 1999. Dr. Estep was one of the most well known and entertaining speakers in the dental industry of his time. From the mid-1970s until the year 2000, he trained thousands of dentists on how to become more profitable and more successful with his no-nonsense approach. Dr. Estep is the author of The Obvious Secret, Country Gold Newsletter, Volumes 1-18 of The Blueprints to Success and has seven “live recorded” DVDs on the following topics: • The Real Truth About Practice Management (2 DVD set) • Crown Preparation • Esthetics • Dentures • TMJ • Periodontics
There are 18 Volumes of The Blueprints to Success available. We invite you to Laugh and Learn with Dr. Estep during these must-see recordings from his seminar! • Volume 1: Die Spacing • Volume 2: Margin Preps • Volume 3: No Such Thing As Bad Luck • Volume 4: The World’s Best Kept Lab Secret • Volume 5: Occlusion In The Country • Volume 6: Practical Things To Know • Volume 7: The Richest Man In America • Volume 8: Labs’ Most Often Repeated Error… Over-Contouring • Volume 9: Impression Materials • Volume 10: People Don’t Change… Only The Times • Volume 11: World’s Finest Temporaries • Volume 12: Esthetics and the Million Dollar Schedule • Volume 13: Beware of the Hardware Salesmen • Volume 14: Dentures (No. 1) • Volume 15: Dentures (No. 2) • Volume 16: Immediate Dentures • Volume 17: Next to Last Issue • Volume 18: Financial Literacy
Doctors who send Fuji Dental Laboratory a case have full access to Dr. Earl Estep’s library of educational materials. We’ll be happy to send you any issues of The Blueprints to Success or the DVDs of Dr. Estep’s seminars.
To receive more information on how to convert extraction cases into full mouth treatments, give the folks at Fuji a call at (800) 624-9412 and ask for “The Millionaire Letter”. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to increase your crown and bridge business almost immediately.
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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community news
It Takes a Dental Community
W
By Kimberly Clarke
ith the support of 200 dental volunteers and dedicated staff, this past year Dental Health Arlington served 11,560 low-income neighbors at a value of $1,346,827! Thank you!
As the result of a United Way needs assessment that determined the extreme need for free or low-cost dental care in Southeast Tarrant County, Dental Health Arlington opened in 1992 with a mission of providing preventive and pain relieving dental care to low income residents and to educate children about good oral hygiene habits.
The dental clinic and SMILES, the school-based preventive program, serves clients who have a long list of unmet needs and dental care, particularly preventive dental care, is low on that list.
SMILES (Sealing Molars Improves the Lives of Every Student) is a team of a dentist, hygienists and assistants who take portable dental equipment to 30 Arlington, Grand Prairie and Mansfield elementary schools that have an average of 87% of the children receiving free/reduced lunch. A curriculum including the impor30 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
tance of oral health and having a dental home is taught to 9,000 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders and each child is given a new toothbrush. With parental permission, 2nd and 3rd graders are screened by a licensed dentist, sealants are placed on eligible first molars and fluoride treatment is applied. The 165 children who are in need of immediate dental care who do not have a dental home are referred to the clinic for a next day appointment regardless of the ability to pay. A preventive curriculum in English and Spanish is presented to disadvantaged parents of Arlington pre-schoolers. At SMILES’ inception, only 39% of the children had healthy mouths and 19% had extremely severe decay. This school year, 69% of the children had healthy mouths and only 8% had extremely severe decay. During the summer, SMILES provides the same services at the five Arlington Boys & Girls Clubs. The clinic has grown from operating two days a week with volunteer dentists at Mission Arlington to five days a week with a combination of volunteer and staff dentists, hygienists and assistants in a stand-alone, five-operatory clinic in downtown Arlington. If someone is having pain, infection and/or swelling and is one of
the first three people in line when the clinic opens, they will be seen as an emergency patient that day. Appointments are scheduled usually within two months by calling (817) 277-1165. Three thousand patients are seen annually for general dentistry at low cost ($35 exam - $375 denture). Patients must prove low-income status and proof of residency (Arlington residency is not required) by completing a HUD self-certification form.
Students and externs from Baylor, TCC Hygiene and Assisting, TWU Hygiene and Assisting, UTA Assisting and other assisting schools have enabled DHA to meet the need in our community by serving more patients. Generous area general dentists and specialists have committed to seeing DHA patients in their offices pro bono.
As a non-profit, DHA is able to provide completely free services to the 9,000 children SMILES serves and low-cost services in the clinic due to grants, fundraisers and private donations. If you are interested in helping Dental Health Arlington provide much needed dental care to our underserved community, please consider: n Attending and/or registering your team for Dental Health Arlington’s Fall and Spring Dental Seminars
n Designating Dental Health Arlington in your United Way or employee giving campaign, or consider a private donation
n Volunteering in the clinic, the schools with SMILES, at Boys & Girls Clubs during the summer, at Give Kids A Smile on February 7, 2014 or Give Adults A Smile n Accepting a Dental Health Arlington patient pro bono in your office n Networking with other professionals while supporting DHA at our annual summer Friendraiser
n Being a Sponsor and/or celebrating with your team at Dental Health Arlington’s Love That SMILE Evening of Dining & Dancing February 21, 2014 at Cacharel (see advertisement to the right) n Liking Dental Health Arlington on Facebook
Under the direction of Sally Hopper, original Executive Director of 17 years, DHA received numerous awards including: The President’s Service Award 1999, The American Dental Association’s Meritorious Award for Community Preventive Dentistry 2000, The American Dental Association’s Community Dentistry Award 2007. At each Love That SMILE Gala, one (or more) Sally Hopper Golden Crown Awards are presented for their community, dentistry and volunteer support of Dental Health Arlington. www.northtexasdentistry.com
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NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY
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Thank you to everyone who has supported Dental Health Arlington during the past 21 years and to the following dentists and hygienist for their dedication on Dental Health Arlington’s current Board of Directors: Dr. Amy Schoening, President, Dr. Christopher Tran, Vice President, Dr. John Avila, Cindy O’Neal RDH, Dr. Ed Watts, Dr. Robert Whitmore and Dr. Eric Wilson. For more information on Dental Health Arlington, visit www.dentalhealtharlington.org or contact Kimberly Clarke, Interim Executive Director at (817) 277-1165 or email k.clarke@dentalhealtharlington.org.
Office of Continuing Education
Featured Courses: January 17, 2014
7500 Cambridge St., Suite 6130 Houston, TX 77054 Ph. 713-486-4028 Fax 713-486-4037 utsdcontinuinged@uth.tmc.edu
Tobacco Cessation Presented by: Deborah Franklin, DDS, MA, LPC and C.D. Johnson, DDS, MS Course #2014010
Register Online Today!!!
Embezzlement: For Your Eyes (and Ears) Only Presented by: Susan Gunn Course #2014030
www.dentistry.uth.edu/ce
January 31, 2014
February 21, 2014 All You Wanted to Know About Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Endodontics, but Were Afraid to Ask Presented by: Rebeca Weisleder, DDS Course #2014050
32 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
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legal matters
Are You Getting PRACTICE ACQUISITIONS
RIPPED OFF?
by Joseph McGregor A recent study by the University of Kansas confirms what life experience has already taught us: Sellers typically see a higher value in what they are selling than do buyers.
Specifically, the Kansas researchers noted that persons selling items unconsciously attach sentimental value to their asset. This drives up their perception of what the market price should be. Commonly, this perception outpaces the reality of the marketplace. The same phenomenon is almost uniformly true in dental practice sales.
Before I go on, I should note that I am a lawyer. I have no credentials to properly value a practice—there are plenty in the marketplace qualified to do that. I am not one of them. Instead, I shepherd clients through the purchase process, which includes helping clients understand exactly what is being bought. Dentistry is unlike most businesses in that the heart of the transaction is most often the amorphous concept of “goodwill.” Defining goodwill merits its own article—probably several (all
34 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
of them assuredly boring). Suffice it to say here that goodwill, very generally speaking, is the ability for the business operation to continue as currently operating based on the recommendation from the seller to the current patients that they should continue their care with the buyer. This goodwill is a combination of many intangible variables unique to each transaction, but include the seller’s reputation in the community, technical skills, rapport with the patients, the duration of the seller’s practice as an ongoing business concern, the strength of relationships with referring dentists, and so on. So important is this goodwill that it often accounts for about 4/5ths of the purchase price. It must be transferred cautiously. And nothing erodes goodwill faster than fighting over price.
There are very basic economic forces at play in setting a purchase price. Sellers (and their brokers) understandably would like as much money as possible. Conversely, buyers want the lowest price possible. There is no Kelley Blue Book for dental practice sales. There are, however, generally accepted measure-
ments of practice value, but these are only useful in gross approximation. They help us set parameters of what should be considered a bargain, and what should be considered a rip-off (both exist), but they cannot tell us exactly what a practice is worth. That makes everything in between fair game.
Within this spectrum of reasonable prices sits at one end the seller, who understands the community, the competition, the trends, the value of the equipment upgrades, the potential, and all the blood, sweat, and tears expended on keeping the practice alive. At the other end of the spectrum sits the buyer, who sees numbers: active patients, new patients, gross revenue, rent, staff wages, patient demographics, etc. It’s a cold calculation, but the only one available to the buyer.
Inevitably, one of the first questions nearly all new clients pose to me is “Do you think this is a good price?” My initial response is to make sure they understand that practice valuation is outside my domain of expertise. That being said, I can tell when someone is being hoodwinked, and when someone is walking into a steal, but the numbers are better churned by the experts. Instead I focus on helping clients understand the fundamental nature of a practice acquisition, and how to protect the goodwill.
In mid-December 2012, Google shares were trading at $696. At the time, many scoffed at such a high valuation and insisted it was wildly overpriced. Today, Google is trading at $1,088. While Google may have, in fact, been overvalued, it’s unlikely that a buyer is complaining about the nearly $400 extra in his pocket.
While not a perfect comparison, the point is that a dental practice is an ongoing business concern. Buyers are not merely purchasing dental chairs and an electric sign on the storefront. Goodwill is what drives the economic engine of the practice. Whatever the exact dollar amount may be reflected on the price tag, a buyer is purchasing the opportunity to continue riding that practice’s momentum. That is what makes it possible to “overpay” on a practice that turns out to be a wild success for the buyer, and why a buyer can low-ball a seller in what will soon be a practice spiraling downward.
Ultimately, the key to a successful practice transition is to understand that a seller will overvalue his practice. As the Kansas study confirms, that just happens. It does not make the seller greedy, it makes him human. Buyers will do the same once they become sellers years later. So long as the price is within the spectrum of reasonability, it’s important to bear in mind that the true “value” of the practice is by its nature very subjective. At the same time, sellers should not be offended when a buyer acknowledges that the price may not be right. It’s not personal . . . for the buyer. It’s simply a desire on the buyer’s part to move the price towards a more middle ground within the spectrum of reasonability.
emotional investment in the practice, and the buyer becoming bogged down on the objective dollars and cents. An inability to appreciate the subjective nature of the sales price with a lack of appreciation for protecting the most critical asset — the goodwill — is, ironically, a recipe for leaving money on the table. But when two parties work together in good faith over a reasonable price, both the seller and the buyer win.
Joseph L. McGregor represents dentists in their business matters, most often in the context of starting a new practice, purchasing an existing practice, facilitating a long-term buy-in or partnership, or employing associate dentists.
I.T.
McGregor & Oblad, PLLC is located at 2964 LBJ Freeway, Suite 414 Dallas, TX 75234. For more information, visit www.mcgregorfirm.com. To schedule a consultation, call (214) 720-9555 or send an email to Joseph McGregor at jmcgregor@mcgregorfirm.com.
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S
E
20th Year
ES A
A Division of J&B Partners, Inc.
Building Your CONSTRUCTION Quality Dental Contracting
“Your Partner
A
Anniversary Dream Office For The Future�
Chad Jordan, President chad@esa-construction.com
Leslie Horton, Vice-President leslie@esa-construction.com
Excitement surrounds as ESA Construction celebrates their 20th year in business as a leader in the dental construction industry. Last year, Chad Jordan completed the purchase of ESA and has added new energy and ideas to the already successful company Chad is no newcomer to construction, dental offices or to ESA! He is the founder and has been the successful owner of Jordan Construction and Drywall for over 10 years.... working for ESA almost 8 years prior to the purchase. Along with his friend, and 9 year ESA veteran Field Construction Manager Leslie Horton, the new leadership team is poised for growth and continuing being a leader in construction innovations and client relationships. Both Chad and Leslie enjoy their other passions together... hunting and fishing... along with being involved with their boys and baseball.
www.esa-construction.com
972-250-1170 . 17806 Davenport Rd., Suite 107 . Dallas, TX. 75252
practice marketing
Big Change Why Google’s Latest Update Could Mean for Online Dental Marketing by Jill Talman
If there is one thing we know about Google, it’s that they are always trying to improve the search experience of its users. Well, they’ve done it again. Their latest attempt at returning the best answers to its user’s search queries is called the Hummingbird update and it started affecting Google search results a few months ago. That’s the other thing about Google; they can be pretty secretive about what they do.
Google hasn’t made such a huge change to their search algorithm (i.e., the technical term for how Google sorts through and chooses web pages to answer the questions people ask it), since the “Caffeine” update in 2010. Before that, it hadn’t been updated so dramatically since 2001. In a nutshell, Wired.com says that Hummingbird will “put less emphasis on matching keywords and more emphasis on understanding what a user is most likely hoping to obtain in their search results.” Our online marketing team thinks this update will be pretty important for dentists who want to gain more patients searching online for
dentistry services. For example, Google will probably return generic listings of a website’s homepage less and less. Instead, we think users will now begin seeing these types of listings on the first few pages of their Google searches:
n Direct answers and comparison articles (i.e., blog articles)
n Hyper-specific answers to more complex search queries
n High-quality (and we mean high quality) content
This new Google update has the capability of affecting dental online marketing in a big way. Let’s break down the two most important changes a little bit: Conversational Search
More and more, Google users are typing in conversational-style questions when they are looking for answers. For example, if a potential patient is doing some research on choosing dentures or dental implants for a teeth replacement solution, they most
38 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
likely will type it in as a question, like “What is the difference between dental implants and dentures?” as opposed to the more simple search “dental implants and dentures.” In the past, a search like the one above would yield results that contained a few of the keywords and would probably bring up home pages that were optimized with the keywords: dental implants and dentures.
With the improved Hummingbird algorithm, Google says that it will focus on every single word in the search query to provide users with more finely-tuned results. And as Wired.com said, it will also place importance on the meaning behind the words in the search. So for the above question, “What is the difference between dental implants and dentures?” a Google search will now pull up results that specifically compare the two procedures. From now on, Google will aim to bring the searcher (and your potential patient) exactly what they are searching for. In our example question above, a simple webpage
explaining dental implants or dentures just won’t cut it.
So, what does this mean for dentists and their dental websites? We will likely begin to see blog articles begin to rank in Google searches. Dental blog articles are almost perfectly made to answer conversationalstyle searches, so Google will catch that and pull them up. Blog articles with questionbased titles like “How long do dental implants last?” or “What’s the difference between in-office and at-home teeth whitening?” will now be more likely to show up in the search results for those types of searches as opposed to the home page of a dentist’s website. Internal Web Pages
Since the new Google algorithm aims to more precisely answer user search queries, dental website home pages will probably start to show up less in search results pages. So what will show up? Your internal webpages that focus on the procedures and services your practice offers. For example, an organic Google search for “dental implants San Diego” will bring up webpages that are procedure specific as opposed to home pages (which Google brought up prior to Hummingbird.) So, what does this mean for you? It means it’s crucial to include call-to-action statements and specific instructions on how to make an appointment on not only your home page, but also your internal procedure-specific service pages.
easily find how to contact you. While you should still have call-to-action statements on your homepage, you should also include them on every internal service page of your website. Why? Google searchers have short attention spans and if they can’t find what they want quickly (as in a few seconds), they’ll move on. Don’t assume that a potential patient will arrive at a service page and, unable to find a phone number, will go to the “Contact Us” page. Some will, but many won’t. Play it safe and add a compelling and clear call-to-action statement on each service page. Here are some examples you could use:
“For more information about dental implants, call our experienced implant team at XXX-XXX-XXXX today.”
“We always provide complimentary cosmetic dentistry consultations. You can make an appointment by clicking here – www.url.com/appointment”
“Make an appointment today and get 10% off your next teeth whitening treatment. Call the office of Dr. X at XXX-XXX-XXXX today.”
TIP: Add your phone number or link to make an appointment in every blog article, too.
Google’s Hummingbird update is a great opportunity for dentists to rise to the top of your market and make sure your dental website ranks higher than your competition’s.
Our online marketing team now offers comprehensive social media marketing for dentists and dental specialists. If you’re a dentist and interested in running a Facebook promotion, learning more about Facebook’s Graph Search or building your social media profiles, give us a call today. Jill Talman is a Marketing Coordinator and Content Manager at Bullseye Media in McKinney, TX. She received a BA in Journalism in 2005 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her MA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Marketing, Communication and Advertising in 2009. She has worked in marketing, media and corporate communications since 2005. BullseyeMedia, LLC is a McKinney, Texas based full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in helping dentist leverage the internet to grow their practices. Visit our website at www.onlinedentalmarketing.com or call us at (214) 491-6166.
Call-to-Action Statements on Internal Service Pages
To make sure your prospective patients find exactly what they need (including how to book an appointment) when they find your service pages in a Google search, here is what you should do:
Call-to-action statements, or telling your patients how you want them to book an appointment with you, have always been a major component of your website’s home page. And why shouldn’t they be? When a website was optimized for specific keywords, it usually brought up the homepage of that site and your potential patient could
Global Reach. Local Touch. Single Source.
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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healthy living
Is
Hummus the New Salsa? Traditional hummus is made with chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini (a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds). You can find a variety of flavors at the store including roasted red pepper, lemon, jalapeno, garlic lovers, sundried tomato, and many more. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, contain fiber and protein, which help keep you feeling full longer. Fiber also aids in healthy digestion. Olive oil is an unsaturated fat or “healthy” fat that may lower your total cholesterol levels. Tahini contains unsaturated fat, protein, and fiber.
Even though hummus is a nutrient dense food, it is calorie rich. One serving of hummus is 2 tablespoons and has approximately 60 calories. A ¼ cup of hummus is 120 calories, so it is important to be mindful of portions since the calories do add up fast. When making hummus at home, try substituting cooked sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash for the chickpeas in the recipe. This substitution will save you about 30-40 calories per serving. Another tip is to reduce the amount of tahini. There are 90 calories and 8 grams of healthy fat in only 1 tablespoon of tahini.
Hummus is an easy, quick snack. Pair it with baked pita chips, whole wheat crackers (Ak-Mak crackers are a good choice) or a variety of fresh vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, or celery). Also, it can make for a great small meal with wholewheat pita bread and side salad. You can find hummus in the cold section of most grocery stores, or better yet – try this delicious recipe for Sweet Potato Hummus!
Sweet Potato Hummus Serves: 15, Serving size: 2 Tbsp
Ingredients 16-oz. baked sweet potato, skin removed (2 cups diced) ¼ heaping cup roasted red peppers, drained 3 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 large clove garlic ½ tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. tahini Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or cilantro), chopped
Directions In a food processor, puree the sweet potato and the next 7 ingredients, until desired consistency is reached. Add parsley and pulse until incorporated into sweet potato mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before ready to serve. Serve with vegetables, baked pita chips, or crackers. Nutritional Analysis Calories Sodium Fat Fiber Saturated fat Carbohydrate Protein Cholesterol
31 172mg 1g 1g 0g 6g 1g 0mg
Recipe provided by Kathy Duran-Thal, R.D., Director of Nutrition Cooper Wellness Program, A Cooper Aerobics Company
FIVE DAYS TO
Longer Better COOPER WELLNESS ™ SCIENCE BASED. TRUSTED RESOURCE.
nutrition and eating • healthy living workshops • exercise and activity
40 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
A healthier, brighter future starts with Cooper Wellness. 12230 Preston Road | Dallas, Texas 75230 972.386.4777 | 800.444.5192 | cooperwellness.com
www.jhouserconstruction.com
817.988.7842
We specialize in customer satisfaction.. jhouser@jhouserconstruction.com
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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practice transition
I
PRACTICE SELLING YOUR
TO A RELATIVE
am often asked to assist in the sale and transfer of a dental practice from a dentist-father to a son, son-in-law, daughter or daughter-in-law. This is a very sensitive situation, which needs to be handled with a great deal of understanding in order to satisfy the needs of both parties.
Many times the father-dentist does not know how to approach a family member with the idea of “buying” his practice. It can be a cause for embarrassment if the other party is under the impression that the father would not think of “selling” the practice, but would eventually phase out and turn it over to the younger family member. This situation becomes especially difficult if the father needs the proceeds from the sale to enable him to
by Richard V. Lyschik, DDS, FAGD
retire and enjoy a reasonable quality of life during his retirement years. One dentist said that he would give his son the practice, that his son didn’t need to “buy” it from him. We asked him how many children he had, and he answered, “Four.” Then we said, “If your practice has a value of approximately $600,000, are you prepared to give the other three children $600,000 each?” This would be the only way to keep things financially equal with all his children. He had not taken that into consideration, and he certainly did not have that kind of money to pass on to all his children.
The fairest way to deal with this situation
If values aren’t shared, they aren’t lived. Mei Miao mmiao@bbandt.com direct 972.754.1443
is to sell the practice to his son for its total fair market value. One would not think of giving one child a house or a car without considering the feelings of the other children. A dental practice is no different, it has a market value just as much as any other family asset. The proceeds from the sale should be included in the estate and eventually divided equally between all the children.
In addition, no one can predict the number of years they will live after retirement. It is possible that the funds from the sale of the dental practice may be needed in the future and could even prevent the parents from ever becoming a financial burden to all their children.
In the past, giving the practice to one family member, no matter how good the intentions, caused a great deal of stress among the family members. Brothers and sisters would not speak to each other for years once an inequitable distribution of this kind was realized by the other siblings. Many times family members were unaware of the inequality until later when they had the chance to think about it. If for no other reason than to keep peace in the family, this situation should be handled properly.
I have also encountered situations where the son or daughter wanted to encourage the father to retire and sell them the 42 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
practice. They were afraid to broach the subject with their father for fear the father would view it as a threat to his future, rather than for the good that can be derived from a properly planned practice transition. Many times, the father and son broke off the discussion during negotiations that became adversarial after being ill-advised by their respective attorneys and accountants, resulting in ill feelings and even total alienation. This does not have to happen to you.
Using an informed and unbiased third party to initiate and finalize a transaction of this kind can prevent these problems from ever arising. Knowledge and experience is required to complete a transaction to both parties satisfaction. Both parties deserve and expect a fair and equitable arrangement. Only a qualified Transition Specialist eliminates the uncomfortable position of “negotiating” with a close relative, facilitates the smooth transfer of patients and practice to that relative, and allows for peace to be maintained in the family. Richard V. Lyschik, DDS, FAGD is one of AFTCO’s leading innovative Senior Analysts and has helped more than 2,900 dentists in associating, buying, expanding, or merging and guided older, disabled and/or “burned out” dentists to sell their practices. Dr. Lyschik’s clients have seen the considerable benefits of incentive programs, pension funding plans and increased productivity through his guidance. There is no substitute for experience in this business. Who better could you choose to talk to about your future transition plans than a seasoned fellow dentist, a recognized premier transition expert, and AFTCO Analyst of the Year Award winner? Check out the impressive AFTCO website at www.AFTCO.net, then call for a free appraisal and a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Lyschik at your office or the AFTCO office in Dallas, TX at (214) 893-0410 or 1-800-232-3826.
www.northtexasdentistry.com
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Q: I have upgraded my website and hired someone to focus on marketing, but I wish our results were better. What am I doing wrong?
Stop by Booth 1323 and see us!
Robert Zimbro
National Target Mailing & DentistryPostcards.com
1507 Capital Avenue, Suite 103 Plano, TX 75074 (972) 424-5979 Robert@nationaltargetmailing.com www.nationaltargetmailing.com www.dentistrypostcards.com
A
Robert Zimbro has been in marketing for 14 years, and founded National Target Mailing 12 years ago. National Target Mailing creates marketing solutions specifically designed for dentists, and has created and executed effective, customized marketing strategies and materials for hundreds of dental practices all over the country.
Q &
RZ: Even seasoned dentists often burn up lots of time and capital trying a variety of approaches without really developing a consistent brand or having any way to track the impact of their efforts. We help our dental clients establish consistent branding across websites and printed materials. We ensure that every dollar of your marketing budget achieves maximum return and will actually pay off with measurable results.
We are more than just a printing service or a bulk mail shop. We provide a full range of marketing tools, including logos, websites, direct mail, letterhead and business cards, reminder cards, window graphics, and internal graphics and marketing items. We know the dental industry and dental marketing constitutes about 90% of our business.
Q: The bad economy has really impacted our patients. What can we do to improve patient acceptance of treatment plans?
RZ: We have an exciting new solution to an old problem that has challenged dental practices for years. Dentists used to send patients to visit with a treatment coordinator, and after some negotiation, a hesitant patient might be offered a discount. This devalues care because the patient now believes that they are getting treatment from a “discount dentist”. We have a solution that turns this around and creates a positive perception. Our client dentists are now offering elegant, high quality gift cards to get treatment started. A “gift” creates the perception that their dentist has been generous and genuinely cares about them. These gift cards can also be given out to referring dentists, so they can offer them to the patients they refer to your practice.
Q: How can you help us make sure we are taking full advantage of the most current marketing trends like Facebook, Google reviews, and QR codes?
RZ: We can help you understand how to implement these tools effectively and make sure your patients are using them to your advantage. And, since we are familiar with the constantly changing and evolving regulations, laws and conventions that affect dentists, we help you avoid costly marketing pitfalls and common mistakes.
Q: I don’t have the time or budget for gimmicky campaigns that may not work. How can you make sure I get results? RZ: Our goal is to become partners in the success of your practice, so we don’t just try to sell you another direct mail campaign. We begin by sitting down to discuss your internal and external marketing, including what has worked and what has not.
Rather than blanketing the neighborhood with unwanted junk mail created from generic online templates and wasting marketing dollars in the hopes of reaching a few interested individuals, we design custom materials and mailing plans that precisely match the profile of the target audience. Our clients enjoy a working relationship with a single team member who provides expert, personal service. We offer a flexible, dynamic and responsive plan that can adapt quickly and easily to accommodate the changing needs of the practice.
National Target Mailing Robert Zimbro
44 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
My patients need expert dental care. I need an expert in the business of dentistry. Ȃ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱę ȱ ȱ ¡ ȱ ȱ £ ȱ ȱ £ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱandȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ . ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱę ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ǵ ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ DZ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĝ ¢ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ę ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ¢ȱ ¢ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ¡ ȱ ȱ ¡ ȱ ȱ £ ȱ ȱę ȱ¢ ȱuniqueȱ
www.eandassociates.com 17060 Dallas Parkway, Suite 200 | Dallas, TX 75248
972-267-9191
You need specialized tools to perform dentistry. Now there are specialized legal services to protect your practice.
The business of dentistry is unique. Dentists have their own rules, regulations, and industry standards. That’s why you need an attorney who understands your industry. The attorneys at McGregor & Oblad PLLC have helped hundreds of dentists: -
Purchase dental practices Review leases Form entities Draft and review employment agreements Create partnerships Trademark business names
CONSULTATIONS ARE ALWAYS FREE
Visit us at Booth 1117 at the Southwest Dental Conference THE DENTIST’S LAWYER McGregor & Oblad PLLC 3010 LBJ Freeway, Suite 200 Dallas, TX 75234
P. 214.720.9555
www.mcgregorfirm.com 46 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
ADVERTISER’S INDEX
AFTCO ................................................21 BB&T ...................................................42 Bullseye Media ....................................32 Bryant Studios .....................................13 Burkhart Dental....................................23 Certified Smiles ...................................46 Children 1st Dental & Surgery Center ...................................Inside Front Cover Cooper Wellness .................................40 Dental Auxiliary Service.......................19 Dental Directions .................................31 Dental OSHA Compliance Services ....20 Destiny Dental Laboratory ...................43 Doctor Technology...............................35 ESA Construction ...........................36/37 Heartland Dental..................................18 Higginbotham ......................................39 J. Houser Construction ........................41 Legacy Texas Bank ....Inside Back Cover McGregor & Oblad PLLC.....................46 Med-Tech Construction .........Back Cover Midco ...................................................46 Pacific Continental Bank......................41 RT Edwards & Associates PC .............45 Structures & Interiors......................14/15 Tina Cauller .........................................43 Transworld Systems ............................43 UT School of Dentistry at Houston ......32
MED-TECH CONSTRUCTION
INSPIRING DREAMS
FINISH-OUT REMODEL GROUND-UP
Visit us at Booth 1023 at the 2014 Southwest Dental Conference
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