The Thing That Actually Changed My Practice
Beyond the Drill – Sydney, 25 July 2026.
If you’ve ever finished a case presentation and heard “I’ll think about it,” this article is for you.
If your schedule is full but you’re not doing the dentistry you trained for, this article is for you.
If you’ve ever wondered why some dentists seem to get easy yeses while you’re working twice as hard for half the result, this article is for you.
Dr David Moffet and I are bringing our “Beyond the Drill” seminar to Sydney on 25 July, and I want you there.
Beyond the Drill: Elevating Dental Success Through Communication and Care.
Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney. 25 July 2026.
We ran the first seminar in Melbourne in May. The feedback was everything we hoped for. A few dentists told us it was the most useful day they’d spent in continuing education. That was enough to bring it to Sydney.
But before I tell you what the day covers, I want to tell you something personal.
When I first got out of dental school, I thought that if I became technically skilled, everything else would take care of itself. I did an absurd amount of CPD. My technical capabilities improved. My practice didn’t.
It hugely frustrated me knowing how to do wonderful things for patients while they kept saying ‘no’ or ‘I’ll think about it’. My schedule was filled with basic dentistry but I very rarely got to do my best work.
Then I had an epiphany: what if the problem wasn’t my technical skills but rather, the way I was communicating?
In 1986, more out of desperation than conviction, I took a weekend communication course. The next Monday something had changed. Patients started saying ‘yes’.
That was the beginning of a journey. I did more communication courses, then more. Over the next 18 months my practice doubled, then doubled again.
I’m telling you this because the thing that changed my practice is exactly what 25 July is about.
David and I are teaching two halves of the same practice success equation.
My half is case acceptance: getting patients to say ‘yes’. That involves presenting treatment in a way that resonates, avoiding communication pitfalls, quoting fees without flinching (or losing the patient), and having case conversations that feel natural rather than stressful. I’ll take you through the exact communication sequence I use for every case. Simple enough to put to use immediately, substantial enough to change your practice permanently.
David’s half is patient experience: getting patients to stay. Saying ‘yes’ once isn’t enough. A patient who accepts treatment and never comes back is the most expensive patient you’ll ever have. David grew his practice by 2833% over 24 years through powerful, deliberate changes in how his team communicated at every point in the patient journey. He’ll show you exactly what those changes were.
Together, we answer the question every dentist is really asking: how do I build a practice where patients say yes, keep coming back, and send their friends?
Early-bird tickets are A$1,650 (inc. GST) until 30 June. From 1 July the price rises to A$1,855.
Register before the end of the month and you’ll also receive two bonuses: David’s book “The Ultimate Patient Experience” and my 88-minute audio program on Case Acceptance.
The venue is the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney.
Both David and I spent years doing course after course looking for the thing that would change our practices. 25 July might be that day for you.
I’d love to see you there.
Dr Mark Hassed
The Relaxed Dentist
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