IDEAS WORTH THINKING ABOUT
Practical ideas for better dentistry.
Thinking on case acceptance and efficiency to create a more successful practice.
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When less is better
Fewer tools, fewer steps, fewer decisions. Minimalism in dentistry leads to better outcomes, lower costs, and a happier dentist.
Advice for recent graduates
A recent graduate asked me for advice. Here are six practical things for every new dentist to do at the start of their career.
Do you have sufficient staff?
How much of your day goes into tasks someone else could do? I challenge the assumption that fewer staff means lower costs.
Simple question. Big results.
A patient calls to book a check-up. Could that lead to appointments for the whole family? I share a simple question you can start using tomorrow.
The Mary Celeste syndrome
The Mary Celeste mystery has an parallel in the way some practices welcome patients. What happens when someone walks through your door?
Do it now…
A frustrating encounter with my local council reminded me of a rule I followed throughout my dental career: do it now. How often do we ask patients to come back for something we could have dealt with today?
Does this restaurant run better than your practice?
I went to Din Tai Fung for the food and left thinking about dental practice systems. From arrival to payment, everything flowed. Why do so few dental practices make the patient experience feel this effortless?
One profession, two different games
Working with the same nurse can make a dentist more efficient. So why would a practice choose to rotate nurses instead? I explore how corporate and owner-operated practices pursue different priorities.
Excellence through guesswork
I spent more than $2,000 printing a marketing flyer that generated no response. It hurt, but it changed what I tried next. Dentists like getting things right, yet building a successful practice means being willing to get some business ideas wrong.
Task saturation in dentistry
Task saturation (being overwhelmed at work) impairs judgment and increases error. Here's how to recognise it and what to do when it hits.
Your practice stands on 3 legs
Dental practices do three things: attract patients, gain their agreement on treatment, and deliver the care. Get all three right and your practice will thrive.
The sunk-cost fallacy
I kept using a $60,000 CAD/CAM machine long after I knew my lab delivered better results. The money was already gone, but I was still letting it dictate my decisions. Where is the sunk-cost fallacy costing you?
Still asking for everything?
How often do you need to tell your team what to do? I use this simple question to assess a practice’s systems. Constant requests and reminders can reveal why the working day feels harder than it should.
Your practice is fine. That’s the problem.
What can the collapse of a restaurant empire teach us about dentistry? Jamie Oliver’s experience offers a useful lesson for practices hoping to succeed by being like everyone else.
Your running cost
An empty half-hour appointment can cost you $250 before you pay yourself a cent. How to calculate your hourly running cost and why that figure changes how you see your working day.
Becoming more efficient
Does a 30-minute crown preparation mean compromising quality? Here’s how small, measured improvements can turn what seems impossible into everyday practice.