How are Dentists doing these days?

HOW ARE DENTISTS DOING THESE DAYS?

Since dentists are some of our major clients, and have been now weathering the COVID storm for over a year, we thought we’d survey dentists who are not our clients and see how they’re doing these days.  This helps us learn the needs of dentists in this rapidly changing environment, and helps the dentists learn more about what their colleagues are going through.

Please feel free to post questions and comments.  Also, if you care to contribute by taking our survey, please feel free to email us at info@moreinthedoor.com.  The more the merrier! 

Below are the survey results so far, with the names of those who did not prefer to remain anonymous next to their answers.

How would you professionally identify yourself? If someone asked you at a party what you do?

  • I’m a general and cosmetic dentist. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • I’m a general family dentist, and make calls to nursing homes.
  • I’m a dentist. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • I’m a dentist who treats all ages and families. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • I’m a dual dental specialist.
  • I’m in customer service.
  • I’m a tooth mechanic.
  • I’m a pediatric dentist. Finlay, DDS
  • I’m a dentist.
  • I help people look as good as they feel. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • I’m a dentist.
  • I’m a pediatric dentist, specializing in laser, have had the same practice and staff for over 40 years, specializing in infants and toddlers w breast feeding problems, misdiagnosed patients. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • I’m a dentist

What is your desired outcome with this profession?

  • Know that I can help people and better society with my specialized knowledge, and provide for family. Short term: Develop new skills.  Long term:  Leave a legacy and put a well respected practice into the hands of someone. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Over the next 20 years I want to phase out of working all the time, want to get into speaking, helping at nursing homes, continue contributing to society. Want to help the elderly.
  • Keep doing more of the same. Continue and grow, improve and do better.
  • Long term: Enjoy dentistry and do it as long as possible. Short term: Treat patients, get them out of pain and improve smiles. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Practice for 10 more years and then retire, then teach.
  • Long term: Making a difference, provide services till not enjoyable anymore. It’s not economic, the art of giving is much more enjoyable for me: Short term: Be better established digitally, better at leadership, grow practice 25%, son is second year dental student so could come into my practice.
  • Already reached my goal. I’m 56 and ready to move to Florida!
  • Retire, leaving behind a profitable practice.
  • Helping young patients overcome their fears of the dentist. Eventually retiring and leaving behind a profitable practice. Finlay, DDS
  • Provide the best dental treatment available for my patients, health and safety for my patients considering COVID, provide personal income.
  • Long term: Take down barriers, provide finance options, take away the fear, create a boutique coffee shop atmosphere. Short term:  See my new practice coming together. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Treating the community, and keep the family fed and educated. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • I’d like to continue lecturing and educating. What I do effects mom, baby and father. Also the satisfaction I and staff get when we diagnose and correctly treat a misdiagnosed ADD/ADHD patient. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Long term: Sell the practice and retire. Short term: Start a transition to sell in next few years

 

What are the exact metrics for those outcomes? How will you know you’ve “made it”?

  • Measure helping people by the patient’s feedback. Regarding providing for family, if finances are good enough to retire and care for them.  Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • When I doubled my salary, and weaned off patient care and having other dentists work for me, am able to sell the practice and be free to do public speaking, do dentistry at nursing homes, continue contributing to society. I want to help old the elderly.
  • Collections
  • If I check the patient 6 months later and see they’re bleeding I know they’re not doing what I say, and patient reviews. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • When I can afford to retire on a limited basis.
  • For the short term I have lots of metrics/stats. For the long term I have financial planners, wife’s a CPA, sister is CPA.
  • When I wake up and still happy to go to work.
  • Quality of life. It’s perfect.
  • Smiles on the patients faces as they leave as well as the financial bottom line each year. Finlay, DDS
  • Measure quality care I’m providing against other dentists, and due to CE I have access to these people.
  • Could systematize and duplicate that atmosphere in more practices, and don’t need to market maybe. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • If I get up in the morning, feedback from patients. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • If I’m in demand for lectures and classes are full, and getting back success stories form happy parents. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Look at the market, get an appraisal, watch production.

What kind of books do you read?

  • Dental books, positive thinking books, business improvement. Sun Tzu the Art of War Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Don’t want to read everything is marketing. Started listening to Len Powell from Philly and thinking of working with him.
  • Becoming by Michelle Obama, Becoming Remarkable by Fred Joyal, Everything is Marketing
  • Dental magazines and fiction like James Paterson and John Grisham Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Motor sports, historical fiction, mysteries
  • Leaders Eat Last, Algebra of Happiness, Post Corona
  • Fiction
  • Biographies and motivational Finlay, DDS
  • I’m a dental nurd. Read 4-5 dental journals per mo. And short stories. Also I read the NY Times and Wall Street Journal.
  • Business type books, 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, Influence by Cialdini, The Obstacle Is the Way by Holiday
    Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • My son’s a scientist so I read a lot on genetics. Also photography.  Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Murder mysteries, Baldacci, Deaver Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • I don’t read much.

Who are some of your biggest models or influencers?

  • My dad, certain successful colleagues, i.e. Gordon Christensen, certain athletes, i.e. Michael Jordan, Earvin Johnson, etc.
    Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Len Powell, Fern White, Vanessa Emerson (helping to build my speaking website), Paul Goodman
  • Gary DeWood from Spear
  • No one really except my wife Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Mario Andretti
  • Steven Colbert, my dad, 7th grade woodshop teacher
  • God
  • Oprah, and other dentists who have built a solid team that seems to be enjoying what they do. Finlay, DDS
  • Teacher Teacher mentors
  • Dr. Mark Costes, Drs. Boulden and Spodak Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • My father who had a 6th grade education, and when I lost him the head of periodontics at dental school became my mentor. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Leonardo DaVinci. I had opportunity to meet practitioners all over world. Was treated by Leon Goldman before I knew who he was.  Academy of Laser Dentistry, due to the people I met through the academy.  Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Learned a lot from James Gundelach (consultant). Learned sedation from Dr. Ygiela.

What keeps you up at night? What do you worry the most about?

  • Family’s health, business-providing for staff, office is in good shape and can provide for pts and office productive, COVID stress, if I didn’t do my best job on a patient. Worries about friends.
  • Worried about my associate leaving the practice, don’t have the support staff I need, staffing and systems.
  • Try to pay attention to staff and office, make sure my house is happy, trying to declutter and organize.
  • Money Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Finances, getting laid
  • Did I get all the pieces printed and bagged for the surgeon, etc.
  • Getting letters from attorneys.
  • I don’t let my problems to keep me up at night, however I do worry about ending my failing business partnership. Finlay, DDS
  • Would like to see more of a return to pre-COVID production levels. It’s down because we’re taking more time between patients to sterilize and also patients are fearful of coming in.  Not promoting my safety aggressively.
  • So many decisions. I’m trying to make my new practice as perfect as possible so I think about it all the time, decision fatigue. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Don’t really worry. I feel pretty secure since survived cancer.  Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Biggest thing is world situation, politics of U.S. and people running our government and the world. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Too old to be worried but think about business a lot. Am involved with companies and I teach the technology for them. I teach general dentists how to use the technology.  That  business dropped to zero so I think about it.

What are you angry about?

  • The political climate, lifting the COVID restrictions too quickly, the divide that’s taking place, if I or family or someone don’t do something right Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Things I can’t control like not enough hours in the day.
  • Don’t get angry. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • 2 more black kids shot, the cost of higher education.
  • Administrative tangle of practice.
  • Angry about wearing a mask all the time.
  • Hiring a consultant who didn’t help me make the best partnership decision Finlay, DDS
  • Unhappy that I can’t do things the way I did before COVID.
  • Having to worry about other people coming through with deadlines. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Same thing, (i.e. the world situation, politics of U.S. and people running our government and the world. Can’t say I’m angry but upset. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • I’m not angry about anything.

Who are you angry at?

  • Changes from day to day. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Myself for not already installing the systems. My front desk person competes with co-workers, which is my fault for not putting systems (rules) in place.
  • CEOs of insurance companies. The rich people don’t care and non-rich care.
  • A patient for putting blame on me when did nothing wrong. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Morons that charged the capital.
  • My former office manager who gave only 6 months notice.
  • My consultant and the low paying insurance companies. Finlay, DDS
  • Vendors that make my life harder rather than easier. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Inconsiderate drivers. A former patient who physically attacked me. Due to martial arts I kicked him back against the wall and scared him away but am angry I didn’t get him into a choke and put him in cuffs.  Jeff Smith, DDS

What did they / it do to you that causes this anger?

  • A friend withheld information from me about another friend, I think I should have known about. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Delta Dental tried to reduce compensation by 30%.
  • Only gave 6 months notice before leaving.
  • Didn’t help in the partnership problem and the compensation from the insurance companies is too low. Finlay, DDS
  • When I see a task that takes hours rather than minutes due to the person on the other end. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Inconsiderate drivers do what they do. What that one guy did to make me angry was attack me physically.  Jeff Smith, DDS

What are your top three daily frustrations?

  • Shower not working, traffic, suppliers, patient cancellations with short notice.  Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Not enough time today to talk to my associate. Kid who no-shows. Not having enough time to do the dentistry I want to do.
  • Insurance benefits for the staff. People have been conditioned that they don’t need to pay for dental care.
  • Stock market. Patients not listening and staff not listening. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Changing referral patterns, social marketing
  • Stupid drivers, when people don’t own their job/lazy, not enough hours in a day
  • Patient no-shows, staff texting during work, complaints from patients
  • Patient schedule: sometimes too many and sometimes not enough.  Front desk not caring enough to fix the problem.  Finding great help.  Finlay, DDS
  • Not frustrated. I do what I have to do. Some people mope but I’m not like that.  When things aren’t the way you want them you need to assess it and take action or accept the situation for what it is.
  • Decision fatigue. Juggling timelines getting things done.  More time to golf. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • I don’t really get frustrated much but I hate making people/patients wait. Don’t like waiting for my wife.  Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Haven’t gotten a hole in one yet. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • I don’t get frustrated.

What happens if you can’t solve your frustrations? What are the consequences?

  • Switch suppliers, issue patient cancellation penalties and possible termination. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Lose money.
  • You wind up with receivables.
  • Regarding patients no listening nothing to do about it. And when staff don’t listen they need to be handled. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Rolls into the next day.
  • I accept the fact that I’m not going to be a perfect person and that’s the way it is.
  • The sun will come out tomorrow.
  • Life goes on and we hope for the best one day. Finlay, DDS
  • The consequence can be not getting off on right foot. Hard to come back from not starting on right foot. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Apologize or deal with it. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Dentistry is merging with medicine in the concept of the oral cavety being instrumental in the problems of origin

What trends do you see occurring in your industry?

  • Tech is booming, same day dentistry, digital appointments, treatment plans done faster, ability to diagnose is more thorough, gives better predictability. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Video, podcasts, YouTube channels, for whatever they want to promote, funnels.
  • Push toward dropping insurance, and practices being bought out by corporations.
  • Bigger chains, some competition, fee for service impossible. Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Push toward multispecialty group practices.
  • Bad work ethic, advanced technology, people educate themselves on the internet (CE), bleaching teeth, doing things that make them feel better. A lot of millennials who spend $5 on cup of coffee and only have $6 in their pocket.
  • Digital imaging, implants.
  • Most of our children just need a cleaning and braces. The incidence of cavities in my practice are much lower than when I started.  Finlay, DDS
  • 2-4 year-olds increase in cavities
  • 2-4 year-olds increase in cavities
  • Aesthetic dentistry, minimal invasive treatment
  • Patients afraid to come back after shutdown but getting better, people afraid to go back to work. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • More corporate dentistry, young practitioners taking up things out of their skill set, more female dentists Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Dentistry is merging with medicine in the concept of the oral cavity being instrumental in the problems of origin. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Corporate dentistry taking over, young guys coming out of school having hard time figuring it out due to being so much in debt so I see a shortage of dentists coming. I see lot of Asian and woman dentists coming.

Just between you and I, what do you secretly desire most in this world?

  • To be a game show host Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Unlimited discretionary income so can work from anywhere
  • Comfortable retirement
  • To be happy, and health for the entire family Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Good health, financial independence Finlay, DDS
  • A log cabin in the woods, an hour and half away where can’t be found and can do things I’m passionate about.
  • A bigger boat
  • Harmony
  • Health, safety, world peace
  • Freedom to do what I want to do every day, some days it may be dentistry, some days running dentistry, some days golf Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Peace and tranquility Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • People getting along together

What would those metrics specifically be?

  • Become a game show host or not Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • When I can give myself a raise
  • No how much you need, biz costs each month/year, know how much profit you need
  • No arguments, no complaining and living a good lifestyle Ira Biderman, DDS
  • How well I feel, not sure
  • Na
  • Na
  • People’s happiness
  • For health and safety it’s not a measurement, it’s more a striving.
  • How many weeks a year I can vacation, how many days a week can I do other than work Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Getting up tomorrow, got pretty much what I need Jeff Smith, DDS
  • When people stop playing politics Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Too hard to measure, as “people getting along together” is subjective, but good measurements could be less violence, less hate crimes, etc.
  • Being able to retire financially independent while still being young enough to enjoy

About how many new patients are you getting per month, on average?

  • 15-20 Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • 8
  • 40
  • 15
  • 25
  • 35-40 Ira Biderman, DDS
  • 40
  • 15
  • 20
  • 80
  • 50-60 Jeff Smith, DDS
  • 8-10
  • 100 Andrew Vallo, DDS

Is that number higher or lower than before COVID?

  • Higher: 2
  • Lower: 4
  • Same: 3
  • NA: 2
  • Don’t know: 1

How many new patients can you handle per month?

  • 30  Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • 52
  • 15-25
  • 50-60 Jeff Smith, DDS, Ira Biderman, DDS
  • 15-20
  • 30
  • 40
  • 200, but if more came I could handle them.
  • More than am getting but not sure how many.
  • What I’m getting is all I can handle.
  • 120 Andrew Vallo

How many new patients do you actually want per month?

  • 20 Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • 52
  • 15
  • 25
  • 50-60 Jeff Smith, DDS, Ira Biderman, DDS
  • 30
  • 40
  • 80+
  • More
  • No more
  • Give me as many new patients as you can and I’ll accommodate them. Anthony Vallo, DDS

What would it do for you to get your desired number of patients per month?

  • Stabilize the finances, give me more people to get to know, show others what we can provide for them Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Would double income
  • More income, keep busy Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Could semi retire earlier
  • Would help put more into the future, value of practice
  • For me it’s how comprehensive the treatment, not the quantity.
  • Don’t want more
  • Could retire a year earlier
  • It would mean I’m helping more people have better dental health
  • Allow me to continue to expand to full capacity Andrew Vallo, DDS

What have you spent money on in the past year that you wanted to work, but didn’t?

  • Purchased shields to go between me and patient Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Hibu marketing
  • Can’t think of anything
  • Mailings “welcome to neighborhood” web guy’s pixels on websites Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Seo
  • Spent money on an office in a mall that went bankrupt
  • Conversion whale-handles website and getting new patients
  • Social media for yelp
  • I do my research first.
  • Spent money on social media, didn’t work so well, then learned and it got better. Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Bought a trios 3 shape scanner for imaging but doesn’t work as good as the traditional impression material Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Nothing Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Protective equipment

Why do you think it didn’t work?

  • Regarding shields, have to keep lifting it up and wiping it down Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Regarding Hibu cuz didn’t spend enough
  • Regarding SEO, because its temporary and competive
  • Regarding conversion whale, because I’m in a small town
  • Regarding yelp, ROI not good with that system in our area
  • Regarding social media, I didn’t show enough value Andrew Vallo, DDS
  • Regarding trios 3 shape, because the labs couldn’t read them well enough so the crowns were harder to seat. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • Studies show clearly they are not effective.

What would you like to communicate to your colleagues in your field?

  • Always be open to trying new things for your practice. Whether it’s Invisalign, Botox, or another discipline, the change can ignite excitement for your practice. Thomas Sokoly, DDS
  • Geriatrics
  • We need to stop being dependent on insurance
  • Treat patients correctly Ira Biderman, DDS
  • Time honored philosophy I’m trained under, take care of people, practice w/ integrity.
  • You need to like your job. Know when to give it away rather than charge for it
  • Stop bad mouthing other dentists
  • I enjoy what I’m doing. I’ve created a practice and an atmosphere that my patients enjoy.
  • With more pts receiving the vaccine there is a push back on the part of the pts and they are reticent to take covid tests when indicated or necessary given the fact there are variants of the virus that are potential harmful to vaccinated public and that is more obvious since early this week I was informed by friend at Hopkins they employ 35k health care employees that were vaccinated and 52 of them got covid and 2 hospitalized. We don’t know if variants or what. So we have to be concerned when pts tell us they are going out and not social distancing, etc. We may be put into a sit where regardless of how safe we are in our practice it matters what the pts are doing outside the practice so we must remain vigilant. Don’t accept word of pts when they sit in your hygiene chair.
  • The patient comes first. Jeff Smith, DDS
  • They have to understand to not be toothadontists but physicians of the mouth. Lawrence Kotlow, DDS, PC
  • Maybe we should talk more often, share our problems and come up with better solutions