Transitional Partner to Co-Owner… Is This the Right Choice For Your Practice?

Editor & Publisher Anne M. Duffy, CEO, RDH

Assistant Editor Clare Yeo

Project Manager Tari Sixpence

Website Bhakti Kulmala

Sales & PR Officer Nyasha Maripakwenda

Cover Photo Bornwell Ndhlovhu

Spring 2023 Contributors

Brian Coloa Doug Fettig Dr. Ajeet Ghumman Kathy Lamont Dr. Bryan Laskin Dr. Roger Levin Dr. William J. Moorhead J.W. Oliver Jr. Dr. David Rice Travis Rodgers Dr. Lucas Shapiro

It’s no secret that the world is evolving at a rapid pace. Since the emergence of the internet, new tools, discoveries, and advancements have made strides – especially in the dental arena. And navigating it all can feel daunting, overwhelming, and downright scary.

During times like these, I find myself constantly held and supported by those in my community. Because as dentists and entrepreneurs, all the resources and knowledge we need can be found among ourselves. We just need to know what to look for, what questions to ask, and who the perfect guide is to steer our curiosity ship.

This issue is exactly that. From Travis Rodgers’ empathetic and human-first view on the ethics and usage of AI in dentistry to Brian Laskin’s insight into a severely overlooked problem in dentistry, we hope that you find the guidance you need between these pages.

We hope that you find the guidance you need between these pages. I have had the great pleasure of getting to know our cover dental entrepreneur, J.W. Oliver. His article, along with our featured authors, gives an insight into a life well lived and thought out. It is my honor to share his thoughts on building a foundation that is rock solid to hang from, as noted in the picture on page 8. He inspires me to align my vision and values first and foremost. Most of all, I’m grateful for his reminder to protect our most precious asset as entrepreneurs, dental professionals, and humans – our time.

After reading the proof cover to cover in one sitting, the common thread is asking yourself where you were, where you are, and where you are going. If we truly get that answered sooner than later, our life and life’s work will thrive. I am grateful for the vulnerability and authentic sharing that these pages provide.

Kathy Lamont gives you the major points of consideration when it comes to your practice, so you can make the most informed choice between co-ownership or a transitional partnership when hiring an associate. Brian Colao gives us the facts about doing your legal due diligence, setting you up for a smooth dental transaction.

When it comes to empathy, understanding, and compassion, William J. Moorhead takes the lead in comforting frightened, fear-patients, turning them into lifelong patients. This issue contains wisdom to help you navigate the advancements in dentistry and entrepreneurship, both today and in the future.

All in all, this issue poses a question worth lingering on yesterday, today, and tomorrow – “What will you do with the time you have in front of you?”

Tagline

SPRING 2023

6 Time Ain’t Free

J.W. Oliver Jr.

10 Transitional Partner to Co-Owner… Is This the Right

Choice For Your Practice? Kathy Lamont

14 The Importance of Legal Diligence in Dental Transactions

Brian Coloa

16 5 Ways to Increase Staff Longevity

Dr. Roger Levin

18 Artificial Intelligence: Revolutionizing Dentistry & Mental

Health Travis Rodgers

22 Turn Frightened Dental Callers into Lifelong Patients

Dr. William J. Moorhead

24 The Single Most Problematic Issue In Dentistry That You

Likely Have Not Thought About Dr. Bryan Laskin

28 An Athletic Approach to Lectures with Dr. Neal Kravitz

Dr. Luke Shapiro

30 My Story

Dr. Ajeet Ghumman

34 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in 2 Easy Steps

Dr. David Rice

36 Think Like a CEO and Unlock the True Power of Your

Practice Doug Fettig

Time Ain’t Free

J.W. Oliver Jr. – Managing Partner at SupportDDS Time!

As ager, an time entrepreneur, is one thing business money owner, cannot leader, buy.

or man-

There are scores of books, blogs, videos, and seminars, all centered around using your time wisely. I have picked up "tidbits" of useful information from dozens of sources over the course of my career. I have invested money (and, coincidently, time) into these resources to make them more fruitful and to better organize and utilize the time we have been given. Just today, I read a verse in my morning devotional that made me think of this very subject.

I must admit that this is taken a bit out of the context of the writer, but it simply stood out as I was gathering content for this editorial. But the bottom line is–we are simply BUSY! Most would agree that we are too busy to make time for the things that really matter.

The tasks that take up most of an entrepreneur's or leader's work time can vary depending on the stage of their business and the nature of their industry. Here are some common activities and responsibilities that typically take up the majority:

1. Business Development 2. Marketing and Sales

3. Financial Management 4. Hiring and Managing Employees 5. Administration and Operations

Overall, entrepreneurs need to wear many hats and manage a wide range of tasks to build and grow their businesses. The specific tasks that take up the most time will depend on their business's unique needs and priorities. It is most important to find your role and surround yourself with others who can help elevate you and your business to the next level.

Systems

Our companies, SupportDDS and ZimWorX, subscribe to the EOS Model (Entrepreneur Organizational System) developed by Gino Wickman. There is even a dental business-specific version called "DEO MAP," (highly recommend it for any business, however, there are many options.) This focuses on attributing your specific skill set to your organization and staying in your lane. For me, I have been a serial entrepreneur (many failures, I must humbly add) and, for many years, tried to perform multiple roles that began to be devastating to the business. This behavior leads to distrust and puts your leadership in a position where they can feel emasculated to make day-to-day business decisions. This creates confusion, but more importantly, it leads to hitting the inevitable "ceiling.”

It's real, and I have experienced this multiple times. In the EOS

model, I am the visionary. I am skilled at creating new ideas for sales and marketing the business, creating leaders and a culture that others will rally around. (Yes, I am that “Rah Rah” guy.) But what I am not good at is the details of operation manuals, accounting, process development, follow-up, etc… What I have found, however, are people who are great at those roles. We have an amazing Implementer who can lead and drive the areas with particular skill sets in, with which I am not blessed.

Rory Vaden wrote a really good book, Procrastinate on Purpose. The concept that stuck out the most for me is that every item we are tasked with falls into one of the four categories:

1. Eliminate: Do I really need to do this? Will it bring me closer to the goals I have set for my day/week/month/year/ life? 2. Delegate: Is this something I really need to do? Could someone else be better skilled or suited to complete this task? Even if they can only complete it with 80% of the effectiveness of what you can, let them do it. This gives you back time to fill your role the most effectively. 3. Automate: Is there a software, a process, or something in your CRM that would allow this task to be automated? 4. Concentrate: If you are going to accept the task, then allocate the proper time to complete the task or project effectively. Rory Vaden states that even if it takes you 30x times as long to train another person or automate a task, it is still an amazing ROT (Return On Time). Are you taking the time to evaluate each task/ project that comes your way to see if you really need to be doing this one? Maybe you do, but is that now? (Rory has a 5th one,

"procrastinate", hence the book title.)

SupportDDS has found success because we have filled the roles in a dental office that can help "elevate your team and grow your business.” This outsourcing function is performed by remote/ virtual, highly qualified, university-educated, dental-trained team members who speak "Queen’s English.” (Feel free to substitute "King's English" if that floats your boat…smiles)

These roles include: Executive/Personal Assistant Bookkeeping/Accounting Director of First Impressions Scheduling Insurance Verifications Re-care/Reactivation Social Media/Marketing Lead Management Revenue Cycle Management Etc…

Personally, our remote/virtual center has allowed me to become a better leader and visionary with three roles that previously took 115% of my time. (Ok, slight exaggeration, but it was a ton of my time.) These roles can be performed at 50–70% savings with our center in Zimbabwe and Costa Rica.

Executive Assistant: Handles all my meetings, calendar, emails, travel, return calls, etc...(Kudos to Clara for putting up with me for 5 years.)

Brand Manager: Helps promote my brand within our company through social media, blogs, website, speaking, podcasts, and more.

Project Manager: These are large projects that take tedious time and effort (and a better skill set than mine). For example, we opened a center in Costa Rica for our Spanish-speaking teams. Our project manager handled the details and did it well. That project alone lasted six months (and took a ton of time).

Now hold your horses before you start saying you cannot do that, it costs too much, I wish, etc... Maybe not all at once, but start small and grow. I didn’t start with these three roles, but over the past five years, we've grown into them!

I recently heard former HIP-HOP icon Montell Jordan (now a pastor) and his wife Kristin speak on marriage (a good book they wrote, This Is How We Do It! Making Your Marriage A Masterpeace), it was how to prioritize what’s most important. Yours may

Fire the bad clients/patients: We recently had to fire one of our larger clients. We took a significant hit on revenue, but they did not align with the "Mission and Core Values" of our organization. Promise you one thing, 2% of your clients will cause you 95% of your problems!

Time is all we really have. We cannot buy more, and we cannot get a refund for the time wasted. Develop a system that works for you, write it down, review it daily, and share it with your "confidants" (close friends, spouse, and God). This will allow you to live your passion, enjoy life, focus on what you are good at, and do what you love.

J.W. Oliver Jr. is the Managing Partner for SupportDDS – ZimWorX, with support centers in Zimbabwe and Costa Rica. ZimWorX has a vision to employ 20,000 team members by December 2031.

His passion is assisting organizations to leverage growth, increase productivity, manage costs, and free up time by utilizing remote/virtual teams. He is proud to be a Christian-led entrepreneur while adopting a Win-Win-Win philosophy. Creating professional opportunities, and helping businesses be their very best, all while making a Global Impact for the kingdom by donating 51% of profits to ministries around the globe.

J.W. has completed two ½ Iron Men races, twelve Half Marathons, hiked 6 days from Cusco to Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, and trekked to Everest Base Camp, all after the age of 48. He is a private pilot, philanthropist, ordained minister, author, podcast host, and he loves to sing. He works hard to see others laugh and smile, and he desires most of all, to uplift and encourage all he encounters to show them the love of Jesus. He has been married to his amazing “bride” since 1994 with two awesome adult children.

be different, but you can use this as a guide:

1. God 2. Spouse 3. Children 4. Church 5. Family/Friends 6. Work and Career 7. Hobbies/me time

Whatever system you use, there are a few tips I have learned through my career that I believe you, too, can find helpful:

Creative time: Needs to be early while most are rested, and you must clear your plate and stay focused. This is when you can master and complete those projects/writing/ideas that advance your business and personal lives.

Phone Calls: Do these back-to-back. Also, ask yourself, do I personally need to make that call, or can someone else?

Emails: Do not check them every time it "DINGS." Check them all at once. (I am terrible at this, but I did turn the "DINGER" off.)

Meetings: Decide if you really need to have one, or if you really need to be there. Let others lead 90% of these, and let them decide and send you the summary. Promise, you and your business will not die/fail! It may just GROW!