DENTOLOGY - The Business of Dentistry

Experienced business trainer/coach Ashley Latter shares insights on discussing fees with confidence and selling dentistry ethically. He talks about his entrepreneurial journey, differences in the UK, and his latest book on practice management evolution.

This week Andy and Chris chat to Jonathan Webster, Managing Director of World of Mouth Marketing, a telemarketing business working solely with UK dental practices and dental groups. In this episode, Jonathan chats about his early career days, how he started working in the world of direct marketing and telemarketing some 25 years ago and how this marketing approach has changed over the years.  He talks about some of the global brands he has worked with during his career, shares his experience on how global brands differ from local businesses in terms of market positioning and considers if it is more complex today as a result of all the marketing channels available to us. Finally, he shares more about the services offered by World of Mouth Marketing to UK dental practices and explains how this can make a big difference to a practice! Topics: - Your early work career and experience -  Was direct marketing a different world when you started some 25 years ago? - How do global brands differ from local businesses for market positioning? - Has it got more complex today? - Explain more about the services offered by World of Marketing - How does this make a difference to a dental practice?

Our guest on the podcast this week is Dr Bobby Bhandal, founder of Avenue Dental Practice in Leamington Spa. Bobby obtained his bachelor’s in dental surgery from the University of Birmingham in 2013 and is passionate about postgraduate education and training.  After university, he worked as an associate for approximately eight years, during which time he developed a specialist interest in implants and completed two years of dental implant training at the Campbell Academy. In this episode he talks about those early career years and what drove him to move on from being an associate to designing his own squat practice. He tells Chris and Andy about some of the highs and lows of his first year as a practice owner and explains about the course he now runs supporting others looking to follow a similar path.   Topics:  - Tell us about your time at Birmingham Dental School and your graduation in 2013 - Working as an associate and your specialist implant training - Why did you move on? - What led you to design your own squat? - Almost one year on….how is it going? - What are the non-clinical traits others would need to do something similar? - Explain more about how you now help others follow a similar path - What are the hard truths about owning a practice that associates might not understand?

This week we welcome Dr Christina Radics to the Dentology Podcast.   Christina is a Transformational Coach for dentists and dental professionals and a former practice owner.   Having started her dental journey in the early 2000’s, Christina talks to Chris and Andy about qualifying as a dentist in Sweden and her time at dental school before she decided to make the move to Spain to run her own practice.  She talks openly about her experience as a practice owner, the impact ownership had on her own wellbeing and how this led to two periods of burnout, all of which prompted her to change her life and sell her practice.  She shares some great tips on how others in similar situations can prevent burnout and shares her experience and insights on when it’s the right time to sell a dental practice. Topics: - Tell us more about your early dental career - Did you get lots of hands-on experience at dental school? - What was your motivation to live in Spain? - How did practice ownership impact your own wellbeing? - What was the build up to your periods of burnout? - What prompted you change your life and sell your practice? - Any tips for others on how to prevent burnout? - Any insights for others on when to sell a practice?

Andy and Chris are joined this week by Dr Suganthan Mahalingam, a general dentist based in the London and Hertfordshire area. In this episode, Suganthan talks about his work offering both NHS and private services to patients and his passion for writing. He reflects on his childhood and how he decided on a career in dentistry despite always being more interested in words than numbers and science at school.  And he goes on to talk about his passion for writing, shares his views on how the recent explosion of AI will influence copywriting going forward and explains more about the writing he loves to do that ranges from marketing messages to poetry and song lyrics! Topics: - Tell us about your childhood - How did you decide on a career in dentistry? - Explain more about your day to day work in a mixed practice in Hertfordshire - What sort of writing interests you? - The explosion of AI as a copywriting tool - What sort of writing do you do? - Within dentistry, is copywriting given the attention it deserves?

Dr Tilly Houston, a general and cosmetic dentist, shares her upbringing, decision to become a dentist, and experience at dental school. She discusses her involvement with the BACD and working across three dental practices. Tilly emphasizes the importance of networking, continuous learning through courses and CPD, and effective communication in building a dental career.

Our guest on Dentology this week is George Dandanov, dentist and founder of Smile Wide Ltd, a digital technology design company offering a high-quality and bespoke digital design service to dentists and dental professionals all across the UK and beyond. In this episode George chats to Andy and Chris about his early career, having qualified as a dentist in Ukraine, moving to the UK and why he chose to settle in Newcastle. He talks about his decision to set up his company, Smile Wide Ltd, during the covid lockdown, how this has grown over past few years and the work the company is now doing helping other dentists to achieve the results they want with their patients. Finally, he goes on to talk about his plans for the future, where he sees his career progressing in the future and what’s next on the radar in terms of digital innovations! Topics: - Your early years - Qualifying as a dentist in Ukraine - Moving to the UK and settling in Newcastle - Founding Smile Wide Ltd - Explain how the company helps other dentists achieve results - What’s next? - Any plans for the future?

Happy New Year from the Dentology podcast team!

Merry Christmas from the Dentology Podcast Team!

Chris and Andy are joined this week by Imaan Khalid, dentist, BACD Young Membership Committee representative and General Secretary for the West Yorkshire BDA. In this episode, Imaan talks about why she decided to follow a career in dentistry and what it was like finishing dental school in 2020 at the start of the covid pandemic. She talks about her work in both general practice and hospitals, shares how these two experiences differed and the time she spends now supporting the BACD and Dentinal Tubules organisations. She goes on to talk about what life is like as a young dentist, working as an associate in a mixed practice, and what her ambitions for the future are.   Topics: - Why did you decide to follow a career in dentistry? - Graduating in 2020 (the start of the covid pandemic) - Working in general practice and hospital work - Your commitment to the BACD and Dentinal Tubules -  Life as a young, associate dentist -  Tell us about your ambitions for the future