Everyday Oral Surgery

Grant Stucki - oral and maxillofacial surgeon
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Oct 26, 2020 • 35min

Dr. Thomas Sarna - delegating responsibilities and discussing complications with patients

As surgeons, we must ensure the highest and best use of our time, and an important part of this is creating systems and delegating unnecessary duties. Joining us today to share his insights on this is Dr. Thomas Sarna, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and one of Grant’s mentors during residency. In this episode, Thomas walks us through some of his systems and the tasks he no longer does, including fielding calls, pre or post-op preparations and briefings, and calling around for referrals. Although creating structures and processes takes a lot of work and training on the frontend, once staff is up to par, surgeons have much more energy to do what they love, and ultimately create the most efficient practice possible. We also touch on communicating risks with clients and balancing being transparent with ensuring the patient remains comfortable and at ease. Thomas shares his approach and what he believes is the right amount to share. Along with this, we discuss the use of technology in Thomas’ practice and why he still prefers to take hand-written notes, how he handles communicating with difficult parents or patients, and the importance of knowing your staff’s strengths and weaknesses and drawing on them accordingly. It was a great conversation, and there is always so much to learn from one another's practices. To hear more, be sure to tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:How creating systems to delegate duties has changed Thomas’ practice.The benefits of confirming patient appointments and improvement in efficiency.Why Thomas does not give his cell number to patients and leaves his assistants to field calls.Hear more about what Thomas’ schedule looks like and how COVID has affected it.The brief nature of Thomas’ consults and what he tells the patients.Walking patients through options if numbness is a concern when the root is in the same place as the nerve.Thomas’ approach to communicating risk with patients.Following the acute versus chronic rule when it comes to sinus perforation repair.Using the buccal fat pad method and training NTs how to do it.‘Good’ patients versus ‘bad’ patients and how Thomas thinks about this.The story behind why Thomas calls his difficult procedures ‘The Grant Stucki Clinic.’Some of the best things Thomas learned in residency that he carried into practice.Knowing your staff’s strengths and weaknesses and placing them in the right position.Instances of difficult communication with parents and patients Thomas has had.Why Thomas prefers doing wisdom teeth over implants.The frustration that both Thomas and Grant feel at patients constantly being on their phones.The use of tech in Thomas’ practice, including a cloud-based EMR.Why Thomas still takes notes by hand which then gets digitized after.Hear why Thomas has sedated patients sitting up rather than lying down.Take your wisdom teeth out when you are a teenager!Communicating wisdom teeth removal post-op care instructions.Why not using antibiotics is ‘career suicide’ according to Thomas.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Thomas SarnaDr. Scott WeiskopfGoogle GlassHow to Win Friends & Influence PeopleThink and Grow RichDr. Grant Stucki
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Oct 26, 2020 • 1h 2min

Dr. Eric Blamires - third molar techniques, supporting assistants, and dealing with helicopter parents

Oral surgical procedures are performed to treat impacted teeth, difficult tooth extractions, implants, dentures, or other dental prostheses, and each oral surgeon has their own techniques and preferences when it comes to equipment, anesthesia, and patient reports. Today’s guest is, Dr. Eric Blamires, DMD, a Dentistry Practitioner in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In this episode, Eric shares with listeners the lessons and discoveries he has made during his career, including the importance of looking after his own health. He also explains how he relates with patients, how he performs a wisdom tooth extraction, and his views on sutures versus natural healing, as well as gaining insights from other technicians, screws versus tacks, why he uses ketamine, and how he deals with helicopter parents. Tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:What Eric discovered that change his everyday oral care experience – taking care of his health.As a dentist who stands or bends over most of the day, taking care of posture is important.Standing during surgery, reassuring and connecting with patients are part of Eric’s day-to-day.How Eric talks and relates to patients – making personal connections or jokes is valuable.Oral surgeons have a reputation for not being good communicators, because patients are under sedation and procedures are quick.How Eric has changed his surgical techniques or routines during a wisdom tooth extraction.Typically, Eric tries to make every procedure as minimal and conservative as possible.Eric explains the importance of having a good relationship with his dental assistants.Suturing incisions versus letting them heal and minimizing the risk of post-operative infection.Third molars and packing or gel foam – Eric says that he only does so if there is bleeding.Gaining insights from others helps Eric clean up his techniques, but he also works intuitively.With ongoing time and experience, Eric believes he only gets better at placing implants.Eric’s views on screws versus tacks, his preferred surgical equipment, and why he chooses metal.Eric uses the frog in a pot analogy to describe the need for new equipment when what he has been using is no longer working.How Eric handles being aggressively questioned on his technique, like his use of ketamine.Eric’s experience with helicopter parents, and how he deals with them and eases their stress.As a surgeon, Eric has to deal with the stress and anxiety of the procedures, and all he can do is do his absolute best.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Eric Blamires on LinkedInHow to Win Friends and Influence PeopleKLS MartinSalvin Dental Specialties
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Oct 9, 2020 • 22min

Dr. Grant Stucki: switching sides to see and feel better

Have you ever been at a conference where you heard an intriguing technique or tip from a fellow oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dentist that you then implemented effectively in your practice? We know we have. Welcome to the Every Day Oral Surgery podcast, where we hope to share some techniques and personal experiences that could be beneficial to your surgical or dental practice. In this episode, host, Dr. Grant Stucki, introduces himself, where we learn more about his professional and personal life. He also shares the story of how a lower back injury from playing basketball in college plagued him for years after school and well into his practice. We hear how changing sides has helped alleviate his pain. While this may seem like a small tweak, it is not easy because not only will you be slowed down, but you will have to work on strengthening your weaker hand. Oral surgery and dentistry, in general, can be particularly hard on the lower back, so even if you are not in pain yet, it is well worth taking preventative measures to ensure you remain pain-free. We look forward to many more conversations, so be sure to tune in for the start of this exciting journey!Key Points From This Episode:The goal of this podcast – To share practice techniques that can potentially help yours.A quote from Better, a great book about the meaning of being a surgeon.Get to know Grant, his education and training, and his full-on family life.Playing ‘morning ball’ while at UCLA and how Grant’s signature fadeaway led to an injury.The extent of Grant’s injury which he found out after a triathlon and treatments he followed. Some challenges that came with switching sides and how Grant strengthened his left hand.The benefits that Grant has seen from switching sides, including reduced back pain.Even if you do not struggle with back pain, take preventative measures before it happens.Why surgeons might be hesitant to switch sides.What studies have shown about dentists and lower back pain? Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Grant StuckiDr. Grant Stucki on LinkedInBetter: A Surgeon's Notes on PerformanceAtul GawandeUCLA School of DentistryUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoMichael JordanKarl MaloneHakeem OlajuwonLeBron JamesKobe BryantDirk NowitzkiIronman TriathlonPubMed

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