AzDA's Audio Amalgam podcast

Listening to this podcast is a must for any dentist practicing in Arizona. Current Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners President Dr. Anthony Herro sits down with attorney Jeff Tonner of The Dental Advocate in an engaging, eye-opening discussion about navigating Board complaints, identifying potentially problematic patients, and most important, steps you can take to protect yourself and your practice in this sue-happy culture we live in. 

If you're an AzDA member dentist, your support allows us to bring programs like this to you. Thank you. If you're not an AzDA member dentist, we want you to have this information—it's valuable for all dentists. In return, would you consider supporting us through membership as well? Joining is easy, and we're asking you, visit AzDA.org or call 480.344.5777 to get started. 

A no-nonsense, in-depth look at embezzlement in the dental office. How dentists can protect themselves from being a victim and what to do if they suspect something is amiss. AZ Dental CPA Chris Torregrossa (https://azdentalcpa.com) shares practical insights that will help you mitigate embezzlement risk (as well as offer some advice that's going to surprise you). 

Embezzlement can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone (no matter how much you trust your dental team). This podcast is definitely worth a listen. Host Jeremy Tuber, AzDA marcom director. 

In this podcast, AzDA Executive Director Dr. Regina Cobb and AzDA member dentist Dr. Anthony Dicello cover:

• ERISA, what is it? Let’s clear up the mystery once and for all.
  What is it originally created for?
• Who is it really benefiting?
• How are insurance companies using it?

ERISA is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which was designed to set minimum standards for most voluntarily established retirement and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans. It provides fiduciary responsibilities for those who manage and control plan assets, requires plans to establish a grievance and appeals process for participants to get benefits from their plans, and gives participants the right to sue for benefits and breaches of fiduciary duty.

88% of dentists say that referrals are their number one source of new patients. However, most dentists lack a system for attracting new patients through referrals.

In this podcast, guest Brandon Barnum, Chairman of Champion Dentists, touches on the art of asking for referrals, setting the stage, listening for referral triggers, and then making the ask. He also explores the role of incentives and gamification in encouraging the dental team to actively seek referrals.

The podcast then moves into offering insights into opportunities for dentists to increase profitability through partnerships, charging market rates, and optimizing unused scheduled time. For dentists looking for opportunities to make their practice more profitable, this podcast provides some good insights. 

Host Jeremy Tuber, AzDA marcom dir.

In this latest Audio Amalgam podcast, three AzDA member dentists (two practice in an urban setting; one in a rural) discuss the challenges they face in hiring, training, and managing their dental staff. Their frank discussion covers finding the right employees, conducting performance reviews, and making the decision to let someone go. They also discuss the changing landscape of the dental workforce and the importance of creating a positive work environment. Host Dr. Eric Curtis, Dr. Brett Dameron, and Dr. Allison House share their personal experiences and strategies for managing their teams effectively. 

1. The challenges of hiring and retaining dental staff, including finding the right fit and dealing with employee turnover.
2. The importance of creating a positive work environment and maintaining a strong team dynamic.
3. Strategies for conducting performance reviews and providing ongoing feedback to employees.
4. The changing landscape of the dental workforce and the impact of factors such as the pandemic and evolving technology.
5. The need for continuous education and staying up to date with industry changes.

The podcast episode features an interview with Dr. Kent Tuttle, a dentist who is passionate about charity work and making a positive impact. Dr. Tuttle discusses his background in dentistry, including his initial hesitation to pursue the profession and how witnessing humanitarian dentistry in Ecuador changed his perspective. He explains that he wants to inspire others to prioritize impact over money and emphasizes the benefits of doing charity work for dental practices and their staff. Dr. Tuttle also outlines his charity movement called "The Smile Movement," which focuses on providing comprehensive smile makeovers to those in need. He describes the screening process for potential patients and encourages other dentists to get involved by donating their time and skills. Dr. Tuttle shares his vision for the future, which includes expanding the charity nationwide and training other dentists. He also emphasizes the importance of dentists reflecting on their motivations and using their profession to give back.

Arizona dentists, you might be aware of an article that was recently published by a handful of students at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. The article was picked up by a few local publications. Leadership at the Arizona Dental Association (AzDA) and the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners (BODEX) felt the article was inaccurate, unfair, and biased.

Feel like the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners (BODEX) is kind of a mystery? Wonder how it really works and what to do if you're contacted by them. In this episode, we're featuring two dentists who know it inside and out: 

Dr. Anthony Caputo is a Dentist Anesthesiologist—practicing in Arizona since 1997. He has been involved with BODEX for over 20 years serving as a sedation and anesthesia evaluator, consultant and committee member. Currently, Dr. Caputo serves on the Investigative Committee and is the Chair of the committee. He is passionate about educating dentists to understand how BODEX functions and operates from the perspective of avoiding or preventing Board complaints.

Dr. Anthony Herro is the current president of BODEX, chair of the Anesthesia and Sedation Committee, and upcoming chair of the ADAs Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. He is a native of Phoenix Az, and has been a licensed general dentist since 2005.  His practice focuses on anesthesia, multidisciplinary care, and special needs dentistry.

A big thanks to AzDA Board of Trustees member Dr. Anthony Caputo and President of the State Board of Dental Examiners Dr. Anthony Herro for stopping into the AzDA office and recording a podcast about what dentists can do to prevent and be prepared to respond to a Board complaint. 

Dr. Anthony Caputo is a Dentist Anesthesiologist—practicing in Arizona since 1997. He has been involved with BODEX for over 20 years serving as a sedation and anesthesia evaluator, consultant, and committee member. Currently, Dr. Caputo serves on the Investigative Committee and is the Chair of the committee. He is passionate about educating dentists to understand how BODEX functions and operates from the perspective of avoiding or preventing Board complaints.

Dr. Anthony Herro is the current president of BODEX, chair of the Anesthesia and Sedation Committee, and upcoming chair of the ADAs Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. He is a native of Phoenix Az, and has been a licensed general dentist since 2005.  His practice focuses on anesthesia, multidisciplinary care, and special needs dentistry.

Give your mind a 15min relaxing respite as author, English professor, storyteller, and Inscriptions Editor Dr. Eric Curtis shares some of his beloved anecdotes that for dentists and about dentistry.

Whatever today's throwing at you, take a few minutes, sit back, and enjoy Dr. Curtis's lighthearted and charming insights about dentistry. Your mind, your spirit, and your dental team (and patients) will be glad you did!

PS—If you've ever enjoyed Chicken Soup for the Soul or All I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten, you'll definitely want to give this a listen.

(27min)

AzDA member dentists Dr. Mai-Ly Duong, Associate Director Dental Faculty; and Dr. Maureen Perry, Associate Dean for Post-Doctoral Education Director, the Center for Advanced Oral Health, discuss special care dentistry. They focus on the Center for Advanced Oral Health at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences’ Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, which provides comprehensive, patient-centered dentistry for those with advanced oral healthcare needs.

0:00 - 3:40—Dr. Maureen Perry's background

3:41 - 4:30—What makes the Center for Advanced Oral Health at AT Still special?

4:31 - 5:20—What populations are treated at the Center for Advanced Oral Health?

5:21 - 6:20—What barriers are patients facing in getting their treatment?

6:21 - 8:10—What advice do you have for dentists who might not have the training to treat the special care population?

8:11 - 10:30—How is the Center for Advanced Oral Health equipped to treat larger patients?

10:31 - 12:00—What options do you have available to ease patient anxiety?

12:01 - 13:50—What can you share about the residency program?

13:51 - 16:10—What kind of barriers does the special care population deal with? Is there legislation to help with these barriers?

16:11 - 17:00—What is the Sante Fe Group?

17:01 - 17:30—Who can come in for treatment at the Center for Advanced Oral Health?

17:31 - 21:45—Talk about the patient advocacy program

21:46 - 23:10—Patients with sleep apnea and or high blood pressure

23:11 - 25:10—How can dentists refer to the Center for Advanced Oral Health?

25:11 - End—How you can get in touch with Dr. Perry

(37min, recorded in September 2019).

AzDA's Council on Government Affairs member Dr. Brian Powley, (campaign manager for Arizona State Representative Dr. Paul Gosar, Arizona State Representative Dr. Regina Cobb, and ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson), shares insights on running for ADA president, maintaining civility with so much partisanship, how the office of ADA president has changed over the years, and a few inside glimpses on Dr. Klemmedson's campaign.

0:00 - 5:15—Dr. Powley's background and family history in politics
5:16 - 6:20—War without bloodshed. Maintaining civility in politics (dental politics) despite partisanship.
6:21 - 10:00—Dr. Powley's role as campaign manager for newly elected ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson, and what's the process in running for ADA president.
10:01 - 12:00—Are we voting for ADA president the right way? Is the process fair?
12:01 - 15:30—What exactly does the ADA president do? What will ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson do when he's installed as ADA president?
15:01 - 16:35—Things change slowly in politics. Is that a good thing?
16:36 - 20:30—What does it take to run for ADA president?
20:31 - 21:30—How might ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson be different as ADA president?
21:31 - 24:30—What's changed about the ADA presidency over the years?
24:31 - 26:45—What kinds of questions did ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson prepare for during his campaign?
26:46 - 29:55—Why did ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson run unopposed? What odd questions were asked of ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson?
29:56 - 33:40—Did ADA President-elect Dr. Dan Klemmedson have a platform?
33:41 - 37:00—What advice would you give to a dentist who wants to get involved in politics?

(51min)
Past AzDA President Dr. Michael Thompson covers everything from treating family members to corporate dentistry and the danger of using CDT codes as treatment planning tools. Has the doctor-patient relationship changed over time? What should it look like? Dr. Thompson shares his insight. 

0:00 – 8:30—Why dentistry? Dr. Thompson's professional background.

8:31 – 12:30—Should you treat your friends, family, etc.?

12:30 – 17:45—Changes and challenges in dentistry 

17:46 – 23:45—Doctor patient relations—is there a difference for dentists working in a corporate practice?

23:46 – 25:15—Robotic dentistry

25:16 – 31:27—Dentists interchangeable commodities. Right?

31:28 – 32:45—Beyond the income—the rewards of dentistry

32:46 – 41:20—Dr. Thompson's story of doctor-patient relations. How can I inspire this patient who is depressed and sick of doctors?

41:21 – 46:05—Treating patients free of CDT codes. Thoughts beyond the drill, fill, and bill approach.

46:06 – 47:50—Getting away from using insurance reimbursement as a treatment planning tool

47:51 – 47:50—How did you imagine yourself in dental profession when you first got into it? Has the doctor-patient relationship changed since then?

(41min)

Inscriptions' Editor Dr. Eric Curtis discusses women in dentistry (the similarities and differences between female and male dentists) as well as online versus in-person dental communities with AzDA Past President Dr. Allison House.

This candid conversation covers a lot of ground, but it's honest, spirited, and amusing. You'll enjoy it!

0:00 – 9:00—Dr. House’s background (and you thought you had it rough in dental school). How a dentist saving her dad’s life, and challenges of being a female dental student. How the dean of her dental school devastated her with a handshake.

9:01 – 12:00—What Dr. House did after dental school—she had $250k of debt and $75 in her pocket. What she “thought” dentistry would be like. Her challenging experience in a nondentist-owned practice—what shocked her.  

12:01 – 17:00—Dr. House’s transition into private practice. Mistakes she made and what she learned to appreciate. Her quick philosophy in dealing with insurance.  

17:01 – 21:50—Dental team female or male? Boundaries with female and male dentists. How female and male dentists relate to their teams and their patients. Why Dr. House hasn’t wore scrubs in almost 20 years.

21:51 – 24:00—Obstacles Dr. House dealt with as a female dentist. Juggling motherhood with career aspirations.

24:01– 27:00—Dr. House publicly shares her early-career experience in nondentist owned practice. She received support and judgement. She helps to get a law passed regarding corporate dentistry.

27:01– 32:00—How Dr. House prepared to become AzDA’s youngest president, and why she developed AzDA’s Women in Dentistry program and other communities at AzDA. Other communities Dr. House envisions creating. Are online communities really the answer for dentists who want community?

32:01– 35:20—Dentists and their fear of admitting mistakes, and how the internet made it worse. An informal, casual dentist-only community that supports and encourages—Dr. House’s vision compared online trolls.

35:21– 38:00—Dental students see Dr. House as the “perfect” dentist. She sets them straight quickly about her and expectations.

38:01– 41:00—Dentistry as a commodity—really? Patients have no idea how tough dentistry is, and dentists need to communicate it.

(39min)

Clinical dental hygienist, author, and international speaker, Katrina Sanders offers an expressive and even-handed perspective on how dentists and hygienists can bring in more patients, serve their patients better, and support each other. Katrina’s zest for dental hygiene is infused throughout this high-energy podcast.

(45min) 

Audience: Dentists looking to transition into or out of a dental practice.

The business of dental practice transitions is constantly changing. As young dentists are looking for quality dental practices to either purchase or affiliate with as associates, senior dentists are planning to transition into retirement from private practice and are seeking someone to take over their legacy.

If a person is either seeking to buy a practice, sell a practice, become an associate, or form a partnership with a colleague, building a knowledge base of how to construct these “transitions” is what this podcast is about.

• How does the whole ‘sales’ process work when ‘selling’ a practice?
• What would you recommend in terms of transition: a partnership or an associate to buy the practice later?
• Can you go into detail as to why it isn’t a good idea to use a general “rule of thumb” to value a dental practice for transition?
• What are the mechanics of valuing a dental practice?
• What is your experience with banks lending money to dentists to buy practices – especially with high student loans, and rising interest rates?

(31min) As a teaser to her lectures and workshop on Oct 5 and Oct 6, 2018 at the Arizona Dental Association (Scottsdale), Dr. Batoon shares insights on how to incorporate sleep medicine into your dental practice; is there one appliance that works for most sleep disorders; should you just treat patients for snoring; how to accurately give a patient exam for sleeping issues; building relationships with the medical community; what mistakes to avoid when treating a patient for sleep issues; and where sleep medicine is headed.

If you're looking for hands-on training, register for Dr. Batoon's 6CEU "Wake up your dental practice" course on Friday, October 5 at

https://ce.azda.org/Register.asp?i=721&r=&d=Wake_Up_Your_Practice!__Dental_Sleep_Medicine_for_You_and_Your_Staff

Dr. Batoon is also offering a 3CEU "Pediatric airway and sleep disorder breathing" course on Saturday, October 6. Register at:

https://ce.azda.org/Register.asp?i=724&r=&d=Pediatric_Airway_and_Sleep_Disorder_Breathing

***Register for both courses and receive a discounted bundle price. Register at http://bit.ly/BatoonBundle

(1hr) Increased awareness about the growing problem of microbial resistance with related challenges of treating infections caused by resistant organisms has resulted in a global initiative to improve the appropriate and safe use of antibiotics. This podcast is a discussion of strategies to promote antibiotic stewardship among dental professionals.  Practical considerations for reducing unnecessary antibiotic use, including the need for antibiotic premedication, are provided along with suggestions for resources to aid dental professionals with their clinical decision-making.

Do you ever think: Am I doing what I should be doing to prevent infective endocarditis? What do I do with my patient that has a prosthetic joint replacement? This podcast features Dr. Ann Spolarich, a leading expert and international speaker on pharmacology. She shares a very informative and lively conversation with Dr. Mai-Ly Duong about the current issues with antimicrobial resistance, the importance of antibiotic stewardship, as well as the most up-to-date guidelines for infective endocarditis prevention and managing patients with prosthetic joint replacements. 

If you have questions about what is covered in this podcast, feel free to reach out to Dr. Ann Spolarich at aspolarich[at symbol]atsu[dot]edu