Dentaltown January 2025 - 27

a control freak with how the finished
product looks, so I tend not to delegate
this. To anyone getting started
on Instagram for their office, I would
highly recommend that they either use
a virtual assistant to help with editing
or something like ChatGPT to help
with ideas for captions or content. It
can be a major time drain so I wouldn't
put all your eggs into Instagram or
TikTok alone. There are a lot of other
ways to acquire patients more quickly,
and a substantial following with
major organic reach can take years to
accomplish, if ever. I've hired content
creators or social media managers, but
they end up being too expensive and
underperforming, so I always go back
to doing it myself.
I also recommend being cautious
about Instagram's algorithm. It will
often bury your content if you use
repetitive hashtags. Additionally,
the videos I pour the most time and
effort into sometimes get no reach or
engagement, while the throwaways
get much more traction. I'm still
figuring it out! I would agree that you
should market for what you want to
bring into the office, but you must
highlight what sets you apart. Even
though I've done lots of education
videos, I would steer clear of these
and focus solely on operative type
stuff as the educational content is a
dime a dozen these days. I don't mean
to sound disenchanted, but you'll
definitely need to increase ad revenue
to generate true leads, and I would
absolutely focus on specialized procedures
with ads rather than going after
a general patient. It's easier to capture
people at the bottom of the search
funnel rather than those who might
not be looking.
What's your message to
associates who want to
start their own practices?
One of the factors that quickly pushed
me towards ownership was the fact
that I wanted freedom. I wanted
the freedom to be able to treatment
plan the way I wanted. I wanted the
freedom to not have to beg for time
off. I wanted to be in control of my life
and not have to hustle to make money
for someone else. A lot of classmates I
keep in touch with say that they still
don't feel ready, that they need more
time. Here's the thing: after a year or
two of practice, you're going to have
the skills and the speed to be able to
do most procedures that are required
to own a successful dental office.
Many people are afraid to walk that
plank and think they'll eventually
develop operational confidence in
an associateship, but until you're an
owner, you're never going to have fully
TOP PRODUCTS
SPRINTRAY PRO 55S
Great for printing models for
mockups, whitening trays and
temporaries for full mouth
cases. I also do veneers on
the machine. The setup and
software are incredibly easy
to use, and it really makes my
workflow more efficient.
ITERO LUMINA
This scanner helps me streamline
my exams by focusing on four areas
that the patient needs to know
about: overall smile, bite, gum health
and tooth health. I'm able to go back
and forth, referencing the scan and
the real-life photo next to it.
3M SOF-LEX DISCS
I use these all the time for fillings
and they are so great for creating
the right contour around your
marginal ridge. There's no way to get
the proper contour without these.
Also amazing for anterior work in
smoothing the composite after
curing.
JANUARY 2025 | 27 | DENTALTOWN.COM
AQUACARE
An air abrasion system that helps
enhance bonding by increasing
surface area in your prep. I also
love it because it helps clean off
unsupported enamel quickly and
also cleans temporary cement off
the prep immediately.
GC A'CHORD
By far one of the best composites
I've used. It polishes and blends
with the natural tooth color beneath
it remarkably well and I love using
it for both anterior and posterior
cases.
http://www.DENTALTOWN.COM
Dentaltown January 2025

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