Episode : #1,005: These Are the Latest Practice Profitability Trends

Podcast Description

Kiera and Dana perform a practice autopsy mashup. In this episode, they specifically take a look at multi-location practices, and how to make all of them profitable instead of just one or two. Topics discussed include overhead, associates, marketing, and more.

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Transcript

Kiera Dent (00:00)

Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and today is such a special day. I have the one and only Dynamite Dana. I think that that's what we're sticking with. I think it's better than the other nickname that we came up with. But Dana, if you guys know her, you love her. She's been in a consultant with us for years. Dana, welcome to the show today. How are you?

Dana (00:17)

Yeah, good morning. Thanks for having me. I'm excited. I don't get much like podcast time with you. It's usually with him. So it's a fun morning for me.

Kiera Dent (00:26)

I

know Dana's a rock star. ⁓ I, yes, I can sell a little podcast and yes, that's fun to do, but it's more fun to have someone on here. So I sent Dana a message and I had it like in the afternoon. And then I was like, Ooh, my schedule changed and moved it to like first thing in the morning. So Dana, thanks for being easy to accommodate. but I think that that's you. You're just always there, always willing to help and offices love you for that. So

Dana (00:43)

Yeah.

Kiera Dent (00:51)

We have a fun topic, you guys. I love a good office autopsy. So Dana and are gonna kind of mash a couple practices together and dig into some practice profitability trends that we're seeing on an office autopsy. You ready for that today, Dana? Because I love these. Anything more than a good profitability story and how to get there, that's what it's about. And I think that that's what so many practices struggle with. They don't understand how to get profitable. They know that it's there. They know that it can be an illusion.

Dana (01:03)

Yeah, this is exciting.

Kiera Dent (01:18)

They know that it can be a reality for some. so Dana, I feel like some of the practices we've been dealing with lately, it's like actually making it turn into a reality rather than just as hope and a wish. So take it away. I know you've been working on this. I've been working on this. Let's have some fun today.

Dana (01:31)

Yeah, it's been really fun the past couple weeks. I've been like able to just do a lot of numbers crunching a lot of future projections a lot of like hey what effort is it gonna take to like get things where we want them to be and it's really fun to give owners like the possibilities of What they currently have or where they want to be and so it's just been really really interesting the last couple weeks getting to do that and getting

Kiera Dent (01:43)

you

Dana (02:02)

offices to see like where they want to put their energy where they may need to put their energy and so it's just been numbers aren't you know I'm learning to love numbers more and more ⁓

Kiera Dent (02:14)

Yes, did you hear that? Dana, did

you start out that way? Let's just let's just help listeners feel like is this a normal thing?

Dana (02:22)

No, I mean, I am a systems girl through and through. And so, you know, I know how important the numbers are. And of course, like those are pieces I look at. But really, really being able to manipulate the numbers, to be able to project things, that is something that I've really had to dig into more and more. And it's been fun for sure.

Kiera Dent (02:45)

Yeah, and I love the reason I highlight that is because for myself for Dana numbers were not something natural for some people it is just wired into you but I think for 90 % of human beings out there they would feel very similar to how you and I feel and so I just want to highlight that it's totally normal not to understand numbers but it is also normal to figure out how to use numbers and when you do it actually feels like like life becomes so much easier it's like

my gosh, there was an HOV lane this whole time. And I had no clue that there was like a fast pass, fast lane over there that if I would just learn my numbers and dig into it, I would honestly be able to do things a lot better. And so I think like, that's what makes me so excited Dana is this is where we also help practices. Like let's use the numbers to manipulate and actually do less work, more profitability and more ease. So kudos to you for digging in kudos for you, like admitting that systems are your gem, which I think it's easy, right? But to me, I'm like,

systems are only as valuable and only as important as the numbers are reflecting. Like, yes, we should put them in, but I'm like, if we're just putting systems in place, but we're not moving the dial, what does it matter? ⁓ You're going to be struggling. You're going to have financial stress. You're going to be like not happy. Use the numbers to figure out which system's broken and then go to work there. It becomes so much easier and less effort for sure.

Dana (04:02)

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty magical to see. So yeah.

Kiera Dent (04:05)

Right. All right.

So we have a couple of practices. We've got some that are multi locations. We've got some that are solo locations. And I think we should dig into some of these multi locations because multi locations I feel are like interesting families. And what I usually notice in multi locations, ⁓ oftentimes, depending upon the practice, these offices actually like one or two or three are super profitable. And then the other two are like sucking the practices dry.

And it's so interesting because we think like, let's get so many, which if your plan is like a DSO rollup or it's legacy, or you want to just expand your reach and you want to help more people, all those things are great and fine. but I think like figuring out how do I make my other locations profitable? Or if you're in a single location, I think a lot of these tactics will apply to you. So let's kind of dig into these multi-location places, Dana. ⁓ cause I think it's funny, like we've seen some offices where it's not funny. It's unfortunate that like two are doing so good. And so they expand and they open up more.

And then these other two are not doing so well. they're like two are profitable and two are not. So then we're not profitable all the way around and we're working our guts out. So let's talk about like, how do you fix that problem? And I think for solo practices, if you're in this boat, these things can apply to you too, if you're not as profitable, because I've also seen in solo practices where they've maybe added like a Medi Spa to it and maybe, and that's two technically different businesses under one roof.

If the spa is not doing well, like I just talked to someone the other day, their spa is sucking them dry, but the dental practice is doing well, but they think the practice needs help when it's like, no, no, no, the practice is fine. The Medi spa is the problem. Or if practices have multi locations, but it's all under one umbrella, they have no clue which practice is actually the problem practice. And I think that that's something we also see is they don't actually separate them out. So they're like, we don't even know which practice. So let's dive into it, Dana. You've been working with a couple like this. Let's kind of dig into some of your, your tips and tricks.

Dana (05:56)

Yeah, and that's honestly exactly what we did in the beginning is, hey, let's separate and let's look at numbers individually for each practice so we can see.

Kiera Dent (05:57)

you

Dana (06:06)

as a whole, are we doing? Yes. But where are we profitable and where aren't we so that we know, like you said, how we can hone in and target our efforts on the ones that need a little bit more of a boost or show a little bit more of opportunity. And so once we figured that out, then it really is looking at fixed costs for individual practices. It's looking at overhead expenses and then it is really projecting out what does it take to get it to where we want to be.

So what do we actually need? And in this instance, it was really cool to be able to even dive a little bit deeper as far as, okay, well, if we take the doctor, if we take the provider away from the profit that's like...

Kiera Dent (06:51)

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. ⁓

Dana (06:51)

the practice is profitable and he's working in one of the other practices like what does that also cost the practice that is booming and so it's it was really fun to just map that out have them see that also too every time he's pulled to one of these other practices there is a cost to the

larger location. And so just getting them to see that it just helps him

make a better decision as far as

how much time that he is spending there versus associates and then getting the associates to help grow external practices. And it just, think gave him just a clearer picture. ⁓ And then we also looked at, okay, well, you know, considering investing in some marketing for these. So what does it take for how many new patients do we really need to get to that number? And then we kind of mapped it out and okay, well, what does the marketing spend look like for one year, for two years, for three years to get

there so then they had a timeline to ⁓ just be able to make decisions on.

Kiera Dent (07:57)

Mm

hmm. Yeah. No, Dana, you brought up so many good points. And I think like, let's drill down into this a little bit, because you like, these are the things where numbers become so fun, because now it's just a plus b equals c. But if we do a plus b plus c, that's going to equal d. If we take a minus b, add c, what does that equal? ⁓ And so that's really where it's like looking at this. And so I think for a lot of providers, especially our powerhouse providers that started the practice made these profits.

practices and then open multiples, there can be this thought process of, well, I have to be in the practice all the time. Otherwise, the practice doesn't make money. And I think that is one way to live. But let's also like, choose our own adventure books. Like, let's go back in time, like we could have at the end of that chapter, it says, okay, option one is you're going to actually continue working like this, and you are going to be the provider in four locations. Or we can have you be where we powerhouse you.

in one or two or maybe all four, but it's a very sustainable schedule for you. And we work to build up the associates and the hygiene department and we make it to where all of them are flourishing with or without you. And to me, I like to choose option B, you can choose option A if you want, but that's like a sure shot to burnout. And I think so many multi-practice owners actually do this, like I'm gonna go to all the practices because I'm the strong producer, I'm the strong provider, I need to get these things going and you can.

but it's like for how long and is there another path? So drilling it down, Dana, I think let's talk about like, how can they do this other path with ease? Like what are some of the tactical things that we've seen with practices you're working with, with other practices that we've worked with in the past? Like what are some of these like tactical pieces? how can we, because I think that illusion is so strong that I have to be the producer, I have to be the one who hits the numbers. What else can we do and how long is that timeline realistically?

Dana (09:47)

Yeah, I think the first and foremost is if you aren't going to be the provider in in the other practices It's really building strong associates really making sure that you're finding the right fit for Whether it's the main office whether it's one of the extension offices whatever it is that that associate really is the right fit and That you are calibrating really well and you are bringing in strong associates who want to grow these practices with you and alongside you because I get you can't be in every

practice you can but like you said it sure is a way to be exhausted and burnt out and start to just not love owning all of these practices.

Kiera Dent (10:28)

Mm-hmm. And like, let's so as you said that it makes me think about like when you buy a practice I remember I was working with this this potential client We were looking at the metrics of this practice and they realized that like 70 % of the production of this practice was actually being done By procedures that this dentist didn't do so was like, well good luck buying that practice You only can do 30 % of this production. So yes, they may have produced like 1.5 or 1.9 like whatever it is

but slash 70 % of that because you won't be able to produce that unless you bring an associate in. And so I think when you talked about like, are the monthly costs of this practice? What does it actually take us to run? Let's do our second location. Well, you're so used to your practice right now because you're probably doing these expanded procedures. You're probably doing these higher ones. And most of the time, what I see is doctors are like, well, I'm just going to hire someone who can do bread and butter dentistry as my associate. So then I can just do these big surgeries. Well, if that's the case, we need to figure out.

Practice number two or practice number three, A, what are the actual full costs of that practice and what do we need to produce? B, can we produce that on bread and butter or do we need to bring in your specialty? If we need to bring your specialty in or if we're going to pull you out of current option A, like where you currently are with an associate, how much of the dentistry is actually being done by your specialty services? And do you need to hire an associate that can do some of those specialty services as well? This is where the numbers become so paramount because it's like, we produced

1.5 or we produce two or we produce three. Now we're going to open our next location. But like Dana said, like bringing on an associate, it's not just a good fit. It's also making sure that they have the procedure makeup mix that can offset your production loss when you're gone. Or you get very strategic of, okay, when I am in practice A, I'm only doing these high end ones. So I'm producing this amount. They're, they're funneling these exams to me. You also have to be careful because if your associate doesn't do these high end procedures,

they're not going to look for in exams. So that's when you calibrate your associates, you calibrate your hygiene team to look for it. And when you get to multi offices, this is where Zoom and virtual meetings become paramount because you get all associates together and we all start looking for it. So we actually become referring partners to one another within the practices. And we also get our hygiene team and or AI to make sure that all the, of us are diagnosing the same level. So these are the things where I'm like, this actually can make your

multi-practice ownership way easier if you get these good foundations in place. And like you said, Dana, you find an associate who's like just as good, if not better, if you need them to be, but looking at the numbers because just because your practice is producing 2 million, 2.5, 3 million, wherever you are before you open your second location, maybe it's 1.5, look to see how much of that is done by your higher end services because typically an associate coming out of school

or a newer associate who's bread and butter dentistry is usually producing like five to 6,000 a day. Well, look at what you're producing. And if we brought someone in, can they produce that? Or if straight out of school, they're producing like 2,500. So you might need to scale up or have multi associates. But I think also being strategic when you open these practices of what do my doctors on the low end need to produce? Because I know they're going to produce lower at the beginning. How can I calibrate them and work with them every single month, every single week?

How can we take x-rays and make sure from the get-go these associates are doing really well? And also how can my hygiene team make sure that they're all calibrated to be doing the exams that we want? I think like those things might feel hard, but choose your heart in the scenario of I'd rather do that and know what I actually have to produce rather than just thinking we're gonna like stamp and repeat when you might be the higher producer. Dana, that was a lot of thoughts. What are your thoughts on that?

Dana (14:08)

No, I love that and you're exactly right. think looking at the service mix, knowing how much of your production comes from those things because then it's like how important is it to find that and what exactly am I looking for in an associate? you know, we talk about avatars a fair amount and it's just like that is what points you into building those pieces and honing in for exactly what you need to be successful.

Kiera Dent (14:34)

Mm-hmm, and I'm really big also on like how can we scrap the cost down at the beginning? Because gosh like I don't have children Dana you have four and so I think Question mark you you probably speak to this better than I can obviously you can't because you've gone through it But my hunch is when you have a baby, it's really hard and then as they get older You're like shoot. Let's have another baby and maybe you've forgotten how hard baby is when they're a baby Is this true or false? I just tell me how it is like

baby grows up and then you have the next baby like did you maybe forget how hard it was to have a brand new newborn and you're like tell me about that like how is that parenting

Dana (15:08)

yeah.

Well, yeah, for sure.

Your mind plays tricks on you and makes you think that it's going to be super simple. And yeah, it's just like each phase, right? You kind of forget how you look back, right? And you see the beautiful things, right? You see the things that were fun. You see how much they smelled so good and how little they were, you know, all those pieces. And yeah, you do remember or you do remember the highlights and you tend to forget like the long exhaust

you know, nights that can sometimes come with a little tiny human. So yeah.

Kiera Dent (15:43)

Yeah.

And I think that's about practice ownership too. So when you look at it, you have forgotten when you go to buy your second location, the scrap and the hard and all the things you did to build that thing to be successful. Like literally we forget, I forget, I mean, I was talking to Shelby and I'm like, I remember paying Tiffany on straight Venmo. Why she continued to work with me. I don't know my Venmo account. there's a max that you can send every single week, month.

And I'm like, Tiff, I hit my limit. Like, I'll have to send it to you when it resets in like three days. How on earth the Tiffany keep working with me is question number one I have. And number two, like, that's not even something that I even like remotely think about in today's world. Like, things are so set up, but you forget all of that. And so I think when we buy practice number two or practice number three, and we're looking at these costs, let's not go for the bougie luxury of exactly what we have. Let's figure out what are the things that are going to make it consistent. Same software, same exams, same like

a operatory setup if possible, because those things actually make you move quicker and then your practices become standardized. So when you go from location to location, it's much easier. But those are gonna be some of the things that also keep the costs lower. So we don't have to produce as much with you in there and still have it be profitable because you can have a practice that's only producing say 70,000 or 80,000 without you there at a 50 % overhead.

and still shelling out to you 20 to 30 % profit, depending upon how you're paying your associates. And that's still a great practice. It does not have to be producing the numbers if you keep your costs within reason. And so I think also being careful that if you're not there and we don't need all these, like we don't need all the marketing for the second location. We don't need all the implant supplies. Like if that's not a part in our associates not going to do it, then make sure that we're not incurring that cost. Because what that does is I think that this is where we then get into the struggle.

of the profitability of the multi-practices that then fluctuates because we're standardizing, but we're also trying to make all of them the exact same when maybe that's unnecessary. So I think that's one, but then you also talked about marketing because every new location has a different makeup. They're going to have a different makeup of patients. And just because it worked in one area for your marketing does not mean it works in another area. So Dana, let's do a little dig. We have a hypothetical for, for practice location, two practices are profitable. The other two aren't.

What are some of the steps or things that we should look for to get these other two profitable? Because we kind of talked about like before you buy a practice or if you're already in it, like here's some things to do or looking for these different associates, but like, shoot, I'm already in it. I've got two that are great, two that are bleeding. What do I do on these bleeding ones to make them healthy?

Dana (18:22)

Yeah. And I think it's multi-practice, single practice, whatever it is, it's knowing who you're trying to attract and where are they? And so it, you know,

If you're a pediatric practice, Well, who are the parents that we're targeting? Who are the moms that we're targeting? Where are they in the community? How can we get involved in the things that they're involved in? Whether it is even online Facebook groups or whatever it is. But I think it starts with knowing exactly who you want to walk through your door and where you find them around the location of the practice.

Kiera Dent (18:56)

Mm-hmm. And that's going to help because also pay attention because certain areas will attract different parents. Like there's different demographics. There's different socioeconomics. Like, so just because you're trying to attract the Lululemon mom for one practice, you might be attracting the Walmart Target mom at another location. Both moms are amazing. Both children will be great, but you've got to do like the Lululemon mom.

has very different marketing tactics and what you're going to do and what your giveaways might be in that practice or whatever you strive to do, how you're going to involve in the community. I'm going to be at the Pilates. I'm going to be at the juicer places. I'm going to be at like Elixir. Like that's what I'm doing for my Lululemon mom. I'm going to be like, they're probably at charter schools more than they're at public schools. That's going to be a different mom. And then my moms who are the target Walmart moms, I'm going to be at like the community centers. I'm going to be at the rec centers. I'm going to be at the YMCA. I'm going to be at

The I don't know like the moose lot like whatever those ones are where lots of kids go you guys I don't have kids so clearly I'm not great at this but like that's why I'm not a pediatric dentist either ⁓ But you look at it those moms are gonna be different The moms who are about Walmart are going to want someone who is cost of like so you might throw membership plans in there because they're more for that the lululemon mom's probably going to want more of like the Nutrition and what can I do and what's the highest quality? They're not going for like your lowest like

like give me a deal, but your Walmart and your Target mom probably is. And so again, there's nothing wrong with either mom, but your marketing strategies will probably need to change. So when you're looking at that profit margin or the bleeding practices, is our marketing working and do we need to change it up? Agreed. Do we have enough new patients for that? I also think I'd be looking at my costs. Like do, our staffing right? Cause some of these bleeding practices don't have enough patients that we might need to scale back our team.

at those locations to where maybe we're working two or three days. Like that's a bummer, but we're going to hire more part-time employees rather than full-time employees until we can build up to that. And these are decisions that I just want to highlight. CEOs, this is why we get paid what we get paid because our job is to make these hard decisions. Our job is to say like, we don't have the space for this. So we tell the team, you don't just have to go like whack, like, all right, we're out. It's like, Hey, we've got two months that we can do this and I need to get this patient up to this amount. This is our BAM. This is what we have to produce.

And if we don't, we're going to need to cut back to three days. Like it's just a black and white conversation, but your job as a CEO is to make sure you're not bleeding money and you get those practices profitable. It's also, what can we do? Can I, can I go in and mentor that associate doctor? Can they come and watch me? Can we assist each other? So that way they see how I'm doing these procedures and I can help them get more confident in it. Like what needs to happen to get that production number up? What, what do I need to do for my assisting team there?

So again, it's not, and I think for these multi-practice owners, I think one of my biggest tips is you are not the solution. Pretend you are a puppeteer behind the screen. How do you get all these practices profitable without you being the one? Dana, what are your thoughts about that? Cause that's how I feel, but I'm curious how you feel.

Dana (22:03)

Mm-hmm. No, I agree with you completely and I think that when they have the numbers when they look at those pieces when they can say, okay If I bring in an associate and they produce at this amount it will take me let's say While use pediatric as an example, they produce 300 an hour right or 300 per patient per new patient that comes in and then you can say okay Well, if we do it at that if we do it at the 450 level if we do it closer to the 700 per patient or per hour then

Kiera Dent (22:20)

Mm-hmm.

Dana (22:31)

it lets you see how quickly you can grow, how quickly you can get to the production that you need to cover your expenses, those pieces. And so I just think that you're 100 % right. And knowing the numbers to be able to make those decisions and make those critical cuts or those critical ⁓ avenues for success, it just truly, truly helps.

Kiera Dent (22:55)

And it all comes back to the numbers. And I think when you know your BAM, like a true BAM, we're talking bare ace minimum, we're not going again. It's, it's like, think back to when you started the practice, that's bare ace minimum. Like, what do I need to do to scrap it down? We're talking top ramen versus filet mignon. We'll get to the filets, but we need to start here, grow up to it. Again, choose your heart. For me, it's way harder to be not profitable and cash flowing negatively rather than not hiring as much or cutting my supplies down or

limiting what we're doing or changing my hours up until I can get it there. Now, Dana, let's go into a weird one because a lot of times owners think like, especially like solo practice owners, that if my practice isn't profitable, I'm going to scale it down to like two or three days and then I'm going to go moonlight at another practice. This is like a very hot debate that I have within myself. like, what are your thoughts about that? I have very strong opinions about this, but I'm super curious because

That can seem like a plausible idea, right? Like, let's go work somewhere else. Let's bring in the money to cover this one while I build it up. Give me some thoughts on that if your one practice isn't doing as well.

Dana (24:01)

Yeah. And you know, I can understand the notion of like wanting to do that, because it's like, I'm trying to stop the bleeding, or I'm trying to at least reduce the stress or reduce the feeling of this isn't growing fast enough, or it isn't as successful as they want. But then what you're doing is you're really limiting the potential, you're limiting the potential of the location that you already

have right to then go where you don't have unlimited potential. And so I just feel like to plug the energy and put the effort and put the focus on the practice versus I can understand the want to go find something that is steady and stable when this feels so uncertain or we don't know. But I do feel like you you put your energy and your focus on it and it will

be more profitable than if we went somewhere else where it's capped for sure.

Kiera Dent (24:57)

Mm

hmm. It's fun debate that I really love and I love the perspectives and I think there's no right answer. You've got to figure out what's right for you. But I am very similar to Dana in the sense of I feel when you have an out of a second practice that you moonlight at, ⁓ it doesn't force you to innovate in your space. It's kind of like a bandaid where it's like, okay, yeah, yeah, this can bleed kind of like a second location or a third location that's not as profitable and your first and second ones are just covering up the pain of it.

⁓ to where you're like all right we'll just go and we'll find money in another place versus like no if you have to sit in this place you will figure it out because there's no other option like the boats have been burned we have to figure out what we're going to do and we have to make this work and so that's kind of where i'm like sure i see it but i also think there has to be a date that's in stone of we will end by this time and i know i have to have it profitable

Same thing with your bleeding practices. I think when you put dates on it of like by this date, it has to be profitable and you have to have the self integrity within yourself that you will actually own that that you will work towards that because otherwise you said Dana like it's unlimited potential within your practice. It's also like you're limiting yourself by going to another location and I feel like if another location is easier for you, maybe being a practice owner is not right for you. And I say that with love and respect, like know thyself and be free.

⁓ because I feel like, when you burn the boat to innovate, find it. Shelby and I were talking the other day and we like throughout this goal and Shelby's like, Kiera, I don't even know how we're going to do that. We've never done that before. And I said, I don't know either. We're going to figure it out. Like that's just how you have to operate. Like, I don't know. And so whether it's, need a coach or you need someone to guide you like Dana, like sometimes we're in the thick of it. I have coaches. I can't see. I call Liz all the time. I'm like, Liz.

I need your perspective because I don't know and I'm in it and I need you to be a bird's eye view for me of like, where do I need to navigate through this? Because the option is to go through it. It's not to like jump off board. ⁓ but maybe you need a coach. Maybe you need to like look at the numbers and figure it out. Maybe you need to realize I'm not the solution for it. And if I'm not the solution, then what are my solutions in the, in the coloring box or in my toolbox? Like I think when you remove yourself and you say, because it's not sustainable.

Four practices, one doctor and trying to be the profit producer for all of them. Like that's a hard ask even for a short amount of time. Sure, you can do it, but it's not sustainable. Like you will burn out. And I see these doctors coming in like crisp fried, like ready to give up everything. They have nothing left. They're becoming numb. They're becoming like detached from family members. They don't even get excited for things that used to make them excited because they're literally burnt to a crisp. So it's not a sustainable model. So why are we doing it?

cause we think it's easier. like we think moonlighting is easier versus like, no, let's fix the problem. Let's have a date in stone and let's move on. So Dana, I freaking love these conversations because it helps me see like one, you've got to know your numbers. The numbers will tell you what to do or not to do. Two, I think you've got to be really confident in making the decisions. Three, let's set some dates in stone and make sure that we're actually committed to figuring out the problems by this date. We're not pumping more money into it. ⁓ honestly, like

If I was looking and I had practices that weren't profitable, I think the only areas I would spend money are possibly marketing, possibly, but there's so much free marketing that you can do. So let's not throw money there if we're actually losing money. I would spend money on a great consultant, someone who's been there, done it and done it successfully to move you there because sometimes when we're in the thick of our problems, we can't get out of it. So that is another cost that, but again, I talked to a doctor there on cashflow row right now is what I call it. And I said, all right.

You have two choices. You're either going to rise up or you're going to rise out. Like you take your, like choose your heart. And to me, I'd rather like pay the money and commit and make the decisions and like follow through or turn it over. Like you're in cashflow row. There's no other option for you. So you've got to execute. ⁓ and really, truly like those are the main things that I would spend money on. And then I would look to see how can I cut my expenses and what do I actually have to do and produce to take the stress off to become profitable or at least not losing money.

That's like my only focus for that time and I don't let anything else distract me. It's very hard to put those blinders on, but I think that's also where an accountability coach, a consultant. Yes, I will toot our own horn. Dental A Team is really, really good at this. We do not let you steer away from it. I know you want to talk about marketing and I know you want to talk about like, but we need these supplies. No, that's a distraction from what's really going on. We need to get profitable and that's production, collections and overhead reduction. Like that's all you need to do during those moments.

So let's figure it out and let's find the way and put those blinders on and commit that we will always be profitable. Dana, I'm off my soapbox. Any last thoughts you've got? Because I clearly am passionate about this.

Dana (29:42)

No, I love seeing the passion and you know, it just bleeds through in everything you do and and that's the passion that we have for our clients. And so when we see them in these situations and it's like, let's dig in together. Let's figure it out and put in the work.

Kiera Dent (29:55)

Yeah, Dana, brilliant. love that you have clients like this. love that I have clients like these are the puzzles we love to help you with. So whether you're a solo practitioner or you're a multi owner practitioner or you're thinking multi ownership, whatever it is, like I really do think having a coach hopefully before you get to this spot, if you're already in the spot, rock on, we can still help you. So I think like whether you're in it now, like get the help, like throw up the life raft right now before it's too late. I really, it,

It stresses me out when clients come in and they're on cashflow row. It's like, it's okay. And it's okay. And it doesn't mean you're a failure. It doesn't mean you weren't a bad, like you're a bad business owner or I should have seen this coming. No, you're a business owner. Like this is real life, but like, let's get the help before it gets to be like, really like the water's already up to our neck. Like let's get it. Whereas maybe at like our chest and we're feeling the pressure mount a little bit, but there's still a little bit of breathing room rather than when it's like up to our chin. That becomes a lot harder, but still doable.

⁓ Or like hey, let's be proactive kind of like I mean couples therapy I'm like, let's be proactive and do this before we need the divorce help like let's let's try and save the practices before so if we can help you I love to do practice growth calls with you like no pressure complementary to you We'll just look at the gaps in your practice give you a ton of value if it works for you and we're a great fit Awesome, we'd love to help you If not, you're gonna walk away from that of some awesome tips in value because I want you to see your blind spots And I want you to see the solutions ⁓

regardless. So reach out [email protected] or book a call. Dana, love podcasting with you. Thanks for coming on early today. Thanks for being a great consultant. Thanks for loving our clients and just having that passion for their success. So fun to podcast with you today. Of course, and for all of you listening, thanks for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.

Dana (31:32)

Thanks for having me.