SDC, DSOs & ROI, Oh My!
The last few years have been terribly interesting! Unforeseeable and even unbelievable events seem to have become the norm and the pace of change is ever increasing. Adapt or die has never been more a...
Smiley Face Update Five Years Later
It’s been over five years since we started the experiment that is Smiley Face Braces in Orlando, Florida. A lot has happened – both expected and totally out of the blue – so we thought we...
It’s Not About Price
Yes we have a flat fee of $2998 at Smiley Face. Yes I love it because at this price point I have a great deal of freedom to practice as I see fit, I treat only people I enjoy and I work only when I wa...
Right or Rich?
We average a couple visiting doctors a week at Smiley Face these days. Doctors who generally come to see what we are doing and learn but in a significant number of cases it is readily apparent that th...
Omnidirectional Orthodontics
Marc Ackerman & Ben Burris We were discussing orthodontic theory and practice from an historical point of view today and remembering that 1) Transverse First was a big deal in the 1990’s and ear...
Pricing Implications
You get what you pay for… This was never more true in orthodontics than today. Though we try and ignore the fact, there is an implied agreement between orthodontists and our customers that transcend...
$800,000
The other day I was asked why I think the median orthodontic pracrice is doing less than a million in production and, even if most orthodontists are producing in the 800 k range, how can they be broke...
White Coat Syndrome
Online, in lecture halls and in print, there are fanatical devotees of evidence based orthodontics whose shrill voices lament the absence of science in our profession. For proof and for comedic relief...
Shame On Us
I received a text a few days ago from a young orthodontist who is a few years out of school. They were distraught over a case that “didn’t turn out the way it should have” and they “didn’t f...
The Conversion Breakdown
Ben Burris & Angela Weber Today’s orthodontic practice seeking growth requires a different mindset not only in how new patients are attracted but also in how we view key performance indicators. ...