Dr. Mark E. Hyman is a renowned, full-time practicing dentist in Greensboro, NC, and a public speaker whose work is characterized by his warmth, enthusiasm, sense of humor, and passion for dentistry. As an accomplished seminar speaker, he has lectured throughout North America at every major dental meeting. For the past thirteen years, Dentistry Today magazine has selected Dr. Hyman as one of the top 100 speakers in dentistry. Dr. Hyman has earned national and international recognition having been invited to speak at every major dental meeting.
In this episode we discuss:
– What exactly is comprehensive care?
– Not living a life of scarcity
– Investing in new technology to help with student debt
It feels like, a lot of people live with this mentality of scarcity. Some doctors are just super competitive and they just have this mentality of scarcity and that scares me, because I have never lived like that. I just try to do the best that I can. What do you think about that?
It depends where you position yourself. If you are going for the lowest common denominator, and I have no judgement to people who decide to practice that way, but the fact is that when you practice for the top, there is very little competition up there. People are providing exquisite experiences and treatments and there is just very little competition. Its a privilege we have in dentistry to be able to slow down and take our time to learn about the patient, talk to them, get to know them, and to not judge. I went to Pankey and I was told to slow down, stop looking at one tooth, start looking at the whole mouth and get to know your patients. And that changed me to stop being just a general tooth mechanic but to offering and providing comprehensive care. The reason that people dont normally get comprehensive care is that no one has ever asked them or offered it to them. Thats why I respect the top people in dentistry is because they take the time to do this and thats what sets them apart as great dentists.
A lot of people think that comprehensive care means full mouth reconstruction. Whats your stance on that?
I wish people would follow this one statement: “comprehensive care equals appropriate.” It is what is appropriate for this patient at this point in their life. That doesnt mean that it all has to take place in one sitting, it can be over five years. What’s their temperment, whats there financial situation, and what is their health like? And not everybody is ready for it but, the arrogance of not asking if you have their permission to tell them what you see and what you think needs to be done goes against comprehensive care. One of the great things that Kathy Jameson taught me was to look at someone and ask their permission to look and study things and provide the best dentistry that I possible can, and they can take all of it or they can take some of it, or if they choose, they can choose to not take any of it.
Mark Hyman’s 10 Commandments of success:
- You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
How you dress, how you act, your eye contact, these thing can be very paramount.
- A choice of two “yes’s.”
Do you want to keep your teeth for the rest of your life? Do you want gold or silver? Do you want morning or afternoon. These are positives. No one wants a burr spinning around in their mouth but they do want to keep their teeth for the rest of their life. Thats the beauty of giving a choice of yes’s.
- 3% of the patients know what we are doing technically.
For the other 97% its all about the experience. Thats important!
- 4 personality styles
D.I.S.C. its a great lunch and learn for your team. There are four personality styles, and if you arent aware of that, you will miss 75% of your patients. If you recognize these, and get to know your patient, great things happen.
- “How can I help you?”
These five words are important to patient interaction. They show humility and allow the patient to explain themselves to you and make them feel like you are listening.
- We are the company that we keep.
I hate poopy dental people because I used to be one. It’s so much more fun to hang out with the winners of dentistry.
- 7 Habits of Highly Successful People – Dr. Steven Covey
I read this and it changed my life.
- 8 words: “How do you create the sense of urgency?”
I would love everyone listening to ask those words every day in their morning meetings or huddles.
- Point to the assist man, and thank them
Point to a team mate on monday morning and just say thank you. Pick something good the team did and thank them. It then becomes contagious in the office.
- Save 10% everyday that you work.
I want everyone to start putting 10% away a day start saving. Its a discipline and make sure to get your team doing this as well.