Everyday Oral Surgery

Dr. Bryan White has spent the past eight years as a traveling surgeon with Pacific Dental Services (PDS), and has accumulated a lot of knowledge along the way. He joins us on the show today to share his pearls of wisdom with regard to preparation, surrounding oneself with a great team, and transporting equipment. There are over 100 surgeons who are employed by PDS, and Bryan is one of the top producers. Additionally, he has recently started a business with his brother, which you’ll learn more about in this episode too! Bryan appreciates that being a traveling surgeon is not for everyone and it does come with its challenges, but he explains the benefits of working in this type of environment and the types of surgeons who he feels will thrive in a role like his. You’ll also hear about one of Bryan’s career goals, and why working out is a practice that benefits him in his profession. If you’re considering a career as a traveling surgeon, this episode may help you make up your mind! Key Points From This Episode:Areas where Bryan works.Hear about Bryan’s educational and work background. An explanation of how Pacific Dental Services (PDS), where Bryan works, is set up. Why Bryan enjoys being a traveling oral surgeon. Bryan shares tips for anyone who wants to work the way he does. Challenges that come with being a traveling surgeon, and how Bryan overcomes these. The goal Bryan has for himself with regard to his working hours. How PDS compares to other groups that work in the same way.Differences between the tools that Bryan and Grant use in their practices. The way the PDS tax system works and how to get the most benefit out of it. Stresses that surgeons experience in private practice that doesn’t exist at PDS. Find other doctors with who you can communicate, and stick with them. Traveling surgery isn’t for everyone but Bryan describes those who he thinks will thrive in this setting.Dealing with equipment while traveling. How working out benefits Bryan professionally.The exciting new business that Bryan has started with his brother. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Pacific Dental ServicesNSK Ti-Max Bien-AirOSTEOSETTed LassoCobra KaiHow to Win Friends and Influence PeopleLululemonBirdie Scrubs

Oral surgery residency is a time of growth for dental students and but also an opportunity for those students to shape the program itself. It is important for there to be a good fit between the student and the institution so that a mutually beneficial dynamic is created. Today on the show we invite Dr. Michael Miloro, Program Chairman at the University of Illinois at Chicago, to shed some light on what students can expect and how they can best prepare themselves for their residency experience. Dr. Miloro has put a lot of work into making the program at UIC as high-quality as possible. He sketches out the broad range of facilities to be found and the ethos about the types of graduates they aim to produce there. The institution provides an atmosphere that encourages residents to be assertive and make an impact on the program itself. The program at UIC strives to give rise to leaders in the field who can practice a broad scope of surgeries. Dr. Miloro talks about how he vets new candidates and gives a few great tips for students about the kind of attitude they should bring to their residency and how to make the best impression on the interview committee. For a discussion packed with insight about how to make a residency experience as fruitful as possible be sure to tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:A window into Dr. Miloro’s education and the institutions he has worked at.Dr. Miloro’s work adjusting the residency program at UIC and the openness to change he encountered there.The spirit of aspiring to be leaders in the field encouraged at the UIC program.What the residency program at UIC looks for in candidates and how it vets them.Perspectives on the balanced approach that makes the UIC residency program great.The wide range of facilities at UIC, and the procedures they conduct and specialize in.How the UIC residency program prepares residents for the business aspect of surgery.A trend where many graduates end up operating in a narrow scope in private practice.Advice for a resident who wants to take control of their learning.The transformation Dr. Miloro sees in students during their residency at UIC.How residents who go into private practice can still give back.Rapid round with Dr. Miloro: self-care tips, forceps use, favorite quote, and more. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Michael Miloro University of Illinois at Chicago‘The Perfect Match’The Catcher in the Rye

Significant anesthetic emergencies in oral and maxillofacial surgery offices are rare events. However, emergencies do occur, and being prepared is key for mitigating the impact of these events. Today’s guest is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. David Salomon. He is on staff at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he also serves as faculty for the Yale Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Training Program. In today’s episode, Dr. Salomon shares how he stays prepared for emergency situations using what he calls ‘monthly familiarity drills’, quarterly emergency simulations, and implementing a 911 protocol, as well as making sure that his staff has clearly defined roles should an emergency occur. This episode is full of practical advice for keeping your office emergency-ready, so make sure to tune in today! Key Points From This Episode:How often the State of Connecticut requires that anesthesia certifications are renewed.What those renewals entail versus the initial certification; an evaluation of supplies and emergency scenarios.Learn about what Dr. Salomon calls a familiarity drill, which his staff does on a monthly basis. How regularly you should be simulating anesthesia emergency scenarios with your staff.The importance of having a 911 protocol in your office and involving your front desk.Why your front desk personnel should use a landline rather than a mobile phone to call 911.Why your staff needs to know what emergency equipment looks like, where it is, and what their individual roles are.You can create useful tools like laminated emergency cheat sheets; education is key!The importance of documenting everything in an emergency to avoid legal action.Tweetables:“We’ve actually created a schedule where, now, we’re at the point where we do a monthly what’s called a ‘familiarity drill’ and, at quarterly, we do actual emergency scenarios.” — Dr. David Salomon [0:07:54]“A front desk individual will be the one on the phone [with 911] because, if you take an assistant away to be on the phone, I think you’re taking away potential useful hands.” — Dr. David Salomon [0:18:06]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. David Salomon on LinkedIn

Today’s guest on the Everyday Oral Surgery Podcast is Dr. Michael Hall, a general dentist who practices in Pueblo, Colorado, and a close friend of your host, Dr. Grant Stucki. In this episode, Dr. Hall shares his perspective as a general dentist when dealing with an oral maxillofacial surgeon and reflects on his personal business experience, as a dentist who owns his own practice. Tuning in, you’ll hear what his top criteria are when referring out, why patient feedback is important, and how having an abundance mentality can make you a better teacher. So stay tuned, and enjoy!Key Points From This Episode:Hear a brief introduction for Dr. Hall, including his training and his current practice setup.He also shares a bit more about the demographic of dentists in Pueblo, Colorado.Dr. Hall’s top criteria when referring out to an oral surgeon, like competency, bedside manner, personality, and what they charge.Why he’ll send all his referrals to a specialist that backs him up and helps him out in a pickle.The importance of receiving feedback from the patient about their referral experience..How having a colleague to refer to can feel more like a real relationship or partnership.Why Dr. Hall chose to watch a surgery that the referral oral surgeon performed on a patient of his; gaining trust and familiarity.The abundance versus scarcity mentality that can make oral surgeons good teachers.Tweetables:“Whether it’s to an oral surgeon or to an orthodontist or an endodontist, basically, I have the expectation that whoever I refer out to has the competency to get the work done [and has] a great skill level. Better than myself, essentially.” — Dr. Micheal Hall [0:04:06]“It [is] great for me to know that I have that professional college within the area that we can work together on, because at that point, it feels like a real relationship.” — Dr. Micheal Hall [0:10:13]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Pueblo Dental

Today on the Everyday Oral Surgery Podcast we are joined by Dr. David Saloman to discuss post-extraction bleeding and how to handle bleeding complications. As postoperative bleeding is most commonly experienced by the elderly on anticoagulants or blood thinners, the doctors discuss how best to deal with these patients before, during, and after any extractions. They talk about the role of medication as both a cause and a treatment for bleeding. They also discuss how to treat a patient who bleeds heavily during surgery, is still bleeding hours after surgery, or develops a liver clot post-extraction. Different tools, equipment, and products, the role of cautery and lasers, and even the best way to use gauze are all covered in today’s show, so don’t miss it!Key Points From This Episode:Hear about the different types of post-operative bleeding.The effect of anti-coagulants and blood thinners on post-extraction bleeding. The importance of post-operative instructionsThe relevance and timing of INR testing for patients on anticoagulants and blood thinners.The benefits of staging extractions for patients with a high bleeding risk. When to stop or bridge anticoagulant medication. The types of anticoagulants and blood thinners that cause the most problems. How to deal with a patient who is still bleeding hours after an extraction.The different tools, equipment, and products that can be used to stop the bleeding.How dentures may affect the extraction site post-operatively. The importance of informing patients how to care for themselves post-extraction. Extra measures that can be taken for high-bleeding risk patients.How to deal with Liver clots.When lasers and cautery can be used to stop bleeding.Whether or not to moisten gauze.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. David SalomonDr. Grant StuckiDr. Grant Stucki EmailDr. Grant Stucki Phone Number — +1 720-775-5843

Building and maintaining a solo practice is a multi-faceted project, something that Dr. Michael Hall knows all about! Dr. Hall returns to the podcast today to drop a few pearls of wisdom and talk about the lessons he has learned running his office so far. Specifically, we get into the hiring process, smart ways to cut costs, and his philosophy towards patient care and treatment. Dr. Hall weighs in on the worthwhile investment of hiring the right person for the job, while also emphasizing the ability to do in-house training once someone appropriate has been hired. From there, we discuss how to facilitate the sharing of expertise within the different parts of the office and positions, before Dr. Hall talks about the importance of staying abreast of your business' numbers as the head of the company. The conversation also covers the need to constantly seek out the best and most affordable options for supplies and equipment for the practice. In dental healthcare, these expenses make up a big piece of the pie, so do not underestimate the power of finding a deal! To finish off we get into how to deal with patients, stay engaged with the goings-on in the office, and the ultimate value of patient loyalty. For all this and a bunch more, join us today!Key Points From This Episode:The emphasis that Dr. Hall places on hiring strong players and the lessons he has learned around this. How to determine the experience and suitability of a person during the hiring process.The best training for assistants and office managers in Dr. Hall's experience.Approaches to dealing with the exclusivity of office knowledge and systems expertise. Staying familiar with and on top of the numbers of your practice. The importance of seeking out the best-priced equipment and supplies for a business.The benefits of staying open-minded to different products and brands. Storytelling in dentistry; how Dr. Hall focuses on stories to build his practice's culture.Dr. Hall's advice regarding the opportunities for variety in the field of dentistry. Prioritizing the loyalty of a customer over small disagreements and issues. Thoughts on how general dentists can better serve the needs of oral surgeons. A round of quick-fire questions with Dr. Hall; books, previous work, and more!Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Pueblo DentalChick-fil-AShut Up and ListenTilmanHouston Rockets

Today we speak with Dr. Jay Lee, a maxillofacial surgeon with a knack for orthognathics. In this special episode, Jay shares his experiences in the field, as well as the shiny pearls he’s picked up during his years of practice. To open our conversation, we hear Jay’s professional and academic history, before touching on how he forged a path into orthognathics. Following this, Jay shares some of the challenges he and his contemporaries have faced, as he reminds listeners there’s no simple solution to adversity — it’s just about putting in the work to create a good reputation. As our conversation develops, we talk to Jay about how he approaches surgery, find out why he feels it’s best to have two surgeons in theatre and his reasons for performing his surgeries at separate hospitals. In the latter half of the show, we explore some of Jay’s favorite pearls which include finding strong mentors and programs to get involved in, patient selection, and virtual surgical planning. To wrap up, we ask Jay our series of rapid-fire questions. Join us today!Key Points From This Episode:We welcome today’s guest, Dr. Jay Lee.Jay fills listeners in on his academic and professional history.Find out why Jay enjoys orthognathic surgery.How Jay and his group of surgeons have coped with the challenges that come with moving into orthognatics.Jay shares how he has evolved since graduating.We ask Jay to describe how he approaches orthognathic surgery.Jay details his best pearls after working in private practice for several years.Hear what makes orthognathic surgery so unique to maxillofacial surgeons.We give Jay our series of rapid-fire questions.Stay tuned for some banter with Jay.Jay’s parting advice for listeners faced with deciding their path in life, post-residency.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Kaiser PermanenteUCLAParkland Hospital Cedasr Sinai HospitalNorthridge HospitalA Promised Land on AmazonSchool of Rock

Referrals can be the lifeblood of your practice. Today we welcome ‘The Implant Doctor’ Mulokozi Lugakingira onto the show to learn both about his practice and about his effective referral marketing strategy. After chatting about Mulokozi’s personal and professional history, we dive into the top lessons that he’s learned from running his practice. We discuss the business skills that you need, along with the challenges that come with taking over an existing practice. Mulokozi then unpacks what he does to earn doctor referrals, touching on the benefits of hosting ‘lunch and learns’ and covering your bases by advertising on most dominant media channels. A key insight, he talks about the importance of targeting a specific group of patients before telling listeners what they should look for when hiring a marketing company. Later, we explore Molukozi’s surgery process, why you should know your limits as a doctor, and the advantages of being personable. We wrap up the episode by asking Molukozi our final fast five questions. Tune in to hear more about getting referrals and building your practice from the successful Dr. Mulokozi Lugakingira.Key Points From This Episode:Dr. Mulokozi Lugakingira shares details about his training and professional history. Hear about Mulokozi’s practice and specialties. The top lessons that Mulokozi has learned from starting his practice.Reflecting on the early challenges taking over a practice. What Mulokozi does to land doctor referrals and get his name out there. Exploring the value of diversifying your referral marketing strategy.What to look for when hiring a marketing company.The secret sauce for referrals; knowing your limit and doing right by your patients.Molukozi unpacks his pre and post-implant surgery process.Advice for new oral surgeons looking for direction. Why transparency and being personable lead to a stable revenue stream.Find out Molukozi’s answers to our five rapid-fire questions. Whether doctors should tell patients what to do or leave their decision up to them.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. Mulokozi LugakingiraFort Wayne Oral Maxillofacial Surgery & Implant CenterUniversity of Dar es SalaamUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Illinois at Chicago

Delivering an efficient and high-end service sounds like a challenging task, but Matthew Weber is here to tell you that it can be done. As today’s guest, we speak with Matthew about his experiences as a maxillofacial surgeon, what it takes to start your own practice from the ground up, and the virtues of taking digital impressions. To kick off our episode, we get to know Matthew by hearing more about his practice, as he touches on why starting from scratch is oftentimes better than buying a business. Following this, we dive into Matthew’s implant program and discover why this element of his practice has become so popular. He uncovers a range of detail, including his scanning process, torque checks, and impressions. Later in the show, we look at Matthew’s practice more closely and find out how he approaches patients who need cover-screws, where he fits into the communication chain with labs and dentists, and what types of equipment you might find in his surgery room. Wrapping up the show we ask Matthew some rapid-fire questions. We find out about the influential books he’s read this past year, his habits for success, and what his favorite tattoo-able is. Join us today! Key Points From This Episode:Introducing today’s guest, Matthew Weber.Matthew shares his professional history with listeners, as well as his current setup.Why Matthew decided to build a practice from the ground up.Some challenges Matthew has faced in setting up his practice.Hear what makes Matthew’s implant program dynamic and popular.How Matt deals with patients who have flat cover-screws.The benefits of taking digital impressions.Matt walks us through the scanning process.We discuss the second-stage visit and how Matthew approaches them.The biggest problems Matthew ran into when he started offering digital impressions.Matthew shares some of the equipment and tech he uses in his practice.How Matthew tackles full arch cases in his patients.Stay tuned for our rapid-fire questions.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Matthew Weber on LinkedInPrinciples on AmazonDiscipline Equals Freedom on Amazon 

Today we sit down with long-time friend and mentor, Dr. William Flick, to talk about the balance between working in private practice and part-time academics. To kick things off, Bill shares a brief summary of his training and current practice setup. After hearing about his stints at the University of Illinois and in the US Airforce, Bill sheds light on how to teach residents in a surgical setting. On this topic, he tells us why it is so important to allow students to learn with their hands, and why it can be difficult to not let them make crucial errors on patients. As our conversation develops, we ask Bill to share a little bit of information on giving back to the profession of oral surgery. He tells us about the importance of jumping at whatever opportunity comes your way, as well as the need to stick to it. Later in the show, we find out from Bill why private practice professionals are so useful to the academic setting. To conclude the show, we give Bill our rapid-fire questions where we find out about the best book he’s read in the past year, which forceps he uses to extract tooth number five, who has influenced his surgery career most, and much more!Key Points From This Episode:Introducing today’s guest and our host’s long-time mentor, Dr. Bill Flick.Bill gives a brief summary of his training and current practice setup.How to teach residents in a surgical setting.The importance of letting students learn with their hands.What Bill says to those who want to give back to the profession, but might not be equipped to do so.How one can stay in academics despite red tape and poor compensation.How to achieve a balance between private practice and academics.Ways Bill has changed his practice over the years.Finding ways to communicate on a patient’s level.We conclude the show with our rapid-fire questions!Tweetables:“It’s a lot more challenging teaching students in a surgical setting as opposed to a classroom. There is this tendency to want to jump in and demonstrate but the resident only really learns if it’s their hands doing the work.” — Dr. William Flick [0:02:44]“You have to jump at whatever opportunities are available to you. And then you have to be persistent and you have to stick with it.” — Dr. William Flick [0:04:41]“For full-time academics, it’s all about accomplishing the procedure the way it should be done. In the real world, it’s doing what the patient wants to have done and how to compromise what you can do to make both ends meet.” — Dr. William Flick [0:09:17]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Dr. William FlickUniversity of Illinois