Mastering your Invisalign Business with Dr Sandeep Kumar

Dr Sandeep Kumar is back with a special BONUS EPISODE of the Mastering your Invisalign Business Podcast, recorded LIVE at theMiSmile Conference 2023! Sandeep welcomes Andy Acton - FTAGroup, Justin Leigh - Focus 4 Growth, Dr Sam Hainsworth - SmileStylist, and Laura Johnson - MiSmile Business Development Manager to the stage. Sandeep chats leadership, running an Invisalign-centred practice, and the business value of Invisalign.

On today’s podcast I am joined by someone who has influenced my business life more than he probably realises! I first met Michael Smith back in 2011 when he was Director of Sales for Align and I was really pushing my Invisalign journey forward. We very quickly realised we ‘got each other’ and Michael’s belief and support with my idea to launch an Invisalign only clinic is something I am eternally grateful for! He further supported my vision to launch the MiSmile Network and his business advice and mentorship over the years has been invaluable. Although Michael doesn’t work for Align now, we regularly keep in touch and I’m excited to see where today’s discussion takes us. Topics: And how’s life out on the West Coast of the US? So can you take us back to the beginning of your career - how did you end up in the medical device industry? And tell me about your roles at Align - you must have seen some incredible innovation over the years? You’re now CCO at Sonendo - tell us a little bit about the company, and your view on the role of technology in dentistry. The future of dentistry - what’s next? What’s the best bit of advice you’ve been given during your career? Any memorable people you’ve worked with or come across that have influenced your journey? I know you’re part of the 5am club - what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? How do you manage your work-life balance, and do you have any advice for people who may be struggling to find that balance? What are your interests outside of work?

The queen of TCO training! Tell us how it all began Laura You have found a niche in the market on Treatment Co-ordination, was there any specific interaction you had, that made you realise this was something that needed to be addressed? Can you give us a summary of the approach you take to Treatment Co-ordinator training? How was making the transition from in-practice management to consultancy work? For any practice that is struggling with the TCO role, what would be the first thing you would suggest? What are your views on virtual dentistry? You have shared your love for podcasts, has there been any particular podcast that has really made you reflect on your habits or life? How do you manage your work-life balance, and do you have any advice for people who may be struggling to find that balance? What are your interests outside of work? How do you feel women in Dentistry are being represented? If you could go back and give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Topics: Combining the worlds of Marketing & Dentistry can be a daunting task - how did you get started? Describe the mission behind RoboReception and what was the inspiration behind the idea? You’ve spoken before about your mentor Professor Ross Hobson and how with his guidance and experience it changed the way you do dentistry. How important is it that we mentor each other in this industry & do you have any advice for our listeners who are looking for a mentor? You started as a Dentist, and a highly successful one! What was the motivation to evolve into a Dental Coach? What has been a career highlight so far for you? What is the most important lesson you’ve learned over your career? What are your views on virtual dentistry? What’s the last TV show you saw that had you on the edge of your seat? What’s one question you wish I’d asked you, and how would you have answered?

Sandeep sits down with Mumta & Amit Jilka, owners of Abbey House Dental. From a two surgery clinic in Staffordshire to being Invisalign Diamond Apex Providers, an amazing achievement that is just one of many! He is a huge advocate of technology in dentistry and is also a mentor for other dentists in the dental implants and cosmetic dentistry. His practice is based in a small town in Staffordshire, proof if anyone needs it, that you can make a success of Invisalign no matter where you are in the country. Topics: Firstly, a huge congratulations on achieving Diamond Apex status! It’s been an incredible pleasure to watch your journey. Where did you start your dental journey? Did anybody inspire you to get into Dentistry? You work alongside your wife Mumta - tell me how that works?! When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? How does Invisalign fit into your cosmetic dentistry offering to patients? You really transformed Abbey House from a 2 surgery clinic to what it is today, did you have a specific goal in mind for the practice? I’m particularly interested in your story given the location of the practice. You’re not in a big city centre location but still you’ve hit Diamond Apex - that’s such an inspiration. What are your views on virtual dentistry? What’s your split of time between clinical dentistry / business? What are you looking forward to in the future - personally, or professionally?

Today’s guest is the Co-founder and CEO of Clear TPS, a team of orthodontic specialists providing Invisalign treatment plans across the world. Sheldon Krancher has such an amazing insight into the Dental industry with his 25 years of experience, including working for Align Technology directly, it’s no wonder so mny practices work with him to optimise their profit potential through clear aligner solutions. Topics: Firstly, how is it in Texas today? We’re competing with your temperatures I think - super hot here today! So take me back to the beginning. How did you get into dentistry? And tell me a bit about your time at Align Technology? Can you explain what Clear TPS is and just how much it can improve both the patient experience & its benefits to Orthodontists/Dentists. Just how much efficiency can ClearTPS drive? How important is it that the industry is open to new technologies, and what advice would you give to Dentists that might be nervous to change their processes? What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career? What are your views on virtual dentistry, and ensuring that we are still able to connect with patients in a virtual world? What drives you? Who motivates you?

Topics: What a career - Tell us how you started? How did you get into the Dentistry industry, and how did you realise there was a coaching gap? What do you find are some of the biggest barriers for Dental staff, who find it challenging to market the field of Dentistry? You have a wide range of courses for different audiences on your website coachbarrow.com, is there one that you are the most proud of? After such a long career - what has been a career highlight so far for you? What is the most important lesson you’ve learned over your career? From Cycling, marathons & Kilimanjaro! How do you manage your work life balance and make sure you get enough time to stay fit and healthy?

My guest today is a friend as well as the Clinical Director and owner of Newmarket Dental, a prestigious practice based in Norwich. Dr Sameer Shah is an original member the MiSmile network joining in April 2015 and its been a pleasure to see the growth and development of the practice. Topics: So, take me back to the beginning - where did you start your dental journey? Did anybody inspire you to get into Dentistry? When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? How does Invisalign fit into your cosmetic dentistry offering to patients? What’s your split of time between clinical dentistry / business? What in your opinion is the future of dentistry? If you could submit a wishlist of enhancements for future Invisalign innovation, what would be on your wishlist? How do you manage your work life balance and making sure you get enough time to stay fit and healthy? You are always continuing your professional development and learning new skills - what’s next for you? What have you learned from being in this field that people should know?

It gives me great pleasure to welcome a very well know name in the world of dentistry, Ashley Latter, an Ethical Sales & Communications coach with over 28 years in the industry! Ashley has trained a phenomenal number of Dentists and team members, over 40,000 and counting, across the world with his industry expertise and knowledge and I know many practices believe their practice success is based on Ashley’s support. Ashley hosts his own podcast alongside Chris Barrow, so today the tables have turned and its his turn to be a guest! Topics: Wow, you must have an incredible story to tell - tell us where it started? One of your courses is the Ethical Sales & Communication course - did you expect it to be as successful and run for so many years? What do you find are some of the biggest barriers for dental staff, who find it challenging to sell in the field of dentistry? You have a wide range of courses for different audiences on your website ashleylatter.com, is there one that you are the most proud of? What is the most important lesson you’ve learned over your career? What has been a career highlight so far for you? You have a brilliant podcast with Chris, “Two reds are better than one”, has there been any particular podcast that has really made you reflect on your habits or life? How do you manage your work life balance and make sure you get enough time to stay fit and healthy? I know you’re a keen music fan - what’s the best concert you have ever been to?

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Justin Leigh, founder of Focus4Growth, a consultancy dedicated to coaching and mentoring within the dental industry. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Justin in the last couple of years and his understanding of the market, coupled with his consultative approach has without doubt kept me focused. And on top of all that, he is one of the nicest guys I know! Welcome Justin! Firstly a sales coach - how on earth did you get into dentistry? Describe the mission behind Focus4Growth and what was the inspiration behind the idea? What inspired you to publish your book “Inspire, Consult, Sell”? What has been a career highlight so far for Focus4Growth? What is the most important lesson you’ve learned over your career? You founded Walk & Talk 4 Men; a walking group for men. Talk us through the changes and benefits you have seen and why this is such an important cause for you?

It’s such a pleasure to talk to my guest today. More than just a guest, Oliver is my Clinical Director at MiSmile Birmingham, someone I’m proud to call a long-term friend and colleague. From the moment I met Oliver, I knew we could achieve something great together, and more than X years later, MiSmile Birmingham was not only the first Invisalign only clinic in the UK, it’s also become renowned for its expert approach to Invisalign, and that is down to Oliver’s clinical excellence. So Oliver, long time friend and business partner! Take us back to the beginning. Tell us about your journey into the dental field? When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? How does Invisalign fit into your cosmetic dentistry offering to patients? What have you learned from being in this field that people should know? What do you think the world of dentistry will look like in five years? What are you looking forward to in the future - personally, or professionally? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Who inspires you?

Today’s guest has followed an unusual path into dentistry. Ramin Semsarilar has been working in guest relations for luxury hotels, and training the hospitality industry for more than 15 years. Earning the position of guest relations for an endless list of VIP’s and celebrity guests, Ramin certainly knows his stuff when it comes to customer service. In recent years, Ramin has made the transition to training teams in the dental industry, and his passion for service excellence is contagious. Welcome Ramin! Let’s start at the beginning, how did you get your start in hospitality? When it comes to customer service, is there any company that comes to mind when you think of an exemplary/ 5 star experience? Explain to us how your skills cross over into the world of Dentistry? Can you tell us a bit about Clinics. What do you offer to dental practices? Who has inspired you in your life? What are the best resources that have helped you along the way? What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you? What’s been the most memorable moment of your career so far? What are you looking forward to in the future - personally, or professionally?

In this episode, Dr Sandep Kumar talks to Umar Choudhury, Diamond Invisalign provider and MiSmiler! Topics: So Umar, take us back to the beginning Where did you start your dental journey? When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? How does Invisalign fit into your cosmetic dentistry offering to patients? Tell us about your Diamond journey What goes into managing your social media presence and marketing the latest treatments that you offer? Who has inspired you in your life? What are the best resources that have helped you along the way? What have you learned from being in this field that people should know? If money wasn't a factor, what would you do with your free time? What does the next 5 years look like for you?

My guest today is one of the largest Invisalign providers in Europe, having treated more than 5,000 cases! Dr Mohsen Tehranian became an Invisalign provider in 2006, and is now a clinical speaker for Align Technology, as well as lecturer to newly qualified Invisalign providers across Europe. A very warm welcome Mohsen - thank you for joining me. Can you take me back to the beginning - where did you start your dental journey? When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? You’ve completed thousands of Invisalign cases over the last 15 years. What has been the biggest change in the way you market Invisalign, since you started back in 2006? How does Invisalign fit into your cosmetic dentistry offering to patients? You had the opportunity to use the new fifth generation iTero Element Plus Series prior to its release. How was that experience & how has the iTero scanner changed how you offer Invisalign? Talk to me about your digital workflow. What’s next?

This week’s guest is nothing short of inspirational! He’s one of the UK’s youngest, fastest growing Invisalign providers, and has been noted as one of the UK’s emerging trailblazers in the world of dentistry. He is a huge advocate of technology in dentistry and has adopted a cutting edge digital workflow in his practices. Kunal has a huge presence, online and offline. His social media is one to watch, and his face, and opinions can often be seen in national press and on TV. What a journey Kunal! Take us back to the beginning. Where did you start your dental journey? When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? Can you talk to us about your digital patient workflow. I know you’ve worked hard to create a truly digital experience. Tell me about Love Teeth Dental and your ambitious expansion plans What’s the one thing you would preach to young dentists wanting to build their own dental brand? You work with your lovely wife Lucy. Tell me about that work dynamic. Your social media and engagement on Instagram is nothing short of brilliant! Tell me your strategy here. You’ve made a real success of Invisalign Open Days and they form part of your overall strategy - can you share how they support your overall Invisaign strategy What motivates you to get out of bed every morning? Where next?

In this episode, Dr Sandep Kumar talks to Sundeep Patel, Practice Owner and MiSmile Network member! Topics: Tell us about your background. Back to the beginning, your childhood and how you got into dentistry? When did you first hear about Invisalign? When did you realise the potential Invisalign could bring? Tell me about the mentoring and training you deliver to other dentists using non-invasive techniques? Tell me about your team - they’re pretty amazing. How do you get them on board, how do you motivate and get them to lead the business? You’ve got more than 300 5 star Google reviews - how do you do it? I know getting reviews is one of the hardest challenges for dentists What drives you? What’s your split of time between clinical dentistry / mentoring / business Who inspires you as a business leader? What’s next for you – what’s the 10 year plan?

In this episode, Dr Sandep Kumar talks to Simon Chard, Dentist and Co-Founder of PARLA Toothpaste Topics: What a journey! Can you tell me how it all started (and how being a snowboard instructor led you to dentistry!) Tell me a bit about the practice you own with your wife Meghan. How does Invisalign fit into your cosmetic dentistry offering to patients? You’re on the board of directors for BACD – tell me a bit more about that role. How do you split your time between the ‘business of dentistry’ and ‘clinical dentistry’? You recently co-founded PARLA toothpaste tabs – can you tell me the story behind that? What drives you? Who inspires you as a business leader? What’s next for you – what’s the 5 year plan?

In this episode, Dr Sandep Kumar talks to Erika Schoeman, Principal Owner of Elgance Dental and one of the first MiSmile Network members! Topics: What was life like growing up in South Africa? And how did you get into dentistry? When did you make the decision to bring Invisalign into your daily practice? How do you split your time between the ‘business of dentistry’ and ‘clinical dentistry’? You are an incredibly inspirational doctor, seeing your business grow over the last 7 years has been a privilege. What’s next? What drives you? You have a fantastic reputation within the MSN for your ability to capture brilliant patient testimonials for your patients – share with us your strategy for doing so. Who inspires you in dentistry?

In this episode, Dr Sandep Kumar talks to Daz Singh, Co-Founder of Ollie & Darsh and Invisalign Diamond Provider. Topics: What makes Ollie and Darsh such a successful clinic? When did you realise the opportunity Invisalign could bring? How has the business of Invisalign impacted your own growth journey? Ollie and Darsh Invisalign Open Days are renowned country wide! Can you tell us a little bit about your marketing and new patient strategy? How do Open Days fit into that? Your passion for sharing your knowledge and experience with your peers and colleagues is inspirational – why do you love teaching and mentoring? Who inspires you as a business leader? What’s next for you – what’s the 10 year plan?

In this episode, Dr Sandep Kumar talks to Mark Hughes, Founder of several clinics and Hughes Dental Training. Topics: Let’s start at the beginning. Where were born and raised? How did you get into dentistry? When did you first discover Invisalign and recognise the opportunity it brings? You’ve founded several practices, including on Harley Street – tell me a bit about your experiences with these. You are so well renowned for cosmetic dentistry – what is that you love about your job? How do you manage your waiting lists? How do you split your time between the ‘business of dentistry’ and ‘clinical dentistry’? What drives you? Who inspires you in dentistry? What’s next for you – what’s the 5 year plan?