I once had a patient who kept cracking his molars one by one. At the start I told him it was happening because of his occlusion and that we needed to even out his bite with aligners to distribute the forces. He did not listen. He just kept breaking teeth. Then on the final crown seat appointment he looked at me and said, “I think I want to do aligners.” That experience stuck with me. Most dentists fail to convert existing patients because they simply do not offer it. They feel like if they...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Most dentists believe growth comes from doing more complex cases. That is true for implants. You start with a single tooth, then move to multiple, then full arch cases. But aligners are different. Complexity does not equal growth. Here is why. More complexity means more refinements. More refinements means more time. More time means less profitability. If you want to grow with aligners, you need efficiency, not complexity. Here are 3 levers to focus on: Case selection: Do more of the simple,...
15 days ago • 1 min read
One of the biggest mistakes I see with aligners is the dentist trying to do everything alone. You run the consult, you talk case acceptance, you scan, you handle the ClinCheck, you deliver trays. No wonder it feels overwhelming. The truth is, if you want aligners to scale in your practice, your team has to own their role in the workflow. Here are 3 ways to make sure that happens: Define the playbook clearly. Confusion kills execution. If your assistant does not know exactly what to say when...
22 days ago • 1 min read
Whenever I got ideas, I used to write them down on paper so I would not forget. Over time, all I had was a bunch of paper with writing on it and very little action. I hoarded them, never throwing them away because they were “good ideas.” But the truth is, I never had a plan to actually do them. At first it was exciting. I felt like I had a bank of ideas ready to go. But it was also overwhelming. I did not know where to start. That is when I realized less is more. You can only execute on one...
29 days ago • 1 min read
When I first started teaching aligners, a lot of people asked me the same question... “Which brand do you use?” They wanted me to say one name. Invisalign. SureSmile. ClearCorrect. OrthoSnap. CandidPro. But the truth is, I do not care about the brand. What matters is the doctor. What matters is the patient. And what matters most is that the case gets started. Most dentists get stuck obsessing over which aligner company is better. They spend months debating marketing claims, lab fees, and...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Most dentists get stuck in idea overload. They write down every thought, attend CE courses, and collect pages of notes. But nothing actually changes in the practice. I know because I used to do the same thing. I would fill notebooks with “good ideas” and then let them sit. It felt exciting at first, but eventually it became overwhelming. What I learned is simple: ideas only matter if you execute on them. Here are 3 rules that helped me shift from hoarding ideas to creating results: 1. One...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
I used to watch minor cracks and crowding “just to be safe.” I thought waiting meant I was being conservative. One patient came back six months later with a cracked molar. She asked me, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” That question stung. I realized “waiting” wasn’t protecting my patients — it was protecting my own fears. If you’re stuck, try this instead: Diagnose what you see clearly and early Explain risks of delaying treatment in simple language Give patients all the info so they can...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Most dentists overcomplicate aligner conversations. I used to do the same. I’d say things like “We could straighten your teeth” or “It’s an option if you’re interested.” Sounds harmless, right? But those words signal uncertainty and make patients feel like it’s not important. Once I started confidently saying, “We need to correct your crowding to protect your teeth long-term,” everything changed. Patients listened. They understood it wasn’t just cosmetic — it was health-driven. If you’re not...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Most dentists avoid aligners because they’re afraid of refinements, upset patients, or getting stuck on complex cases. I was there too. After getting certified, I sat on the sidelines for months. I told myself I needed to “learn more” before starting. Truth is, you learn faster by doing — with the right support and simple first cases. Remember - you’re moving teeth with plastic over an 8 month period… not doing surgery or drilling straight down into their teeth with a high speed burr. You’re...
2 months ago • 1 min read
