Most dentists think they need to learn everything before starting clear aligners. That belief keeps them stuck. I felt that way too. I didn’t touch a case for months after getting certified. Then a mentor gave me simple guardrails — and I started my first case the next week. That changed everything. If you’re not sure where to start, try this: Pick one patient who already asked about straightening their teeth Confirm they have healthy bone levels and mild crowding Look for cases with no...
18 days ago • 1 min read
If you’re too busy to learn aligners — you’re too busy to grow. That used to be me. I’d come home exhausted. Telling myself I’d “figure it out later.” Later never came… until I carved out 30 minutes a week to focus. Fast forward six months — I had 50+ cases under my belt. Here’s how to make real progress in 30 minutes a week: Block 30 mins every Tuesday or Thursday (before the day starts or after lunch) Start by learning just one topic: case selection, scanning, or scripting Implement what...
25 days ago • 1 min read
When patients say no to aligners, it’s rarely about money. It’s about trust. Early on, I quoted fees and hoped they’d say yes. But once I started asking better questions and explaining why it mattered, things changed. That's when most of my consults ended with a yes. Try these two shifts to improve your acceptance rate: Ask better questions. Instead of “do you want to straighten your teeth?” ask: “Has anyone ever mentioned your teeth are in an unhealthy position?” Frame the benefits around...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Most docs try to get aligners going on their own. Then feel frustrated when the team doesn’t support it. I was there too. I tried to do everything myself — scanning, educating, managing trays. My assistant was confused, my front desk forgot follow-ups, and cases stalled. When I finally trained my team the right way, everything changed. Here’s how to get your team on board fast: Start with a 15-min huddle: Explain why aligners matter (not just for you — but for patients) Front desk = follow-up...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Every dentist has one fear when starting aligners: “What if this goes wrong?” I remember my first case with rotations and black triangles. It didn’t go as planned. The patient expected perfection. I expected simplicity. We both left disappointed. Then I changed one thing: the way I set expectations. Now I use one simple script at every consult to align goals and avoid future surprises. Here’s the script: “We’re going to make a big difference in your smile — and sometimes, the plan needs to be...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
It’s easy to look at DSOs and think: “They’ve got the team, the tech, the budget… I can’t compete with that.” But here’s what most don’t see: Solo docs have something DSOs don’t — time, trust, and the ability to implement fast. One of the docs I worked with started with 1 aligner case/month. Six months later, she was doing 6+ — no big team, no agency, no sales script. Just a simple workflow and a consistent message. Here’s how solo offices win at aligners: Scan every hygiene patient and flag...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Nothing kills momentum like back-to-back refinements. You think you’re done — and then another scan, another delay, another patient getting frustrated. I’ve been there. At one point, almost every case had a midcourse correction. I blamed the software… but it wasn’t that. It was me skipping steps upfront. Here’s how I reduced refinements by over 50%: Use attachments that actually do something — not just the auto-generated ones Set patient expectations: “This is a process. We’ll make...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
A lot of docs start offering aligners… and then hit a wall. Some months you start a case. Some months you don’t. It feels reactive — not strategic. That was me for a while. Until I built in a simple system I called “Aligner Day.” One dedicated day a quarter for consults and case starts. It changed everything. How to build your own Aligner Day system: Pick 1 day/quarter (usually a light Friday or late-start morning) Promote it internally — tell hygiene, front desk, assistants to mention it to...
2 months ago • 1 min read
At one point in 2020, I was $500K in debt, out of work… and delivering Uber Eats. Like most dentists, I started with CE. Spear modules. Clinical deep dives. Two weeks in, I realized: There was nothing to apply it to. So I checked out. Played Xbox. Made margaritas at 5. Took the Jaguars to the Super Bowl in franchise mode (twice). Until my wife looked at me and said, “You need to do something with yourself.” That’s when I signed up for Uber Eats. And weirdly… I liked it. I’d never had a job...
2 months ago • 1 min read
