I see it all the time. Docs get excited and jump into tough cases first — severe crowding, major bite changes, or posterior crossbites. Crazy stuff. Why? Because we weren’t taught that there are LEVELS to ortho cases. I did the same. My first few cases took forever and needed tons of refinements. I lost confidence fast. When I started focusing on simple cases — mild crowding, no big bite changes — my confidence (and case acceptance) skyrocketed. If you’re just starting: Stick to mild anterior...

Most dentists see aligners as a revenue booster. But the real ROI? Patient loyalty. Case acceptance in other areas. Better overall oral health outcomes. When patients see you as the doc who helps them feel confident and healthy, they stay. They refer. They trust your recommendations beyond aligners. Take a second and think about what happens when 1 patient starts treatment with you. They leave and live their life. They go to dinners with friends. At the dinner they take out their aligners and...

Dentists often think they need more marketing to get more aligner starts. But the real hidden barrier? Your team. If your team isn’t engaged, excited, and aligned on the value of aligners, patients won’t move forward — no matter how good your pitch is. When I started training my team first (before pushing marketing), my starts went up immediately. To get your team on board: Involve them in the why behind aligners (not just the steps) Role-play common patient questions together Celebrate each...