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...

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...

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...