Dentistry has largely resisted adopting modern internet tools, continuing to rely on outdated systems, insecure practices, and old-school processes. The lack of urgency to change stems from the mindset that “things work fine,” even as the rest of the world moves forward.
Chicago Midwinter stands out as a prime gathering place for vendors, educators, and innovators, offering the perfect environment to witness and test the latest advancements in dentistry firsthand. Despite initial pandemic fears, this in-person event remains strong, showcasing cutting-edge technology and enthusiastic support from industry leaders.
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Last week Henry-Schein Announced 12% of the stock purchase by a Private Equity Firm.
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According to BeckersDental.com, “31% of dentists plan to retire in the next six years. DentalPost surveyed nearly 3,500 dental professionals to create this year’s report, which was conducted from October to November 2024.” Right away, I thought this is very positive news for the industry because it creates opportunities for associates to enter the ownership game. Most retiring dentists are not looking to just “hang up their coat” and be done; they are often open to...
According to Reuters, Patterson Dental is being taken private in a deal worth $4.1bn. The article cites a major struggle for Patterson Dental:“Analysts have highlighted easing demand for dental products and surgeries as inflation-weary customers prioritize the purchase of essential products.”However, if you ask anyone in the industry, they would all disagree that this is the primary reason for Patterson’s decline. Many factors contributed to the downturn of what was once the “Nordstrom” of dental supplies—ranging from leadership changes to adopting new norms, to missing the boat on DSO growth. Yet I would like to focus on what could be exciting in the future.
This article challenges common misconceptions about running a dental practice, emphasizing that success comes from mastering the basics, taking ownership of problems, and consistently implementing solutions. Financial management is just as critical as clinical quality, enabling better patient care and long-term growth. Ultimately, success requires action, discipline, and the willingness to move beyond comfort zones.
Our team is quite expansive, spanning across a few countries, but for the U.S. members, we make it a priority to gather every quarter. These retreats allow us to visit our member practices, collaborate closely, and share meals together. While remote work offers numerous benefits, it does come with the downside of missing out on face-to-face interactions with colleagues. These quarterly get-togethers truly make a difference.
My goal is to learn how Zen works in real life—how people actually interact with what we designed. There is no right or wrong way of using it, and my aim is to see how it’s actually being used so I can convert that into a list of improvements for our team to tackle. Not to get ahead of myself, but I finished the trip with a list of five major improvement requests and 10-15 minor fixes
Imagine a world where managing dental inventory becomes not just easy, but thrillingly efficient. Even with nine years of experience under our belts, we're still discovering new ways to streamline and organize. In this article, get ready to delve deep into the latest game-changing update: the integration of QR codes across three distinct dental offices (Georgetown Elite Dental, Prime Time Dentistry, Holman Family Dentistry), all powered by the cutting-edge ZenOne platform. And here's the kicker—it's accessible to users on both iOS and Android devices. Let's uncover how this innovative approach is revolutionizing dental inventory management!
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There are many aspects we can all agree are missing in dentistry today. However, from my perspective, having worked with dental teams daily, I can clearly see that onboarding, training, and nurturing for your team is sorely lacking. Let's refer to it simply as "training".How do I know? Well, I constantly hear phrases like, "They don't even know how to put on a rubber dam" or "How many times do I need to say that I use plain cetonest?" or my personal favorite, "I just need a dental assistant who can get the work done." What does this mean?Each dental practice is unique, with its own methods and procedures. This is the one area where I'd agree that every practice differs. Some have morning huddles, some do not. Some use the radio, while others do not
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Trend 1: I think one of the most important trends is the gain in popularity of buying groups. Especially after the COVD, a lot of dental practices are being approached and are interested in saving money on supplies and having a membership with a buying group is a good start. There are different options on the market, from free to a monthly membership ($125-$299/month) and most provide a vast range of savings options, equipment, labs, credit card processing and supplies....
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From what I experienced and learned about the headset, we can see 3 possible scenarios of this technology being adopted in dentistry.
We are so excited to announce to the dental world that we are soon launching our new product, ZenOne. First, only in Texas and to a small group of practices who love the thrill of being first and are up for an adventure. So let’s dive in why Texas is our first State to launch a new product.
Listen to the podcast here Watch the full video on Youtube Dear Zen Members, We launched ZenSupplies in 2016 with a simple goal to streamline the ordering process and help organize the dental world one order at a time. Step by step we made progress and I personally met most of you at conferences or in your office. All of these meetings made ahugeimpact on me and most importantly allowed me to see how Zen was being used in real time in a dental office. It also added a sense of responsibility to build the right product that truly brings value to each one of you. These one-on-one meetings allowed me to learn and deeply understand the challenges of each practice, team dynamics, and how Zen needed to better function in order to solve your problems. As we learned and continued to grow I realized there were decisions I made early on that were holding us back from the potential we were capable of. For example, how we structured catalogs or how order approval processes were made. I can remember many instances when I visited one of your offices and saw how painful it was to use certain parts of the Zen site. I had this growing desire inside of me and I knew Zen could be better and have a platform that every practice would love using. In 2021, I decided it was time to build a new platform from scratch. This would take everything we had learned into account and provide our members with a much better, faster, and more importantly- smoother experience. Prices and stock levels are updated in real time and search is so intuitive that it feels as if a human is listening to you and finding what you are looking for. This new platform would also give us the flexibility we needed to scale to many more vendors and add long-awaited features such as expense management, budget labels, and predictable ordering through integration with your practice management software. I am very excited about the near future and can’t wait for you to see what this new Zen platform can do for your office. We will begin offering demos and a preview of the new platform starting early November into December with a goal of starting migration on January 1, 2024. My team is relentlessly working around the clock to make this process as smooth and easy for each of you as possible. My hope is that you will find the new Zen platform to bring even more efficiencies, a better user experience, and even more amazing savings to your office. Please keep an eye out for email updates and important information as we get closer to the launch date. And please make sure to sign up for a demo. I am confident you will love it! You can reach me attiger@zenone.comand by phone 872-225-2090 or Delaney atdelaney@zenone.comor by phone 872-225-2894. Tiger and the entire Zen Team
Listen to the podcast here Watch the full video on Youtube Trip to Michigan At Zen, we really love when we have an opportunity to go out and meet the people we work with. A recent visit to Michigan brought us together with Rich, the Head of North America Sales at Garrison Dental, and it was truly special. This meeting marked a pivotal moment in our journey, as both Rich and I dedicated significant time to brainstorming and developing strategies aimed at elevating our partnership. Our shared mission, which has always been the primary goal of our respective companies, remains focused on helping private practices get top-notch products while having direct relationships with manufacturers. Rich’s background Rich, with 17 years at Garrison Dental, joined the company when it was a decade into its existence. He initially stepped into the role of a sales manager, entrusted with the task of establishing the sales group for North America. At that time, there were only two customer service representatives who laid the foundation for the inside sales department at Garrison Dental Solutions. Before his tenure at Garrison, Rich's professional background was firmly rooted in the banking and mortgage industry. He had managed large call centers across the United States, overseeing various financial services, including credit card processing and mortgages. His transition to Garrison Dental coincided with a turbulent period in the banking industry, marked by a housing market crash and economic instability. Despite the uncertainty in the banking sector, Rich seized the opportunity to start working in the medical field. A friend who was a recruiter guided him toward the position at Garrison Dental, and though he had reservations about the unfamiliar territory of the dental industry, he took a leap of faith. Garrison Dental was a relatively small company at the time, but it held grand ambitions for growth. What drew Rich to the company was its strong family-oriented culture, a refreshing departure from the corporate world where he had previously worked, characterized by a disconnect between employees and company owners. The welcoming atmosphere and close-knit environment at Garrison Dental were particularly appealing to him. Early years of Garrison Dental Right next to the manufacturing facility, there's a dental office that holds a special place in Garrison Dental's history. This dental practice had a unique role in the company's origin story. It all began in the basement of this building, where Dr. Edgar Garrison ran his dental practice. When Dr. Edgar Garrison retired, his son, John, took over the practice, maintaining the family tradition of dentistry. While John was practicing upstairs, the foundation of Garrison Dental Solutions was laid in the basement. About eight years later, they moved into the building that still houses Garrison Dental today. In the early days, Garrison Dental outsourced a significant portion of their manufacturing. However, a transformation occurred over the years, and now the majority of their manufacturing takes place at their in-house facility. Innovative product For Rich, the knowledge that Garrison Dental manufactured its own products instilled a deep sense of confidence in the products he sold. During his early days with the company, he attended a trade show and noticed a great interest from customers. Many visitors flocked to the Garrison Dental booth, eager to see what was new. This demand often led to increased sales, a testament to the innovative product lines and the strong loyalty of their customer base. Rich found it surprisingly easy to promote their product line, given the reputation of Garrison Dental and its commitment to innovation. In the past, when Rich first joined, many dental practitioners were using older methods, such as the Tofflemire matrix system. This required a more detailed and technical sales process, explaining the advantages of the sectional matrix system. Today, the landscape has evolved. Approximately 70% of dental practices have transitioned to using sectional matrix systems for their restorations, making the sales process less technical. The focus now lies in highlighting the superiority of Garrison Dental's products over their competitors. While there are still some Tofflemire users, the process of explaining the benefits has become more streamlined and focused on product differentiation. Shift in the dental industry Nowadays, Rich believes the most significant change in the dental industry is the shift from solo practices to a more corporate landscape. When he first joined the field, solo practitioners were the norm, often passing their practices down through generations. An example of this traditional model was the Garrisons, where three generations of dentists - Edgar's father, Edgar, and John - continued the legacy. However, in the present day, there is a notable trend toward corporate entities known as DSOs (Dental Support Organizations). This transition away from solo practitioners passing practices down to their children to a more corporate structure has reshaped the industry. While Rich recalls that Heartland Dental was one of the pioneering DSOs when he started with Garrison, this corporate model has since become more prevalent. Regarding what makes a private dental practice strong and resilient, Rich believes it's much like any successful business. The key lies in the relationships they build within their community and the devoted followers they accumulate. An example close to home is Spring Lake, Michigan, where practices like Ed Crenshaw Garrison's were deeply intertwined with the community. The positive impact they had on their local area contributed to their strength and success. In Rich's view, this community-oriented approach is not only a blessing but also the essence of how business should be conducted. Online business operations Rich believes that the landscape of the dental industry is continuously evolving. Notably, there has been a significant shift towards online business operations. The growth of online sales and e-procurement is becoming increasingly prominent, much of it influenced by giants like Amazon. With the changes brought about by COVID-19, the role of dealer representatives visiting dental practices has dwindled. The industry is embracing more online processes. Rich also stresses the importance of partnering with organizations that share similar values. Garrison Dental takes pride in offering their products through multiple channels, including e-procurement and direct dealers, with a strong focus on catering to the needs of the customer. The key is to collaborate with partners who share the same vision and commitment to customer care. In their interactions with dental practices, Rich and his team often encounter the challenge of staff turnover. They understand that practices undergo personnel changes, and it can be stressful for the doctors. Rich highlighted that they offer webinars and online resources to help new team members become acquainted with Garrison's products, especially if they're unfamiliar with them. This support ensures a smoother transition for the practice and its staff. Rich also emphasized the impact of COVID-19 on the industry and how Garrison Dental adapted to the changing landscape. In response to the limitations imposed by the pandemic, Garrison Dental elevated its commitment to educational technology. They began producing webinars and other online resources that allowed customers to see their products in action during various dental procedures. These resources were a direct response to the absence of trade shows in 2020 and 2021, which traditionally provided an opportunity to meet customers in person and showcase products. With the shift to online resources, customers could now easily access instructional material by visiting Garrison Dental's website or YouTube channel, enabling them to gain a better understanding of product usage. Final Words In conclusion, at Zen, we are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Garrison Dental Solutions. In our interactions with the team, we emphasize our commitment to learning and doing things the right way. Every time Rich and Tiger connect to discuss ways to work together, the central question is, "How do we best serve the customer?" This guiding principle helps them refine their internal processes and continually improve their collaboration. We look forward to continuing this productive partnership!