For anyone who has attended Pankey, there is a magic that happens as your cross the Rickenbacker Causeway.  Whether it is the magic of Biscayne Bay, the beauty of the Miami skyline against the water, or the knowledge that you are about to be at Pankey it is something all of us experience. We are asked all the time what makes Pankey special. That is a very challenging question to answer. We provide top tier clinical education. Pankey courses also include financial and practice management sections, as well as time to explore what you need Dentistry to look like. Yet, it is more then that. Pankey is about re-engaging and re-energizing personally and professionally. There is a magic of leaving your everyday environment, immersing yourself in the best dentistry has to offer and sharing that experience with others from around the world. Most Pankey alumni share that their best friends are people they met at a Pankey course.

For two decades our building at One Crandon Boulevard has been the center of the Pankey experience. A year ago we took on renovating the Institute with the goal to modernize, create a state of the art learning facility that supports both education and the community and relationships that are the center of who we are. We are excited to announce the completion of the renovation and share with you images of the new spaces.  The renovation created 3 new learning spaces on the third floor: Becker Hall, The Third Floor Teaching Lab and out new teaching Clinic. The second floor of the building now features 22 individual suites with private bathrooms and a common area including kitchen and living space for evening sessions.

Many of you had the opportunity to share in our growing pains as you attended programs this last year, and you will be greatly rewarded when you are back as you enjoy the incredible new spaces. I’d encourage all of you to make plans to visit Pankey this year, we look forward to welcoming you to the newly renovated Pankey Institute!

Providing healthier mouths to patients and doing more fulfilling dentistry (and making more money as a result) are admirable goals most practices have. I have written a couple of times about techniques that help us improve case acceptance: creating curiosity and co-discovery, listening, the learning ladder, and more.

This brief overview is an attempt to see the process as a journey for the patient and to consider their perspective:

Patient’s Journey: Eighteen Inches at a Time

It Starts in the Head

Patients first listen to the facts about dental care, their need and wants, issues or diseases that they have, and potential treatment solutions. Sadly, facts are not enough.

Developing great listening skills, caring, and trust help patients come to see you as their health advisor. This requires an eighteen-inch ‘Journey to the Heart’! It is there that caring and trust live. The emotional connection is very important in case acceptance. To ignore it is to minimize your success. But that too is not enough.

The patient must schedule, keep appointments, and pay for recommended treatment. This ‘Journey to the Wallet’ is the next eighteen-inch trip the patient must take. It is the execution of the plan from their perspective.

Valuing dental care and oral health is demonstrated by their checkbook and what they spend time and money on. Still not done?

The next eighteen-inches take us to a knee. Appreciation helps fulfill us as caregivers. Most rewards are best when they are balanced, financial, and behavioral: money and warm fuzzies, you get the idea. Money alone does not buy happiness (but it does help you enjoy your misery in some mighty fine places!).

The final journey takes us eighteen inches to the patient’s feet. When patients tell others about your practice and refer their friends, you have come full circle. This trust display is the ultimate compliment to you and your team.

Keep the Patient’s Perspective in Mind

Ask yourself the following and seek answers with your team to enhance patient health, your fulfillment, and mutual rewards:

·       Have you helped nurture movement toward the heart?

·       Did the patient accept and schedule treatment? If not, why not?

·       Were they able to pay with gratitude and appreciation? (borrowed from Dr. Pankey)

·       Did you ask for and receive referrals of their friends and family?

Remember, it’s a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the trip and check the map along the way. You, your team, and your patients will all be the better for it.

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. -Tim Cahill

Donuts have been making a come back for years now. Where once you might have stuck with the Krispy Kreme classic, now there are endless donut shops to choose from. Miami is no exception, so when you get that craving for a round pastry on your visit to Pankey, you have to know where to go.

We’re big on desserts while traveling because they are such a fun diversion from regular habits. And why not try a delightful concoction or baked good that you can’t get anywhere else?

Here are the best donuts in Miami:

Top 4 Miami Donut Spots

1. The Dandee Donut Factory

Dandee does it right, with old-fashioned favorites prepared fresh daily. They have over 50 varieties of handmade donuts complementing an all-day breakfast menu and delightful coffee. Getting there may be a little bit more of a drive if you’re staying on the Key, but take it as an opportunity to explore Miami with a pot of gold at the end of the journey.

2. Mojo Donuts

This place knows how to make an Instagram-worthy donut. Their fried goods are fluffy and luxurious, topped with sugary glaze and creamy icing. They have unique Miami treats such as guava ‘n’ cheese and key lime donuts.

3. Velvet Creme

Velvet Creme is a self-proclaimed donut and coffee company that has a long history in Miami. They’ve been around since 1947 and currently offer a variety of finger-licking good flavors. They are bound to put a smile on your face.

4. The Salty Donut

This establishment may be last on our list, but it is certainly not last in our donut-loving hearts. The Salty Donut attracts large crowds, so be prepared for a wait that is definitely worth it. They provide artisanal donuts in the trendy Wynwood area of Miami. Flavors like nutella and white chocolate tres leches will keep you dreaming of their donuts for months after.

What’s your favorite dessert to try when you visit Miami for a Pankey course? 

How you schedule in your dental practice can significantly impact productivity. If patients are arriving late, not showing up at all, or moving their appointments a lot, you may have a minor crisis on your hands.

There’s no reason to stress when efficiency is only a few simples changes away:

Efficient Practice Scheduling

Scheduling effectively is largely determined by how much patients value your services. Are you and your dental team doing your part to make patients feel respected, cared for, and treated with the highest level of attention possible? Do your patients understand what services are provided during a hygiene appointment? Do they value oral healthcare or know how it can affect the entire body? Do they understand their individual risk factors and how routine care supports managing and minimizing these risks?

All of these are questions you should ask before going out and searching for answers to a mysterious lack of practice growth. Also, you should consider how you set up the daily schedule. Are you moving more intensive cases to the beginning of the day when you and your team are fresh? Do you have enough energy, are you arriving late to the operatory, are you running behind? If patients feel like you aren’t respectful of their time they may not be respectful of yours.

The simple change is to engage your team more. Are your hygienists and dental assistants taking the reigns as much as they can for procedures and managing the schedule? Are they an integral part of developing patient relationships, creating ownership and building an atmosphere where patients want to keep their appointments? The team is also a key component of schedule flow. Are they being utilized effectively to complete clinical procedures? This can be a key to maximizing your productivity without chronically running behind.

Have your hygienists complete their assessments at the beginning of appointments so you can drop in whenever it’s most convenient. That way patients aren’t waiting for you if you get trapped in a complex situation. All of the above are ways in which your schedule could be improved.

How do you maintain steady growth and increased productivity on a yearly basis? Please let us know your favorite tips or recent changes! Also, we have a feeling you’ll love this blog on setting splint therapy fees … 

Now that you have fabricated the platform, the next step is to capture the record with the patient. You will need a heat source and a blue Delar wax Pencil.

The first step is to heat the sides of the Master Wax Platform so they are tempered. Take the wax to the patient’s mouth and place it over the maxillary teeth. The anterior edge of the wax should be at the embrasure between the canine and the lateral. Bend the corners over the canines to help with retention. Press the wax against the teeth and ask the patient to close gently into the wax. Cool the wax with your air water syringe, have the patient open, and continue to cool the platform before removing from the mouth.

Using blue delar wax created a small bead where the lower canines have left an impression. Reseat the platform over the maxillary teeth and using bimanual guidance bring the lower canine cusp tips up until they just touch the blue wax. Have your assistant cool the wax with air. After removing the platform from the mouth add Delar wax where the second molars have left a cusp imprint. Then return the platform to the mouth and using bimanual guidance arc the patient into the wax so the lower molar cusp touches, then cool with air.

Your record should now be dropped into cool water. A disposable plastic container from the grocery works great. Write the patients name on it with sharpie marker and add it to their lab pan.

Analyzing a patient’s occlusion is key to providing optimal care. There are multiple ways to take a centric relation bite record, but one of the classics at Pankey has to be utilizing master wax. Easily mounting models in the laboratory is one of the main advantages of this method.

Although a slightly more challenging technique from a chairside perspective, it can still be accomplished with ease. Here is where to start:

Intro to the Master Wax Centric Relation Bite Record

Begin by gathering your necessary tools and materials. Start with a red master wax that looks just like baseplate wax from a standpoint of the size of the wax sheets, although it is different because it’s both softer and tackier. You will also need a blue wax pencil, scissors to cut the wax, a heat source such as an alcohol torch, and a way to light the heat source.

Take a single sheet of wax and temper it in the middle with the intention of being able to bend it in half. Once it is thoroughly tempered, bend it in half without cracking or breaking the wax. Make sure the bend is fairly crisp. After the wax has cooled a little bit, open it back up and cut it in half. Out of every sheet of wax, you should be able to generate two platforms for wax records.

Once again temper the wax halfway in the middle with the heat source. Tempering refers to heating to flexibility but not dripping. Again, fold the wax in half so you have a double thickness sheet. Then, cut the wax into the shape of the platform …

Look for the second part in this series about our master wax technique coming soon. And did you get a chance to read this Pankey Gram blog on enjoying Miami while you visit Pankey? Let us know what you think!

There is always room for improvement in the dental practice, but it can be challenging to know where to start. One of the best places to change things up is with CE on topics you may have never learned before. Another option is to delve into new adjunctive services or work toward providing more comprehensive care.

Adding and Marketing Adjunctive Treatments

For example, how strong is your whitening protocol or treatment options? Bleaching is incredibly popular, but just because you offer it doesn’t mean patients know or understand what is available to them. It’s a good idea to find creative ways of adding or marketing at-home tray bleaching alongside other more complex or involved services.

Another adjunctive treatment that can be a great boost in the practice is Invisalign. It’s a fabulous way to improve the outcome of many comprehensive treatment plans by optimizing tooth position. It also has some serious brand name cachet.

Invisalign can make your treatment plans more conservative because it can lead to requiring less restorative work. Additionally, patients who wouldn’t be willing to try traditional orthodontia will likely be far more interested in the clear Invisalign trays. Invisalign can be a new stream of revenue for the practice. That along with bleaching will noticeably increase profitability.

All in all, adding more services will keep things lively, introduce you to more interesting concepts, and inject some energy into the practice. Patients who trust and appreciate you will be excited to take advantage of previously unavailable treatments. These services will also help attract new patients to the practice or draw the attention of a unique demographic. There are plenty of options to explore!

Curious what makes dental care a valued investment? Check out this Pankey Gram blog we’re loving from Dr. Will Kelly here. And let us know what adjunctive services you offer in your practice …

Function and esthetics are the two primary goals of excellent treatment. Achieving them both simultaneously requires the right tools used with the best skill possible. The  Dento-Facial Analyzer is my go-to for gathering information I can use to improve the outcome of mounting a maxillary model.

In parts 1 and 2 of this series, I introduced the Dento-Facial Analyzer and began the discussion of how to capture records with it. Here, I’ll complete my overview of a solid technique:

Completing the Dento-Facial Analyzer Technique

… Ensure the Dento-Facial Analyzer is positioned level to the horizon both when looking straight on at the patient’s face from the anterior section and looking at them from the side. It should be level in both planes of space. Then, allow the bite silicone to set and have the patient hold to verify.

Remember that the main use of the Dento-Facial Analyzer is transferring three significant pieces of information. This is either intended for the laboratory or for when we mount our own models.

The first piece of information is the maxillary relationship – the distance to hinge access – which means it’s very important that the central incisors on the maxilla are seated against the plastic bite plate.

Second, we are transferring information about the occlusal plane and the incisal plane. From an incisal plane perspective, it’s crucial that the plate is level to the horizon as we look straight on at the patient once we have the analyzer in. The vertical rod on the analyzer indicates the center of the face – the facial midline – which can be given by the central philtrum of the upper lip or the center of glabella.

You should also look at how you’ve captured the record from a lateral view. This ensures the occlusal plane – the relationship of the cant from anterior to posterior teeth that exists in the patient’s face – is transferred accurately to the lab or onto the articulator. The side bar of the Dento-Facial Analyzer should be level to the horizon.

Do you use this simple and accurate tool?

For a hands-on demonstration of the Dento-Facial Analyzer from Pankey educators, learn more about our Essentials 1 course.

The small Florida town of Key Biscayne is home to the Pankey Institute and multiple other interesting businesses. It’s a unique vacation spot, with beautiful beaches and a special community. How much do you know about its fascinating history?

Key Biscayne History for Pankey Buffs

As a barrier island, Key Biscayne is little known to most people who aren’t from the Miami area. Before America was ‘discovered’ and colonized, the Key was home to the Tequesta Indians.

Once Spain got to exploring this side of the planet, Key Biscayne was quickly handed off into the possession of the King of Spain. Much later, Florida became part of the United States and the island was sold for a couple hundred dollars combined to a family and the U.S. government.

The first town on Key Biscayne wasn’t introduced until 1839. Growth was slow at first due to the prevalence of pirates. Over time, a coconut plantation was built, which attracted more people to join the community.

Everything began to change as land was partially donated to the public, shopping centers and schools were built. Divided from the mainland, this island paradise began to gain its name and mansions quickly dotted the scenery. The Village of Key Biscayne was officially incorporated at the start of the 90s.

Since 1991, Key Biscayne has blossomed into a true community and resort spot. It retains a more laid-back spirit due to the distance from the mainland. The population hovers at around 12,000 people, with seven shopping centers and a diverse population. Not to mention some of the best food in Miami at large!

You can learn more about the history of Key Biscayne here and interesting facts about the Village here. It is a wonderful place we are proud to call Pankey’s home.

Do you know any cool facts about the Key’s history? 

Dentists can feel like they have to do everything and decide everything in the dental practice. After all those years of training, hard work, and practice, it’s no surprise we take the lead.

But even only five years into practicing, doing everything and always being the expert can get pretty exhausting. You may want to provide exceptional care, but you can’t be everywhere at once. That’s when it’s time to start taking on more of a mentorship role with your team members.

Leaning On Your Hygienists and Assistants

If you’ve developed a positive, collaborative practice culture, you’ll likely be surprised by how many of the people you employ jump at the opportunity to learn more and embrace more responsibilities. Some might seem hesitant, but likely this stems not from disinterest but from not wanting to disappoint or threaten their position by messing up.

You actually can’t and shouldn’t do it all. First and foremost, rely on your team to fill in some of the gaps of kindness/emotion/consideration that you may not be able to fill as easily if your schedule is packed. Even if you can’t hear about the patient’s life story, someone on the team should be making an effort to get to know them more personally.

Hygienists and assistants can be trained for many specialties you might not even be aware they are allowed to perform. They can handle impressions, facebows, photographs, sealants, whitening, and oral hygiene instructions and make lucia jigs, quicksplints, and provisionals.

That’s no small amount of tasks. Think of all the time you could save by entrusting more to team members who may already feel complacent in their work. You’ll end up fostering a more engaged working environment.

How do you lean on your dental assistants and hygienists? We’d love to know your tips and tricks!