The phrase, “You can do this!” when offered by a trusted friend at the ideal time can help us put thoughts into actions around our learning. 

My partner Nancy and I always aggressively pursued dental continuing education for many reasons. We were racking up hours, techniques, ideas, travel, and expenses way beyond the norm.

As we went along, I started to notice a disjointedness to my learning. While I was in charge of my path, I missed discussing the journey with others.

Learning How to Learn With Likeminded People

One afternoon, while sitting in a study club meeting with two of my mentors, Rich Green and Jay Anderson, we were discussing our schedule and next meeting. Jay looked at me, winked, and said, “You can do this!” He meant that he thought I could organize a similar study group.

That was an interesting thought. The idea of gathering people in my network and developing a shared path of learning was attractive to me. Here were my next steps: 

• I spent some time clarifying in my mind exactly what I was looking for.
• I had coffee, lunch, or a drink with about a dozen of my peers to see what they were interested in and whether our goals meshed.
• I gathered interested people together to “meet and greet” and develop a shared vision, direction, responsibilities, and tentative schedules.
• I lined up facilitators and we were off.

The benefit to me was a local community of likeminded peers bolstered by the significant input they gave about the program. I learned more not only about dentistry but also about working with small groups. There was plenty of downtime with many of my dental heroes.

Of course, there are always nitty gritty aspects of creating a new study club. But those of us on the Pankey Learning Group team stand ready to help you with the process because, “You can do it too!”

How do you make sure your CE learning is deep rather than surface? 

How we demonstrate leadership outside the practice inevitably impacts how we lead once we return. That’s why it’s beneficial to seek out opportunities for growth wherever we can. Choosing to hold a leadership role is one particularly impactful way of doing this.

Leading Outside the Dental Practice

Re-connecting with dentistry and friends in Chicago in mid-February has been a very significant part of my journey in dentistry. The energy and buzz of new technology, new research findings and great speakers is always invigorating. But it’s not just the CDS Mid-Winter that brings me out to the Windy City in February. It’s also the smaller focused groups that make Chicago very significant and special.

The AES, APS, AAFD, AOD AARD and Lab Day are the crown jewels of dentistry that all meet over 5 days. The Chicago mid-winter vibe always reminds me of a family reunion where we catch up with each other and reboot our love for dentistry together. Over the last 30 years, I  have attended meetings held by all of the groups mentioned above.

The place I’ve chosen to plug in and serve in leadership has been the American Prosthodontic Society (APS). Founded in 1928, the APS has always been a voice for collaboration between the specialist, the generalist with interest in the discipline, and the laboratory technologist.

In 1960, LD Pankey served as President. This year, the APS will be celebrating their 90th annual meeting. For the first time in dentistry they will be installing a laboratory technologist as President. I am very grateful for the APS and its voice of commitment to quality learning and leadership in the discipline of restorative care for the patients we serve.

Taking on leadership in an organization like APS is the type of experience that can translate back to better working relationships at home.

Dr. LD Pankey was born and reared in Southern Illinois over five miles of countryside. His father had a grocery store and a farm, but he didn’t venture into the larger world until he was ten years old. When he was about 12, he fell in love with dentistry while climbing the steps to a dental office for the first time. He knew then it was what he wanted to do.

Dr. Pankey moved to Indiana halfway through high school to get an accredited high school education. Then he went to the University of Louisville and graduated at 22 in 1924. That was the beginning of his career.

His wife was a dentist’s daughter who he met at a board meeting. They married in 1933. He has three daughters and a son, who went on to be an orthodontist. But without a crucial move early in his career, everything might have been different for Dr. Pankey.

Courage in the Face of Complacency: Why Dr. Pankey Moved to Florida

Dr. Pankey’s first practice was in Newcastle, Kentucky. After graduating, his advisor in dental school told him to take on this practice in Kentucky from a dentist who was moving to Florida, as he knew Dr. Pankey was young, broke, and $3300 in debt (at the time, this seemed like a lot more money).

He suggested Dr. Pankey gain some maturity and security in a practice that was already built up before moving on to bigger and better things. Dr. Pankey had nine patients the first day and fourteen the second, a trend which continued for many months. He paid off his debt, was happy, and bought a new car.

At the time, he wrote a letter to his mother about how well he was doing. She responded saying she was glad for him, but that she hoped he wasn’t providing poor dental care. She had recently had dentures placed and hadn’t felt good since.

This formative interaction made him very unhappy because he was in fact practicing the kind of dentistry his mother had experienced. He also felt he had become too comfortable. In 1925, he left for Florida and promised to save teeth not remove them. This was the beginning of the development of his philosophy of practice and his journey of continuous learning, a concept he taught other dentists until the end of his life.

The rest is Pankey history!

In part 1 and 2 of this candid blog series, Dr. Brad Weiss discusses the dissolution of his partnership with an associate and how he believes others can avoid falling into similar situations.

In July, I finished my term as president of my rotary club. I termed it a “planned hardship,” much like a camping trip where you know you will be better for having experienced it.

Each week for the rotary club meetings, I ended them with Rotary’s Four Way Test: First, is it the truth? Second, is it fair to all concerned? Third, will it build goodwill and better friendships? Fourth, will it be beneficial to all concerned?  

My vision of what defines a successful partnership aligns with the rotary club mindset. I believe a partnership in the dental practice is where each of the four above criteria can be met. My patients are the ultimate beneficiaries of a well-functioning agreement.  

A Broken Dental Partnership

I am not a practice transitions expert, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I did go to the school of hard knocks. I have been an associate, worked as an employee for a corporate entity, shared space as my own S Corp, and eventually merged my small practice with a much larger one to become a 50-50 partner with an associate as our employee.  

There is shame attached to the failure of any relationship. As my partnership split after six-and-a-half years, mine is no exception. The more I tell my story, the more I hear such similar stories from other dentists. It is eerie and disappointing to know that more is not done to improve the odds of partnership success.  

My belief is that the shame attached keeps others from knowing how to avoid potential strife between two otherwise reasonable people.

To be continued…

Miami is a sprawling tropical metropolis dotted with palm trees and bright splashes of color. It has many different iconic neighborhoods such as Miami Beach and Little Havana.

That’s why it can be difficult to decide which face of Miami you want to see. European and art deco? Latin American and vibrant? Upscale and polished?

Here’s our guide to exploring the beautiful and always entertaining Miami:

Which Part of Miami Should You Visit?

1. Calle Ocho

This memorable street in Little Havana is known for good Cuban food and its unique atmosphere. The area is Cuban through and through, which will give you a taste of the culture without ever having to leave the country. While you’re in the area, check out Versailles restaurant for authentic Cuban cuisine.

2. Wynwood Art District

This is the hipster paradise of Miami, where you’ll find a multitude of art galleries and craft beer establishments. Visit Wynwood to soak in eclectic street art or grab a beer at a brewery like Concrete Beach.

3. Lincoln Road

Upscale Miami lies on a stretch of road referred to as ‘Lincoln’ that features all of the coffee shops and luxury stores you could ever want. It’ll be difficult to keep yourself from splurging in one of the boutiques.

4. Miami Beach

This is the area that most people associate with Miami. Its appearance has that distinct Miami look, complete with art deco buildings that are a delight to see.

5. South Beach

South Beach is retro Miami at its finest. It can be a bit touristy, but it does have fabulous restaurants and a breezy, relaxed sensibility. This is the place where you want to get a satisfying brunch before settling back at the beach.

What do you want to visit the next time you come to Pankey? Let us know in the comments! 

After building my dental practice from scratch, my work life began to get more and more intense. I knew I had to slow down, but I didn’t know how until I decided to take a leap of faith and visit the Pankey Institute.

Creating a Work Life Vision at Pankey

At Essentials One, I was blown away by the faculty to student ratio. It was almost 1:1! The quality of the education was outstanding, but what I found most impressive was the encouragement, mentorship, and passion from all the faculty and staff.

Pankey taught me how to help my patients value dentistry, develop communication skills, and learn co-diagnosis. Most importantly, Pankey helped me create a vision of what I always knew I wanted — a low volume fee for service practice that allowed me to have a good family-work life balance.  

Returning to My Dental Practice Recharged

When I came back home from Essentials 1, I immediately stopped working six days a week. I started some training exercises with my team to show them what my vision was.

One month later, I went out of network with my first insurance plan. This plan was one of my biggest — it made up 25% of my patient base, but I was determined. Six months later, I evaluated our progress. We did not lose a single patient and our revenues had actually doubled. When I saw this, I went out of network with six more plans immediately. We were on a mission.

Today, two years after Essentials 1, I am only in network with one remaining plan. Our practice has continued to grow. We have worked less hours, seen almost half as many patients per day, and our practice revenues have increased.

Additionally, I have also taken more time off every year and taken more continuing education than I have in the past. My team continues to be excited in our journey together to achieving our professional and personal goals.  

My story is nothing special. I truly believe anybody can develop the clinical, leadership, and communication skills to create a successful relationship-based practice. For me, the Pankey Institute provided all the resources I needed. Pankey has changed my life. I hope to give back one day. 

What’s your dental practice story? Join the conversation in the comments! 

Five years ago, I started a dental practice from scratch. Brand new building, brand new equipment, zero patients, and zero cash flow.

Building a Brand New Dental Practice

We were in a network with over 15 insurance plans, opened early mornings, and stayed open until late evenings — our patient base grew quickly. After two years, I found myself still working the same long hours, attempting to accommodate as many patients as I could.

I was working at my own practice three days a week and at another practice the other three days. I was totaling six days a week! I always valued continuing education, but my schedule only allowed for online education on the weekends or the “slow days” during the week.  

Burning Out or Slowing Down

As my own practice got busier, I found myself doing over 30 hygiene exams a day, along with seeing 12-15 restorative patients per day. I was jumping room to room nonstop. I started to realize I would not be able to keep up this pace forever. Something had to change.  

I had conversations with my team about going out of network with some insurance plans. The feedback I got from them was, “I think we will lose a lot of patients. Our patients are all insurance driven.” As a result, we kept “grinding it out.”

Shortly after, I attended a lecture by Dr. Jeff Baggett at a dental conference in town. When I saw his dentistry and his enthusiasm for dentistry, I thought to myself, “Man, I wish I was that enthusiastic.” I loved what I do, but I didn’t see myself going down a very good career path in dentistry.

I kept in touch with Jeff after the conference and he convinced me to go to the Pankey Institute. I was hesitant at first due to the time I would have to take away from work. Eventually, I took a leap of faith and signed up for Pankey Essentials 1 (E1).

To be continued…

In fifth grade, I knew I wanted to be in dentistry. Unfortunately, I thought that meant either being a receptionist, assistant, or hygienist. The thought of being a dentist never entered my mind until I was finishing up my dental hygiene program.

Pivotal Dental School & Career Moments

After several more years of working and evening classes, I was accepted to dental school. I was extremely grateful to get in. I loved dental school and sought out the best instructors so I could learn as much as possible.  

One instructor in particular invited me to help her in the TMJ Clinic. Back in 1988, exposure to splint therapy and equilibration techniques was rare. She impressed upon me the importance of stable joints and occlusion. I was able to work with her on two patients my senior year. At the time, I did not realize what a gift this had been. She was also one of several instructors who recommended the Pankey Institute to me. Turns out that was a gift as well.

Following graduation and a GPR, I started practice as an associate with my uncle. In 1994, I began my journey at the Pankey Institute. I had no idea just how much coming to Key Biscayne would change my life.

Although we learn so much throughout the continuums, the emphasis on stable joints and occlusion has been critical to my success as a dentist. Most of the failures we encounter are a direct result of not doing a thorough enough evaluation of our patients before treatment begins. Learning how to do a comprehensive examination and achieving stability is absolutely essential for preventing mistakes and failures.

During the second continuum, I discovered my own TMJ dysfunction and was treated with splint therapy, orthodontics, and equilibration. Going through these procedures enabled me to witness why it is so important to have stability.

Had I not been introduced to TMJ concerns in dental school and later gone to the Pankey Institute, I would not have gained the knowledge to anticipate and prevent failures for my patients. The strong emphasis on a comprehensive evaluation enabled me to treat patients successfully and have an enjoyable and meaningful career.

What are your most memorable or formative moments from dental school? 

It’s time to forget your New Years resolutions for a night (or morning) at our top four favorite Miami dessert spots.

Dental continuing education should always come with a hefty serving of fun in addition to all of the personal and career development. What could be more fun than sugar, sugar, and more sugar?

Best Desserts in Miami (AKA Bring on the Cavities)

When you visit Pankey, it would be a shame not to leave Key Biscayne at least once to explore mainland Miami. Not only does the city boast a fascinating assortment of culture, it’s also known for world-class cuisine.

But where to go and, most importantly, what restaurant(s) should you visit? Don’t worry, we’ll lead you on the path of dessert decadence:

1. A Simple Slice of Pie at The Dutch

Pie, you ask? Really? Oh yes. Choose the pie of your heart’s desire at this eclectic American-style bar, restaurant, and oyster room on Miami Beach. Salted lime, caramel apple, and banana cream pies are made fresh daily.

2. An Insane Milkshake at Bocas House

Whether you’re on Instagram or not, you will have to get a picture of your Bocas House milkshake to share with all close and not-so-close acquaintances. Their whimsical masterpieces like the Nutella and Golden Milkshakes are topped with everything from brownies to ice cream cones.

3. A Sophisticated Flourless Cake at Chef Sucre Cafe

This Coral Gables eatery is a foodie’s dream. Order the flourless chocolate cake (gluten free, for those wondering) and enjoy the lingonberry chutney prepared alongside chantilly cream. It’s an unforgettable dessert experience.

4. A Jaw-Dropping Deep Fried Oreo at Yardbird

Gone are the days when deep fried oreos were only considered festival fare. Yardbird turns the tables with this shocking dessert. It’s honestly a meal of its own, though you might find the other dessert offerings (mini nutella-filled beignets, bacon butterscotch cake, and more) difficult to pass up.

There are endless Miami desserts that could have made it onto this list, including our favorite Gelato right on Key Biscayne at Bertoni. If none of our choices suit your taste buds, go ahead and explore! The local fare is always full of surprises.

There are four cornerstones of dentistry that determine a balance essential for true success. In Part 1 of this series, I discussed Clinical Services and Patient Care, which have an external focus on patients. They guide how you and your standards are viewed by your community and presented to them.

Now, I’ll dive into Team Participation and Practice Growth and Development. These two cornerstones have an internal focus that shape quality of life and internal direction.

All four of the interrelated cornerstones will impact success in dentistry, especially if one is out of balance with the others. Use them to identify your current reality, vision for the future, and action plan.

Cornerstones of Dentistry: Team Participation and Practice Growth and Development

Team Participation

Team participation is a tacit feature of all dental practices. Team members have a huge impact on the practice atmosphere, as well as the collective success of patient care. Individually, the level and quality of team participation must be cultivated and supported based on your practice vision.

You can seek out and hire team members who are passionate and keen on raising the practice up. You can also determine standards for teamwork built on healthy expectations, the fair exchange of ideas, and support of insights. You can design a culture that enables different opinions to thrive in light of shared values. You can share the ups and downs, as well as the pride and purpose, of working together.

Practice Growth & Development

You have the ultimate say in defining and instituting a standard for growth. In your practice, you create and have responsibility for meeting goals related to finances, size of patient base, size of practice team, and your schedule.

Your personal and professional growth is your decision. You can seek out opportunities that fit your educational desires and sense of monetary value. It’s not helpful to compare yourself to other practices, because their goals and how they achieve them will not be the same. The ‘return on investment’ for CE and other professional development can only be gauged by you.