Dr. Paul Henny is back for another episode, and in this one we're discussing some of the challenges modern dentists face: high overhead, pressure from insurance, and how school debt can make prioritizing profits over patients unfortunately tempting for many.

We also dig into something often overlooked in dental care: the psychological aspects of patient behavior, and how lacking understanding of how people work can really only lead to significant frustration for practitioners.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS

Pretty much every American has had at least one negative run-in with their medical or dental insurance, but it wasn't always like this. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Paul Henny, a fee-for-service dentist who transitioned away from accepting dental insurance and all its limitations.

We talk a bit about how insurance companies transitioned from focusing on patient care to financial gain and some of the sneaky tactics they use. Dr. Henny also shares what it was like to move from accepting insurance to going fully fee-for-service and why he chose to make the change. Plus, in this episode we discuss the overall increasing corporatization of both medical and dental services, and how practitioners can shift to a more patient-centered approach.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS

¿Dónde está la dentista? This episode with Dr. Raúl Pascual—a dentist with his own clinic in Sevilla, Spain—is a real treat. If you've ever wondered how different dental schooling is abroad, Spain is an interesting example. From the length and topics of their schooling to the price (unsurprisingly lower than the US!), how different countries treat potential future dental professionals could have a large impact on the availability of those services in the future.

But the differences (and similarities) between dentistry in our countries goes a step further. We also discuss challenges in private versus public dental care, the impact of lacking business education on dental practices, and the general public's view on the importance of preventive dental care.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS

We're back in this episode with part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Susan Maples! In this episode we're digging a little deeper into some of the topics we covered in the previous episode, plus exploring a couple new ones.

Join us as we talk about what truly motivates insurance companies and the ways it prevents them from truly caring for their patients. We also talk a little bit about insurance fraud and why some dental practices find themselves tempted to wheedle their way around their contracts and low reimbursements rates.

We dive a LOT deeper into why it's so important to get a comprehensive view of a person's dental health and how it correlates to other areas, from mouth bacteria levels to the results of a sleep study. Susan also shares how that full-body view allows for dental and medical professionals to better determine and advocate for the kinds of prevention a patient may need.

For practitioners, deciding to stop taking insurance is understandably a scary prospect. If you take one thing away from this episode, I hope it's that for dental/medical professionals like Susan who have the right setup to take the plunge, the risk can be worth it.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS

I am SO excited to have Dr. Susan Maples on the show with me today! As an author, speaker, and dentist practicing total health dentistry, she has a lot of first-hand experience with the ups and downs (mostly downs) of the dental insurance industry.

In this episode, Susan and I talk about how critical prevention is in patient care, but how little the current insurance, dental, and medical systems prioritize it. While reactive care—like performing a root canal—only happens once in a while, the ROI on prioritizing preventative care—the lifestyle changes that could've prevented the tooth's decay in the first place—vastly reduces the overall cost of care for patients and providers, both dental and medical.

In that vein, we also chat about a more holistic approach to dentistry, how important it is to get to the root of what's truly causing a dental or oral issue with a patient, and why we need to start—figuratively!—putting the mouth back in the body when considering healthcare.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS"

Known for his viral "Daisy Dukes dentist" video, Gary Scott has publicly shared some pretty strong opinions on dental insurance companies. As reimbursements continued to drop for dental offices, some dentists—including Gary—have decided to crawl out from being under the suffocating thumb of dental insurance providers and have come out on the other side.

In this episode, Gary and I talk about what his transition away from accepting dental insurance looked like and how he communicated the change with his patients. We also discuss the challenges on the business side that have ravaged independent dental providers over the last several years (including the rising presence of Dental Service Organizations (DSOs)), and striking the balance between ethical practice and the financial realities of being a businessowner.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS

Dentistry has changed a lot since today's guest, Gary Scott, graduated from dental school in the early 90s. Some things—like the more hands-on education and emphasis on student shadowing—have gotten better. But with the way higher education and dental insurance are structured makes it much harder for new dentists to get off the ground and start their own practices.

In this episode, Gary and I chat about how the challenges he faced getting into dentistry have evolved, making it much harder for new dental professionals to establish themselves and find success. Plus, we'll talk about the role dental insurance plays in creating an antagonistic relationship between practitioners and their patients, and how everyone but the insurer almost always loses out.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS

I can't wait for you to hear from today's guests, Drs. Jana and Lara Baatenburg. These sisters stuck together through their undergraduate degrees, into med school, and even into their residencies. They now own their own practice where they employ a unique type of medical care: concierge medicine.

After a few years practicing, they both knew they wanted the opportunity for a more personal connection with their patients. While the sisters explored a few other possibilities, they ultimately landed on "concierge medicine," essentially a healthcare model where patients pay a monthly or annual "membership fee."

This practice style allows doctors to have fewer overall patients, giving them more time to focus on each patient individually. It also allows them to be a lot more accessible to their patients if they need to be seen last-minute. And, in many cases, the membership fee can actually cost less than insurance premiums while providing a higher level of individualized care.

Join us as we dive into Jana and Lara's world of patient-focused healthcare that thrives outside "traditional" practice models.

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

If you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stephanieIAS