1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,980 Hey there, dental professionals and industry enthusiasts. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,000 Picture this. It's October, and you're in the 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:07,779 middle of one of the most transformative 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,880 experiences of your career. You're at the Becker's 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,359 fall future of dentistry roundtable in the vibrant 6 00:00:13,359 --> 00:00:16,094 city of Chicago, fresh off an incredible 3 7 00:00:16,094 --> 00:00:19,154 days at the Hyatt Regency. Imagine yourself inspired 8 00:00:19,295 --> 00:00:22,974 and invigorated after attending captivating keynote sessions by 9 00:00:22,974 --> 00:00:25,714 none other than the legendary boxing world champion 10 00:00:25,774 --> 00:00:29,554 and CEO, Lila Elite, and the extraordinary professional 11 00:00:30,179 --> 00:00:33,399 player, Caitlin Clark. See yourself engaged in lively 12 00:00:33,460 --> 00:00:36,500 discussions, exchanging ideas, and collecting a stack of 13 00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:39,560 business cards from fellow dental experts and potential 14 00:00:39,619 --> 00:00:42,200 partners. You've networked with over 350 15 00:00:42,579 --> 00:00:45,140 attendees and learned from more than 80 speakers 16 00:00:45,140 --> 00:00:47,554 who are at the forefront of dental innovation. 17 00:00:48,414 --> 00:00:49,795 You sat in on educational 18 00:00:50,094 --> 00:00:52,975 sessions exploring topics that elevate dental care as 19 00:00:52,975 --> 00:00:55,774 a critical element of whole person health. You've 20 00:00:55,774 --> 00:00:58,994 witnessed firsthand how digital technology is revolutionizing 21 00:00:59,454 --> 00:01:00,530 patient outcomes 22 00:01:00,909 --> 00:01:04,209 and how both large DSOs and independent practices 23 00:01:04,349 --> 00:01:05,170 are flourishing. 24 00:01:05,469 --> 00:01:07,790 Get ready to transform your career and don't 25 00:01:07,790 --> 00:01:10,609 miss out on this incredible opportunity. The Becker's 26 00:01:10,670 --> 00:01:13,489 fall future of dentistry roundtable is from October 27 00:01:13,745 --> 00:01:16,004 30th to November 1, 2024. 28 00:01:16,465 --> 00:01:18,724 Get registered by going to beckersdental.com 29 00:01:20,145 --> 00:01:21,924 and clicking on the events page. 30 00:01:22,784 --> 00:01:25,344 Hello. This is Cameron Cortejano with the Becker's 31 00:01:25,344 --> 00:01:27,284 Dental and DSO review podcast. 32 00:01:27,870 --> 00:01:29,709 I'm thrilled to be joined today by doctor 33 00:01:29,709 --> 00:01:32,990 Sandeep Rawal, senior vice president of implant support 34 00:01:32,990 --> 00:01:36,109 services at Aspen Dental. Doctor Rawal, thank you 35 00:01:36,109 --> 00:01:37,490 so much for being here today. 36 00:01:38,350 --> 00:01:39,730 Thank you for having me. 37 00:01:40,295 --> 00:01:41,894 Just to start us off today, can you 38 00:01:41,894 --> 00:01:44,054 introduce yourself and tell us a little bit 39 00:01:44,054 --> 00:01:44,954 about your background? 40 00:01:46,134 --> 00:01:48,614 Sure. So first off, thank you for having 41 00:01:48,614 --> 00:01:50,454 me. It's it's really an honor and a 42 00:01:50,454 --> 00:01:52,854 pleasure to be here today. As you mentioned, 43 00:01:52,854 --> 00:01:55,689 I'm senior vice president of implant support services 44 00:01:55,689 --> 00:01:56,750 for Aspen Dental, 45 00:01:57,049 --> 00:01:59,870 and I'm a proud University of Florida Gator, 46 00:02:00,329 --> 00:02:02,890 an alumni who graduated doing my undergrad in 47 00:02:02,890 --> 00:02:04,829 dentistry at the University of Florida 48 00:02:05,209 --> 00:02:06,189 back in 2006, 49 00:02:06,650 --> 00:02:09,514 and then went on to do my prosthodontics 50 00:02:10,055 --> 00:02:12,634 at the University of California in San Francisco, 51 00:02:13,495 --> 00:02:16,375 where I graduated in 2009. I spent over 52 00:02:16,375 --> 00:02:17,995 10 years in private practice 53 00:02:18,454 --> 00:02:20,875 and then joined Aspen Dental in 2019 54 00:02:21,495 --> 00:02:23,194 to help support the implant 55 00:02:23,495 --> 00:02:23,995 initiative. 56 00:02:25,310 --> 00:02:26,689 Awesome. Thanks for that. 57 00:02:27,710 --> 00:02:29,490 What are some of the biggest issues 58 00:02:29,870 --> 00:02:31,870 that you've been following so far in the 59 00:02:31,870 --> 00:02:33,330 dental industry in 2024? 60 00:02:35,949 --> 00:02:37,389 Listen. I think there's a couple of things 61 00:02:37,389 --> 00:02:39,314 going on in the industry today. One of 62 00:02:39,314 --> 00:02:41,555 the biggest challenges we face here at Aspen 63 00:02:41,555 --> 00:02:42,055 Dental 64 00:02:42,435 --> 00:02:45,014 and all DSOs in general is this perception 65 00:02:45,155 --> 00:02:47,254 around dental support organizations. 66 00:02:47,635 --> 00:02:48,135 And, 67 00:02:48,754 --> 00:02:50,915 you know, look. There's really people out there 68 00:02:50,915 --> 00:02:53,555 who believe that DSOs are all about the 69 00:02:53,555 --> 00:02:54,055 numbers 70 00:02:54,370 --> 00:02:57,170 and making a profit versus being focused on 71 00:02:57,170 --> 00:02:57,990 patient care. 72 00:02:58,610 --> 00:03:01,590 Each DSO has its own model and philosophies 73 00:03:02,050 --> 00:03:04,770 and how they approach clinicians and the care 74 00:03:04,770 --> 00:03:08,344 presented to patients. But, look, it really comes 75 00:03:08,344 --> 00:03:10,685 down to, for us, this notion that 76 00:03:11,224 --> 00:03:12,764 we understand that clinicians, 77 00:03:13,144 --> 00:03:14,284 they have so many 78 00:03:14,664 --> 00:03:18,424 options or opportunities of how however many different 79 00:03:18,424 --> 00:03:18,924 models 80 00:03:19,384 --> 00:03:21,889 of practice that are out there. And and, 81 00:03:21,889 --> 00:03:23,909 really, that what is important for them 82 00:03:24,209 --> 00:03:26,069 and what is important for their careers 83 00:03:26,370 --> 00:03:26,870 becomes 84 00:03:27,489 --> 00:03:29,810 really, I think, the differentiator with how they 85 00:03:29,810 --> 00:03:30,310 decide 86 00:03:30,930 --> 00:03:31,430 truly 87 00:03:31,775 --> 00:03:33,474 who's the best support organization 88 00:03:34,575 --> 00:03:36,995 to to to join. And so for example, 89 00:03:37,534 --> 00:03:39,474 you know, it's important for us, 90 00:03:40,015 --> 00:03:41,715 and it's important for them obviously, 91 00:03:42,175 --> 00:03:44,194 that they have really strong continuing 92 00:03:44,655 --> 00:03:45,155 education. 93 00:03:45,819 --> 00:03:47,840 Like, what kind of learning 94 00:03:48,139 --> 00:03:50,159 growth and development journeys do they have, 95 00:03:50,620 --> 00:03:51,120 and 96 00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:53,419 what kind of dentistry do they actually wanna 97 00:03:53,419 --> 00:03:54,240 be offering 98 00:03:54,620 --> 00:03:56,400 to the people that they serve? 99 00:03:57,099 --> 00:03:58,159 Right? And so 100 00:03:59,415 --> 00:04:01,574 being in a DSO that gives them the 101 00:04:01,574 --> 00:04:03,814 opportunity to grow and develop in ways that 102 00:04:03,814 --> 00:04:06,775 they find meaningful, I think, is really super 103 00:04:06,775 --> 00:04:09,254 important. It's a challenge for sure to be 104 00:04:09,254 --> 00:04:10,875 able to offer clinicians 105 00:04:11,335 --> 00:04:13,194 those avenues of growth and development. 106 00:04:13,639 --> 00:04:15,639 It also comes down to what kind of 107 00:04:15,639 --> 00:04:17,980 lifestyle they want. Right? Do they wanna be 108 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,139 in an in a model that has ownership, 109 00:04:20,439 --> 00:04:22,120 right, if that's a goal they have? So 110 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,680 there's many different factors that really come into 111 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:26,139 play today with, 112 00:04:26,439 --> 00:04:27,579 I think, challenging 113 00:04:29,064 --> 00:04:30,764 the this notion of 114 00:04:31,464 --> 00:04:34,665 what can a, dental support organization do for 115 00:04:34,665 --> 00:04:35,324 a clinician. 116 00:04:37,225 --> 00:04:37,725 Definitely. 117 00:04:38,345 --> 00:04:40,745 What are some things at Aspen that you're 118 00:04:40,745 --> 00:04:43,759 kinda proposing and and talking to these dentists 119 00:04:43,759 --> 00:04:46,079 and clinicians about when Yeah. They're they're thinking 120 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:47,759 about Yeah. That's great. That it's a great 121 00:04:47,759 --> 00:04:50,740 question, you know, because look. At Aspen Dental, 122 00:04:51,439 --> 00:04:55,279 everything we do is built around 22 real 123 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:56,259 main considerations, 124 00:04:56,639 --> 00:04:57,139 one 125 00:04:57,495 --> 00:04:57,995 being 126 00:04:58,535 --> 00:04:59,754 the patient experience. 127 00:05:00,375 --> 00:05:02,154 How can we best serve 128 00:05:02,774 --> 00:05:03,274 people? 129 00:05:03,574 --> 00:05:05,095 How do we help heal them? How do 130 00:05:05,095 --> 00:05:08,235 we offer them care that has positive outcomes 131 00:05:08,295 --> 00:05:09,194 with predictable 132 00:05:09,970 --> 00:05:12,470 ways of getting there with positive experience. 133 00:05:12,770 --> 00:05:15,029 It's so important to us. Right? 134 00:05:15,330 --> 00:05:17,889 But we also not just focus on what's 135 00:05:17,889 --> 00:05:19,750 the best experience for patients, 136 00:05:20,529 --> 00:05:22,449 but we also focus on what's the best 137 00:05:22,449 --> 00:05:25,105 experience for providers. Right? And we have a 138 00:05:25,105 --> 00:05:27,504 clear vision of what we're aiming to accomplish 139 00:05:27,504 --> 00:05:28,884 when it comes to 140 00:05:29,345 --> 00:05:31,685 a way to create an environment for doctors 141 00:05:31,745 --> 00:05:33,745 to be able to live the life they 142 00:05:33,745 --> 00:05:35,365 want, practice the dentistry 143 00:05:35,824 --> 00:05:37,504 that they want, and offer the care that 144 00:05:37,504 --> 00:05:39,845 they want so that patients get the outcomes 145 00:05:40,189 --> 00:05:43,069 that they want. And that's really what we're 146 00:05:43,069 --> 00:05:45,389 focused on, and that encompasses some of the 147 00:05:45,389 --> 00:05:47,310 things that we talked about that were challenges. 148 00:05:47,310 --> 00:05:49,949 Like, what kind of learning and development journeys 149 00:05:49,949 --> 00:05:51,789 do we create? How do we think about 150 00:05:51,789 --> 00:05:53,889 innovation? How do we embrace technological 151 00:05:54,269 --> 00:05:55,889 change in the in the industry? 152 00:05:56,324 --> 00:05:57,544 How do we make things 153 00:05:58,644 --> 00:06:01,225 easier for patients and providers 154 00:06:01,685 --> 00:06:03,685 when it comes to offering care? You know, 155 00:06:03,685 --> 00:06:05,285 those are the things that we focus on 156 00:06:05,285 --> 00:06:06,564 day in and day out to be able 157 00:06:06,564 --> 00:06:07,305 to hopefully, 158 00:06:07,685 --> 00:06:10,029 you know, create a positive environment where we 159 00:06:10,029 --> 00:06:10,750 can have, 160 00:06:11,150 --> 00:06:13,150 providers effect change for the people that they 161 00:06:13,150 --> 00:06:13,650 serve. 162 00:06:14,590 --> 00:06:16,210 Got it. That makes a ton of sense. 163 00:06:16,830 --> 00:06:18,830 Something that I'm curious to get your thoughts 164 00:06:18,830 --> 00:06:19,330 about 165 00:06:19,790 --> 00:06:22,524 are what are some things that you're excited 166 00:06:22,524 --> 00:06:24,785 about when it comes to dentistry right now, 167 00:06:25,004 --> 00:06:26,925 and what are some things that are potentially 168 00:06:26,925 --> 00:06:28,464 making you a little bit nervous? 169 00:06:30,204 --> 00:06:30,704 Well, 170 00:06:31,245 --> 00:06:33,564 I think, you know, my my title kinda 171 00:06:33,564 --> 00:06:35,740 says it all. I'm really excited about this 172 00:06:35,740 --> 00:06:38,459 notion of dental implant therapy. Right? And the 173 00:06:38,459 --> 00:06:38,959 trajectory 174 00:06:39,259 --> 00:06:41,120 that we have with implants 175 00:06:41,740 --> 00:06:43,600 changing how we deliver 176 00:06:44,300 --> 00:06:46,779 dental care or dental health to the people 177 00:06:46,779 --> 00:06:49,019 we serve. There's not been, 178 00:06:51,095 --> 00:06:53,814 more of a a dramatic shift in how 179 00:06:53,814 --> 00:06:55,435 we think about tooth replacement 180 00:06:56,214 --> 00:06:57,115 in the last 181 00:06:57,415 --> 00:06:59,415 20, 30 years than it is with dental 182 00:06:59,415 --> 00:07:01,675 implants, and it's really changing the trajectory 183 00:07:02,055 --> 00:07:04,235 of what we're able to offer patients. 184 00:07:04,829 --> 00:07:06,930 Right? Look. For a very long time, 185 00:07:07,550 --> 00:07:09,550 dentures were as good as it got for 186 00:07:09,550 --> 00:07:12,269 a person who has or is losing all 187 00:07:12,269 --> 00:07:13,410 their teeth. Right? 188 00:07:13,949 --> 00:07:16,350 You know, for a lot of years, the 189 00:07:16,350 --> 00:07:17,569 best we could offer 190 00:07:18,110 --> 00:07:19,410 to people was 191 00:07:20,485 --> 00:07:22,805 a solution that wasn't as good as teeth, 192 00:07:22,805 --> 00:07:24,245 but it was the best we could offer. 193 00:07:24,245 --> 00:07:25,865 Right? It was the best we could do. 194 00:07:26,324 --> 00:07:29,285 And today, technology is changing that, especially when 195 00:07:29,285 --> 00:07:31,145 it comes to dental implant therapy. 196 00:07:31,605 --> 00:07:34,964 Right? We're able to offer solutions to patients 197 00:07:34,964 --> 00:07:36,139 that are far 198 00:07:36,759 --> 00:07:37,259 superior 199 00:07:37,879 --> 00:07:40,199 and gives them the ability to have teeth 200 00:07:40,199 --> 00:07:42,360 that look like teeth, feel like teeth, and 201 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,419 actually function like teeth compared to removable 202 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:46,620 dentures 203 00:07:47,399 --> 00:07:49,339 in ways that are so close 204 00:07:49,745 --> 00:07:51,745 to what it was like to have their 205 00:07:51,745 --> 00:07:52,725 natural teeth. 206 00:07:53,264 --> 00:07:55,985 And it's exciting because we can do this 207 00:07:55,985 --> 00:07:56,805 not just 208 00:07:57,185 --> 00:07:59,745 today from the standpoint of, like, the therapy 209 00:07:59,745 --> 00:08:02,064 we we offer with dental implants, but also 210 00:08:02,064 --> 00:08:05,125 how we deliver that therapy through technological innovation, 211 00:08:05,729 --> 00:08:07,349 through the ability to make 212 00:08:07,729 --> 00:08:08,229 things 213 00:08:08,610 --> 00:08:09,110 easier 214 00:08:09,889 --> 00:08:13,410 and take less time and save on effort 215 00:08:13,410 --> 00:08:14,949 and make it more affordable 216 00:08:15,490 --> 00:08:17,250 because of, you know, the areas that we're 217 00:08:17,250 --> 00:08:20,289 focused on with innovation around specifically things like 218 00:08:20,289 --> 00:08:21,189 implant dentistry. 219 00:08:21,564 --> 00:08:24,605 You know, that excites me. It's never been 220 00:08:24,605 --> 00:08:27,504 a better time to impact a person's life 221 00:08:27,964 --> 00:08:29,264 through dental care 222 00:08:29,564 --> 00:08:31,644 than it is today, especially with what we 223 00:08:31,644 --> 00:08:33,345 have with technology and implants. 224 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,040 Right? And there's been quite a few barriers 225 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,120 for patients. Let's be honest. Right? When we 226 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:39,860 think about 227 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,180 implants and we think about the investment 228 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,040 that it costs and the convenience and the 229 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,860 fear factor and the process itself, 230 00:08:48,785 --> 00:08:51,524 right, there have been some significant barriers 231 00:08:51,985 --> 00:08:53,125 why patients 232 00:08:53,825 --> 00:08:56,225 feel like these therapies are out of reach. 233 00:08:56,225 --> 00:08:57,365 They're not attainable. 234 00:08:58,225 --> 00:08:59,205 Right? And 235 00:08:59,665 --> 00:09:00,165 instead, 236 00:09:00,625 --> 00:09:02,884 at Aspen Dental, we are so focused 237 00:09:03,539 --> 00:09:05,959 on breaking down those barriers, providing 238 00:09:06,259 --> 00:09:08,919 patients the ability to get these implant solutions, 239 00:09:08,980 --> 00:09:11,399 do it in ways that are simple, reliable, 240 00:09:11,940 --> 00:09:14,519 and obviously more accessible so that there's 241 00:09:14,820 --> 00:09:17,860 a better and easier ability for the patient 242 00:09:17,860 --> 00:09:18,839 to say, yes. 243 00:09:19,514 --> 00:09:21,915 I I want that therapy. And so we've 244 00:09:21,915 --> 00:09:22,815 really had 245 00:09:23,195 --> 00:09:23,934 an unbelievable, 246 00:09:25,035 --> 00:09:27,035 experience doing that over the last many years, 247 00:09:27,035 --> 00:09:29,434 which excites me. Right? You know, another great 248 00:09:29,434 --> 00:09:31,514 example of this is the level of investment 249 00:09:31,514 --> 00:09:33,134 and commitment we have to 250 00:09:34,019 --> 00:09:35,480 to being at the forefront 251 00:09:36,259 --> 00:09:39,000 of changing how implant dentistry is delivered 252 00:09:39,379 --> 00:09:41,299 to patients. And with that, I know a 253 00:09:41,299 --> 00:09:42,419 great example is, 254 00:09:43,220 --> 00:09:44,440 you know, I've had the honor, 255 00:09:45,379 --> 00:09:47,220 truly one of the greatest honors of my 256 00:09:47,220 --> 00:09:47,720 life, 257 00:09:48,424 --> 00:09:51,144 to help spearhead the initiative of our tag, 258 00:09:51,144 --> 00:09:54,044 the Aspen Group Oral Care Center For Excellence, 259 00:09:54,105 --> 00:09:56,745 which is a cutting edge state of the 260 00:09:56,745 --> 00:09:58,684 art facility in Chicago, 261 00:09:59,544 --> 00:10:00,845 which is 262 00:10:01,304 --> 00:10:01,804 offering 263 00:10:02,184 --> 00:10:03,084 not just 264 00:10:04,259 --> 00:10:04,759 multiday, 265 00:10:05,940 --> 00:10:06,440 contemporary 266 00:10:06,740 --> 00:10:09,940 implant training so that doctors learn the very 267 00:10:09,940 --> 00:10:12,820 best and innovative practices on how to deliver 268 00:10:12,820 --> 00:10:13,720 care to patients, 269 00:10:14,180 --> 00:10:15,000 but also 270 00:10:16,134 --> 00:10:19,274 in that same hand live hands on experience 271 00:10:19,495 --> 00:10:21,414 delivering care to the people who need it 272 00:10:21,414 --> 00:10:22,074 the most. 273 00:10:22,375 --> 00:10:24,214 And it's been life changing at the WellCare 274 00:10:24,214 --> 00:10:25,834 Center. We've now donated 275 00:10:26,454 --> 00:10:28,554 upwards of, you know, year to date, 276 00:10:29,090 --> 00:10:30,230 close to $8,000,000 277 00:10:31,009 --> 00:10:33,190 of donated dental services out of one 278 00:10:33,570 --> 00:10:35,570 location in the heart of Chicago to those 279 00:10:35,570 --> 00:10:36,850 who need it the most. And it's been 280 00:10:36,850 --> 00:10:38,529 really an honor and privilege to be part 281 00:10:38,529 --> 00:10:39,190 of something 282 00:10:39,649 --> 00:10:40,549 so impactful 283 00:10:41,134 --> 00:10:43,615 that changes not only the trajectory and career 284 00:10:43,615 --> 00:10:46,254 of the professionals that we cert support, but 285 00:10:46,254 --> 00:10:48,095 also the patients who need it the most. 286 00:10:48,095 --> 00:10:50,414 And so, you know, I'm excited about these 287 00:10:50,414 --> 00:10:53,294 things. I'm excited about being able to change 288 00:10:53,294 --> 00:10:54,355 the course of 289 00:10:55,049 --> 00:10:57,929 how we all, as an industry, think people 290 00:10:57,929 --> 00:10:58,429 should 291 00:10:58,970 --> 00:11:03,049 be supported or or or impacted when they 292 00:11:03,049 --> 00:11:05,230 lose a tooth or teeth for that matter. 293 00:11:06,330 --> 00:11:08,889 I do get nervous. I think there's a 294 00:11:08,889 --> 00:11:09,870 lot of 295 00:11:12,325 --> 00:11:14,164 investment that needs to be made when it 296 00:11:14,164 --> 00:11:15,784 comes to supporting 297 00:11:16,325 --> 00:11:18,485 not just what dentistry looks like today, but 298 00:11:18,485 --> 00:11:20,024 what will it look like tomorrow. 299 00:11:20,325 --> 00:11:24,264 Because dentistry is changing rapidly, and it is, 300 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,059 in some ways, 301 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,759 the responsibility of those who can to be 302 00:11:28,759 --> 00:11:31,160 able to continue to make those investments, to 303 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,639 devote the time, the effort, the energy, to 304 00:11:33,639 --> 00:11:36,600 be able to continue to impact patient care 305 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:37,500 as well as 306 00:11:37,835 --> 00:11:38,735 how providers 307 00:11:39,035 --> 00:11:42,235 find, you know, positivity in their own professional 308 00:11:42,235 --> 00:11:44,315 growth and development. So there's a lot going 309 00:11:44,315 --> 00:11:45,914 on in dentistry, I guess, is the long 310 00:11:45,914 --> 00:11:48,394 way short way of saying my long answer, 311 00:11:48,394 --> 00:11:49,914 but, you know, I am excited. I think 312 00:11:49,914 --> 00:11:51,115 there's a lot of great things on the 313 00:11:51,115 --> 00:11:52,174 horizon to come. 314 00:11:52,899 --> 00:11:53,399 Definitely. 315 00:11:53,779 --> 00:11:54,679 It's really cool 316 00:11:55,059 --> 00:11:57,220 just to see the development of of dental 317 00:11:57,220 --> 00:11:59,559 implants over the years, and it's really awesome 318 00:11:59,620 --> 00:12:02,899 that you're able to, you know, donate all 319 00:12:02,899 --> 00:12:04,679 all that care at the 320 00:12:05,004 --> 00:12:07,904 oral health center of excellence and and give 321 00:12:08,044 --> 00:12:09,345 those that need the care, 322 00:12:09,725 --> 00:12:11,105 the ability to get it. 323 00:12:11,564 --> 00:12:13,245 Yeah. It's been it's like I said, it's 324 00:12:13,245 --> 00:12:15,644 probably one of the greatest honors of my 325 00:12:15,644 --> 00:12:17,964 professional career, if not my personal life, just 326 00:12:17,964 --> 00:12:19,164 to be able to be a part of 327 00:12:19,164 --> 00:12:21,090 something like that. I mean, we're able to, 328 00:12:21,090 --> 00:12:23,490 like I said, donate dental services to the 329 00:12:23,490 --> 00:12:25,330 people who need it the most at no 330 00:12:25,330 --> 00:12:27,649 charge to them. You know, the doctors that 331 00:12:27,649 --> 00:12:29,410 come through and get trained at the oral 332 00:12:29,410 --> 00:12:31,250 care center for excellence go back and make 333 00:12:31,250 --> 00:12:31,990 an impact 334 00:12:32,325 --> 00:12:35,045 in their own communities, giving back in their 335 00:12:35,045 --> 00:12:36,565 own way to the people who need it 336 00:12:36,565 --> 00:12:38,325 the most. And so it's just a kind 337 00:12:38,325 --> 00:12:38,404 of 338 00:12:39,605 --> 00:12:40,825 you know, it's a multiplicative 339 00:12:41,365 --> 00:12:44,485 effect of of care and caring we're able 340 00:12:44,485 --> 00:12:46,504 to deliver to those who need it. So 341 00:12:46,565 --> 00:12:47,785 pretty pretty amazing. 342 00:12:48,139 --> 00:12:49,039 Yeah. That's awesome. 343 00:12:49,340 --> 00:12:52,379 Our last question today as we start to 344 00:12:52,379 --> 00:12:55,019 kinda wrap up, in your view, what will 345 00:12:55,019 --> 00:12:57,419 the most effective health care leaders need in 346 00:12:57,419 --> 00:12:58,799 order to be successful, 347 00:12:59,259 --> 00:13:00,960 over the next 2 to 3 years? 348 00:13:02,714 --> 00:13:03,454 You know, 349 00:13:03,754 --> 00:13:06,334 I think that's a really interesting question 350 00:13:06,714 --> 00:13:09,115 because there's so much that is changing in 351 00:13:09,115 --> 00:13:11,194 dentistry. And if you really think about being 352 00:13:11,194 --> 00:13:12,714 a leader in health care, I think there's 353 00:13:12,714 --> 00:13:13,995 a couple of things that we need to 354 00:13:13,995 --> 00:13:15,454 focus on. Number 1, 355 00:13:16,389 --> 00:13:18,230 you have to make a commitment to be 356 00:13:18,230 --> 00:13:19,049 an early 357 00:13:20,629 --> 00:13:21,289 adopter proponent 358 00:13:23,190 --> 00:13:24,329 and, quite frankly, 359 00:13:24,629 --> 00:13:26,649 a believer in the latest 360 00:13:27,190 --> 00:13:27,690 technologies 361 00:13:29,285 --> 00:13:31,065 that may or may not be 362 00:13:31,524 --> 00:13:34,004 part and parcel of how you, you know, 363 00:13:34,004 --> 00:13:35,705 think about dentistry today. 364 00:13:36,165 --> 00:13:37,514 You know, the next few years, we're going 365 00:13:37,514 --> 00:13:38,264 to seismic 366 00:13:39,925 --> 00:13:40,425 change 367 00:13:41,220 --> 00:13:44,579 in how we offer dental care, at least 368 00:13:44,579 --> 00:13:46,820 in North America and this country. Right? Whether 369 00:13:46,820 --> 00:13:49,480 it's through the use of how we leverage 370 00:13:49,539 --> 00:13:51,559 data, artificial intelligence 371 00:13:52,019 --> 00:13:52,519 technologies, 372 00:13:53,384 --> 00:13:55,644 digital technology when it comes 373 00:13:56,264 --> 00:13:58,904 to diagnostics, when it comes to manufacturing, when 374 00:13:58,904 --> 00:14:02,205 it comes to operations. There's so much evolution 375 00:14:02,585 --> 00:14:04,045 occurring within the industry. 376 00:14:04,745 --> 00:14:05,245 And 377 00:14:05,705 --> 00:14:07,705 I think as a leader, you have to 378 00:14:07,705 --> 00:14:07,865 be 379 00:14:08,700 --> 00:14:10,779 you have to take the responsibility that you're 380 00:14:10,779 --> 00:14:12,559 going to be at the forefront of that. 381 00:14:12,779 --> 00:14:14,860 It's not good enough to say we will 382 00:14:14,860 --> 00:14:16,700 continue to do things the way we've done 383 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:19,100 them over the last 5 years, 7 years, 384 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:22,675 10 years, and wait for those innovations. Because 385 00:14:22,894 --> 00:14:24,894 most of the innovations that we see today 386 00:14:24,894 --> 00:14:27,695 that are coming out are truly impactful to 387 00:14:27,695 --> 00:14:30,415 how we can actually deliver patient care and 388 00:14:30,415 --> 00:14:31,315 make meaningful 389 00:14:32,095 --> 00:14:32,595 positive 390 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,480 benefit to the people we serve through technology. 391 00:14:36,539 --> 00:14:38,139 And so I think it's our kind of 392 00:14:38,139 --> 00:14:39,440 onus. It's the responsibilities 393 00:14:39,820 --> 00:14:41,820 on us as leaders in health care to 394 00:14:41,820 --> 00:14:42,799 be able to deliver 395 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:44,000 innovative 396 00:14:44,779 --> 00:14:45,279 care 397 00:14:46,125 --> 00:14:48,684 evolving with the time, so to speak. Aspen, 398 00:14:48,684 --> 00:14:50,925 look. We we we've already seen how AI 399 00:14:50,925 --> 00:14:54,045 improves diagnostics and treatment planning, but there's still 400 00:14:54,045 --> 00:14:56,125 so much that we can apply within our 401 00:14:56,125 --> 00:14:58,545 own organization. Right? We're we're at the forefront, 402 00:14:58,684 --> 00:15:00,210 and we still think we're at the tip 403 00:15:00,210 --> 00:15:02,129 of the iceberg, so to speak. Right? Whether 404 00:15:02,129 --> 00:15:04,129 it's the patient experience, whether it's the clinical 405 00:15:04,129 --> 00:15:06,129 experience, whether it's the team experience. How do 406 00:15:06,129 --> 00:15:08,529 we make scheduling easier? How do we make 407 00:15:08,529 --> 00:15:10,049 it so that we can, 408 00:15:10,690 --> 00:15:13,409 create better environments for work life balance? How 409 00:15:13,409 --> 00:15:14,835 do we think that we can 410 00:15:15,235 --> 00:15:17,315 diagnose and treatment plan more predictably to get 411 00:15:17,315 --> 00:15:19,554 more predictable outcomes for the patients? There's so 412 00:15:19,554 --> 00:15:22,115 much going on right there. And as that 413 00:15:22,115 --> 00:15:23,815 rate of change increases, 414 00:15:24,835 --> 00:15:25,575 guess what? 415 00:15:26,115 --> 00:15:28,134 Patient expectation only moves 416 00:15:28,889 --> 00:15:30,830 as fast. Right? Like, patients 417 00:15:31,290 --> 00:15:32,509 really do expect 418 00:15:32,889 --> 00:15:35,050 that their health care providers live in the 419 00:15:35,050 --> 00:15:37,370 same world that they do, right, where there 420 00:15:37,370 --> 00:15:40,590 is a new innovation or a new smartphone 421 00:15:40,970 --> 00:15:44,110 coming out every year. And so I think 422 00:15:45,024 --> 00:15:46,644 as a dental support organization, 423 00:15:47,105 --> 00:15:49,105 you know, we are uniquely positioned to have 424 00:15:49,105 --> 00:15:49,924 the infrastructure 425 00:15:50,625 --> 00:15:51,605 and the resources 426 00:15:52,065 --> 00:15:54,325 to be able to drive innovation at scale 427 00:15:54,625 --> 00:15:57,504 and really to to change the, hopefully, the 428 00:15:57,504 --> 00:15:59,044 nature of the entire industry, 429 00:15:59,820 --> 00:16:02,059 which is not just exciting, but it's, you 430 00:16:02,059 --> 00:16:04,080 know, definitely something I'm very proud of. 431 00:16:04,700 --> 00:16:07,519 Yeah. Absolutely. I definitely agree with you on 432 00:16:08,460 --> 00:16:11,259 the impact of AI and and new tech 433 00:16:11,259 --> 00:16:14,205 and dentistry, and it is still so new. 434 00:16:14,205 --> 00:16:16,304 But as you're saying, it it's only gonna 435 00:16:16,365 --> 00:16:20,144 continue to progress and advance and improve, which, 436 00:16:20,924 --> 00:16:23,565 I think will just help everyone involved, whether 437 00:16:23,565 --> 00:16:24,785 that's a DSO, 438 00:16:25,245 --> 00:16:27,264 the dentist themselves, or patients. 439 00:16:28,470 --> 00:16:31,029 Yeah. It it's it's really you know, it's 440 00:16:31,029 --> 00:16:33,049 it's I I will tell you this anecdotally. 441 00:16:33,110 --> 00:16:35,029 You know, I've had the really great fortune 442 00:16:35,029 --> 00:16:36,789 of being able to lecture all over the 443 00:16:36,789 --> 00:16:38,649 world for many, many years, and, 444 00:16:39,350 --> 00:16:40,730 I've always been saying, 445 00:16:41,644 --> 00:16:44,445 you know, how we practice dentistry today isn't 446 00:16:44,445 --> 00:16:46,705 what we're gonna be doing in 2 years. 447 00:16:48,764 --> 00:16:49,264 And 448 00:16:50,044 --> 00:16:52,225 every year that goes by, it becomes 449 00:16:52,845 --> 00:16:54,764 more and more relevant and more and more 450 00:16:54,764 --> 00:16:57,570 impactful because it's so true. The rapid change 451 00:16:58,190 --> 00:16:59,410 of what we're doing 452 00:17:00,509 --> 00:17:02,290 as health care providers 453 00:17:02,750 --> 00:17:03,889 to heal people 454 00:17:05,789 --> 00:17:08,589 layered in with technology and innovation in ways 455 00:17:08,589 --> 00:17:10,634 that you know what? Like, I don't recognize 456 00:17:10,694 --> 00:17:12,775 dentistry today compared to when I went to 457 00:17:12,775 --> 00:17:14,855 dental school. And maybe that makes me a 458 00:17:14,855 --> 00:17:17,974 little old. Right? But the reality is it's 459 00:17:17,974 --> 00:17:19,275 exciting. It's refreshing, 460 00:17:19,734 --> 00:17:20,954 and it really does 461 00:17:22,150 --> 00:17:25,849 change the nature of how the the patient, 462 00:17:26,309 --> 00:17:28,630 the person who sits in our chair, how 463 00:17:28,630 --> 00:17:31,109 they experience the care they're given. And so 464 00:17:31,109 --> 00:17:32,789 it's just a really exciting time to be 465 00:17:32,789 --> 00:17:33,849 part of this profession. 466 00:17:34,625 --> 00:17:37,025 Yeah. Definitely. That makes some sense, and I've 467 00:17:37,025 --> 00:17:37,904 been hearing that, 468 00:17:38,305 --> 00:17:40,725 around the industry as well. 469 00:17:41,585 --> 00:17:43,984 Well, I wanna thank you for joining us 470 00:17:43,984 --> 00:17:47,445 today, doctor Ramon, and sharing your valuable expertise 471 00:17:47,505 --> 00:17:50,005 and and insights into the dental space. 472 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,400 It's been a pleasure speaking with you today, 473 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,960 and I look forward to connecting with you 474 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,019 again in the future. 475 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:59,200 You know what? Thank you for having me. 476 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,799 It's it's really an honor and a pleasure 477 00:18:00,799 --> 00:18:02,400 to be able to spend a little bit 478 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,340 of time talking with you, so thank you. 479 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:06,122 Of course. Have a good one. 480 00:18:06,682 --> 00:18:07,822 Cheers. Take care.