Zach Dykes

Does ChatGPT Know the Future of Orthodontics?

Luke Infinger and Dr. Kyle recently fired rapid-fire questions at ChatGPT, asking how orthodontics might look in five, ten, and fifteen years. The ChatGPT offered bold predictions from autonomous DSOs to gene-editing gels. Luke and Dr. Kyle did not accept everything at face value, but they agreed on one point: practices that prepare will profit, […]

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When Perfection Becomes A Prison: Focus On Outcomes & Watch Your Practice Grow

Precision Can Choke Progress Dental school wires you to hunt flaws. Great when you are bonding brackets. Lethal when every meeting turns into a micro-error autopsy. Julie Nise calls that โ€œsort by distinctionโ€ โ€” your first instinct is to spot what is wrong, not what moves the ball forward . Set The Scoreboard Before You

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The $4,500 Question: Meta vs Google Ads

Why a Single Ad Formula Falls Short When two veteran growth agenciesโ€”HIP Creative and Neon Canvasโ€”compare notes and still disagree about whether Facebook or Google deserves the first marketing dollar, itโ€™s clear the universal-playbook myth needs to die. As Dr. Kyle Fagala observes, a Class II malocclusion isnโ€™t treated exactly like a Class IIIโ€”so why

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Lance Armstrong’s Former Chef: Fast Food Is Killing Your Potential!

If your freezer meals come with a side of brain fog and bloating, itโ€™s time to rethink what โ€œconvenientโ€ actually means. In todayโ€™s high-speed world, weโ€™re drowning in options for quick mealsโ€”DoorDash, frozen entrees, meal kits that ship to your door. But convenience often hides a high cost: your energy, your focus, and your long-term

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How the 7-Second Rule Can Make or Break Patient Trust

Letโ€™s be honestโ€”branding gets oversimplified. For most practices, โ€œbrandingโ€ means a logo, some colors, maybe a new website. You spend the money, get the files, and check the box. But hereโ€™s the problem: thatโ€™s not your brand. Thatโ€™s the tip of the iceberg. What makes patients choose you, trust you, and tell others about you?

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Stop Chasing Returnsโ€”Start Building Stability

Most orthodontists are brilliant clinicians. Youโ€™ve spent years mastering your craft, building a practice, and serving patients. But when it comes to building lasting wealth, many are unknowingly operating on financial quicksand. Theyโ€™re told to max out retirement plans, buy properties, or jump into high-yield investmentsโ€”but all without a solid foundation. Hereโ€™s the truth: you

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Stop Blaming Your Teamโ€”Fix Your System

When something breaks in your dental practiceโ€”whether itโ€™s the schedule falling apart, collections slipping, or a team member underperformingโ€”itโ€™s tempting to point the finger at people. But what if the real problem isnโ€™t the person, but the system theyโ€™re working in? Tiffany Fleisch, a seasoned fractional COO and longtime operator in dental organizations, has a

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Why Focusing On NEW PATIENTS Is The KEY To Dental Success

Most dental practices focus their marketing efforts on landing the โ€œbig ticketโ€ treatments โ€” full arches, implants, and cosmetic makeovers. But at Southern Roots Dentistry in Shreveport, Louisiana, Abby Howell and her team took a radically different path. They built a thriving, multi-location practice by focusing on the smallest starting point possible: getting new patients

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Too Successful to Sell? The Exit Strategy No One Talks About

Most young orthodontists are told to grow. Faster. Bigger. More locations. More chairs. But no one talks about what happens when you actually succeedโ€”when youโ€™ve grown a large, high-performing practice only to discover itโ€™s now too big to sell.ย ย Thatโ€™s exactly the position Dr. Sami Webb found herself in after two decades of building one of

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Secrets Every Ortho Resident Should Know Before Applying

Youโ€™ve completed your training. Youโ€™re clinically ready. But the marketplace doesnโ€™t reward readinessโ€”it rewards relevance, resonance, and results. So the question isnโ€™t how do I get hired? The real question is: How do I become the most strategic investment a practice can make? Letโ€™s reframe the game entirely. Understand The Employerโ€™s True Buying Criteria Orthodontic

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This Is Why Your Orthodontic Practice Isnโ€™t Growing Anymore

Veteran orthodontists have years of experience, established reputations, and steady patient flows. But success can sometimes lead to complacency. Running a thriving practice requires constant awareness and adaptation. Here are common pitfalls seasoned orthodontists face and how to avoid them. 1. Ignoring Cash Flow A full schedule doesnโ€™t always mean financial health. Over time, small

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The BIGGEST Mistakes Orthodontic Startups Make (And How to Avoid Them!)

Starting an orthodontic practice is exciting, but it comes with challenges that can make or break your success. Many new orthodontists fall into the same traps, leading to financial strain, poor patient retention, and slow growth. Avoid these common mistakes to build a thriving practice from day one. 1. Underestimating The Cash Crunch Starting a

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