Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hi. I'm Stefan Renhard, directorof the education program for the Clear Institute,
and in this podcast you will learnwhy it's important to integrate clear align
yours in your practice. Not tomorrow, but now Orthomarketing dot com three hundred
and sixty degree digital marketing solutions foryour practice. Well, hello everybody out
(00:27):
there in podcast land. This isDean Steinman from Worth of Marketing. I
guess what. We are back withanother podcast for you. So I hope
everybody is enjoying their springtime. Itis now April twenty twenty four, and
(00:47):
flowers are blooming, people are smiling, and everybody's happy and in this and
we gotta love being in the smilebusiness. So talking about smile and the
smile business, we have a reallyextra guest, special guest with us today,
doctor Stefan right Art. And youknow, doctor Stefan has is a
(01:07):
dentist, runs the Clear Aligner Instituteand is a great guy, very educated,
and we're here to talk a littlebit about aligners for your practice and
you know, talk about the historyand how it works and why it's important
to have aligners in your practice.Or before I get you more into this,
I'm gonna keep my mouth shucks.You know, guys like to talk
a lot, and I'm gonna makea nice in choice. Stefan, how
(01:27):
are you today? I'm good.Do I have to do the same thing
as you like? How are you? I love it? Man, do
this too, you know that's whathappens when you're on like your third cup
of coffee in the morning. Sowelcome man, thanks so much for joining.
Well, thanks thank you for invitingme. It's a it's a pleasure
and honor to be here. Great. So let's back up. Tell us
(01:49):
a little bit about doctor Stefan.Which what's your what's your story? I'm
my story. I'm I'm a generaldentist. I've been in practice for over
three decades now, and I sayit like this, it seems less than
saying thirty two years. But andI got you know, I was interested
in orthodotics and integrating orthodotics. Myand my practice in nineteen ninety nine because
(02:15):
my son was three years old atthe time had a big like plass three
problem. And I I'm telling you, Dean, I didn't know what to
do at all. I had noidea, no clue and a lot of
times this is how it is fora general dentists. You know, we
know, we finished university, weknow a little bit about everything, but
(02:35):
almost nothing about orthodotics. I mean, that's that was the reality thirty years
ago. But I think from whatI hear it's still the reality now.
And for me that that makes nosense. So I wanted to integrate.
I wanted to treat my own son. That was the you know, this
is where it started. So ifI was lucky enough to find people who
(02:58):
would you know, share their knowledgeand educate me, and I just got
interested in orthodontics and just did moreand more and more. In two thousand
and four, integrated the clearer linersin my practice. I mean, I
was like one of the early adopters, especially here in Quebec and Province of
(03:19):
Quebec in Canada were always a littlebit behind, and I just believed in
that thing. For me, itwas you know, when I saw this.
I remember the first time I sawa clin check. For me,
it was just okay, this isthat thing. And I think you're a
little bit like that too. You'rean early adopter of technology of and you
know, for me, I said, it was not only the future of
(03:39):
orthodonics. For me, it wasthe future of dentistry. I was just
seeing there. So I believed thatsince I had already you know, five
years of doing orthodontics with practice,wires and everything, I told myself,
you know what, just that's let'stry this thing. But with my patients
and all the inform consent. Allthe time, I was always saying,
(04:01):
you know, we've gotta start.We're gonna start with these things, these
plastic things, these liners will do. We'll go as far as we can,
but probably will need brackets and wiresto finish. And finally I was
you know, selecting the cases andeverything. But I saw that I was
able to finish my cases with thealigners, and just you know, did
(04:24):
more and more. Instill believed inthe thing, and of course it,
I mean it evolved, it improvedwith time. Now we're treating patients that
I never thought would be possible intwenty years ago. But since I did
more and more, I came toa point where I was the only one
doing orthodontics and the practice, andI finished with a practice dedicated to orthodonics,
(04:46):
the only thing I'm doing so nowI'm not I'm only using clear aligners
don't. I don't use practice andwires anymore. So that's kind of my
story. And in twenty fifteen Iwanted in vision line some shootout and I
was the first Canadian to win.Say when I lecture, I like when
(05:06):
I lecture, I say that that'susually where people clap. But but the
thing is I my goal was togo into education. I wanted to you
know, actually share the knowledge,experience and everything. And I think as
you become an older dentist, let'snot say older, let's say more experience
that experience right better. I Ijust wanted to share in something. I
(05:30):
like to be on stage, ilicto be in front of people, like
to talk. I mean obviously youcan say it already now that I like
to talk and people have to stopme. So I've been enjoying the ride
a lot, and then just decidedto create this clearancy to to to again
help dentists, mostly general dentists,but diatric dentists on how to integrate and
understand understand cleroliners how it works becausewe I mean you know it is.
(05:56):
We hear a lot of things like, you know, just trust the software,
trust everything. You don't have tothink close your eyes. Except and
this is now, this is nothow it is. It's still orthodomics.
We're still and the clearer liners arethe tools we're using. I mean,
these things do not move tea andnow they don't that practice, and wires
don't move tee and it just justforced move tea. So we have to
(06:19):
understand the tools. I mean,if you give me a hammer and you
give me a saw, I willdo things. I mean it's gonna be
terrible what I'm doing because I'm notgood with that. But you will give
the same tools to somebody who knowshow to use them. They can build
incredible things. So it's not ifit doesn't work, not because of the
hammer, it's because of me.I'm not good with a hammer. So
(06:41):
it's the same thing I hear alot of times that is blaming the plastic.
This thing doesn't work. It's notbecause it doesn't work. We know
it works. Look at scientific literature, look at whatever it works. You
just don't know how to use it. This podcast is sponsored by ortho Mark
Hey even Orthodotus, a dentist lookingto give your practice the competitive edge that
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(07:53):
what we do interesting. So youknow, I've been doing for a long
time as well. And you knowwhen first started working in this field and
promoting, you know, with thedoantics for practices. You know a lot
of people we're not all in onaligners and how it has become a game
(08:15):
changer to make it practices and peoplehave to look you know, it's hard
to see the forest through the trees, and a lot of practices, well,
the lab fees are so expensive,so I don't want to do it.
It costs me blah blah blah.You know, so how do you
you know, how do you kindof get them to see the forest through
the trees and realize that, youknow, you know, it's about your
chair time, it's about being efficient, It's about adapting the technology and using
(08:37):
virtual technologies and people. You know, once you get them in. You
know, back in the old days, how you know, you would see
a patient every six weeks, everyweeks. Now it could be every six
months or even less. So howhave you seen the evolution of aligners over
the last fifteen years? How many? How much time do we have?
(09:03):
It's just for me. It hasbeen so so interesting to see. I
feel privileged to be in that periodof time and being able to see what's
happening. What's been happening in dentistryfor the last like you say, fifteen
years, what's coming now with artificialintelligence? I mean it's the best time
(09:26):
to be a dentist. I mean, smile has never been as important as
it is right now thanks to probablyto zoom to COVID too. I mean
it it brought that people's so othersmile people. So I see people who
would now go back twenty thirty yearswithout be interested in things like that,
but now they are. So whenyou look at aligners, I mean,
(09:48):
like I told you, I wasan early adopter. I believe in this
thing. But when I here,still hear dentists an orthodonists, do they
saying these things don't work. Youcannot move It's only for simple cases,
you cannot move roots with this.I mean, I just came back from
from Spain. I was at theEuropean Aligners Society meeting. I mean this
(10:09):
thing is I mean orthodontis almost only. I mean maybe five percent of general
dentist speakers on stage are orthodontist.It's that people with you know, when
you look at scientific literature, youlook at the names. Those are the
people on stage and you here andto this year. I mean the topic
was mostly surgical cases combined treated withwith clear aligners, So combining automatic surgery
(10:37):
and clear aligners, perial dontal problemspatient with with clear aligners. And so
I was there and I said,okay, I'm not crazy so what what
I'm thinking everything can be done withthis. So those who just are looking
at the parade out there just youknow, and some are just even pretending
there's no parade out there, butclear aligner, we're still not I mean,
(11:00):
it's still not dominates the markets.It's not that if you look at
the percentage whether it represents that's notwhat the majority of people use. But
if you're missing the boat, you'remissing big especially as a as a general
dentist. This is the best vectorfor new patients, it is, and
(11:20):
you only you know, and they'remissing the boat when it comes to offering
the full you know, smile transformation, you know, I mean a general
dentist will do you know, theblightening, they'll do the bleach, and
they'll do the cosmetic, but theydon't do the aligning, and they're missing
that big part of it there andby opplementing, you know, the whole
entire smile makeover. It's a nobrainer. Why would you not be able
(11:43):
to do it, you know,and be able to offer it. So
you're right, it's it's been agame changer and a lot of our clients
who understand the value and adapting areseeing tremendous results for the bottom line,
you know, and being able tooffer the whole service for you know,
for their clients. How do yourespond to the fact that some people say,
well, you know here, I'mnot a candidate for alligners. Is
(12:07):
that is that true for you haveyours? Or do you think that every
potential orthodotic patient can be treated withaligners. I think we have to be
careful and how we approach this thisquestion because the difference I see with with
aligners is you need more corporation fromyour patients. And like I I like
(12:33):
to say, you know, whenyou look at the clusion, of course,
we always talk about now class one, class two, class and that
this is this is from those ourclassification, this is for that there are
our our way of talking. Youknow, if I talk to you,
if I talk to another dentist andorthodontis I say class to you already have
an image in your head. Butfor patients, when we talk to patients,
(12:54):
I mean there's there's stable occlusions andthere are unstable occlusions. I have
patients or in class who are perfectlystable. If patients Glass one, we
aren't stable. So there's stable inclusionon unstable occusion. I think there's the
same thing with patients. You havestable patients and you have unstable patients.
And the one point of the consultationwhen we're doing consultation is to not only
(13:16):
look at the teeth and declusion andeverything, but you're going to be married
to that patient because if you're doingorthodotic treatment, and as a general debt
is, you're going to have thesepatients in your practice for the rest of
your life. Hopefully it's not aroot canal where you do one appointment and
it's done. You are embarking ina like six months, a year,
(13:39):
year and a half, two yeartreatment with your patient. If you're not
in relation with the patient and youneed cooperation, maybe it's an easy or
predictable case when you only look atthe teeth and how you will move the
teeth. But if the patient isnot wearing the aligners, if they're not
compliant, and then it becomes adifficult case and who's want to be responsible
(14:01):
if it doesn't work. Let's talkabout let's talk about that compliant. How
do you get what do you suggestto get patients compliant? I went through
on visiline and at the beginning,I was all going ho for it,
and eventually I did get a littlelazy, you know, and blah blah
blah. But it took me alittle bit longer than I was hoping for
my treatment because I wasn't compliant.So how do you recommend to you know,
(14:26):
is there any tricks that you could, you know, put out there
that could get doctors say this ishow to become compliant for me? And
you look, if you look atpsychological studies and literature and everything, they
would they say, if you wantpatients to be compliant, they have to
like you. That's the first thingin relation with them. They have to
(14:46):
like you. If you like someone, you want to please them. You
want I mean, because I youknow, I hear it a lot of
times with teenagers. People say Idon't treat teenagers and not compliant. I'm
sorry. There are certain not worsethan adults, and the best. The
most compliant patients are young kids.I mean, and they've been wearing incredible
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things. Look look back, Imean they were wearing I mean twin blocks,
bioinators, things like that that aremuch harder to wear than aligners.
So one the goal, because youknow, earlier we're saying, now we
can see people people you know,our patients after six months. But I
(15:30):
think one of the goal of bringingthem back in the office periodically is to
keep that that that motivation. Becauseonce you did your treatment planning, once
you did everything, everything is planningis good and it's going well. The
role of the team and your roleas a treating doctor is to motivate the
(15:52):
patient to keep that motivation. Sowe're always bringing back the initial pictures.
We're always bringing back the initial showingthem where they started from because people forget
this is something and I saw withtime people forget you have to repeat,
repeat, repeat all the time.So keeping getting them to come back.
You know, I see my patientsusually read ten to twelve weeks. And
(16:14):
now of course I could use somethingyou know, where they take their pictures
or virtual thing at home, andbut for me, having them coming back
to the office as a meaning andthis is to show them first that it's
important and keep that motivation. Whereare you and part of them. What
we're doing is that we become coachesfor our patients. Okay, interesting,
(16:37):
So let's take one step out now. So obviously most you know dental professionals
with the dantist dentists know of theliners, I know that they need to
bring them into the practice, butjust don't know which direction to go.
So what would you suggest them todo as far as doing the resource?
How to determine it? Sure invisual line is you know, is the
(16:59):
behemoth and has been doing this forever, and that's the main brand, But
there are so many other great alignof companies out there. You know Ortho
Effects, and you've got Spark andCandid and others out there, and you
know Authoop. So how do youwhat would be the two or three things
that a practice should look at inorder to find the right aligner partner or
program to use. Is a strictlybottom line price as a result? Is
(17:22):
a fast like what? Because there'sso many different opponents there and and most
of the companies have really good technologies. So what would you suggest would be
two deciding factors for somebody to lookat when their track when they're about to
bring in or want to bring inaligners to the practice. Well, you
know, like you said, there'sa lot of different companies. I'm I've
(17:45):
been using in visiign for twenty years, but I'm not related with in Visiline.
I have no country. I'm notspeaking for in Visilign, for Aligned,
for for any company in fact,and this is I like to have
this this liberty of seeing whatever Iwant. And I think that you know
that when I look at a line, like you said, they were the
(18:06):
first one, and the only thingabout them is that it's the only thing
they're doing. They're doing in linersand scanners, so of course they're they're
developing. And I see how they'redeveloping now for general dentists, you know,
with bringing things like smart architects,and it's you know, you see
they're more focused now on a lotmore than they were on general dentists.
But I believe and it was thesame thing when I learned orthodonics. You
(18:30):
know, I was lucky enough tocome across people who didn't care what type
of brackets and wires I was using. They just wanted me to understand.
I did the courses with Tom Mulligan, who was just mechanics guy. You
was talking about mechanics. It didn'teven cherry say. You always said you
take the cheapest thing. And Ithink that when you understand mechanics, when
you understand the principles. You canprobably make any system out there work for
(18:56):
you. You have to understand howit works. Now, you were talking
about the price, how much itcosts that much? And I think a
lot of times dentists they this iswhere they stop. But when you look
at numbers, when you look atpractices, and I'm sure you know more
than me, what's the most profitablething you can do in a practice in
(19:17):
the general practice, A lot oftimes it's clear aligners, the dotuics,
and they're all I'm sorry, they'reall about you know, I'm doing implants,
and I'm doing surgery, and I'mdoing complete rehab. Yeah, look
at the bottom line. Look atthe bottom line. You will do clear
aligners. And so for me,it's just you know, I've worked with
(19:38):
dentists to use spark A Clear Correct, all different types of brands, and
I think you have to go withLook at the software because mostly you're gonna
work with the software. Are youcomfortable with the software? Are you?
And look at the Sometimes I've seenyou know that yeah it's cheaper, but
you wait a month before you receiveyour religners, that the process is so
(20:02):
long that you're losing a lot oftime. So I think all these things
are are important, but get educatedif you don't rely on the software to
decide for you. You want tobe a dentist, you like to have
these two letters in front of yourname, No, d R. You
have to do doctor. You wantto be a doctor. You have to
(20:22):
work, you have to learn.You have to take some time to learn.
There's a learning term for sure.But once you go through that,
once you understand what you're doing,now you can face anything and you can
make anything work. This is howI see it. What's your thoughts on
doing it? Do it yourself andhaving a three D printer in the office
and you know, and taking themout of the equation you believe they should
(20:47):
just focus on what you do best? Or do you believe that practices if
they have the ability to stop makingmanufacturing on their own. I think that
that's probably where we're going from whatI've seen and now I think it's could
be maybe more in the reality ofan orthodonmist somebody is dedicated for that because
it's a long it's still a longprocess, it's stills. So I don't
(21:08):
think in the reality of a generalpractice it would really be something that you
can do. But certainly the wayI see the future, I what I
see in is that you have yourscanner and you're just your patient, Will
Biden do something. It's gonna scanthe whole mouth. You're gonna have your
printer. You're gonna print the nextten to twelve aligners, always starting from
(21:30):
that point. And this is Imean, I think I'm pretty sure I'm
gonna be old enough to see itto see it come. But I think
that's where we're going. Where Iwas when I was in in in Spain,
we were there's a company there.They're working on aligners printed, the
liners that are activated by by bodyheat or that you can wear for three
(21:56):
weeks. So I think this is, you know, where we're going.
More and more we're going to seethat and the whole the development of artificial
intelligence. Also, I mean,I have just that question. I don't
know if you have that question alsofrom dentist. Will you know artificial intelligence
will will it replace dentists? AndI don't think it's going to replace dentists,
(22:19):
no, but exactly who it's goingto replace dentists who don't use artificial
intelligence exactly? It makes you onlybetter, you know, you have to
adapt, you know, and Ibet said that many many times, adapt
or die. And if you're notadapting the AI, you're not implementing change,
you will be left behind. Youknow. I'll mess you two more
(22:40):
questions. So I'm going to askyou to take off those cool glasses and
put your future glasses on. Sonow I want you to take a look.
And what do you see is thefuture of aligners in two years from
now? Two years from now,I see that more and more. Of
course I talk for myself. Isee that more and more general dentists will
(23:00):
integrate clear liners under practice. Isee that artificial intelligence will surely help in
developing treatment planning. But for me, it's just where we're we're now starting
to separate, to stop separating orthodonticsfrom everything else we're doing, and just
integrate the autonotics and tooth movement intothe comprehensive dentistry. I see that it's
(23:26):
gonna it's gonna make us better dentistsdoing the doing better dentistry, more minimally
invasive dentistry, being more conservative.And of course it's I think it's just
going to get easier and easier becausewith artificial intelligence, the software is learning.
Also. I think we're coming toa point where, uh, it's
(23:48):
it's it's going to be easier tounderstand. You know. My dream is
that one. Now, when we'relooking at it, I'll always say clinch.
But any virtual setup, it's counterintuitivebecause we think we're looking at teeth
that are moving, which is notthe fact. We're looking at a force
system. But I see that atone point we're going to really see how
(24:12):
the teeth will move, right.All right, So you're talking about before
education and learning, So let's talka little bit about the clearance too.
Tell me a little bit about whatthis is and why people need to know
about it. Okay, the ideaof the clearance, it took chain because
for two years I was lecturing fora line, giving the certification course and
(24:33):
the tiny internity course, and therewas a one day course or two day
course i think at the time,and the dentists were coming, you know,
general dentists, and they were leavingasking okay, I'm interested, it
seems good, but what's next,And there was nothing next. I mean,
there was nothing plan next, Sothat the courses they were giving to
general dentists was the same thing theywere giving to ours who obviously already have
(24:57):
the knowledge. General dentists came herethere that no knowledge, and looking at
the softwage, it just they theythey left more confused than when they came.
Maybe they're going to say maybe it'sbecause of me. Okay, I
could be one of But so Itold myself, we have to build a
program like somebody would do want todo implants. We have to build a
(25:19):
program where we're going to teach themabout orthodoics, about how to make a
good diagnostic, about how to selectcases, what makes a case uh predictable
and more difficult, and and thebase get mechanics, all these things you
need to know that because again it'sorthodonics. So we were when we started,
we were giving only life courses anddoing it like a mastership program over
(25:42):
a year. But then COVID hitand I transferred everything online. So now
we have the online platform with morethan seventy hours of online content. So
for anyone, if somebody who's starting, somebody's already a confident provider and user
of clear liners, they will findthings there to really help understanding integrating aligners
(26:06):
in their practice. My goal,my mission, my vision is that I
want at one point general dentists andtheir team to be able to talk about
clear aligners like they talk about anyrestoration or any It has to be integrated
in the practice and not be somethingthey're not comfortable with and just remove all
the barriers that they can have thatit's orthodonics. Maybe I cannot do that,
(26:29):
or how do I select my casesand how do I get this confidence
that I can treat the patients andwhat I sell all the time. You
don't have to treat all the patients. And I think everybody will gain from
that. Orthodontis will gain from thatbecause if they are better at diagnostic,
they will not want to treat probablythe class to the class through patient,
but it will see more things andthey will refer more to orthodontists. Maybe
(26:53):
keep the things that are fun forthem and you know, maybe do what's
the difference in the bottom line Ifyou can do twenty twenty five thirty forty
cases in a year that are classone patient problems, like you said,
just moving the teeth a little bitbefore you do the restorations, before just
upriding teeth because you want to putan implant. Whatever you can do these
(27:14):
things. Sure smart, This isgreat, great information here. So guys,
if you're looking for more to learnmore, if you want to take
your practice to the next level andimplement aligners, really should take a look
at the clearance to it. It'syou know, I did some research and
you know, and axtaphone him andI've been talking for a while here and
it's a great program. You get, you get the credits, you learn
(27:37):
from from the best, and reallyit's something that you really should be looking
at. You know, aligners area game changer for practice. Imagine you
said adding in twenty thirty forty casesa year, that's some good money coming
in. And it's simple. Youknow, that's hundreds of thousands of dollars
that you know that why not andyou can still do your things and on
your chair. I mean everything canbe done in the Igiene chair indeed,
(28:00):
So I mean look at how muchyou can you can it's profitable, we
know it works. You know,it's fun. We know it's profitable,
and it's something you can do fora long time. And as again and
as an experienced dentist, I cantell you this is it's it's fun.
We'll back problems though, most ofthe work you're going to do on the
computer. I don't put my attachments. I don't I do the I PR
(28:21):
that's it, and I'm there whenthere's when there's trouble. So the other
thing that I just want to saybefore the clear Institute where AGD where an
AGD pays improved provider. Also,so we've been poor for nine years now.
One file up, quick question,the most important question. So I
just came across all we're talking herejust sort of texts that an asteroids hitting
(28:42):
Earth in five hours from now,so you have to go hurry up and
set up your last meal. Whatare you What are you eating? My
mother's Italian? Okay, so it'sit's their the family recipe, the pasta.
We call the markeron. That's theproblem I have being is that there's
(29:03):
something that usually cooks the whole day. So five hours, Well, we'll
do it. We'll do that.Wait, waitbite, it just said that
it's twenty four hours. Sorry,something I could eat three times a day.
I mean this is yeah, yeah, we'll keep you a great figure.
So all right, So it's it'shome. It's Mama's sauce and homemade
pasta. Huh, okay, isthere anything putting in it or just plaining
(29:25):
sauce on pasta. You're putting themeat. The meat is cooked inside the
sauce and this is what the flavorto the sauce and everything. So we
have thet everything you know. Loveit. That was great? All right?
Awesome? So if somebody wants toget more information or learn more about
(29:45):
the country, what's the best wayfor them to do so, or to
speak to you or just to getsome insight. Yeah, I mean the
easiest way just go and google theclear Institute and you will have everything there.
You go directly on the website.You can contact us, you can
info at the clearancyitu dot com.But go on the website. Everything is
there. Yeah, we have ablog, and go also on the YouTube
(30:07):
channel. We have a YouTube channelalmost five thousand subscribers now and sall videos
on again clear aligners and orthodontics andeverything. And you see you see how
now how we do things and giveyou an idea of how the courses are.
Awesome, guys, check it out. Real important to do so you
really need to learn and adapt asyou said, and this is going to
make a difference in your bottom line, your practice of making people smile.
(30:29):
I remember we're in the smile business, so if you can make somebody smile
fully embrace it. So Fan,thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate
it. Thanks so much, everybodyPodcastland once again, thank you for being
a loyal member, for listening tous. We're telling your friends love the
comments, and again if you're lookingfor if you have any questions we want
to learn some more, please reachout to us. We always want to
just hear back from everybody out there, so thanks so much. Everybody,
(30:53):
Be safe, be happy, happysmiles. Thank you very much. WORTHO
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