Episode 259: Optimizing Continuing Education

“This is the power of community, and uplifting one another, and connection – that real human interaction we have missing when we turn to the phone or the computer.” ~Dr. Maggie Augustyn

In this episode of Everyday Practices Dental Podcast, hosts Regan Robertson, Dr. Maggie Augustyn and Dr. Chad Johnson discuss their approaches to continuing education (CE) in dentistry. They discuss the importance of ongoing learning, strategies for maximizing the value of CE courses, and the power of building a supportive professional community. With insights on everything from implant training to practice management innovations, this episode provides a fascinating look at how the most productive dentists stay at the forefront of their field.

As you listen to this episode, we want you to think about the following questions:

• How do I currently view and approach networking and building professional connections?
• What can I do to better absorb and apply the insights and techniques I gain from attending CE courses?
• How can I thoughtfully manage my time and priorities to ensure I’m continuously learning and growing, while also fulfilling my responsibilities at home?

Episode Transcript

[00:00:00] Announcer: The Productive Dentist Academy Podcast Network.

[00:00:03] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: Networking to me sounds really kind of cold and masculine. It’s more like what’s in it for me, but that’s how I think of networking, right? To me, this isn’t networking to me. It’s more the power of community and uplifting one another and connection, that real human interaction that we have missing when we turn to the phone or the computer.

[00:00:25] Regan Robertson: Welcome to the Everyday Practices Podcast. I’m Regan Robertson. I’m And my co host, Dr. Chad Johnson, and I are on a mission to share the stories of everyday dentists who generate extraordinary results using practical, proven methods you can take right into your own dental practice. If you’re ready to elevate patient care and produce results that are anything but ordinary, sign up now.

Buckle up and listen in. Welcome to another episode of everyday practices, dental podcast. I am your host, Reagan Robertson here joined by the esteemed Dr. Chad Johnson. Chad, how you doing?

[00:00:59] Dr. Chad Johnson: I’m doing great. How are you today?

[00:01:02] Regan Robertson: Well, it’s obviously an amazing day because I’m here with you and we’re here with Dr.

Maggie Augustin. How are you doing Maggie? I’m great.

[00:01:12] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: Anytime I get to see you. Spend time with the two of you. It automatically gets to be best day ever.

[00:01:18] Regan Robertson: Absolutely. So, uh, listeners, if you’ve been listening to us for a while, you know, that Maggie is a recurring guest. She’s also on productive dentist academies, faculty as well.

She speaks for us, uh, at our events and it’s just become a really amazing relationship over the past few years that we’ve gotten to know each other and both of you in particular. Um, I, I put you in the CE junkie category. I know we got to define this. For any of you listening out there that are evaluating what type of courses you’re going to take in 2025, if you’ve not already filled up your schedule, I thought it would be really fun for us to dive into how both of you make your decisions for your CE and what you have both learned.

Over the past year. So Maggie, I know you attended about one event. I think it was per month, which to me, that is a lot for my non dentistry background, I think that traveling every single month is a lot, Chad. I don’t know about your schedule and how you did this year. So we’re going to find out in real time.

And first

[00:02:15] Dr. Chad Johnson: off, let’s both say congratulations to Dr. Maggie for graduating the fellowship for Academy of general dentistry. Oh, here’s now F A G entitled.

[00:02:26] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: Congratulations. Yep. I get to pick up my diploma. I have to wait. Several more months before I could use those letters behind my name, but the convocation really you

[00:02:34] Dr. Chad Johnson: have to wait until you have

[00:02:36] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: to wait until I could use those letters behind my name.

You have to wait until when? Till July of next year.

[00:02:43] Dr. Chad Johnson: And it’s, is it, it’s not San Diego. Where is it?

[00:02:46] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: In Montreal.

[00:02:47] Dr. Chad Johnson: Yes,

[00:02:49] Regan Robertson: it’s going to be exciting. I’m, I’m excited. So that, that really teases off in a nice way. So you got your fellowship and why don’t you walk us through Maggie, your, um, the past year. So from January to now, I don’t need a laundry list, but I’m definitely curious what courses you decided to take, where you spoke and how that fit into your travel schedule as well, because.

Not only are you learning CE, you’re providing CE and what was challenging and what was exciting for you over the year? What did you learn?

[00:03:17] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: So I split traveling into two categories, essentially. One is for the sake of learning clinical dentistry, because I’m nowhere near hanging up the hand piece. And the other side is for learning how to be a better speaker.

Well, I suppose there’s a third category and the third category is for me to speak. As a CE junkie at this moment, I am pursuing learning anything implant related or implant complication related. And so when I travel, that’s what I’m traveling to is implant placement, implant complication courses. And then I’m also on the road trying to improve my speaking skills.

And whenever I get invited to speak, I also. Sit through almost the entirety of the program, learning from. Other speakers that are there, so at the dental not shows, you know, learned from some of the esteemed speakers on comprehensive care or on restorative dentistry, learned from Katrina Sanders on the road, things like that.

And so that that gives me really an elaborate bouquet of the kind of knowledge that I bring back. And of course, at productive dentist Academy practice management comes front and center, looking at the Yomi, looking at it, Glidewell IO, all of these things is what I bring back. Having traveled.

[00:04:38] Regan Robertson: Wow. You know, I’d like to hang on implants for a second because you’ve been placing implants for how many years now?

[00:04:44] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: 1, 2, 3. I started learning when my, when I was pregnant with my daughter and then, uh, was advised to basically stay in my lane. I, a specialist that I was really close to and stopped placing implants and then met some really incredible young dentists probably three years ago that, that made me feel that I, I shouldn’t feel like I’m too old to start it again.

And then, yes, about almost two years ago, restarted my implant journey, you know, took the necessary coursework, both didactic and hands on and have done a lot of learning on my own reading textbooks and have found a tremendous. Mentor, you wouldn’t believe how difficult it is for general dentists to find a mentor to help you place implants.

And I found that in Dr. Chad Johnson. And so we’ve been working together collaboratively to place implants. He’s actually come to my office to watch me do surgery and to give me some feedback. So that’s been my implant journey.

[00:05:36] Regan Robertson: I love how it’s comprehensive. So you’ve really, you’ve really planned this out.

So where you have multiple different ways that you’re learning this information. And I also really appreciate that. It’s not a one and done that is a continuous journey that you’ve had. So what courses did you take this year on implants specifically? And I love how also that combines with mentorship. So you’ve had Chad this year.

What courses did you go

[00:05:57] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: to? I took a resnick course on implant complications. But being the junkie that I am, there is two continuums that I am taking that are online modules. And one is through osteocom and the other one is through, I don’t know if I’m going to butcher the name here, but it’s through Felham Institute and they’re excellent online modules that take you step by step, uh, you know, that give you both didactic and, and, um, I want to say videotape, but there’s no videotaping anymore, right?

They show you videos. of surgery. And so I watched those and because I purchased them, I can watch them multiple times. So I go to the Resnick, not a, it’s not a hands on, but it’s an in person workshop. And then I support that. I also read the complications book on my own, and then I do the online modules.

through different institutions to really robust my knowledge on all of that.

[00:06:52] Regan Robertson: How many months ago was it that you took that course? And have you seen a difference in that time from then to today? I think that was

[00:06:58] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: in the beginning of the year, probably about February that I took RISNX course. Absolutely. I understand things.

In a different way, but I wouldn’t understand things had it not be supported by the literature that I’m reading. Also, you know, there’s courses out there where the instructor will tell you do it this way. And when you ask why the answer is because I told you, so I’m not that kind of dentist. I need to know why, because when I know why it makes me a better clinician.

And then when I come across a similar complication, because I know why. I can solve it on a different level.

[00:07:34] Dr. Chad Johnson: And then a lot

[00:07:34] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: of these groups have WhatsApp numbers that you join where you have other colleagues, right. And alumni and you discuss those cases. And of course, uh, Dr. Chad just picks up the phone.

He’s just so generous with his time and, and helps me answer the questions as they come momentarily.

[00:07:52] Regan Robertson: You know, this makes sense to me now, because you just said that understanding the why is really important to you. And my first thought in my head was Chad is so good at explaining the why, at least for me in my interactions with you, Chad, over the many years that we’ve been together, the why is not only important to you, but yeah, you’re really good at explaining it.

And that sticks for me, it sticks to understand that undercore why it’s interesting how this actually plays into marketing too, because when people understand that they can connect it and that can help them move forward into. into action. Chad, how many implants do you think you’ve placed?

[00:08:25] Dr. Chad Johnson: My first 10 years, I probably placed 10 a year.

So it started out slower and then it picked up more like when we got, um, my CBCT in September of 2014 or 2013, one of the two from there on forward, we started doing like a hundred. A year. So, you know, let’s just say, um, 2000, you know, something like that. Let’s, let’s say 2000, 1500 maybe. I don’t know. But it’s not like, I know some guys that will say that they’ve done, you know, a thousand a year for, and I’m just like, I either, that’s either amazing or I don’t know if I believe.

Some of them, you know, but yeah, so, you know, is it

[00:09:07] Regan Robertson: CEO Math , right? Yeah. It’s a thousand, not really .

[00:09:11] Dr. Chad Johnson: Right. So yeah, like a thousand, 2000, something like that. You know, in, in that it’s certainly not quite 2000 yet. Um, but you know, I think what makes me able to explain stuff if people will. You know, follow along, I’m a rule breaker type of thinker.

And so because I like thinking through a lot of times, it’s funny. I’ll tell a patient, I’ll be like, I mean, listen, if you don’t follow my instructions, it’s not like you’re going to die. And so what I’m giving them is the parameters of. You know, like, listen, I don’t suck on a straw after I’ve removed this tooth, but if you do, if you want to go ahead, I mean, like, you know, and so I’m thinking through in my mind, what I’m thinking, like, why do I have to not suck on a straw?

Because what, what’s going to happen? Like the, the world will halt from turning or, or just that I could hurt a little, I mean, and is it. Is that worth it to me or not? Um, it was even, uh, Maggie, you know, and I was like, Oh, put some makeup on it. It’s no big deal. You know, like, it’s just like, I mean, it’s just thinking, no, I want to follow the rules and that’s my wife, Sarah, you know, she’s like, I want to follow the rules, but I think thinking through my, what would happen if you break the rules?

Like what’s. The big, what’s the big deal. It helps me think through what exactly is the problem with this rule? Like, why is this a rule? And, and why is it, are you

[00:10:22] Regan Robertson: the, are you the oldest in your family? Oh, okay. You are, you’re the firstborn. I would have totally pinned you as the youngest.

[00:10:29] Dr. Chad Johnson: I was a rule follower.

Until like I was older and, and then I realized that some rules are just dumb.

[00:10:37] Regan Robertson: So seeing how you placed a few thousand at this point implants, what was your CE calendar like this year? And did implants even come into that play? Are you still learning implants yourself or are you onto different adventures?

[00:10:49] Dr. Chad Johnson: Yep. A month ago, I went to another course, uh, course, John Coyce in Seattle, and then I have one in two weeks. So I had a September and a November kind of, let’s call it almost back to back, you know, a week long in Seattle. Then I have one more course of his. We’re getting

[00:11:06] Regan Robertson: together for dinner. I hear that’s what’s happening.

[00:11:08] Dr. Chad Johnson: I’m down with it. I’m down with it. I figured out you guys as L train system, you know, like, so it was three bucks to get from the airport up to wherever you want to go and maybe not Anacortes, but yeah, no, I was, I was loving that. Um, but yeah, so Coyce has been a big, uh, so five days and then upcoming five days.

So I’ll have done 10 days and each one is. Either 50 or 55 hours. So I’ll have a hundred hours, you know, of CE from that. And, um,

[00:11:35] Regan Robertson: and wait, what are the choice topics that you’re going to go? So

[00:11:38] Dr. Chad Johnson: biomaterials is upcoming in a couple of weeks. And that is basically like talking about the material strengths and the material characteristics of what we use and why.

Right.

[00:11:49] Regan Robertson: Maggie’s fangirling. Now they end up coming

[00:11:53] Dr. Chad Johnson: up.

[00:11:53] Regan Robertson: I have never, I have never once heard somebody say they didn’t get extreme value out of a course. In fact, every time I’ve talked to someone, they are giddy with, with anticipation and we should give them snaps for snaps as a PDA term for celebration, by the way, everybody that’s just, you snap your fingers like a beat.

They just are launching their new website with online curriculum from what I can tell. So congratulations to John Coyce jr. I believe their CEO. That’s a huge feat. And, um, and with such a, such a backlog, I know at one point they were like two years on a waiting list. I think it’s, what is it now? Did you say 18 months?

My last

[00:12:27] Dr. Chad Johnson: course is a year and a half out. I just scheduled it last month and it’s 18 months out. So I don’t know what my 2025 is going to hold as much as my 2026. That’s so,

[00:12:35] Regan Robertson: there’s so much great CE happening right now that if I was a dentist, I wouldn’t, I would have to be so discerning on where to put my budget, when to go, Make sure that my family doesn’t kill me.

Cause I’ll be gone all of the time. And I think that this was a brilliant move on their part. So that’s what you’re upcoming and learning.

[00:12:53] Dr. Chad Johnson: John Coyce Jr. And also his twin brother, Dean, a shout out to him for, uh, I didn’t know they were twins, but for, you know, the curriculum and stuff like that. But I’m huge Coyce fan for sure.

The last course a month ago was on dental implants and a whole week. This binder right here is a thousand pages. So we did 200 pages a day to go through the

[00:13:14] Regan Robertson: pages a day. What are you in Congress? No, these courses are exhausting. I’ve heard that they are, you go from morning to night and it is pretty intense.

Yeah, it is.

[00:13:24] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: Go to the room and sleep.

[00:13:25] Regan Robertson: That’s all

[00:13:26] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: you can do.

[00:13:27] Dr. Chad Johnson: Yeah, it’s just, it’s super impressive that he tackles this and this will sound mean, but at his age, let’s say he’s mid sixties or something like, or I don’t know, you know, he could be older, but he’s, he dances circles around us. He’s amazing is what I’m saying.

It’s a, it’s a, it sounds like a put down, but it’s a, it’s a compliment. It’s like he’s older, but he’s, he’s from sunup to sundown. Well, in Seattle, that’s not that long before sunup and past sundown. He just goes and goes and goes. It. But it’s still enthralling. I mean, your brain gets so full, but it’s amazing talking with your colleagues there.

I would highly recommend it. Definitely. I’m looking forward to seeing what the online curriculum looks like. I have a friend from elementary school, actually, who’s a dentist around here. And I just told her, um, to send a patient down. She’s like, how do I treatment plan this? And I said, why don’t you send.

Him down, I’ll do some photos and we’ll mock it up together. Cause I was just like, you know, we’ll just send this off. So just send them down here. We’ll take some pictures and we’ll figure out how to do this case. But I told her, I said, the COIS online course, um, you know, is something to check into, cause I think the first module is free.

[00:14:31] Regan Robertson: Oh, wow. Even better. Even better. We should get John Jr. on here. All right. Sidebarring there. So let’s look at what you have already learned. So you, you did do COIS just a little bit ago. Was that the highlight of your year so far with regards to CE? That was it. Did you do any CE? Well, you have to do required CE, but I mean, in addition, did you do any additional CE this year?

[00:14:47] Dr. Chad Johnson: Um, so I actually went to Intellicon for dental Intel. Right. Yep. And so I went there, I spoke at a one hour course, but I did the, you know, three days there and that. Filled my brain with a lot of administrative ideas, and we’re looking at implementing those. Some of those have to do with AI, um, call tracking, call responding.

It’s getting to that point where you got call responding and answering the phones with AI and implementing that. And then dental Intel. Um, engagement, which is their traditional stuff is dental intel analytics. Modento now is dental intel engagement. And then they’re also, uh, within that there’s a subcategory.

If I get this right, it’s called dental intel forms. And so you can use. In essence, what becomes the patient movement software. And I wouldn’t use the right word, but you know, as the patient’s moving through the office and you want to have them sign a consent form, or if you want to see where they are in the office and where you’re going to move them.

And everyone can see where people are moved that you can do that. And so I’m excited about. Rolling that out. But so lots of phone calls and stuff that this, this isn’t exactly CE. It’s kind of implementing. That’s one problem inherent to CE is okay. So you go to CE, then are you actually implementing it?

[00:15:59] Regan Robertson: Oh, always. That’s it. That is, I mean, absolutely. There’s a great episode that we’ve done. We’ve had Wade Kiefer on here. Dr. Wade Kiefer a couple of times. He’s a PDA faculty as well. And one of, you know, one of the reasons that I think he became so ingrained with PDA was exactly that he talks about everything he learned at and he was like, this is amazing knowledge.

Knowledge with risk factors. Now, how do I communicate this to the patient? And so he found PDA and bridge the communication side of things, because you want to make sure that everything you learn on the data side of things, it should have an ROI. So that’s at the transactional level. But, but on the deeper level, are we really able to use this knowledge to help people get healthier, to help them on board and understand what their plans are going to be?

I didn’t know this would be an implant episode, but it kind of went in that direction. And

[00:16:42] Dr. Chad Johnson: what’s cool is when I was there, Maggie was sending me a case. And I was like, let me ask John during break. I’d go up and I was like, John, Hey, I’ve got a friend in Chicago. Can I ask you this? She’s getting to ask John Coy’s to help treatment plan this.

And I don’t, he’s just so magnanimous and kind and generous. There are others that are like that. I’m not saying. saying that there aren’t, but, um, he’s on the upper echelon of awesomeness in that regard. There’s your

[00:17:09] Regan Robertson: power of community. I mean, I was going to say, you just highlighted networking at its most powerful.

Absolutely. And I’m, I’m wondering for this question is for both of you, when you think about the networking potential of these events, is that something that goes into your decision making process? For example, um, from my limited scope, often hair dentists who come to PDA, they come and a big piece of that is we’re going to get to see our friends.

We’re going to get to see people we met. at a workshop 12 years ago or eight years ago, and now we’re back together again. And so I know that that’s part of that decision making process. How do you guys weigh what CE to go to? There is the, what I’m going to get out of this, the educational component. And then what other factors do you look at?

[00:17:46] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: So we’ve talked about this before, you know, when you travel so much, it creates a certain difficult dynamic within your marriage. Or it has in my marriage, it’s been challenging, right? For both my husband and I know we are fairly independent. We have never been joined at the hip. We don’t have that kind of marriage.

Nonetheless, it still makes it difficult. And if these places that I go to these communities that I am now a part of, whether it’s PDA or dental entrepreneur, woman, or anybody involved with Vanessa Emerson or Resnick, if these. We’re not the communities that were so giving, um, and so warm and so welcoming.

If these weren’t my favorite people, I don’t think I would be doing it. So the power of community networking to me sounds really kind of cold and masculine. It’s more like what’s in it for me. But that’s how I think of networking, right? To me, this isn’t networking to me. It’s more the power of community and uplifting one another and connection, that real human interaction that we have missing when we turn to the phone or the computer.

And so that’s, that’s the reason, at least for me, why I’ve been doing it. What you’re describing, that power of connection and hanging out with your favorite people, your friends is a really big reason for which I continue to do this.

[00:19:06] Dr. Chad Johnson: What

[00:19:07] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: about you, Chad,

[00:19:08] Dr. Chad Johnson: sometimes I’ll go to a course and I’m not likely going to know anyone there that’s possible.

And I’m extroverted enough. For example, in two weeks, if I go to this course and there’s 40 people in each course and so I’ll have 39 other pre friends, right? The way I look at it, it’s like

[00:19:25] Regan Robertson: three friends is the best term I have ever heard. I love it.

[00:19:28] Dr. Chad Johnson: So in other words, like maybe I’ll get to know some of them real well.

That’s it. Some of them, I won’t, it’s kind of like that preschooler that goes to the playground and they just start playing with anyone. No, I totally get when it’s a joy to be able to see Dave deal, you know, at the PDA workshops. And you’re

[00:19:45] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: supposed to mention my name. Also just throwing it out. You’re

[00:19:48] Dr. Chad Johnson: you’re right here.

[00:19:49] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: It’s not good enough, Chad.

[00:19:52] Dr. Chad Johnson: Of course. And Wade and Maggie and Bruce and Reagan. And so I

[00:19:57] Regan Robertson: come on the bottom of that list.

[00:19:59] Dr. Chad Johnson: Oh, you did. There’s my dyslexia. I was like, no, you weren’t. Yes, you were. You were at the very bottom or maybe the top. Maybe I was working from the bottom up. There are times when. I’m excited about seeing like, uh, David Yang, I got to hang out with at the last course course.

He wrote me a Facebook message and I was excited that he reached out to me and was like, dude, we’re sitting next to each other. Cause you can see where you’re going to sit in case, you know, like who’s sitting where, so that was fun. And then this was a really fun group, the last group. And so we did dinner, you know, and lunches and stuff like that.

And sometimes it’s not quite that way, but this one really was. And this younger crowd was like, you know, Hey, are you on Instagram? And they’re like, what’s your thing? And I’m like, I don’t know, like, and they’re like, well, I already looked you up. Here you are. I was just asking to be nice. I already found you.

And, and so connecting that way. And even then, when, when I get back after, you know, meeting these people and stuff like that, um, getting to know them better on Facebook and, and email sometimes when people are even listening to the podcast, so, you This world becomes a lot smaller of a community because of the internet.

And for that aspect, I’m grateful. Sometimes people can be pricks, you know, on the internet and stuff like that. But if you look at the bright side of it is that we’re more connected than ever, which you have to guard because you could be more lonely than ever, even though you’re more connected than ever, but it does allow for an opportunity for you to connect and feel not lonely.

And I like that.

[00:21:21] Regan Robertson: I like the differences in the terms of networking versus. Community versus friendships too. So my favorite memories happened at an investment grade practice summit. So investment grade practice summit usually runs concurrently with a productivity workshop. And it was, I don’t remember, maybe, maybe two years ago now at this point.

Yeah, I think it was a 2022 one, maybe 2023. Anyway, it was, I remember Chad was one of the doctors sitting in the seats. But it was Dr. Jackson Bean. It had all Dr. Wade Kiefer was one Maggie was there. It was like this whole crew and you guys were all kind of joshing with each other and seeing who sits where with when, and it was just, it was the community, definitely Maggie.

It, I felt it so well. And I thought I’m in the room with some. Amazing clinicians. And how do you get to be amazing? You have to show up in your practice in your life, but also when you get a chance to be around other people that are amazing and get to talk to each other in real time, and I think about it as asking a friend, you know, if, if I’m in my own community, asking a friend for advice, it’s not as cold as networking, but you got to start somewhere maybe, and, and I love how you even made that a friendly term, pre friends.

You’re a pre friend. Yeah,

[00:22:29] Dr. Chad Johnson: that’s a, that’s a total extrovert move. It’s like, they’re not my friends yet, but just give me a minute on the playground, what’s their names? I don’t know. I don’t know, but they’re my friends.

[00:22:36] Regan Robertson: So what are you both looking forward to in 2025? Give us your take on CE.

[00:22:42] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: I am looking at midwinter courses.

I’m speaking there, but I’m also planning on taking some courses, sign up for another resonant course. I’ll be going to the AGD. So wherever I’m speaking, I’m also going to look at taking some courses. Yeah. Now you’re making me want to take some COIS courses, but those are going to be 18 months out.

[00:23:00] Dr. Chad Johnson: But a particular one that I was looking at.

So maybe not, maybe just

[00:23:05] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: do the online free one. Yeah. That’s where I’m at right now is continuing with my implant journey. The next thing that I want to do, and that might be the last quarter of 2025 is incorporating some facial aesthetics into my practice, some Botox and fillers and things like that.

And seeing whether or not my patients would want to do that. I know my team wants me to learn to do that so that they could be my Guinea pigs, but those are probably the things on the horizon and then probably sedation dentistry also in 2025. So implants, facial aesthetics, sedation dentistry. And that might be through the middle of 2026, depending on how many speaking engagements I am going to plan for, or allow myself to have.

Chad, how about you?

[00:23:52] Dr. Chad Johnson: I think mine is simple. InstaResa is a, an option for scanning, Implant bodies and that world is really changing a lot. The digital all on X scanning and planning and with our Yomi and photogrammetry and trying to figure out which unit to buy of those. And that’s on the docket for me.

I’d also like to take a second level, um, AAFE course, uh, facial aesthetics. For Botox fillers and stuff like that to take the next level of that. And then some of it is on Bruce’s recommendation. Actually, um, he was like, Chad, your brain’s full. You’ve done enough CE at work, believe

[00:24:35] Regan Robertson: it or not. I’ve had years like that too.

When I was working for a organic skincare company, we used to have estheticians come in and they would give, um, us training. So I did the marketing and then they would give us training on how to use the products. And one of them was, I’ll never forget it, put the product on, but you have to allow it to sink in.

So you let Seep in before you just saying that before you slap another product on it. It was, it really helped me approach life in that way too, because you can get into, I think almost an addictive cycle. Me, I’ll say me, you know, of, I want to learn and I do love to learn. I’m nonstop love learning. It’s in my Clifton strengths.

And so there does need to be time to absorb and apply. So that you can figure out if it’s really worth it, if it’s working. And I like that this next year will probably be a lot of application for me because I’ve been on a pretty steep learning journey the past few years, myself.

[00:25:25] Dr. Chad Johnson: I’m hoping that I can finish getting my license in Illinois so I can, um, collaborate with Dr.

Maggie over, uh, the all on X cases. And I just got my license two days ago in North Dakota. Dakota. And so I’m pumped about that to go visit my friend, Lindell Kemet, a shout out to him up in Minot. It might not be a bad idea for me to visit him. So I know. Sorry. Um, and with that also like one thing that I want to learn it’s this is left field.

Okay. I got a greenhouse and I want to learn, you know, like my gardening stuff. This has nothing to do with dentistry. So like you said, loving, loving, you know, learning and stuff. I’m like totally onto that. My patients will be like, I mean, what are you going to grow? I’m like, I don’t know. I just, I’ll figure it out.

Like, I’m well,

[00:26:09] Regan Robertson: yeah. Right.

[00:26:10] Dr. Chad Johnson: Um, only the best kind, what are you going to grow? And I was like, I don’t know. And then they’re like, have you had a garden outdoors? And I’m like, no, I mean, they almost want to laugh at me, but they’re like, so, and I’m like, I’ll just figure it out. At what. Here’s me again, the rule breaker.

I’m like, what’s the worst that can happen? What the plants will die. Okay. So very low risk, right? So what? So the plants die. So what? So, and it’ll be fun with the kids. So talking about life learning, not just whatever, but, uh, Reagan,

[00:26:37] Regan Robertson: what

[00:26:38] Dr. Chad Johnson: are you hoping to learn this next year? Not necessarily class wise, but like, what are you, uh,

[00:26:43] Regan Robertson: So, well, okay.

I am very excited to go through what is called active research on staff. We happen to have a wonderful woman, Dr. Adrienne Reynolds. She is our CHRO and, uh, and so she has her PhD, it’s organizational development. I want to say, I can’t remember exactly what her title is. But, uh, but I am in the midst of putting together frameworks for the work that I’ve done in the past two years.

So I’ve mapped out the patient journey and there’s 21 individual steps that I’ve mapped out. And so in these 21 steps, I’ve identified the ideal way that a practice can show up authentically in a way that helps patients be seen and heard in a quick amount of time. So that they get to a yes quicker.

They get into relationship quicker with the doctor and they get to yes, much quicker for their treatment plan. So I’m actively mapping out the five steps in each of those 21 steps. So I’m creating a framework for that. So Adrian is helping me using an active research methodology that you would do if you were making a dissertation.

So that is a huge quest that I am embarking on and I anticipate it could take me 12 to 24 months again to get it all put together, but I know that when it’s complete, it’s going to be enormously helpful. We already implement. Certain elements of it, but I’d like to get a whole and complete. So that’s who I will be working with as my mentor.

And I will be doing a lot of work.

[00:28:01] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: Yeah.

[00:28:02] Regan Robertson: You know, for both of you, thank you for diving into this topic with us. I think it underscores that success requires support and Chad, just listening to how many people you connect with, you’re even getting licenses in different states. States in order to help out and be a mentor that takes mentorship in my humble opinion to a whole nother level.

And then Maggie, your commitment to traveling and speaking and being vulnerable and honest and sharing your journey is another way that you are also supporting others and helping people be successful in their own journeys. If you’re listening and you would like just an ear, a trusted advisor, something that we do at productive dentist Academy that we don’t talk about is our 60 minute discovery sessions.

It’s They’re complimentary and you get a high level advisor to map out where your obstacles are that sit in between where you are today and where you want to go, it’s a really, really great value. And I encourage if you’re listening right now, go to productive dentist. com. Just grab the contact form and fill it out.

And Brent Hogan can set up a time with you at this time of year, when we’re reflecting, we’re about to go straight into the holidays. Nothing can help set you up for success, except those around you to, to give you that, that year, see your blind spots and thank you both for sharing some of the things that you do

[00:29:12] Dr. Chad Johnson: to closing thoughts.

Number one, 2025 PDA workshop. Now PDA conference is in March.

[00:29:20] Regan Robertson: Yes. Our registration is open. We’re already a good chunk in. Yeah. And second

[00:29:24] Dr. Chad Johnson: thing I wanted to point out was, um, those who are younger and listening, that’s the best time to do CE. Even if your kids are little, like go get it done. Cause right now my kids are 15, 12, 10.

It’s a lot tougher than when they were five, two, and just born. Yeah. And so, and you also have more of your career to enjoy that knowledge. Like no one wants to go to 50 hours of course, course the day after they retire. Right. That wouldn’t make any sense. That’s debatable. Like with course you’d want to make sure to hammer your fellowship for the academy of general dentistry, uh, get a fellowship of some sort or another.

Get, um, more training, just even indirect mentorship. Uh, that’s informal. I should say, you know, the earlier in your career, the better, because then you get to bring that to fruition over a longer period of time. That’s my short little advice on.

[00:30:13] Regan Robertson: We need to get them as a guest. We have Dr. Brayden Baird. He just came to September’s program and I think he’s over a thousand dollars an hour and he’s already, he’s only been in practice for a year.

It’s insane. But he came when he was a student to the workshop. So I think that’s, I think you’re right. I hear a lot. I hear a lot about people who say, wow, I wish I’d had this information 10 years ago, it would have been really helpful. So I like that. And

[00:30:35] Dr. Chad Johnson: someday he’ll say, my uncle’s father was a Marine aviator and, uh, he had four daughters and when he had those four daughters, he’d line them up and say, all right, girls,

Maggie, I

love you.

[00:30:48] Dr. Maggie Augustyn: There’s something very special about visiting with your community and going to some of these CE courses. And, uh, and I mean, of course there’s knowledge that you’re going to be able to implement and you’re going to be better for it on, on something that Chad said, you know, I would feel extremely guilty for leaving my daughter, But the truth is that if my daughter sees me being independent and successful, she will know that is also within her reach.

I don’t always have to be helicoptering her, uh, and also leaving her. As I’m traveling empowers her to figure some stuff out on her own. She’s going to have to learn to do laundry and make herself something to eat at 14. Okay. Yeah. So maybe I could or should be doing that for her, but I think it’s perfectly fine to allow her to do some of those things too.

So as that guilt mom hits me real hard in the face because I’m not home, my kids actually turned out pretty darn good. Despite the fact that I’m not home 24 seven every day.

[00:31:48] Regan Robertson: Well, thank you guys both. Thank you for listening to another episode of everyday practices podcast. Chad and I are here every week.

Thanks to our community of listeners, just like you, and we’d love your help. It would mean the world. If you can help spread the word by sharing this episode with a fellow dentist and leave us a review on iTunes or Spotify, do you have an extraordinary story you’d like to share or feedback on how we can make this podcast even more?

Awesome. Drop us an email at podcast at productive dentist. com. And don’t forget to check out our other podcasts from Productive Dentist academy@productivedentist.com slash podcasts. See you next week.