The Savvy Dentist Dr Jesse Green

Welcome to The Savvy Dentist Podcast, the show where great dentistry meets great business. Each episode, we bring you insightful conversations with industry leaders and experts, offering you the wisdom and tools to create a thriving dental practice.

As dental practitioners and practice owners we all know that getting your documentation right is critical and when you get it right, it gives you that terrific peace of mind. When it's not documented properly, then you're at risk of having disputes and issues.

In this episode, Dr. Jesse Green introduces us to lawyer Zac Herps. He’s not just a lawyer, but a beacon of expertise for dental professionals navigating the complex legal landscape. 

Zac, with his extensive knowledge and experience, has been instrumental in helping dentists across the country safeguard their practices and make informed, strategic decisions. He shares invaluable insights into the legal challenges and opportunities that every dental practitioner should be aware of.

Zach and Jesse talk about the importance of having great advisors around you at all times.





[3:37] - How do you know if it’s good advice?
[11:49] - The structure and documentation suite you will need as a solo practitioner.
[14:35] - Directors duties and responsibilities explained.
[17:58] - What’s the go with data protection in your practice?
[21:45] - Facility agreements and how to protect your intellectual property.

[24:38] - Is a ‘restraint of trade’ worth the paper it is written on?

[31:45] - Documentation that is commonly overlooked when growing your practice.
[40:49]  - Estate planning checklist.

In a dental practice, we perform a lot, and train very little. In comparison, in the sports arena, an athlete will practice a lot, and perform occasionally.

In today’s episode of The Savvy Dentist Podcast with Dr. Jesse Green, we meet Dr. Andrew Hongh. Dr. Hong isn't just known for his exceptional skills in dentistry but also for his unwavering passion for sports. This unique combination has propelled his dental practice to new heights and Andrew and Jesse uncover and share all the lessons he has learnt along the journey.





[3:18] - The value of training and practice in your practice.
[5:10] - The BIG tax lesson and the transition process from associate … to owner.
[8:14] - “Am I cut out for this?” The question that changed everything.
[11:06] - Andrew’s lessons moving from ‘driller-and-filler’... to ‘business owner’.
[14:46] - The BEST tip for building loyalty with each individual in your team.
[17:18] - How to make continual learning part of your DNA.
[20:20] - The 3 A’s. Accept. Adapt. Achieve. How to utilise these three simple steps in your business everyday.
[28:50] - Andrew Hong’s business tips to allow you to relax more and sleep at night.
[31:04] - The sporting playbook analogy applied to your dental practice.

Professor Martin Bean CBE, CEO of The Bean Centre, is a visionary leader shaping the future of education in our workplace.

Currently a Professor at the University of New South Wales, Martin's expertise lies in exploring the evolving landscape of work and lifelong learning. 

In this episode of The Savvy Dentist Podcast Martin shares his knowledge as a mentor connecting some of Australia's brightest minds and Jesse and Martin unpack all of the lessons of leadership that he's uncovered throughout his career and make them really practical for you in your dental practice.





[2:01] - A pathway to leadership
[7:12] - How Leadership has changed and evolved over recent years.
[10:02] - Don’t lead - coach. The difference between a hierarchical manager, and a leadership coach in your business.
[13:18] - How to commit to a learning culture within your dental practice and how it can impact engagement and retention.
[17:44] - A powerful leader is someone who can understand what motivates and inspires your team to follow.
[25:27] - Lessons from the top executives in Microsoft that you can apply in your business.
[30:36] - What Martin wishes big business would learn from our small business operations.
[38:29] - Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.

The world is certainly speeding up. The rate of change, the pace of change and technological advances are all increasing. 

As a practice owner, are you constantly thinking about your team dynamics and the structures or issues going on between people. You're possibly also thinking about your business (and personal) finances, your tax, payroll tax, approaching EOFY. 

Sometimes the list becomes so long it can be overwhelming. 
How do you reconcile that sense of overwhelm? 
How do you overcome overwhelm so that you can continue to move forward and achieve the goals that are really important to you?

In this episode of The Savvy Dentist Podcast, Dr. Jesse Green introduces you to Daniel Sih, a productivity expert.

Daniel has a framework for all of us  around developing and maintaining productivity and creating ‘space’ within your day to ensure you maintain a sense of sanity as you grow your practice.

Daniel Sih is an award-winning author, professional speaker, and productivity consultant, leading the team at Spacemakers.

Daniel co-founded Spacemakers, a productivity consulting group, where he serves as a key leader and thinker. The organisation focuses on helping individuals and companies improve their productivity through better management of technology and work-life balance. Spacemakers offers workshops, coaching, and resources that aim to address the modern challenges of digital overload and workplace efficiency.

Daniel’s work emphasises the importance of unplugging from digital distractions to foster creativity, focus, and well-being. 





[5:03] - The transition from physiotherapy … to productivity expert.
[11:33] - Daniel explains his framework for us to be able to “create space”.
[16:31] - The theory that we can outrun the busyness of life and business … even though in reality we all know that that's a race you can't just win.
[20:28] - The relationship between your technology, and your productivity.
[35:26] - One of the hardest roles to create space in is the reception role. Daniel explains how his framework can be applied.
[38:29] - How to apply the productivity framework you’ve just learned in everyday life and business.

Dr. Soo-Wee Ong is a distinguished dental surgeon based in New Zealand, known for his expertise and dedication to the field of dentistry. Originally from Malaysia, Dr. Ong moved to New Zealand to pursue higher education and professional development. 

He runs courses for dentists to teach them the basic surgical skills and advanced surgical skills and is the founder of the Facebook group, DPR, which is a resource for all dental practitioners, no matter where you are in your journey.

Dr. Ong has built a reputable practice in New Zealand, where he specialises in a wide range of dental services, including cosmetic dentistry, implantology, and oral surgery. His commitment to continuous learning has led him to participate in numerous international conferences and training programs, ensuring that he stays at the forefront of the latest advancements in dental technology and procedures.

Dr. Soo-Wee Ong's blend of technical proficiency, compassionate care, and continuous pursuit of excellence has made him a prominent figure in New Zealand's dental landscape, earning him a lasting legacy in the field of dentistry.

In this episode of The Savvy Dentist Podcast, Dr. Jesse Green uncovers Dr. Ong’s journey in business and life, including how he discovered his passion for weightlifting.





[3:51] - That moment when your best friend asks, “So why do you want to go into dentistry?”
[11:10] - The job as a specialist is to ‘educate’.
[21:29] - Finding confidence as a young dental practitioner.
[26:41] - Easy case, hard case, easy patient, hard patient … Dr. Ong discusses how he views the differences.
[35:18] - The evolution and the community power of the DPR facebook group, a tremendous service to our profession.
[43:50] - How an Oral Surgeon becomes a weightlifter in later life.

David Keir is perhaps one of the greatest thinkers when it comes to helping new graduates start their dental career. David is the host of the Dental Headstart podcast created to help dental students become great dentists.

David spent over 10 years dental assisting before graduating from The University of Sydney in 2016. The idea of Dental Head Start was born from the hopes of  sharing the lessons he’s been lucky to learn along the way and helping others gain a head start also.

Having spent many summer breaks in the Mid North coast, and even marrying his beautiful wife there, David is proud to now call Port Macquarie home. 

When he’s not busy with one of his endless side projects … which is a rare, you’ll find David adventuring the great outdoors on his mountain bike or running in an ultra marathon. 





[2:14] - Starting a podcast to self-learn and help new dental graduates understand the business of dentistry.
[6:29] - Business was always the path … but not the start.
[13:13] - How David and his wife turned a tremendous tragedy into a 1 year traveling adventure around Australia.
[18:01] - What has an ultra marathon got to do with running a dentistry practice?
[27:24] - Take a break … breathe … and give yourself the time to decide ‘what next’.
[35:50] - Tips to accelerating your business growth.
[41:03] - When you are pulled in many different directions in your business, how do you define what to focus on?