Julie Varney is the biggest advocate for dental assistants in the US. She has been in the industry for 32 years and has accomplished a lot. In this interview she shares her thoughts on what;s holding back the profession of dental assistants and what one person can do to improve her or his career path.

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dentalassistantsrock?igsh=MWE2dHZrbWJmbnJ4NQ==

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(0:00) - Podcast Intro

(00:40) - TEasing Julie with hosting National conference in March 6-8 2025

(04:02) - National shortage of Dental Assistants, what happened?

(06:03) - What happened with dental assistants

(07:29) - How to determine a reasonable hourly rate for a Dental Assistant?

(10:04) - Are the dental assistants entitled?

(11:15) - Intro to June 28th Full Day workshop

(11:49) - How Julie started instagram account

(18:42) - Who is the workshop for?

(19:30) - Why Dental Assisting schools are not providing adequate training for the industry?

(27:15) - ADA, TDA, AGD and impact of these organization on Dental Assistants

(32:08) - How to leave your current job as a professional?

(36:00) - How to answer tricky questions at the job interviews

(38:54) - How to evaluate practices when interviewing for a job and ask good questions?

(41:25) - “What type of growth opportunities at your dental practice?”

(43:30) - How to get unstuck?

Michelle Affanato started her career in dentistry at the age of 15 and worked her way up to become a dental consultant. She has a unique perspective on the industry, having worked in various roles and even helped a bank with startup practice financing. Michelle believes that the key to success in dentistry is being willing to put in the work and not just focusing on clinical responsibilities. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the business side of dentistry and being involved in all aspects of the practice. Michelle's consulting focus is on system implementation and training, particularly in effective scheduling, financial management, and communication between the clinical and administrative teams. In this conversation, Michelle Affanato discusses the importance of having clear communication and systems in a dental practice. She emphasizes the need for a visual reminder of important information, such as X-rays or photos, to ensure that the team is consistently reminded of necessary procedures. Michelle also highlights the benefits of morning huddles in getting the entire team on the same page and maximizing productivity. She advises offices to focus on the highlights and important information during huddles, rather than going through every patient on the schedule. Michelle also touches on the use of sports analogies in business and the importance of defining success based on individual goals. She encourages private practices to focus on the patient experience and their own definition of success, rather than considering selling to a DSO as a solution to challenges. Michelle also discusses the difficulties in finding and retaining staff in the current job market and suggests considering training and onboarding individuals from outside of dentistry. Lastly, she emphasizes the importance of flexibility and adaptability in a startup practice, as systems and layouts may need to be adjusted as the practice grows and changes.

Takeaways

Success in dentistry requires putting in the work and not just focusing on clinical responsibilities.

Understanding the business side of dentistry and being involved in all aspects of the practice is crucial.

System implementation and training are key to effective scheduling, financial management, and communication within the practice.

Open-mindedness and a willingness to overcome challenges are important traits for success in dentistry. Clear communication and visual reminders are essential in a dental practice to ensure that the team consistently follows necessary procedures.

Morning huddles are a valuable opportunity to get the entire team on the same page and maximize productivity by focusing on the highlights and important information.

Defining success based on individual goals is crucial for private practices, and selling to a DSO should not be seen as the only solution to challenges.

Finding and retaining staff can be challenging in the current job market, and considering training and onboarding individuals from outside of dentistry may be a viable option.

Flexibility and adaptability are key in a startup practice, as systems and layouts may need to be adjusted as the practice grows and changes.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction and Reconnecting

(07:59) What Sets Michelle Apart as a Consultant

(28:06) Focus of Michelle's Consulting and Implementing Systems

(39:04 )Challenges and Strategies for Finding and Retaining Staff

(50:29) Defining Success and Setting Clear Goals

(58:02) Improving Efficiency and Patient Experience

In this podcast Michelle and I discuss how to become a trusted member of the team and learn to become the lead dental assistant. Learning how to communicate and the fundamentals of delegation. Michelle has been with Ballantyne Endodontics For 15 years and became clinical leader. Michelle Allen bio

Discount code : ZENONE for $400 off both the independent and The Independent + The collective (which is the coaching option). The next 8 week class starts on May 1st!

Shortcuts:

(0:00) - Podcast Intro

(01:10) - Balancing Act of day to day activities

(03:59) - What is the role of Lead Assistant

(06:56) - Responsibilities of a Lead Dental Assistant

(09:30) - Hiring the right people

(10:38) - Did your pay go up?

(12:17) - $45/hour Assistant, is it possible?

(14:35) - Is there a ceiling?

(16:43) - How to build trust between a doctor and a dental assistant

(23:16) - Non Verbal Communication in clinical settings

(25:35) - Sequence of procedures is a foundation for successful non verbal communication

(28:24) - Why is it so hard for practice to master non verbal communication

(30:32) - What is the goal for the course?

(33:53) - The reason for Polished Academy name

(34:32) - Do you have training for general practice dental assistant

(36:44) - How do you plan to manage the Full Time job and Coaching other offices?

(38:10) - What’s wrong with the current definition of a Dental Assistant

(39:40) - Michelle’s Story

(41:45) - You should do more in life and take on more responsibilities/challenges

(44:26) - What’s next?

(48:21) - What would you tell someone who is just starting out in the endo practice as an assistant?

Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/MichelleAllen_DA/⁠

More information about the course: ⁠https://polishedacademy.vipmembervault.com/⁠

Reference ⁠https://a.co/d/j9nQO6W⁠

DISC assessment - ⁠https://www.discprofile.com⁠

Unreasonable Hospitality - ⁠https://a.co/d/4VnNM0e⁠

4000 Weeks - Time Management for Mortals - ⁠https://a.co/d/07zZnVh⁠