In this game-changing episode of the Marketing 32 show, host Brett Allen welcomes Ryan Corby, CEO and co-founder of Smile Advantage, who reveals how the traditional per-patient pricing model for membership platforms has been silently draining practice profitability while claiming to help reduce insurance dependency. Born from the frustration of two practicing dentists who realized their successful membership program would cost them a fortune with existing competitors, Smile Advantage represents a fundamental reimagining of how membership software should work. Ryan's unique position as both platform developer and active practice owner provides real-time feedback loops that drive continuous improvement based on actual daily usage rather than theoretical assumptions. From deep PMS integration that eliminates workflow friction to proactive card expiration management that slashes payment failures, Smile Advantage demonstrates how technology should amplify success rather than nickel-and-dime practices as they grow. This conversation exposes the hidden economics of membership platforms, reveals why team buy-in matters more than software features, and provides actionable strategies for positioning memberships as the primary offering rather than an insurance afterthought.

In this episode...

Ryan Corby delivers a masterclass in how membership platforms should actually work, drawing from the unique perspective of being both software developer and active practice owner. The Smile Advantage origin story reveals a critical inflection point in the industry: as membership programs succeed and grow, traditional per-patient pricing models punish that success by exponentially increasing costs. This perverse incentive structure led Ryan's dentist partners to build their own solution after discovering their already-successful membership program would become prohibitively expensive with existing competitors. The flat fee model they chose instead represents a fundamental alignment of interests—every new member increases practice ROI without increasing platform costs, encouraging rather than penalizing growth.

The technical innovations Ryan describes transform membership management from administrative burden into seamless workflow integration. The "Today's Appointments" dashboard exemplifies this approach by pulling real-time schedule data from practice management software and overlaying membership status, insurance information, and renewal alerts directly onto the day's patient list. One-click enrollment eliminates the friction that prevents front desk staff from capitalizing on patient interest, while proactive card expiration management addresses payment failures before they occur rather than playing catch-up afterward. The timeline visualization showing patient spending before and after membership enrollment provides powerful data demonstrating that membership value extends far beyond subscription fees to include all subsequent treatment acceptance.

Perhaps most importantly, Ryan's closing emphasis on team buy-in reveals that technology alone cannot drive membership success. Practices where assistants, front desk staff, treatment coordinators, and doctors all mention membership at every patient touchpoint achieve dramatically better results than those relegating membership discussions to a single team member. This whole-office approach transforms membership from insurance fallback option into primary offering, fundamentally repositioning how practices present value to patients. Combined with strategic timing around open enrollment periods and internal marketing through custom branded materials, this comprehensive approach turns membership programs into powerful tools for reducing insurance dependency while improving patient loyalty, treatment acceptance, and practice profitability.

In this eye-opening episode of the Marketing 32 show, host Brett Allen welcomes Trish Jones, an accomplished dental hygienist turned technical account manager at Ivoclar, who reveals the shocking truth about one of dentistry's most overlooked profit drains: shade selection failures. With her unique perspective spanning clinical hygiene, dental laboratory work, and scanner training, Trish exposes how the industry's communication breakdown between practices and labs creates a lose-lose scenario where neither party charges for remakes, yet both absorb significant costs. Her revelation that 8-10% of males are colorblind highlights just one of many factors contributing to the epidemic of reshades and remakes that silently erode practice profitability. From the critical importance of timing shade selection at appointment start (not after 45 minutes of eye strain) to the transformative power of baseline shade tracking for whitening case acceptance, Trish delivers actionable strategies that bridge the gap between what patients value most—their smile's appearance—and what practices spend the least time on. This conversation transforms shade selection from a rushed afterthought into a strategic profit center and patient experience enhancer.

In this episode...

Trish Jones delivers a masterclass in the hidden economics of shade selection, exposing how this critical aspect of restorative dentistry has become both an overlooked profit drain and a missed patient experience opportunity. Her unique career path from clinical hygienist to dental laboratory trainer to technical account manager provides her with rare 360-degree visibility into the communication breakdowns that plague the industry. The core problem is simple yet profound: when shade selection fails, practices absorb the cost of additional appointments without charging patients, while laboratories remake cases without billing doctors, creating a double loss that neither party tracks systematically. This silent profit killer goes unaddressed because most practices lack awareness of how frequently reshades occur and what those failures truly cost.

The technical insights Trish provides transform shade selection from guesswork into a systematic science. The revelation that 8-10% of males (and some females) have colorblindness or visual deficiencies immediately disqualifies a significant portion of potential shade-takers, yet most practices never screen for this condition. The metamerism phenomenon—where identical shades appear different against varying backgrounds—explains why simply matching a shade tab isn't sufficient without considering the patient's complete aesthetic frame including hair, complexion, eye color, and even lipstick preferences. The timing factor proves equally critical: taking shades after 30-45 minutes of preparation work with magnification loupes guarantees compromised visual acuity, yet this backwards sequence remains standard practice in many offices.

Perhaps most transformative is Trish's hygienist-driven baseline shade tracking system, which converts routine cleanings into whitening case generation opportunities. By documenting shade at each hygiene visit, practices create objective evidence of natural darkening over time, allowing patients to self-identify the problem rather than feeling attacked by suggestions their teeth are yellowing. This approach simultaneously elevates the patient experience (making them feel valued through detailed attention), increases whitening revenue without aggressive sales tactics, and builds the foundational skills teams need for complex restorative shade matching. The paradigm shift from treating shade selection as a rushed afterthought to recognizing it as the aspect patients care about most represents a profound opportunity for practices willing to invest in education and systematic implementation.

In this transformative episode of the Marketing32 show, host Brett Allen sits down with Fred Joyal, the legendary co-founder of 1-800-DENTIST and bestselling author whose marketing insights have shaped an entire industry. From his origins as an advertising copywriter to building a nationwide dental referral empire that processed millions of patient calls, Fred has witnessed the evolution of dental marketing from its foundational principles to today's AI-driven landscape. His bestselling book "Everything is Marketing" emerged from decades of data on what patients truly want from dental experiences, while his upcoming release "Everything is Still Marketing" addresses the seismic changes brought by digital transformation. Beyond marketing mastery, Fred has developed a revolutionary approach to boldness as a learnable life skill, teaching professionals how to overcome the paralysis that prevents them from achieving their dreams. Whether discussing the power of patient video testimonials, the courage required to present comprehensive treatment plans, or his latest venture into oral health breakthrough technology, Fred delivers actionable wisdom that transforms both practices and lives.

In this episode...

Fred Joyal delivers a masterclass in both marketing psychology and personal development, drawing from his extraordinary journey building 1-800-DENTIST into a nationwide phenomenon. His insights stem from processing millions of patient calls and interactions, creating an unprecedented database of patient preferences, fears, and motivations. The "Everything is Marketing" philosophy he developed recognizes that every patient touchpoint - from phone conversations to office ambiance to treatment presentation - either builds or destroys case acceptance and loyalty. This holistic view positions marketing far beyond advertising, encompassing the entire patient experience and challenging dentists to recognize that clinical excellence alone represents only a fraction of what patients value.

The conversation's most powerful insights emerge from Fred's boldness philosophy, which transforms the common misconception that confidence precedes bold action. Instead, he demonstrates how taking bold action in low-stakes situations builds the confidence muscle needed for high-stakes moments. His systematic approach to developing boldness includes daily exercises like smiling at strangers, gradually expanding comfort zones, and embracing failure as a growth mechanism. The dental applications are immediate and profound: asking for video testimonials, presenting comprehensive treatment plans, having difficult team conversations, and pursuing practice growth opportunities that feel intimidating but offer transformational potential.

Fred's latest venture into oral health technology represents another bold leap, partnering with a biochemist who developed a non-pharmaceutical formula that balances oral biomes and prevents calculus buildup. His personal six-month trial resulted in dramatically improved cleanings, validating the science behind the approach. This innovation, available through Daily Dental Cares, extends to pet health where poor oral conditions reduce lifespans by 10-20%. The venture exemplifies Fred's core principle that "the magic you seek is in the things you avoid" - breakthrough solutions often require embracing risks and uncertainties that others find too uncomfortable to pursue.