There's More to Orthodontics Than Straight Teeth

Welcome to another episode of the Private Practice Playbook. Today, host Jay Geier sits down with Dr. Clay Sims of Sims Orthodontics in Pensacola and Dr. Drew Ferris of Ferris Orthodontic Group in Santa Barbara — two top orthodontists from the PGI coaching community. In this candid conversation, they dive into the realities of building and running modern orthodontic practices: balancing personal growth with business success, navigating the shift from traditional braces to aligners, and managing the evolving relationship between general dentists and specialists. The discussion also explores broader themes such as the emotional impact of patient care, the importance of community and mission work, and the ongoing challenges of growing not just wealth, but happiness and fulfillment both in and out of the office. Whether you’re a seasoned dental professional or just starting your journey, this episode offers practical wisdom, heartfelt stories, and a reminder that pursuing excellence in practice and in life requires continual learning and connection. Visit mypgi.com to schedule a discovery call. We'll learn more about your practice, where you want to go, and help you determine the program that best fits your goals. Timestamps: 00:00 Discussing perceptions and giving advice 05:05 Orthodontics in the dental industry 08:02 Getting referrals from dentists 11:26 AI impact on healthcare professions 13:33 Strategies for dental practice expansion 18:57 Why long-term coaching is valuable 21:11 Focusing on personal growth and relationships 25:01 Volunteering abroad for perspective 28:26 Helping a young boy with braces 30:32 Impact of emotional dentistry 35:46 Discussing orthodontists and business scaling 37:54 Challenges for specialists in professions Quotes, Hooks, & Timestamps: "And so what he found was there was a niche for adult treatment because everybody was focused on the kids." [00:03:57 → 00:04:03] Why Tooth Position Matters for Long-Term Health: "I always tell people like teeth in a bad position long term, like it's going to cause big issues. Right." [00:04:46 → 00:04:51] "I think GPs should be doing it. I think it's just case selection. And like, if you can stick to these like mild to moderate cases, which there's plenty of, I'm going to say like 74% of people can benefit from orthodontics and like half of them are easy." [00:06:44 → 00:07:11] "I do feel like we're probably one of the more exposed specialties to AI and stuff because as we go digital with everything, like a company can machine learn like the 10,000 cases I've treated and like if a GP or, or someone's just like, well, treat it like that person and it's already, you know, they know what to do." [00:11:55 → 00:12:14] "And one consultant went to The pediatric dentist, like you're referring millions of dollars a year. Why are you doing that? Like just bring in ortho, and then overnight this half this guy's practice dried up, right?" [00:15:15 → 00:15:26] "But you can, you can have a boutique practice and have four employees, or you can scale it. That's why, like you know, I work with you is that you got you, you have to have help along the way." [00:17:14 → 00:17:24] "You have to like be grounded and realize like that's not necessarily what makes you happy, but it gives you the freedom to." [00:24:30 → 00:24:35] The joy you got when you found out, like when we were growing up, that like the Days Inn hotel had a pool or motel had a pool and you're like so excited. And now these kids are like, hey, Dad, what are we going to do when we get off our You know, private, you know, boat that we, we took to tour Positano or something, you know what I mean? [00:26:51 → 00:27:06] Unmet Expectations in Medical Treatment: "I'm just not getting the results that I, that I thought that I paid for." [00:32:56 → 00:32:59] "I was still left with some of these patients that were— they were just looking for therapy. They weren't looking for orthodontics, you know what I mean?" [00:34:33 → 00:34:40]