It wasn’t long ago every time I went home for the Holidays or I would be visiting family they always ask me…”What’s wrong, are you okay?”
Or some question like this that would imply I had a problem. And I could never understand what they meant or what they were talking about. But, after a while I started believing them. I wondered what my problem was too.
And then one day…
I walked into one of my most success Practice in North America and finally a Dentist with enough fortitude, care, concern, confidence stepped up to the plate and challenged me.
And basically asked me if I had ever really looked and ‘saw’ myself and realized what was missing from my face, mouth, smile…
Now, I’m no model, but no one would call me ‘ugly’, still I have always been very self-conscious. As you know I’ve been running businesses since I was in middle school, leading people, paying bills, responsible for my own income, all while Top in my class; I believed in myself, felt good, was generally confident.
But. When it came to my appearance, not so much. I just never knew why.
Until this day.
When someone took their responsibility, their obligation, their oath of commitment to the patients they serve so seriously he told me – and I quote:
“Your mouth is a train wreck, I mean like you’re teeth have got to be 65 or 70 years old.”
I was in shock. A little taken aback, though I knew this person, was friends with this person, have made this Doctor a lot of money. I just couldn’t believe it.
Then the proof came out, the demonstration (like I teach), an illustration to the patient, building confidence and selling the problem.
And then he asked me do people ever look at you funny or wonder what’s wrong? And that’s when the tears started to flow.
I cried and cried and cried.
And I’m not normally a crier. Actually I’m very calm, laid back, but if push comes to shove I can yell and get angry and maybe say a few bad words, but no tears.
Still, this time I couldn’t hold them back.
Because for the first time in my life I realized why everyone always thought something was wrong with me. I looked sad. My mouth was so over-closed, my teeth so worn down, I describe it like “a driveway going downhill,” they were angled and ugly and while I knew my gums were shot I didn’t know why.
Finally I had a REASON and it all began to make sense.
I knew deep down inside that there was never anything wrong with me, I mean, I am called the Superman of the Dental World, I do have powers that I use to save Independent Dentists from the shackles of the industry and otherwise pretty much get, do, be whatever I want throughout my life…and yet I had no confidence about how I looked or felt about myself because I believed what everyone else suspected.
Little did I know the transformation that I would go through.
Today, anywhere I go, especially into a Dental Office people stand in awe of my Smile, as they should, because that’s the way Dr. Mitchmore would have it. I changed his life and he changed mine.
And I’ll never forget the “close the sale” sentence he asked me when I realized it was going to be $100,000. He said…”Scott, just imagine, if you’ve been this successful with these teeth, with that mouth, imagine what you are going to be able to do when you look, feel, act the way you are suppose to, the way you deserve, the way your mouth was meant to be.”
And I said, HOT DAMN, you mean I can be an even better me…sign me up…no price too much, not mountain too high, lot of life left to live and there ain’t no stopping me.
Oh don’t think for a second I got some insider’s deal…you bet your ass I paid every single penny, because that’s the way it’s suppose to be. Finally, I have a smile that matches my brain and the way I feel on the inside shines through my face.
This is the soul of Dentistry, the spirit of the profession and the gift it has to give back to your patients everyday.
Now, here’s where it gets personal… For you.
Understand, leading up to this, I had been selling more dentistry than any person on the planet through my systems, marketing, clients, trainings, and teachings…I can sell it better than you…try me.
But, even me, even Superman has kryptonite. And we don’t think we have the problems that we see so evidently in other people.
I have taught thousands of Dentists in seminar rooms across the country, I have interviewed personally, intimately thousands over the phone, and I have made more Dentists millionaires without sacrificing their life, family, clinical philosophy than any person on the business side of dentistry and still no one had ever talked with me about my smile and I had never thought it needed help.
It’s something I had to cope with literally and get over because I felt so pathetic that I didn’t realize this before it smacked me in the face.
The bigger problem is…
You have “me’s” walking in and out of your office every single day. Maybe you are too busy to take the time, maybe you pre-judge and don’t want to scare off, maybe you just don’t believe every mouth matters.
I’m not sure. You have to decide. What I can tell is this…being willing to have a bold conversation and go where no one else has gone is when the magic happens, it’s what it takes to change lives.
Here’s what I believe…and I did before…but now I live it, I’m the epitome and shining example of it…
YOU sell health. YOU also sell confidence, self-esteem, self-worth to your patients everyday. YOU hold in your hands the greatest secret to life. The magic pill, the secret potion, the special formula that unlocks the greatness within each and every person.
That is – Their Smile!
You can’t deny it, it’s scientifically proven.
There is nothing more powerful, more life transforming, more impacting to the patients, to an individual human being that will change the way they feel about themselves so much so it changes their personality and it makes them alive again.
That is their smile.
The Dentist with me just yesterday had a saying that I love, “Get back your smile and take back your life” and I’m sure you have some similar type of theme.
The point I want to make is this – the patient seldom know or realize what is wrong AND THEY NEVER EVER REALIZE the impact it will have on their life, they only know what they see and believe to be true, today, right now. They can’t live into the future and grasp how much their smile and mouth affects every inch of their being.
Yes…to pick up where I left off last week…we are in the greatest profession on earth. I believe it, I live it, and I commend you for it. There is no other thing, NOTHING that can happen and be done to a person, in any way shape or form that will have as dramatic of an effect on every level, physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually than their smile.
You have the power. You are the super heroes. You change lives everyday…the question is, can you do more, are you doing enough, are you being bold and making magic happen for your patients that ONLY YOU CAN!?!?
I hope so.
And I hope every week you sit here and join me to read along that you are motivated to do just a little bit more, to go outside your comfort zone a little bit more and to help patients see the life they deserve and give them the confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth that only THEIR OWN SMILE can give.
By the way, I’ll leave you with two last little thoughts…are you living with the Smile you deserve? Are you a product of your own industry…or are you the shoemaker who sells all the shoes but forgets to wear the nicest ones and lead by example to their customers.
I’m not sure, but, you know, you could be like me. You know why I know that, because I look into the mouths of dentists every single day and see what I was living with and not even knowing it…you might know and just choose to ignore…well I assure you the fastest way to convince more patients is to be an example of the reflection they could see for themselves.
Next week…it gets better…the most underused and yet most effective method of selling full smile makeovers and reconstructive cosmetic dentistry you’ve ever heard about.
Oh and last thought, what you do for people’s health, mouth, smile’s I do for Dentists’ Practices. We really do have so much in common. Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know and we don’t know what our true potential is until we push the limits step outside the box and open up our minds.
I honored to serve and believe as every Patient on earth deserves their best smile, every Dentist deserve their best Practice. And just like a smile there is no cookie cutter approach to Practice Transformation, it’s individual, a journey, a process, and magical experience. Be bold, go there, you deserve it…take my hand and let’s look into the future of all that possible…for you!
Let’s Get Started On Your Lifestyle Practice
