How to get the best job in dentistry ever!

"It's not what you know it's who you know"

~Proverb

Sincere friends help each other with opportunity!

My mom sold Amway, and eventually built an empire in Watkins. I doubt there are many people involved in Watkins in Canada that are more than 1-2 degrees away from my mother and the network she built 35-40 years ago. At the time she retired and sold her business there were already several thousand downline members.

I grew up and learned in this type of environment. Not only did my mother have me reading the books about making friends and influencing people, she taught me that everyone had value.

In the multi-level empire she built - there were people from all walks of life. I met doctors, janitors, lawyers, waitresses. My mom did not discriminate with people she sincerely wanted to help.

My mother taught me humility, and if you approach life with sincere intentions of helping others that you will always have a friend there to help you when you need it.

My first incredible job came about because of a man my mother met in her network at Amway. I was 15 1/2 (important designation because that was the legal age in Manitoba at the time). She met the manager of a local Superstore, and through that connection got me a job as a produce clerk. This was a unionized job, and at the time paid DOUBLE minimum wage!! All my friends were competing for jobs at the local McDonalds for $3.65/hr. Through my new network I was able to score a dream job! Before I left the job to come work for my Dad I was making $11.42 and working FT hours. In 1983 dollars that is $29.90 an hour.

Not bad for a 15-16 year old kid working full time while in high school!

20,000 people

Before social media ever existed, I already understood the POWER of knowing people. Not only knowing people, but a deeper understanding of how every person I met offered something of value. Life didn't need to be only about meeting the rich and powerful. I am more interested in people who just have a good attitude and love life for whatever reason! Rub some of that on me please!

No matter WHO I met, I was always able to learn something. More specifically, in our business I have met dental assistants like Carmen Sheridan who used to work in Saskatoon at Fairhaven Dental. She moved to Ireland and helped develop a program to train dental assistants. Eventually she moved back to Canada with her husband (who in his own right is successful and well connected worldwide). She became the chair of SAIT academic School of Health and Public Safety. Eventually helping our own University set up the much needed Dental Assisting program!

I have met hygienists like Chris Gordon who are helping drive health care programs with the SDHA. Dental therapists like Penny Griffith who was the former dental program manger at Athabasca Health Authority.

Over 35 years I have tried to maintain my connections to every person I have met in and out of our industry. Those relationships have helped my friends stay one degree away from an incredibly knowledgeable and talented pool of people!

I met Dr. Howard Farran of Dentaltown many years ago. He is a great example of a power network guru! Through Howard, I have been able to connect with many respected leaders. It was an honor to be interviewed, although I would like to re-visit our talk some day and maybe turn the tables on the "uncensored" discussion!!

My current "direct" network includes:

Linked In - 3,246 connections

Facebook - over 10,000 connections

Instagram - over 1500 connections

Twitter - over 2300 connections

direct email/website/dentaltown/etc - estimated at 8000 connections.

Over 20,000 people are one degree away from me....which means one or less degrees from you.

From Moosomin to New York City, Saskatoon to India

It's not what you know, it's who you know and what they can teach you

My thought has never been "what can you do for me"...whenever I meet people I want to learn from them. In return, I want to extend my hand and see what I can do for them!

This is where the story of getting the best jobs in dentistry begins....

I met Dr. Sokomony Sun because of our mutual network of friends. I helped him land some interviews locally with the owners of Northend Dental. Eventually, Dr. Sun formed a very successful partnership with Dr. Atul Dhir in Saskatoon. As many of you know, they eventually purchased my long time friend Dr. Bill and Fred Prokopishin clinic in Humboldt. This successful partnership also introduced Dr. Sean St. Marie to the mix - and 5 years ago the building of Legends Dental Clinic - a nice piece of real estate discovered by a mutal real estate friend in our networks!

I met Prashant Ohri, Vice President of Sales at Henry Schein Canada when he first came to Saskatoon as my Sybron Endo rep. Many of you today are still using the file systems taught by Dr. Carlos Ochoa - who I met through Prashant! Opportunities were discussed and eventually Dr. Ochoa landed in Saskatoon. Prashant may or may not remember the email recommendation I gave when he applied to be a manager in Vancouver....I gave him top marks! Hopefully it helped a little...

Many of your reading this will remember when we met, and how we connected for some of the best jobs in dentistry! It's my HONOUR to know recent upcoming grads like Dr Trevor Zlatnik, Dr. Sabrina Lamont, Dr Ken Tomchuk, and several others (who didn't get back to me in time before I published this blog). I am happy to know these incredible young people that understand the importance of networking!

Fast tracking the success of these people is what makes me happy! Selling dental supplies - pfft. I get paid for that, but nothing feels better than being able to help launch a career, then a business and ultimately watch as my friends succeed!

Like Dr. Aaron Bazylak! Like Dr. Brian Kilduff that own Fresh Dental. Like Dr. Barkman who decided to move to Kelowna area and met several of my friends in that area. It would be impossible to mention the several hundred dentists, reps, assistants, hygienists that I have had an opportunity to network with and help over the last 35 years!

Knowing the owners of dental corporations like Dr Sam Mezahreh (Dentalook), Alain Sabbah (Canadian Dental Services co-CEO), ex-ceo of Dental Corp Dr. Andrew Meikle (who are all on this email blog) helps me understand the business of dentistry and allows for connections to several hundred clinics across Canada. Can you spell endless opportunities?

One last mention is it's an honor to work for Henry Schein and the amazing people who allowed my crazy brain to keep pushing the limits. Thankyou to my Dad who got me in the business and started my career of networking with so many amazing people. Thanks to Carman Adair who helped me at a time in my life when the family business ended and he believed in me and my abilities. An entrepreneur who founded Arcona Dental, built a small empire that eventually led to the amazing opportunity to work with Henry Schein!

Every one of my successful friends deserves a chapter in a book I may write (or blog) some day! An endless resource as I continue to extend my network and meet incredibly smart and talented people just starting dental careers, but also opening businesses.

Thanks Mom for teaching me the value of what some reps that get paid to sell cotton rolls already knows....

The true value of a relationship isn't the cheap commodity you are selling - it's all those other things you can do that make relationships so valuable....

Help us all extend the network! Add me to your network:

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