Dr. Parag Kachalia is one of the most influential people in dentistry. And as one of the Seattle Study Club’s Top 10 Young Educators, he’s using his influence to help other dentists achieve their best in their business. His only regret in his career is not joining the Study Club sooner.
As dentists, we are responsible for the wellness of our patients, but it’s also our job to run a successful business. And Dr. Kachalia knows that dentistry is about more than just the 32 teeth in the mouth. He’s the rare kind of dentist who loves the business side of things. He minored in economics and explains how that education helps him more in his daily practice (and as a mentor) than any physiology course he took in college.
Economics and dentistry weren’t always the plan — Dr. Kachalia wanted to be an oncologist, but he’s always been an economist at heart. His family ran their own business, and while he was inspired to take economics courses, not many other dental students are. In addition, many teachers aren’t prepared to teach the type of economics we need to run a successful business in the 2020s. Dr. Kachalia discusses this disconnect between the university and the practice and how it inspired him to get involved with the Seattle Study Club.
One of the biggest things he’s doing with the Study Club is discussing new types of dental technology, specifically Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how to pick out what kind of tech you need in your practice. There are three criteria Dr. Kachalia uses before he invests in new equipment or technology, and he shares how we can apply his process to all business investments we make. It’s important to look at how these new kinds of dental technology will work for your practice and how these tools will benefit you not only as a dentist but also as a business owner.
In This Episode You Will Learn
What inspired Dr. Kachalia to pursue dentistry over being an oncologist 3:26
The two-fold approach Dr. Kachalia wants dental schools to take 8:38
Dr. Kachalia’s new role in the Seattle Study Club 10:55
How new dentists can join the Seattle Study Club 19:53
The most powerful, yet simple, tool Dr. Kachalia brought to his practice 32:20
Some Questions We Discuss
What’s going on in San Francisco? 1:28
How does an economics background help Dr. Kachalia run his dental business? 6:23
How did Dr. Kachalia learn to look at cases differently with the Seattle Study Club? 18:15
What three criteria does Dr. Kachalia use to pick out dental tech for his practice? 24:02
How far can AI technology go in dentistry? 35:10
What slang does Dr. Kachalia use in the office? 40:18