60: Dr. Joshua Renken | Does the community think of us more as people than a dental office?

Listen & Share

Show Notes

Dr. Joshua M. Renken has tried it all in the dental world, from washing cars to offering patient discounts. Now he has two multiple-doctor practices, an e-book, an online business service, and plenty of wisdom to share. Listen to Michael and Joshua as they discuss struggles, marketing strategies, and the importance of genuine customer sensitivity.

Super Cool Free Stuff

Dr. Joshua M. Renken was kind enough to let you download and read his new e-book for no money at all! Click this link to check out his book, Dr. Fries With That, which discusses the impersonal nature of healthcare and how the dental community can change that.

Time-Stamped Show Notes

[2:50] Dr. Joshua M. Renken spends most days practicing full time as a dentist, managing his dental offices, spending time with his large family, doing not-for-profit services, and working with the digital incubator, Innovate Springfield.
[03:19] Joshua graduated dental school in 2002, worked as an associate soon after, and quickly decided to open his own practice. It became a multiple doctor practice; he eventually opened a second multiple doctor practice.
[4:15] Joshua described his struggles after dental school. Student loans definitely didn't help.
[06:05] It took time and lots of trial and error before Joshua reached enough net profit to support his family.
[07:40] To get new patients into his new practice, Joshua tried everything, from washing cars to direct mail. Writing personally to his local community provided him with a stable base. He also joined business networking groups to speak with other business owners and meet potential patients. Donating to nonprofits also helped open some doors.
[11:00] Branching into social media and creating a Facebook page for Renken Dental did wonders for Joshua's practice. Creating valuable content for his patient base is also important to him.
[11:28] Joshua uses an in-house subscription model with different membership types. This system allows Joshua to target specific marketing groups. He can provide for those who avoid care because of different insurance issues.
[13:01] Being kind and spreading positive stories and messages is central to Joshua's business philosophy. He believes in hiring special needs employees and reaching out to patients in troubling situations.
[12:33] The community thinks of us more as people than a dental office, Joshua says, which coincides with his appreciation of personal stories and testimonials.
[16:00] Joshua finds insurance to be an artificial force in our practice and an all-around awful system. His in-house subscription allows patients to pay one price for everything they need to be healthy.
[20:00] Joshua's special insurance system has led to long term relationships with his patients instead of emergency patients or individuals who took advantage of discount offers.
[22:40] Coupons and discounting usually leads to short, impersonal transactions. Joshua enjoys working closely with people to help them become healthy.
[24:30] The opposite of couponing isn't bragging about your abilities as a dentists. The answer is to be sensitive to your customer base while letting them know how you can help them.
[25:30] Joshua deeply believes in organized dentistry and different organizations, from special needs organizations to local dental groups.
[28:10] The answer to pretty much everything is health, Joshua says. Dental marketing boils down to convincing certain groups to follow a path to health. Speak about benefits, not your skills!
[29:20] AdviceAlert: Structure determines behavior determines results. The best opportunity to build a strong system within your practice is in the beginning, when you have less patients and staff to manage
[31:36] Joshua enjoys reading to learn more about dentistry, marketing, and business. Learn about some of the books he recommends.
[32:55] Joshua's top three books of success!
[35:50] Find Joshua on his practice website, Renken Dentistry. He also recommends his website for those who want to use health insurance within their practices. You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter. His website, practicewater.com, is dedicated to helping dental practices become more profitable.

3 Main Ideas

Managing life after dental school can be extremely difficult, between student debt, confusing job opportunities, and family factors. Joshua succeeded by trying a variety of options until he found what worked for him. Look at him now two successful practices, a book, a business service, and more opportunities set out for him in the future!
Health insurance can be a negative, impersonal system that can confuse potential patients and repel them from receiving treatment. Try a system like Joshua's in-house subscription system to help the individuals within your community find quality care. You would be helping people reach new levels of health while gaining more long-term patients.
Above everything else, personal values and vision should lie at the center of one's business. For Joshua, this implies caring for those in troubling situations. He also believes that dentists should never brag about their abilities when marketing their practices. While coupons and discounts aren't a good idea either, dentists should be sensitive to potential patients and communicate the benefits of receiving dental care. As Joshua said, The answer to pretty much anything is health and leading individuals on paths toward that goal.

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