Miami is a sprawling tropical metropolis dotted with palm trees and bright splashes of color. It has many different iconic neighborhoods such as Miami Beach and Little Havana.

That’s why it can be difficult to decide which face of Miami you want to see. European and art deco? Latin American and vibrant? Upscale and polished?

Here’s our guide to exploring the beautiful and always entertaining Miami:

Which Part of Miami Should You Visit?

1. Calle Ocho

This memorable street in Little Havana is known for good Cuban food and its unique atmosphere. The area is Cuban through and through, which will give you a taste of the culture without ever having to leave the country. While you’re in the area, check out Versailles restaurant for authentic Cuban cuisine.

2. Wynwood Art District

This is the hipster paradise of Miami, where you’ll find a multitude of art galleries and craft beer establishments. Visit Wynwood to soak in eclectic street art or grab a beer at a brewery like Concrete Beach.

3. Lincoln Road

Upscale Miami lies on a stretch of road referred to as ‘Lincoln’ that features all of the coffee shops and luxury stores you could ever want. It’ll be difficult to keep yourself from splurging in one of the boutiques.

4. Miami Beach

This is the area that most people associate with Miami. Its appearance has that distinct Miami look, complete with art deco buildings that are a delight to see.

5. South Beach

South Beach is retro Miami at its finest. It can be a bit touristy, but it does have fabulous restaurants and a breezy, relaxed sensibility. This is the place where you want to get a satisfying brunch before settling back at the beach.

What do you want to visit the next time you come to Pankey? Let us know in the comments! 

After building my dental practice from scratch, my work life began to get more and more intense. I knew I had to slow down, but I didn’t know how until I decided to take a leap of faith and visit the Pankey Institute.

Creating a Work Life Vision at Pankey

At Essentials One, I was blown away by the faculty to student ratio. It was almost 1:1! The quality of the education was outstanding, but what I found most impressive was the encouragement, mentorship, and passion from all the faculty and staff.

Pankey taught me how to help my patients value dentistry, develop communication skills, and learn co-diagnosis. Most importantly, Pankey helped me create a vision of what I always knew I wanted — a low volume fee for service practice that allowed me to have a good family-work life balance.  

Returning to My Dental Practice Recharged

When I came back home from Essentials 1, I immediately stopped working six days a week. I started some training exercises with my team to show them what my vision was.

One month later, I went out of network with my first insurance plan. This plan was one of my biggest — it made up 25% of my patient base, but I was determined. Six months later, I evaluated our progress. We did not lose a single patient and our revenues had actually doubled. When I saw this, I went out of network with six more plans immediately. We were on a mission.

Today, two years after Essentials 1, I am only in network with one remaining plan. Our practice has continued to grow. We have worked less hours, seen almost half as many patients per day, and our practice revenues have increased.

Additionally, I have also taken more time off every year and taken more continuing education than I have in the past. My team continues to be excited in our journey together to achieving our professional and personal goals.  

My story is nothing special. I truly believe anybody can develop the clinical, leadership, and communication skills to create a successful relationship-based practice. For me, the Pankey Institute provided all the resources I needed. Pankey has changed my life. I hope to give back one day. 

What’s your dental practice story? Join the conversation in the comments! 

Five years ago, I started a dental practice from scratch. Brand new building, brand new equipment, zero patients, and zero cash flow.

Building a Brand New Dental Practice

We were in a network with over 15 insurance plans, opened early mornings, and stayed open until late evenings — our patient base grew quickly. After two years, I found myself still working the same long hours, attempting to accommodate as many patients as I could.

I was working at my own practice three days a week and at another practice the other three days. I was totaling six days a week! I always valued continuing education, but my schedule only allowed for online education on the weekends or the “slow days” during the week.  

Burning Out or Slowing Down

As my own practice got busier, I found myself doing over 30 hygiene exams a day, along with seeing 12-15 restorative patients per day. I was jumping room to room nonstop. I started to realize I would not be able to keep up this pace forever. Something had to change.  

I had conversations with my team about going out of network with some insurance plans. The feedback I got from them was, “I think we will lose a lot of patients. Our patients are all insurance driven.” As a result, we kept “grinding it out.”

Shortly after, I attended a lecture by Dr. Jeff Baggett at a dental conference in town. When I saw his dentistry and his enthusiasm for dentistry, I thought to myself, “Man, I wish I was that enthusiastic.” I loved what I do, but I didn’t see myself going down a very good career path in dentistry.

I kept in touch with Jeff after the conference and he convinced me to go to the Pankey Institute. I was hesitant at first due to the time I would have to take away from work. Eventually, I took a leap of faith and signed up for Pankey Essentials 1 (E1).

To be continued…

In fifth grade, I knew I wanted to be in dentistry. Unfortunately, I thought that meant either being a receptionist, assistant, or hygienist. The thought of being a dentist never entered my mind until I was finishing up my dental hygiene program.

Pivotal Dental School & Career Moments

After several more years of working and evening classes, I was accepted to dental school. I was extremely grateful to get in. I loved dental school and sought out the best instructors so I could learn as much as possible.  

One instructor in particular invited me to help her in the TMJ Clinic. Back in 1988, exposure to splint therapy and equilibration techniques was rare. She impressed upon me the importance of stable joints and occlusion. I was able to work with her on two patients my senior year. At the time, I did not realize what a gift this had been. She was also one of several instructors who recommended the Pankey Institute to me. Turns out that was a gift as well.

Following graduation and a GPR, I started practice as an associate with my uncle. In 1994, I began my journey at the Pankey Institute. I had no idea just how much coming to Key Biscayne would change my life.

Although we learn so much throughout the continuums, the emphasis on stable joints and occlusion has been critical to my success as a dentist. Most of the failures we encounter are a direct result of not doing a thorough enough evaluation of our patients before treatment begins. Learning how to do a comprehensive examination and achieving stability is absolutely essential for preventing mistakes and failures.

During the second continuum, I discovered my own TMJ dysfunction and was treated with splint therapy, orthodontics, and equilibration. Going through these procedures enabled me to witness why it is so important to have stability.

Had I not been introduced to TMJ concerns in dental school and later gone to the Pankey Institute, I would not have gained the knowledge to anticipate and prevent failures for my patients. The strong emphasis on a comprehensive evaluation enabled me to treat patients successfully and have an enjoyable and meaningful career.

What are your most memorable or formative moments from dental school? 

It’s time to forget your New Years resolutions for a night (or morning) at our top four favorite Miami dessert spots.

Dental continuing education should always come with a hefty serving of fun in addition to all of the personal and career development. What could be more fun than sugar, sugar, and more sugar?

Best Desserts in Miami (AKA Bring on the Cavities)

When you visit Pankey, it would be a shame not to leave Key Biscayne at least once to explore mainland Miami. Not only does the city boast a fascinating assortment of culture, it’s also known for world-class cuisine.

But where to go and, most importantly, what restaurant(s) should you visit? Don’t worry, we’ll lead you on the path of dessert decadence:

1. A Simple Slice of Pie at The Dutch

Pie, you ask? Really? Oh yes. Choose the pie of your heart’s desire at this eclectic American-style bar, restaurant, and oyster room on Miami Beach. Salted lime, caramel apple, and banana cream pies are made fresh daily.

2. An Insane Milkshake at Bocas House

Whether you’re on Instagram or not, you will have to get a picture of your Bocas House milkshake to share with all close and not-so-close acquaintances. Their whimsical masterpieces like the Nutella and Golden Milkshakes are topped with everything from brownies to ice cream cones.

3. A Sophisticated Flourless Cake at Chef Sucre Cafe

This Coral Gables eatery is a foodie’s dream. Order the flourless chocolate cake (gluten free, for those wondering) and enjoy the lingonberry chutney prepared alongside chantilly cream. It’s an unforgettable dessert experience.

4. A Jaw-Dropping Deep Fried Oreo at Yardbird

Gone are the days when deep fried oreos were only considered festival fare. Yardbird turns the tables with this shocking dessert. It’s honestly a meal of its own, though you might find the other dessert offerings (mini nutella-filled beignets, bacon butterscotch cake, and more) difficult to pass up.

There are endless Miami desserts that could have made it onto this list, including our favorite Gelato right on Key Biscayne at Bertoni. If none of our choices suit your taste buds, go ahead and explore! The local fare is always full of surprises.

There are four cornerstones of dentistry that determine a balance essential for true success. In Part 1 of this series, I discussed Clinical Services and Patient Care, which have an external focus on patients. They guide how you and your standards are viewed by your community and presented to them.

Now, I’ll dive into Team Participation and Practice Growth and Development. These two cornerstones have an internal focus that shape quality of life and internal direction.

All four of the interrelated cornerstones will impact success in dentistry, especially if one is out of balance with the others. Use them to identify your current reality, vision for the future, and action plan.

Cornerstones of Dentistry: Team Participation and Practice Growth and Development

Team Participation

Team participation is a tacit feature of all dental practices. Team members have a huge impact on the practice atmosphere, as well as the collective success of patient care. Individually, the level and quality of team participation must be cultivated and supported based on your practice vision.

You can seek out and hire team members who are passionate and keen on raising the practice up. You can also determine standards for teamwork built on healthy expectations, the fair exchange of ideas, and support of insights. You can design a culture that enables different opinions to thrive in light of shared values. You can share the ups and downs, as well as the pride and purpose, of working together.

Practice Growth & Development

You have the ultimate say in defining and instituting a standard for growth. In your practice, you create and have responsibility for meeting goals related to finances, size of patient base, size of practice team, and your schedule.

Your personal and professional growth is your decision. You can seek out opportunities that fit your educational desires and sense of monetary value. It’s not helpful to compare yourself to other practices, because their goals and how they achieve them will not be the same. The ‘return on investment’ for CE and other professional development can only be gauged by you.

Fostering long-term relationships with other clinicians is an admirable goal. In my last blog, I talked about a study club I’ve been part of for forty years. How we’ve kept it going this long comes down to timing and commitment. We were brought together by Pankey and continued to develop our clinical and personal interests throughout our careers. Read on to learn how we’ve kept our study club going this long …

Relationships, Friendships, and Support From Study Clubs

During our regular study club meetings, we argue dental techniques, philosophy, and technology. We discuss our business successes and failures and share ideas on how to improve. Individually we offer to mentor our younger colleagues. We have provided solace and support after death and divorce, as well as tough love in situations where a member needed honesty as well as support. 

We continue to come to meetings even though several members drive sixty miles or more to attend and several others are now retired. Although we refer patients to one another, we seldom see one another except for at our meetings. We challenge each other to think critically, demand proven research before adopting new treatment modalities, and continue on a path of learning.  

Other members of the group are now approaching retirement. In fact, one member of the group just celebrated his eightieth birthday. We know these facts will force us to consider disbanding. However, when we poll the members we find that no one wants to quit meeting. We may have to meet less often, but we will not give up on the relationships, friendships and support.

For those considering joining or forming a study club, we encourage you to take the risk and commit to making your group one of perennial sophomores.

What do you love about study clubs? Let us know your thoughts! 

Dental study clubs can be incredibly valuable for fostering long-term relationships with other clinicians. Curious what that looks like? Keep reading …

Forty plus years ago, a group of dentists in the Green Bay Wisconsin area had the opportunity to meet Dr. L.D. Pankey. In his presentation and discussion, Dr. Pankey told us one of the secrets to success in life was to become a “perennial sophomore.” This means never stop studying and asking, ‘Why?’ 

Forming a Pankey-Inspired Study Club

After meeting Dr. Pankey, a number of us took advantage of attending The Pankey Institute. The Institute was, at that time, in downtown Miami in the DuPont Plaza Hotel. We were lucky enough to learn from, and rub shoulders with, other legendary dentists like Loren Anderson, Harold Wirth, Henry Tanner, and Alvin Filastre.

Although our group did not attend The Institute all at the same time, we soon found one another and started a study club. We decided to meet for dinner at The Union Hotel in De Pere, Wisconsin and discuss dentistry once a month during the fall and winter.

This month we celebrated the study club’s thirty-ninth year of existence with dinner at the same hotel dining room where we have met monthly during all that time. Over the years we have all been back at the Institute and celebrated its new venue. We have continued efforts to remain at the forefront of postgraduate dental education and private fee for service care.  

Our initial group of about a dozen members has grown smaller as we have aged. We have added a few new members over time and lost some members due to age or illness. In our early years, we invited speakers in and sponsored CE programs in the area.  

As we all developed more mature practices and our relationships within the group moved into higher levels of trust, we decided not to try to grow larger. Some may consider that to be self-serving. However, we see our group as having moved from a dental study club to a study club and support group.

We have never given up the goals of continuing to ask ‘why’ and continuing to learn.

To be continued …

Pankey Learning Group Information

Forty five years ago, in the fall of 1972, the first class at The Pankey Institute was held. It’s easy to forget how much things have changed in the world of dental continuing education. Read on for an enlightening reminder of how far dentistry has come in the last few decades … 

Pankey History: Dr. Henry Tanner

Dr. John Anderson and Dr. Loren Miller each had sold their private practices and dedicated their careers to the creation of the Institute. In 1974, Dr. Anderson asked Dr. Henry Tanner to be assistant director of education. Dr. Tanner had been head of fixed prosthodontics at USC School of Dentistry and had made several significant contributions to dentistry.  

Many years earlier, Dr. Tanner had rebuilt the occlusion of Dr. Anderson, who then described Henry as “the finest restorative dentist in the world.” Dr. Henry Tanner is most often associated with the development of the Tanner Appliance.  

Dr. Tanner vividly recalled the first time he made a lower full arch appliance for a woman who was having severe head and face pain. She and her husband went to the hospital emergency room and she was given morphine and Demerol, yet she was not having much relief.

During an emergency visit at his office, Dr. Tanner made an acrylic wafer, placed it directly in her mouth, had her touch it gently with her upper teeth, and asked her to mold it with her tongue. After the acrylic got rubbery, he took it out of her mouth, let it harden, and refined it. She was out of pain the next day.

Within weeks of that experience, Dr. Tanner met a well-recognized orthodontist, Dr. Bob Ricketts, who was taking laminagraphs (sectional x-rays) of his splint patients to monitor condylar position and bony healing in the joint.  

To be continued ...

It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80 percent of the cases of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea undiagnosed. Integrating dental sleep medicine into your practice can be a great way to engage your self and your team and serve your patients in a powerful way that will improve their overall health.

Dental Sleep Medicine Involves the Whole Team

Adding dental sleep medicine to your mix of services requires the entire team to gain new knowledge of the role of sleep and the diagnosis of a sleep breathing disorder, as well as how we can utilize dental devices as an adjunctive therapy. This has to be combined with ‘dental’  concerns such as muscle pain, temporomandibular joint disorders, missing or loose teeth to finalize a treatment recommendation. Working through complex multi-factorial diagnostic and treatment planning decisions is part of practicing dentistry, and we simply apply these skills to the additional medical information that is pertinent for patients with a sleep breathing disorder.

When any new service or technique is added to our daily repertoire in a busy dental practice it can cause disruptions, stress, and challenges that some dental teams won’t be able to see past to get the rewards that come from all the hard work. In addition to acquiring the technical expertise make sure you have prepared your team, and you may benefit from expert advice and finding meaningful mentors that can assist you.

A complicating factor for many offices is the choice to submit sleep therapy to medical insurance. Most dental offices are not equipped for medical billing and many financial administrators, perfectly comfortable with dental claim forms, find themselves mystified at the nuances of submitting to a host of unfamiliar payers. Fortunately, professional medical billers have stepped up to help, but even making this agreement requires dentists to stretch their knowledge and get expert advice in new areas of healthcare.   

Choosing Dental Sleep Medicine

Why do this? While dentists often improve people’s lives in fantastic ways with pain relief, reducing infection and inflammation, and beautifying smiles, rarely do we have the opportunity to give them a chance to live longer. Obstructive sleep apnea left untreated is proven to shorten life expectancy.

Treating the disease will enable people with persistent hypertension to reduce their blood pressure. Bed partners of snorers whose airways are opened improve their quality of life. Often married partners who had chosen to sleep separately reconcile into one bedroom. When someone sits with our team and tells us how much better they enjoy dreaming again after years of missing it, our days are brighter!

Are you trying to decide if treating sleep-disordered breathing is right for you? Dental continuing education provides plenty of introductory courses. I’m honored to be the editor of Dental Sleep Practice Magazine, dedicated to practical education.

There are academies and associations dedicated to supporting every member of the dental team as we expand our medical involvement to provide a service that only dentists are capable of performing. Mini-residencies are forming at leading educational institutions to provide in-depth, multi-disciplinary learning.

Is it worth the effort?

The first time your team celebrates together after a happy patient gives everyone a hug because of how much better they feel now that they’ve used your oral appliance, I think you’ll know the answer.