Think Comprehensive – Communication Gems with Zak Kara – PDP010

Zak Kara is one of the best communicators I know. He is too humble to even entertain that statement, but it’s true! He shares with us real-world communication gems and they will blow your mind.

In this episode we cover:

• How to communicate to our patients about longevity of dental work
• Importance of asking questions – ‘how long are you expecting this to last?’
• What’s a linchpin and how we can ‘lead from the bottom’
• Helping the team see the bigger picture – empower them – for example, how to handle the patient that walks in late?
• Why you should not care to treat everyone in your area
• What NOT to say to your patients
• Are you practicing proactive or reactive dentistry?
• Are we under-diagnosing?
• How to present a comprehensive plan
• Are you in the right practice? Design your work life
• The importance of ‘showing your working out’ in your clinical notes (you will love this one!)
• How Zak uses his iPad Pro to draw on his patient photos and explain – PDF Expert app

Protrusive Dental Pearl Episode 10 – Use a UV torch to clearly see composite! Perfect for removing aligner attachments. UV torch for composite available on Amazon. I have tried this and it’s a game changer!

Whilst only a ten year career to date, Zak draws together a wealth of experience in dentistry from various parts of the world.
From years spent developing his skills in practice on the East Coast of Australia, to relationship-focused independent private practices here on the South Coast, Zak has developed a reputation for providing a unique modern dental experience with old-fashioned rapport.
Along the way, he has made valuable additions to the ‘patchwork quilt’ with a Postgraduate Diploma at the University of Bristol, further training at the world-renowned Pankey Institute in the USA, and Expert Witness Certification at Cardiff University.
But on reflection, the most significant influences on his day-to-day approach come from humble beginnings. He grew up ‘behind the shop counter’ of his parents’ record shop learning to understand others and what makes people tick, and he annually leads dental teams in volunteering their skills with Bridge2Aid in rural East Africa.
This unique personal journey informs his personable and unhurried style. Colleagues have described his approach as ‘contagious’ and ‘refreshing’.