From the 2026 Fall Journal of the Colorado Dental Association
By Jeff Lodl, D.D.S., CDA President
We hear a lot about the importance of the doctor-patient relationship in dentistry. You can’t go to a convention that doesn’t have that course offered. And while that is very important, I want to focus on other relationships that most dentists need to cultivate.
My dental school had faculty from the business college teach us some fundamentals about business, which was fairly unique back then — and apparently still is today. Although I had some basic business knowledge, as I look back, it has been my many relationships with vendors and experts from the business side of dentistry that have been integral to my practice. These individuals guided me into making smart business decisions, getting the right equipment for my practice and ensuring that my finances were sound.
Many relationships these days have been replaced by forums online. The “expert” keyboard advice available is helpful, but it’s just user opinions and may not be balanced. Talking with humans is still of vital importance. Sure, it takes time and arranging but I think all dentists who have treated a bold patient with a Dr. Google degree can agree that face-to-face communication has substantially better outcomes.
When I bought my dental practice in 1987, it had 30-year-old equipment with a few minor upgrades. It was a two-operatory practice with a full-time hygienist. Within a couple of years, I realized I needed more space and decided to move upstairs in the same building to a larger suite with four operatories.
I really didn’t know a lot about dental equipment, but I had gotten involved with the Metro Denver Dental Society (MDDS) my first year in practice and knew about the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention (RMDC). Back then it was called the Denver Midwinter Convention and while the name changed several decades ago, it continues to take place every January. There was not online anything in 1990. Finding equipment and dental supply vendors had to be accomplished in person and that’s where RMDC was especially valuable to guide me in that process. I have had the same Patterson rep for over 30 years, and what I love about Cliff is that he will give me a straight answer on products and guides me to the best choices for my needs.
I have typically been on the cutting edge of technology throughout most of my career. I got my first computers in the early 1990s and Cerec system in 1998. Then digital x-rays in 2007, a Fotona Laser in 2019, a Cone Beam in 2021 and 3D printer system in 2022. Many of those came with hefty price tags, but having a rep who knows you might be looking for any of these items has saved me tens of thousands of dollars. My cone beam machine and first 3D printer were returned items that I got with original warranties but at a substantial discount.
Fast forward a few decades and I still attend RMDC to create relationships despite the internet being in full force. Another relationship that I established while at RMDC is with Commerce Bank. At the 2022 RMDC, I received a flyer offering a 2.49% interest rate for loans. I had financed many of the above equipment purchases and most were around 6.95%. I did the calculations and that one new relationship with Commerce Bank saved me $27,834 over the life of that loan in interest. As a side note, CDA members can now get another 0.5% discount on loans with Commerce Bank due to our exclusive financing endorsement with them. That single transaction has more than paid for my ADA/CDA/MDDS tripartite dues for the last 18 years.
Another relationship worth exploring is with the CDA-endorsed health benefit program. As of this year, CDA members have access to a Healthcare Member Benefits Program that utilizes a national PPO network and is available in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. It has saved practices thousands of dollars and offers 10 different plans to choose from for yourself, your family and your staff. Here’s more information on that: cdaonline.org/member-health-benefits.
The internet is great for research, but the importance of real relationships still carries a huge benefit for business owners. These are just a few of the relationships I never anticipated having when I started my practice in the late ’80s. Looking back, it is these relationships, as well as those with dentists I have met while volunteering on various MDDS, CDA and ADA committees that I truly cherish and have made me a better dentist.
