Simon Chard shares his journey through the challenges and triumphs of running a dental practice, his presidency of the BACD and thoughts on the potential of new technologies and methodologies in shaping the future of dentistry.
His passion for personal development, both for himself and his peers, shines through as he discusses the potential for dentistry to improve lives.
Enjoy!
In This Episode
02.00 – Entrepreneurial challenges
15:25 – Personal development
22:00 – Family time and personal values
29.05 – BACD presidency and future teaching ambitions
00.31.15 – Digital dentistry material science
00.33.05 – Well-being and personal development
00.49.00 – Innovation, change and dogma
01.00:00 – Relationships and personal and professional growth
01.02.05 – Future trends
01.07.40 – Black box thinking
01.10.25 – Fantasy dinner party
01.14.00 – Last Days and Legacy
About Simon Chard
Cosmetic dentist and former president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Simon Chard, is passionate about using digital technology to simplify cosmetic and implant dentistry. He regularly teaches digital dentistry, dental photography and minimally invasive aesthetic techniques.
Simon Chard: I was listening to a podcast on the way here. Actually, it was Gordon Ramsay on High Performance and he was saying, you [00:00:05] need to learn not to avoid the storms, but just to dance in the rain. And I think that is basically [00:00:10] just running businesses. Being an entrepreneur, you’ve got to get used [00:00:15] to being in the firing line, putting fires out day in, day out. That [00:00:20] is basically the job.
[VOICE]: This [00:00:25] is Dental Leaders. The [00:00:30] podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. [00:00:35] Your hosts Payman [00:00:40] Langroudi and Prav Solanki.
Payman Langroudi: It gives me great pleasure to [00:00:45] welcome Simon Chard back onto the podcast. Simon was a guest [00:00:50] number four. So really? Yeah, it looked it up in 2019. [00:00:55] Wow. And then we had an episode from the BCD conference. Not this [00:01:00] year, but the one before, which was episode 164163. Maybe [00:01:05] for anyone who wants to look at that. Simon, the reason I’m saying all this is I kind of don’t want to go [00:01:10] over the same ground, the, you know, origin story and all of that, because people can listen to that on the [00:01:15] previous ones. I do remember having in my head the idea [00:01:20] that I would like to have this guy back on in 4 or 5 years, time to see what has [00:01:25] become of him. And of course, I knew you for a good six, seven years before the last [00:01:30] episode, but, um, incredibly busy guy. Simon is a principal of [00:01:35] a large dental practice. He has two kids, two [00:01:40] young kids, which, when I think back to that time in my life, probably the most stressful [00:01:45] part of life new business, new house, new kids, just just just a lot going on. [00:01:50]
Simon Chard: Another one on the way as well.
Payman Langroudi: Another one on the way as well. Well done. I [00:01:55] found a co-founder of Parlo, which is a sustainable oral care brand [00:02:00] and uh, just finished being president of the [00:02:05] BCD lecturer. You do a lot, dude. Probably [00:02:10] too much. Yeah, yeah. Well, I was kind of let’s [00:02:15] start with, you know, when someone looks at your persona, I can imagine people [00:02:20] thinking, this guy’s just so happy. Let’s start with struggles. What [00:02:25] are you what are you struggling with right now? Like, you know, what’s a current struggle?
Simon Chard: Well, I’m [00:02:30] always struggling, to be honest. I mean, I was listening to a podcast on the way here. Actually, it was Gordon [00:02:35] Ramsay on High Performance, and he was saying, you need to learn not to avoid the storms, but just to dance [00:02:40] in the rain. And I think that is basically just running businesses. [00:02:45] Being an entrepreneur, you’ve got to get used to being in the firing [00:02:50] line, putting fires out day in, day out. That is that is basically the job. [00:02:55] And most of the time it works okay. I’m pretty militant with [00:03:00] how I’ve optimised my life for productivity and efficiency and [00:03:05] success, but you can’t predict what’s around the corner, and oftentimes [00:03:10] things will all crash together at the same time. And with the way in which my [00:03:15] life is structured, in that I have multiple different businesses still working clinically three [00:03:20] days a week, like we were talking before we started rolling. I might be in with a four hour [00:03:25] implant patient, and then a major emergency happens with parlour. That needs my immediate [00:03:30] attention, or there’s something going on in the practice at the same time as something with the bacd. So [00:03:35] there’s always things that crash together simultaneously. I’m very fortunate that Megan, [00:03:40] my wife and co-owner of Rosie Lodge with me is, um, is [00:03:45] a very solid rock. I think we’re very much yin and yang, uh, yin [00:03:50] and yang with regards to she’s sort of stable, emotionally [00:03:55] operationally minded. I’m much more sort of up and down and, uh. [00:04:00] Creative, lofty ideas rather than operationally minded. [00:04:05] So that definitely helps. But yeah, I mean, it’s an ongoing struggle. I mean, I’ve talked openly about my my own [00:04:10] issues with anxiety and, and those sorts of things in the past. And [00:04:15] it’s something that I’ve worked really hard on personally through [00:04:20] exercise, through meditation, through therapy, to stabilise [00:04:25] my emotional variation. I think, um, and largely it’s really, really helped. [00:04:30] Sometimes we still have our struggles, but that’s just life, I think.
Payman Langroudi: I [00:04:35] didn’t want to talk about it.
[Both]: I was [00:04:40] up close. I’m a I’m a closed book.
Payman Langroudi: Well, you know, look to practically, [00:04:45] practically what’s what’s bothering you in the practice? What’s bothering you at Hala? What’s [00:04:50] bothering you in the teaching world? You know, you were on TV today. Yeah, I saw [00:04:55] that. Yeah. And so what you’ve kind of described is the juggle is is juggle is.
Simon Chard: The ongoing [00:05:00] is the ongoing struggle. I mean, if you want specifics of the individual businesses, [00:05:05] the price of everything has gone up. Staffing has been an ongoing [00:05:10] challenge since the pandemic. This is mainly with parlour. And so [00:05:15] this is mainly with the practice. So those those are challenges. I think that all [00:05:20] business owners and practice owners have been struggling with, uh, otherwise the practice [00:05:25] is pretty solid. We had a larger NHS contract. Um, I’ve not worked in the NHS [00:05:30] personally for since 2017, but, um, we’ve, we’ve reduced that contract [00:05:35] down. Um, and we’re in that sort of transitional period at the moment. So [00:05:40] that’s been has had its, had its challenges certainly. And the practice my parents [00:05:45] owned it before me. They owned it for uh well they bought it six months before I was born. We [00:05:50] bought it from them in 2017. So making big changes like that when a lot of those patients have [00:05:55] been there since before I was, was born, it’s a difficult decision to make and not one that we took lightly, but [00:06:00] we want to continue to strive for excellence in the practice, and the [00:06:05] NHS system doesn’t allow for that really. So that’s been a challenge there. With regards to [00:06:10] parlour, I mean, performance marketing has got harder and harder over the last few years. [00:06:15] I’m sure you are fully aware of that. More and more.
Payman Langroudi: Expensive.
Simon Chard: Much more expensive, much less predictable. [00:06:20] Roas, uh, return on ad spend, um, customer acquisition costs, [00:06:25] um, all these things that we deal with our marketing agencies with on a daily basis have [00:06:30] all got got poorer in general, um, as a sort of a macroeconomic thing. [00:06:35] And yeah, we’ve got to continue to innovate, continue to improve. I mean, the [00:06:40] thing with parlour is there’s so many moving parts. Yeah. When it comes to actually having a physical good [00:06:45] that you need to transport around the country, around the world, making [00:06:50] sure that all those elements are in the right place at the right time. With retailers like Sainsbury’s [00:06:55] and Waitrose and Boots who are, uh, they give you like an hour slot, like they’re [00:07:00] militant with regard and they’ll, they’ll only give us sometimes a couple of days to get that order in.
Payman Langroudi: And [00:07:05] fine you if you don’t make it.
Simon Chard: In that fine. As if we don’t make it. Yeah. And um, and obviously you’re [00:07:10] always on, you’re always on tenterhooks to that. You don’t you don’t. They are very much [00:07:15] in control of that relationship. Do you know what I mean? You’re a small you’re a small fry in a big pond there. And so [00:07:20] you’re always trying to put your best foot forward. Things go wrong. People don’t act professionally. [00:07:25] All these sort of things, just part of part of doing business.
Payman Langroudi: But, um, I find in that [00:07:30] situation, in my world it would be, um, culprits. Mm. You’re sort of incentivised [00:07:35] to overpromise because you’re in a meeting with the with the top guy in [00:07:40] the corporate. He’s saying he wants to grow his business. You’re giving him assurances there. Yeah, but then [00:07:45] he’s got to deliver. Right. And this asymmetric relationship that you’re talking about, I know yours is [00:07:50] much more asymmetric than mine with one of the corporates. But this asymmetric situation [00:07:55] that you’re talking about, sometimes it means changing your whole business model to to make that [00:08:00] promise come true. Yeah. Um, if you [00:08:05] well, not not you. But if someone is thinking of starting a business and I’ve actually noticed, I [00:08:10] actually think parlour is the cause of many of the copycats. You know, like, maybe [00:08:15] your marketing was so strong at the beginning. And people, people feel like, uh, [00:08:20] when they do it.
Simon Chard: Too.
Payman Langroudi: Well, when they see something everywhere, they, they just think of that as success, [00:08:25] and success is a long game and all of that. Right? It’s a difficult thing. And so when [00:08:30] someone wants to start a new thing, what would be your advice to someone who’s got a [00:08:35] clever idea and they’re thinking B2C? What [00:08:40] surprised you about it?
Simon Chard: It’s really hard. Really, really hard. Like [00:08:45] so much harder than dentistry. Yeah. And even when you think you’ve made it, you’ve [00:08:50] not. I mean, I remember the day that we got the listing at boots, it was my birthday in like 2020. [00:08:55] And I remember running around my garden with my daughter thinking, we’ve made it like, [00:09:00] that’s it. Job done. Like, like like I’m basically [00:09:05] Zuckerberg. Like we’ve like, cracked the code. And, um, yeah, I mean, [00:09:10] it’s just it’s so not the case. So I think the best advice I could give is [00:09:15] really do your due diligence on is this a good idea [00:09:20] or is this a good business? Because there’s lots of good ideas, but [00:09:25] actually the nuance of it being a good business is very different. [00:09:30] And that comes down to simple things like for example. If you want [00:09:35] to set up a subscription business of some sort, does that product actually make sense as a subscription [00:09:40] product? Is it lightweight? Does it travel in the post well? [00:09:45] Is it stable? Does it have a long shelf life? All these sort of really boring questions [00:09:50] make such a difference to your, uh, your the way [00:09:55] in which you can, you can come to market and actually the long tum success of your business and [00:10:00] a lot of those things with Parler, we’ve, we’ve got quite lucky with I didn’t think about any of those things when I thought [00:10:05] about this. I just thought, I hate single use plastic. I want to do something about it. Let’s [00:10:10] do it. And I want to like, have a I want to build a Start-Up and build something cool. So [00:10:15] yeah, really, I think do your due diligence. And then the other best bit of advice I can give [00:10:20] is just really spend time and money on building a brand before [00:10:25] you launch. So we spent in the tens of thousands of pounds on creating [00:10:30] the brand that we created. And what I mean by that is the whole brand world, the typography up to the colourways, [00:10:35] to everything in between.
Payman Langroudi: Tone of voice.
Simon Chard: Yeah, exactly. And across [00:10:40] physical and digital in our case. And that was the best money we spent because that’s why [00:10:45] we have, I think, one of the coolest brands in in our space, in our category. [00:10:50] And if we hadn’t have done that again, I see loads of loads of copycat brands come out now [00:10:55] that haven’t spent that money and they’ve just sort of made it using an AI logo [00:11:00] generator or something like that. And it’s really obvious to to those that [00:11:05] actually work in this space. So spend the money on branding at the start is what I would advise.
Payman Langroudi: How [00:11:10] does that fit in with the sort of minimum viable product sort of testing the, [00:11:15] you know, the the theory in the first place? Like, is there a market [00:11:20] here? Yeah. Were you were you confident about that. Because the habit change [00:11:25] question is, you know, you I often think about it like [00:11:30] uh, religion almost. Right. You know, they teach a five year old God [00:11:35] and then when he’s 85, he still believes in God. And you know, that indoctrination at [00:11:40] an early age with toothbrushes, like, sits everyone [00:11:45] from the day they were born every day. And the changing of that habit I [00:11:50] get obviously, if if the, you know, the results of the sort of environmental [00:11:55] benefits are, you know, logically, that’s that’s what that’s the way [00:12:00] you would think of it, that the environmental benefits will outweigh that. But, you [00:12:05] know, electric cars didn’t sell until they were better than real normal cars. [00:12:10] You know how much we want to save the planet sometimes. Do you struggle with this idea? [00:12:15] Must do. Right.
Simon Chard: Uh, yeah. But I, I believe that it can be better. [00:12:20] And it clearly is better for the thousands [00:12:25] of subscribers that we have and the thousands of customers that we have in the stores. [00:12:30] And so it resonates sufficiently for people. I’m never satisfied. [00:12:35] We’re always iterating and improving on all of the products. [00:12:40] And I think that’s kind of my view on the MVP is that I was I was familiar with the [00:12:45] MVP concept prior to launching Parler because I read four Hour Work [00:12:50] Week, I think is where I first became aware of it. Um, from Tim Ferriss and, um. Yeah, [00:12:55] I think I just didn’t listen to it. And we just we just we just went. [00:13:00] We just went for it. But I think you can do that. I think if you, if conceptually your mission [00:13:05] is, is is is true and true to yourself, then then you can [00:13:10] always iterate in the market, if you know what I mean. You don’t have to sort of launch something [00:13:15] and then pull back and then try something else. You can launch and then make it better, or improve [00:13:20] it or tweak it. Um, and that’s kind of the way I think we’ve worked it with Parler.
[Both]: Right [00:13:25] or wrong, there’s no right or wrong. Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: Especially at the beginning. Absolutely. Especially at the [00:13:30] beginning. But okay, so your advice would be to do your research and to [00:13:35] invest in brand.
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: Do your research on the nitty gritty details of [00:13:40] how does this work as a business?
Payman Langroudi: I’d say I’d say it might be your sort of zone [00:13:45] of genius. Right. Branding. You know, I’m sure you’ve got several [00:13:50] digital dentistry, your communication, let’s say communication very [00:13:55] strong on communication. Um, and I struggle with it sometimes. So I’m sure [00:14:00] it’s it’s kind of easier to get your people behind saving the planet than [00:14:05] to get your people behind white teeth. Then when you think about it and you know, you’re [00:14:10] in the teeth business yourself, when when you’re talking to some patient [00:14:15] who hasn’t been able to eat a steak for years, and now with your [00:14:20] implants, they can or they or, you know, as Laura Horton said to me, you know, the [00:14:25] idea that you’re, you know, your patient might fall in love, kiss someone, you know, you know, teeth, teeth can can [00:14:30] be emotional and important.
[Both]: Definitely.
Payman Langroudi: So I used to struggle with this idea that, you know, [00:14:35] it’s very easy for Simon. He’s got this purpose built business, easy to get people behind [00:14:40] that investors, retailers. But with, with with a little bit of thinking. [00:14:45]
[Both]: Most white teeth.
Simon Chard: Can most.
[Both]: Purpose as well.
Payman Langroudi: Teeth are stuck to people, right. You [00:14:50] know, we’re very lucky we don’t sell bits of plastic for plumbing. You know, that’s a tall order.
[Both]: Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: But again, [00:14:55] you know, stable homes and but what I’m saying is that the communication part is, [00:15:00] is really where you. I remember since even before you qualified, I [00:15:05] remember thinking this guy can walk, you know, okay, you were a mature student and all [00:15:10] of that. Did you find when you’re talking to your team about the practice [00:15:15] that, you know, have you improved now to the point that the practice is feeling the benefits [00:15:20] improved?
Simon Chard: In what.
Payman Langroudi: Way? As an operator.
Simon Chard: Um, [00:15:25] I certainly think I’ve improved as a communicator. I mean, and that’s been I always [00:15:30] say, I mean, when I was 18, I didn’t have I wasn’t a public speaker. I didn’t, [00:15:35] uh, feel confident speaking in front of a crowd. Uh, my mum had to [00:15:40] nurture me up to even give a speech at my 18th birthday party. And [00:15:45] it sort of come with time, I think. But I think whenever you speak with about things that you’re passionate [00:15:50] about, it comes naturally. I think I’m very lucky in that my mind [00:15:55] works in a, I think, quite a unique way, in that I’m constantly thinking [00:16:00] into the future and seeing how the various components all fit [00:16:05] together. I think I did that with digital dentistry. I think I’ve done that with Parler. [00:16:10] I think I’m always thinking about what what’s coming down the pike and [00:16:15] trying to position myself correctly to benefit from that or [00:16:20] create businesses around those areas. And I think it’s because I’m super [00:16:25] passionate about these topics. Like, I still geek out on Dental stuff. Like I’m still super [00:16:30] excited when I got my 3D printer. And and I love business. So I think [00:16:35] when you’re passionate about things, you it’s like naval Naval Ravikant says, right? That if you [00:16:40] if things that other people think are work you think of as play, [00:16:45] you’re always going to perform better than them because you can be [00:16:50] playing 24 over seven, whereas they’re thinking, oh, I can only work 9 to 5. [00:16:55] And so naturally you’re going to you’re going to outperform them. That’s kind of the way I think about dentistry and [00:17:00] business for me is that. I will listen to podcasts 24 over seven around [00:17:05] business and personal development and optimisation of my life. Not because [00:17:10] I feel like I need to, but because I want to. I get great joy from feeling [00:17:15] like I’m growing and developing.
Payman Langroudi: But what’s the driver behind wanting to always [00:17:20] grow and develop?
Simon Chard: Well, I mean, that’s a very deep question, but, um, I guess a [00:17:25] desire.
Payman Langroudi: Not everyone is like that.
Simon Chard: No, I know, and in some ways I’m jealous [00:17:30] of people sometimes that they don’t. They’re quite happy, just [00:17:35] as they are.
[Both]: Content, plodding.
Simon Chard: Along, contentment, peace in the [00:17:40] moment. And it’s something that I strive for myself is to, is to focus more on the present [00:17:45] moment and be more Eckhart Tolle and the power of now [00:17:50] and all that sort of thing, but I do. I’m always I’m always future focussed and, [00:17:55] um, I don’t think that’s always a good thing. It’s good. It’s good for business and it’s good for [00:18:00] personal development, and it’s good for, in inverted commas, success. But I, [00:18:05] um.
Payman Langroudi: So why? Why?
Simon Chard: Why, I think, [00:18:10] is because if you want me to really go deep on it. Um, my [00:18:15] sister had cancer when she was seven. I don’t know if I spoke about that before. And [00:18:20] so my mum, uh, or both my parents, but primarily my mum was up [00:18:25] in hospital with her for six months, solid. She lived at the hospital and my dad would go there [00:18:30] after work every day. And then my sister carried on and had 23 operations [00:18:35] throughout her childhood. So it was it was pretty, pretty significant cancer diagnosis, thankfully all [00:18:40] treated. And she survived and and now has two, two young kids of her own. But that [00:18:45] lack of parents in the sort of locality of my [00:18:50] home because they were busy.
[Both]: With their sister.
Simon Chard: Because they were looking after my sister, who could have quite easily died. [00:18:55] I think it led to a desire to to get attention, [00:19:00] I guess. Not that I feel like I do these things now to get attention, but always [00:19:05] to be doing the right thing, being as good as possible, just sort of [00:19:10] not being an inconvenience. And, uh, yeah, just being a people pleaser, [00:19:15] I think in general.
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: So I think that’s the root of it.
[Both]: I’ve done [00:19:20] plenty of it morphs.
Payman Langroudi: Right.
[Both]: It morphs. Yeah.
Simon Chard: And I think the really interesting thing is [00:19:25] when you, when you listen about studies around the reasoning behind behind action, [00:19:30] and they talk about the, the rat studies where they have either a piece of cheese in [00:19:35] front of them or the cat behind them, and the cat behind them always generates [00:19:40] more of a response than the cheese in front of them. Just scientifically, that’s an [00:19:45] animal model. And that that cat behind me, I think, drove me [00:19:50] for the first, I don’t know, five years of my career, but [00:19:55] I’ve done a lot of work on that personally, and I feel much stronger [00:20:00] in that now. And I’ve sort of leveraged it, and I feel like I have control of it in a way that now [00:20:05] I’m just I’ve seen success and I’ve enjoyed success. And [00:20:10] so that’s a bit of a, a cheese or a drug that I’m then [00:20:15] constantly always trying to get that next success, which is not necessarily [00:20:20] a better structure, but I think you need to try and.
[Both]: Find something.
Payman Langroudi: Pathway almost.
[Both]: Like.
Payman Langroudi: Cortisol [00:20:25] or.
[Both]: Dopamine or.
Payman Langroudi: Whatever, whatever.
[Both]: It is.
Simon Chard: So it’s um, yeah, as I say, I mean, I, I [00:20:30] think everyone is driven by something, but I try to be as cognisant of [00:20:35] the reasoning behind doing things, and I’ve certainly pulled back significantly [00:20:40] from saying yes to everything. It might seem like I’m always doing something, and [00:20:45] I mean, today is not a good example because I woke up at five to go to Sky news, went [00:20:50] to the practice, then came here. But in general you won’t see me often on the weekend [00:20:55] at conferences or lecturing on a Saturday or [00:21:00] out in the evening at Dental events, because my main [00:21:05] priority is to spend as much time with my kids as possible at this young [00:21:10] age. And I have my own sort of macro mission statement and purpose for life [00:21:15] in general. But that’s the underlying base of everything is spend [00:21:20] as much time with my kids when they’re in this incredible stage that they’re in right now, as I can do, because once it’s gone, [00:21:25] it’s gone. And it doesn’t matter how much money I make or how much success I get professionally, [00:21:30] you never get that back. And that’s, as you know, I’m sure is just one [00:21:35] of the best things in life.
[Both]: Well, I’m.
Payman Langroudi: Feeling on the other end now. You know, my wife told me last [00:21:40] week, we’ve got two more holidays left with my son. Yeah. Um, you know, he’s getting into A levels and [00:21:45] predictions and, you know, he’s getting busy. Yeah. And, um, [00:21:50] I suddenly felt it, you know, I suddenly felt, oh, my God, the holidays.
[Both]: That’s [00:21:55] true.
Payman Langroudi: But but it’s it makes me sad. And I was speaking [00:22:00] to Rob Moretti. Um, we were having this conversation. Best day of your life. Worst day of your life? [00:22:05] Have a have a think. And, uh, he said worst day of his life when his youngest kid [00:22:10] left the house. Really? And I wasn’t expecting him to say to say that, but but [00:22:15] now, now that the reality of that has hit me with my I’m more cognisant [00:22:20] of it with my 13 year old. So it makes sense what you’re doing makes sense. It does make sense.
[Both]: Yeah. [00:22:25]
Simon Chard: I’m just I’m trying to get ahead of that as much as I can do. Yeah, hopefully I’ve [00:22:30] got well.
[Both]: 17.
Simon Chard: Years.
[Both]: Any easier.
Payman Langroudi: Right. Not not it’s going to be any easier at [00:22:35] all. No when they go. But it’s a similar thing I, my parents are my dad’s 88. [00:22:40] I’m spending every moment I can with him and talking to a friend. You [00:22:45] know, a childish way of looking at it is before he passes away. But [00:22:50] at the older you get, you realise many people stay alive, but you can’t speak to them anymore. [00:22:55] There’s dementia, there’s. There’s just general, general forgetfulness and energy of age. [00:23:00] Yeah. And so you have to get ahead of that even, you know. So any time, you know, [00:23:05] my dad and my dad didn’t have deep political discussions. One day he might. He might still be in [00:23:10] the room but not want to do that anymore. You know, it’s that gratitude for what you have. Kind of.
[Both]: Yeah, [00:23:15] I.
Simon Chard: Just I just bought this wooden board which has.
[Both]: Um, every day [00:23:20] of.
Payman Langroudi: Your life. That one.
[Both]: Yes.
Simon Chard: Yeah. Well, it’s weeks. It’s the weeks of your life. [00:23:25]
[Both]: I almost bought it on tick tock.
Simon Chard: I can’t remember who the who. The author.
[Both]: Actually [00:23:30] got it, I.
Simon Chard: Bought it, yeah. It’s wooden. It’s it’s laser etched. And, um, I’m gonna put it in [00:23:35] my bathroom downstairs. But that, I think is a is a great reminder of [00:23:40] how fleeting life is and how fleeting. All the moments that you have with the people that you love is, [00:23:45] you know. And so the more I just can’t, I just feel like [00:23:50] people meander and wander through life with no real focus [00:23:55] on why or what, why they’re doing what they’re doing other than must make more money, must [00:24:00] make more money, or must be more successful. Um, or even just less than that. Just plain [00:24:05] autopilot. And I can’t recommend enough for people to actually think [00:24:10] about your mission statement. Think about your core values in life. Um, the best one [00:24:15] is the me as as a 100 year old looking back on my life, have you heard that one?
[Both]: That [00:24:20] that?
Payman Langroudi: Well, are you talking about the notion of in ten years time, I will dream of [00:24:25] being ten years younger?
Simon Chard: Yeah, but more.
[Both]: Extreme than that.
Simon Chard: So look, thinking about yourself, [00:24:30] thinking about your 100 year old self on your deathbed, looking back at your whole life. [00:24:35] And what are the five things that you wish you’d done, or [00:24:40] the five ways that you’d wish you’d turned up in your life? So like those deathbed regret ones, [00:24:45] but like personally for you so that you then live your life now [00:24:50] in a way that is thinking about yourself, then, um, [00:24:55] as opposed to it’s just a more, I think, complicated way of saying live for your eulogy, not your [00:25:00] CV, but, um, um, yeah.
Payman Langroudi: Money’s a funny one, isn’t it? Because I [00:25:05] can ask you. We can grab the next person walking down the street and say, does money buy happiness? [00:25:10] All of us will say, no, it doesn’t. Um, and yet all of us [00:25:15] want to find out for ourselves.
[Both]: Okay. Not not wanting to cook. [00:25:20]
Simon Chard: Not wanting to quote naval too much in this podcast.
[Both]: But he.
Simon Chard: Says, uh, getting rich [00:25:25] sells your money problems and then you can solve your other problems. But [00:25:30] yeah, they say, I mean, there’s that classic study, right? That up to $75,000, you have an increasing [00:25:35] like an exponential increase in happiness and then it plateaus off. I think they’ve they’ve [00:25:40] disproved that a little bit now. And certainly that was done in 2010 that study. So it’s [00:25:45] it’s with inflation it’ll be more now. Um, but it is I think it is true [00:25:50] to a large extent whether you’re, whether you got 49 million in the bank or 50 million in [00:25:55] the bank, it’s going to make zero difference to you. So no, no.
Payman Langroudi: But but listen to this. Like where it really like, you [00:26:00] remember the story you told me that what hits you between the eyes regarding Pala [00:26:05] was that every tube of toothpaste you’ve ever used is still somewhere on [00:26:10] the planet. And it’s a startling fact, isn’t it, that every single [00:26:15] tube of toothpaste, all those billions of people are using it still somewhere? Yeah, but a bit like [00:26:20] that. The the thought of what did you just say?
[Both]: Uh. And [00:26:25] it’s. Thank you. I’ve forgotten.
Simon Chard: That. Um. What [00:26:30] did I just say? I don’t remember, it’s beautiful. It was so profound that I’ve [00:26:35] forgotten.
[Both]: Um.
Simon Chard: Oh, the the increasing happiness, uh, with [00:26:40] increasing.
[Both]: Okay. Yes. Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: Okay. Sorry. So, so the the the [00:26:45] thing that hit me between the eyes regarding money. Yeah. I’ve got this very rich friend. It’s his [00:26:50] dad. Gave him £12 million to buy a house. By the way, there’s four of them. £12 million each. [00:26:55] Wow. To buy a house. And dad said, you’ve got to buy a house. That was the one stipulation about it. And [00:27:00] this, this guy, he lives in, uh, Tehran. And so he came to London. He knows [00:27:05] London. He grew up with me in London. And he said, I can’t find a house. Just I cannot find [00:27:10] one. I like I said, what do you mean? And he said, you know what? At [00:27:15] 17, 18 million there’s loads of nice ones. But at 12 [00:27:20] it’s just it’s ridiculous. It’s just rubbish, you know, and you know, on his and then at the time I was [00:27:25] buying a house for 1.2 and the estate agent was telling me the exact same thing about 1.7. [00:27:30] Yeah. I was telling me how come everyone can see me in my garden? What the hell? And he’s like, well, if you could extend [00:27:35] to one point and you realise we all want just a bit more than we can have, yeah, you know that [00:27:40] that money struggle, struggle. And, you know, there’s there’s someone else on [00:27:45] the 12 to £17,000 situation in the Third world, and there’s someone else on a 120, [00:27:50] £170,000 story in, you know, Yorkshire or whatever. You know, it’s [00:27:55] it’s a common human thing. Regarding what what is your [00:28:00] driver? Robby said something nice about that. He said he said living up to my potential, [00:28:05] you know. Yeah. And that’s. A nice way of sort of thinking [00:28:10] of it. What you said is nice, but, you know, things like money.
[Both]: Just. [00:28:15]
Payman Langroudi: It’s just like you said, it’s not enough to keep you going through [00:28:20] the pain. No. The pain, you know, those those other things seem to be [00:28:25] more sort of inspirational. Keep you going. Yeah.
Simon Chard: Well, I mean, I think you need it. I mean, I’m [00:28:30] reading the, uh, the Daily Dad from Ryan Holiday at the moment. Have you read the Daily Stoic? [00:28:35] Yeah, yeah. So this is like the parenting version of that, and it’s, um. [00:28:40] Yeah. I think another good one is just to to be a great example for your kids is, is a [00:28:45] way to turn up in a good way every day in a very practical [00:28:50] way.
Payman Langroudi: But let’s talk about the teaching side. So [00:28:55] your year as president, what did they teach you about gigantic [00:29:00] academies?
Simon Chard: Hmm’hmm that you can’t do that much in a year. Yeah. Um, [00:29:05] it’s a very, very short time. By the time you actually get your feet under the table. I mean, I’ve been on the board, [00:29:10] I think, for, I don’t know, seven years before I became president. [00:29:15] Six years. So you kind of think you know the ropes, but actually when you when you’re in the hot seat, [00:29:20] it’s it’s very difficult to make big changes. Not that I think necessarily the bacb [00:29:25] needs big changes. I think it just needs tweaks to keep it relevant and modern and [00:29:30] still delivering what it’s delivered to everyone of my generation and [00:29:35] the generations before. But, um, I had some things that I wanted to change, [00:29:40] and I think some of them I was successful on, some that I wasn’t, but really just a steward, [00:29:45] I think is with these big academies, when they’ve been formed for quite [00:29:50] a while, you’re really just making sure that it’s carrying on in the same direction and moving, [00:29:55] uh, moving upwards.
Payman Langroudi: But now I guess you’ve got more time for your own teaching. So [00:30:00] digital dentistry was where you were mainly at home. God [00:30:05] bless Lewis Mackenzie. He he he told me that your [00:30:10] dental plan round went like he said. He said one of the most popular [00:30:15] speakers they’ve ever had.
[Both]: That’s kind.
Simon Chard: Of a. Yeah. So sad.
Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah. [00:30:20] Teaching wise, where are you going?
Simon Chard: Well I’m very I’m very excited [00:30:25] about the future of digital with 3D printing. I’m working quite closely with sprint Ray. [00:30:30] I think they’re a really exciting forward thinking company. I [00:30:35] think, um, Amir, the founders really, really understands the Dental market. [00:30:40] And I’m excited to be sort of at the forefront of [00:30:45] that. I’m using it every single day now.
Payman Langroudi: Printing crowns.
Simon Chard: Uh, not printing crowns. [00:30:50] So printing primarily my surgical guides and splints and models for whitening trays [00:30:55] and smile designs and those sorts of things. Yeah, but I’ve got the setup for the Crown. That’s something that we’re testing [00:31:00] out for me. I’ve got a cerec machine, obviously. And so for the single unit, [00:31:05] just milling it because the workflow I’m so used to. Yeah, it’s just a little bit easier [00:31:10] for me, but for full mouth cases, for full mouth previsualization, for [00:31:15] um, quadrants where it’s sort of inlay type restorations, 3D printing [00:31:20] is already ready to print those restorations definitively, and I’m pretty confident on the on the science and the materials [00:31:25] behind that already. There’s still a little bit opaque. They need to be a bit more translucent. But [00:31:30] think about Cerec back in 85 or whatever. Right.
[Both]: So this is [00:31:35] before your time.
Simon Chard: That was before my time. Yeah.
[Both]: It’s awful.
Simon Chard: Didn’t have to endure that. [00:31:40] Um, but it’s I think it’s really exciting. And they’re putting a real focus on materials, [00:31:45] which I think is a great shout. So I’m excited to see where that goes. And I’m going to do a bit of lecturing around [00:31:50] that. But I’m I don’t know, I think again, just thinking more about my own. [00:31:55] My own purpose, my own feelings. Now. I mean, I’ve been [00:32:00] qualified now for 12 years. I always want to do something that’s a bit different and a bit [00:32:05] unique, and it’s fulfilling my own sort of passions. [00:32:10] And for me, that’s personal development and it’s personal growth and it’s optimisation, [00:32:15] and it’s everything in that sort of space, more so than straight clinical. [00:32:20] I’m really enjoying implants at the moment, saying that I really enjoy the whole fully guided, fully digital [00:32:25] digital workflow. So I might do a little bit around that, but my main focus [00:32:30] is towards more doing something unique in the personal development sort of mastermind [00:32:35] space, because that, I think, is where I’ve got quite a unique skill set [00:32:40] from my time with Parler, uh, running a Start-Up from my time running a practice [00:32:45] from my time running the Bacd sort of bringing together all those [00:32:50] sort of leadership, branding, marketing, and then mixing that in with personal [00:32:55] development.
Simon Chard: I think it could be quite an exciting new format that would [00:33:00] give me a lot of joy and actually give a lot back, because, again, a lot of the stuff we’ve been talking about today is [00:33:05] dentists who I mean, look at the dental protection study from 2020, [00:33:10] over 50% of dentists are considering leaving the profession because of reasons of personal [00:33:15] well-being. That’s a shocking statistic. Dentists in general have twice [00:33:20] the rates of stress, burnout, mental health issues versus the general population, [00:33:25] suicide, and obviously suicide, worst of all. And [00:33:30] so I really I really want to help with those things as much as I can. I don’t think dentists are looking after themselves [00:33:35] well enough. I don’t think they’re following the basics around the sort of foundations [00:33:40] of what makes a better dental life with regards to looking after themselves, [00:33:45] but in their own oxygen mask on first, building their resilience to stress and burn out, [00:33:50] building their resilience. If they do get a letter through litigation from the GDC or something like that, [00:33:55] and just building a bit more of a community, I think around all of that. So that [00:34:00] I think is somewhere something that I can bring unique value into the industry with. And [00:34:05] that, I think is the next step for me teaching wise.
[Both]: Do you think.
Payman Langroudi: You have [00:34:10] to stick to dentists because you’re poured? Like I’ve [00:34:15] told you many times, I was a massive fan of your poured. You have. Yeah. It wasn’t about dentistry at all. [00:34:20]
Simon Chard: No, it was intentionally.
[Both]: Yeah, it was excellent.
Payman Langroudi: It was really was excellent. Now, you know, [00:34:25] the dental market is small enough that whatever you say, tomorrow half the market will hear. Yeah. [00:34:30] Whereas as we know, B2C is a bit different.
[Both]: Yeah. We’ll shout a lot louder.
Payman Langroudi: As [00:34:35] you’re finding out. But the content wise, I mean, look, Garyvee was a [00:34:40] wine cellar, wasn’t he, before he became Garyvee. I’m not saying become Garyvee. Yeah, yeah, but [00:34:45] content wise, maybe maybe a generic content that anyone could, could get [00:34:50] behind.
[Both]: Yeah, I.
Payman Langroudi: See something with a Dental arm on the end.
[Both]: Of it. I mean, maybe I’ve. [00:34:55]
Simon Chard: Been stung by by Parler going b2b2c and knowing how hard that can be, but [00:35:00] I think dentistry is a unique profession, and I see so [00:35:05] many people in dentistry that need help. Yeah, with regards to finding their purpose, [00:35:10] finding their focus, just so many people just following [00:35:15] what their colleagues are doing, just doing what everyone else is doing and not knowing why they’re doing anything. [00:35:20] And I think it’s more it’s not necessarily about scale all the time. Do you know what I mean? [00:35:25] It’s it’s more this for me is, is more about actually this [00:35:30] is something that I’m passionate about that I think I can help other people with. And [00:35:35] it can be a business simultaneously. And so, um, that’s kind of where [00:35:40] my head’s at with it. I don’t necessarily want it to become a behemoth. I don’t want to be [00:35:45] stretching myself too far with regards to time management, because I’ve already got enough things going [00:35:50] on.
[Both]: That’s true.
Simon Chard: But, um, equally, I have this thing where if I [00:35:55] can’t get something out of my head, then I have to action on it. And again, going back to the deathbed. The [00:36:00] deathbed regrets, uh, the study from a guy called John Gilovich. I [00:36:05] think his name is where he says, uh, where he found that, uh, over 76% of [00:36:10] regrets, of deathbed regrets were regrets of inaction rather than regrets [00:36:15] of action, i.e., people wishing that they’d done something that was for them and [00:36:20] in alignment with their values. And so this focus on on personal development [00:36:25] and mastermind and supporting dentists to sort of have the dental lives that they want is something that [00:36:30] I’ve not been able to get out of my head for the last 18 months. And so I feel that it’s [00:36:35] sort of.
[Both]: It’s something you’re going to do at some point. Yeah.
Simon Chard: That’s it.
Payman Langroudi: But then I’d [00:36:40] imagine someone like you would like multiple practices as well, or [00:36:45] for parlour to go internationally as well, or [00:36:50] 100 other things. Right. So if something was going to give which. [00:36:55] One of those would give. Like for me, I did stop practising dentistry. Not because I didn’t like [00:37:00] practising dentistry. I actually enjoyed practising dentistry a lot. Yeah, at that time [00:37:05] there was almost a feeling of if I. If I don’t go all in, then [00:37:10] I won’t make it happen. Yeah, yeah. And as much as we can put people [00:37:15] in charge of our businesses. Especially a perfectionist [00:37:20] like you.
[Both]: Right?
Payman Langroudi: You couldn’t have. You couldn’t end up having either massive [00:37:25] regret for not having, you know, oversight over people’s decisions [00:37:30] or oversight over people’s key decisions. You know, so [00:37:35] it’s I’m not saying that’s true for everyone, right? There are other people who are very unemotional [00:37:40] about every. They might own 100 businesses in an unemotional way. [00:37:45]
[Both]: But, you know, that’s not me, that’s not you, that’s not you.
Payman Langroudi: So. So even though it’s a little bit unfair, [00:37:50] which one would give, what would give of the of the five things that.
[Both]: We just talked decision. [00:37:55]
Simon Chard: Because and I’ve structured my life in a way that I don’t need to because I am. [00:38:00]
[Both]: Maybe too soon.
Simon Chard: Possibly. But I mean, at the moment I’ve not had to. And I’m very fortunate [00:38:05] in that the teams that I have around me are all, uh, uh, detail [00:38:10] orientated operators. And that’s intentionally to [00:38:15] support the character that I have. As I say, if if [00:38:20] there was, if there was anything on my plate that I didn’t feel needed to be there, I’m constantly [00:38:25] re-evaluating how my calendar is structured. [00:38:30] Um, and my assistant and I would recommend all dentists to get at least a virtual assistant, [00:38:35] because it’s one of the best things that I’ve done. Um, my assistant knows to sort of hold [00:38:40] me accountable to what I say is how I want to spend my time, [00:38:45] if that makes sense.
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: So I think the best way for you to evaluate whether or [00:38:50] not you’re living in alignment with your core values and your mission statement in life is look at your calendar. [00:38:55] How much of your time is allocated to the things that you say that you really care about, [00:39:00] and how much of it is allocated to things that you’re doing for other people, or for things that you don’t [00:39:05] even know why you’re there.
[Both]: You’re right.
Payman Langroudi: The people pleasing thing is interesting. You [00:39:10] know, there’s there’s people in my life who are people pleasers, who I used [00:39:15] to put on a pedestal. I used to think that’s just so special, [00:39:20] always thinking about other people before themselves. Until one [00:39:25] of my heroes, Anthony Bourdain. Um, and I listened to a pod, his couple [00:39:30] of his friends talking about him, and that was his mental illness. People [00:39:35] pleasing.
[Both]: Really.
Payman Langroudi: Or whatnot. That’s what I got out of it, right? There was nothing left [00:39:40] in the tank for himself. Yeah, because he was making sure everything. And in my in my childish [00:39:45] little brain, I thought he. What a hero. What a what a perfect life this guy’s [00:39:50] got. And, uh, he commits suicide. It’s a funny [00:39:55] thing because, you know, it’s it’s how we’re wired. It’s what? What? There are different ways that different [00:40:00] people are wired. And to go against what you’re good at doesn’t feel [00:40:05] natural. Yeah. And yet, what you’re good at often ends up being both [00:40:10] your biggest strength and your biggest weakness, you know?
[Both]: Absolutely.
Simon Chard: But I think self-awareness [00:40:15] is one of the key, key characteristics for anyone. I mean, it’s how I it’s how I [00:40:20] choose my closest friends. I mean, I, I can’t be around someone who’s not [00:40:25] self-aware. It drives me absolutely insane because I’m so I’m so self-aware [00:40:30] and so self-critical and always trying to improve. And that’s why when [00:40:35] people misjudge me, when they’ve never met me, I find I take that very [00:40:40] personally because I, I’m always endeavouring to analyse myself and the way [00:40:45] I present myself. So yeah, the trolls, the trolls, the trolls can hit me, hit [00:40:50] me hard sometimes, but I’m, I’m much better at that now. I got, I got I put up a post [00:40:55] yesterday about this NHS thing and I got, I got trolled a bit by some dentists uh [00:41:00] saying, oh, why do they always choose private dentists to go on the TV? Um, and. [00:41:05] Um, and I was just gonna ignore it, but. Megan, Megan, [00:41:10] Megan, Megan got really pissed off about it, and she she, uh, she [00:41:15] started, like, taking them down one by one in the comment section, which is quite amusing, but, [00:41:20] um. Yeah, self-awareness, I think, is, um, is the key self-awareness [00:41:25] as to why you’re doing things, self-awareness of what you’re doing. I think it’s a vital [00:41:30] characteristic.
[Both]: Trolled like he used to be, surely. Uh, no. [00:41:35]
Payman Langroudi: Not think you sort of earned.
Simon Chard: I thought about this the other day. I thought about.
[Both]: This because you were. [00:41:40]
Payman Langroudi: Trolled.
Simon Chard: Pretty heavily, pretty.
Payman Langroudi: Heavily back when you were one, two, three years qualified and making [00:41:45] waves.
Simon Chard: 2020, 2016, 2017. Yeah, that sort of time when I just [00:41:50] won Best Young Dentist, that sort of thing.
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: But yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the different [00:41:55] platforms. I mean, that was very much Facebook back in the day. Uh, maybe it’s because I’m older now, [00:42:00] I don’t know.
Payman Langroudi: No, I think that has something to do with it.
Simon Chard: Um, I mean, if it is because I’m older now, [00:42:05] that’s horrible. Because why would you intentionally go after a younger, more [00:42:10] naive individual in the industry?
Payman Langroudi: I understand what [00:42:15] you’re saying, dude, but. You’ve got to also put yourself in the position of someone qualified [00:42:20] six months ago who’s breaking the rules of [00:42:25] communication as far as you’re concerned? Yeah, that’s that’s an important point, [00:42:30] right. That, you know, as it went from nothing to Dental Town to Facebook [00:42:35] to Instagram to TikTok to LinkedIn or whatever, wherever, wherever it’s going. [00:42:40] Yeah, whoever, whoever was sort of comfortable in one, one area. And [00:42:45] then this upstart comes in a totally different area. And what my point to you is that you [00:42:50] are also going to feel this way. Yeah, but.
Simon Chard: I won’t.
Payman Langroudi: Troll someone. Yeah. [00:42:55]
[Both]: Yeah. Exactly.
Simon Chard: That’s that’s that’s my point.
[Both]: Yeah, yeah.
Payman Langroudi: But you’ll find what you’ll find is whatever you do [00:43:00] might offend that person or hurt that person more than you’d imagine. Because [00:43:05] the guy who trolled you. I don’t know, beaten up in boarding school or something. And [00:43:10] you know, you know what I mean? There’s the way he’s thinking about it, a few words. Why [00:43:15] would that hurt anyone? Yeah, yeah. And it’s not not on to what it’s like to be you. Not not [00:43:20] I’m not saying you’re going to be that cat, but I understand where it comes from. Oh, mate, [00:43:25] I.
Simon Chard: Do, I do, I do, I fully understand like, oh when, when you especially when you [00:43:30] feel like you’ve struggled your way to get to a certain position. Yeah. And then you feel like someone is almost [00:43:35] on, like.
[Both]: Leapfrogged on.
Simon Chard: Like a speedboat overtaking you unnecessarily or unfairly. [00:43:40] I completely understand the rationale, but it still doesn’t justify [00:43:45] the actions. And like, I just I hated that about dentistry [00:43:50] and I still do. I mean, I’m still getting shit now. I just don’t care. But when you’re a [00:43:55] young, when you’re a young dentist, like trying your best, really, like really being [00:44:00] passionate and really going for it and always, always showing up with [00:44:05] humility to be attacked by the old the old guard [00:44:10] is unforgivable, in my opinion. And and it’s just it’s everything that’s wrong with the [00:44:15] dental industry. Like have an abundance mentality. Don’t feel so pathetic that [00:44:20] you are so. Your ego is so bruised by someone else doing something [00:44:25] like there’s a finite number of teeth or a finite number of lecturing positions to be allocated. [00:44:30] It’s an embarrassment. And I’ll never I’ll never let myself show up like [00:44:35] that. I don’t care how much someone smashing it on TikTok, and [00:44:40] I’m jealous because I’m an old school on Instagram. Like, I honestly, I don’t care [00:44:45] at all. It’s just not the way that I’m wired and good on good on them, good [00:44:50] on the I mean, go ahead, dance away on TikTok. Like go for it, I love it.
[Both]: I just [00:44:55] I.
Payman Langroudi: Just remember an older lady dentist telling me, like, I just can’t believe that our profession [00:45:00] has got to the point where dentists will go on Instagram with their bikinis on. Yeah, and. [00:45:05]
Simon Chard: I do look great in a.
[Both]: Bikini.
Payman Langroudi: And [00:45:10] you know, she meant it. You know, she really meant it. Yeah. And you [00:45:15] know, that’s I understand what you’re saying. There’s a nastiness of vindictiveness. [00:45:20] I think some of the niceness and vindictiveness comes from the cover that patient’s [00:45:25] best interests kind of gives you. You can almost. I can totally [00:45:30] rip you apart because, hey, I’m trying to help the patient. You know, it’s the patient. I’m interested in it. [00:45:35] Yeah, it may be a feature of health care, you know? Well, I.
Simon Chard: Mean, there’s some things [00:45:40] that others do on socials that I wouldn’t do that I personally don’t find [00:45:45] professional. Um, but it’s each to their own at the end of the day. What things? No [00:45:50] no no no, I’m not going down this line.
[Both]: What kind of things? Um.
Simon Chard: I [00:45:55] just, I just think, like I, as I say, I don’t want I don’t want to go down that line because [00:46:00] many people may say the same thing about me. Um, and so I don’t I mean, [00:46:05] he throws the first stone or whatever. Um, but, um, yeah, [00:46:10] it’s each to their own at the end of the day, and you’ve got to have as long as you’re not hurting anyone, if [00:46:15] you’ve got your own style and you want to show up in a certain way, then I think the best thing that people can do [00:46:20] on socials is be unique to who they are. The worst thing they can do is try and copy everyone [00:46:25] else and try and yeah, uh, I mean, you can take you can model and you can see things that work [00:46:30] and then coming to it with your own unique way. And if that’s you turning up [00:46:35] in a bikini, then, then fine. Um, but, um. Yeah, [00:46:40] as I say, I’ll never be. I’ll never be the one to be trolling someone else on socials, even [00:46:45] if I feel like something they’ve done is I don’t agree with. Public forums is not the place [00:46:50] for for professionals to be taking each other down, like we should be building each other up. [00:46:55] It’s tough enough out there as it is.
Payman Langroudi: And if if some young kid came [00:47:00] on to some forum and said something that was completely incorrect about some sort [00:47:05] of implant stent, you just put him right? No, not [00:47:10] even that.
Simon Chard: I’m not. Who am I to judge? I it’s it’s not [00:47:15] my role to be, uh, securing the internet for Dental truths [00:47:20] like. I’ll leave that to old Jason Smithson.
[Both]: Look. [00:47:25]
Simon Chard: I love Jason, Jason, I love Jason Jason. [00:47:30] He he does love to, like, take people.
[Both]: Down and avid.
Payman Langroudi: Listener I understand. Okay, [00:47:35] okay. Let me make it more personal for you. Yeah. What if someone was a was [00:47:40] like a greenwash product that was claiming to be eco [00:47:45] friendly and. Copying your ideas and.
Simon Chard: Already happened.
[Both]: Already. [00:47:50] Give me another one. Really? Yeah, totally. Well.
Simon Chard: They already exist. I mean, [00:47:55] there’s other copycat brands that that have, like, slammed us on online, like [00:48:00] saying like, oh, if you want a real X, Y and Z not [00:48:05] like. And even in our comments on our ads, like, um, I [00:48:10] think it’s even dentists. I hate that these are dentists founders who have. Anyway, socials [00:48:15] just aren’t the place to have your arguments, honestly. Like if I have an issue [00:48:20] with someone then I’ll talk to them face to face. I just I just don’t align with [00:48:25] having arguments on social media. It’s not what it’s there for. My view is use social media, [00:48:30] use social media. Don’t let it use you. I’m going to use it for what I want. I’m not [00:48:35] going to be doomscrolling having arguments with people about the fact that I disagree with [00:48:40] the colour of their car or something like that. It’s not for me. Fair enough. [00:48:45]
Payman Langroudi: Tell me about Parler, regarding where you’re at at the moment, regarding just [00:48:50] the product pipeline. So I saw, um, oral prebiotics. [00:48:55] Yeah. And that, that get absorbed through the gums.
Simon Chard: Uh, [00:49:00] no. They act. They act topically in the mouth. So, yeah, we launched a mouthwash, a chewable mouthwash product [00:49:05] back in, uh, August, which was basically, obviously [00:49:10] all of us know, right? Everyone uses mouthwash at the wrong time. Uh, everyone uses it immediately after they brush their [00:49:15] teeth. Yeah. Um, and, um, and one of the reasons for that, I think, is that no [00:49:20] one’s carrying around 500ml of mouthwash in their pocket or in their handbag. And so we wanted [00:49:25] to create a portable mouthwash product that gave you that fresh breath. Number one. So fresh [00:49:30] breath on the go, but also gave you an opportunity to reduce [00:49:35] decay, risk of decay, risk of gum disease, all that sort of stuff, um, that you would get from a product [00:49:40] that contained hydroxyapatite and fluoride. And in this case, [00:49:45] uh, lactobacilli oral probiotics to be have a more modern approach [00:49:50] to oral care. I mean, the oral microbiome, there’s 700, uh, different species. There’s 2 [00:49:55] billion different bacteria in in the oral microbiome. We all know the [00:50:00] bad bacteria like PG and AA and all those ones that cause dental disease. [00:50:05] The old school way of mouthwash was sticks. Markel in their nuke everything, [00:50:10] kill all the bugs and then that will help. We come at it with a more modern approach [00:50:15] that says, let’s support good bacteria to outcompete the bad bacteria, and that will [00:50:20] help to reduce the risk of gum disease. That will help to reduce the risk of bad breath. And [00:50:25] it’s fascinating looking at the research when we were designing this product, actually oral dysbiosis, [00:50:30] which is when you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the mouth, is linked with loads of [00:50:35] other things that that those bacteria can actually be transposed down into your, uh, [00:50:40] into your GI tract. And there’s a much higher risk of IBS, um, [00:50:45] in those patients. And those have been linked as well. So it’s really interesting. I mean, that whole space of, [00:50:50] uh, oral health, systemic health and the interactions between them is something that I’m [00:50:55] so, so fascinated about. And I think it’s a really exciting part of dentistry at the moment. [00:51:00]
Payman Langroudi: But for parlours that, do you almost feel like that’s a pivot from the [00:51:05] environmental message?
[Both]: Uh, we’ve.
Simon Chard: Always tried to innovate with our products. I mean, I’m [00:51:10] my my sort of R&D mantra is no greenwash, no [00:51:15] gimmicks. And so I, we always want to make sure that we’re staying true to those values. [00:51:20] So we’re always going to be 100% plastic free. But if that’s all we are then [00:51:25] we’re not continuing to innovate. We’re not continuing to improve. And so just [00:51:30] like with our our parlour Pro, we put in 50% of your RDA of vitamin B12 [00:51:35] and vitamin E. There’s great randomised, double blind controlled trials on the elderly and on [00:51:40] vegans that vitamin fortified toothpaste works as well as an oral supplement with [00:51:45] regards to getting vitamin B12 into the bloodstream.
Payman Langroudi: And vegans suffer.
[Both]: With.
Simon Chard: Vegans, which [00:51:50] are a lot of our target demographics, struggle with B12 deficiency, and it supports a healthy immune [00:51:55] system and all the rest of it. So we thought, what a brilliant way with a tablet form [00:52:00] factor, where we can control the dose to actually get those vitamins into the bloodstream without even [00:52:05] having to remember to take your daily supplements. So that was part of Pro and that we launched back in 21. [00:52:10] This is just the next generation. And as I say, I like anything I [00:52:15] do in life. I never like to show up with the same thing that someone else has [00:52:20] shown up with. I always like to be unique in the way that I come to market in anything that I do, and [00:52:25] that’s the same with our new products with parlour, in that I always want to innovate, to come out [00:52:30] with a slightly different angle and for us, a more modern approach, a more functional, [00:52:35] holistic approach to oral care is the way the market’s moving. Rightfully [00:52:40] so. And so I want parlour to be at the forefront of that while still being [00:52:45] science backed. And dentist approved. Not going too far, if you know what I mean. [00:52:50]
[Both]: It’s difficult though.
Payman Langroudi: I mean, you’re involved with performance marketing right now. [00:52:55] It’s difficult getting many messages across.
[Both]: Yes, it [00:53:00] is one piece.
Payman Langroudi: Okay. It doesn’t have to be one piece. But I remember your [00:53:05] early ads for Parler was like a turtle. Remember [00:53:10] that? If you. Well, of course you remember the whole [00:53:15] thing about animals having plastic inside their guts was of that moment. [00:53:20] Yeah. And, uh, I remember a Parler ad with the turtle. Turtle on it or something. Yeah. [00:53:25] The messaging there is, you know, save the turtle for the sake of the argument. Yeah. Now, [00:53:30] if you have to say save the turtle and change your, your oral microbiome, that’s [00:53:35] two messages which or you might have a whole separate message for the oral microbiome [00:53:40] piece. Yeah. And another one. But my experience every time you add something or make [00:53:45] a move, it dilutes your message.
Simon Chard: Again, I think this is the same as the MVP [00:53:50] conversation that we had at the start. I fully agree with what you’re saying. Makes complete conceptual sense, [00:53:55] and certainly makes marketing sense when it comes to delivering a clear, succinct, single message. [00:54:00] Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: But but but but I understand, you know, you’re compelled by it and you’re going for [00:54:05] it. Yeah. In in a similar way, you know, I think someone should come out with the [00:54:10] best non fluoride toothpaste in the world, you know, and it’s almost sacrilege in a professional [00:54:15] setting to say that.
[Both]: Who knows.
Payman Langroudi: Until until yeah, until [00:54:20] I’ve got a member of staff. She said she’s worried about fluoride. I didn’t know this. [00:54:25] Yeah. And she said, yeah, I’m getting my son to brush one day on, one day off [00:54:30] with a non fluoride toothpaste. And you know we know that that’s that’s half [00:54:35] the dose down. Yeah that’s a disastrous move as far as fluoride is concerned. Right. Um [00:54:40] but you know she, she, she works in a company that manufactures toothpaste and she [00:54:45] didn’t know this. Yeah. Yeah. And it makes you think, right? It makes you think that that in in countries [00:54:50] where they in the Japan, in Russia, they really do sort of find fluoride [00:54:55] very suspicious. Those countries have moved forward with alternatives. [00:55:00]
Simon Chard: Yeah. And I think look, I’m, I’m a big believer of strong opinions [00:55:05] loosely held. And I think we hang on to dogma for far too long in dentistry. [00:55:10] Yeah. There’s a real resistance to change, a fear of change in every [00:55:15] element of dentistry. Very true. Especially in the UK and especially with and [00:55:20] it’s for a variety of reasons, I think I think the community of dentists, again, going [00:55:25] back to that whole sort of trolling thing, people are cautious of going too, too far outside of the, of [00:55:30] the norm. Obviously, we’re intensely fearful of being litigated against from the GDC for doing [00:55:35] anything that is not in the patient’s best interest, but without innovation and change and progress, [00:55:40] how are we ever going to improve? Yeah, and there’s so many parts of dentistry that I think need [00:55:45] radical innovation. And that’s what really excites me about dentistry. I [00:55:50] think there’s so much negativity around dentistry in the media and even [00:55:55] within the industry. Clearly a 50% of dentists want to leave the profession because they’re feeling [00:56:00] stressed out about it. But it’s such an exciting. I see such an exciting [00:56:05] time to be involved.
Payman Langroudi: I had Linda Cruz on recently.
[Both]: Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: And he [00:56:10] said that, um, that practice owners, their list [00:56:15] of top five worries are all the things that you talked about before, the staffing questions. [00:56:20] Yeah. Costs going up, all of the business type worries. But for associates [00:56:25] by a long way, the number one thing is fear of litigation. Um, and [00:56:30] he was saying we don’t need to be so scared of litigation anymore because that machinery [00:56:35] of the GDC and dental law partnership and no win, no fee is [00:56:40] no longer what it was.
[Both]: Oh, really? Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: And that message hasn’t gotten through. I thought it’s [00:56:45] just gotten worse and worse. It’s just getting worse continuously.
[Both]: Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: So did I because you just imagine these these things just get [00:56:50] worse. Yeah. But he said it’s significantly better than it was in 2015, 2016.
[Both]: Interesting. [00:56:55]
Payman Langroudi: And uh, he.
[Both]: Was saying changed.
Payman Langroudi: Well no win, no fees changed. [00:57:00]
Simon Chard: In what way is it now. No. No longer, no way, no fee.
[Both]: I didn’t get no win.
Simon Chard: Some fee. [00:57:05]
Payman Langroudi: The business model around no win, no fee isn’t as compelling as it was. Okay. And so [00:57:10] for for a company like Dental Law Partnership, it doesn’t make as much financial sense to [00:57:15] go after it. And at the same time, at the GDC, there were empire building was what he the [00:57:20] way he called it, making it, making it just a bigger thing. And that’s [00:57:25] that’s stopped and it’s shrinking and it’s important this sort of information gets out. Right?
Simon Chard: Yeah, [00:57:30] absolutely. I mean, that, that that will definitely make people feel better because I think fear of litigation [00:57:35] is, is got to be the number one concern for, for most certainly for most young dentists, [00:57:40] if not all dentists, I think I mean, my understanding of the figures is that you’ve got a 1 in 2 [00:57:45] chance of being. Of having a case against you as a as a practising dentist anymore. [00:57:50]
Payman Langroudi: He actually said that. He said they used to start their lectures with that.
[Both]: I remember.
Simon Chard: Mark [00:57:55] Woolford. That was when we first started at uni was like, you’ll get sued at some [00:58:00] point in your career.
[Both]: Get ready for.
Simon Chard: It. That was like the opener.
[Both]: Yeah, yeah.
Simon Chard: Welcome [00:58:05] to dental.
[Both]: School, he.
Payman Langroudi: Said actually they were guilty of using that opener so that people would really [00:58:10] pay attention to their lectures.
[Both]: I don’t know if it worked. [00:58:15]
Payman Langroudi: Um, okay, let’s get to that, uh, [00:58:20] happiest day of your life question.
Simon Chard: Happiest day of my life.
[Both]: Yeah, we were.
Payman Langroudi: Talking about [00:58:25] this. I was sitting with Dipesh and, uh, someone. And we were saying not to be [00:58:30] in your 20s has to.
[Both]: Be, um.
Simon Chard: I mean, are [00:58:35] we gonna exclude, like, the obvious ones, like children’s birth and wedding? Like, [00:58:40] take those ones out?
[Both]: Yes, because.
Simon Chard: They’re too obvious, right? It’s like [00:58:45] it’s almost cliche. Yeah. Um. Oh, [00:58:50] gosh. I mean.
[Both]: Trying to think there’s so many ways.
Payman Langroudi: Of looking at that, isn’t it? There could be a day of relief. [00:58:55] You found out your sister’s cancer had gone. You know, it could be like that, but even that’s a cheat. [00:59:00]
Simon Chard: Well, the answer you really want is [00:59:05] like, there’s this one massive rager, you know.
[Both]: That went until 6 a.m.. [00:59:10]
Simon Chard: We saw the sunrise.
[Both]: It was that for me?
Payman Langroudi: It was that. It was. It was a B for like 2002 [00:59:15] or something.
[Both]: I my my.
Simon Chard: First thoughts went to Ibiza as.
[Both]: Well, interestingly. [00:59:20]
Simon Chard: Um, but it was actually only a couple of years ago that we had a. Yeah, just an amazing time. [00:59:25] It was actually cause we had, we had kids, but then it was like, uh, three [00:59:30] couples away without the kids in Ibiza there just for four days. And, [00:59:35] and it was just, it was just. Yeah, it was just glorious.
[Both]: What do you do? The kids. The grandparents [00:59:40] with the grandparents?
Simon Chard: Yeah. Back at home.
[Both]: Oh. Very lucky. Yeah, it was good.
Simon Chard: It’s good. Can’t get can’t [00:59:45] get away with that too much. Especially not with three kids. I don’t know who’s going to take my three kids.
[Both]: I’m not brave, man. [00:59:50]
Payman Langroudi: Um, most difficult day.
Simon Chard: First [00:59:55] thing that comes to mind is I don’t know if I should say this, but anyway, megs [01:00:00] and I had a break when we were at dental school and that that day when [01:00:05] we broke up, like partially, well, kind of kind of at that point fully, [01:00:10] but didn’t end up obviously being fully. That’s probably the day that comes to mind [01:00:15] if I have to pick an isolated moment of intense despair. [01:00:20] Within living memory. I mean, as you say, the day I found out my sister had cancer would probably trump that. But [01:00:25] I don’t really remember that. Um, the one with megs is probably more, [01:00:30] more memorable just with regards to proximity to.
Payman Langroudi: Now let’s talk about [01:00:35] her. She’s very special, very the kind of person that makes you feel special every time you talk to her. And [01:00:40] now she’s obviously in a massive juggle, right? Because she’s she’s fronting the [01:00:45] practice more like she’s more operational operationally.
[Both]: Certainly. Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: In [01:00:50] the practice than you are.
Simon Chard: Well, I mean, we have different roles, but yes, from an HR [01:00:55] point of view, from.
[Both]: A the nitty.
Simon Chard: Gritty, from the nitty gritties point of view, I’m more involved [01:01:00] with the clinician mentorship and and clinical progression. [01:01:05]
[Both]: Happens.
Payman Langroudi: Every time she goes on maternity leave. Who takes over?
Simon Chard: We’ve got a very [01:01:10] good practice management team. I’ve got two fantastic practice managers that have been with us for, well, one of them [01:01:15] is like my second mum. She was there before my parents even bought the practice, so she’s been [01:01:20] there for what did she say today? I think she started when she was 18 and I won’t tell you how old she is now, [01:01:25] but she’s been there for about 40 years. And then another one who’s been there for 20 years and [01:01:30] then my, my TCO Gemma is also fantastic. So, um, [01:01:35] I shouldn’t say any names. People start poaching your staff.
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: But [01:01:40] yeah. So I think that we’ve got a great admin team. A lot of the systems that we’ve got in place in the practice are very [01:01:45] well sort of tried and true. So as a general rule, it works well. But I mean, I know what makes us like [01:01:50] she’ll be on maternity and she’s going on maternity for a year, but she’ll still be running things. [01:01:55] Really.
[Both]: How much have.
Payman Langroudi: You changed the practice now that you’ve had it for a few years? Have you [01:02:00] systemised things that weren’t systemised before?
[Both]: Yeah, a lot more.
Simon Chard: Systems, a lot more systems, [01:02:05] a lot obviously a lot more digital just everywhere. Uh, a lot more communication with the [01:02:10] patients. We’ve got in-house social media now. So yeah, just really, really [01:02:15] implementing sort of key systems, a lot more of sort of a formal mentorship system [01:02:20] for the associates, really sort of pushing them, saying, what are you [01:02:25] what do you want out of this? What are your goals? What’s your five year plan? How do [01:02:30] you want to sort of show up and excel clinically? Yeah, trying to approach [01:02:35] it from that, from that sort of way. How many.
Payman Langroudi: People is it now.
Simon Chard: Total in the practice? Uh, 32. [01:02:40]
[Both]: It’s a lot of humans. Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: It’s a lot of humans.
[Both]: Yeah. Which is the.
Simon Chard: Hard part of anything. [01:02:45]
[Both]: Right. Yeah, yeah.
Payman Langroudi: And and so have you thought of number two or. Not? Quite. [01:02:50]
Simon Chard: Uh, yeah. I mean, I’ve definitely thought about it. I’ve been thinking about it since I was an undergrad. [01:02:55] Yeah. Um, it’s always been in the back of my mind. [01:03:00] To have a chain of practices now is not the right time. I [01:03:05] don’t think there’s any great rush for it, for me to sort of scratch that itch with [01:03:10] regards to building something that has scale and [01:03:15] that has impact. And yeah, obviously the kids, as I say, are we’re [01:03:20] about to be outnumbered. So we’re just going to see how that settles in and then, uh, then make a call from there. [01:03:25] But Meghan and I are both both on the same page. I think that we we feel that the model [01:03:30] that we’ve achieved at Rocky Lodge, we can we can now start to replicate and build out. [01:03:35] I think we’ve got some really unique ways of looking at dentistry in the next 5 to 10 years, [01:03:40] again, sort of looking at what’s coming down the pike and looking at what’s going to be the next, the next [01:03:45] big growth area in dentistry. And yeah, I think we want to implement that in multiple other locations. [01:03:50]
[Both]: I know.
Payman Langroudi: Discuss that.
Simon Chard: But what do I [01:03:55] what do I think is the next big areas. Yeah. Uh, I think Airway’s going to be huge.
[Both]: Snoring. [01:04:00]
Simon Chard: More than that.
[Both]: Breathing.
Simon Chard: Yeah. Everything. [01:04:05] Everything to do with the airway and the connection of the airway with the mouth. I think if you speak to American [01:04:10] colleagues, I was in LA with sprint back in July with lots [01:04:15] of sort of really progressive cosmetic dentists. Everyone’s looking at their cases with regard with an airway [01:04:20] lens, I would say maybe less than 1% of UK dentists are thinking in that way.
[Both]: What [01:04:25] does it mean?
Simon Chard: It’s just the interaction between the mouth, the teeth [01:04:30] and the airway. So I mean, for example, sleep apnoea is [01:04:35] one of the one of the most prevalent diseases and one of the least diagnosed. I think they say [01:04:40] there’s a billion people that have sleep apnoea, with the large majority being undiagnosed. [01:04:45] Dentists are in a perfect position to be screening those patients to [01:04:50] try and catch them before they do themselves serious damage, because if you look [01:04:55] at the statistics, the risk of a heart attack for someone with sleep apnoea is [01:05:00] significantly higher than that of someone who’s a smoker. Um, so, yeah, [01:05:05] um, you’re basically stopping breathing 40 times [01:05:10] a night. Yeah. Um, and the amount of stress that puts on your heart is, [01:05:15] is is huge. And so snoring and sleep apnoea. And [01:05:20] simply mandibular repositioning devices and those sort [01:05:25] of appliances is, I think, an entry level, um, I think [01:05:30] early inception orthodontics and the link between orthodontics and [01:05:35] airway is a really interesting space. I think working [01:05:40] with parents and kids to look at mouth breathing and the impact that [01:05:45] that has on skeletal development, I think is a really interesting space and that’s [01:05:50] been largely demonised by the UK market, I think. [01:05:55] Are you familiar with The Muse and all those sorts of guys? There’s something in all of that. There’s a lot of [01:06:00] research in there, a lot of stuff. If you read into it around breathing and around facial [01:06:05] development that I think is really interesting and conservative and biologically respectful [01:06:10] and cosmetic and can make a really big difference. And I think dentists, we’re in just [01:06:15] this fantastic position. We’re the only healthcare provider where we see patients twice a year [01:06:20] when they think they’re healthy. Yeah, no one else does that. So why aren’t [01:06:25] we screening them for.
[Both]: Whatever for.
Simon Chard: Things in our area or even screening? I mean, [01:06:30] for example, we take Bloods before I do any implant and [01:06:35] we check for blood glucose, HB one AC and um, and vitamin D levels, [01:06:40] because we know, looking at the research, that if they have a high blood glucose level or they have [01:06:45] a deficiency in vitamin D, they’re far more likely to show a failure rate of their implants, 7,580% [01:06:50] of patients are vitamin D deficient and 1 in 20 [01:06:55] have got undiagnosed diabetes. Why is everyone not doing this? This [01:07:00] is a point of care blood test that costs minimal [01:07:05] and can make a demonstrative impact on your patient’s life, and [01:07:10] increase the success rate of your procedures that you’re carrying out. I mean, if you’re trying to solve [01:07:15] periodontal disease and the patient’s got blood sugar levels through the roof, good luck with that one. I mean, it’s you’re [01:07:20] going to struggle. So I think that whole link between systemic health, [01:07:25] what you might call biological dentistry, airway and the interaction [01:07:30] between all of that and what we’re doing in the mouth, I think, is that’s I think where dentistry [01:07:35] is going in the next few years, and that’s where I’m going to be focusing my own efforts. [01:07:40]
Payman Langroudi: Interesting. Um, who’s who’s been an inspiration in that way of thinking? [01:07:45]
[Both]: Kyle.
Simon Chard: Stanley. Miguel. Stanley. All the.
[Both]: Related. [01:07:50] Not related at all. No, no.
Simon Chard: No, I’m not aware. Anyway. [01:07:55] They’re not. But, um. So yeah, both those guys are continuous inspirations [01:08:00] for me. Always sort of looking looking at what’s coming up next and not [01:08:05] afraid to stand up for what they think is right. And then just, just, just reading really, I mean, [01:08:10] reading around the topic and. Yeah, just it’s just as [01:08:15] I say, the the research is there. I mean, I’ve done my own training with shark [01:08:20] education from in Canada around airway and just really tried to educate myself [01:08:25] in the space because I think that, again, we’re so controlled by [01:08:30] dogma in this country, I think, and I just try to force myself to think outside the box a little [01:08:35] bit and just see what’s what’s on the periphery that’s coming in. I think that’s the the next thing that’s [01:08:40] going to be really important.
[Both]: Yeah. Miguel, uh.
Payman Langroudi: Every time I’ve read [01:08:45] anything by him, it’s always made me think, you know, and then I’ve spoken to people [01:08:50] who’ve been there and come up with some incredible stories of the types of patients he’s [01:08:55] seeing and and fixing for all sorts of systemic complaints. [01:09:00] Um, and you’re right. I used to work for a guy, Nick Mahindra, and he used to talk about the [01:09:05] effect of the bikes on your back. He was laughed out of a bunch [01:09:10] of I remember we were in sort of ate or something. Yeah. People say it’s crazy. Um, [01:09:15] at the same time, why shouldn’t your bike affect your back? It’s [01:09:20] like we think.
[Both]: Of course it does.
Payman Langroudi: You know, because we’re in the mouth. We think that’s all it is, right?
Simon Chard: It’s [01:09:25] isolated around.
[Both]: Here. Yeah, yeah.
Simon Chard: Nothing touches.
[Both]: It. Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: So it’s interesting [01:09:30] that that’s where you think it’s going to go in the near future.
Simon Chard: You can see it already. [01:09:35]
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: You can see it on socials. You can see where the where the interest [01:09:40] is. And as I say, there’s a lot of serious scientists showing really good research in [01:09:45] these spaces. And some of it’s just a reframing. And we’ve we’ve always known that periodontal [01:09:50] disease is linked with diabetes and vice versa. But we’ve not we’ve not [01:09:55] eloquently communicated it to our patients.
[Both]: In.
Simon Chard: A way that they understand. [01:10:00]
[Both]: Yeah.
Simon Chard: And I think that’s the beauty of social media. I mean, it’s such communication at scale [01:10:05] that, um, it facilitates the ability to communicate in different ways [01:10:10] to patients, which can only be a good thing for dentistry, because if we can’t incentivise patients to floss their [01:10:15] teeth for the fear of them losing their teeth, maybe if we could incentivise them by not dying, [01:10:20] that might get them to floss.
[Both]: Maybe it’s [01:10:25] true.
Payman Langroudi: I some clip came up for me where some guy was talking about this, and he was neither a dentist [01:10:30] nor he said, oh, you want to look up? Look after your brain, floss your teeth. Have you seen that one? No. [01:10:35] Yeah. And he was just talking about brain health. Yeah, but flossing your teeth was his thing. He [01:10:40] was talking about, you know.
Simon Chard: Well, I think they’ve shown, um, again, porphyromonas gingivalis [01:10:45] at the bacteria from periodontal disease. I think they’ve shown it in the brains of [01:10:50] Alzheimer’s patients, which is, um, fascinating.
Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [01:10:55] I mean, I was reflecting on on where dentistry has gotten to in society today [01:11:00] when I saw you on TV and then Nilesh on TV, and then someone [01:11:05] else on radio and thinking even [01:11:10] five years ago, we didn’t have that kind of interest level. I mean, you know, NHS.
[Both]: Is [01:11:15] a good thing, though. Well, no, it.
Payman Langroudi: Is a good thing. It is a good thing because NHS dentistry is being you know, there’s [01:11:20] been problems with NHS, there’s been queues around dental practices for ten years, 20 years. [01:11:25] That’s always it’s a thing right. That’s happened. And yet, you know we were never called [01:11:30] on as much as we are now. You know, there were some, you know, with PR [01:11:35] agents and all that. But I feel like when we’re, we’re more sort [01:11:40] of respected as not only the place where you go where it’s toothache. Yeah. You [01:11:45] know, do you feel that with the public.
[Both]: Yeah. I think, I think.
Simon Chard: Again, I mean, it’s [01:11:50] my view is that it’s social media. It’s broken down the walls between [01:11:55] professionals, for better or for worse, as we were talking about earlier. But it’s broken down the [01:12:00] walls and it’s it’s humanised the profession. And it’s given us more of an opportunity than ever to [01:12:05] educate our patients on things that are important for oral health. So, yeah, [01:12:10] I guess I think that’s probably the reason why.
Payman Langroudi: So coming to the end of our time.
[Both]: Um, [01:12:15] in.
Simon Chard: Life or on the path.
[Both]: Of life?
Payman Langroudi: I [01:12:20] think I do have these business mid life crisis now, right? What’s the mid life crisis? [01:12:25] Okay, so I’m going to Morocco next week. Oh nice. There’s an opportunity to go on a, uh, [01:12:30] hot air balloon. Yeah. Have you been.
[Both]: Yeah. Yeah.
Simon Chard: Uh, in, uh, Tanzania, but. Yeah.
Payman Langroudi: Yeah. So [01:12:35] I’ve never been in one. Yeah. And I find this little moment thinking I may never get [01:12:40] the opportunity again.
[Both]: Like, come on, man, it’s like feeling.
Payman Langroudi: Type feeling type feeling. Yeah. I [01:12:45] could go right the following holiday. Yeah, but but the following holiday I might be somewhere where they don’t [01:12:50] do that. Yeah. Just that feeling. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway it’s not real in my, in that one. But [01:12:55] in business it is real. There are situations I’m thinking I may never be [01:13:00] able to do this x, y or z in business again. Yeah. And I’ve [01:13:05] recently understood the word the crisis part of it. The mid life always [01:13:10] got. Yeah. But the crisis part is really that right. That you think this is my last chance. Yeah. [01:13:15]
Simon Chard: And so what. And so you make rash decisions.
[Both]: Not necessarily sometimes.
Payman Langroudi: No, no the [01:13:20] crisis is should I or shouldn’t I. Right, right. Um, but it’s not necessarily you make a bad decision. You can make a good decision. [01:13:25] It sort of spurs you into action, which is what it’s done to me a little bit. Um, [01:13:30] but but I don’t know where this came up from.
[Both]: You [01:13:35] want.
Simon Chard: To tell us about the.
[Both]: Ferrari you bought? Yeah, yeah. The leather trousers.
Payman Langroudi: Maserati? [01:13:40] No. Yeah. We’re coming to the end of our time, so, um, I’m [01:13:45] going to end it with the usual questions. Deathbed. [01:13:50] Yeah. Three pieces of advice. For your friends and family. [01:13:55] What would they be?
[Both]: Ooh, that’s a toughie.
Simon Chard: First [01:14:00] one would be, um. I’ve [01:14:05] got to put some stoicism in there. So memento mori. So remember death. Always [01:14:10] remember how short life is. Second one would be. [01:14:15] Cause a difficult one, isn’t it? [01:14:20] I guess second one would be always know [01:14:25] why you’re doing what you’re doing. So reinforcing that sort of life [01:14:30] purpose and spending time on that and analysing it. And [01:14:35] then the third one. Just do epic shit and have fun.
[Both]: Like [01:14:40] seize the day.
Simon Chard: Yeah, I think, like, [01:14:45] I don’t know, I spend so much time pondering the meaning of life and thinking [01:14:50] about things like legacy and that sort of thing, but in reality, no one will know. No one will [01:14:55] know about you after three generations. And so really, you need to [01:15:00] live your life for yourself, your loved ones, with purpose, [01:15:05] with pride and enjoy yourself. I think that’s that’s how I try to live my [01:15:10] life. So that would be the advice that I pass on to.
[Both]: My loved ones. [01:15:15] Very nice.
Payman Langroudi: Simon, it’s been a massive pleasure having [01:15:20] you here again. And I think I’m going to catch up with you every 3 or 4 years, because your rate of acceleration [01:15:25] is so high. Um, I wish you lots of luck with all of these different [01:15:30] projects, particularly Parler. Parler. As as someone who’s been through these hassles [01:15:35] myself, um, it’s always nice to see someone else kind of breaking through.
[Both]: Thanks, [01:15:40] man, I appreciate it.
Payman Langroudi: Thanks for coming. Cheers.
[VOICE]: This [01:15:45] is Dental Leaders, the podcast where you get to go one on one [01:15:50] with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [01:15:55] hosts. Payman Langroudi and Prav Solanki.
Prav Solanki: Thanks [01:16:00] for listening, guys. If you got this far, you must have listened to the whole thing. And [01:16:05] just a huge thank you both from me and pay for actually sticking through and listening to what we’ve had to [01:16:10] say and what our guest has had to say, because I’m assuming you got some value out of it.
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