Ep 31 – Building A Competitive Orthodontic Practice with Michelle Shimmin of Shimmin Consulting

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In this podcast, we speak with Michelle Shimmin of Shimmin Consulting. Since 1990, Michelle has been an international lecturer and trainer consultant in the field of orthodontics. She shares with us the different elements of running a practice, including protocols for training and hiring employees, how to encourage their growth and development, and the value of adding a remote team for your practice. Listen in to this episode to learn more about how Michelle works with clients to build competitive orthodontic practices. In this episode, we address other important topics like:

  • Michelle’s advice on finding high-quality staff for your practice; using your employees as ambassadors for your practice to find great employees
  • The importance of effective training tools for onboarding protocols
  • Setting up internal pay structure for employees to encourage engagement and professional growth & development
  • Digital marketing and adding remote team members and what roles they can provide for the business
  • Creating expectations and processes for virtual team members

Key Takeaways:

  • The key to employee retention is setting up your employees with a known internal structure. This encourages engagement and motivation to continue professional growth & development, adding value to your team.
  • Setting your employees up for success starts with great training tools and onboarding protocols that train employees properly.
  • The industry has grown and changed rapidly and digital marketing and remote opportunities for employees can be very valuable to the practice.

About Michelle Shimmin:

Michelle Shimmin is the owner of Shimmin Consulting. Michelle is an International lecturer, trainer and consultant who has been in the field of orthodontics since 1990, working as a Registered Dental Assistant, teaching orthodontic assisting, marketing, financials, treatment coordinating and practice management. Michelle travels the country and helps transform orthodontic offices on their systems to promote training, growth, and success through a comprehensive practice approach.


Achieving practice growth isn’t as simple as it used to be. But with groundbreaking technology and new communication channels to reach more patients, People + Practice is an orthodontic marketing agency that firmly believes that there’s never been a better time to be in practice. 


 

About The Golden Age of Orthodontics Podcast and People + Practice

The Golden Age of Orthodontics is an award-winning industry podcast produced by People + Practice, a leading orthodontic marketing agency specializing in practice growth, digital marketing, branding, and AI search visibility for orthodontists.

Hosted by People + Practice co-founders Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein, MBA, the podcast combines decades of firsthand orthodontic practice experience with strategic marketing expertise to help orthodontists navigate an evolving industry.

Dr. Klempner, a retired orthodontist with 38 years of clinical experience, brings a unique understanding of the challenges facing private practices. Epstein, an accomplished marketing strategist with more than 20 years of experience, specializes in helping orthodontic practices attract patients, strengthen their brands, and achieve sustainable growth.

Together, they lead People + Practice, an orthodontic marketing agency that combines deep industry knowledge with data-driven digital marketing, growth consulting, and innovative AI optimization strategies. Their thought leadership extends beyond the podcast into the agency’s work helping orthodontists build stronger, more competitive practices.

Through conversations with leading orthodontists, industry executives, and technology innovators, The Golden Age of Orthodontics reflects the same expertise and forward-thinking approach that makes People + Practice a trusted marketing partner for orthodontic practices seeking measurable growth.

Learn more about People + Practice’s orthodontic marketing services and how our team helps practices turn marketing into new patients.