{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The DOC Podcast","title":"Airway, Wellness, and the Patient-Centered Private Practice (w/Dr. Trevor Nichols) [Ep.161]","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":5918,"description":"Episode Summary\n\nDr. Trevor Nichols returns to The Doc Podcast for his second appearance, and a lot has changed. Since opening Nichols Orthodontics and Aesthetics in Gilbert, Arizona, in August 2024, Trevor has grown from a two-person operation to a team of 20, with a waitlist. In this rich conversation, Dr. Mike and Dr. Nichols cover the full journey: the leap from corporate/DSO orthodontics to private practice ownership, the vision and systems that fuel their growth, the personal wellness habits that keep them grounded, and, most passionately, the case for early airway-focused, craniofacial orthodontic treatment. This episode is a must-listen for any orthodontist, dentist, or healthcare professional who wants to treat the whole patient, not just the teeth.\nTimestamps\n\n3:29 — Welcome back: Dr. Nichols returns to the show after ~2 years\n4:33 — \"Probably the best two years of my life\" — Dr. Nichols reflects on opening his practice\n5:27 — Starting with just two people, leasing space from a general dentist\n6:29 — \"Fight for your dreams\" — the case for private practice ownership\n6:53 — Why private practice better protects patients and the profession vs. corporate/DSO models\n22:03 — Building the vision: how to define what orthodontics truly fulfills you\n23:29 — \"Do a true audit of what in orthodontics brings you happiness\"\n29:34 — The three pillars of Nichols Orthodontics: patient experience, culture, and results\n40:24 — Why Dr. Nichols hired a CEO (formerly at Crumbl Cookies) to run the business side\n50:44 — Balancing plates: weekly date nights, gratitude practices, and intentional reflection\n57:32 — Shifting to the clinical: why diagnosis is what separates orthodontists from OTC aligners\n1:00:57 — \"We're not just orthodontists — we're craniofacial orthopedists\"\n1:02:58 — \"I don't really care about the teeth right now\" — diagnosing profile, growth, and airway first\n1:11:06 — Treating 3- and 4-year-olds: when early intervention is warranted and how to screen for it...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Wf6VIMhB_ulpfJzsJlix0BOF0i4W9yk8xxJ6-5X1Y6E/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQxOTI3LzE2OTg2/MzExNDktYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}