Why You Need a Dental Coach (And How to Know When It Is Time)
Dental school prepares you to be an excellent clinician. It does not prepare you to run a business. That single gap is responsible for more financial stress in…
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Practical strategies on overhead, scheduling, team management, insurance reduction, and everything in between.
PPO dependency is one of the most common, and most invisible, problems I see in dental practices. After 42 years of coaching, I can tell you that most practice owners who have it do not think of themselves…
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Dental school prepares you to be an excellent clinician. It does not prepare you to run a business. That single gap is responsible for more financial stress in…
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In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, dentistry stands as a unique field where the practitioner’s ability to establish a strong connection with their patients is just as crucial…
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As a dentist striving to break free from the constraints of PPO plans and elevate your practice in 2024, a well-structured 100-day plan can be your blueprint to…
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In the competitive world of dental practice management, a stellar online reputation can be a game-changer. Positive Google reviews not only reflect your practice’s excellence but also attract…
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In this blog, we will explore the art of mastering Instagram for dental practices, unveiling the strategies and techniques that can transform your dental social media presence into…
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Hey there, let’s talk about something crucial in the world of dentistry that might be impacting your practice more than you realize. We all know the field is…
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Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important aspect of digital marketing that can help dental practices improve their online visibility and attract more patients. In this article, we…
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Hey there, it’s Gary, and we’re diving into the captivating world of “Video Marketing for Dental Practices.” So, let’s unravel the incredible potential that video marketing holds for…
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Hey there, fellow dental practice owners! As a dental practice, you know how important it is to have a steady stream of local patients to keep your business…
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Hey there, dental enthusiasts! Have you ever wondered what makes some dental practices stand out from the rest? Sure, recommendations from family and friends are great, but in…
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Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that involves the removal of stains and discoloration from teeth to improve their appearance. The procedure is safe, effective, and can be…
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The dream of all dentists is to own their dental practice at some point in their lives. They should aim to make this dream a reality sooner rather…
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If you own a dental practice, does it make sense to own two or more practices? Absolutely! As the owner of LifeSmiles, a thriving dental office in Phoenix,…
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You know what your practice needs: new patients! A topic I hear requested a lot from the dentists I work with is “how to attract new patients”. Today…
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You know the dilemma well. Your entire education prepared you to provide your patients with the highest-quality dental care, but now that you have your own practice, you…
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Every dentist has an area of dentistry they love. If you don’t immediately recognize what that area is for you, just take a minute to think about it.…
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What does your practice need? I think every dentist will probably give a slightly different answer to that question, but I would suggest that most dental practices have…
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As you know, there are many different ingredients that need to go into a thriving practice. I would say one of the staple ingredients for any thriving practice…
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Mergers and acquisitions are a common growth strategy in the business world, but they’re not used very often in dentistry. Today I want to tell you why they…
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If you’re like many dentists, you may have some negative ideas about DSOs. If this is where you’re coming from, you might be in for a surprise today!…
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As you know, there are many things that thriving dentists do differently, but one of the things that is true of world-class thriving dentists across the board is…
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Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to do things differently in our efforts to grow and thrive that we might actually neglect the fundamentals. So today…
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Let me tell you a secret: your patients probably aren’t interested in dentistry. Nobody really wants a root canal or a dental crown or filling. But do you…
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In these unprecedented times, I’ve been thinking a lot about history. You know, I got my B.A. in history, so I like to look at what we can…
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Today I will be listing out 4 Dental KPIs that must be measured for dentists. Keep in mind that none of these Dental KPIs are available through your…
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In my Life Smiles practice, we use aligners as well as Six-Month-Smiles, and it has made a nice impact on our practice and fits our practice very well.…
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How necessary is a dental office manager to your practice? A quote that I really believe is that “We can do anything, but we can’t do everything.” While…
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Buying or selling a dental practice is one of those once or twice in a lifetime events, and it’s crucial to get this right. Today I’ll be writing…
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Have you ever had a moment in your life where you were trying to make a connection with somebody, but it just doesn’t happen? Are there also times…
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No one needs an introduction to what happened in March 2020. Because of the global pandemic dental practices, all cross Canada as well as the U.S were closed…
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Today we’re going to get very detailed, or as they like to say ‘in the weeds’ of our dental marketing plan here at my practice Life Smiles. We…
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Today I wanted to write about something that will come in very useful for our younger readers, especially if you’re bogged down with dental student loans. While even…
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Master Search Engine Optimization on Google, and there is no limit to the quality, new patients that you can attract to your practice! Why does Google matter so…
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What is a conversion rate? Conversion rate is a term that we like to use for calls converted to appointments. Sadly, in many dental offices, the dentist has…
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What is – assisted hygiene? It is the idea of using an assistant in your hygiene schedule. There are Four KPIs for a hygiene driven practice. These four…
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Have you noticed that the staff members of your dental practice have been a tad less energetic and a tad less motivated in their work of late? This…
Read moreAs I am writing this blog post I am attending a CE course in Utah provided by Dr. PK Clark at his Whitecap Institute (www.whitecapinstitute.com). This is a…
Read moreOn occasion, I like to post a guest post on my blog from someone who has a message that I know you would appreciate. Today I am thrilled…
Read moreIf you have been a regular reader of this blog you know I am passionate about using whitening as a practice-building strategy. With the June wedding season on…
Read moreRecently the American Dental Association reported that in 2010 only 37% of the adults in the US visited the Dentist (http://www.ada.org/news/8366.aspx). Ughhhh………We can do better than this. We…
Read moreGary Takacs’ passion is helping dentists develop their ideal practice. Specializing in the ‘business of dentistry’, his unique, in-depth knowledge of the components of a successful practice has…
Read moreAs I write this blog post I am preparing to speak at the 1st Green Dental Conference hosted by the Eco-Dentistry Association coming up in Sundance, Utah. Since…
Read moreNew Flash: People want whiter teeth! A recent USA survey reported that 85% of respondents said they wanted whiter teeth when asked what they would change about their…
Read moreWe have all heard the saying that we should not judge a book by its cover. This concept applied to dentistry is that we should not judge our…
Read moreThe Hawthorne Effect is a psychological phenomenon referring to the concept that things that are measured improve. I am a firm believer in this concept in the dental…
Read moreI recently conducted a survey of Dentists asking the following question; ‘What is your most pressing concern?’ The #1 answer by a significant margin was; more new patients.…
Read moreLifelong learning is a key to having a thriving practice. One of the projects that I recommend to our clients is a project we call ‘Book Club’. Here’s…
Read moreI just returned from speaking at the Dentistry Show in Birmingham, England. It was a great conference attended by thousands of Dentists and Team Members who came from…
Read moreOne of the best books I have ever read is Dale Carnegie’s, How to Win Friends and Influence People. I have a well-worn copy of this book in…
Read moreToday I interviewed my good friend Dr. Todd Franklin for my Thriving Dentist Show audio podcast. Todd practices in the town of Lodi, CA and he has created…
Read moreIn this blog I have written a bit about marketing and how you can consistently attract quality new patients. Digital Marketing is the ‘shiny new thing’ in dental…
Read moreOn this Valentine’s Day, with thoughts of Love in the air, I have a simple question for you to think about. Do you LOVE dentistry? It has been…
Read moreMany dental offices today are experiencing an epidemic of hygiene cancellations and no-shows. The world has changed. If you are still using your old recall system then you…
Read moreDigital marketing is the future of dental marketing and that future is here today! People use their computers, smart phones. laptops and tablets to find goods and services…
Read moreOn occasion, I invite a guest post on my blog. Today I am very happy to publish a great blog post by my good friend Any Traub. You…
Read moreTechnology allows us to connect in so many ways today yet there is still something very special about like minded people meeting face-to-face. Here is a conference that…
Read moreDr. Omer Reed has been a wonderful friend and mentor for almost 30 years now. For many Dentists, Omer needs no introduction. Over the past 50 years, he…
Read moreThis blog post will challenge you to think and stretch outside your current comfort zone. If you would prefer not to grow, stop reading now. Otherwise please read…
Read moreThis blog post is about how to set goals for 2013. Research shows that the date when most New Year’s resolutions are broken is January 7. As life…
Read moreBest I can tell, there is one significant difference between Dentists who are massively successful and those who are not. The successful ones do stuff! Most Dentists take…
Read moreIf you are regular reader of this blog you know that I am passionate about dentistry and that I have a optimistic perspective on the future of our…
Read moreThis quote by Charles Darwin seems very appropriate for the Dental Profession today. Dental practices today are polarizing into those that are thriving and those that are struggling.…
Read moreSome people believe that dentistry is a great job but a poor business. Dentistry is fundamentally different from other businesses in that the success of the practice is…
Read moreRecently I had two experiences that cause me to believe that the future of the dental profession is very bright. Let me explain. In August I was invited…
Read morePardon my enthusiasm………………but DENTISTRY ROCKS!!! Despite the reality of a weak economy, increasing third-party intrusion, and the challenges of controlling overhead, this is indeed an awesome time to…
Read more“Behind ever successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” – Peter Drucker As I meet with Dentists throughout the country at Conferences, Seminars and CE Events I…
Read moreI recently returned from a speaking assignment at the ACE (Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics) Mastermind Conference held at a wonderful resort in the Florida Keys. The meeting was…
Read moreHaving just returned from the 2012 ADA Annual Session in San Francisco, I am reminded how important it is to embrace lifelong learning. This meeting was absolutely wonderful…
Read moreRecently I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Catharine Goodson for the Thriving Dentist Show on the topic of how to prepare for medical emergencies in the dental…
Read moreIf you have been a regular reader of this blog you know that I am a huge advocate of whitening! I LOVE whitening because it is such a…
Read moreNew patients are the lifeblood of a successful dental practice. Today, often the difference between a struggling practice and a thriving practice is the number of new patients…
Read moreLast week I had the honor of speaking at the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) Conference. This conference happened to be right in my backyard in…
Read moreIf you have been a regular reader of this blog you know that I have deep respect for Dr. Frank Spear. He is an amazing educator and has…
Read more“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you” Coach John Wooden If you have been following this…
Read more“I will never understand all the good that a simple smile can accomplish.” -Mother Teresa At the core level, all of us in the Dental Profession are in…
Read moreMy grandmother was right! (Actually, she was right about SO many things.) You only have one opportunity to make a great first impression. In many dental offices, the…
Read moreOne of the biggest challenges we have in dentistry is to motivate patients to accept treatment recommendations when the condition is asymptomatic. When it hurts, it’s easy. A…
Read moreToday, your successful marketing plan will include activities that fall under the category of ‘Digital Marketing’. Certainly, if you are reading this blog you are keenly aware of…
Read moreI learned a favorite quote from Dr. Omer Reed. While he was not the originator of these words, I like to give Dr. Reed credit for sharing them…
Read moreMany of the readers of this blog know that the late Coach John Wooden was a huge influence on my life. He was such a man of integrity…
Read moreYou may have heard that the noted author and business leader Stephen Covey passed away yesterday. His book titled, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People has had…
Read moreMany of you know that I have been working on a video to help dentists master dental marketing. Well…….it is ready!! I am super excited to introduce the…
Read moreIn a recent blog post: Click here, I defined the 20 Metrics we track on a monthly basis at LifeSmiles Dental Care. We’ve had many questions and comments about…
Read moreWith proper respect to all the international readers of this blog, I happen to believe that I live in the greatest country in the world! The United States…
Read moreYesterday, the PBS television show called Frontline aired a show titled, “Dollars and Dentists” that was a dental expose about what they are calling the Dental Crisis in…
Read moreIn less than two weeks we will be at the mid-point of the calendar year 2012. It is my sincere hope that you are midway to the best…
Read moreI witnessed something yesterday that was so profound I just had to write about it. I was coaching a dental practice in Tallmadge, Ohio. About midway through the…
Read moreIf you are a listener to my Thriving Dentist Show you may have heard my interview with my friend, Dr. James Goolnik from London, England. James has some…
Read moreYou may be familiar with the current controversy in the state of Washington regarding the 15% fee cut that Washington Dental Service (WDS), a member of the Delta…
Read moreThere are three distinct skill sets that a dentist must master if their practice is to achieve full potential. #1) The dentist must have outstanding clinical skills. #2)…
Read moreThere are a triad of skills that dentists must master if they are to achieve their full potential. This triad is Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation. In…
Read moreYesterday I was visiting an Oral Surgeon client. It is the middle of Spring Break and the office was extremely busy with many patients scheduled for third molar…
Read more“It’s what you learn after you know it all, that counts.” – Coach John Wooden Since the NCAA basketball tournament is about to begin, it seems appropriate to…
Read moreVideo has become a powerful marketing tool. Perhaps the most compelling reason why you need a YouTube channel for your practice is the fact that youtube is the…
Read more“You miss every shot that you don’t take” -Wayne Gretsky If you have been reading this blog you know that I believe that you can develop a dental…
Read more“You train people how to treat you.” -Dr. Phil Dr. Phil is right on! Let’s face it, hygiene cancellations & no-shows are an epidemic in dental practices everywhere.…
Read moreOn occasion, I will invite guests to write a blog post. Today, I have invited Mary Beth Bajornas (www.DentalSupportSpecialties.com) to share her perspective on dental customer service. Mary…
Read moreDetermining an appropriate fee schedule can be one of the most important factors in your practice profitability. There are many variables that should be considered when setting your…
Read moreSuccessful marketing can be the difference between a good dental practice and a great dental practice. This is especially true when you are practicing comprehensive care. Think about…
Read moreI see mixed economic signals. Housing prices are down and unemployment numbers are still too high, yet people seem to be spending money on things they value. Is…
Read moreDr. Omer Reed shared that quote with me many years ago. It’s as true today as it was then. One of the things that make dentistry such a…
Read moreOne of the things I have learned in creating a thriving practice in a soft economy is that the era of ‘sleepwalking is OVER! Let me explain. What…
Read moreAbout a month ago I began publishing the audio podcast titled the ‘Thriving Dentist Show’. A new show is published every Wednesday. My goal is producing this podcast…
Read more2012 is a great year to be a dentist! Those of you that know me know that I am an optimist. For me the glass is not half full,…
Read more“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to arrive thoroughly used up, worn out…
Read moreThere is a tremendous difference between making a living and making a life. I have spoken about that concept often to dentists over the years. However, this is…
Read moreNews Flash, running a successful dental practice is a challenge! I have understood that statement at an intellectual level for many years now. However, after purchasing a practice…
Read moreBefore turning the page to a new year, I’d like to spend some time reflecting on what I learned in 2011. My reflections below are somewhat random but…
Read moreI recently polled a group of dentists and asked them to define the most pressing issue in dentistry today and the answer by an astonishing margin was, ‘Overhead…
Read moreThe American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) just released their report documenting their survey results about the state of cosmetic dentistry in the US. Incidentally, if you are…
Read moreThank you all for joining our teleseminar titled, “Website Marketing Tips.” If you missed the teleseminar, please click the link below to download it to your computer. “Website…
Read moreThis past Tuesday evening I was a guest at a Holiday Dinner Celebration with a group of advisors who serve the Dental Profession. Included were Bankers, CPA’s, Practice…
Read moreYour website should be on of your most productive sources of new patients for your office the website can work 24/7 to educate and inform potential patients about…
Read moreThank you all for joining our teleseminar titled, “5 Strategies to Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet!” If you missed the teleseminar, please click the link below…
Read moreYou probably know that I am a voracious reader and I especially enjoy reading business-related books. Recently I read the new book by Dave Ramsey titled, EntreLeadership. This…
Read moreThe reason I love the dental profession so much is because of the quality of the people in dentistry. Our profession is literally filled with people with a…
Read moreSour economy or not, there has never been a better time to help more patients achieve great oral health! I don’t suggest burying your head in the sand…
Read moreRecently I had the opportunity to attend a course given by Dr. Louis Malcmacher on how to grow your practice in today’s economy. Dr. Malcmacher maintains a general…
Read moreWith the Holiday Season rapidly approaching, now is the time to plan a fun way to recognize the contributions of your team members. One of the common denominators…
Read moreLast weekend I had the honor of presenting the Keynote Speech at the DenMat Destination Education Event in Las Vegas. The panel of speaker’s at this event was…
Read moreIn my last blog post I introduced the concept of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as an extremely useful metric to measure the customer service experience in your…
Read more“Things that are measured, improve.” – Bill Bowerman (University of Oregon Track Coach) Bill Bowerman was absolutely right when he said, “Things that are measured, improve”. One of…
Read moreWhile we have a collection of some very impressive technology in our dental practice, perhaps one the most useful pieces of technology only cost $499. It’s, the iPad!…
Read moreMost of you know that Steve Jobs has had a significant influence on my life. I am currently reading his biography written by Walter Isaacson and thoroughly enjoying…
Read moreNews FLASH……….People want whiter teeth! A recent survey in USA Today asked the following question; “What would you like to change about your smile?” 85% of the people…
Read moreOver 25 years ago, I was introduced to a study commissioned by the Eastman Kodak Company. This study is worth revisiting today given the rising office overhead costs…
Read moreLast week we received the following note from a patient: “You are an artist, not a dentist in my eyes! Fantastic job and thank you very much. You…
Read moreWhen I first started in the dental profession someone wrote the book titled, How to Have the $100,000 Practice. Now, with inflation being what it is there are…
Read morePerhaps the biggest challenge we have in dentistry is creating value for the care provided. People will pay for things they value and likewise, patients will keep appointments…
Read more“You train people how to treat you.” -Dr. Phil Many dental offices are reporting that it is more difficult than ever to keep the schedule filled. Patients can…
Read more“Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” – Coach John Wooden Holding a very brief team meeting at the beginning of every day is absolutely necessary if your…
Read more“It’s what you learn after you know it all, that counts.” – Coach John Wooden I am an extreme advocate of the concept of Lifelong Learning! It is…
Read moreA couple of years ago I had the privilege of speaking on the same program as Terry Bradshaw, the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback. This was a real treat…
Read moreSome of the readers of this blog know that I have an extreme interest in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease. I have always enjoyed science going…
Read moreSome of the people reading this blog post instantly understand what the headline means! Others have no clue. Let me try and decipher. Whether you spend any time…
Read moreUnless you live in the state of Oregon you may have missed the breaking news that the Oregon State Dental Board has banned to use of Groupon for…
Read more“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” -Stephen Covey Perhaps the best way to increase your case acceptance and do more ideal dentistry is to slow down…
Read more“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Consider starting your new patient experience with a tour of your office. The reason I like to…
Read moreIt has been my life’s work to study successful dentists. One of the common denominators of successful dentists is they embrace lifelong learning and are constantly challenging themselves…
Read moreIn my ideal utopia, all patients would place a high value on their dental health and happily schedule all treatment recommendations without hesitation. As my 16 year-old daughter…
Read morePerhaps the biggest challenge we have in dentistry is helping patients value dentistry and great oral health. For quite some time now, dental professionals have known about the…
Read more“Patients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” -Omer K. Reed DDS Patient referrals from your good patients are one of the…
Read more“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” -Hellen Keller Yesterday, Steve Jobs announced his retirement as CEO of Apple. In his announcement, Steve indicated that…
Read moreUsing photography for patient education is another strategy that will help your office thrive in a down economy. We have all heard the saying that a picture is…
Read moreMany of you may know that I am very fond of the late Coach John Wooden. He was an amazing man and he has been a mentor of…
Read moreIn an earlier blog post, I suggested the following 5 strategies to grow your practice in a soft economy: Make whitening a core element of your practice Develop…
Read moreClick below to access: 6 Proven Strategies to Radically Reduce Hygiene Cancellations & No-Shows
Read moreThe reason I bought a dental practice is that I wanted a learning and teaching lab for my clients where I could test concepts and techniques and report…
Read moreRecently, I wrote a blog post about five specific strategies that can help your practice grow in a soft economy. The first strategy I recommended was to make…
Read moreLast blog post I discussed five specific strategies to thrive in a soft economy. David Rice was kind enough to send me a message on facebook after reading…
Read moreIn my last blog post, I discussed the importance of creating a culture of growth in your practice. This culture of growth becomes the foundation to support a…
Read moreOne of the goals that I encourage my clients to embrace is to create a culture of growth. I am firming convinced that practices are either growing or…
Read more“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision” -Peter Drucker Peter Drucker is one of the best-known and most widely influential thinkers and writers…
Read moreDoes having 45 boys ages 16 and 17 in your office on a mid-summer Wednesday evening sound like your idea of fun? What if their parents were with…
Read moreWhile it has been common knowledge in the dental profession that there is a link between oral and systemic health, the really great news is that the public…
Read more“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” -Isaac Newton Like he was with so many things, Sir Isaac…
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