Karl Jobst

Karl Jobst On the Far-Reaching Impact of Exceptional Leadership in Dentistry

Surely there has been plenty of discussion regarding the importance of establishing a wholly positive and pervasive culture in a dental practice, particularly since each patient usually deals with multiple staff members and assistants before even having the opportunity to meet with the dentist. This means that the team members that make up the dental office are often most responsible for shaping the first impression of each and every patient, which has an obvious effect on the practice’s reputation in the community as well as the perception of the overall treatment experience of the patient.

Dentists who are already capable leaders are most likely to be best equipped to cultivate a positive office culture that has an impact on every aspect of the practice. Of course, not all dentists are natural-born leaders, nor is it the case that a single leadership style is effective across all circumstances. Leadership is a skill all dentists must consistently work on, and I, Dr. Karl Jobst, have outlined several strategies for improving any dentist’s abilities as a leader and the resulting culture that is ultimately established because of the leadership within the dental practice.

The single-most important leadership quality is the ability to clearly and effectively communicate with both patients and staff members. In offices in which the lines of communication are open and clearly understood amongst all team members, it is simply more likely that a strong culture will be quickly established and turnover rates drastically reduced.

I also advocate for a hands-on approach during the hiring process to ensure that those potentially joining the staff are properly qualified for the open position and also have a comprehensive understanding of the expectations associated with their position upon joining the dental practice, thereby easing the transition for the new staff member and maintaining a consistently exceptional level of customer service.

Finally, it is essential for dentists to lead by example and to be aware that they must consistently practice what they preach. There is no quicker way for a dentist to undermine his or her authority than by setting a poor example or expecting team members to abide by a different set of rules than the dentist. Applying each of these leadership strategies will go a long way toward creating an exceptional office culture that ultimately ensures patients have access to a truly outstanding dental treatment experience.

Four Weirdly Delicious Pizza Combinations

It’s easy to find yourself in a rut when it comes time to order a pizza. After all, most people tend to stick to familiar toppings and rarely express any willingness to try something unique or daring. While there is certainly nothing wrong with ordering a pepperoni pizza one week and extra cheese the next, it is also a surefire way to get bored with one of the most convenient and affordable dining options around.

The shame in all of this is that the potential combinations of toppings are seemingly limitless, meaning there is absolutely no reason for you to continue to suffer through a pizza order that seems increasingly bland. So when we asked our friends at Virtual Financial Group to step out of their comfort zone for weird pizza combinations they would be willing to try, we were impressed by the four options they came back with.

The Breakfast Pizza

The Breakfast Pizza should not be confused with the leftover slice that you eat cold the morning after your weekly pizza night. Instead, this type of pizza is a delicious option that combines some of the more common breakfast options -- bacon, scrambled eggs and potatoes -- with traditional pizza elements. Most pizzerias will be more than happy to whip one up for you as long as you don’t call during the peak of their dinner rush. Of course, this is a pizza that is well worth the trouble of learning how to make at home.

Deep Fried Pizza

Since pizza is not exactly a healthy option to begin with, why not go for broke by choosing a deep
fried pizza? A slice from this pie will remind you of everything you love about mozzarella sticks along with everything you love about pizza. Besides, every food tastes so much better when it is deep fried, so this pizza is absolutely worth a shot.

Indian Pizza

While it may come as something of a surprise, a lot of Indian-style food works incredibly well as
toppings on a pizza. With a ton of options, Virtual Financial Group recommends the Tandoori Chicken-style pizza to start out with, especially when the marinara sauce is flavored with the uniquely Indian garam masala.

Plum Tomato and Basil 

A more traditional option than the others that have been previously mentioned, the sweet plum tomatoes and fresh mozzarella offer a bit of a twist on the traditional pizza. With fresh-cut basil and parmesan cheese, there are few things more satisfying than a slice of this classic option.

Michele Frazier's A Traveler’s Guide to Pizzerias

A Traveler’s Guide to Pizzerias

Whether it is for business or pleasure, Michele Frazier’s frequent travels have given her the ability to

develop a comprehensive philosophy with regard to innumerable subjects. Of those subjects, one of the more interesting has to do with her advice on finding the best pizza in any city, with some of her recommendations coming as something of a surprise. As a pizza connoisseur, I find her insights absolutely fascinating and believe they are worthy of sharing. So if you travel often and can appreciate a good slice of pizza, the following advice will likely serve you quite well the next time you find yourself in unfamiliar territory.

On Finding the Right Local Pizzeria

According to Frazier, the best pizzerias are almost always the small family-run restaurants that are not so easily found by visitors. In order to find out which hole-in-the-wall pizzeria is really a hidden treasure, Frazier suggests asking several locals for their opinion. Everyone has different tastes and some people have odd preferences, so arriving at a consensus among the locals is the best way to guarantee a great slice. Obviously, anyone who suggests a national chain should be dismissed, but it is important to remember that if most locals agree that such a chain is best, they are really trying to tell you that the local pizzerias are not anything worth writing home about.

On the Cities Famous for Pizza

When traveling to New York and Chicago, it seems natural to seek out a slice of pizza that is true to the tradition of the city. This does not mean, however, that every pizzeria in Manhattan is outstanding, so Frazier suggests seeking out the establishments that have been around the longest. There are several pizzerias in Chicago that have been around for decades, and any one of these is a safe bet for a great slice.

While it may seem counterintuitive, Frazier offered an interesting idea when it comes to these famous pizza cities: If there is a New York-style pizzeria in Chicago, then there is a fairly good chance that the proprietor has quite a talent for pizza considering the level of hubris required to open a New York-style shop in a city that is so loyal to its own style. She also noted some off-the-radar cities for pizza, including New Haven and Portland, both of which have unique pizza options that are just as good as anything you might find in New York or Chicago.

Success in the Pizzeria Business Requires a Clearly Defined Identity

When you look at the man wearing an apron covered in flour and marinara sauce as he stands behind the pizza counter to take your order, you probably don’t envision that same man taking frequent vacations to Italy or spending his weekends sailing up and down the coast. That’s understandable, but the truth is that there is a lot of money to be made in the pizzeria industry. With relatively low overhead and startup costs that are far from prohibitive, opening a pizzeria in the right location is an opportunity worth considering.

Even if you do not have any previous experience working in a pizzeria, learning the ropes is not terribly difficult. With the right teacher, you can learn how to make dough, toss pizzas and cook them to perfection in a single day. Of course, there are certain subtleties that take more time to learn, but spending a month in a working pizzeria is really all that is necessary to gain an accurate understanding of the basics. It is, however, incredibly important to deeply consider the pizzeria’s identity before entering the industry, as a clearly defined identity is absolutely critical to the success or failure of the pizzeria.

According to Hugo Sebastian Hirsch, the identity of a pizzeria should be based on several different factors. Of those factors, the first to consider is location. Outside of New York, Chicago and New Haven, most regions are without a traditional style of pizza, so a new pizzeria should research the styles of pizza available in the area. In most cases, these pizzerias offer standard fare, focusing on making pizzas that have the broadest possible appeal in order to reach as many customers as possible. If this is the case, Hirsch believes that there is a lucrative opportunity available in opening a restaurant that provides specialty pizza options.

A specialty pizzeria can focus on providing the deep-dish pizza found in Chicago, the thin-crusted slices found in New York, or even the charred Neapolitan “apizza” common to New Haven. While these are viable options that will attract a loyal base of customers, Hirsch recommends a different approach by instead creating a restaurant that treats pizza with a greater deal of reverence. Using fresh, unique ingredients while taking a more gastronomic approach, gourmet pizzerias are able to attract a wide range of customers who are looking for a new way to enjoy something incredibly familiar.

On the Joys of Making Pizza at Home

As a frequent traveler, I come across many people who believe the pizza originating from their hometown is always best. This goes for some of the more obvious destinations, such as New York, Chicago and Naples, but I have also encountered plenty of others who are willing to vehemently argue the fact that Portland or New Haven or some other surprising location has the best pizza.

Whenever the topic of “Best Pizza Anywhere” comes up, it is almost a certainty that the speaker will eventually mention how difficult it is to find good pizza outside of their home, with some going as far as to bring a box of pizza as their carry-on luggage for their returning flight. For transplants to other cities, this can result in a bit of a melancholic feeling with regard to local pizza, but David R. Gray Jr. believes he has a simple solution.

According to Gray -- and despite the protestations of New Yorkers everywhere -- the quality of the pizza has nothing to do with the local water supply or the specific weather conditions of a particular region. Instead, it has everything to do with style, and any style of pizza can be easily replicated in the home. Gray says the process may be a bit more complicated if the dough is made from scratch, but it is worth learning to really create a regionally accurate pizza.

I believe it is always best to control every aspect of the process, and that includes making the dough. If the dough is bought at a supermarket or a pizzeria, you have no say over whether the baker should use olive oil or sugar in the dough to add flavor, nor will you be able to control the consistency of the crust, since the amount of yeast added at the time of mixing has an influence on how the pizza will bake in the oven.

As for creating the actual pizza, pounding the dough is often where people encounter the greatest difficulty. Gray suggests that first-time pizza makers invest in several pounds of dough (one pound typically makes a single large pizza) on which to practice. After adding enough flour to cover the dough ball, most pizza makers work from the edge of the ball to the center. Once the dough has been pounded out and stretched, adding the sauce, cheese and toppings is all that remains.

By making pizza at home, transplanted New Yorkers will be able to make a traditional thin-crusted pie that is perfect for folding, and Chicagoans can make a deep-dish pie that tastes every bit as good as the pizza they would find at home.

Straddling the Line In the Pizza Debate Between Chicago and New York

In the long-running debate between New York and Chicago, no clear winner has been identified as the owner of the best pizza in the United States. Obviously, Chicagoans favor the thick, deep-dish pizza that comes with tomato sauce atop the cheese, and New Yorkers ridicule anyone who thinks that a pizza that can’t be properly folded is better than the thin-crusted slice that can be found on just about any city street corner.

Outside of New York and Chicago, the debate tends to be a bit more civil since the emotions that typically arise when defending one’s home do not often play a role in a discussion held elsewhere. Whatever side someone falls on is generally accepted as a matter of personal preference rather than geographic allegiance, but pizza lovers nationwide tend to be quite surprised when someone not only has no opinion on which is better, but claims to enjoy both equally.

In the experience of David Kravitz, this is the position that most frequently leads to arguments outside of Chicago and New York, though not necessarily in an unpleasant kind of way. Instead, there is frequently a demand for the uncommitted party to decide one way or another, as if it is unfair to all of those who have staked a position alongside the residents of a city they may have never even visited. For some reason, the idea that a person could happily enjoy both kinds of pizza and have no preference is, at best, difficult to understand, and, at worst, completely unacceptable.

After learning this, I wondered why this was the case and set out to uncover the reason. As a former resident of Chicago, I had always sided with notion that the deep-dish pizza with the flaky crust is best. In order to fully understand the other side of the argument, I avoided Chicago-style pizza for a full year and instead opted for a New York-style thin crust each time I had a craving for pizza. This was difficult, but given the importance of the subject, I was willing to struggle.

At first, I had no problem in continuing to claim Chicago as best, but over time I began to develop an affinity for the folded slice with the thin crust that seemed so increasingly perfect. Eventually I realized that both styles were appealing in wildly different ways, and the only reason anyone has a preference is simple familiarity. Now, I count myself among the rare few that believe both are equally delightful.

Tim DeCapua What Is The Evolution Of Gaming?

Video games have really come a long way in every aspect. While older video games remain as classics to the older crowd, they are deemed as lame and insignificant to the younger audiences. I remember the first game I ever played in 1994. Castle Wolfenstein 3D. This was the very start of 3-D digital art.

How have games changed since the early developments?

In those days, a game was pretty straight forward with a single objective: Kill everything and get to the end alive. Today, there are many things you must do to the point some games are more stressful than enjoyable. You may have to follow a guy without being seen. Get to the communications station and broadcast a message, but oh no! You discover you need a part for the radio to work and you find yourself running around the map trying to complete your secondary objective in order to complete the primary objective and let's not forget that you can't set off alarms in the process of completing the mission.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the graphics have evolved over the years becoming more and more realistic to the world that is familiar to us. As if the game itself wasn't expensive enough, now you need to invest a few hundred dollars into your PC to upgrade it and make the new releases enjoyable. *Cough cough* Assassin's Creed Unity *cough*. 

What is the future of gaming?

We are already seeing gaming being transformed with Microsoft's new HoloLense technology. Basically, every anticipation you've had for virtural realtity is getting closer and closer to being in the palm of your hands very soon. This technology will do more than just let the user enjoy a game, of course, and it could change the way prototypes are built, business is conducted and so much more. 

What is the Tim DeCapua Future Of Cell Phones?

It's no surprise that the inspiration of cell phones first came from Star Trek. It was an ingenious idea that was original and fresh.



Where did the idea for cell phones come from?

The idea for cell phones first came about roughly 40 years ago in 1973.


What will cellphones be like in the future?

Today, our cell phones are the size of our hands. They fit perfectly into our palm and  are apart of our lives in every way, every day. The future of this technology is rumored to have cell phones be part of not just our lives, but also our bodies. We are already seeing this slowly take effect with the release of the new Apple Watch. The watch will allow normal phone calls as well as FaceTime calls, enabling you to see the other person on your wrist.

Saleh Stevens Air Circulation Considerations

Air circulation is absolutely vital in an effort to keep cool during the summer. Something that is often overlooked is the need to air movement over your skin. When you skin has air moving across it, your skin feels noticeably cooler. This principal is what a "swamp cooler" uses to keep your home feeling cooler.

What is a swamp cooler?

A swamp cooler is nothing more than humid air being forced into your home. There is no actual "cooling" happening, just the feeling that water does to your skin. Without the water a swamp cooler would still feel cool, but the moist air is what makes the biggest difference.

What about a fan?

Fans are great ways to move the air around your home and keep you cool in the process! Whether you have a ceiling fan, a box fan, or a fan that rotates, the principal of circulation still works the same.

If you're looking to stay cool in the summer while keeping your electricity bill down, try turning up the A/C and turning on a fan!

At What Point Do Power Tools Become Necessary, Saleh Stevens?

A lot of tasks require the extra edge that power tools give. They save time, are generally neater, and usually have many uses. The questions is, "when would a power tool become unnecessary?"

The answer is dependent on the task in front of you: Are you sawing a great, big log in half? That would take several hours to cut with a large, specialized, two-man hand saw. A chainsaw can do it in minutes with one man. Are you attempting to build a birdhouse? Here as well, a hand saw, a hammer, and sand paper are needed and several hours would be dedicated to building this birdhouse. Again, the power tool equivalents would make the time fly by, leaving only varnishing or painting if you care to do those things.

"But wait! Weren't you going to tell me when you shouldn't use power tools?"

Nope. Power tools are awesome and should always be used because they're convenient, time-saving, super machines. There is no trade off. Technology has advanced and the greater technology should be used to achieve a desired outcome.

OK, fine.The only thing I can think of that wouldn't apply to this is if you are mad and want to break something in half (such as a bat when you strike out or your pencil when you fail a test). This is not only satisfying but necessitates the further use of power tools to replace the object you just broke.

A Saleh Stevens Sushi Primer

Yesterday was my 7 year anniversary. My wife loves sushi so we decided to go to Omakase Sushi. If you don't know, Omakase is a Japanese word that means essentially, "you choose".


Sushi is the Japanese art of wrapping fish in seaweed. The Japanese have been doing this for a long time, and in the last 50 years it has become popular across the world and especially in the united states.

The idea is that the chef gets to choose what he serves you. This is especially important if the chef chooses his own fish. Here in Los Angeles, that happens sometimes, but it's not common.

In most great Japanese sushi restaurants, the sushi chef spends each morning at the fish market with his supplier looking over tuna and other speciality sushi grade fish.

Most tuna used in Sushi is aged before being frozen, you wouldn't know it, but straight out of the water tuna doesn't have much flavor! 2-6 days later they freeze it to about -2 degrees and then slice and package it for transport.

I don't know how I got off topic, but we really loved the sushi and Omakase, Happy Anniversary!

Miami - Is it Worth a Belinda Broido Visit?

Miami is a culture all its own, with many beach fronts that house and boast the greatest bar and night life in the east coast its definitely a place worth seeing. From South Beach to North Beach and all beaches between Miami's coast has much to offer for tourists.

Belinda Broido has been to many dance clubs in Miami, these have been some of the best dances I have been too in my life. Along with great Dance clubs there's a multitude of Bar& Lounges that offer Live music with a Latin and Cuban Flavor. In South Beach you can expect a swanky club feel of live music, clubs, and bar crawls. Give Miami a Try! Go visit it with Belinda Broido and have a BLAST! AMA about what my next topic should be.

AMA Belinda Broido - Going Green

I often like to cover the topic of going green because I personally Belinda Broido believe that all peoples should go green. Going green means that you will need to watch many different aspects of your life such as water usage and electricity usage. I Belinda Broido personally use old dish water to take my showers and recycle my toilet water through an extensive filtration system which is powered by both solar energy and fossil fuels created by human waste. When looking for solar panels its important to think where you will want them to be and how best to make them look as natural as possible. If you set your panels up in an attractive way the sun will want to be inside of them storing its energy in the battery's to power your Prius. In order to cut down on wasting foods make sure to only cook and use what your going to need instead of making a lot and having to toss a bunch out. You can go green! Belinda Broido did and so can you! AMA about what my next topic should be!

The difference between Muffins compared to a Danishes Belinda Broido

I Belinda Broido have been asked this question a million times, "What is a muffin compared to a Danish?"
First off, what is a muffin? A muffin is just a lazy excuse for eating cake for breakfast instead of nutritious foods. However Muffins are absolutely delicious when made with banana or apple and can make a very wonderful wake up smell when being baked. Okay so back to the topic, Muffins are a dense American made morning food that can contain any number of fruits, vegetables, and candies. Danishes are pastries that are more of a delectable desert that comes from (dadadadadaaaah) Holland! Usually a pastry glazed with a sweet sauce and filled with cream made of fruit.

Travel - Prince Edward Island Belinda Broido

I was once asked what it was like to visit and see the great Prince Edward Island where Anne of Green Gables was first thought of and inspired too be written. I myself have been to this enchanting place and magnificent part of Earth. Getting to P.E.I means driving through new Brunswick and crossing over the scary Confederation Bridge. This Bridge spans 6 miles of ocean and while your driving over it feels as though you could fall at any time! Upon arriving on P.E.I you'll notice that the Earth is red. There is no Belinda Broido dirty brown color of earth anywhere, its all red! The Island is typically used for farming since the temperature is very temperate and cool. Fields of Lavender and Mustered give a picturesque scene. Apart from only having French, 80's, and country music on the radio P.E.I is an amazing place and you should visit! Belinda Broido

Eric Capolino - the Pizza Connoissuer

Pizza is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. Having a good pizza joint next to where I live or stay always makes me feel comfortable. I have had the pleasure of eating many different pizza's from around the world and I must say, nothing is better than Chicago deep dish pizza. Some would say deep dish is just crust and nothing else but they're wrong, incredibly. It's more than just three inches of crust and sauce with some cheese sprinkled on top, it's a layer of delicious warm embracing crust layered with different kinds of cheeses and topped with home made pesto sauce. As you bit into your first piece you notice that no other pizza offers you this kind of friendly embrace, first warm and cuddly followed by an explosion of tomato and spices finishing with an opry of cheeses. If you would like to read more click here. What's The Best Pizza You've Had?

Dating Advice from Belinda Broido to You

Dating is one of the Best things you can do too find your significant other. However you need to be wary of certain criteria that needs to be met. What do you want in a partner? Physical, Emotional, and even Spiritual. Once you decide what kind of a person you are looking for than you are able to start the extensive part of dating. Make sure before dating someone you let them know what your intentions are and what you are looking for, make sure however to ask them what they want and what they are looking for, no one likes it when you talk about your self. After you come to agreements and learn about what each other wants then you can begin the task of getting to know the person on a deeper level. Have fun, be your self and enjoy every moment your with them because it might not work out as you plan and you'll never meet another them! Be kind and gently! Good luck and Have Fun. DGA Belinda Broido.

San Diego - What to do?

I recently went to San Diego and was astonished with everything there was to do. I realized that I needed some sort of Information on what was the least expensive activity in the great San Diego. I decided to visit the USS Midway Museum which was based on a naval air craft carrier in the harbor. Being in love with our countries past, it was the ideal activity for me. Apart from going to the air craft museum I also was attracted to the beautiful beaches and unbelievably complex sand castles! What activity's have you done in San Diego?

Eric Capolino's Masterful Artwork

I recently attended a gallery showing for Eric Capolino and was utterly shocked by the quality and depth of his pieces. For a relatively new and unknown artist, Capolino showed depth I don't often expect to see. He's light years beyond his peers in being able to express himself. Check out the images below to see what I saw.

Second Hiatus

Sorry for the second hiatus everyone. That is what happens when you get really busy with life sometimes!