Paul Vigario: Good morning!

Julia Kappler: Morning Paul!

Paul Vigario: How are you guys doing today?

Julia Kappler: Doing well how about you? 

Paul Vigario: Really well, really well. It’s Sunday, a beautiful day. It’s 78 degrees. It’s really, really nice.

Holger Kappler:  Wow, 78?

Paul Vigario: 78, Yeah. 

Julia Kappler:  It’s  85 here in Charlotte. It’s hot!

Holger Kappler:  Barely 70 here in California. So I can tell you.

Paul Vigario: Okay. Alright. Well, that’s all seventies, eighties are good. Once we get into the nineties and one hundred, it’s a little crazy.

Holger Kappler: Never happens here.

Paul Vigario: Never happens in Cali. Cali’s beautiful. Cali is the best, for the weather, for sure.

Holger Kappler: I didn’t say that!

Paul Vigario: But, uh, yeah, so today I’m super excited to talk about what happens when technology and design become one and, and, and how they come together, and in today’s world. So what are your thoughts about how technology is affecting design?

Holger Kappler: So let me add one thing before we start this topic. Last week, we talked about Operatory Part 2, and I have to say that was a. Amazing how much reaction good at, uh, from, from all the people out there over Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. It was really great people reaching out to us, asking questions about a single entry, and all these things.

So it really shows that there’s really a need there. That’s why it’s, it’s good that we, I think it’s good that we do it and people appreciate it. So now, sorry, let’s go to the topic today where we talk about technology and design.

Paul Vigario:  Well, you, you actually, you actually just sort of answered the question, which I think is interesting from a different perspective.

And I don’t know if you meant to do that. But you just gave a great demonstration of how technology is pushing design forward.

Holger Kappler: What did do? What did I say?

Paul Vigario: So many people don’t understand the importance of a Single-Entry Operatory design, because that’s not what they’re being told in the market and technology.

Like, what we’re doing here is helping connect us all, and people are reaching out and saying, “Wow, thank you so much.” And what about doctors that we built offices for two years ago? And right now are extremely thrilled that they got the right education with Kappler and SurfCT, from a perspective that their offices are built and they’re already ready for this, you know, era that we’re coming into, right?

So, yeah, it’s super, I mean, you kind of answered it. It’s funny how that works. Uh, all right wonderful. So you know, you look here at the waiting room and the waiting room that you guys designed here.. was this in California? This project?

Holger Kappler: Yes. Yes. 

Julia Kappler: Mhm! Cupertino.

Paul Vigario: Beautiful. Just simply beautiful, clean, elegant.

Really, really nice. Looks simple, but isn’t. Tell me a little bit about that.

Holger Kappler: So if you look at the monitors behind the reception desk, this is where you can see the integration of the design and the technology. And as I was saying several times, this is really not just as easy as it looks. Bringing this together, the technology of these monitors, and make sure they run regular weight to the right time with the right content.

And have them integrated into the design that they do not just look like they’re stuck on the wall. This is designing the technology and designing the office.

Paul Vigario: It looks so good. And when you arrive at the office, you can understand exactly what to do next and what’s happening. And now post what we’re going through, it’s actually working as a video wall to share with patients that they’re both clean and protected, which is so important.

And speaking of clean and protect, we jump right into the sterilization area and, I mean, this image that I’m looking at right here does not communicate clean and protect, it communicates scary and dangerous.

Julia Kappler:  Yeah. As a patient, if I would pass that sterilization area, I would turn back around and leave. That does not look like I’m in a safe environment right now.

Holger Kappler:  Right. But, but you know, that there are thousands of dental offices out there, that look like this.

Julia Kappler:  I know and it’s scary! And I think, especially now as a patient, if you see that you, you don’t think that it is clean and you were protected, like Pauls saying, it just looks cluttered.

So if that’s what their sterilization center looks like, what does the rest look like?

Holger Kappler: I think that this is maybe one of the areas where the dentists have a door! Right? All the operatories are open, but they have a door if it looks like this!

Paul Vigario:  This where you want to hide it. Whereas in this next image here, this is where you want to highlight it.

And you want to show people that we’re clean and protected and you don’t even need to say anything besides walk them by it and explain what the pretty colors and technology and the look mean. I mean, a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is very visual. It’s beautiful.

Julia Kappler:  A lot of offices now, especially the ones that we remodel.

They actually include an office walkthrough for their new clients so that they can see how clean they are, what technology they use. So the patient really knows what’s happening and you see every single room. So that helps patient acceptance. 

Paul Vigario:  Absolutely. Absolutely. And look at when you tie that waiting room, you come in, there’s a video wall that tells you how you’re clean and protected.

You walk by a sterilization area that shows you how you’re clean and protected. And then you walk into an operatory that shows you that you’re also clean and protected, and this starts to build comfort so that patients can say, yes. 

Holger Kappler:  This is a great example of the operatory that we see here.

That, yeah. Nice. I don’t know the eighties, seventies, sixties, forties, fifties. I don’t know. Whatever. So it’s reality. It’s a reality today.

Paul Vigario:  It’s a reality in 2020, 

Holger Kappler:  Which let’s just say, but the nice thing here is people are really, uh, there are a group of people that say or recommend “hey, you have to put your technology in front of the field to showcase the technology.”

Okay. I’m not sure if it’s helping a lot to make the whole picture nicer, but it’s technology no question!

Paul Vigario: Technology on top of carpet and entries from everywhere and clutter and wires and mess. Doesn’t help anybody.

Julia Kappler:  It’s like driving a bad car, putting some nice rims on it and it’s gonna look awesome. Like no, our entire office should look great. And not just one piece of it. 

Paul Vigario:  This show just went to PG-13 cause we dropped a swear, but that’s okay. It’s all good. It’s all good. Sunday morning. Make sure the kids have earmuffs. Earmuffs kids. Earmuffs! But no, it’s true. And this is our passion and this is our love.

And it’s like these offices exist in 2020. And it’s, you’re not going to be successful if you’re not properly communicating to the patient clean and protect it.

Holger Kappler: It can look like this.

Paul Vigario: Right, right. That looks clean and protected. So wonderful. That’s wonderful. And I think, uh, you know, carpet, I mean, look at the carpet.

I mean, I just, I can’t even get past it. I can’t even. 

Holger Kappler: We talked about this the last few times as well, carpet, carpet, carpet.

Julia Kappler: Until we don’t see it anymore. We’ll talk about it.

Holger Kappler: That’s it. And again, that’s why it’s, it’s, it’s important that we really show dentists what’s possible. And show them there are really great solutions out there and there are people out there who really can provide the service to get there because there are a lot of companies out there saying they can do it.

I don’t know how they want to do it because they haven’t done this. This is our daily business. And I think it’s important that people know, and that people get an understanding of who to go to because this is not something that you do every five years. This is something you may be twice your career and that’s it.

So this lasts for 20, 30 years. So one or two times your life. 

Paul Vigario: Your, your, your average dentist will do this once or twice in a lifetime. Some will do it three times at most. Collectively Kappler and SurfCT have done well over 9,000 dental practices. And it’s, you know, for SurfCT, it’s two decades. How many decades for Kappler?

Holger Kappler:  Seven, into eight.

Paul Vigario: Seven to eight decades!

Holger Kappler: So we have a little bit more than a 9,000 that you mentioned. So I guess there may be more.

Conservative, I would say about 50-60,000 around the world, over the decade of the time of 70 years, but there are a few dental offices out there. 

Paul Vigario:  Yeah. Yeah. And that level of experience, and, and, you know, in, in the 9,000, I’m kind of counting what we’ve been part of, but that level of experience that you guys are bringing to the table in design and technology, like.

It’s what you don’t know that you don’t know. And that is, is the most important thing is that you know, designers can have good intentions and other, other technology can have good intentions. But what you don’t know that you don’t know, is where the trouble will lie and, and together we’re really good at avoiding those pitfalls.

Holger Kappler:  Yeah, but on the other side, I want to point this out here. This is not to let everybody know how good and great we are. This is that we really try to care about dental in the US. Really. We want to really, really educate dentists out there why we think like this, why do we think this is the best way to do this?

Why we are so full of emotions in explaining this and why we want to bring this to everybody? I think this is also important too, for our audience, so they understand this is not a selling event, where we sell what we do. We love what we do. That’s the important part for us. 

Paul Vigario: Yeah, we’re passionate.

We’re passionate. And we want to share, we want to share with the audience what’s possible. The US market has generally been very confined with all the practices looking alike. And if you’re, you’re trying to compete in a modern world, you want to stand out. You want to be unique. And I think, I think our passion is coming through.

Julia Kappler:  Yeah. And I think for both SurfCT and Kappler for us, it’s not just doing what everyone else does, but for us, it’s always important to have new innovations to rethink what are we doing? Is there something to improve it, and to never just be stuck to one vision, but really request things and ask ourselves, is this the right way?

Can it be improved? And I think that’s an important mindset that maybe sometimes, sometimes gets lost, but for us, that’s just how we are.

Paul Vigario:  Right. Right. And when you build 50, over 50,000, over 60,000 offices, and you’re constantly asking yourself, how can I make this better? How can I improve? How can I improve the workflow?

How can I improve the entire practice experience? That’s just an unbeatable formula. You know, it’s an unbeatable formula, and I would encourage doctors to reach out and ask questions, please comment on the video, ask questions, you know, let us know. Um, we’ve got so many views on the videos. People reach out on the DM and, and speak to us, but leave a comment, leave a comment and let us know what you’re thinking.

We’d love to help. We’d love to help.

Holger Kappler:  Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you. 

Paul Vigario:  Well, thank you, guys. It’s been great. Really enjoyed this Sunday brunch and we’ll see you guys next week!

Holger Kappler: Absolutely!

Julia Kappler: Have a good day. Bye-bye!

Holger Kappler: Take care, everybody!

Paul Vigario: Bye-bye!