No doubt about it, Dr. Lou Chmura is one of the superstars in orthodontics—but he’s also a superstar in life. Lou isn’t just a good person, he’s also someone with so much knowledge who is always willing to share his expertise. As the founder of Egghead Ortho, Dr. Chmura has over 35 years of knowledge in the world of orthodontics. But he’s also committed to improving the quality of your life through retreats, life coaching, practice consulting, and free resources. He’s focused on helping folks like us find a balanced, healthier, purposeful life in and out of the dental office. Right now, he is entering a new stage in life that many of us are striving to get to, and I feel so honored to be a part of this exciting chapter. After moving from Michigan to Florida and selling his home and a dental practice, Dr. Chmura is onto bigger and better things. But before we talk about the amazing things that Dr. Chmura is doing right now, let’s take a stroll in the past. I want to tell you a little bit about how he has evolved into the superstar that he is today.
Taking a stroll in the past with Dr. Lou Chmura.
Dr. Chmura has started three practices from scratch. The first one he launched was in 1988, when interest rates were approaching as high as 20%. He’s bought some, closed some, dabbled with the DSO industry, and everything in between. With all of this life experience, it isn’t surprising that he is currently working on a book. In 2006, a friend of Dr. Chmura’s got a laser, claiming that he picked it up because he could perform better treatment with it. When this friend came to him to teach him about it, Dr. Chmura soon realized his friend’s method of training was entirely inadequate—he basically just told him “Here’s the ‘on’ button, go for it!” So, naturally, he started doing his own research and started trying to figure out how to utilize this newfound technology safely.
However, it didn’t take long for Dr. Chmura to realize that no one was teaching dentists how to use lasers safely. He then decided to take initiative and put together a course. That course then resulted in somebody asking Dr. Chmura to write a chapter in their textbook. That textbook chapter then led to an opportunity to speak about it. Those speaking opportunities then led to him being invited by companies to serve as a Key Opinion Leader. There was a domino effect of success after success, and things were really blossoming for Dr. Chmura. Ever since embarking on this educational route, he hasn’t looked back.
Dr. Lou Chmura is excited to launch his debut “Breathe Easy” retreat this October.
Dr. Lou Chmura didn’t moved to Florida to golf, play tennis, and fish all day. Instead, he’s basically graduated into another stage in his life. Dr. Chmura is now empowering people such as myself (general dentists) and orthodontists to “Breathe Easy.” When he told me he was hosting “Breathe Easy” retreats, I asked him whether this slogan of breathing easy was meant in a literal or figurative sense. His response? “Both.” Dr. Chmura’s first small retreat is going to be on October 5th in beautiful Costa Rica. They’re going to talk about orthodontic strategies revolving around OSA (i.e. sleep apnea and the prevention of sleep apnea). He is someone who goes to a lot of GP, ortho, and medical courses on sleep apnea, and his retreats are going to be transformational. You’ll be able to learn about tons of great content and discuss it with some amazing brains. But instead of being with 50 people, clustered together and not able to talk to everyone, you’ll be in a more intimate environment with only eight people. And thanks to being in a small group of people, you’ll have better access to Dr. Chmura himself.
How can “Breathe Easy” retreats influence your practice?
In this day and age, competition is fierce. You’re competing with DSOs, corporate dentistry, and a growing population of dentists who are opening up private practices. That’s why you need to have something that you do that’s different than what the other guys are doing. Simple clichés like “we’re friendly” or “we go the extra mile” just won’t cut it— they’re platitudes that won’t make a big enough difference in standing out. And it’s not just good for business; when that mom throws her arms around you and thanks you for helping her son, because he needed a CPAP before you, it feels good. And, for many of us, feeling good about changing lives is the reason we got into this business.
