Dr. Ahearn is a full-time practicing dentist, and his office ranks among the nation’s most productive practices. Trained in prosthetics at the University of Michigan, Dr. Ahearn is a founding member of the ADA’s Ergonomics Subcommittee and a contributor to numerous dental publications. He has held faculty positions at New York University’s College of Dentistry and the University of Michigan. His discovery and application of the principles of the Toyota Production System to dentistry in the early 1990s began a quality and productivity revolution that is at the heart of his design work. He is the founder of Design/Ergonomics, where he works with doctors across North America in designing comfortable, highly productive yet highly cost effective practices.

Dental office design, focusing on creating cost-effective, high-flow practices that are efficient, productive and provide an exceptional experience for patients and clinicians.

Strategies to improve clinical and support system efficiency; incorporating Lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste and increase productivity in dental practice.

Managing practice growth and leveraging the inherent strengths of new hires; how to put the right people in the right positions.