For Dr. Kyle Pankonin, MLS® Laser Therapy isn’t just an adjunct. It’s the backbone of his practice.
Serving the small town of Lamberton, Minnesota, for more than 25 years, Dr. Pankonin has built a reputation for treating complex neuromusculoskeletal conditions with consistent, measurable results. Patients travel from out of town for care, drawn by outcomes that include a 91% overall success rate across chronic pain conditions.
After years of successful outcomes with the M6 MLS Therapy Laser, Dr. Pankonin became one of the first chiropractors in the U.S. to integrate the next-generation M7 Laser. The upgrade didn’t just improve clinical outcomes. It changed patient perception, accelerated acceptance of care plans, and became a major driver of cash-based revenue.
Dr. Pankonin explains how MLS Laser Therapy reshaped his clinical approach, why upgrading technology mattered, and how advanced laser care transformed both patient results and practice performance.
Kyle Pankonin, DC
Red Rock Chiropractic Center in Lamberton, MN
How has MLS Laser Therapy changed your approach to chiropractic care?
We have five MLS Lasers, which are a big part of our practice. Just about every condition that walks into a chiropractic office, in my opinion, is a potential laser case, especially in the world of neuromusculoskeletal medicine.
I keep track every year, statistically, of every patient that we treat with MLS Laser Therapy, and last year we had a 91% success rate, meaning that 91% of the cases that we treat with the laser saw at least a 50% or greater improvement of their condition.
We use it on many, many different conditions, and in practice, we have three different niches that we concentrate on: chronic knee pain, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic neck and back pain. We have specific protocols that we do for each of those, but the centerpiece of each of those protocols is the MLS Laser.
Last year, we had an 86% success rate on chronic knee pain, an 85% success rate for chronic neck and back pain, and an 84% success rate for peripheral neuropathy.
We also treated lots of cases of plantar fasciitis, shoulder tendonitis, and bursitis, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome, and a whole host of other conditions. Some are acute, some are chronic, but overall, across the board, we see a 91% success rate. Some less, some more, but overall, that’s where we’re at.
How has upgrading to the M7 MLS Therapy Laser made a difference?
We have four M6 Lasers, and we just purchased one of the M7 Lasers. A couple of things that stand out about the M7: It’s got twice the power, which means more tissue saturation, and the ability to reach in and help some of the more challenging joints like hips, for instance, to access the anterior hip and the lateral hip with hip osteoarthritis and bursitis. We’re seeing improvements in our results with some of those types of conditions.
Also, the interface— The computer part of the laser is a little more user-friendly.
The M7 Laser has what I call the “wow factor.” It’s an impressive-looking machine. When people look at it, the robotic part of it, and just the design of it, it’s like, “Whoa, this is really something,” versus just some of the cheaper handheld lasers that you see on the market. Not saying that they don’t produce any results, but sometimes it helps the overall patient mentality and psyche if they have that “wow moment.” This laser really is something to look at, but it also produces tremendous results from a patient’s point of view.
What feedback have you received from patients after upgrading to the M7 MLS Therapy Laser?
I think what patients most appreciate about the M7 MLS Therapy Laser is simply the results that they get. They’re appreciative of the fact that they can get relief without drugs and without surgery. They’re appreciative of the fact that there is an alternative out there.
A lot of people who come in for laser therapy have been stuck in the medical model of what I call “drug it, numb it, or cut it” for pain. They’re going to give them a pill, a shot, or surgery. Well, pills don’t fix pain. They just temporarily relieve it. Shots do the same thing, and surgery is a last resort.
A lot of these patients are looking for alternatives to help, to manage and control, and to get the relief that they’re after. At the end of the day, when they get relief, as most of them do with laser therapy, they’re thankful. They’re appreciative. They’re grateful that you, as a doctor, have invested in this advanced technology and that you offer it in your clinic.
That ultimately drives your practice. Content, happy, satisfied patients refer others. We commonly get new patients come in and say, “I want that laser therapy, Dr. Kyle,” because they’ve heard it from a friend, a family member, a neighbor, and the relief that they’ve gotten.
How has offering MLS Laser Therapy impacted your practice financially?
Laser therapy is a great clinical addition to the practice from a financial point of view.
MLS Laser has been a game-changer in our practice. We got our first laser in 2016, and now we have five lasers. In 2023, we generated $256,000 from just laser therapy alone. A quarter of a million dollars from just laser therapy.
In 2023 eclipsed the million-dollar mark in gross collections, and the laser was the biggest financial contributor to that as far as cash-based services.
In my practice, we’re about a 50/50 blend of insurance and cash. Prior to implementing cash-based services in our practice, we were seeing a lot of patients, but our bottom line really wasn’t that good.
Now, since implementing things like laser and decompression therapy, and adding some of the niches into the practice—which center around the laser—we’ve been able to add an additional about half a million dollars of cash-based services.
People are willing to pay for these if you have a good protocol, you have clinical confidence in recommending it to them, and it’s something different than what they’ve had before. These types of advanced therapies, like the M7, set you apart from your competition, who may only have an old-fashioned ultrasound or electrical stimulation, both of which can be valuable therapies but pale in comparison to the potential relief of a high-end laser like the M7.
What best practices would you recommend to doctors who are considering adding MLS Laser Therapy to their treatment plans?
I always tell doctors: whatever you normally would do in your chiropractic practice, that is your Silver plan. The gold plan is whatever you normally would do with a certain condition for treatment and MLS Laser Therapy. You’re going to see a lot of people go for the gold plan. You’re going to see increased results. Not only clinically, but also from a financial point of view. You’re going to see an increase in revenue.
From a financial point of view, it is an investment to get a laser, no doubt, but if you use your laser right and you offer silver and gold plans, it is really not much of an issue to recoup your investment on the laser within the first year. After that, it’s off to the races, and you’re gaining on your bottom line. Don’t be afraid to invest in high-end technology like this. It is not only a game changer clinically, but it can be a game changer financially as well.
