Brews and Tiny Teeth, The Unfiltered Pediatric Dentistry Podcast

This episode comes to you live from AAPD in Denver, Colorado! Dr. Corey Hastings and I had a great time on the floor meeting other dentists and doing some networking. We had a ton of ambitious young docs come up to us and share their stories. Based on our feedback, Corey and I estimate that we've helped somewhere between 60-80 people start their own practice. Corey and I ordered some old fashions and share some of our thoughts about the new Cain Watters Practice Comparison Report. This is a report that shares practice production, collection, overhead, wages, etc. of mature pediatric practices that work with Cain Watters. We discuss some of the trends we are seeing, and why some of these numbers may be misleading.

Dr. Eric Phan is a pediatric dentist who decided to take the leap and go back to ortho residency after four years of practice. He developed an interest in ortho during his associateship and decided to purse being one of the few dual-specialists in our profession.Dr. Phan talks about the application process, why he chose to go back to residency, differences in personalities between pediatric dentists and orthodontists, and why he thinks adding an ortho skill set increases his value and will afford him a longer and healthier career. He also shares some tips for those listeners who may consider going back to specialize in orthodontics.

Dr. Vinny Miriyala is a pediatric dentist who wears a variety of hats in his professional career. Besides working both in private practice and academics, he also takes on an administrative roll by working with insurance companies and the federal government doing peer-reviews and fraud/waste/abuse claims.We have a great conversation about how to avoid liability as a pediatric dentist, specifically what mistakes docs make that get them served a letter from an attorney. Dr. Vinny can be reached at dr_vinod@hotmail.com

Dr. Adi Genish is pediatric dentist in the beautiful Beverly Hills area of California. She is also a well-known social media influencer and has attracted an impressive following to her profiles on Instagram and TikTok. Dr. Adi talks about why she went back to specialize in pediatrics, and what inspired her to open her practice in Beverly Hills. Her office vision was to create a dental spa for children, and you can tell she spared no expense in designing a very modern practice. We also discuss treatment modalities and parent expectations for the families she sees in Beverly Hills. Dr. Adi also gives us some pointers for social media and reviews its importance for having good content in the modern world of pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Ivy Fua is a pediatric dentist in Burbank, California. Right before COVID she purchased and renovated an established pediatric office to create "Grin Garden Kids Dental and Orthodontics." We talked about how she used a marketing and branding firm to help create her new office, along with the challenges of surviving the transition during COVID. We also discuss:- Outsourcing your insurance billing, is it worth it?- Difficulties when you hire and then lose an associate- Dealing with parents who have fluoride concerns- Being a mom and running a practice- Does it make sense to do full ortho or just phase one?

If you think your life is busy... wait until you listen to this episode! Dr. Gary Lehn is a partner and owner of a 6-office practice in Nebraska, along with the father of 8 children. His kids range from one all the way up to 16 years old. Gary shares his journey and tells us about how he grew his family and his practice together. He gives some advice about how he manages his time, and what his life outside of work looks like. This is a great episode for those docs who work in a busy practice, along with trying to grow a family at home.

Dr. Andrew Lusk is a pediatric dentist from West Virginia. He started a practice almost two years ago, and he comes on the show to talk about life as a West Virginia practice owner. In our discussion, we talk about:- Should pediatric dentists work on Fridays?- Why it's tough to fight Delta Dental, and why using umbrella insurance plans worked for him- Using minimally invasive treatment options to help his patients- Why it's tough being a business owner with cash flow and income inconsistencies

Dr. Tim Followell is a pediatric dentist and the program director of the residency program at the University of Louisville. He has been teaching at Louisville since 2020, where he works with the residents to teach them a wide variety of new techniques and procedures. Dr. Followell is also a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which peaked my interest in having him on the podcast. (He could probably strangle 99% of the general population). In this episode, we focus on what changes Dr. Followell is seeing with his residents. We discuss new procedures, what they are moving away from, and how they try to produce well-rounded pediatric dentists. They also have CO2 lasers to allow the residents to do TOT work! I finish by asking Dr. Followell if he thinks we are producing too many pediatric dentists to enter the workforce.

Today's episode is a collaborative episode that Brews and Tiny Teeth did with Dr. Joel Berg of the AAPD Newly Erupted Podcast. We had a great discussion about what inspired me to become a pediatric dentist, the importance of practice owners in rural areas, and how seeing kids with Medicaid can allow an early startup to grow exponentially.

Whitney Linville is a a pediatric dentist and practice owner from Louisiana. She graduated from residency in Omaha, Nebraska in 2018, before starting her practice from scratch in Youngsville, Louisiana. This episode is awesome because it's the exact vibe I try to chase after for my podcast. We each have a drink and just talk shop about a whole bunch of awesome peds topics, including: - Dealing with snow, hurricanes, and bad weather - The middle age stage of practice ownership - What the pediatric dental scene is like in Louisiana - Medicaid reimbursement in Louisiana - Patchwork ART/ITR glass ionomer fillings that don't hold up - When not to reimplant an avulsed tooth - Whiny tweenagers who don't want you to touch their loose baby teeth.

This episode is all about resiliency. We have a demanding, repetitive job with a lot of stress. Whether it's trying to navigate massive student loan debt, figuring out how to become a practice owner, or handling difficult parents, it's important to take care of ourselves in order to practice for decades instead of years. Dr. Niloo Mofakhami is a pediatric dentist from Virginia, and a practice owner of 20 years. We talk about resilience strategies that she shares with younger docs and residents that she mentors. Some of these topics include: - Not working weekends - Taking quality lunch breaks - Seeing the appropriate number of patients in a day - Prioritizing health - Talking to a therapist - Outsourcing tasks

Dr. Mike Dowling is a pediatric dentist from Maine. He joins us to talk about his experience as a practice owner serving the very underserved state of Maine. Mike talks about how hard it has been to provide care to such a high caries risk area, while battling a lack of operating room access and minimal time slots for mobile in-office anesthesia. Mike decided to expand into his leased medical building to create a fully certified and compliant stand-alone surgery center. When the project is finished, it will be a fully-functional surgery center with the capacity to do twice as many dental anesthesia cases as any other facility in the state. Mike shares his journey with this project, as well as gives advice to any other doctors struggling with access to anesthesia time in their community.

This episode is all about clinical techniques, restorative materials, and procedures that didn't live up to the hype. Part of being a good pediatric dentist is trying new things. And sometimes these things don't always hold up as well as we would hope. I asked listeners to write or call in and share some of their failures. I compiled a list of the 12 best ones, shared anonymously by our pediatric dental colleagues. This is a fun solo episode over a crisp beer to remind us that we all have failures, and the best thing we can do is learn from mistakes and move on.

Dr. Eric Vieth a pediatric dentist and owner of Sleepy Owl Dentistry in South Carolina. After completing his training in New York, Eric moved to South Carolina. He worked for years as the pediatric dentist doing big sedation cases for a large corporate DSO. In 2020, he began branching out on his own to open three locations that offer EXCLUSIVELY IV sedation dentistry. We talk about how he structures his practice, building referal sources, and how he is able to provide a high level of care with this model. A unique component of his sedation practice is that Dr. Veith offers same day consults, treatment planning, and sedation for his patients. We talk about some of the potential billing and insurance challenges associated with a sedation-only practice.

Dr. Katie Foster recently opened her new pediatric office in Colorado. She has experienced a ton of growth and success by using Instagram to develop a brand and attract new patients. Dr. Katie gives us a few tips about how to improve your social media presence, including how to easily create reels, how often to post, what kind of content does well, and how to target followers that will convert to new patients in your office. We discuss why social media is a powerful marketing tool that will continue to be an important part of running a practice in the future!

Dr. Matt Griffith is a pediatric dentist on the big island in Kona, Hawaii. Dr. Matt is the first and only pediatric dentist I have ever interviewed from Hawaii! Dr. Matt talks about his crazy backstory of opening his own practice in Kona. His style is one of providing a high level of patient care, and not being forced to see more kids a day than he's comfortable with. We talk about what the culture is like with his patient population, and some of the challenges of being a pediatric dentist in a rural spot in the middle of the Pacific.

Dr. Leigh Colby is my guest on the podcast today. Leigh is a dentist, a former practice owner, and has founded and been involved in multiple high-tech dental startups. He is an entrepreneur and innovator as much as he is a clinician. Leigh is also the founder of TriAgenics. TriAgenics has spent years developing third molar tooth bud ablation technology. For those who aren't familiar, this technology uses targeted microwaves and a small probe to "zap" and prevent the formation of third molars during childhood. Ablating the tooth bud would prevent the need for invasive extractions later on when the teeth are fully developed. This technology is in the final stages of FDA approval, and will quickly become available commercially as an option to our patients. In this podcast, Dr. Colby shares with us how the technology works, what the equipment looks like, the initial investment costs, and why pediatric dentists will be paving the way to make this procedure a great option for our patients.

Dr. Kris Hendricks is a pediatric dentist and practice owner from New Mexico. I came across his viral TikTok video showing models of how different styles of pacifiers affect occlusion in kids. Kris talks about how he was essentially gifted an orthodontic practice in New Mexico. He shares his take on social media, going viral, and what he currently recommends to parents asking about pacifiers. We break down what the research says for pacifier recommendations, and if "orthodontic" pacifiers are all they are cracked up to be.

It's my pleasure to host Nate and Bob from the "Just Say No to the DSO" Podcast. These guys have built a popular podcast platform that I've been hearing a lot of buzz about. They were kind enough to join me for an episode to talk all about DSOs. Nate and Bob discuss why they became so passionate about educating dentists on the harm of DSO buyouts. We also review and bust five common DSO myths. They discuss how pediatric dentists are targets for these deals, and what other options you might consider for the future of your practice.

Bourbon and Baby Teeth was a blast down in New Orleans this year. If you haven't been... put it on your bucket list. Even though it's always tough to record podcasts at conferences, I was able to pull aside three awesome dentists to have a quick conversation over some bourbon. 1. Dr. Hubert Park talks about pros and cons of doing his scratch start vs his practice acquisition. 2. Dr. Phil Chung talks about extracting permanent teeth with the SOAN, as well as his insane sealants protocol. 3. Dr. Chad Jensen talks about what goes into developing a new product in the dental field, as well as talking about his new Octo-Matrix.

Dr. Marc Soelberg is a pediatric dentist who recently did a scratch start in Post Falls, Idaho. After several years of associating without a partnership offer, Dr. Soelberg decided to open his practice in a growing rural town in northern Idaho. In this episode, we talk all about what opening a practice in 2024 looks like. He shares his challenges with obtaining a loan big enough to cover the cost of an office that's a functional size. We also discuss what marketing strategies worked best to obtain new patients, along with sharing some mistakes he made along the way.

Dr. Reed Faldet is a young dentist and entrepreneur who has built an 8-figure commercial real estate portfolio. He has transitioned out of full time dentistry to focus on real estate. We have a great discussion all about real estate, including the following topics: - How has the market for commercial real estate changed? - When does it make sense to lease a practice space compared to buying and building? - What options are there if you don't have the cash for a down payment? - How does lending work for practice loans? - What are the tax benefits to owning real estate, and how does depreciation work to lower taxable income? Dr. Faldet also helps partner and mentor with dentists looking to purchase their real estate but who need help along the way. His email is info@dentalrepartners.com

Dr. Kevin Kennedy is a pediatric dentist and practice owner from Clarksville, Tennessee. He fostered and adopted three kids during his pediatric residency before having biological children of his own. This experience really opened his eyes to the complexities and challenges of kids who have experienced loss, or as Kevin defines it "kids from hard places." Dr. Kennedy shares his story and gives listeners some advice on how to care for these kids and communicate better with their parents.

This episode is all about pediatric dentistry in Canada! I'm joined by four awesome docs: Drs. Sara Werb, Shuran Liang, Nikhil Sharma, and Priya Kothari are all amazing pediatric dentists and each have their own unique experiences that they share with us. Some of the topics we discuss: - What does Canada's administration of dental care look like? Is it similar to Medicaid? - Certain materials that are and aren't allowed in Canada (Bioflx!?) - What does it take to get a dental license in Canada? Are there any residency programs? - What are the challenges to practice ownership, and how are employee rights/benefits different than in the US?

Dr. Donny Qafleshi is a pediatric dentist in Indiana. He comes on to share some of his personal and professional experiences as an immigrant, a dad, and a pediatric dentist. Some of the things we discuss: -Dr. Donny's journey to the United States as a child to escape war - How to know when a practice partnership is the right choice - How many kids a day is a sustainable amount to see without burning out? - Internalizing emotions as a pediatric dentist and a new parent - Working on mindfulness and techniques to prevent work anxiety

Dr. Nick Luke is a pediatric dentist, originally from Iowa but now practicing at a busy office in Wisconsin. Dr. Nick is a big fan of finding creative ways to follow the guidelines and literature while also creating a fun experience for his patients. In this episode, we discuss: - Why Wisconsin is awesome - Hall crown philosophy and techniques - MTA usage in pulpotomies - Caries removal and biofilm control - How being a dad and work-life balance go together

Dr. Jay Leung is a pediatric dentist and owner at The Little Tooth Company Pediatric Dentistry. He practices and runs two offices with associates in Connecticut. Dr. Jay comes on the show to share his experience of being audited by Medicaid. After receiving a daunting letter in the mail and being threatened with some hefty penalties, Dr. Jay was able to use legal help and great documentation to defend and protect himself. He gives listeners some pointers and advice in the event an audit ever happens to them.

Dr. Art Nowak has been practicing pediatric dentistry since the mid 1960's, back when there were only seven residency programs. He taught pediatric dentistry at the University of Iowa for almost 50 years, during which he published "Infancy Through Adolescence." This textbook is a staple in our profession, and Dr. Nowak literally "wrote the book" on comprehensive pediatric dentistry. We have a great discussion on how pediatric dentistry has changed through the years. Dr. Nowak expresses his concerns that we have commercialized pediatric dentistry and moved away from focusing on prevention and treating the whole patient. Dr. Nowak continues to stay busy and he is excited to release his newest edition of the textbook sometime next year.

Dr. Kristine "Love Peace" Grazioso is a pediatric dentist with a large practice in Massachusetts. She practiced for years as contracted provider with Delta, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Medicaid. In 2020, she made the decision to drop all insurances and go completely FFS, in order to provide better care for her patients. Even though she practices in a competitive area, her practice is busy and thriving. Dr. Grazioso shares her story about how she made this transition. She gives pointers and advice to other pediatric dentists who are interested in going OON with dental insurance plans. Dr. Grazioso has used her experience as a springboard to provide consulting and coaching services to other pediatric dentists who want to fight against being handcuffed to dental insurance companies.

You see it all the time on iPedo... "I'm tired of my associate job and I want to start my own practice, but I'm not sure where to start." It's no surprise that a large void exists for knowledge and content relevant specifically for pediatric dentists who want to start their own practice. Well we have some huge news to share on the podcast today. For the last 6 months, Dr. Corey Hastings and I have been working tirelessly on building a comprehensive course specifically for pediatric dentists who want to start their own practice. We are super excited to roll out Little Smiles Practice Mastery, an online video lecture series that walks you step-by-step through the startup journey. This "power pediatric dental MBA" has almost 15 hours of lecture material, along with all needed spreadsheets, forms, attachments, and paperwork you need to jump-start a practice. All of this in a low-cost subscription platform that is available on-demand whenever you need it. On today's episode, Corey and discuss the benefits of practice ownership over a cold beer. We review why we made this course, what all is included, and why we believe most pediatric dentists can build an awesome practice without spending a fortune on a consulting company. Make sure to stop by our booth at AAPD to get on our mailing list, or visit www.pediatricdentalmba.com. We anticipate the course to go live early this summer and we are so excited to give other dentists the tools they need to achieve their practice goals.

Thad Harker is a project advisor at Primus Dental, a design and build full-service construction company that has built close to a 1000 dental offices across the Midwest. Thad and I have a great conversation about dental office design and construction. He emphasizes that the construction process is all about managing people. We talk about how things have changed with higher interest rates and construction costs, but that it still makes financial sense to not lose opportunity cost and get yourself a "golden hammer." Some topics we discuss in this episode: - Why are construction costs high, and will they come back down? - Why does location matter? - Does it make sense to price shop a build-out? - How have pediatric office designs changed post-COVID? - Is it still worth it to do a start-up and be a practice owner?

Where would we be if we didn't have the support of our non-dentist spouse/significant other/partner? This episode is specifically for them! Today my wife, Jenna Goetz, reflects on her impact on my journey to become a pediatric dentist. We talk about when does it make sense for the spouse to work in the office, pursue his or her own career, or to stay home with kids. Jenna gives some advice to young power couples and how to get the most out of this journey. We also joke about how annoying dentists can be when you get them all around each other at conventions and meetings. This is a great episode to listen to with your significant other who is not a dentist!

Chip Fichtner is the co-founder of Large Practice Sales and a return guest on the podcast. His firm helps practice owners complete transactions and partner with DSOs and "invisible" DSOs who allow the doctor to maintain autonomy and a minority position. We last spoke on the podcast about two years ago. Because of our episode, his firm closed a $50+ million dollar deal on a large pediatric office. Chip has a tight pulse on what's going on in the DSO world. I wanted to get an update on what DSOs are doing with pediatric practices in light of the higher interest rates. I try to ask Chip some tougher questions in this interview. In this episode, we discuss: - Is access to capital an issue for DSOs right now? - Have we seen any DSOs struggle or go under because of lower free cash flow? - What happens to the dentist's retained equity in the parent company if the parent company fails? - Who calculates EBITDA in these transactions, and where does all the variability come from? - How does LPS keep tabs and verify the quality and financials of the DSOs they work with? - What does the ideal pediatric dental practice look like in terms of commanding a high multiple? Chip can be reached at www.largepracticesales.com

Everybody in pediatric dentistry is talking about the Soan right now, so I had to learn more. On today's episode, I hosted Dr. Ann Bynum and Chris Malzone from NuSmile. Chris had sent me a demo model to try out, so I took this opportunity to talk with him and Ann about the technology. The Soan is an cordless electronic anesthetic pen. It allows you to give intraosseous injections to kids without collateral numbness. I specifically talk with Ann about the benefits of the device, technique questions, cost of using the device, and limitations. Anybody that would like to learn more is welcome to check out Nusmile.com, as they host free webinars to learn more about the device.

Dr. Benjamin Morgan joins us on the podcast today. He's a pediatric dentist and the owner of Rockwall Pediatric Dentistry in the greater Dallas, Texas area. Ben comes on to talk about a variety of topics, including his journey to practice ownership, why he dropped Texas Medicaid, creative ways that he increases his revenue, how he structures a 2-doctor practice, and what life is like being a pediatric dentist in a crowded Dallas market. We also discuss his decision NOT to build a 15,000 sq ft facility after buying the land and designing the space.

Dr. Bobby is a pediatric dentist, speaker, and authority on oral sedations. After 8 years as a pediatric dentist in the air force, he transitioned to an academic roll at Ohio State and now Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He frequently lectures for the AAPD at their sedation courses. Dr. Bobby cracks a beer with me and we talk about some great topics, including life in academics, changing parent expectations that make our job difficult, and how he uses oral conscious sedation to manage those kids that fall in between the spectrum of full mouth rehab and minimally invasive dentistry.

Kent Miller is the Co-Founder of Dentagraphics. His company helps dentists research and identify areas of opportunity for practice start-ups. We discuss what services they provide, and how they work with new and existing dentists to analyze demographics and quantify the potential opportunity that the area offers. I try to ask Kent some tough questions, like what areas of the country does he see potential, and where is the competition. We talk about how important things like family, growth, and household income levels are to starting a pediatric practice. You can visit the company website to learn more or use their free app at www.dentagraphics.com

I had the pleasure of hosting the great Dr. Greg Psaltis on the podcast today. Dr. Psaltis came recommended by 3 different listeners of the podcast, so I figured let's give the people what they want to hear! Dr. Psaltis recently retired after a 40 year career as a pediatric dentist. He is an accomplished speaker and lectures on behavior management all across the country. Today we discuss how behavior management has changed over the decades. Dr. Psaltis gives some tips and guidance on dealing with difficult parents and helicopter moms. Don't forget to follow Brews and Tiny Teeth on Facebook to get updates on upcoming episodes! Happy New Year!

Ok the title is a bit of a click-bait, but I did have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Staci Whitman on the podcast. Dr. Whitman is a practicing pediatric dentist in Portland, Oregon. She is a "functional" pediatric dentist who practices in a demographic that caters to more natural and holistic modalities. Her practice is heavy in dietary guidance, vitamin supplementation, ozone therapy, tie/lip tie release, myofunctional therapy, hard tissue lasers, and also traditional SSCs and general anesthesia. I wanted to have this conversation to widen my horizons and provide me with more context to educate and converse with my own patients who have concerns about fluoride, toxins, and materials. I was surprised to find that I agreed with the majority of points that Dr. Whitman discussed. You can tell that she's passionate about educating her patients, promoting a healthy diet, and focusing on prevention rather than picking up a handpiece to fix the world's problems. I think this will be a great episode for stimulating some critical thinking skills about the way we discuss treatment options with our crunchier families that we all know and love!

Dr. Alex Otto and her husband, Tim, are previous guests on the podcast. Dr. Alex is a pediatric dentist, they own and operate four offices in the Austin, Texas area. Tim has an MBA and a strong business background working with fortune 500 companies. They join me on the podcast to discuss their latest project, Alcan Dental Cooperative. Alcan is a cooperative model in which pediatric dentists can join in exchange for a minority equity position. Unlike DSO/PE buyouts, a dental cooperative works by helping dentists systemize and grow their practice without being forced to sell out to a majority shareholder. The dentist keeps the practice but gets the benefit of outsourcing A/R, marketing, HR, etc. using scalable systems. This also increases practice valuation in the both companies as well. Tim and Alex explain this model to me and describe the benefits that it offers to pediatric dentists who are stuck somewhere in between the grind of solo practice ownership, and selling out the entire practice to a DSO. You can learn more at www.alcandentalcooperative.com

Chris Sands joins us today to talk debt, taxes, and wealth building. Chris is the founder of Pro-Fi 20/20, a multi-disciplinary CPA firm which helps dentists grow and increase profitability. We talk through 3 different scenarios and Chris gives his opinion on the best way to build wealth at different stages of a dentist's career. 1. Does a resident or young dentist pay off student loans at the higher interest rate, or invest in retirement? 2. Does a new practice owner focus on paying off practice debt? What are the tax implications of keeping a large debt burden around. 3. Does a seasoned practice owner expand and build a new building for tax purposes? How do you create income streams in the most tax efficient manner as possible? Chris can be reached for a consultation at info@profi2020.com

I have a short solo episode today over a cold Christmas beer. As a practice owner, you will always have pressure to do better dentistry and deliver more of it. I review five creative ways I'm going to increase my top-line revenue in 2024.

Today I have the pleasure of hosting my former boss, but current friend and mentor, Dr. David Carreras. David started and ran a large practice with four offices in central Minnesota for years before recently selling his practice equity to his partner. I worked for their office after residency prior to COVID and starting my own practice in Missouri. Dr. Carreras retired in Florida where he spends his time on the beach, while making sure to stay busy with dental mission trips and teaching back in Minnesota at the dental school. Dennis and I reflect on his successful career and practice ownership journey. We talk about areas where he excelled, and also identified things that he wish he would have done differently. He also shares his thoughts on growth, partnerships, and surrounding yourself with good team members.

Dr. Roger Lucas is a pediatric dentist and practice owner in the state of Washington. He is a trained biochemist and is passionate about advocating for dietary modification to help his patients. Seven years ago he wrote a book titled "More Chocolate, No Cavities." Dr. Lucas and I discuss the key concepts in the book, and the importance of educating our parents on the harmful effects of sticky processed carbohydrates.

Ok the title might be a bit click-baitey, but today we are talking all things IV sedation. Dr. Casey Rhoads is a pediatric dentist and owner of Honey Bee Pediatric Dental Co. with two practices in the Kansas City area. Her and her fellow practice partner, Dr. Rebecca Ferns, do 6-7 days of in-office IV sedation cases (open airway) per month. She shares her practice journey with us and how they have structured sedations in their busy new practice. We talk about what verbiage to use, treatment plan presentation, and things to say/not say when trying educate nervous parents who might be hesitant about sedating their child for dental care.

Dr. Richard Baxter is a previous guest on the podcast. He is a young pediatric dentist leading the charge to educate and bring awareness to the tethered-oral-tissue movement. He is the author of the best-selling book Tongue Tied, founder of the Alabama Tongue-Tie Center, and prominent speaker. He has performed over 10,000 lip and tongue ties in his career. On today's episode, we talk about when it makes sense to scale your practice and expand to create a stand-alone tongue and lip-tie clinic. Richard reviews the business side of the discussion, what the physical space should like look, and when you have sufficient patient-demand to make it feasible. We also spend a little time talking about local anesthesia with a Light Scalpel, and how to release the infamous posterior tongue-tie. You can find Dr. Baxter's book "Tongue Tied" on Amazon. He also created and teaches the virtual Tongue-Tied Academy Program, and he's giving Brews and Tiny Teeth listeners a $400 discount with a promo code he announces at the end of the podcast.

Dr. Kevin Stock is a general dentist, social media influencer, and founder of Meat Health. He is an advocate for a meat-based "Carnivore" diet and has eaten a strict diet of red meat, eggs, and raw milk for nearly six years. He is passionate about educating about the harmful effects of a modern, highly-processed diet on oral health. Dr. Stock discusses how our diet can influence and shape the way our teeth and jaws develop. His premise is that our modern diet of highly-processed, soft foods lead to underdeveloped jaws and crowding. Our ancestors had virtually zero crowding issues, but in modern times it's common for many of our patients to have expansion, wisdom teeth removed, headgear, and tonsillectomies. We dive in to why this is happening and what practical solutions there are to use a natural diet to improve health and oral development.

Howard Farran is an icon in the world of dentistry, and a guest that I've wanted to interview for a long time. He's the founder of Dental Town, an international speaker who has lectured in over 50 countries, author, host of the Dentistry uncensored Podcast, and just an all around cool personality. Dr. Farran joins Dr. Casey Goetz for a discussion of all things pediatric dentistry. We talk about how pediatric dentistry has changed as a profession, practice ownership, DSOs, student loans, and the future of dentistry. Howards shares his words of wisdom to the young upcoming work force of pediatric dentists.

Dr. Josh Solomon is a pediatric dentist and the owner of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Livermore in Livermore, California. Over his 20 year career he has developed a reputation for being a leader and educator in advanced restorative techniques related to pediatric dentistry. He frequently hosts online and in-person CE courses and specializes in using the Bioclear matrix system. Dr. Josh is currently building a brand new office that includes a teaching center where he can host his courses. We have a fantastic discussion related to all things composite resins. We talk about magnification, isolation, light curing, injection molding, heating composite, using flowable, air abrasion, disclosing solution, bulk-filled resins.... the list goes on and on. We pack a ton of pearls and content into an hour long conversation. You can reach Dr. Josh on social media or his email for questions on upcoming CE events.

Joe Sparacino is a general dentist who joins me for what may be one of the most interesting conversations I've had yet on the podcast. Dr. Joe started a large practice out of dental school down at the southern Texas border providing care to underserved kids with Medicaid. He built two large practices before selling and putting his practice proceeds into bitcoin back in 2019. He since has bought and sold four other practices and has walked away from clinical dentistry (at least for now). He has spent early retirement pursuing a passion for music, along with casually starting the company Membersy. Membersy is a dental membership technology service that has rapidly grown and is now used by many of the large DSOs. Dr. Joe is a risk-taker, a free-thinker, and very obviously driven to create and grow his ideas into something special. He currently lives in Colorado and is working on his next idea, the Happy Patient Company. This would be a service to streamline resources and remove barriers to grow practices for dentist who are looking to achieve their goals.

Dr. Brandon Schwindt is a pediatric dentist who practices in Portland, Oregon. He started Kona Kids Dentistry from scratch in 2003, and practiced for 6 years in a leased space before making the investment and buying land to build a new office. He discusses the conversations he had with his financial team to determine if building a large office was the right move from a growth and tax perspective. In 2011, he completed the building with 3800 sq ft and 8 op chairs plus a hygiene bay. He practices in the location with his wife, who works as a GP seeing adolescent patients, along with an additional new associate. Dr. Schwindt and I spend a lot of time discussing the process of transitioning from a leased space into a ground-up build, and the lending and tax consequences that go along with it. We review how deductible rent expenses from the practice can go towards paying the mortgage on the building. He explains how depreciating components of the building and smart accounting work helped to lower his tax liability while building equity that he can use to boost his retirement. He also gives advice to new pediatric dentists who are trying to decide if building or leasing is the right choice for their practice.