Podcasts about dso

【Podcast】「真是奢侈的煩惱」英文怎麼說？ ✦ Talk about first-world problems! 【補充學習】 ✦ humblebrag 炫耀式抱怨 ✦ Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth. 含著金湯匙出生 ✦ filthy stinking rich 非常有錢 ✦ privilege (n.) 特權 【情境對話】 D: Hey, Eleanor, I need your advice. I'm having a real crisis here! （Eleanor 我需要你的建議！有個大危機！） E: I'm listening. What's the "crisis"? （說來聽聽，是什麼「危機」？） D: So, I need a new handbag, but like, should I go with Chanel in black or Hermès in red. （我不知道要買黑色香奈兒手提包還是紅色愛馬仕。） E: Seriously? Talk about first-world problems! I can't even afford the wrapping ribbons. （蛤？你認真？這真是奢侈的煩惱耶！我連一個緞帶都買不起= =。） 加入會員，支持節目： https://ivybar.firstory.io/join 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： Powered by Firstory Hosting

Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!

If your dental practice isn't growing, it's tempting to blame marketing, staffing, or “the economy.” But what if the real problem is leadership avoidance?  In this episode, we break down the uncomfortable truth behind scaling a dental practice: growth requires change, and change requires discomfort. If you want to increase case acceptance, improve phone conversion, reduce no-shows, build a stronger team, and create consistent profitability, you can't keep running your practice like a group chat where everyone has opinions and nobody has decision rights. We talk about why cash flow, KPIs, referrals, and profitability are lagging indicators, and how the leading indicators (cadence, training, oversight, systems, and consistent leadership) are what actually create a scalable dental organization.  This is for dentists, practice owners, and DSO-minded operators who want real practice growth, stronger culture, better execution, and a business that doesn't collapse under pressure. If you're ready to stop avoiding hard conversations and start leading like a true Dentist CEO, this episode is your wake-up call. Highlights: → You'll learn why most “people problems” in a dental office are actually leadership problems, and how oversight and training fix what software can't.  → We unpack how to tell the difference between leading indicators vs lagging indicators in your dental practice KPIs, and why profitability can hide a fragile culture.  → You'll hear why consistency matters more than charisma for dentists who want trust, retention, and execution.  → And we lay out how a real operating cadence, scorecards, communication rhythms, and clear decision rights, turns chaos into scale. To connect with Dr. Buske follow the links below -  LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Limitless Dentist Academy Join Dental Syndicate HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private practice is getting squeezed by complexity, competition, and promises that “bigger is better.” That pressure is pushing more dentists to consider selling, scaling, or giving up control. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. Christian Coachman, dentist and educator, about why celebrating independent private practice matters, why quality in dentistry isn't scalable, and what private practitioners can do to stay clinically excellent without burning out. To learn how community, support, and smart strategy can help you protect your freedom and your standards, listen to Episode 1011 of The Best Practices Show!Main TakeawaysPrivate practice protects the dentist's freedom to make key decisions that support quality and patient-first care.Motivation, attention to detail, and passion can decline when a practice is sold and clinical decisions are influenced by outside ownership.Quality in dentistry is not scalable, and it typically drops as practices grow beyond a size that can be closely managed.The temptation to scale often hits when a dentist reaches a ceiling on fees but demand continues to grow.Independent dentists can gain many advantages of large organizations by joining a real community that offers support and shared resources.The increasing demands of technology, marketing, leadership, and management are pressuring private practitioners and fueling DSO interest.Many dentists who sell are financially relieved but still want their freedom back once non-compete periods end.Snippets00:00 Intro – Protecting Independent Private Practice01:12 Why Private Practice Matters02:45 Introducing Dr. Christian Coachman04:10 Celebrating the Freedom of Ownership06:30 The Current Challenges Facing Private Dentists08:55 The Mindset Shift Required to Stay Independent11:20 Why Community and Collaboration Matter13:40 Innovation in Modern Private Practice16:05 The Future of Independent Dentistry18:30 Why Events Like The Exchange Matter20:10 Final Thoughts – Choosing Freedom Intentionally21:32 OutroGuest Bio/Guest ResourcesDr. Christian Coachman is a dentist and dental technician known internationally for his work in dental communication, treatment planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration. He is the founder of Digital Smile Design and has spent decades working inside dental practices, observing patient interactions, and teaching clinicians how to communicate more effectively with patients and teams. He lectures globally and consults with dentists seeking to improve trust, case acceptance, and long-term patient relationships.Guest resources mentioned in the episode:Digital Smile Design: https://digitalsmiledesign.comDr. Christian Coachman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriscoachmanMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show:

We share the DSO playbook that turns an owner-dependent practice into a resilient, associate-led group that buyers trust. From recruiting clinicians with special interests to building transparent financial systems, we show how consistency compounds value toward a 2030–2031 exit.• removing key-person risk so the business runs without the owner• keeping top clinicians busy through targeted marketing and triage• building a complementary service mix to reduce revenue concentration• creating a central backbone for finance and reporting• proving consistent data over years to win buyer confidence• planning a four to five year runway for a stronger saleIf you have any questions or need any help, do reach out to me or Smita and we'll go take it from there If you require any help, don't hesitate to reach out to the Samera team at www.samera.co.uk. We are all here to help you! Thank you, The Samera Team

Are you relying on the sale of your practice to fund your retirement? Before you accept an attractive offer from a DSO, it's critical to understand what those numbers really mean — and what alternatives exist.In this episode, Kirk Behrendt interviews Dr. Bob Margeas, founder of Iowa Dental Group in Des Moines, Iowa, about how he evaluated multiple DSO offers, broke down EBITDA and earn-outs, and ultimately chose a different transition strategy. They discuss adjusted EBITDA, recap risk, associate buy-ins, creative ownership structures, and why equity matters more than a headline purchase price. If you're considering selling your practice — or simply want to understand your options — listen to Episode 1010 of The Best Practices Show!Main TakeawaysEBITDA is calculated differently than a dentist's net income and often includes add-backs that significantly change a practice's valuation.Most DSOs evaluate practices on an accrual basis rather than cash basis accounting, which affects perceived profitability.Earn-outs and recapitalization payouts are tied to performance and market conditions and are not guaranteed.Selling to a DSO typically requires the dentist to stay for several years, effectively replacing future EBITDA with the sale proceeds.Structuring an associate buy-in based on trailing three-year profits can allow debt to be serviced without increasing production.Ownership equity creates long-term wealth potential that an associate-only model does not provide.Dentists who are financially independent have more flexibility and leverage when evaluating transition options.Snippets00:00 Intro03:00 The difference between a DSO and a DPO.05:00 Understanding EBITDA and common add-backs.08:00 Why DSOs prefer accrual accounting over cash basis.10:00 How earn-outs and clawbacks work.13:30 Hiring an associate based on personality and communication skills.15:00 Structuring a 20% buy-in using trailing three-year profits.17:00 Reducing clinical days while maintaining profitability.21:00 Merging practices into a holding company model.24:00 Why saving early creates flexibility at transition.30:00 “I'm just a referee” — communicating treatment without pressure.34:00 Why equity ownership is essential for long-term wealth.Guest Bio/Guest ResourcesDr. Bob Margeas is the founder of Iowa Dental Group in Des Moines, Iowa. He is a nationally recognized...

Dr. Nyree Whitley, Chief Clinical Officer at mydentist & Dr. Gordon Barfield, Senior Clinical Manager at Overjet discuss: What a clinician-first diagnostic strategy looks like The dental regulatory & clinical environment in the UK Advice for clinical leaders evaluating AI in dentistry Much more To learn more about Overjet AI you can visit https://www.overjet.com/ and book a demo or connect with Dr. Barfield on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-barfield-dds-ms-676a9516/ To learn more about mydentist you can visit https://www.mydentist.co.uk/ or connect with Dr. Whitley on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyree-whitley-2a85b85a/  Subscribe to our channel for more episodes and stay updated on the latest DSO news, insights, and events! If you like our podcast, please give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on iTunes https://apple.co/2Nejsfa and a Thumbs Up on YouTube.  

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Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!

Joining the DWD team in this podcast is LaVonne Keal a consultant and business coach with Keal Consulting. The team discusses how a dentist can prepare for the options avaialbe for partnerships and how a DSO can be an option.

Jonathan Tyroch and Joe Fox are joined by Jake Berry, Chief Development Officer, as well as Omar Jaroun, Vice President of Business Development, for a roundtable conversation on what's changing in the dental space and what dentists can expect heading into 2026. The group breaks down what they're hearing from thousands of doctors across the country, and why the DSO landscape is shifting again. The episode also discusses what's happening behind the scenes in private equity, why some DSOs are struggling, and what that could mean for dentists considering a transition. Insightful and easy to follow throughout, this episode offers a look at the current dental market and the trends shaping what partnership will look like in the years ahead. ------------------------------------------------------------------------  Subscribe & Listen: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/69Dz26hgC9D6YqwN8JMDBV Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mb2-underground/id1747349567 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow MB2 Dental on Social: MB2 Dental: mb2dental.com Instagram: instagram.com/mb2dental Facebook: facebook.com/mb2dental YouTube: youtube.com/@mb2dental LinkedIn: linkedin.com/mb2-dental

Casey Hiers and Jarrod Bridgeman tackle the growing influence of Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), specifically their aggressive new recruiting tactics. From signing bonuses offered directly on hygiene school campuses to the shrinking talent pool for private practices, Casey and Jarrod discuss what this means for your hiring strategy.Beyond staffing, the conversation shifts to the critical "Clinical vs. Business" divide, highlighting how even the most skilled clinicians often struggle to master the complexities of practice ownership. Casey and Jarrod explore the hidden leaks—such as poor tax management and unoptimized insurance adjustments—that cause high-production practices to leave significant income on the table.Upcoming Tour Dates: Go to our EVENTS page for infoFacebook: Four Quadrants AdvisoryInstagram: @fourquadrantsadvisoryLinkedIn: Four Quadrants Advisory

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology and AutelWatch Full Video EpisodeMatt answers listener emails about oscilloscope aliasing—what it is, whether all scopes can do it, and how it can trick you into diagnosing failures that aren't real. Using a “pegboard and golf tees” mental model, he explains how a digital storage oscilloscope samples voltage, stores it in memory, and then reconstructs what you see on-screen. The key takeaway: aliasing isn't magic, it's math—specifically the relationship between sample rate, timebase, and memory buffer. He also explains why some scopes (especially Snap-on) behave differently than Pico-style workflows, and how misunderstanding that screen-to-buffer relationship can create fake-looking “dropouts.”Who This Episode Is ForAnyone using a handheld/PC-based automotive DSO (Pico, Snap-on, Autel, etc.)Techs chasing intermittent cutouts, crank/cam dropouts, injector events, CAN glitchesAnyone who has ever said: “The waveform looked wrong… but the fix didn't fix it.”Key Topics CoveredWhat aliasing is (in plain language): the scope fails to accurately reconstruct the waveform you're testing.Can all oscilloscopes alias? The spicy answer is yes, they all can—especially digital scopes—depending on setup and limitations.Analog vs. digital (audio analogy): Digital sampling is like digital audio—there are “samples,” and reconstruction depends on how well you capture the real signal.The “pegboard model” for DSO operation: Up/down holes = voltage levels (vertical resolution). Left/right holes = time positions (sample points in memory). The scope measures voltage, then “plants a peg” in memory and connects the dots.Vertical resolution vs. time performance: 8-bit can look stair-steppy. 12/16-bit improves vertical accuracy. But most real-world failures come from time-domain limitations (sample rate + memory dynamics)Sample rate vs. buffer size (why scopes “fall apart”): Put too little time on screen → not enough samples to define the signal. Put too much time on screen → scope rejects/skips samples because the buffer can't hold it all. Either way: the displayed waveform can become fiction.How aliasing creates “phantom dropouts”: Gaps that look like crank sensor dropouts or reluctor issues. Can send you straight into the diagnostic swampWhy Pico changed the game: Early Pico automotive scopes stood out because they brought big memory buffers to real shop problems. Capture longer events accurately, then zoom in for detailSnap-on screen/buffer behavior is different (and people get burned): Snap-on scope often shows a “window” into a buffer (buffer bar flying across). You don't “zoom in like Pico”; you effectively set detail first, capture the event, then zoom out to find it and return to your detail level. Misunderstanding this is a common cause of “dropouts” that are really aliasing/misuseThe Big TakeawaysAliasing can make a good tech chase a bad story.The waveform on-screen is an interpretation, not a photograph.Know your scope's strengths: Some are built for speed, some for memory, some for both—but your settings decide your fate.If you're hunting an intermittent: Your success depends on matching: expected event speed, sample rate, memory depth, the scope's display/buffer behavior.Practical “In-the-Bay” TipsIf the trace shows perfectly suspicious gaps: question your timebase, question your effective sample rate, verify with a different capture strategy (less time on screen, more sample rate, different scope mode)Don't trust a dropout unless: it repeats consistently under the same conditions, and you can capture it without stretching timebase beyond what your scope can support.Learn...

In this episode of The Orthopreneurs Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Ben Samuelson—an orthodontist and co-founder of PDOA (Pediatric Dental & Orthodontic Associates)—who's quietly built a multi-practice model across Alabama that's giving OSOs a serious run for their money. We get real about the challenges of growth, retaining top-tier team members, and how building your own collaborative group of practices can unlock career advancement, culture control, and long-term freedom—without sacrificing your autonomy.Ben shares how he and his pediatric dentistry partners co-branded multiple practices under one umbrella, developed scalable systems using EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), and turned what used to be cookie-basket-level marketing into a patient magnet powered by smart, integrated operations. Whether you're feeling stuck at $1.5M/year or wondering how to grow while keeping your sanity, this episode is packed with honest insights and proven strategies you can actually use.Quotes“When I was by myself in my little practice... your ceiling's pretty low. Now I can give my team real growth paths and comp packages that actually reward performance.” — Dr. Ben Samuelson“You can treat more people, better, with fewer mistakes, if you build systems around your vision. That's what EOS gave us.” — Dr. Ben SamuelsonKey TakeawaysIntro (00:00)Ben's Origin Story (01:02)The Truth About Scaling (03:01)Recruiting High-Quality Team Members (04:30)Tools That Helped Build the Foundation (06:10)The Biggest Challenge: People (10:29)Covering Clinical Blind Spots (14:39).Marketing Without Cookie Baskets (16:27)Prophy-Prophy Reality Check (19:19)Secret to More Adult Starts (20:56)Additional ResourcesBen Samuelson proves that building a collaborative, multi-practice model doesn't require giving up autonomy, selling to a DSO, or losing your identity. If you've hit a wall in your private practice—or you're just ready for more—this episode is your blueprint. Whether you're curious about EOS, co-branded models, or finding your first great partner, you'll leave this conversation with clarity and confidence.Need to get in contact with Ben?Samuelsonorthodontics@gmail.com https://www.samuelsonorthodontics.com - For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!

In this episode of the Group Function podcast, host Alan Mead sits down with Dr. Alex Kantor and Dr. Eric Applesies from the Just a Couple of Dentists podcast to unpack the "regular ass dentist" experience of buying, starting, running and selling dental practices! Fresh off their presentation at the 2026 Voices of Dentistry conference, the Eric and Alex (a married couple of dentists) dive into the logistics of optimizing a practice for sale, emphasizing that maximum value is built in the 18 to 24 months before a transition by tightening systems and improving hygiene "show rates." The conversation balances technical advice on EBITDA and overhead reduction with a candid—and occasionally spicy—critique of the post-COVID hygiene labor market, ultimately highlighting how dentists can prepare their businesses for a successful handoff to either a private buyer or a DSO. In their session and conversation with Alan, Dr. Alex Cantor and Dr. Eric Applesies highlighted several key levers to pull when prepping a practice for sale. Their core philosophy is that "a dollar saved is $4 to $6 earned" during a valuation. Key Optimization Strategies The 12-to-24-Month Runway: Valuations are typically based on the last 12 months of profit (EBITDA). To ensure your systems are fully "flushed out" and consistent, start implementing changes 18 to 24 months before you intend to sell. Hygiene "Show Rates": Increasing your show rate from 70% to 90% is considered "low-hanging fruit." Because hygiene has low variable costs (mostly just prophy paste and floss), nearly every dollar of a kept hygiene appointment goes directly to the bottom line, which is then multiplied during a sale. Aggressive Appointment Confirmation: Use automated texts to keep appointments top-of-mind. The "48-Hour Rule": If a patient hasn't confirmed 48 hours out, inform them they will be removed from the schedule. Follow Through: Actually remove unconfirmed patients to give your team two days to fill the spot with someone who wants to be there. Overhead Reduction (The "Spend" Side): Supplies: Move away from the "old school" model of buying through a single rep who brings donuts. Use platforms like Crazy Dental or Net 32 to treat supplies as a commodity and secure the lowest price. Labs: Look for efficiency gains through model-less workflows and digital scanning, which can reduce lab fees and turnaround times. Clinical Extraction: If you want to retire immediately after the sale, stop working clinically one year prior. This proves to a buyer (especially a DSO) that the practice's revenue is sustained by systems and associates, not just your individual production. Know Your "Game": Private Buyer: Better if you want a quick exit (6–12 months) and have a smaller practice. DSO Buyer: Better for high-revenue practices ($5M+ range), but usually requires you to stay on for several years as an associate. Some links from the show: Just A Couple of Dentists Podcast Join the Very Dental Facebook Group using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, McWethy, Papa Randy, or Lipscomb!  The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method! I think you should give it a try and I've got a great offer to help you get on board! Use the exclusive Very Dental Podcast code VERYDENTAL8TON for 15% OFF your total Bioclear purchase, including Core Anterior and Posterior Four day courses, Black Triangle Certification, and all Bioclear products. Are you a practice owner who feels like the bottleneck in your own business? If you're tired of being the hardest-working person in your office, I've got something you need to hear. Dr. Paul Etchison, is hosting a virtual event that is a total game-changer. Paul is honestly one of the most brilliant minds in dental leadership today, and he's hosting the 3-Day Freedom Practice Workshop from February 19th through the 21st. He's going to show you exactly how to break through that two-million-dollar revenue ceiling while actually compressing your clinical week. It's about building a leadership team that takes ownership so you can finally step into the CEO role you deserve. Head over to DentalPracticeHeroes.com/freedom to grab your spot. And do me a favor—mention the Very Dental podcast when you sign up. It's 100% guaranteed, so you've got nothing to lose but the stress. Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code "VERYSHIP" you'll get free shipping on your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!  

[Recorded January 28th, 2026] Dr. Thomas Mumford, President of Scottie Resources (TSX.V:SCOT) (OTCQB:SCTSF), joins us to review some recent high-grade gold assay results at both the Blueberry Contact Zone and Scottie Gold Mine area from the 2025 exploration season.  Additionally, we get an update on the targeting preparation for the largest drill program to date planned in 2026, and the Feasibility Study workstreams underway at the Scottie Gold Mine Project; located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia.   2025 drilling continues to deliver excellent results from the Blueberry Contact Zone. Hole SR25-420 intersected 34.3 grams per tonne “g/t” gold over 3.30 metres, including a high-grade interval of 90.8 g/t gold over 1.0 metres within the Lemoffe vein zone. Hole SR25-424 intersected 9.97 g/t gold over 9.70 metres, including 21.1 g/t gold over 2.45 metres. Of the 27,000 metres drilled in 2025, only ~16,000 metres have been reported to date. There are still 11,000 meters of drilling from the Blueberry Contact Zone to release from last year's program, once received back from the assay lab.   Drilling continues to deliver at the Scottie Gold Mine area from last year's drill program. Hole SR25-445 intersected 14.8 grams per tonne “g/t” gold over 9.80 metres, including a high-grade interval of 69.8 g/t gold over 2.0 metres within the M-Zone. Additional strong M-Zone results include 21.1 g/t gold and 50.6 g/t silver over 3.45 metres in hole SR25-410 and 17.6 g/t gold over 4.40 metres in hole SR25-439. Multiple drill holes (SR25-408, 419, 427 and 445) also intersected gold mineralization within the Wolf Zone, highlighted by an intercept of 7.56 g/t gold over 1.65 metres in hole SR25-408. These results represent the conclusion of 2025 drill results from the Scottie Gold Mine and associated vein zones, i.e., P-, M-, N-, L-, and Wolf Zones.   The Company is planning to initiate a ~50,000 meter drill program for 2026, which will be the largest exploration program to date.  More information will be detailed once all the 2025 drill results from the Blueberry Contact Zone have been assimilated into the geological model.    The recent PEA outlined a robust Direct-Ship Ore (“DSO”) development scenario for the Scottie Gold Mine Project, with strong economics and leverage to the current gold price environment, and additional upside potential through local toll milling.  The DSO process was successfully demonstrated during this trial mining and Bulk Sample, which was mined at the Bend Vein pit at the Scottie Gold Mine Project, then mucked, visually sorted, and crushed over the 2025 summer season.   90% of the payment from the bulk sample has already been received, with the final 10% payment still due.  It will reconcile any difference between estimated and final ounces and will be priced based on metal values at the time grades are finalized and agreed upon.  It is estimated that gold sold will have generated a net profit of ~CAD$9Million for the Company.   Thomas outlines the plan to move straight into work streams for a Feasibility Study (FS), with actual cost estimates and more detailed economics, as the next major economic study to be undertaken.  The FS is slated to take about 8-10 months after all the 2025 drill results from the 27,309 meter program are all returned and integrated into their updated resource model.  The Company is also collecting data for environmental baseline studies in preparation for the upcoming permitting process.    Click here to follow the latest news from Scottie Resources   If you have any questions for Thomas regarding Scottie Resources, then please email us at Fleck@kereport.com or  Shad@kereport.com.   In full disclosure, Shad is a shareholder of Scottie Resources at the time of this recording and may choose to buy or sell shares at any time.       For more market commentary & interview summaries, subscribe to our Substacks:   The KE Report: https://kereport.substack.com/ Shad's resource market commentary: https://excelsiorprosperity.substack.com/     Investment disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investing in equities and commodities involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Guests and hosts may own shares in companies mentioned.

In this episode, Faraz Edalatpajouh, DDS, CEO of Clark St. Dental Partners, shares how his organization is adapting to rising costs, regulatory changes in California, and shifting payer mixes while continuing to grow. He also discusses the role of AI in dentistry, DSO challenges in a high interest rate environment, and the leadership skills needed for long term success.

Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!

30 Jan 2026. New influencer rules come into force tomorrow (January 31) and they could change how the entire advertising industry operates. Georgia Tolley has been finding out what it means for creators and brands. Plus, Big Tech earnings are in - Apple, Meta, Microsoft and Tesla give fresh signals on AI and profits. And with major expansion plans announced across DIFC, DSO and D3, CRC’s Ben Bargh and Dubai Holding Real Estate unpack what it means for Dubai’s office market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Faraz Edalatpajouh, DDS, CEO of Clark St. Dental Partners, shares how his organization is adapting to rising costs, regulatory changes in California, and shifting payer mixes while continuing to grow. He also discusses the role of AI in dentistry, DSO challenges in a high interest rate environment, and the leadership skills needed for long term success.

Kiera is joined by Dr. Paul Etchison to talk about changing the mindset of turnover = failure. This transition is part of the evolution of leadership. Both Kiera and Dr. Etchison share their own experiences in remaining true to core values, and keeping their definitions of success separate from whether a team member stuck around or not. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and today is an extra special day. I have one of my faves and every time we podcast, people say, you two just seem like you love each other so much. And I really do. I've been to this man's practice. We've been friends in the industry for I don't even know how many years pre-COVID. That's a long time. And we've been on each other's podcasts a lot. He has an incredible podcast. He's an incredible human, incredible friend, incredible mentor. I got the one and only Paul Etchison on the podcast today. Welcome. How are you today, Paul?   Paul Etchison (00:28) Hey, I'm good. And I was just thinking about how you mentioned like the pre-COVID thing. You texted me a picture of when you came into my practice for two days. And it was like before COVID. And what was funny about it, and I don't know if it's funny or not, but like I looked at it and half of my team has turned over. They're all new people. So I know. ⁓   Kiera Dent (00:36) cute.   Mm-hmm.   It's real life, Paul. That's real life. It is funny and isn't because I go back and I used to   be embarrassed about that. So let's just kind of highlight on that. I used to actually be very embarrassed of like, my gosh, I don't have senior team members. And like, I hate the question. There was a hot minute. The Dental A Team felt like I was Johnny Depp in the middle of the ocean and my boat was full blown on fire. And I was like, I just hope another one shows up soon. Like I hope something comes. ⁓   And then I realized that's business ownership. Like that's real life. And yes, we built these great cultures, but you outgrow team members and team members outgrow you in life circumstances. And I'd rather be honest and real rather than perfect. And so the fact that like teams shift in a lot, mean, shoot, I used to have this vision board, Paul, you want to hear how ridiculous this was? And I took the team and I put them in the one year, the three year, the 10, and I just had this like same team follow with me. That lasted me for like six months. And I was like, rip this thing up.   Paul Etchison (01:31) Yes.   You   Kiera Dent (01:40) It's   gotten better, it's stabilized, but I think that that's real life. So thanks for talking about it.   Paul Etchison (01:44) It's hard,   yeah, I mean, we look at it and I think like the beginning of my practice career, I had very little turnover, but it was, I had to put so much into keeping that. Like it was such a hard thing to keep going. there was a lot of team members that I kept and I was able to make them happy and I was able to have it be a productive relationship and they were good at the practice. But sometimes I look back on it I'm like, man, it was just, that was a lot of energy I put into one person. I should have just moved on.   So that's how I practice now. It's different. There's a little bit more turnover and I think that's normal and that's part of business ownership. So we're okay.   Kiera Dent (02:16) What changed in your mindset for that? I have so many questions for you today. You guys, Paul and I, when we get on the podcast, it really is just like a free for all. And Paul has no clue. I have a full plan of what I'm asking you today, ⁓ but it's going to be a free for all rift of business ownership of teams. How did you change that perspective? Because I think so many people chalk that up to, I'm a failure of a boss if I've got turnover. Like I had a doctor the other day on a coaching call and she's like, Kiera,   Paul Etchison (02:19) Yeah.   Kiera Dent (02:42) What am I going to do for PR? Like I've got people turning over and how do I PR this? So anything is twofold. One, how did you get like mentally change that mindset? Cause I think it's a big mental game.   Paul Etchison (02:54) Yeah, for me, was everything that I've done in my career as far as like leadership growth and stuff, I think has always stemmed from some period of just struggle and burnout to some extent. It was like, I got to the point where I was taking everything that happened at the practice personally, every upset person at upset employees, they're bothered about something. They're they always, I mean, they're telling you how you should be doing things that not realizing that there's very complicated solutions. And sometimes there's not perfect solutions. A lot of times there's   perfect solutions. So I think what changed for me is I started looking at it from a point of my mental sanity saying I can't attribute my feelings on the happiness of all these team members anymore.   And all I need to do is just be very clear on what I want, be very consistent with the way that I treat them and hold them to that standard. But ultimately, I'm putting the ball in their court. It's up to them. And if they want to play ball, cool. If they don't, that's cool too. We can still be friends and you can go to some other office where it's more to your liking. But the biggest change for me was just realizing I can't be everything to everybody. And I did it for a long time and it was really exhausting. And I worked through that and I feel a lot better   it.   I think my team   is better for it.   Kiera Dent (04:08) Yeah, no, I don't disagree. And I'm glad you talked about that. It's been fun. think Paul, you felt like, I don't know, a big brother to me when we met and I came out to your practice and the fun things we've been able to do together and just the differences. ⁓ I think as we've grown up in the industry together, but I, I admired that because I always thought you had this amazing team. And I think to hear your version and then my version at the same time was very similar. I just realized like,   We got a killer team. Like this is an amazing company. And I think when I evolved to you're so lucky to work here, you're so like not in an egotistical way, but I think in a confidence way of like, this is a great place and we're going to attract people. I started realizing like I had confidence to make offers of what we actually wanted to pay versus what I felt like I had to chase to get people to be here. ⁓ we pivoted and I used to like chase all the time and try to be everything for everybody. And then I'm like,   Why am I doing this? Kiera, like you have built a company and a culture and a space that people love. And yes, there are changes and I will continue on forever evolve. I don't think that we're a perfectly set company, but I think that we're a pretty great, awesome place to work. And I think when I became centered, confident in me and what I was providing in the culture without having to be everything, I noticed I actually attracted a way different type of employee. I attracted somebody who wanted that same style. They, it,   It was like no more like games. think in like compensation and all this, it was more just centered. It was like, this is what we do and this is who we are and I want great people. And I also think it was very much attributed to like, got dialed in on core values. And I was like, I'm sticking to these. These are like rock solid. do not deviate from that. And if you don't fit. Fantastic. There is another opportunity, like go find your dream place and we're going to find our dream team member. And I say that in a very like confident, hopefully not egotistical. And I think you, sounds like you did a similar thing, but I.   I will say, I think you go through a space of realizing you're not a failure. It's an evolution. I think of, of leadership. It's almost like going from, I don't want to say immature. It's more like children and how's they grow. Like, I don't think a little baby is a failure for having that knowledge and that mindset. And I think some of us, are toddler baby owners. Like we've never done this before. We don't know. So we're going to have a different mindset. And then you just start to morph and evolve just like   Children grow up and they morph and evolve into these teenagers, into these college students, into like the prime of their life. To me, that also feels like a maturity of leadership as well to being confident with that.   Paul Etchison (06:42) Yeah,   I love that you point that out too, because we do, we hear a lot of complaints from our team members and then we start to, it starts to add up and then we start to really doubt.   Did we really create a great work environment? I mean, we just had an all day meeting maybe about two months ago, maybe six weeks ago,   like that. And one of the questions I asked, we use this thing called Slido. It's just in real time, you put on a PowerPoint slide and everybody can vote on their phone. There's a million like programs that do this. But I asked the whole team anonymously on a scale of one to 10, how fun is it to work at Nelson Ridge Family Dental? And I was terrified to throw that   Kiera Dent (07:03) Thank   Paul Etchison (07:19) there. I had no idea what people were going to say.   Kiera Dent (07:20) I don't blame you.   Paul Etchison (07:22) It was everybody was like eight, nine. There was like three or four sixes. Now I have 30 something team members.   So the   Kiera Dent (07:29) Yeah.   Paul Etchison (07:30) of it was very good, but it was, it was scary.   if you would have asked me what I thought it was going to   Kiera Dent (07:35) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (07:37) I did not think it was going to be that good because the squeaky wheel gets the grease. This, you know, that's what we hear. That's what we focus on. And it reminds me of this one coaching client I had, cause I coached dentists as well. had a coach coaching client named Isaac and he did very similar to you.   choir practice, he really got deep into the foundational core values of this is what the practice is. And   turned over his entire team and he said, I feel like such a failure. I feel like everybody's leaving. I feel like I'm just turning everybody off. Patients are coming in and asking where everybody is. I just don't think my leadership's good. And I told him, just hang through,   Hang, you'll find your people. And then six months later, he was like, I cannot tell you how much I love my team. And so I think the message of what you and I are saying, Kiera, is that no matter   Kiera Dent (08:12) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Right.   Paul Etchison (08:22) what you want to do with what kind of vision you have for your practice, your team's out there. They are there. They are waiting for someone to take charge and just make it a big deal that that's the type of people we have at this practice.   Kiera Dent (08:26) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (08:33) So if anyone's listening thinking like, have this issue at my office, get those core values out, talk to the team about it. Don't just like leave it on a document, bring it up with ⁓ a meeting and say, guys, this is what I truly want.   And sometimes apologize. I'm   I haven't been holding everyone to the highest regard or the highest standard, but I'm ready to do it and I need your help. So I love that you brought up those two points. Those are amazing things and I think everybody struggles with that.   Kiera Dent (08:55) Yeah.   I think, and I think that that's something that I feel you and I both strive to do is tell people feel like they're not alone. I think so many doctors feel like I'm the only one out there. I'm the only one who can't keep my team there. I'm the only one who has team turnover. And like, this is not the path that we were even on my radar to head, but I think it's obviously the most important path for people to hear. ⁓ I think Paul, it's the no judgment. It's the hang through it. It's, ⁓ having a guide, a mentor who's been there, done that, done that successfully. I mean, you and I can both like,   Gosh, you like grit through that and it's painful. But I also believe that while yes, painful, I feel it's an evolution of soul that you actually internally are craving. I don't believe that we rise to the call until we're ready. Like Kieran 2020, when I'm sitting on Johnny Depp like boat in the ocean, it was on fire. I was not ready for the call and the evolution that came in 2024 for me.   Like I just, wasn't ready for it, but come 2024. And I think it's a, it's a shedding, it's a shifting. It's a, like, I call it like the skin sloughing. Like it's like a snake, like you're leaving it behind. It's, I watched penguins when I was in Antarctica, like small flex there, Paul. Like the Antarctica trip was pretty rad. And we watched it. Right? We went to Antarctica. Penguins are so cute and they smell terrible. Like they're like little ketchup bottles that just squirt poop all day long. And it's disgusting.   Paul Etchison (10:11) I was just going to follow up on that. Whoa.   Kiera Dent (10:25) but they were molting when we were there and they just looked absolutely miserable. Like they sat there and they told us like, please don't touch the penguins. like, these look just, they're like, it's very painful for them. They're having to completely molt off all of these feathers. And I think that that's how I feel a lot of business owners are like, are you going through that molting process? But again, just like those penguins, just like us, I really do believe that when we're ready to be called to that higher level, one, you're not alone, two, you don't have to go through it alone.   Three, it's normal and it's part of growth, but like, there's also, you don't have to grow until you actually want to. Like, it sounds like Isaac was just ready. Like, I'm ready, I'm done. Like, I've hit my limit. I was ready, I was done. I was like, we are having a complete culture shift. Like, we're done and like, it needs to evolve. Sounds like you had it. But I also feel, and I don't know how you feel, Kieran 2020, Kieran 2024, even into 2025, leadership culture company.   keeps evolving. don't feel like I have as many of those like huge molting in 2020, huge molting in 2024, 2025. It's more of a shift in a refinement rather than a full molt. But that's, think how, at least for me, that's how I think I view leadership is.   Paul Etchison (11:37) Yeah, totally agree. It's like we go through these stages of leadership growth. And I remember for me, like leadership all the way up to COVID was like system, system, systems, consistency with team. And my team grew to like 35, 40 people and it got really unmanageable. And then when we came back from COVID from being shut down, I really wanted to try to do something different. And I wanted to keep that. ⁓   I just loved when we were shut down for COVID. I loved how it felt. It felt easy. And I said, I want that, but I don't want that craziness when we open up again. And when I did, I started to feel that same craziness. And I was going to therapy at the time. And like the therapist will tell you, just change your expectations. Don't take everything personally. And what I learned through that is there's no amount of therapy that can   broken leadership   Is that I had systems, I had consistency, but my team   had outgrown those systems. We needed more systems of leadership. So the next stage in my leadership was learning how to lead leaders and truly delegate and truly give them the autonomy to do everything. And when we did that, everything got so much better. there was parts of me that was like, I'm not the right person for this level of organization. not the right person for this size of a dental office. I'm just too anxious. I take   Kiera Dent (12:41) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (12:59) too personally. And ultimately, I think it was just I   Kiera Dent (12:59) you   Paul Etchison (13:02) set up, I didn't set up my organization the proper way. So that was the next level up for me. And I think that's me shedding my skin finally once and for all to learn how to lead leaders. And who knows what's   Kiera Dent (13:14) Paul, I think that you are actually a really good example of letting go of control. How do you do that? Like,   I remember talking to you one day, this is offline, hopefully I'm not oversharing. And you're like, a lot of people say, like, what are you going to do if you retire? And I know you sold your practice to a DSO and you're like, I've never looked back. Like it was great. Um, you're like, I'm actually the person who's okay to just like sleep in and do nothing. Like I really am okay with that. Like, how did you let go of that control with your team? Um, knowing that they weren't going to do it exactly like you, like, I think people have this in theory. They try to do it, but.   Paul Etchison (13:23) No, of course not.   Kiera Dent (13:49) Like that's another molting. That's another really hard gap to go from full control. You're in charge of everything to I'm stressed out. Now I'm going to let team members take over and maybe you're, maybe you're an anomaly, maybe you're a unicorn, but how did you do it?   Paul Etchison (13:59) Yeah.   I think it's like we talked about the growth, but I think where we screw up as practice owners when we do this is we get upset that the team members are not doing exactly the way that we would do it. And there needs to be some wiggle room. There needs to be a lot of forgiveness. But ultimately, there's got to be clarity. And not enough practice owners are having the conversations with their team members. Like I always say, like, I'm coaching dentists all the time, and they're telling me about these issues they're having at their practice. And I'm saying, well, why do you think that is? And the answer is like, well, it might be this.   kind of think it's this and it's like, well, get curious, ask, ask your team. So for me, it was about telling my team what's expected and when   Kiera Dent (14:36) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (14:42) didn't meet expectations, instead of like dancing around it, just going right at the   getting curious, what is going on with this? What is, why is this not happening? And then always like, you know, if you ask the right questions, the next step for any leadership, any leader is to validate their perspective.   no matter what it is and that will go so far. If you take one thing out of this podcast, do that. When your team members share something with you or if you're getting curious, asking them why things are happening, how they're feeling about something, validate their experience and watch how much they open up and they're.   open to behavior change and other options. And then that allows you the opportunity to then ask and invite participation in the solutions. What do you think we should do?   I noticed our cancellations are getting up there. Like, what are we doing about this?   What do you see happening? Getting curious. And they're saying, well, I don't know. Like, I got to ask some more   OK. And then validate their experience. I totally see how maybe you got busy with your other things and you haven't been asking your team. But we've got to ask the team and find out just so many little things.   For me, was getting out of the way, being clear with expectations. But then instead of trying to go around my leads and my leaders, my practice and go around them and deal with the other other teams myself, I let them do it and I let them fail and I help them and I support them.   And I think I know there's a lot of like team members that listen to your podcast, Kiera. I would hope if you're listening to this and you're team member, I would hope you understand how valuable you are to an owner. If you can take things, find solutions and hold your, your team members, your fellow coworkers to a certain standard, like you would be so valuable. Everyone's like, well, how can I get a raise? How can I contribute more value? I would people on my team, my leaders that do this for me, they are so valuable to me and every owner.   is just waiting for somebody to step in and fill that role. I mean, every practice could use   Kiera Dent (16:38) team members, their number one objective is to make their doctor happy.   every day, all day. That's like what my job is. That's what I want to do. That's how I want to serve. That's how I want to help out. ⁓ And I think as owners, I think it can be easy to see all the problems in your team. But I think it's what pair of sunglasses do I want to put on? Do I want to put on the one where I see like, what's wrong is just as available as what's right. Both are always available in every single scenario, every single situation. And so what are we bringing to the table and how are we looking at these different things?   How are we guiding our teams? How are we guiding our leaders? How are we showing up as leaders? How are we like, what is the filter I'm putting on every single day? Like those, those two sunglasses are right there as you walk out the door and which pair are you choosing to put on? Cause you're going to influence impact and create a team. No matter what we see what we want to see. And I believe that we create our own realities. I believe that reality is what we believe it is. And so, ⁓ I think shifting that seeing that, and I think having just a bigger plan, a bigger vision. know when I got very crystal clear of where am I headed?   What is my role? Like, this is gonna sound funny, Paul. I literally Googled like, what does a CEO do? I think doctors come out of school, like you're a doctor, like you do the dentistry, like that's what I'm supposed to do. And I remember one day I was sitting there and I'm like, what is the CEO even supposed to do? Like, I don't even know, like, like really, like where is a CEO, like dictionary, like job description, I realized, got it. It's profit, vision, and culture. Like those are really my main things. Stay out of the weeds and like go for it. And...   Paul Etchison (17:43) you   Kiera Dent (18:04) That's what I'm bred to do. Bring the great ideas, bring those different pieces. That's my job. That's my responsibility. I think dentists also have the second tier of you do dentistry too. So you are a clinician in there and then you have those pieces. But driving culture, driving a culture of accountability of fail, fail forward. like, gosh, I just read this really awesome book and they said, we measure it by outcomes, not activity.   Like just stuff like that. Like you start to become this person who wants to evolve your culture, evolve who your team is, evolve who you are as a person. And I think Paul, even in just knowing you, I think there's been an evolution of who you are as well. ⁓ I think that is just, and hopefully I've evolved too, like fingers crossed there's been an evolution and I'm not as quite, I don't know. I think we keep the best of ourselves. And then I think just evolve into our 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 levels. I guess I just asked the questions of   Paul Etchison (18:42) Absolutely.   Kiera Dent (18:58) I think you've got a fascinating story. You were full, full practice owner. You were in there. You sold out to a DSO. You're still in your practice. You still train. You, you've evolved. If you were sitting back when I met you, what would you tell that Paul of what you know today that would have made that whole experience, whether you're selling, whether you're growing, evolving. I mean, you have a very large practice. It's been real fun to watch you and your practice and everything. What would you have told that Paul?   Paul Etchison (19:27) Yeah, and this comes up a lot with my coaching clients. A lot of people ask me that. And one of the things, if we're looking at our practice, and I'm going back to the beginning, is if we want to sell our practice, if we want to cut back our days, if we want to have the most profitable practice ever, a lot of the times the strategy is identical. We're just trying to go through and create more freedom for ourselves as practice owners by empowering our team, getting them to do a lot of the responsibility.   Kiera Dent (19:48) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (19:57) to be accountable for a lot of the stuff. So I think if I could go back and tell myself again, man, first of all, just stop taking everything so personal. And you come in and you look at it with these different lens of leadership and maturity and all these leadership skills. It's not just at the practice. It shows up in your relationships with your spouse, with your friends, with your kids, like all these things. Like it's all intertwined. But I would have much earlier got the leaders going in my practice because one of the things   Kiera Dent (20:16) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (20:27) happen through my practice sale is I just like I mentioned I felt like it wasn't I'm not cut out for this I'm sick of being miserable I'm sick of being stressed I'm sick of taking it home and I'm sick of taking it out on people that I love and so when I sold it I said okay I'm on my three-year exit plan I'm getting out of here I'm moving on I don't know what I'm gonna do but I'm gonna move on so I said you know my associate partner Dr. Kathy she owns part of the practice too   I'm gonna pass it to her and maybe she won't be able to do it as well as me. But I need to set this up so she is just, I wanna bless her with this amazing practice that runs on its own. And in the process of setting that up with my leaders, I realized, dang, I don't know if I would have sold. And I'm still happy I sold, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I would have, but that's what I would have tried to do early in my career. I would have went, who are the leaders? ⁓ The whole thing with like the Dan Kennedy of the who, not how. Not how do we do it, but who's gonna do this?   Kiera Dent (21:11) Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.   Right.   Paul Etchison (21:25) And I would have leaned into that a lot more because I think I would have been a lot happier. I would have been able to enjoy the journey more. But at the same time, it's like we learn from our mistakes and you got to make the mistakes to learn from. So it's like, so that whole Catch-22, would I change anything? I don't think so because I wouldn't be, if I didn't have the same experience, I wouldn't be the person I am today. But man, I wish I had learned it earlier. That's for sure.   Kiera Dent (21:45) Sure.   It's fair. And I'm actually happy to hear that because I feel like this is like the DSO conundrum and like the cell. And I'm happy to hear you say that because it validates what we try to coach on to. So many doctors are like, I'm just going to sell. And I'm like, well, let's just look at this. If you sell, let's look at what your life will look like on the other side of it. Let's look to see where you are today. And really, let's get to the root of why do you want to sell? And I think, Paula, if we would have asked you that same question.   Why did you wanna sell? My hunch is it was all these problems, all these issues. It was just like, I'm sick of it. Like, let's just pass this on. Let's move on. When a great leader, a great office manager, a CEO, a CFO could have easily come in, taken over for you. You could have had the exact same scenario. You just would have owned it and had more options on the table. Like you said, it's not right, it's not wrong. But I think like for everybody listening, I think today is a good reflection of one, are you going through a molt? Like, are we molting anywhere?   ⁓ and do we, or do we need to molt? Like, is there something we need to shed, let go of identity wise? And then two, I like to do this reflection a lot. And I encourage a lot of people to do it. It sounds like Paul, you do it. Like when we're in these issues in these problems, are we stopping and pausing and asking like, what is the root? Not the symptom, the top line symptom is like, I'm so stressed. And I got this and this and this, but like, do we ever stop and pause to dig to that route and find out   what is really at the root. For me, I often have many journals that are like this, this, this, and I just like list it all out of all these things are frustrating me. But what I'm trying to do is find what is a thread? What is the piece in that that's causing the chaos because then we go fix that. And that's what I love in practices because 99 % of the time what people tell you on the top line, so coaching offices, coaching doctors, coaching teams, like Paul, you know this, I know this. What people tell you at the top is not really what's the problem.   It's the bottom layered, there's something rooted, there's something under there. These are just symptoms on the top. Same thing with patients and case acceptance, right? It's the up at the top, what they're telling you is not really what they're feeling. And all you gotta do is just dig under, find out what that root is and stress and that will go away. And so Paul, thank you for, I just am curious. I've always been curious, like, would you have done something differently? Of course we never can, like, no, we're not going to. But if I could go back and tell that younger self things, like,   Kyri, get rid of your ego, honey. Like trust your team, trust that team to do amazing, trust them to do better than you are, trust them to be better than you, trust them to make better decisions than you do, because I want to create that kind of a team and me believing that is going to ultimately turn my team into that. They have the whole study about teachers with kids and IQs and like if they believe that they have a stronger IQ without doing anything different, that child actually ends up with a higher IQ. Well, why don't we take that same principle and apply it to our teams and see what happens.   Paul Etchison (24:23) Yeah.   It's so true. And I love that you say like the reflection that you did, because I noticed this with my coaching   is that there's a lot of, there's a lot of how, how do we do this? How do we fix this? But I think anyone listening, if you just sat down in a dark room, maybe not dark room, but you're sitting down in a quiet room for 30 minutes and you reflect it, what do I really, you know, I do this with my coaching clients. We call it a practice clarity and frustration exercise. What do we, what really bothers you with the practice? What is it that really just, you know, grind your gears,   it down and it sounds simple but once you write it down you can like visually see it and start to brainstorm for solutions and you start to make this progress that not only affects the way your practice runs but the way that you're the way that you feel and I think ultimately as practice owners we need to realize that the CEO hat you mentioned what does a CEO do we need time for that and we don't have time for that when you're doing four or five days of dentistry that's why when I'm working with clients the first thing I'm gonna do with a practice owner is I'm gonna get them down to three days clinic   Kiera Dent (25:10) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (25:27) And it always works. so inefficient. There's so many things we can do with scheduling and efficiency and production that we can get you down to three days clinical. But now you've got that extra day to put on that CEO hat, to reflect on the things, to write down and figure out what your plan of attack is. I mean, that's what I've got a workshop coming up in February that that's focused on that. How do we get you down to three days? And that's all I want to do in this three day workshop. We're, of course, doing these reflection activities. But I think this is over the course of my career and working   Kiera Dent (25:27) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (25:57) with people, that's what I've seen moves the needle the most. We need time and we need to give the energy where it's due. And it's not, we   be 100 % clinician. It just doesn't work that way.   Kiera Dent (26:09) Yeah, no, Paul, I love that. And think that's such a fun thing. I think dentists need this. Dentists need to have their vision, have their clarity. But I think from today, the wrap is it started out with a photo, unexpectedly, of this is what we're ⁓ kicking the day off of, going from where we were to where we want to be, ⁓ looking at that, reflecting back, seeing. Because   Paul Etchison (26:23) Yeah. How do we get here?   Kiera Dent (26:34) There's a client that you and I both know. They're pretty well known ⁓ that we work with. whenever I work with, gosh, it's so many practices. I think there's like 300 employees and I'm like, gosh, I remember all their names every time. ⁓ But they talk about how sometimes the best learning is just remembering. Remembering where we've been, remembering where we're going to go, remembering things that we've learned looking there. So it's like remembering where I've been so that way I can kickstart and project into where I need to go.   using your team to get there. Your team wants to be your best asset for that. So Paul, those are kind of my wrap thoughts. I know today has just been a real fun day. Always enjoy a good podcast with you. Any last thoughts you have?   Paul Etchison (27:15) No, you know, I would just close it off with   having the listener just believe, just believe in the possibility of what's going, what is possible with your practice. ⁓ There was a point where we talked about reflection. I reflected and I said, I wrote down everything I do at the practice and I wrote down how many of these activities bring me joy and how many of them I hate. And I believe it was something like 80 % of them I hated. So that's no way to live your practice life. You spend a lot of time at work. So why not do the reflection and put the time and energy into   Kiera Dent (27:38) Mm-hmm.   Paul Etchison (27:45) Making your practice a better place to be at it's not just gonna affect you. It's gonna affect your family. It's gonna affect your team ⁓ There's big your ripples that come from this little thing So I would say sit down find a coach find a mentor read some books it is possible believe in yourself and It all starts with the planning so sit down and write down some things journal love it   Kiera Dent (28:09) Journal it up. Well, Paul, I appreciate you so much.   I ⁓ just love what you're doing for our community. I love the things that we're able to accomplish together. ⁓ And yeah, guys, check him out in Dental Practice Heroes podcast. He's got some great stuff over there as well. ⁓ Paul, so good to have you on the podcast. I think you mentioned the event in February. If people want to know more about that, how do they connect with you on that?   Paul Etchison (28:35) Yeah, go to DentalPracticeHeroes.com slash freedom. So that's where the information on the three day workshop, it's going to   awesome. And I'm doing a money back guarantee. If you don't think you liked it, if you don't like what you signed up for, I'll give you all your money back. I believe in it that much. And I know from me coaching for the past six years, I know this is what produces results. So go check that out,   more about the courses, check out the podcast. And I'm always happy to talk to any listeners if they want some help or they just want to find out what we're more about. Please just go to the website, DentalPracticeHeroes.com.   dot com.   Kiera Dent (29:06) Amazing. Paul, thank you so much for being on the podcast. For all of you listening, I hope you do take the time to reflect. I do hope you think about where you want to go and what you want with your life. And just appreciate you guys all being here. And as always, thanks for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.  

Dr. Aman Kaur, Founder & President of Women in DSO & Dr. Greg White, CEO of Pepperpointe Partnerships discuss: Empower & Grow - March 5-7 Rise & Lead Program Upcoming Global Summits Much More Save 20% by using code GDN26 on registration here - https://dso.pub/WDSO26 To learn more about Women in DSO visit - https://womenindso.org/    

Dr. Aman Kaur, Founder & President of Women in DSO & Dr. Greg White, CEO of Pepperpointe Partnerships discuss: Empower & Grow - March 5-7 Rise & Lead Program Upcoming Global Summits Much More Save 20% by using code GDN26 on registration here - https://dso.pub/WDSO26 To learn more about Women in DSO visit - https://womenindso.org/    

Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!

Selling your practice can look like a financial win—and still feel like a personal loss if you choose the wrong partner. In this episode, Brian Colao, one of the earliest architects of the DSO legal framework, unpacks what most dentists misunderstand about consolidation, private equity, and the true risks hiding behind "fair value" offers. With nearly three decades advising DSOs and representing more than 780 dental organizations, Brian brings rare clarity to a space filled with noise, fear, and half-truths. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #571 - When The Practice Doesn't Need You Anymore – Dr. Dylan & Kelsey Everett Ep #550 - Every Dentist Must Master Leadership, Exit Strategies and Burnout – Dr. John Meis Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes is joined by Bill Keith and Ben Kacos for an in-depth crash course on DSOs—what they are, how they've evolved, and why every dentist should understand their growing impact on the profession. This conversation dives into the history of dental consolidation, the rise of private equity in the industry, and what those infamous EBITDA multiples really mean for your practice valuation.  The trio compares doctor-to-doctor transitions with DSO sales, laying out the pros, cons, and critical factors like tax strategy, risk mitigation, and personal goals. With real-world insights, valuation math, and clear advice on navigating offers, this is the foundational DSO knowledge every growth-minded dentist needs. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

In this episode of Business Brain, Shannon Jean and Dave Hamilton are joined by Juliana Berger, Head of Payments at QuickBooks, to unpack where founders most often misunderstand how cashflow systems actually connect. They explore the “mycelium” of a business—the meaningful connectivity layer where every dollar in and every dollar out matters—and why fragmented tools quietly create anxiety, inefficiency, and blind spots that erode confidence. The conversation dives into what truly defines business health: durable, predictable cashflow. From cashflow run rate and cash efficiency to DSO, DPO, and operational resiliency, the hosts break down how accuracy, automation, and smart guardrails create leverage instead of chaos. With insights on using AI the right way—through permissions, visibility, and trust-building controls—this episode shows how clarity fuels better decisions and a more intentional, Charmed Life. 00:00:00 Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs' Podcast #720 for Wednesday Casual FridAI, January 21st, 2026 January 21st: Thank Your Mentor Day Guest Co-host: Juliana Berger, Director of Product Management, Head of Payments at Intuit QuickBooks  SPONSOR: Intuit QuickBooks Payroll – Leave the chaos behind and start the new year off right with QuickBooks Payroll. Learn more by visiting QuickBooks.com/payroll Where do founder misunderstand how all the cashflow systems interconnect What's the mycelium of your business – what's the connectivity layer? Where do things connect in a MEANINGFUL way? Every dollar in and every dollar out matters… and QuickBooks gets to see that Helping the anxious candlemaker who was using 16 different apps/tools to manage her business What determines the health of a business? Durable and predictable cashflow are the keys to this! Cashflow run rate: how much in and out? Is it consistent? Know your business. Know your cash efficiency. DSO vs. DPO DSO: Days sales outstanding DPO: Days payable outstanding Know Your Resiliency – What's the riskiest part of your business and how are you managing that? Using AI and automation the RIGHT way Accuracy is power When things are accurate, that's great. When they're inaccurate, you just created WAY more work for yourself Important guardrails to look for when evaluating a tool Permissions and approvals Visibility and defensibility of information Controls… UNDO is important for trust Intuit also has trusted live experts in addition to all the other tools Business Brain 720 Outtro Tell Your Friends! Review Business Brain Subscribe to the show feedback@businessbrain.show Call/Text: (567) 274-6977 X/Twitter: @ShannonJean & @DaveHamilton, & @BizBrainShow LinkedIn: Shannon Jean, Dave Hamilton, & Business Brain Facebook: Dave Hamilton, Shannon Jean, & Business Brain The post Juliana Berger, QuickBooks Head of Payments – Business Brain 720 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with longtime friend and respected dental entrepreneur Tiger Safarov, founder of Zen One. Tiger shares his incredible immigrant journey—from arriving in the U.S. not knowing English to building a thriving dental construction company, and later pivoting to launch a tech platform revolutionizing dental supply management.  They dive into Tiger's inspiration for Zen One, the evolution of the platform from a scrappy startup to a streamlined, AI-powered solution, and his deep commitment to supporting private dental practices in an increasingly DSO-dominated industry. With a strong emphasis on integrity, innovation, and real cost savings, Tiger explains how Zen One empowers practices to take control of their variable expenses and boost profitability without compromising on quality. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://dsn.zenone.com https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

This week's episode dives into a topic most of us avoid—but absolutely can't afford to ignore: wills, trusts, asset protection, and what happens to your family if you don't plan ahead. My guest is Trevor Kuresa, attorney and founder of Hibiscus Legal, who also happens to be the one I personally trust with all my estate planning. Trevor breaks down the uncomfortable (and sometimes heartbreaking) realities of what happens when people die—or become incapacitated—without the right legal structures in place.We cover everything from choosing guardians for your kids, to irrevocable vs. revocable trusts, to family LLCs and asset protection post-OSO sale. We also talk about Trevor's new offering: fractional general counsel services—so you can finally have a lawyer on call without the big firm price tag. If you've ever said, “I'll get to it eventually,” this episode might be the wake-up call that saves your family years of pain.Quotes“I've seen families torn apart because no guardians were named. It dragged through the courts for three years—and the kids paid the price.”— Trevor Kuresa“Even a simple trust can prevent probate, protect your assets, and make life so much easier for the people you love.”— Trevor KuresaKey TakeawaysIntro (00:00)Why this episode might make you uncomfortable—but could save your family (00:01)Trevor's backstory: law school, DSOs, and why he left it all behind (01:51)Why single people still need a will (04:34)What happens if you die with minor children and no guardians named (08:13)The danger of boilerplate wills and online templates (09:51)Revocable trusts vs. irrevocable trusts (12:34)Family LLCs and passing wealth with control (17:29)Why OSO/DSO sales require next-level asset planning (18:48)How to store your legal documents for emergencies (24:24)Who should have access to your estate plan? (25:00)The 4 legal docs everyone should have (20:43)Healthcare directives and medical power of attorney (22:02)Trevor's “Fractional General Counsel” model for orthodontists (30:21)A real-life story of getting dropped by insurance—and how a lawyer could've stopped it (34:56)How often should you revisit your documents? (38:44)Trevor's offer to review your existing documents—free of charge (39:38)Additional ResourcesIf you've got a practice, a spouse, a house, or especially kids—and you don't have a proper estate plan—you're rolling the dice every day. Whether it's a power of attorney, a trust, or a plan for what happens after a DSO sale, Trevor has seen the worst-case scenarios up close. Don't be one of them.

Rising costs don't have to automatically mean less profit. If your supply spend is sitting around 7–8%, this episode will show you how your practice can get group-level pricing and support without selling or partnering with a DSO.Jeff Cellucci of MB2 Dental introduces Carabelli Club as an option for people who want all the benefits of a group without the commitment. That means group-level pricing, vetted vendors, and a simpler way to order everything your practice needs!Topics discussed:How dentistry and the DSO space has changedWhy MB2 Dental's partnership model differs from traditional groupsThe benefits of joining a DPO like MB2 DentalWhat Carabelli Club offers practice ownersHow you can reach 5% supply spend or less“Same-store” growth and why it mattersSign up for Carabelli Club today with code HEROES26 to get 4 FREE MONTHS with your membership! https://www.carabelliclub.com/This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com SET UP A CONSULTATION WITH GARY @ LEGALLY MINE CLICK HERE  Get Free DPH Trainings,  Download the App and Join our Community!  CLICK HERETake Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!

Host Tim McNeely welcomes Dickie Ball, owner of Summit Handpiece Express, to uncover how simple handpiece maintenance and quality repair can dramatically improve a dental practice's efficiency, patient care, and exit valuation. This episode explains why small operational habits matter and how they translate into real financial gains. The conversation covers practical topics including proper lubrication (before every autoclave cycle), correct PSI settings, burr quality, autoclave calibration, and the dangers of gray-market handpieces. Dickie explains the most common mistakes practices make—insufficient lubrication, incorrect PSI, and poor sterilization practices—and shows how fixing these fixes reduces downtime and repair frequency. Dickie describes differences between cheap repairs and quality repairs, why Summit uses ceramic ABEC-9 bearings, and how selecting an established, responsive repair partner affects longevity and warranty performance. He also discusses DSO-level reporting: quarterly repair summaries, trend analysis, and simple protocol changes that lower costs and boost EBITDA. Listeners will hear how team education and clear protocols (checklists for high- and low-speed handpieces, chair-side PSI checks, and immediate removal of malfunctioning instruments) improve staff productivity and patient experience. Dickie shares Summit's family-owned approach, easy prepaid shipping and free estimates, and resources like a free laminated maintenance sheet and training he delivered at the Florida Dental Convention. Key takeaways: routine, correct maintenance cuts repair costs; quality parts and repairs lengthen handpiece life; empower your team with simple systems to prevent failures; and partnering with the right repair vendor improves finances and clinical operations. For help or a second opinion, contact Dickie at rick@summithpx.com or call 877-342-0101 (toll-free) / 561-823-0101 (local).

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes welcomes Dan Van Eps, Senior Director at Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions, for an in-depth look at the world of dental practice sales, valuations, and the often misunderstood role of brokers. With nearly three decades of experience in the dental space—including founding a dental IT company and helping scale Carr Healthcare Realty—Dan brings a rare, well-rounded perspective to what makes practices valuable and how dentists can successfully navigate a sale.  From breaking down DSO vs. doctor-to-doctor transactions, to why a $2 million practice isn't always worth what you think, this conversation covers everything from valuation strategy, broker fees, and the critical mistakes sellers make by going it alone. Mark and Dan also discuss trends in consolidation, why the startup market is heating up again, and the real meaning behind that elusive 1% dental loan default rate. This episode is packed with practical advice and insider insights for both buyers and sellers alike. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://dentalpracticetransitions.henryschein.com https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

In this episode, Sasha Orloff speaks with Tarek Alaruri, CEO and Co-founder of Stuut, about raising a Series A from Andreessen Horowitz to build an AI-powered accounts receivable platform that automates the entire AR function—from credit and collections to cash application and disputes—delivering a 40% reduction in DSO in the first six months compared to the 3% improvement from legacy software, while implementing in just 3.6 days for mid-market and Fortune 100 companies. -- SPONSORS: Notion Boost your startup with Notion—the ultimate connected workspace trusted by thousands worldwide! From engineering specs to onboarding and fundraising, Notion keeps your team organized and efficient. For a limited time, get 6 months of Notion AI FREE to supercharge your workflow. Claim your offer now at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://notion.com/startups/puzzle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Puzzle

On today's episode, it's time for another Ask Me Anything with Dr. Mark Costes. Mark tackles a range of listener-submitted questions—from navigating burnout and prioritizing systems, to selling your practice to a DSO and balancing clinical work with business ownership. He shares his honest take on creating a mission-driven culture through local outreach and global service, and how those efforts have shaped his personal fulfillment.  You'll also hear practical strategies for systemization using the Elite Practice Blueprint, tips for managing energy with structure (and coffee), and how to incorporate free dental days without leaving your office. It's a candid, insightful, and inspiring AMA episode that touches on both the personal and professional sides of dentistry. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast

Join dental entrepreneurs George Hariri, Matt Guarino, and Matt Ford as they break down the realities of running their national DSO, Shared Practices Group. They tackle the triumphs and tribulations of scaling a business, answer your burning questions (submit yours at bdppod.com), and delve into life's other adventures - from health and parenting to sports and politics. It's business, banter, and everything in between. Tune in and join the BDP community today!