In part two, Derek and Dr. Dale Hoffel unpack the whirlwind from deal collapse to dream fit—how walking away from a tight, risky acquisition led to a Laguna Beach practice that aligned with her life vision. Dale shares the inside story: a last-minute listing, a 48-hour offer, and launching into ownership with three ops (quickly four), paper-to-digital conversion, and a summer of broken equipment, staff gaps, and nonstop “first impressions.”

What follows is Dale’s leadership playbook in real time—setting clear patient standards (yes to X-rays, no to “pedicure cleanings”), running on-time through better hygiene workflows, blocking admin and team-meeting time, and distinguishing why she’s a dentist (care and comfort) from why she’s an owner (freedom to be present with her family). She talks hiring for attitude, creating redundancy, inviting staff goals into the practice plan, and finding the line between pushing and listening.

You’ll hear:

How trusting her gut (and the numbers) turned a hard “no” into the right “yes”

Converting chaos into systems: 4th op buildout, digital X-rays, and on-time hygiene

Patient standards without apology—and with kindness

The “why dentist” vs. “why owner” talk that aligned her team

Practical tactics for retention: flexible schedules, goal-setting, and cross-training

A candid, tactical look at early ownership—and how to build a practice that serves the life you actually want.

Reach out to Dale at [email protected] 

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