907: The Bright Future of Private Care Dentistry – Dr. Barrett Straub & Dr. Jeff Osborne

We've all heard it for years: private practice is dying. But is this actually true? In this bonus episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, and Dr. Jeff Osborne, chief dental officer of Smile Source, to talk about the state of private care dentistry and to prove that it is thriving now more than ever. Dentistry is still in its golden age! To learn why the future of private practice is so bright and how to love being a practice owner, listen to Episode 907 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Dr. Straub & Dr. Osborne:

• Send Dr. Straub an email: [email protected] 
• Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub
• Follow Dr. Osborne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legacyranchdentaltx
• Learn more about Smile Source: https://smilesource.com
• Register for Smile Source Exchange (September 10-13, 2025): https://sstheexchange25.eventscribe.net

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 907: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

• Contrary to popular belief, private practice is thriving.
• With AI and other technology developing, dentistry is in its golden age.
• Patients need and want comprehensive care, and they are willing to pay for it.
• Owning your own practice means freedom and a better life — it just takes some work.
• Master the three circles of the dentist — clinician, entrepreneur, and boss — for success.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:12 Why dentistry is still in the golden age.

10:31 The three circles of being a dentist.

13:35 It’s never been a better time to be a practice owner.

17:53 More about ACT’s BPA.

Dr. Barrett Straub Bio:

Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry.

A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted.

Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.

Dr. Jeff Osborne Bio:

Dr. Jeffrey Osborne earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston in 1989. He opened his first dental office in West Houston upon graduation and has owned multiple offices throughout the Greater Houston area.

Dr. Osborne was also on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Dental Society and served as the vice president for two years. He holds an MBA in healthcare administration from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and has served as a dental director for Cigna Dental. He was also the Texas dental director for United Concordia Dental Insurance. While at United Concordia, he oversaw the administration of the dental portion of the Texas Children's Health Insurance Program. He was also employed as the director of quality assurance for South Texas Dental.

Dr. Osborne is now the chief dental officer for Smile Source, a group dedicated to helping independent dentists thrive together. He currently resides in Pilot Point, Texas. He is married to Kim and is the proud father of Shelby, Heather, and Jack.