AI, Data & The Future of Scalable Dentistry with Ross Drynan (Henry Schein One)

In this episode, Ross Drynan, Head of Partnerships at Henry Schein One, joins us to break down the real mechanics of digital transformation in dentistry. After 11 years inside one of the industry’s most influential software organisations, Ross has seen thousands of practices scale, stall, and reinvent themselves. This conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on what actually drives performance: data quality, leadership, team engagement, and the right partnerships.

We explore how AI is shifting from hype to measurable operational value, why data hygiene is now a strategic advantage, how cloud PMS ecosystems unlock innovation, and why people and behaviour change remain the hardest part of transformation. This is a practical, grounded and insight rich discussion for forward thinking dental leaders.

Modern dental business transformation:

• Why consistency beats intensity in growth
• The role of culture, team engagement and behavioural standards
• The two core KPIs that underpin every high performing practice
• How poor data hygiene blocks innovation and multiplies operational chaos

AI, automation and the future of workflows:

• Where AI provides real value today inside dental practices
• Why AI cannot fix bad data and why data consistency is now essential
• How to use AI for admin reduction so humans can focus on patients
• The progression from LLMs to full ecosystem automation

Cloud PMS and the new innovation ecosystem:

• Why cloud unlocks integrations that legacy on premise systems cannot
• How to migrate responsibly without disrupting patient trust
• How DSOs can modernise at scale without “open heart surgery”
• The difference between specialised partners and PMS bloat

Leadership and high performing teams:

• Why digital projects fail when humans are not prepared
• How to build a vision and strategy with your team
• The importance of communication, training and shared purpose
• How to eliminate friction by aligning people, workflows and mission

• “Technology is just a tool. What matters is leadership, vision and an engaged team.”
• “AI will touch everything in dentistry. Not next year, but definitely in the next 5 to 10.”
• “Without clean data, AI does nothing but multiply the chaos.”
• “You cannot be the best at everything. Partnerships are the growth engine for the next decade.”

00:00 Intro

02:00 Ross on 11 years inside Henry Schein One

03:20 What really drives practice performance

05:40 Leadership, culture and behavioural standards

06:50 No fluff business transformation

09:40 Data hygiene and AI readiness

10:20 Where AI provides value today

12:30 The future of AI in dentistry

15:20 Data consistency, cloud migration and modernisation

20:10 Digital transformation for larger groups and DSOs

25:00 Why software projects fail

29:30 The 47 percent revenue uplift from integrated systems

32:00 Partnerships, APIs and the new ecosystem

35:00 Quick fire round

39:00 Where to connect with Ross

Ross Drynan

Head of Partnerships, Henry Schein One

Ross has spent more than a decade helping practices modernise through technology, data standardisation and behaviour change. He works across cloud PMS, APIs, integrations and strategic partnerships that enable dental practices to innovate at scale. Connect with Ross on LinkedIn or through the Dentally Community.

• Dentally Community: https://community.dentally.com/
• Henry Schein One UK: https://www.linkedin.com/company/henry-schein-one-uk
• Connect with Ross on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-drynan/
• TechDental Podcast: www.techdental.com
• Contact: [email protected]

If you found this conversation valuable, share it with a dental leader who needs to hear it. Follow the show for weekly deep dives into AI, business intelligence and the future of dental practice performance.

AI in dentistry, dental data analytics, cloud PMS, Henry Schein One, Dentally, digital dentistry, practice growth, dental leadership, dental automation, operational excellence, dental software integrations, dental business intelligence, practice performance KPIs.