Dentistry Made Simple with Dr. Tarun 'TBone' Agarwal

Being the dentist who does everything can come at a cost your production report doesn’t show.

For Dr. Adam Felter, a packed schedule and a successful practice were leaving him exhausted, burned out, and struggling to be present at home. Building something better meant letting go of procedures, trusting other dentists, and challenging the belief that being busy meant winning.

In This Episode

Dr. Tarun “T-Bone” Agarwal sits down with Dr. Adam Felter of Evansville, Indiana, to discuss his transition from comprehensive general dentistry to a clinical focus on full-arch implants.

Adam shares why he nearly walked away from dentistry, how he and his wife, Dr. Ally, restructured their roles, and what it took to stop being the dentist who handled everything.

They explore the financial uncertainty and emotional challenges behind a transition that took roughly two to three years from protecting empty surgery blocks to resisting the urge to fill every opening with familiar work. The conversation also covers associate development, team leadership, and how a narrower clinical focus helped Adam find renewed purpose at work and more energy for his family.

Topics Include:

• The hidden cost of being everything to every patient
• Why a full schedule doesn’t always mean a fulfilling career
• How scarcity thinking keeps dentists stuck
• Letting go of procedures without abandoning patient care
• Creating space before replacement work is guaranteed
• Protecting surgery blocks and resisting old scheduling habits
• Using practice numbers to put slower days in perspective
• Leading a team through changes in the owner’s role
• Developing associates through hands-on mentorship
• Building a career with more room for family life

Timestamps

00:00 – The hidden cost of doing everything
00:42 – Meet Dr. Adam Felter
01:44 – Life as the general dentist who handled it all
07:57 – The toll on his marriage, family, and energy
10:21 – Why “busy equals success” stopped working
12:33 – Burnout and the decision to change
17:33 – The fear of narrowing his clinical focus
20:02 – The first procedures he gave up—and the last
23:28 – Protecting time before replacement work was guaranteed
25:09 – Practice growth and the two-to-three-year transition
27:21 – Doubt, scarcity thinking, and team leadership
33:01 – What he misses about general dentistry
36:01 – Mentorship and how the practice operates today
41:09 – Two clinical days and more time to develop associates
43:46 – Family life today and advice for dentists feeling stuck

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/
Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

Narrowing your clinical focus doesn’t have to mean turning your entire practice into a single-procedure office. For Adam, it meant developing a team that could continue caring for patients while he focused on full-arch treatment.

The transition required time, scheduling discipline, attention to practice performance, and support when doubt crept in. His story offers an honest look at the work behind building a different kind of dental career, not an overnight formula or a guaranteed outcome.

#DentalPracticeGrowth #DentistBurnout #FullArchImplants #DentalPracticeManagement #DentalLeadership #3DDentists

Taking a sleep apnea course is not the same as building a sleep program.

For many dentists, the challenge is turning education into everyday patient conversations, clear workflows, and consistent follow-through. Before giving up on dental sleep medicine, take a closer look at what is actually holding your practice back.

In This Episode

Dr. Tarun “T-Bone” Agarwal sits down with Dr. Erin Elliott and Jason Tierney to discuss why dentists get excited about dental sleep medicine and why so many stop before it becomes an established part of their practice.

They explore the difference between adding sleep treatment to a general practice and building a sleep-only office, debate the role of medical insurance, and explain why appliance selection is not always the biggest implementation hurdle. The conversation also covers patient communication, team ownership, and starting with the patients already in your practice.

• Why dentists lose momentum before their sleep programs gain traction
• The difference between clinical education and practical implementation
• Adding dental sleep medicine without becoming a sleep-only practice
• Fee-for-service treatment versus medical insurance and when billing support may help
• Helping patients understand the value of treatment and their payment options
• Starting with screening and conversations in your existing patient base
• Why communication and patient objections deserve as much attention as appliance selection
• Giving team members ownership of the sleep workflow
• Building momentum through consistent, manageable steps
• Continuing education and community through Sleep Matters and the Transform Dental Sleep Symposium

Timestamps

00:00 – Why dental sleep medicine still gets overlooked
03:50 – Why dentists get interested in sleep—and then give up
08:16 – Chasing trends versus committing to implementation
10:54 – Adding sleep treatment to a general practice
15:53 – Turning education into practical action
20:16 – Medical insurance versus fee-for-service treatment
25:35 – Getting started without overcomplicating the workflow
29:30 – Screening patients and starting the conversation
32:07 – Sleep Matters and developments in dental sleep medicine
35:12 – Why appliances and technology are not the whole solution
38:48 – Team ownership and opportunities within hygiene
41:21 – The Transform Dental Sleep Symposium
46:15 – Final advice: Take small steps and stay consistent

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

Building a dental sleep program takes more than choosing an appliance or attending a course. It takes implementation: a trained team, clear patient conversations, a workable process, and the patience to build momentum. Start with appropriate education and screening, understand your treatment and referral pathways, and develop a program that fits your general practice rather than trying to replicate a sleep-only office.

Your dental practice is busier than ever... but where is the money?

A full schedule can make it feel like everything is going well, even when cash is tight and profit is unclear. Before adding more patients or working more hours, you need to understand what your practice earns, where the money goes, and what is actually yours to keep.

In This Episode

Dr. Tarun “T-Bone” Agarwal and Meredith discuss why dentists can feel financially stretched despite having packed schedules and strong production. They explore the difference between production, collections, cash flow, and business profit—and why looking at your bank balance alone can leave you with an incomplete picture.

T-Bone shares how he separates his compensation as a clinical dentist from his income as a practice owner, organizes overhead into six categories, and uses dedicated bank accounts to manage financial obligations. He also explains why understanding these numbers matters before hiring an associate, reducing clinical days, or deciding to work more.

The focus is on gaining enough visibility to identify what needs attention and make thoughtful business decisions instead of reacting to financial stress.

Main Topics

• Why a busy, full schedule does not necessarily mean a healthy practice
• The difference between production, collections, and true business profit
• Why your bank balance may include money already committed to taxes and other obligations
• Separating your clinical paycheck from your ownership income
• Understanding overhead through six categories: team, cost of goods sold, facility, marketing, operations, and dentists
• Including technology payments, equipment loans, and provider compensation in your cash flow picture
• Organizing revenue into dedicated accounts for operations, taxes and liabilities, savings, and profit
• Evaluating whether your practice can support an associate or fewer clinical days
• Finding financial leaks before trying to solve the problem with more production
• How the 3D Dentists Mastermind combines clinical education, implementation, and business coaching

Timestamps

00:00 – Busy schedule, less money: Are you flying blind?
02:13 – Rising costs and the temptation to work harder
04:47 – Production, collections, and true business profit
07:37 – Why your bank balance can be misleading
09:57 – Two roles, two paychecks: Dentist and practice owner
14:58 – What to understand before adding an associate
16:25 – Making sense of overhead and the six expense categories
21:22 – Overhead targets, technology payments, and equipment loans
24:28 – Cash flow and the problem with one bank account
27:28 – Accounts for operations, taxes, savings, and profit
31:10 – Why you cannot outwork a broken system
35:35 – Turning financial visibility into better decisions
36:41 – Better dentistry, better business, better life

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

You cannot outwork a broken system. Before expanding your schedule or adding another provider, get visibility into what your practice produces, collects, spends, and keeps. Separate your clinical compensation from ownership income, understand your overhead, and give your cash flow a clear structure. The goal is not simply to do more dentistry—it is to build a healthier business and make decisions based on your numbers rather than your stress.

Being comfortable placing implants does not automatically mean you are doing as many cases as you could. A guided digital workflow connects diagnosis, planning, surgery, restoration, and business systems so implants become a routine part of your practice—not a special event.

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith break down the workflow T-Bone uses to simplify implant treatment, reduce unnecessary appointments, involve the team, and build greater confidence, predictability, and profitability.

Main Topics

• Why surgical confidence alone does not translate into more implant cases.
• The guided digital workflow: diagnosis, guide design, surgery, restoration, and implementation.
• Restorative-driven planning and team involvement in creating patient awareness.
• How appointment efficiency, case acceptance, fees, and material costs affect profitability.

In This Episode

• How to assess whether a case fits your current clinical capability and whether the patient is ready to proceed.
• Why team involvement in patient education and preparation helps make implants routine.
• How CBCT data and digital impressions support restorative-driven implant planning.
• Options for outsourcing guide planning, printing guides in-house, and managing costs.
• What T-Bone evaluates before guided surgery, including mouth opening and available tissue.
• Why he takes the final implant impression at placement and uses virtual follow-ups for selected straightforward cases.
• His approach to screw-retained restorations and efficient delivery appointments.
• How fees, financing conversations, codes, and team training support implementation and growth.

Timestamps

00:00 – Why your implant workflow may be holding you back
02:34 – Building confidence, capability, and predictability
05:31 – Diagnosis: clinical fit, patient readiness, and team involvement
11:01 – Digital guides and restorative-driven planning
13:56 – Guided surgery and patient selection
16:16 – Impressions at placement and fewer follow-up visits
19:44 – Screw-retained restorations and efficient delivery
22:39 – The business of implants: fees, codes, and case acceptance
24:14 – Simplifying implant dentistry and overcoming failure to launch

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

Placing the implant is only one step. The bigger opportunity is building a repeatable workflow that connects the final tooth, surgical plan, patient experience, and business systems.

Whether you are getting started or already placing implants, focus on making the entire process more consistent, not just improving the surgery. When the doctor and team understand each step, implant dentistry can become something your practice does regularly and confidently.

Adding implants is not just about buying equipment or learning surgery, it is about building the confidence, workflow, team support, and case-selection skills to keep more treatment in-house. 

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith explain how general dentists can start with predictable cases, use a restorative-driven digital workflow, and grow from one implant a month to consistent weekly cases.

Main Topics

• Why implants are a capability opportunity, not just a new procedure or equipment purchase.
• The essential tools to get started: CBCT access, scanner, implant motor, implant system, and training.
• Restorative-driven treatment planning and the value of a guided digital workflow.
• Case selection, mentorship, team involvement, and the economics of keeping implant cases in-house.

In This Episode

• Why dentists who refer every missing-tooth case out are giving away patients, revenue, and long-term opportunity.
• How to choose an implant system based on support, predictability, and fit for general dentistry—not simply price.
• Why the final restoration should dictate the three-dimensional position of the implant.
• How to build capability through diagnosis, planning, surgery, restoration, and post-case review.
• Why mentors, labs, implant reps, and a dentist community are critical before, during, and after training.
• How to choose safe, straightforward “green-light” cases for the first 10 to 20 implants.
• What a starter investment may include, and why a modest number of cases can justify the cost.
• How to identify implant demand already inside the practice by tracking missing teeth and outgoing referrals.

Timestamps

00:00 – Why dentists should stop giving implant cases away

02:30 – The tools and training needed to get started

05:16 – Equipment does not equal implant capability

06:58 – Restorative planning: the tooth drives implant placement

08:08 – Workflow, mentorship, labs, reps, and community support

10:44 – Who is ready to start placing implants?

18:49 – Choosing the right first five to 10 cases

24:34 – Startup investment, costs, and implant ROI

30:13 – Growing from one implant per month to one per week

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

Implant dentistry is not an all-or-nothing leap. Start with straightforward cases, plan restoratively, use a repeatable guided workflow, and lean on mentors and your team as you build confidence. The goal is not to do every case, it is to consistently deliver the right cases well, then grow from there.

Dental insurance is not automatically the enemy. The bigger problem is often unclear strategy, inconsistent scheduling standards, and making an emotional decision to drop plans before the practice is ready.

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith explain how to make smarter insurance decisions without going cold turkey. They discuss when an owner doctor can go out of network while the practice remains in network, how to evaluate plans using real revenue data, and why waitlists can help create more control over hygiene schedules, cancellations, and patient behavior.

Main Topics

• Why dropping dental insurance should be a strategic, data-driven decision  
• Balancing insurance participation with associate growth and hygiene capacity  
• Taking the owner doctor out of network while keeping the practice in network  
• Evaluating an insurance plan by revenue, fees, patient behavior, and opportunity cost  
• Using waitlists to manage cancellations and limit access to overbooked schedules  
• Prioritizing patients who keep appointments and follow through with treatment  
• Tracking broken appointments and creating clearer scheduling standards  
• Building a gradual plan to reduce dependence on unprofitable insurance plans  

In This Episode

• Why “What problem are you trying to solve?” is the first insurance question to ask  
• How dropping insurance too early can make it harder to fill an associate’s schedule  
• Why associates often need significantly more patient flow than owner doctors  
• A $35,000-per-month insurance plan example that was not ready to be dropped  
• How medical billing and sleep apnea revenue can affect insurance decisions  
• A waitlist framework for last-minute cancellations and repeatedly unreliable patients  
• Why future appointments should go first to patients already committed to the schedule  
• How clinical standards protect the practice from “supervised neglect”  
• Why insurance can support a profitable, high-performing practice when managed strategically  

Timestamps
00:00 – The $35K-per-month insurance plan that was hard to drop 
00:28 – Why insurance is a major coaching conversation right now 
01:55 – Start with the real problem you are trying to solve 
03:02 – Owner out of network, practice still in network 
04:04 – Why associates need more patient flow 
06:47 – Use revenue data, not emotion, to evaluate plans 
10:24 – The waitlist strategy for insurance patients and cancellations 
11:59 – Prioritizing scheduled patients for short-notice openings 
16:46 – Preparing the practice for a future insurance transition 
23:31 – Why insurance is not the enemy 

Resources & Links
3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

Dropping insurance is not a one-size-fits-all decision. Before leaving a plan, get clear on the problem you are trying to solve, review the revenue and patient data, consider your associate and hygiene capacity, and build a phased plan that protects the practice.

Use waitlists, scheduling standards, team training, and stronger patient conversations to create more control over your schedule. Insurance may not be the enemy. A lack of strategy is.

Small steps create a big future.

Complex-care treatment planning is not just about codes and fees. It is about chair time, material costs, financing, patient outcomes, and helping your team make confident decisions.

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith explain how Raleigh Dental Arts approaches discounts and financing for implant and complete-care cases. They share how to evaluate the real cost of treatment, give treatment coordinators appropriate flexibility, and use financing to help more patients move forward without sacrificing the health of the practice.

Main Topics

• Why complex-care financial conversations are different from general dentistry
• Understanding chair time, cost of goods, opportunity cost, and profitability
• Training treatment coordinators to make informed financial decisions
• When discounts may make sense and when they do not
• Why financing can create more accepted treatment and better patient access
• How to balance patient advocacy with building a healthy business
• The difference between presenting procedures and guiding a complete-care conversation
• Creating a financial framework that protects the doctor’s time and the practice’s margins

In This Episode

• Why chair time—not procedure codes—should guide complex-care pricing
• How to calculate flexibility using material costs, lab fees, and opportunity cost
• When multi-implant cases may allow for a discount
• Why financing and discounts should usually be separate options
• A simple way to respond when patients ask for a discount
• How third-party financing can increase case acceptance despite merchant fees
• Why treatment coordinators need visibility into the business side of treatment

Timestamps

00:00 – Implant costs, discounts, and the 90% of $1.5M mindset
05:02 – Meredith’s shift from line-item treatment planning to complete care
07:04 – General dentistry vs. advanced and emotional dentistry
09:40 – Teaching treatment coordinators how to make discount decisions
12:39 – Chair time, extra visits, and opportunity cost
14:46 – Material costs and the economics of multi-implant cases
17:12 – Financing fees and setting boundaries around discounts
18:28 – A practical script for handling discount questions
20:06 – Why financing is still worth offering
23:29 – Applying the framework beyond implants
25:05 – Small steps, big future

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

Healthy practices do not discount blindly, avoid financing out of fear, or make treatment coordinators guess. They understand chair time, cost of goods, opportunity cost, and patient goals, then use that knowledge to create financial options that help more patients move forward while keeping the practice profitable.

Small steps create a big future.

Raleigh Dental Arts is on track for more than $4 million this year, with eight doctor days per week, 14 hygiene days, and a model designed to give T-Bone more freedom to focus on leadership and complex clinical work.

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith share a behind-the-scenes update on the practice: team structure, associates, hygiene, treatment coordination, marketing, the in-house lab, AI systems, and the transition from working full-time clinically to leading as an owner and coach.

They also talk openly about what still needs work, including building provider capacity, adding team support, expanding the lab, and growing high-value implant and cosmetic cases.

Main Topics

• A current behind-the-scenes update from Raleigh Dental Arts
• Building a multi-provider practice without the owner working full-time clinically
• Team structure, hygiene capacity, and treatment coordination
• Associate development and implant mentorship
• In-house lab growth, technology, and AI implementation
• Implant and cosmetic marketing
• Creating more owner freedom without leaving clinical dentistry entirely

In This Episode

• How Raleigh Dental Arts is structured around eight doctor days, 14 hygiene days, and a multi-provider model
• Why T-Bone is shifting toward an owner, CEO, and coach role while remaining focused on complex surgical, implant, cosmetic, and full-mouth cases
• The staffing gaps the practice is solving next, including treatment coordination, assistant support, and full-time lab capacity
• How associates are being developed to diagnose and place implants
• The marketing strategy behind implant and cosmetic growth
• How CEREC, CBCT, digital scanning, milling, printing, and an in-house lab have expanded clinical capabilities
• The AI systems currently being used for phones, scheduling, X-rays, documentation, insurance, smile simulations, and lab design
• How a three-day weekly commitment to the practice creates more freedom for leadership, 3D Dentists, and a more selective clinical schedule

Timestamps

00:00 - Opening banter and Hulk Hogan
03:05 - Why T-Bone can be away while the practice stays open
05:00 - Practice update: growth, providers, hours, and production
09:18 - Moving from clinical owner to owner, CEO, and coach
09:33 - Team structure: admin, hygiene, assistants, and treatment coordination
11:40 - Hiring needs and the next stage of team growth
13:18 - Lean assistant staffing and the overflow-assistant role
16:22 - Services offered and T-Bone’s clinical focus
19:18 - Training associates to diagnose and place implants
21:05 - Implant marketing, local branding, and cosmetic growth
22:48 - Technology that shaped the practice
24:32 - Building the Raleigh Dental Arts in-house lab
25:18 - Scanning, Exocad, printing, milling, and digital workflows
28:18 - Candid orthodontics and service expansion
29:03 - AI systems in the practice
30:17 - Why 3D teaches what is used in real practices
30:53 - Building freedom through leadership and systems
31:27 - Joining the 3D Dentists community

Resources & Links

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Join the free 3D Dentists community: https://pro.3ddentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line

A high-performing dental practice does not have to rely on the owner working clinically five days a week. With the right team, technology, systems, clinical development, and leadership structure, dentists can build more freedom while continuing to provide excellent care.

Traditional consulting can help a dental practice improve, but lasting growth requires more than someone coming in and telling you what to fix.

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith break down the difference between traditional dental consulting and the 3D Dentists Mastermind. Drawing from T-Bone’s experience with multiple consulting programs throughout his career, they explain why today’s practice owners need guidance from people who understand the realities of practicing dentistry, owning a business, leading a team, and adapting to a rapidly changing industry.

They discuss why 3D focuses on a “done with you” approach rather than simply doing the work for the doctor. From self-leadership and team development to peer accountability, advanced clinical skills, business fundamentals, and community, T-Bone explains why sustainable growth happens when doctors learn how to think through problems, make difficult decisions, and build practices that support both clinical excellence and a better life.

Main Topics:
Traditional dental consulting vs. the 3D Dentists Mastermind
Why advice from practicing dentists and practice owners matters
How dentistry and practice ownership have changed in 2026
Choosing a coaching program that matches the practice you actually want to build
Why community and peer accountability accelerate growth
Developing leaders throughout the entire dental team
Why lasting change begins with self-leadership
The difference between “do it yourself,” “done for you,” and “done with you”
Building a business that supports clinical excellence
Balancing profitability with doing the dentistry you actually enjoy
Why understanding practice economics matters more than ever
Who is the best fit for the 3D Dentists Mastermind

In This Episode:
Why T-Bone says every consulting program he joined taught him something, but the results were not always long-lasting
How the challenges facing dentists in 2026 differ from those of previous decades
Why practicing dentists and owners understand pressures that traditional consultants may never experience
How to choose coaching based on the type of dental practice you want to create
Why 3D is designed for doctors who want advanced procedures, technology, multiple providers, and stronger team leadership
How community creates “peer confidence” and helps dentists realize they are not solving problems alone
Why team members benefit from connecting with other assistants, hygienists, treatment coordinators, and leaders
How helping other practices solve problems can make you a stronger leader in your own office
Why accountability becomes more powerful when you see peers accomplishing the same things you are trying to achieve
How T-Bone once hired a consultant specifically because he did not have the confidence to fire a team member himself
Why outsourcing difficult conversations prevents leaders from developing the skills they actually need
The differences between doing everything yourself, paying someone to do it for you, and having someone guide you through it
Why the “done with you” model creates more sustainable decision-making and lasting change
How business training and clinical training have to work together in a modern dental practice
Why many dentists still love dentistry but become burned out by the chaos surrounding it
How better leadership and delegation can create more time for doctors to perform the cases they actually enjoy
Why practices can no longer afford to ignore costs, reports, deductibles, and basic business fundamentals
How understanding cost of goods can completely change the way team members present treatment and discuss fees
Why 3D systems can work across rural practices, large markets, fee-for-service offices, and insurance-driven practices
The three characteristics T-Bone looks for in a dentist who is ready for the Mastermind
Why successful doctors sometimes need disruption, accountability, and support to reach their next level

Timestamps:
00:00 - Coffee, preschool emergencies, and introducing the episode
02:28 - A new tradition: responding to a wild one-star dental review
06:04 - Traditional consulting vs. the 3D Dentists Mastermind
07:05 - Why traditional consulting did not build T-Bone’s current practice
08:44 - The value of learning from someone who has been in your shoes
09:17 - Choosing coaching that matches the practice you want to build
11:43 - Why 3D is a community at its core
14:23 - Community, accountability, and learning from your peers
16:24 - Why everything starts with self-leadership
17:11 - The consultant T-Bone hired to help him fire an employee
18:04 - Three approaches to practice growth
19:27 - Why 3D focuses on a “done with you” model
21:02 - What happens when team members learn from other teams
22:30 - Building the business of clinical excellence
23:28 - Why dentists can love dentistry and still experience burnout
24:31 - Balancing business fundamentals with clinical excellence
25:09 - The economics behind a $90 procedure that costs $85 to perform
26:21 - Why these systems work across different practices and markets
27:29 - Who is the ideal fit for the 3D Dentists Mastermind?
31:17 - What makes 3D different and how to learn more
31:45 - Joining the 3D community and supporting the podcast

Resources & Links:
3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line:
The goal of great coaching is not to make every decision for you. It is to help you become the kind of leader who can make better decisions yourself. When the right guidance is combined with community, accountability, strong team members, clinical excellence, and a willingness to do the work, practice growth becomes more sustainable and dentistry becomes a lot more enjoyable.

The 2026 3D Summit was more than a continuing education event—it was a reminder that the right community, education, and small decisions can create a much bigger future.

In this episode, T-Bone and Meredith look back at the 2026 3D Summit, which took place in Orlando this past March. From standout speakers and clinical insights to team-building moments at Universal and late-night karaoke, they recap the education, connection, and culture that made this year’s event one of 3D’s strongest yet.

They share the lessons attendees can apply inside their own practices, including how to lead through difficult change, empower team members, create a modern patient experience, and build a practice that can grow beyond one doctor. From social media and technology to culture, case acceptance, clinical excellence, and leadership, this episode captures what it means to be serious about winning—without taking yourself too seriously.

Main Topics:

A recap of the 2026 3D Summit, held in Orlando this past March

Why the 2026 summit delivered its strongest education yet

The “small steps, big future” mindset for practice growth

How team support gives leaders confidence to make difficult changes

Building a culture where team members feel included and invested

Using technology and social media to build trust with patients

Avoiding the race to the bottom on pricing

Creating a multi-provider, team-driven practice

Why great events should balance elite education with real connection

What’s ahead for the 2027 3D Summit in Jamaica

In This Episode:

Why small steps taken to solve today’s problems can lead to a much bigger future

How T-Bone’s early decisions to expand his clinical capabilities shaped his career

Why leaders need people around them who will support difficult decisions and transitions

How team members can build trust by telling their leaders, “I’m on your team”

Why practices lose momentum when communication breaks down during transitions

How Dr. Diana used authenticity, technology, and staged treatment planning to inspire attendees

Why showing patients what is possible can help improve case acceptance

How Dr. Craig Bodak built a large, multi-provider practice without remaining the primary clinical provider

Why doctors must create the time and space to lead instead of trying to do everything themselves

How Dr. Grant Olsen uses YouTube and social media to attract patients from outside his market

Why trust, expertise, and reputation matter more than competing on price

How Dr. Payman uses facially generated treatment planning and an in-house lab to improve full-arch workflows

What Dr. Daval Patel’s step-by-step approach to single central incisors teaches about predictability

How Dr. Matt Nad approaches smile design, preparation techniques, and cosmetic dentistry

Why attendees said they felt more included at the summit than at other large CE events

How the 3D community combines high-level education, fun, connection, and accountability

Why the 2027 3D Summit will take place April 15–17 at Sandals Dunn’s River in Jamaica

Timestamps:

00:00 - Recapping the 2026 3D Summit, held in Orlando this past March

02:16 - Why this was 3D’s best year of education yet

03:17 - Sully brings the energy—and suffers an early injury

05:37 - T-Bone’s opening message: Small steps, big future

08:44 - The power of team members stepping up

10:03 - Leading through difficult changes and transitions

11:45 - Dr. Diana’s authentic approach to leadership and full-mouth cases

14:01 - Dr. Craig Bodak on building a multi-provider practice

16:16 - Universal Studios, team connection, and work hard/play harder

20:13 - The VIP Mastermind day: culture, vision, marketing, and leadership

22:17 - Day two begins with Dr. Grant Olsen

23:36 - Using YouTube and social media to attract ideal patients

24:18 - How to avoid competing on price in dentistry

26:10 - Dr. Payman on full-arch treatment planning and practice labs

27:32 - Dr. Daval Patel’s formula for predictable esthetic dentistry

28:52 - Dr. Matt Nad on smile design and cosmetic dentistry

31:16 - Why attendees felt included at the 3D Summit

32:30 - Building a family of people serious about winning

33:19 - Announcing the 2027 3D Summit in Jamaica

Resources & Links:

3D Dentists: https://www.3d-dentists.com/

Connect with T-Bone:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbonespeaks/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbonespeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbonespeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbonespeaks/reels/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbonespeaks

The Bottom Line:

The best practices are not built by one person alone. They are built through small, intentional steps; leaders willing to keep moving forward; team members who are committed to the vision; and a culture that makes people feel supported, included, and motivated to grow.