Operatory Empires

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Dr. Christian May breaks down his transition from associate to practice owner, including how he found the right acquisition, what the financing process actually looked like, and how he handled the first days after closing. He also shares why he chose a fee for service, out of network model, how he’s thinking about patient relationships long term, and what he wishes more young dentists understood about ownership.In this episode, Jackson Scheidhauer and Dr. Christian May discuss the real-world side of practice ownership that rarely gets covered in dental school, from broker conversations and bank approvals to staff transition and setting up systems on day one. Christian also shares why he started preparing for ownership early, why he values DSO experience, and why Google reviews and patient trust matter more than short term production.

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Pat's Marketing Company!

In this episode, I sit down with Pat the Dentist, a dentist, dental marketing operator, and software founder, to talk about what really drives growth in modern dentistry. Pat shares how a frustrating DSO experience pushed him to learn marketing, and why brand, patient reviews, and a strong online presence matter more than flashy ads.We also get into the pressures of corporate dentistry, the risks of taking on complex procedures too soon, and how market saturation and changing patient behavior are reshaping the profession.What we cover

• Pat graduated from dental school in 2019, just before COVID, and saw how quickly the profession changed.
• His experience in a DSO-related role led him to take marketing into his own hands when the promised patient flow didn’t materialize.
• We talk about why some DSO arrangements are better understood as minority partnerships than true ownership.
• Pat explains why dentists should budget for marketing from the beginning—not wait until the practice is struggling.
• We discuss how a strong brand is built through a fast, easy-to-use website, convenient booking, Google reviews, and a consistent online presence.
• Pat explains why dentists don’t need to dance on TikTok: before-and-after photos and patient testimonials can be practical, effective content.
• We discuss how an established reputation can help a practice get more from its advertising.
• We talk about why some practices in heavily insured, blue-collar markets may need to keep certain insurance plans.
• Pat warns about general dentists taking on all-on-X cases without enough training and experience.
• For new graduates, Pat recommends building relationships, developing clinical and business skills, and considering a successful associateship rather than assuming ownership is the only route to success.

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Check Out Smile Partners Here!

Dave Gaspar, CEO of Smile Partners, joins the show to break down what really matters when scaling a dental group to 120 plus practices across seven states. He shares how his background in veterinary medicine shaped his view of the business and clinical sides of care, and why he believes dentistry is less complicated than people make it out to be. The conversation focuses on patient communication, reimbursement, leadership, AI, and why strong dentists need both relationship skills and resilience.

Key topics

• In this episode, Dave Gaspar shares how he moved from veterinary medicine into dentistry and what he learned early about balancing operations with clinical care.
• He explains how scale helps with insurance negotiations, but also why the same friction points still exist whether you're a solo office or a large DSO.
• Dave says the core drivers of success are simple: enough providers, good patient flow, doing the diagnosed dentistry, and collecting properly for services rendered.
• We discuss the biggest business levers for dentists, especially patient communication, appointment reminders, insurance clarity, and clean claims processing.
• Dave argues that dentists should be fairly compensated because they invest years of training, debt, and emotional labor into patient care.
• He describes Smile Partners as a support organization focused on nonclinical services like revenue cycle, IT, marketing, HR, finance, and payroll so doctors can focus on dentistry.
• He emphasizes clinical autonomy, including brand agnostic decisions for products like clear aligners and implants, even when a cheaper vendor might improve margins.
• Dave explains why he does not like forcing doctors to switch products purely for financial reasons, calling that a risk to trust and clinical decision-making.
• We cover the quota conversation and why he sees the real issue as case acceptance and access, not pressuring dentists to diagnose unnecessary treatment.
• Dave outlines how Smile Partners supports associate dentists with equity opportunities and career paths that can expand beyond fillings and crowns.
• He shares the skill framework he uses in hiring and development: IQ, EQ, and AQ, or adversity quotient.
• We discuss AI, including Overjet and the limits of AI receptionists when empathy and human judgment are needed.
• Dave closes by stressing that dentistry is still a human-to-human relationship business built on trust, communication, and the ability to handle adversity.

Timestamps00:00 - Intro to Dave Gaspar and the DSO versus private practice conversation
00:56 - How veterinary medicine led him into dentistry
02:24 - Why scale helps with insurance negotiations, but friction remains
04:24 - The four simple drivers of practice success
07:22 - The biggest business levers: communication, access, and clean claims
09:58 - Why dentists deserve fair compensation for the work they do
11:26 - What Smile Partners does and how it supports doctors
13:34 - Why true clinical autonomy matters in a DSO
14:13 - Clear aligners, vendor choice, and protecting doctor judgment
18:04 - Why DSOs and private practices both come in many shades
19:49 - HR, safety, and systems that support teams
21:03 - Production quotas, case acceptance, and the real numbers problem
24:34 - Expanding access without overloading clinical teams
29:45 - Handling toxic team members with skill, will, and mission fit
32:35 - Hiring through IQ, EQ, and AQ
35:09 - Preparing for hard days and unexpected adversity
38:30 - How partnerships and equity options work
43:53 - Why Smile Partners is designed as a career-long partner
47:28 - Letting prospective doctors talk to current doctors
49:37 - How Smile Partners is using AI with a focus on friction reduction
51:46 - Why AI receptionists still struggle with empathy
56:26 - AI should automate repetition, not relationships
60:57 - Where Smile Partners operates and how to connect

Alan's number: 262-389-0532

Alan's Instagram: @newyorkdentalconsultant

In this episode, I speak with Alan Withall, a senior field sales consultant at Henry Schein who helps dentists plan startups, equipment, and build-outs across the New York City tri-state area and beyond. They break down what it actually takes to launch a dental practice, from financing and site selection to equipment, construction, and marketing.In this episode, they focus on the practical side of starting a practice in 2026 or 2027, including why startups are becoming more common, how many operatories to plan for, and what costs dentists often underestimate.

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Try Enamelogic 1 week free!

In this episode, I speak with Jon Rat, founder and CEO of Archy, about how technology and AI are changing the way dental practices operate.We discuss why Jon built Archy after seeing his wife struggle with outdated dental software, and how the platform is helping practices manage scheduling, charting, treatment planning, claims, revenue cycle management, x-rays, and reporting in one place. Jon explains why building dental software is difficult: every practice has different workflows, expectations, and priorities. We also talk about Archy's philosophy of building for the dentistry of today and tomorrow—not recreating paper-based systems and outdated processes.

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Check Out AiroDental!

Try Enamelogic for 1 week free!

Dr. Deren Flescher shares the path that took him from new graduate to DSO associate, startup practice owner, software founder, and now builder of AiroDental. We discuss how he evaluated his first jobs, why he chose a startup over an acquisition, what he learned from multiple practice models, and why he believes AI and automation will become standard in dentistry sooner than most people expect.

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Join the List for Dental Ownership Collective

In this episode, I interview Justin Clements, who brings more than a decade of experience across corporate dentistry, private practice growth, operations, strategy, and practice marketing. The conversation focuses on what changes as a dental practice grows, which systems matter most, and how dentists can build stronger businesses without losing the patient relationship.They also dig into ownership, AR, hygiene, patient experience, and the biggest traits shared by the most successful dentists.

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Try Enamelogic for 7 Days Free!

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kevin Khodadadi, a recent dental school grad who has already started 8 practices and is building them through startups. Kevin breaks down the real-world business side of dentistry, from office design and staffing to insurance, marketing, and how AI is reshaping what a modern group practice can look like.This conversation is especially useful for new grads and future owners who want a practical view of what it takes to launch and scale without waiting years to “be ready.”

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Try Enamelogic for 7 Days Free!

This episode focuses on one of the biggest gaps in dental school - how to communicate so patients actually feel heard, informed, and confident moving forward. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Andrew (@drdrewdrills) about practical ways dentists can improve trust, reduce anxiety, and present treatment without sounding salesy. Dr. Andrew shares how communication changed his practice, why he thinks case acceptance is really about case enthusiasm, and how tactics from Chris Voss’s Never Split the Difference can be adapted for dentistry.

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Get a Free Consultation With Marshall Here!

In this episode, I talk with Marshall Strisik Esq., a healthcare lawyer and head of Dental Contracts Pro, about the contract traps dentists run into at every stage of their careers. The conversation focuses on associate agreements, partnership buy-ins, DSO equity, and practice acquisitions. If you are a dental student, new grad, or owner thinking about a transition, this is a practical breakdown of what to look for before signing.

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