When most dentists think about marketing, they think ads, tactics, and new patient numbers. But what if that mindset is exactly what’s holding practices back?

In this episode, hosts Matt Hale and David Lohmann sit down with Jake Dold, Chief Marketing Officer at Apex Dental Partners, to unpack a bigger idea: that everything a practice does is marketing, whether it realizes it or not. From the first Google search to the phone call, the first visit, and years of ongoing care, every touchpoint shapes trust and long-term growth.

They discuss why great marketing starts inside the practice, how small breakdowns quietly cost practices patients, and why no amount of advertising can fix a poor experience. The conversation challenges common assumptions and reframes marketing as a support system, not a volume play.

The dental industry has gotten very good at talking about marketing, but not always at understanding it. This episode challenges the idea that growth comes from spending more and instead looks at why alignment, consistency, and experience matter far more than most practices realize.

What happens when three people look at the dental industry and all see the same problem, yet no one else is fixing it? In our very first episode, founders Matt Hale, David Lohmann, and Layla Lohmann pull back the curtain on the conversations that changed everything.

They share the frustrations they couldn’t ignore, the moment they realized the traditional model was fundamentally broken, and the surprising principles that became the backbone of Apex Dental Partners.

If you have ever wondered why Apex exists, or what sparked a partnership model that many said wouldn’t work, you will hear the origin story exactly as it unfolded. And the turning point that convinced them they had to build something different? You might be surprised.

Listen in and discover the belief that started it all.