For many dental professionals, 2025 was the year of survival. And, thriving in 2026 is going to take a complete shift on every front - leadership, technology adoption and strategy. In the latest episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker starts the new year by sitting down with Brian Colao, Director of the DSO Industry Group at Dykema, for a candid retrospective on 2025's "muted recovery" and what's really coming next.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How tariff unpredictability (not rate cuts) derailed M&A momentum
• Why same-store growth requires the "Education, Integration, Implementation, Adaptation" obstacle course
• The "anatomy of a failing DSO" checklist
• How to filter AI noise from genuine innovation
• Why fear (not economics) is holding back turnarounds
• What 2026 actually looks like for DSOs

Tune in for actionable strategies to position your organization for the growth that 2026 promises to bring.

Episode Highlights:

08:20 How Tariff Chaos Killed M&A Momentum in 2025
Brian emphasizes that the unprecedented nature of 2025's tariff announcements (fluctuating between 50%, 100%, then canceled, then restarted) forced CFOs to abandon traditional forecasting and budget with massive margin-of-error buffers, instead. In a normal environment, CFOs forecast quarterly expenses with 1-3% variance; in 2025, they had to allow 15-25% swings just to account for tariff uncertainty. For DSO leadership teams making capital investment and M&A decisions, this unpredictability created a paralyzing effect because you cannot justify acquiring another practice or upgrading technology when your cost structure is a moving target. One practical step to help solve this: until policy stabilizes, focus M&A only on deals where synergies are so strong that tariff swings won't break the economic model, meaning high integration potential, immediate overhead reductions or specialty revenue that offsets supply costs. This is why 2025 saw far fewer deals than 2021-2024, and why deal quality matters more than deal velocity going forward.

13:16 The Education-Integration-Implementation-Adaptation Framework for Growth 
Brian reveals that most DSO groups attempting to drive same-store growth fail because they skip critical steps in the implementation journey. Only about 30-40% of organizations successfully navigate the full cycle of educating staff, integrating tools with their PMS system, rolling out implementations across multiple locations and achieving lasting adaptation. For DSO leaders focused on operational excellence and sustainable growth, this framework is essential because skipping even one step, like proper staff education or PMS integration, causes initiatives to stall mid-execution. The key is treating this like an obstacle course where you must pass each gate sequentially; falter at education and your dentists won't use the tool, falter at integration and your staff faces friction, falter at implementation planning and adoption across dozens of offices becomes impossible. 
24:47 Overhead and Revenue Cycle Management: Why DSOs Fail 
Brian draws from years of consulting experience to reveal that 75% of struggling DSO organizations share two primary problems: bloated overhead and broken revenue cycle management (RCM). Most leaders focus on blaming same-store growth tools or market conditions, but the real issues are internal - too many managers, too many administrators, and too much money sitting in accounts receivable. For DSO executives tasked with turning around underperforming groups, this insight cuts through the noise and gives you a diagnostic starting point: before investing in new technology or chasing every growth opportunity, audit your overhead and RCM processes ruthlessly. The key action is to stop chasing ten different improvements at once; instead, laser-focus on cutting overhead by 10-15% and improving collections velocity by 5-10 days. 
38:51 Fear Is the Enemy: Separating the Winners from Survivors
Brian reveals that the organizations pulling ahead in 2025 were willing to accept short-term EBITDA dips to invest in systems, training, and technology - even when the market was uncertain and everyone else was freezing. This "one step back, two steps forward" mentality is counterintuitive; most groups stayed paralyzed, afraid that spending money during downturns would worsen their position. For DSO leaders navigating margin pressure and uncertainty, this distinction is critical: fear-driven organizations avoid all investment and drift sideways, while confident organizations invest selectively and come out stronger. 

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Practice integration, patient convenience and automation are all set to take over the dental landscape in 2026 (among other big trends) and we’re unpacking it all in the last episode of The Dental Economist Show of the year! Tune in as host, Mike Huffaker, brings back some of the show’s biggest hits, courtesy Eric Pastan, Mariz Tanious, Jeremy Livengood and Tobi Bosede.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to leverage AI for cleaner data insights without overwhelming your team
• Why integration and enterprise-wide visibility matter more than EBITDA alone, from an acquisition standpoint
• The automation framework for solo and small practices
• How to roll out clinical AI adoption strategically - always communicate the "why", not just the “how”
• The culture-first DSO model as a competitive advantage
• How continuous learning across clinical, business, and people management disciplines keeps you ahead

Join us in saying “goodbye” to 2025 and “bring it on” to 2026! 

Episode Highlights:
00:54 How Clean Data Drives Clinical Wins Eric Pastan emphasizes that AI's real superpower isn't replacing dentists - it's cleaning up messy data that's currently scattered across spreadsheets and disconnected systems. For growth-minded dental leaders, this matters because systematic data pulls unlock insights that directly improve both clinical outcomes and operational efficiency. The worst thing that can happen is information overload without actionable intelligence. If you find yourself in this position, Eric suggests that you start by auditing your current data sources (practice management systems, clinical notes, patient records) to identify gaps and inconsistencies you're managing manually. When you turn "dirty data" into clean intelligence, you gain a competitive edge that drives better decisions at every level of your business.
02:25 How Automation Levels the Playing FieldMariz Tanious reveals that game-changing automation tools like 32 Health (AI-powered credentialing) and The Dental App (PMS with built-in CRM and AI consultant) are eliminating the resource gap between solo practices and large DSOs. This is valuable because solo practitioners and small groups no longer need a full leadership team to compete on marketing, operations, and compliance. Previously, solo dentists couldn't afford dedicated marketing managers, compliance officers, or business development specialists - they were simply outgunned. Now, cloud-based platforms with embedded AI consultants handle routine tasks and provide guidance, allowing a two-person office to operate with the sophistication of a twenty-person team. This democratization of tools means your competitive advantage now comes from execution and culture, not just size.
05:40 Culture-First Strategy: The Real Differentiator in a Consolidating MarketTobi Bosede identifies that as private practice continues to decline, the DSO that wins is the one delivering a private practice experience - not just operational efficiency. For dental leaders managing growth, this insight shifts the entire conversation from "How do we extract more EBITDA?" to "How do we attract and retain great dentists and team members?". The challenge is that most DSOs chase standardization and cost-cutting, which alienates the independent-minded practitioners they're trying to recruit. Instead, Tobi recommends positioning your group as a practice with autonomy, peer relationships and shared mission - not a corporate machine. By prioritizing culture and autonomy within a scalable structure, you build loyalty that outlasts margin optimization.
08:43 Integration and Enterprise Vision: What Buyers Actually WantEric Pastan shifts the conversation away from chasing EBITDA in isolation to building what he calls a “beautiful business” - one with unified systems, enterprise-wide KPIs and a clear growth plan. This matters because modern buyers (both financial and strategic) are sophisticated enough to recognize that disconnected practices simply mashed together aren't a scalable platform. The mistake many operators make is assuming acquisition readiness equals profitability, when buyers are actually looking for infrastructure and management systems that enable continued growth post-deal. Your action step: conduct an integration audit - map your technology stack, financials tracking and KPI visibility across all locations to identify what needs unification before you're acquisition-ready. When you think like an acquirer about your own business, you build something genuinely scalable - and that attracts better capital partners.
12:07 Why Change Management Trumps Technology: Say “Why” Not “How”Tobi Bosede shares a hard-won lesson: rolling out clinical AI tools without explaining the "why" to your team guarantees resistance - not because the tech is bad, but because it feels like more work. For dental leaders implementing innovations, this is critical because adoption failure isn't usually a technology problem; it's a communication and trust problem. The trap is launching shiny tools and expecting teams to figure out the benefit on their own. Instead, Tobi recommends starting small and consistently reinforcing how each change makes their jobs easier, not harder. This approach teaches us that technology adoption is fundamentally about change management and your investment in communication and training often matters more than the tool itself.
10:37 Continuous Learning Across DisciplinesMariz Tanious lays out a multi-threaded learning approach - vendor education, dental journals, peer environments and non-dental leadership books like “Surrounded by Idiots” - that keeps leaders ahead of the curve. This is important because dental excellence is necessary but not sufficient; competitive advantage comes from understanding behavioral psychology, people management and business strategy alongside clinical knowledge. The gap most practitioners have is they optimize their clinical skills while treating business acumen as secondary. Your move: build a structured learning routine that spans four areas: clinical (journals), operational (vendor training), interpersonal (psychology/leadership books) and peer learning (network conversations). When you compound learning across disciplines, you develop judgment and adaptability that no single credential can provide. That's what separates operators from leaders.

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

As the year in dentistry comes to a close, there’s A LOT to unpack. Join us for a retrospective on the latest episode of The Dental Economist Show as host, Mike Huffaker reflects on some of the most thought-provoking insights, opinions and predictions we’ve witnessed on the series this year, courtesy industry experts Tom Barberio, Ryan Mingus, Greg White and Jill Nesbitt.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to shift your mindset on dental IT from cost center to revenue enabler by investing in specialists
• Why automation in revenue cycle management is the immediate game-changer that will reduce team burnout and directly improve cash flow
• The framework for building your practice to be "sale-ready" regardless of whether you ever sell
• How to define and operationalize great culture beyond buzzwords
• How aesthetics drive revenue while improving long-term oral health
• The critical difference between vendor partnerships and internal advocacy

Tune in for the perfect snapshot of the year gone by (in dentistry) to head into 2026 with. 
Episode Highlights:
00:47 Technology Isn’t a Cost Center; It’s a Growth EnablerTom Barberio explains how the dental industry has shifted its perspective on technology from a necessary expense to a competitive advantage that drives patient acquisition and operational efficiency. This mindset change is critical for practice leaders because it directly impacts how you allocate resources and prioritize innovation investments in your business. The key step is to build IT infrastructure and expertise around clinical tools - practice management systems, digital radiography, and automation - rather than just fixing hardware problems. By adopting this enabler mindset, you're positioning your practice to compete effectively in an increasingly tech-driven dental landscape.
03:30 Aesthetics as a Gateway to Comprehensive Oral HealthGreg White notes that people consistently invest in appearance and dental aesthetics can serve as the entry point for comprehensive health improvements with 40-50% projected spending growth over the next decade. This is strategically important because aesthetics-driven demand creates both revenue opportunity and a genuine pathway to improve overall patient health outcomes simultaneously. The practical step is to reframe your cosmetic services not as "luxury" but as integrated health solutions that improve oral function, periodontal health, and patient confidence. Essentially, embracing aesthetics as a legitimate business and clinical lever, allows you to tap into genuine patient demand while improving their long-term health outcomes.
04:59 AI Implementation to Reclaim Time, Improve Cash Flow and Reduce Burnout Jill Nesbitt identifies various areas in which AI is transforming dated dental management practices - revenue cycle automation, insurance coverage, scheduling and more. This matters to your bottom line because team burnout from manual collection work directly correlates with higher turnover and lower productivity. The immediate step is to implement "set and forget" automated communication systems that send statements, payment reminders, and follow-ups without manual intervention. By leveraging automation in the revenue cycle, you're not just improving cash flow, you're protecting your team's morale and creating bandwidth for higher-value clinical work.
07:57 Build Your Business to Sell Regardless of Exit PlansRyan Mingus shares a foundational principle: structure your practice operations as if you're preparing to sell it, whether or not you ever intend to. This framework matters because the systems and habits you build today directly impact both your current profitability and your future valuation, creating a win-win scenario for present and future gains. Many practice owners optimize for short-term cash extraction, which ironically undermines long-term value creation and makes their businesses harder to scale or sell. The actionable step is to focus on three high-leverage areas: implementing AI-driven clinical tools for better case acceptance, adding higher-margin service lines like implants or orthodontics, and automating processes that don't require your direct involvement. 
09:15 Build Culture on Accountability, Not BlameGreg White defines great culture as a shared commitment to accountability, zero blame, zero complaining and zero procrastination - where every team member holds themselves to high standards. This cultural framework is essential because it directly impacts staff retention, clinical quality and your ability to implement new systems without resistance or burnout. The key step is to establish clear goals, communicate expectations transparently and create safe spaces for conflict resolution that don't leave "residue" or resentment. When your team operates from internal accountability rather than external punishment, they become self-motivated problem-solvers who drive business growth without constant supervision.
10:41 Position Implementation Specialists as Your Internal AdvocatesMike explains how working directly for your practice, rather than a software vendor, creates undivided allegiance and the bandwidth to bridge gaps between leadership goals and vendor capabilities that vendors alone can't fill. This matters because software implementation success depends on advocacy from someone inside your organization who understands your challenges and can push back constructively with vendors. The key step is to hire or contract with implementation specialists who are directly accountable to you, giving them skin in your success while maintaining collaborative relationships with software partners. By securing direct advocacy for your implementation journey, you dramatically increase adoption rates, reduce staff friction and maximize ROI on your technology investments.

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

What if building genuine trust and boldness in how you connect with your patients is the main key to growing your dental practice? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Fred Joyal, Co-Founder of 1-800-Dentists and author of “Superbold”, to explore why patient anxiety could be your biggest opportunity, how to build a team culture that sells dentistry naturally and the counterintuitive strategies DSOs are getting right and wrong. 

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to diagnose the real patient problem behind declining case acceptance
• The three-step conversation framework that can turn strangers into raving fans of your business
• Why boldness is a learnable skill, not an innate trait, and doesn’t always equate to confidence
• The boldness principle that separates successful entrepreneurs from dreamers
• How to reframe regret as your North Star for decision-making
• Why DSOs get convenience right but often miss the trust equation

Tune in for decades of proven insights on creating remarkable patient experiences and the bold mindset shifts that separate thriving practices from the rest.

Episode Highlights:
04:23 Why Patient Anxiety is a Hidden Growth OpportunityFred reveals that people experience as much anxiety about finding and choosing a dentist as they do about the actual visit itself. This insight matters because practitioners often focus solely on clinical excellence while overlooking the emotional barrier preventing patients from booking appointments in the first place. So, the key, as Fred suggests, is to train your entire team (especially front-desk staff) to be a "sympathetic voice" that reassures patients they're making the right choice, just as 1-800 Dentists did with live operators. When a patient feels genuinely cared for during their first contact, case acceptance naturally increases because they've already decided to trust you before sitting in the chair. By solving the "finding a dentist" problem, you unlock exponential growth in new patient acquisition and treatment acceptance.
17:38 Trust and Perceived Value > Information Every TimeFred emphasizes that trustworthiness and the patient's perception of dentistry's value are the two pillars of practice success - not information, blogs, or extensive patient education. This matters because many practitioners default to over-educating patients, believing that more information equals better case acceptance, when the opposite is often true. The solution is to stop worrying about being the most knowledgeable and start focusing on being the most trustworthy - show genuine care, consistency, and alignment between what you say and do. 
22:32 Building Boldness Through Manageable DiscomfortFred suggests that boldness is a learnable skill, not an innate trait, and it builds exactly like a physical muscle - through progressive, daily discomfort that stays within your tolerance level. This insight matters because many practitioners feel stuck by self-doubt or fear of rejection, whether it's asking for referrals, networking or even having difficult conversations with team members. Fred's tiered approach starts simple: smile at five people daily, then talk to five strangers daily, then ask deeper questions in conversations. A real-world application for a practice owner is to deliberately do one uncomfortable thing each day related to business growth. When you build this muscle consistently, the bigger opportunities that require boldness become manageable because you've already trained your nervous system to handle discomfort.
37:21 How the Regret Economy Drives Away InactionFred's core philosophy is that trying and failing feels infinitely better than not trying at all, because regret, the classic "I should have done that", is the real failure that compounds over time. This matters because most practitioners have brilliant ideas for practice growth, but never execute them due to fear of failure or perfectionism. The challenge is that inaction feels safer in the moment but creates deep regret later, whereas bold attempts, even failed ones, provide information and keep you moving forward. The practical tool is to ask yourself before making a decision: "Which will I regret more - trying and failing, or never trying?" This framework transforms hesitation into action and ensures you're building a practice and career by your design, not by default.


The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

What does it take to build the world’s most luxe dental clinic? Hustle, a killer personal brand and Manrina Rhode’s unbeatable strategies. In the latest episode of The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker, Manrina, founder and CEO of DRMR Clinic in London's Knightsbridge, opens up her playbook on building a global luxury dental brand while mastering business fundamentals and growing personally, too. 

What You’ll Learn: 

• How and why you should leverage your personal brand even before your business exists 
• Why the first six months of business ownership will demand everything you have
• The framework for building clinic culture that attracts and retains your ideal team 
• How to position yourself as a luxury brand without sacrificing authenticity 
• Why social media remains massively underutilized in dentistry and how AI search changes everything
• The business reality behind opening a practice nobody warns you about

Tune in for candid, unfiltered insights on building a professional and personal brand like no other. 

Episode Highlights:
02:01 Build Your Personal Brand Even Before Your Business is Ready
Dr. Manrina Rhode started posting on Instagram in 2011, years before opening DRMR Clinic, sharing glimpses of her life, work, and aesthetic passion organically. What initially seemed like personal content eventually became the foundation for attracting global patients and building trust before they ever walked through her clinic doors. For dental practitioners looking to scale, this insight flips the traditional business timeline: your personal brand becomes your most powerful marketing asset when built authentically over time. So, by the time you're ready to launch a practice or expand your services, you'll have an engaged community that already believes in your expertise. Remember, social media shouldn’t be a reactive marketing tool, but a proactive patient acquisition engine. 
09:22 The Real Cost of Business Ownership
Dr. Manrina worked three days a week for a decade - traveling monthly, lecturing globally, and maintaining a life outside the clinic - before opening DRMR at age 40, despite friends repeatedly warning her about the reality of business ownership. When she finally opened her clinic, she worked seven days a week for the first six months, sleeping only when absolutely necessary and even lucid-dreaming about problems that needed solving. The hidden cost of entrepreneurship isn't just financial; it's the complete restructuring of your lifestyle and mental bandwidth that no clinical training prepares you for. So, she urges anyone with a dream - before pursuing business ownership, honestly evaluate whether the trade-offs align with your definition of success, because the initial launch phase demands a level of sacrifice that traditional associate positions never require. 
12:56 The Compounding Benefit of Social Media 
Dr. Manrina's Instagram following of 44,000+ and patient referrals from ChatGPT recommendations didn't happen overnight; they're the result of posting consistently since 2011, long before she had a business model or clinic to promote. Every ten posts sharing her clinical work generated five new patient inquiries, proving that organic consistency eventually attracts the right audience and positions you as an authority. For dental practices struggling to see ROI from social media, the issue isn't the platform, it's the expectation of immediate returns rather than compound growth. She encourages practitioners to commit to posting three to five times weekly with genuine, behind-the-scenes content that educates your audience about your clinical process, not polished marketing speak.
19:05 Hire for Mindset Alignment, Not Just Clinical Skills
Dr. Manrina's clinic culture thrives because she explicitly hires for a service-oriented mindset and includes camera-ready expectations in employment contracts, ensuring team members share her commitment to exceptional patient experiences. She prioritizes work-life balance and trust over rigid control, treating team members like partners who understand the brand vision and only ask for time off when it truly matters. The difference between a high-performing clinic and a struggling one often comes down to whether leadership can align team members around shared values rather than managing through policies and procedures. When building your team, invest time in identifying people who innately want to serve clients at the highest level and who genuinely believe in your vision, because those individuals require less management and inspire better patient outcomes. 
26:39 Why Most Dentists Don't Understand Social Media
Dr. Manrina identifies a critical divide in the dental industry: the vast majority of practitioners either consume social media passively without posting, or they post without paying attention to broader trends and what competitors are doing. This "poster-only" mindset protects her mental health and allows her to stay focused on her message rather than getting distracted by comparison or algorithm anxiety. For dental practitioners, the lesson is that consistency and focus matter more than optimization anxiety. So, pick a posting schedule you can sustain, commit to it and don't let scrolling through other practices' content derail your own content strategy. Start with one platform, master it, and expand only after you've built a sustainable system that doesn't consume your time. The practitioners winning at social media are those who understand their brand message clearly and communicate it repeatedly, rather than those constantly chasing the latest trends or comparing themselves to others. If social media is affecting your mental health, you're probably watching too much and posting too little—flip that ratio.

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

When a DSO legend like Pat Bauer, President and CEO of Heartland Dental, tells you to lead with kindness, you listen. In the 100th episode of The Dental Economist Show, Mike Huffaker and Pat explore Pat’s incredible journey from working at a gas station to building a DSO behemoth, the power of kindness, building sustainable organizational culture, maintaining clinical autonomy at scale and the power of consistent personal development.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How growing up in a family of 16 shaped Pat's work ethic and leadership philosophy
• Why maintaining consistent values is crucial when scaling from 8 practices to 1,900+
• The "Be Nice" principle and how it shapes organizational culture at every level
• How to effectively introduce new technology while preserving clinical autonomy
• Why measuring and managing key metrics like case acceptance drives practice improvement
• The importance of personal discipline and daily routines in leadership development
• How to balance growth with maintaining doctor autonomy and clinical excellence
• The power of transparent feedback in developing stronger leaders and teams

As it turns out, being "nice" might be the most powerful business strategy of all.

Episode Highlights:
02:28 The Three Pillars of Professional Success Pat shares that every job requires mastering three key elements: technical skills, commitment/work ethic, and leadership personality. For dental organizations, understanding these pillars helps identify areas where team members need development and support. While many professionals focus solely on technical abilities, neglecting the equally crucial aspects of work ethic and leadership capabilities, the key lies in creating systems to develop all three areas simultaneously through mentorship, feedback, and structured growth opportunities. At Heartland Dental, this framework guides their approach to professional development at all levels, from new hires to seasoned leaders.
19:17 Building a Culture of Clinical AutonomyPat emphasizes that successful dental organizations must prioritize doctor autonomy while providing robust support systems. Rather than dictating clinical decisions, leaders should ask questions and truly listen to understand doctors' goals and treatment philosophies. This approach allows organizations to maintain high standards while respecting each doctor's individual approach to patient care, helping doctors achieve their stated objectives rather than imposing standardized protocols. Pat suggests that organizations that master this balance create an environment where both doctors and patients thrive.
25:20 The "Be Nice" Rule Patrick shares Heartland's foundational rule that "if you're not nice, you can't work here" - but clarifies that being "nice" means being honest and giving direct feedback respectfully. This principle helps create psychological safety while maintaining high standards of behavior and performance, while acknowledging that toxic behavior, even from top producers, ultimately damages culture and results. Leaders must model this balance of kindness and candor, showing it's possible to have difficult conversations while treating people with dignity.
42:52 A Successful Leader’s Morning RoutinePat details his disciplined morning routine combining physical exercise, spiritual reflection and leadership development work. He starts at 5:15 AM with an hour of exercise, followed by an hour of prayer and leadership homework where he analyzes good versus poor leadership behaviors. This structured approach ensures consistent focus on personal growth and maintaining the energy needed for executive leadership, demonstrating how disciplined habits compound over time to build stronger leaders. For growing organizations, having leaders who prioritize their own development creates a culture of continuous improvement.

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In today’s ever-evolving dental landscape, it can be hard to put a finger on one’s real competitive advantage. In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Stephenie Goddard, CEO of Glidewell Dental, to explore how to build a thriving culture in a rapidly evolving industry, why curiosity and humility matter more than you think and the strategic moves that transform labs and practices into innovation leaders.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to reframe technology adoption as opportunity, not threat
• Ways in which innovation creates new roles, when communicated effectively.
• Why lateral moves and curiosity matter more than climbing the ladder
• The importance of strategic skill-building across departments in scaling businesses
• The culture-first leadership principle that protects your organization
• How to motivate beyond titles when promotion bandwidth is limited
• Why AI-generated crowns represent the future of predictable, high-quality dentistry
• The three-part growth strategy for scaling mature companies

This episode is a play-by-play of understanding and leveraging your dental business’ true competitive advantage. 

Episode Highlights:
06:45 Scale Through Technology, Not LayoffsStephenie shares how Glidewell scaled from 1,000 to 5,000 employees while automating away Bunsen burners, proving that AI and technology create opportunity rather than eliminate jobs when communicated strategically. For business leaders navigating digital transformation, this insight directly addresses the anxiety many team members feel about automation threatening their roles. The challenge most organizations face is announcing tech changes without a plan to reskill and redeploy people into higher-value work. Stephenie's approach includes tier-based leadership development programs, free LinkedIn Learning access for skill-building, and clear messaging showing how each technology transition historically created new roles. 
10:06 The Advantage of Lateral MovesStephenie emphasizes that career growth isn't always about the next promotion. Sometimes taking a strategic step sideways exposes you to new business functions and builds the holistic understanding needed for true leadership. In the dental business, leaders often get stuck in silos (clinical, operational, financial), missing the cross-functional perspective that drives smarter decisions at scale. This approach transforms your organization's succession pipeline from title-focused to capability-focused, producing leaders who can actually navigate the complexity of modern dental enterprises.
15:22 Build Culture Through Daily Action, Not Posters Stephenie clarifies a critical distinction: company values on mugs and walls mean nothing if your actions contradict them every single day. For dental practice owners and lab leaders, culture is your competitive moat in a commoditizing market, yet most organizations treat it as a one-time initiative rather than a living practice. The real work happens in how you handle tough employee conversations, whether you admit gaps in your own knowledge, and how you treat someone who's shown up late 30 days in a row (curiosity about what's happening in their life, not immediate discipline). 
20:33 Recognition Has to Be Beyond Titles Stephenie confronts the title-inflation problem head-on: the past seven years created unrealistic expectations for promotion velocity, and most leaders now lack the organizational structure to meet those demands, so they avoid the conversation entirely. In dental practices and labs facing this tension, retention suffers because good people feel invisible despite doing solid work. Stephenie's solution moves recognition away from titles alone toward personalized rewards: sending high-performers to transformational leadership conferences (Center for Creative Leadership), AWS training for AI enthusiasts, spot bonuses, gift certificates to nice restaurants, or simply offering a half-day off with genuine appreciation. The key is understanding individual motivation - some crave public recognition, others are mortified by it; some respond to money, others to development opportunities or time. By having explicit conversations about career paths and demonstrating multiple ways to feel valued and progressing, you retain talented people who might otherwise leave for a fancier title elsewhere. This approach costs far less than replacing good people and builds loyalty that titles alone never will.
25:47 The Real ROI Dentists Should Care AboutStephenie explains that Glidewell published the first peer-reviewed paper on AI producing a physical product (a crown) and for dentists and practice leaders evaluating AI-powered lab systems, this clarity matters. The innovation isn't about looking flashy, it's about increasing the likelihood your restoration fits perfectly on the first delivery, reducing rework and patient frustration. When you understand AI's real job in dentistry - raising the floor on consistency rather than replacing the art - you can confidently recommend advanced labs to your team and confidently trust their output. This shifts the conversation from "fancy technology" to "how do we deliver better patient outcomes consistently?"

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Dental’s in flight mode when it comes to AI and it needs to step into embrace mode. In the  latest episode of The Dental Economist Show, we explore why and how. Tune in as host Mike Huffaker sits down with Nathan James, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Product Design at Planet DDS, to explore the intersection of AI innovation, product strategy, and dental practice management. 

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to distinguish between exploration and implementation when adopting AI tools
• Why dental technology lags behind other industries and why that's actually an opportunity
• The critical difference between LLMs, Generative AI, and AI Agents and why it matters for your practice
• How to vet AI vendors before committing your practice's data and dollars
• The scheduling agent framework that could revolutionize your practice's revenue cycle
• Why RCM is the highest-leverage opportunity for DSO margin expansion in the next two years
• How to build customer-centric product strategy that actually moves the needle
• The product manager's role as organizational connective tissue in any practice or business

This episode is sure to inject some much-needed curiosity and vigor into your approach to dental to tech.
Episode Highlights:
11:33 AI Adoption: Explore First, Scale LaterNathan James emphasizes that adopting AI tools requires two distinct phases: discovery-and-exploration first, then adoption-and-scale, and rushing between them is where most practices stumble. During the exploration phase, you should experiment with everything available (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Perplexity) to understand what's possible without committing long-term contracts. The critical mistake dental leaders make is signing three-year deals with exciting new tools before validating whether they actually solve your practice's pain points or integrate with your existing tech stack. Start by identifying early wins through experimentation, then only after proving ROI should you begin iterative rollouts into your core systems. 
17:11 The Pros of Purpose-Built AI Agents While commercial LLMs like ChatGPT can hallucinate because they're trained on massive, unfiltered datasets, AI agents built for dental practices work entirely differently. They access only your practice's specific patient data and business rules through APIs. Nathan's scheduling agent example illustrates this perfectly: you tell it your constraints (hygiene appointments only on Mondays, crowns clustered Thursday afternoons), and it analyzes your actual patient database, not the internet, to rank and contact the most likely-to-show patients via voice, text, and email. This data partitioning approach delivers accuracy because the system has zero access to irrelevant information; it's solving one specific problem with one specific dataset. 
20:53 How to Vet AI Vendors for SecurityJust as hackers once exploited SQL injection vulnerabilities in databases, they can now manipulate AI agents through "prompt injection"- cleverly phrased responses designed to trick the system into revealing patient PHI or violating HIPAA compliance. Nathan stresses that legitimate AI vendors build multiple layers of data partitioning: the agent never has access to sensitive patient details until the caller proves their identity through configurable verification (date of birth, name, insurance number). When evaluating an AI company, don't just ask "Is this cool?"—investigate their management team, financial backing, and ten-year burn rate like you would a practice acquisition.
24:47 Customer Centricity Starts with Customer Advisory Boards of "Mavens"Nathan's approach to product strategy is radically customer-centric: Planet DDS launched seven customer advisory boards populated by "mavens" - early adopters who evangelize solutions to peers - meeting quarterly to review roadmaps and monthly for iterative progress on features. The genius is that instead of product teams guessing which feature matters most (Feature A versus Feature B), they ask the customers directly: "Will this actually deliver the value we think it will, or are we solving the wrong problem?" These boards surface the consistent pain point across all DSOs - revenue squeeze and EBITDA pressure - which becomes the North Star for prioritization. By embedding customers into the product development process rather than just collecting surveys, you gain business context that no internal team can replicate, ensuring every release directly addresses real financial or operational pain rather than shiny features nobody needs.
28:43 Unpacking the Prioritization FrameworkWhen Nathan evaluates competing features or initiatives, the deciding factor is always the same: which one saves clinicians or RCM staff the most time? This ruthless impact-per-hour-saved lens cuts through nice-to-have ideas and focuses engineering effort on margin-expanding wins that directly reduce headcount costs or revenue leakage. He's discovered that even the most efficient DSOs spend one RCM FTE for every $12 million in processed revenue - still expensive - and Planet DDS's vision is to get that to one FTE per $15-20 million through RCM automation inspired by the payments industry. By always asking "How much time does this save?" instead of "How innovative is this?," you stay aligned with DSO profitability rather than chasing buzzwords, and your team understands the business logic behind every sprint.
31:05 Why Product Leaders Act as the Connective TissueNathan believes product managers are "connective tissue" across organizations, and that means attending real sales conversations, implementation calls, and account reviews - not via summary email, but in real-time. He even required his entire product team to read sales books so they'd understand pipeline, lead qualification, and champion dynamics, ensuring product decisions reflect what customers actually need versus what internal teams assume they need. When a sales rep struggles during a demo or a customer expresses frustration, product managers sitting in that conversation gain context no survey can provide and spot the next priority before it becomes a churn risk. This philosophy breaks down the classic product-sales wall that plagues growing organizations, ensuring your team ships solutions to the exact problems your market is experiencing today, not yesterday's assumptions.

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Contrary to popular belief, keeping your eye solely on profit-making often limits a practice’s growth. In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Dr. Chris Steven Villanueva, founder and CEO of MB2 Dental, to explore what happens when dental organizations shift their focus to empowering practitioners instead of just driving profits.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to build a dental organization that prioritizes practitioner autonomy while achieving scale
• Why accessibility and personal relationships matter more than traditional corporate hierarchy
• The "Response Equals Respect" principle for maintaining strong partnerships in dental organizations
• How international experience and adaptability shape resilient leadership in dentistry
• Why dental organizations should focus on operations excellence before pursuing rapid growth
• How to maintain culture and core values while scaling from single practice to multi-state operations
• The future of dental organization structures and why public markets might be ideal for larger platforms
• Why selecting the right partners matters more than rapid expansion in dental practice acquisition
• The importance of allowing team members to grow with the organization rather than replacing them

We all need a reminder of what really matters; this is the reminder every dental professional needs.

Episode Highlights:
07:33 Building Trust Through Authentic LeadershipChris shares how MB2's success stems from prioritizing authenticity and honest relationships over traditional business metrics. Rather than following a rigid investment thesis, they focus on creating an environment where dentists can practice without compromise while maintaining their autonomy. The approach has led to remarkable success, with only 3% of potential practices becoming partners, ensuring strong cultural alignment. Their transparent communication style and commitment to collective growth has resulted in high partner satisfaction and retention. 
13:03 Creating a Politics-Free CultureChris emphasizes the importance of maintaining a flat organizational structure where team members feel safe to contribute without office politics. The weekly executive meetings mirror the morning huddles of dental practices, focusing on open communication and collaborative problem-solving. This approach creates an environment where people can focus their energy on productive pursuits rather than navigating corporate bureaucracy. By protecting the team from unnecessary complexity and providing psychological safety, MB2 enables innovation even in areas where team members lack prior experience. Their success with initiatives like AI implementation demonstrates how empowered teams can tackle new challenges effectively.
36:18 The Power of a Direct Line Chris explains why he chooses not to have an executive assistant, prioritizing direct accessibility to partners and team members. He believes that personal relationships and quick response times are crucial for maintaining strong partnerships in a joint venture model. This approach allows him to address challenges before they become emergencies while demonstrating respect through responsiveness. The philosophy extends throughout the organization with the mantra "everyone gets their own coffee," emphasizing that no task is beneath anyone. 
43:04 Non-Traditional Continuous Learning Chris describes his approach to continuous learning, emphasizing the importance of seeking knowledge through various mediums rather than following traditional paths. He actively avoids the echo chamber effect that can develop when leaders only study their immediate industry. Instead, he draws insights from podcasts, documentaries, and businesses outside dentistry to develop unique solutions. This openness to different perspectives has helped MB2 develop innovative approaches to dental practice management. 

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Every dental practice is only as good as the number of people who know it is. In the latest episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Janet Hagerman, a leading voice in dental sales, DSO Fractional Chief Hygiene Officer and case acceptance coach, to explore the evolution of dental hygiene leadership and the art of ethical case presentation.

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to increase case acceptance rates through value-based conversations
• Why implementing assisted hygiene models can dramatically improve practice efficiency and patient care
• The "Values-First Framework" for presenting treatment plans based on individual patient priorities
• How to build standardized clinical protocols across multiple locations while maintaining quality care
• Why monthly hygiene-doctor meetings are crucial for creating clinical alignment and improving patient outcomes
• How to use KPIs as teaching tools rather than just performance metrics
• The importance of reinforcement learning in implementing new protocols and systems across dental organizations
• How to structure hygiene leadership roles based on practice size and growth objectives

This conversation is a masterclass in dental sales ethics, patient acceptance strategies and the future of dental hygiene departments. 

Episode Highlights:
07:55 The Assisted Hygiene ModelJanet advocates for implementing assisted hygiene programs where dedicated assistants support hygienists with room turnover and instrumentation. This model allows hygienists to focus solely on patient care while increasing productivity and reducing physical strain. And, while some hygienists initially resist sharing patient relationships, proper training and introduction of assistants to patients helps overcome these concerns. When implemented correctly with staggered scheduling and clear role definition, assisted hygiene creates a more efficient and sustainable care delivery system. 
15:04 The Value-Based Case Acceptance FrameworkJanet reveals that selling dentistry ethically means focusing on clinically documented needs rather than unnecessary treatments. The industry's current case acceptance rate of 30-50% indicates that half of diagnosed patients aren't receiving needed treatment, creating a significant opportunity for improvement. Treatment presentations should be tailored to each patient's core values - typically centered around time, money, or pain concerns. A personalized approach such as this transforms "selling" into value-aligned care recommendations that resonate with patients' priorities and concerns, resulting in higher case acceptance rates and better health outcomes, as patients better understand how treatment aligns with what matters most to them.
24:29 Building Clinical Consistency Across Multiple Locations Janet emphasizes that growing dental organizations need clear clinical leadership and standardized protocols rather than complete provider autonomy. Monthly hygiene-doctor meetings where teams review cases together help create philosophical alignment and consistent care standards. Organizations should implement new clinical protocols through a structured process - beta testing, documented procedures, and ongoing reinforcement. For groups with 20-25 practices, having dedicated supervisors who can visit locations regularly helps maintain standards, ensuring quality care while allowing appropriate clinical judgment.
33:19 Using KPIs as Teaching ToolsJanet reframes performance metrics from pure numbers into powerful coaching opportunities that drive improvement. When significant variances appear between providers' metrics, it opens the door for collaborative exploration rather than criticism. Through private conversations and open-ended questions, leaders can help team members self-discover areas for growth. The goal is helping providers recognize opportunities independently rather than forcing change through mandates, which in turn transform KPIs from threatening quotas into valuable insights that enhance patient care and practice success.
The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so