In this bonus episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr Randeep speaks with Mike Huffaker from Planet DDS about the transformative impact of AI and cloud solutions in dental practice management, exploring how modern technology is reshaping operational efficiency and patient care delivery.

What You'll Learn:
- How to leverage AI tools like Fixr and Copilot to enhance executive productivity and streamline daily operations
- The strategic approach to evaluating cloud-based dental practice management solutions beyond feature comparisons
- Why dental practices need to identify core problems before shopping for technology solutions
- How to properly validate vendor references by seeking unfiltered feedback beyond curated testimonials
- The future vision of friction-free dental practice operations through AI and voice technology
- Why legacy system dependence may be limiting practice value and growth potential
- The "Extreme Ownership" leadership principle for driving organisational success
- How daily habits like mindful walking can enhance executive performance and strategic thinking
- Why maintaining transparency with customers trumps the "move fast, break things" startup mentality

About the Guest
Mike Huffaker is the Chief Revenue Officer at Planet DDS, a leading provider of cloud-based dental practice management solutions. With extensive experience in scaling technology companies and driving innovation in the dental sector, he specialises in implementing AI-powered solutions to enhance practice efficiency and patient care. At Planet DDS, Mike has been instrumental in developing and deploying advanced tools like DentalOS and integrating AI solutions such as Copilot to streamline dental practice operations. He brings particular expertise in helping dental organisations transition from legacy systems to modern cloud-based solutions, focusing on practical business outcomes rather than just feature comparisons. His strategic approach to technology adoption and emphasis on measurable business outcomes have helped numerous dental practices and DSOs optimise their operations and increase their market value.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Dentists are trained to treat patients, not to spend hours managing calls, emails, and repetitive questions. Yet for many practices, reception bottlenecks and missed appointments quietly drain time and revenue.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Josh Peach, founder of Thread Automations, about how chatbots and voice bots are reshaping practice operations. From booking appointments across websites, WhatsApp, and social media to answering FAQs and triaging calls, Josh explains how automation saves costs, improves patient experience, and delivers measurable ROI. He also shares how practices can safely pilot AI, track the right KPIs, and scale step by step, so owners stay ahead of the curve in an industry where efficiency is no longer optional.

What You’ll Learn:
- The difference between chatbots and voice bots, and when each delivers the most value
- How automation enables 24/7 patient booking, even outside office hours
- Why repetitive FAQs drain practice time, and how bots free reception teams
- The KPIs that matter: leads, bookings, call deflection, and revenue per appointment
- How onboarding works, from AI audit to stress-tested pilots
- What data safety and patient consent look like in practice
- Where AI is heading: human-like latency, voice cloning, and continuous learning

About the Guest
Josh Peach is the founder of Thread Automations, a UK-based company helping dental practices streamline operations with AI-powered chatbots and voice bots. Launching the business straight out of university with a degree in economics, Josh spotted a gap where automation could cut admin costs, capture more patient leads, and free up clinical teams. By integrating bots across websites, social channels, WhatsApp, and phone systems, Thread Automations enables practices to book appointments 24/7, answer FAQs instantly, and handle multiple calls at once. Today, Josh is redefining how dental surgeries approach patient communication and operational efficiency, offering practices a step-by-step path to pilot, measure ROI, and scale automation with confidence.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Dentists are skilled clinicians, not business operators. Yet the ability to run, scale, and exit like a business owner is often the difference between a practice that struggles to sell and one that attracts premium valuations.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Craig Keegan, founder of the Dental Exit Co-operative, about how he is helping dentists transform owner-dependent practices into truly investable businesses through standardised systems, shared services, and smart M&A strategies.

What You’ll Learn

• Why most dental practices fail to sell – and how to make them truly investable
• The 13 business pillars every practice must standardise to unlock value
• How shared services cut costs, boost efficiency, and compound ROI across groups
• Where AI is genuinely transforming dentistry (and where it creates chaos)
• The difference between smart roll-ups and vanity projects – and how to avoid the trap
• Why asset purchases protect founders better than business purchases
• How early exit planning prevents burnout, regret, and lost valuation
• The multi-exit strategy: how to sell once, stay on, and get paid again (and again)

About the Guest
Craig Keegan is the founder of the Dental Exit Co-operative, a practitioner-first platform helping dental owners scale with systems and exit with confidence. With more than two decades of M&A experience across multiple sectors, Craig has executed deals valued at seven, eight, and nine figures, building buy-side ecosystems and delivering millions in synergies. Through the co-op’s shared services model, he is redefining how independent practices grow, consolidate, and prepare for premium exits without burnout or loss of control.

Today, Craig is recognised as a leading voice in dental M&A strategy, combining operational systems, smart deal structures, and people-first retention models to help dentists transform practices into investable businesses and achieve multiple, life-changing exits.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Buying, selling, and scaling a dental practice is no longer just about clinical skill but about leadership, systems, and knowing how to prepare for the future.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr. Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Andy Acton, Director at Frank Taylor & Associates and co-host of the Dentology podcast, about what truly drives practice value and how owners can stay competitive in a fast-changing market. Andy reframes failure as a necessary step on the path to success, highlighting how even top clinicians credit their early missteps with shaping the resilience and business acumen they rely on today. They further discuss valuations, exit-readiness, and scaling. Andy explains why practice valuations are still multiples of underlying profit, how AI can increase efficiency without losing the human touch, and why using tech to release teams rather than replace them is the smarter strategy.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why practice value is tied to profit multiples and how AI can increase efficiency without losing patient trust
• How to prepare your practice for sale in the 3–5 year window by reducing reliance on the principal
• The five drivers of owner fatigue and how to address them before they erode growth
• How to use AI as a people-release system, so they can spend more time with patients instead of automating human interaction
• How to build infrastructure early to avoid the “inverted pyramid” trap when scaling multiple sites
• Why independent practices are entering a renaissance period and how to position for it

About the Guest:
Andy Acton is Director of Frank Taylor & Associates, where he has spent over 28 years helping dentists buy, sell, and grow their practices. Since 2000, he has led one of the UK’s most trusted advisory firms for dental practice valuations and sales, guiding countless owners through smooth transitions and growth strategies. Andy is also the founder of The Principals Club, a peer community dedicated to supporting practice owners with shared knowledge, leadership insights, and business tools. Beyond his work at FTA, Andy co-founded FTA Media to produce leading-edge marketing content for dental practices, and he mentors entrepreneurs through Virgin StartUp. Until recently, he co-hosted over 200 episodes of the Dentology podcast, covering the non-clinical realities of ownership, finance, marketing, valuations, mindset, and leadership. Whether advising on exit-readiness, scaling strategies, or technology adoption, Andy brings decades of hard-earned expertise to help practice owners thrive in an industry that is rapidly evolving.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Dentists are trained to treat patients, not balance spreadsheets or scale businesses. Yet the ability to understand money is often the difference between burnout and freedom.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr. Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Dr. James Martin, founder of Dentists Who Invest and Videre Financial Planning, about how he built the UK’s leading dental finance community and is helping dentists break free from the time-for-money trap through smarter investing, financial literacy, and AI-driven tools.

What You’ll Learn:
- Why financial literacy is the most powerful tool for dentists seeking freedom
- How Dentists Who Invest grew into the UK’s leading dental finance community
- Practical steps to leverage AI for CPD, financial planning, and practice operations
- Why property is overrated for this generation  and where dentists should really invest
- The simple mindset shift that helps dentists break the link between time and money
- Why skepticism is healthy, even towards well-meaning financial advice from parents
- The one step every dentist can take this week toward financial independence

About the Guest:
Dr. James Martin is the founder of Dentists Who Invest and Videre Financial Planning. A former dentist turned financial educator, James qualified from Leeds University Dental School in 2016 before pursuing his passion for finance and investing. In 2020, he launched Dentists Who Invest, which has since grown into the UK’s leading community for dental professionals seeking financial literacy and wealth confidence. He later founded Videre Financial Planning, a fixed-fee wealth management firm built on transparency and ethical advice. Today, James is recognized as one of the most influential voices in dental finance, blending financial education, technology, and mindset to help dentists break free from the time-for-money trap and build lasting freedom beyond the chair.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Preventive dentistry is entering a new era, with AI-powered diagnostics, telehealth, and data-driven tools set to redefine how patients engage with their oral health and how providers deliver care.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr. Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Shivakumar Chandrasekaran, Co-Founder and CTO of Dentulu, about how innovations like AI-enhanced X-ray analysis, predictive analytics, and devices such as MouthCAM are helping dentists detect issues earlier, educate patients more effectively, and reduce the burden on over-stretched providers.

What You’ll Learn:
- Why preventive dentistry is shifting from reactive treatment to proactive, AI-driven care
- How tools like MouthCAM enable patients to monitor oral health from home
- The role of salivary testing in linking oral health with systemic health
- How AI supports (not replaces) dentists with 90%+ accuracy in diagnostics
- Why predictive analytics and structured data are key to scaling preventive solutions
- How Dentulu integrates seamlessly with practice management systems to reduce disruption
- The business case for preventive technology and why providers are adopting it

About the Guest:
Shivakumar Chandrasekaran is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Dentulu, a pioneering platform revolutionizing the dental industry through cutting-edge telehealth solutions and innovative dental technologies. With over 20 years of experience in technology, software development, and healthcare innovation, Shivakumar has been instrumental in shaping Dentulu into a comprehensive digital ecosystem that enhances patient care and streamlines provider workflows. In this episode, Shivakumar shares how AI-powered diagnostics, telehealth platforms, and preventive tools like MouthCAM are transforming early detection, empowering providers, and reshaping the future of proactive dental care.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Dental technology is entering a new era, with cloud-based systems and AI-powered automation set to redefine how practices operate, scale, and deliver patient care.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr. Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Mike Huffaker, Chief Revenue Officer at Planet DDS, about how he helped scale the company from 60 to 400 employees and transform over 13,000 dental practices with solutions like Denticon, CloudNine, and DentalOS.

What You’ll Learn:
- Why cloud-based dental software isn’t optional and what staying on server-based systems will cost you
- How agentic AI will handle the mundane admin tasks no one wants, freeing staff for real patient care
- Why “AI is a multiplier” and why broken systems will only get more broken if you ignore fundamentals
- The critical security questions every dental leader should ask vendors before signing a tech contract
- How to evaluate practice management platforms for outcomes, not just features
- Planet DDS’s framework for focusing on multi-location groups and DSOs and how it fueled their 10x growth
- The future vision of voice-powered check-ins and frictionless practice workflows
- Why technology should enable, not replace, human connection in dentistry

About the Guest:
Mike Huffaker is the Chief Revenue Officer at Planet DDS, a leading dental software company trusted by over 13,000 practices and 118,000 users. With 15+ years scaling high-growth SaaS companies, Mike has overseen Planet DDS’s transformation from a 60-person startup to a 400-employee market leader, driving adoption of solutions like Denticon, CloudNine, and DentalOS. Mike is also the host of The Dental Economist Show, where he shares strategic insights for DSOs and dental leaders navigating tech adoption. His expertise in AI integration, cloud migration, and scalable systems has made him one of the industry’s most respected voices on the future of dental practice management. In this episode, Mike shares valuable insights on using AI-powered solutions and cloud technology to streamline operations, scale practices, and future‑proof the business of dentistry.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

AI-powered automation is reshaping patient experience and operational efficiency, offering dental practices new ways to grow without adding overhead.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host and Founder of DentaCFO, Dr. Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Dr. Aalok Shukla, CEO and co-founder of Implement AI, about how clinics are using AI agents to reduce admin burden, boost revenue, and deliver more personalised patient care, at scale, transforming everything from call handling and patient reactivation to lead conversion, communication coaching, and digital treatment coordination.

What You’ll Learn:
- How to deploy AI call analysts to spot missed opportunities and boost revenue within days
- What an AI-powered “digital treatment coordinator” can do for your new patient journey
- Why reactivation, lead conversion, and case acceptance are ripe for automation
- How AI agents can coach dental teams on communication and follow-up
- What data dental practices already have and how to unlock their value
- The guardrails every AI system must include for safe, consistent performance
- Why AI can be more empathetic than humans and what that means for trust
- The mindset shift from “tool” to “team member” and how to scale with fewer people

About the Guest:
Dr. Aalok Shukla is the CEO and co-founder of Implement AI, a UK-based AI agency helping healthcare organisations deploy intelligent digital workers across operations, patient experience, and communications. Trained as a dentist and former owner of a private dental clinic in Putney, Dr. Shukla went on to co-found several pioneering digital health platforms, including Straight Teeth Direct and Instant Dentist. An early adopter of AI in healthcare, Dr. Shukla has helped organisations across dentistry, pharmacy, and financial services build and scale AI agent teams that reduce admin burden, unlock missed revenue, and deliver more personalised patient care at scale. He is also a mentor at HealthTech accelerator programmes and a thought leader on AI implementation, automation strategy, and digital transformation. At Implement AI, his mission is to give every business owner a superhuman workforce that works 24/7 without compromising empathy, compliance, or consistency. In this episode, Dr. Shukla offers a practical roadmap for integrating AI into daily operations, revealing how intelligent automation is redefining what’s possible for modern dental practices.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Digital dentistry technology is revolutionizing patient care and practice growth, with AI-powered scanning solutions leading the transformation of modern dental practices.

In this episode of The TechDental Podcast, host Dr. Randeep Singh Gill speaks with Dr. Gina Vega, Principal Dentist at Bishopsgate Dental Care, about her journey from early adoption of digital scanning technology to becoming a leading expert in Invisalign and cosmetic dentistry, managing over 1,250 cases.

What You'll Learn:
- How to leverage iTero scanning technology to enhance patient communication and treatment acceptance
- Why integrating AI visualisation tools can dramatically improve case acceptance and patient understanding
- The ROI framework for implementing new dental technologies, with typical 6-month return timelines
- How to use digital scanning beyond orthodontics to monitor oral health and build patient trust
- The power of combining AI predictions with clinical expertise to set realistic treatment expectations
- Why early technology adoption and team training are crucial for future-proofing dental practices
- How to use digital tools to track treatment progress and improve clinical outcomes
- The importance of balancing technology investment costs with long-term practice benefits and patient satisfaction

About the Guest:
Dr. Gina Vega is the Principal Dentist at Bishopsgate Dental Care, a leading expert in Invisalign and cosmetic dentistry in London's financial district. After qualifying as a dentist in Mexico in 1998, she requalified in the UK in 2004 and transformed a bankrupt practice into a thriving dental centre, completing over 1,250 Invisalign cases. As an early adopter of dental technology, Dr. Vega has pioneered the integration of digital scanning and AI-powered treatment planning tools, with 70% of her practice now dedicated to Invisalign and cosmetic dentistry. Her innovative approach to implementing digital dentistry, particularly with iTero scanners and AI visualisation tools, has revolutionised patient communication and treatment acceptance while setting new standards for modern dental practice management. In this episode, Dr. Vega shares valuable insights on leveraging digital technology to enhance patient care, practice efficiency, and business growth in contemporary dentistry.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Welcome to The TechDental Podcast – Your #1 Resource for AI, Business Growth & Innovation in Dentistry

Most dental podcasts talk about clinical techniques or personal stories. This one is different.

I’m Dr. Randeep Singh Gill (@TechDentalPodcast), Founder of TechDental™, and I bring you a podcast designed to help dental practice owners build businesses that grow, scale, and outlast them.

Every week, I sit down with:

• Multi-practice owners scaling 15+ locations
• AI founders transforming dental operations, finance & strategy
• Business leaders driving the future of dentistry

You’ll hear real stories from the front lines:

• What’s working (and what isn’t) in modern dental business
• How to leverage AI & operational systems for growth and profitability
• Strategies to cut through the noise, reduce admin, and scale with clarity

If you’re a dentist, practice owner, or entrepreneur in dentistry, this podcast is for you.

👉 Subscribe now and never miss an episode: www.youtube.com/@techdentalpodcast