In this episode of The Vision with Execution Show, I sit down with Dr. Lorne Lavine, DMD—better known as The Digital Dentist—and we talk about the thing that quietly determines whether an independent dental practice thrives or spirals: technology you can actually trust.

Dr. Lavine isn’t just “the IT guy.” He’s a dentist who built his own computers, understands practice workflows from the inside, and has spent decades helping practices protect patients, reduce stress, and avoid the kind of tech failures that turn a normal Tuesday into a full-blown crisis. We get into the real reason DSOs exploded, why most dentists never learned the business side of the profession, and how independent practices can stand out by leaning into what corporate dentistry can’t replicate: relationships and the personal touch.

We also hit AI—what it’s great for clinically, where it’s already improving diagnostics, and why replacing the human front desk with an “AI receptionist” can backfire fast. Then we go practical: education-first IT, standardizing systems across different practice sizes, and making technology a competitive advantage instead of a stress generator.

And yes—we go into something I care about a lot: R&D tax credits. Dr. Lavine has used them, and we talk about why most practices still don’t, how documentation can be created even if you haven’t tracked perfectly, and why the lookback window matters heading into June 2026.

If you’re a dentist trying to stay independent, stay compliant, and stay sane—this one is for you.