Associate Dentist to Owner Podcast

If you're a dentist thinking about buying a dental practice, it's an incredible time to be alive. 🔔 Learn More About Our Services: https://practiceown.com📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 The Associate's Core Dilemma0:44 Understanding Associate Earnings2:03 Same Work, Double Income3:07 Financial Impact of Associate Status4:14 The Cost of Waiting5:40 Growing Income Gap7:19 The Sunk Cost Fallacy9:02 Overcoming Loss Aversion & Negativity Bias12:01 Status Quo Bias14:38 Why 2026 is the Prime Time for Practice Ownership16:41 The Power of Early Ownership18:26 The Ultimate Decision

Make sure you're buying the right dental practice. If you understand these 14 red flags, then you'll stand a much better chance at buying a practice that meets your goals. 🔔 Learn More About Our Services: https://practiceown.com📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 Buying the Right Dental Practice1:06 Low Number of New Patients2:07 Low Active Recall Patients4:04 Emergency-Driven Patient Mix5:39 Low Number of Hygienists7:23 Poor Location9:53 Seller Over-Diagnosing Crowns13:00 High Number of Specialty Procedures15:36 Low Pro Fees & Potential Perio Over-Diagnosis17:04 Seller's Revenue Per Patient is Too High19:18 Family Members on Staff22:21 Low-Paying Insurance Plans24:21 Seller's Unclear Retirement Plans28:05 Unfavorable Lease Terms29:01 Unrealistic Asking Price

Buying a dental practice is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. This video shows how to tell whether a practice is actually worth buying and what most buyers fail to evaluate before committing.🔔 Learn More About Our Services: https://practiceown.com📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 Why Most Dental Practice Evaluations Are Wrong2:39 Where Real Value in a Practice Actually Comes From3:35 Why You Must Define Your Goals Before Buying6:04 Owner vs Associate: Money, Freedom, and Tradeoffs7:14 How Dental Brokers Really Work (And Who They Serve)10:11 Why Accountants Alone Can’t Evaluate a Practice12:29 How to Evaluate the Right Practice for You19:01 The One Question That Decides Everything

Most dentists are not training for the Olympics, but a lot of dentists feel like their job leaves no room for anything else. Today, we're going to talk about how you can reclaim your time while still being extremely successful as a dentist. 🔔 Learn More About Our Services: https://practiceown.com📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 The Tradeoff That Shouldn’t Exist1:41 Why Ownership Changes the Math4:31 Designing a Two-Day Workweek6:56 The Real Cost of Staying an Associate11:42 Buying The Right Practice

Dentist income isn’t distributed evenly and it’s not because of skill, effort, or procedures.In this video, I explain why some dentists stay stuck around $120,000 per year while others earn $800,000+ and what actually separates the two.🔔 Learn More About Our Services: https://practiceown.com📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 The Dentist Income Gap Explained1:45 Why Dentist Income Is Right-Skewed (Not a Bell Curve)3:35 The Two Drivers of Dentist Income: Collections vs. Leverage7:29 How Different Dentist Jobs Stack Up (Associate, Corporate, Medicaid)12:03 Ownership Paths: Startup vs. Small vs. Large Practices15:45 How Dentists Reach $500K–$1M+ (and Beyond)18:45 Buying the Right Practice: Risks, Growth, and Strategy

If you're buying a dental practice, how many patients does the practice need to have? I'm going to show you exactly how to calculate the number you need to make sure that you buy a practice where you're going to be profitable and successful.🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 How Many Patients Do You Need?0:41 Defining "Profitable"1:58 Production Per Patient2:44 Don’t Trust Practice Brokers4:36 Defining an Active Patient5:07 Three Ways to Calculate Active Patients8:04 Dental Practice Expenses9:01 Doing the Math9:39 Buying the Best Possible Practice

Is it becoming too competitive to buy a dental practice? Today, we're going to talk about some of the changing market dynamics and what you can do to become an incredibly successful practice owner. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 More Dentists Entering the Market2:19 DSOs (Dental Service Organizations)8:58 Setting Yourself Apart as a Solo Buyer 11:06 This Is Your Superpower

Buying a dental practice will either be the best or worst decision you ever make. I want to help make sure you buy the right practice. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.comChapters: Intro 00:00I just had a call with a dentist. 00:22They are not doing well. 03:06Practice ownership is awesome. 5:17 You can leave your associate job at any time. 06:04The big risk for dentists. 07:01The most important decision. 08:22

Today, we are going to talk about how much you should pay for a dental practice. We are going to look at the different valuation methods practice brokers often use. And then finally, we're going to look at how you as a buyer can protect yourself and make sure that you are paying a fair price. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.comChapters:00:00 How much should you pay for a dental practice? 00:42 How practice brokers value practices 01:41 Asset-based valuation 02:29 Revenue-based valuation 05:29 Net income-based valuation 09:46 Per patient valuation 15:04 Market/comparable sales-based valuation 15:57 Brokers work for the seller 23:11 Affordability-based valuation 27:10 Negotiating power

Do not buy the wrong dental practice. These are the ten things you need to make sure you are asking before buying. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.comTimestamps:00:00 Buying the Right Dental Practice01:42 Understanding the Seller's Plans Post-Closing06:08 Seller's Expectations for Purchase Price10:05 Number of Active Recall Patients18:55 Yearly Production per Patient22:34 Seller's Treatment Plan Style24:54 Specialty Procedures28:14 Expenses and Overhead31:17 Dental Office Physical Space and Equipment36:45 Market Dynamics and Demographics38:46 Net Income

Today we're going to talk about all the steps that go into buying a dental practice by using a real-life example of a practice that was purchased recently. The buyer is doing very well already, just 6 months in. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 new owner01:17 the first practice evaluation02:20 seller out of network07:38 calculating buyer's expected revenue08:51 take your time, do this right09:43 accountants don't always understand dental transitions10:35 finding more practices for sale12:23 the perfect practice13:34 letter of intent14:57 how long does it take?15:16 getting a loan to buy a practice17:27 hiring a lawyer18:13 everything else19:35 is it worth it?

Today I want to talk about how to find a dental practice for sale. These are the things I wish I knew when I was looking for a dental practice to buy. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 Finding a dental practice to buy 0:52 Understanding the market 3:41 Finding practice brokers 5:14 How long does it take? 6:53 Buying the right practice 9:49 Finding practices off-market 12:47 Protecting yourself as a buyer 14:12 How to properly utilize an accountant 15:29 How much should I pay? 18:09 What really matters?

Big changes are coming to student loans that could reshape dental education and the future of the profession. I break down what the new rules mean, why they’re happening, and how they’ll impact dental students, new graduates, and current dentists.🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 Massive student loan changes ahead 0:36 Cost of dental school today 1:38 The rise of unlimited Grad PLUS loans 2:31 Explosion of new dental schools 3:14 Why $200K won’t cover the cost 4:00 Limited options for students 5:20 The risks of private student loans 7:25 Practice ownership and repayment strategies 9:15 How this affects current dentists 11:30 The DSO advantage and associate trap 13:55 Final thoughts: why timing matters now

A simple plan that works for dentists.🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 Why dentists play a different money game01:12 Your first move: qualify to buy a practice02:19 Debt04:35 Retirement Accounts10:07 Brokerage Account13:51 Real estate15:29 Should you own the practice building17:13 Other Properties

Many dentists never break past the income ceiling they hit as associates. In this video I show you the path I’ve seen work over and over again, the one that takes you from “comfortable” to real financial freedom. Even one step can keep you stuck for years.🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com0:00 Introduction 0:43 Step 1: Find the busiest associate job 5:36 Step 2: Protect your flexibility in contracts 8:49 Step 3: Become an owner as fast as possible 10:14 Step 4: Buy a practice, don’t do a startup 15:40 Step 5: Choose the right practice to buy 22:42 Step 6: Financing and saving 25:34 Step 7: Biggest risk in buying a practice 28:00 Final roadmap (recap)

As a dentist, retiring early is surprisingly achievable if you plan for it properly. And even if you decide not to retire, reaching financial independence gives you freedom: freedom to choose how you work, when you work, and what kind of life you want. Today’s we’re going to break down exactly how dentists can build real financial freedom, and why it starts earlier than you might think.🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 Early Retirement in Dentistry01:37 Deferring Student Loans02:26 Retirement Goal: 4% Rule04:50 Total Savings Projection06:26 Boosting Income Through Ownership10:11 Paying Off All Loans11:43 Retirement13:35 Associate vs. Owner15:07 Freedom After Retirement16:10 Your Choices Matter

In this episode, I walk you through a real case study comparing two practices that looked identical on paper, but had wildly different income potential once we dug into the numbers. We’ll look at: Active patient count, Revenue per patient, Procedure mix, Overhead breakdown, Rent traps and payroll pitfalls. If you're a dentist thinking about buying a practice, this is a must-watch before you make an offer.🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 Choosing the Right Practice00:49 Practice Overview & Metrics01:47 Net Income Comparison03:17 Before You Buy04:42 Patient Recall & Production06:07 Active Patient Count07:38 What You're Really Buying09:26 Fillings, Crowns & Growth12:30 Implants, Dentures & Opportunity13:24 Preventative Care Indicators15:16 Projected Income Differences15:51 Payroll, Rent & Loan20:28 Calculating Net Income26:25 Seller Revenue per Patient27:46 Make the Right Choice

I keep getting the question of should I buy a house first or buy a dental practice first? That's what I want to talk about today. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 House or Practice First?01:21 House Before Practice Mistakes03:51 Why Renting Can Be Smarter06:06 Housing Costs vs Earnings08:26 Mortgage vs Rent Flexibility13:40 Mortgage After Practice

Being an owner of a dental practice is amazing. It's incredibly rewarding and you can make a lot of money as well as have a lot of control and freedom, but only if you take into account these risks. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 The Path to Dental Practice Ownership00:37 Risk #1: Understanding the Upfront Costs02:15 Risk #2: Leaving the Security of an Associate Job05:02 Risk #3: Navigating Staffing Challenges and Theft08:24 Risk #4: The Owner's Responsibility for Repairs09:40 Risk #5: The Emotional and Mental Load of Ownership11:46 Risk #6: The Possibility of Going Out of Business14:11 Risk #7: Avoiding the Low-Income Death Trap19:13 The Advantages of Practice Ownership vs. Being an Associate

I want to talk about what it's like to be a dental practice owner, especially during your first year of ownership. 🔔 Download the Free Practice Evaluation Checklist: https://practiceown.com/pdf📕 Check out my book "Buying Freedom" for a deeper dive into the process: https://amzn.com/dp/B0DGGC7WG8💌 Email me at: chris@practiceown.com🌍 Website: https://www.practiceown.com00:00 Ownership Benefits00:27 First-Year Challenges03:08 Avoid Big Changes06:30 Hiring Right08:50 Insurance Issues14:51 Delegate Tasks17:06 Money Decisions22:08 Handle Stress24:38 Building Wealth