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Dental Practice Heroes

Author: Dr. Paul Etchison

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Where dentists learn how to cut clinical days while increasing profits - without sacrificing patient care, cutting corners, or cranking volume.   We teach you how to grow a scalable practice through communication, leadership, and effective management. 

Hosted by Dr. Paul Etchison, author of two books on dental practice management, dental coach, and owner of a $6M collections group practice in the south suburbs of Chicago, we provide actionable advice for practice owners who want to intentionally create more time to enjoy their families, wealth, and deep personal fulfillment.  

If you want to build a scalable practice framework that no longer stresses, drains, or relies on you for every little thing, we will teach you how and share stories of other dentists who have done it!

637 Episodes
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Most dentists push for a yes right now. We take a different path and show how planting a clear, respectful seed today leads to an easy yes at the next visit—no pressure, no awkward sales pitch, just a plan the patient helped shape. Using four common scenarios—SRP hesitation, x-ray refusal, cracked teeth without symptoms, and adult crowding—we walk through the exact words, visuals, and boundaries that turn doubt into acceptance. Enjoy the strategies? Subscribe, share with a colleague, and l...
Before you spend another dollar on marketing, look at this first: your phones. Most practices assume their staff has it handled because calls are coming in and the team feels busy, but missed calls and poor phone systems could be costing you more new patients than you realize. In this episode, the DPH coaches explain how to audit your phone systems, reduce missed calls, and get more new patients on the schedule. You'll get ideas for simple workflows and automation tools that keep calls from s...
Rising costs don’t have to automatically mean less profit. If your supply spend is sitting around 7–8%, this episode will show you how your practice can get group-level pricing and support without selling or partnering with a DSO. Jeff Cellucci of MB2 Dental introduces Carabelli Club as an option for people who want all the benefits of a group without the commitment. That means group-level pricing, vetted vendors, and a simpler way to order everything your practice needs! Topics discussed: Ho...
Ever feel like your practice is stuck on repeat, fighting the same fires while your stress keeps rising? We get honest about why that happens and how to stop it—by freeing your leaders from task overload, building systems that hold, and protecting the time required to actually lead. When owners and department heads operate in reactive mode, the practice can’t scale. The fix isn’t hustle; it’s structure. If you’re ready to set up a leadership team with clear roles, evaluations, and playbooks,...
Sex questions, angry patients, and a staff meeting joke gone wrong — welcome to dentistry. In this episode, the DPH coaches share the weird, unexpected, and straight up awkward moments that have tested their leadership and their staff. Their stories highlight how you can respectfully handle uncomfortable situations in your practice and continue to lead even when things get messy. Topics discussed: Henry’s awkward break room momentHow to handle explicit questions from patientsThe joke that tau...
Ever feel like no matter what you change in the practice, you’re “wrong”? Push too hard and the team melts down. Stand still and nothing improves. We break the cycle by showing how to make progress without chaos: one focused change at a time, packaged around a clear outcome, supported by micro check-ins, and closed with a real finish line your team can trust. If you’re ready to roll out systems at the right pace and build a team that embraces improvement, subscribe, share this episode with a...
We work hard to build wealth, but are you taking the time to actually protect it? Yes, you have insurance and have established an LLC, but that doesn't mean you're covered. In today’s episode, expert Gary Harker of Legally Mine shares three simple asset protection moves you can make right now to protect your money, lower your risk, and stop bleeding money in taxes. You’ll get ideas for building wealth for your kids and simple ways to get proactive so you can keep more of what you earn! Topics...
Most practices don’t fail for lack of systems—they fail because accountability shows up late, tense, and inconsistent. We unpack a practical way to fix that with the CVI method—curiosity, validation, and invitation—so your team follows through without fear, defensiveness, or drama. You’ll hear why “laminated” SOPs stall, how delayed feedback normalizes noncompliance, and how reframing protocols around patient outcomes and team fairness wins real buy-in. If this resonated, share it with a col...
Struggling to hit production goals despite a packed schedule? In this episode, we get into the root issue of why your production is falling short and the mistakes you probably don't know you're making. Learn which appointments are practice killers, when block scheduling doesn't work, and how to design a schedule that can hit $1,200 per hour!​ Topics discussed: Why you’re busy but underproducingHow to implement block schedulingWho shouldn’t use block scheduling and what to do insteadThe bottle...
Ever feel like your checklists are getting longer while your problems get louder? We shine a light on the quiet force that stalls growth in so many dental practices: the truth everyone knows but no one says. Borrowing the concept of “mokita,” we explore how unspoken issues infect culture, erode patient experience, and drain profit—then we show you how to end the silence without blowing up your team. We walk through a simple, repeatable framework for tough conversations: Ask permission, State...
Every time a team member asks for a raise, the pressure is instant — but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, find out how to talk money with your team, set clear expectations, and lead raise conversations without it getting awkward. We explore inflation, bonuses, and systems that give your team a clear path for growth without blowing up your payroll. Listen now to take the stress out of every raise decision! Topics discussed: The trap of throwing money at problemsMistakes owners make when...
If you’ve ever felt like the glue holding your practice together, this conversation will challenge that belief and give you a new playbook for freedom. We unpack a counterintuitive idea—the Void Principle—where you stop filling every gap so your team has to step in, decisions spread, and systems mature. Through the story of Dr. Lance, a high-output dentist who cut his clinical days and raised income yet still feared taking more time off, we show how real autonomy arrives only when the owner s...
Most dental offices don’t have an office manager problem—they have a role definition problem. We promoted the best front desk performer, gave them a title, and then left them buried in tasks with no roadmap for leadership. In this conversation, I share the exact KPI-based bonus system that transforms a “super admin” into a true leader who aligns team behavior with the practice’s goals and delivers measurable growth. Ready to align behavior with results and build a practice that runs without ...
Trying to be the super GP who does every procedure might be making your practice harder than it should be. In this episode, Dr. Alex Sharp explains how specializing not only helps you create a model that's easier to market and scale, but also lets you spend more of your time doing the dentistry you actually enjoy. Hear where the GP model still works, how to specialize in an existing practice, and what the future of dentistry looks like! Topics discussed: Alex's journey from associate to pract...
Ever feel like your day moves at the speed of the slowest checkout lane? We unpack the hidden inefficiencies that quietly drain hours, stress your team, and shrink profit—then replace them with simple, durable systems that make your practice feel calm, fast, and predictable. We start with the most common culprit: unprepared operatories. You’ll hear how to standardize rooms for the 90% of procedures you do most, set visual par levels, and stop the scavenger hunts that interrupt care. From the...
Are you ignoring a crucial part of your practice? In this episode, we’re talking about the front desk. It’s one of the most overlooked areas in dentistry, yet can also make or break case acceptance and production. Tune in to learn how to train your front desk to talk money, close treatment, and follow up the right way! Topics discussed: Why training is crucial for front deskDo you need a treatment coordinator?Key factors to closing treatmentFollow-up systems that boost case acceptance treatme...
Ever follow a GPS with total confidence only to realize it’s steering you the wrong way? That’s how ownership can feel when mindset traps masquerade as good guidance. We dig into three hidden patterns that quietly create burnout for dental practice owners and map out a better route built on leverage, systems, and leadership. SET UP A CONSULTATION WITH GARY @ LEGALLY MINE CLICK HERE Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more ...
What if the biggest reason patients delay necessary care isn’t price or insurance, but the quiet doubt in our own voices? We dig into the hidden driver of case acceptance—front desk mindset—and show how two simple defaults transform conversations at checkout: assume the patient can afford the treatment and assume the patient wants the treatment. When that belief is solid, tone, body language, and word choice snap into place, and patients feel confident moving forward. SET UP A CONSULTA...
When team members push back on production or growth, it’s rarely about the numbers or your systems... it’s about clarity. True buy-in comes from showing your team why growth matters and how it benefits everyone, not just the practice. In this episode, learn how to create true alignment with your team, track the right metrics, and talk about money and growth without sounding like a greedy owner! Topics discussed: Why teams are resistance to changeHow to align your team around a shared visionLe...
A crowded calendar can look like success, but what if it’s hiding slow service, low-yield work, and profit slipping through the cracks? We pull back the curtain on the “packed restaurant” illusion and share a clearer measure of health: dollar-per-hour production. By focusing on adjusted production per hour, you can design days that hit your goals on purpose, not by accident, and reclaim time without sacrificing revenue. We get specific about how to shift from busy to profitable. You’ll hear ...
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