Just DeW It

Dental technology can support growth, but only when you know what your numbers are telling you. In this episode of Just DeW It, Anne Duffy sits down with her dear friend Dr. Aditi Agarwal, practicing dentist, practice owner, and co-founder of Practice by Numbers, for a grounded conversation about leadership, data, growth, and staying human through it all. Aditi shares how a frustrating drop in case acceptance at her startup practice led her to uncover a simple but powerful truth: the right metrics can reveal what assumptions often miss. Together, Anne and Aditi explore how Practice by Numbers grew from an internal solution into a trusted resource shared dentist-to-dentist, largely through word of mouth. They also dig into the current noise around AI in dentistry, why every shiny tool is not right for every practice, and how to make technology decisions that truly serve your patients, team, and bottom line. Aditi also opens up about overwhelm, vulnerability in leadership, asking for help, and the importance of refilling your own cup before burnout takes over. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How tracking the right numbers can uncover hidden practice barriers. Why low case acceptance may not mean your presentation is the problem. The financing shift that helped Aditi’s practice grow month after month. How Practice by Numbers grew through dentist referrals and user feedback. Why privately owned dental tech can move faster and respond better. How to evaluate AI tools based on your practice’s real needs. When AI x-ray reading or AI reception may help, and when it may not. Why service, patient demographics, and overhead should guide tech choices. How vulnerability can help your team step up and support you. Simple ways to refill your cup and protect your joy in dentistry. Press play for a thoughtful, practical conversation that will help you lead with clarity, choose technology wisely, and keep making space for yourself along the way! Learn More About Dr. Aditi Agarwal Here!  Website: https://practicenumbers.com/Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditi-agarwal-85774322/ Ready to be part of a movement of women shaping the future of dentistry? Join Dental Entrepreneur Woman for masterminds, education, exclusive events, and a supportive community designed to help you grow, lead, and leave your mark on the industry. Become a member at: https://dew.life/membership/ Mentions & Links: Events The DeW Life Retreat   Dental Nachos Products, Services & Tools Practice by Numbers (PBN) — dental practice management and analytics platform StrengthsFinders Organizations Mars — privately owned company discussed as a business model example People Deb Carrier Nate Bargatze

Women in dentistry aren’t just joining the conversation anymore; they’re changing what leadership and ownership can look like. In this episode, Anne Duffy sits down with Dr. Victoria Yu, CEO and Chief Dental Officer of Elite Dental Partners, to unpack what it really takes to lead through change, scale with purpose, and build a career grounded in both execution and service. From running Walmart Dental to helping grow a DSO from 15 practices to more than 600, Victoria shares the leadership lessons that shaped her path, including why clear mission, strong numbers, and the ability to “get things done” all point back to one thing: serving people well. Anne and Victoria also explore the powerful shift happening for women in dentistry. Women are no longer simply asking for a seat at the table; they are redesigning how leadership, ownership, mentorship, and wealth creation can look. Victoria shares how Elite Dental Partners’ Vantage program helps doctors build shared interest in the practices they grow, offering an alternative to the “golden handcuffs” of associate life while reducing administrative burdens through DSO support. The conversation is honest, energizing, and deeply relevant for dentists who want to lead, grow, and create opportunity without losing themselves in the process. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why growth in dentistry is rewarding, but rarely easy. How Victoria’s Strengths profile shapes her leadership style. What it means to lead with mission, execution, and adaptability. Why numbers should reflect how well you are serving patients and teams. How women in dentistry are reshaping leadership and ownership. Why mentorship and mutual support matter more than ever. The difference between being an associate and building long-term wealth. How the Vantage program creates a pathway to shared practice ownership. Why systems, processes, and leverage are essential for dentists managing debt, family, and career demands. What the future of dentistry may look like as technology, DSOs, and female leadership continue to evolve. Listen now for a candid conversation on leadership, ownership, and the new possibilities opening up for women in dentistry. Learn More About Dr. Victoria Yu Here!  Website: https://www.elitedentalpartners.com/ Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vsyu/ Ready to be part of a movement of women shaping the future of dentistry? Join Dental Entrepreneur Woman for masterminds, education, exclusive events, and a supportive community designed to help you grow, lead, and leave your mark on the industry. Become a member at: https://dew.life/membership/ Mentions & Links: Events: The DeW Life Retreat Organizations & Companies: Walmart / Walmart Health — No. 1 on the Fortune 500; Dr. Yu previously ran Walmart’s dental operations. Dentsply Sirona — Dental technology and products company. Golub Capital — Investment firm associated with board chair Andrew Steuerman. HR for Health — Organization where Anne participated on a panel. StrengthsFinder People Mentioned: Andrea Frohning — HR executive at Dentsply Sirona; mentioned as delivering a keynote speech. Andrew Steuerman — Golub Capital executive; identified in the episode as board chair. Schools & Institutions: University of Maryland School of Dentistry

What if the strengths you’ve been downplaying are actually the clearest clues to your next opportunity? In this episode, Anne Duffy sits down with her high-energy friend Scotti Mazikowski, head of payments at Curve Dental, for a refreshingly honest conversation about self-awareness, career growth, motherhood, leadership, and learning to own what you do best. Through the lens of Scotti’s StrengthsFinder results, including learner, arranger, input, self-assurance, and responsibility, Anne and Scotti explore how naming your strengths can change the way you show up at work and at home. Scotti shares how her natural curiosity, ability to organize moving pieces, and willingness to step into unfamiliar territory helped her grow through a non-linear career path, from operations and marketing to leading payments at Curve Dental. They also talk candidly about perfectionism, vulnerability, shared parenting, boundaries, and trusting that your past experiences are preparing you for what’s next. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How understanding your strengths can build confidence and self-acceptance. Why curiosity and continuous learning are powerful leadership skills. How to recognize when you are forcing the wrong fit at work or home. Why non-linear career paths can lead to meaningful opportunities. How Scotti moved from marketing into payments by leaning into execution and adaptability. The importance of culture fit, problem-solving, and communication in career growth. How working mothers can set clearer expectations around work, home, and outcomes. Why vulnerability and asking for help can make you a stronger leader. How to trust that each experience is preparing you for the next right step. Listen now for an honest, energizing conversation that will help you own your strengths, trust your path, and lead with more clarity.  Learn More About Scotti Mazikowski Here!  Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmazikowski/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottimazikowski/ Ready to be part of a movement of women shaping the future of dentistry? Join Dental Entrepreneur Woman for masterminds, education, exclusive events, and a supportive community designed to help you grow, lead, and leave your mark on the industry. Become a member at: https://dew.life/membership/ Mentions & Links: Events: The DeW Life Retreat HYROX Organizations & Tools: Curve Dental StrengthsFinder

What is fear costing your business, your confidence, and your next opportunity? In this episode, Anne Duffy sits down with leadership and dental business consultant Lisa Grogan to talk about what really happens when entrepreneurs, practitioners, and leaders hold back from being seen. Lisa shares her path from dentistry into coaching, psychology, neuroscience, NLP, hypnotherapy, and her LENS Method, a whole-person approach to improving both human and business performance. Together, Anne and Lisa explore how limiting beliefs often sit deeper than mindset alone, and how hypnotherapy can help uncover the root of patterns that keep people stuck. Lisa opens up about her own fear of public speaking, including a moment when she nearly walked away from a major opportunity because visibility felt too overwhelming. This honest conversation is a reminder that confidence is built in small, supported steps, and that emotions are valid without always needing to be in charge. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why fear of visibility can limit your growth and opportunities. How to ask, “What is this fear costing me?” when anxiety takes over. Why small, manageable steps are often more powerful than big leaps. How hypnotherapy can complement coaching by addressing root beliefs. What nervous-system regulation has to do with confidence and leadership. How protective excuses like “I don’t have time” can keep you stuck. Why your emotions matter, but don’t always need to drive your decisions. The four parts of Lisa’s LENS Method: Logic, Emotional/Energy, Neurological, and Social. How language patterns, habits, rest, and support systems influence performance. Why community, coaching, and trusted peers are essential for entrepreneurs and dental leaders. Listen now if you’re ready to stop letting fear make your decisions and start taking grounded, supported steps toward being seen! Learn More About Lisa Grogan Here!  Website: https://lisagrogandentalcoach.com/ Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisagrogan_dentalcoach/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-grogan-886621122/ Ready to be part of a movement of women shaping the future of dentistry? Join Dental Entrepreneur Woman for masterminds, education, exclusive events, and a supportive community designed to help you grow, lead, and leave your mark on the industry. Become a member at: https://dew.life/membership/ Mentions & Links: Events: The DeW Life Retreat

What if the biggest barrier to your next level of leadership is the conversation you think went just fine? In this episode, Anne Duffy sits down with Robyn Ramirez, a coach and speaker who helps dental entrepreneurs strengthen leadership, communication, and mental fitness. Their conversation begins with Robyn’s powerful Camino walking experience and the emotional, spiritual, and physical lessons she carried home. From there, Robyn shares how discovering Conversational Intelligence through Judith Glaser’s work changed the way she leads, coaches, and connects with others. Robyn breaks down a simple but powerful truth for dental leaders: greatness depends on culture, culture depends on relationships, and relationships depend on the quality of our conversations. She challenges the idea of “common sense,” explains why intent does not always equal impact, and offers practical ways to create more clarity in your team, family, and business. From asking better questions to using “tell me more” as a leadership tool, this episode will help you slow down, listen differently, and lead with more curiosity and connection. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why the quality of your conversations shapes your practice culture. How Robyn’s Camino experience influenced her leadership perspective. Why “common sense” can create confusion inside dental teams. How meaning is created in the listener’s mind, not just your words. Why 9 out of 10 conversations miss the mark and what to do about it. How to check for shared understanding before miscommunication grows. The power of asking open-ended questions you don’t already know the answer to. How “double clicking” with “tell me more” can deepen trust. Why tone, energy, and intention change how your message lands. How conversational intelligence supports stronger teams and relationships. Listen now to learn how better conversations can help you lead with more clarity, connection, and confidence in your dental practice and beyond. (This episode originally aired on June 11, 2025) Learn More About Robyn Ramirez Here!  Website: letstalk-results.com  Ready to be part of a movement of women shaping the future of dentistry? Join Dental Entrepreneur Woman for masterminds, education, exclusive events, and a supportive community designed to help you grow, lead, and leave your mark on the industry. Become a member at: https://dew.life/membership/ Mentions & Links: Events: The DeW Life Retreat  WBECS Coaching Summit Books: Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results - Judith E. Glaser Education: Stanford University