In this special roundtable episode of Simplified Dentistry, Dr. Murtuza Shah-Khan, Dr. Mustafa Shah-Khan and Dr. Richard Offutt are joined by dental industry veteran Perrin DesPortes (Co-Founder of Polaris Healthcare Partners) for a live Q&A-style discussion on leadership, group practice growth, mentorship, and the financial realities of scaling as a dental entrepreneur. Whether you're solo and curious about expansion, or navigating the transition from hands-on clinician to strategic CEO, this candid conversation delivers practical wisdom with humor and heart.

Episode Navigation

01:35 – Defining leadership in solo vs. multi-site practices
04:30 – Communication as a leadership skill
06:50 – The clinical risk of inconsistent philosophy across associates
08:20 – Should I grow? Buy? Hire an associate?
11:00 – The income dip that comes with growth
14:00 – Coaching leadership & the value of credibility
16:45 – Hiring partners or assistants: when is it worth it?
20:30 – Mentorship as the core of transition
25:30 – Avoiding burnout in expansion
27:30 – Adding associates without adding ops: is it viable?
30:00 – Aligners, implants & specialty care to increase scope
33:00 – Is the wave of dental growth over?
35:00 – De novo strategy: build right, not fast
40:00 – Cannibalization as a de novo growth tactic
43:00 – Vetting consultants & calculating ROI

Key Takeaways

Leadership in Dentistry

• Leadership = creating greater results through others
• Communication systems (like regular huddles & team check-ins) are critical
• Trust is earned through consistency, clarity, and presence
• Dentists must move from “outworking” problems to developing others
  
  

Growth Isn’t Always Profitable—At First

• Adding an associate costs money before it makes money
• Mentorship is essential: teaching new doctors how to earn, not just practice
• Hiring team members (even assistants) can free up your time to lead
• Know your numbers before expanding—revenue, margins, capacity
  
  

De Novo vs. Acquisition

• De novo can work—if you understand patient value, break-even points, and have a strategy
• Many group practices fail due to rushed build-outs and unrealistic expectations
• Cannibalizing part of your current practice to feed a new one can accelerate growth
• Aligner, sleep, and implant services can improve per-op revenue
  
  

Meet Our Guest

Perrin DesPortes
Co-Founder of Polaris Healthcare Partners, executive coach, former dental industry executive, and trusted advisor to growth-minded dental entrepreneurs. Perrin specializes in helping practice owners transition into CEOs with clarity, confidence, and strategy.

Featured Discussion Topics

• Clinician-to-CEO transitions
• Dental leadership development
• Associate onboarding & profitability
• Strategic expansion & de novo practices
• Avoiding burnout in multi-site ownership
• Evaluating consultants & coaching ROI
• Private equity trends & independent growth
  
  

Connect With Simplify Dentistry

🌐 Website: simplifydds.com
👥 Facebook Group: Simplify Dentistry Community

Topics: dental leadership, clinician to CEO, multi-site dentistry, dental expansion, mentorship, de novo practices, associate integration, practice management, dental consulting, financial strategy