DEO's Growth Secrets for Dental Organizations

Emmet Scott - CEO, Growth Leader

DEO's Growth Secrets for Dental Organizations is a dental business podcast for practice owners, operators, and dental group leaders looking to improve profitability, leadership, operations, and growth across single-location and multi-location dental practices.

Whether you're running your first practice, expanding into multiple locations, or leading a growing dental organization, this show is built for you.

Hosted by Emmet Scott, co-founder and CEO of the Dentist Entrepreneur Organization (DEO), along with DEO's coaches, the show features the operators who have built high-performing dental organizations and the industry experts working across thousands of practices.

Every episode unpacks what's actually driving growth right now: the systems, leadership, financial discipline, and operational strategies that help dental groups scale. From practice management and patient growth to acquisitions, culture, technology, and team development, you'll hear real-world lessons from leaders who are building modern dental organizations without sacrificing ownership, culture, or clinical autonomy.

Real operators. Real data. Real playbooks.

New episodes help you build a business that runs on systems instead of your sweat, so you can create more profit, more freedom, and more impact.

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20 episodes
Updated July 30

Episodes20

Newest first

July 30 · 42 min
275: You Don't Have a Time Problem, You Have a Practice Support Problem
What if the reason you're still buried in emails has nothing to do with how many hours are in your day? Jordin McEntire sits down with Jackie Brown, Global Head of HR at SupportDDS, who spent years working alongside doctors at a DSO with 75 practices and 200 clinicians. She kept seeing the same thing play out. Owners were still managing their own schedules, still answering their own emails, long after they'd outgrown that job. Jackie explains why she built the Executive Excellence Academy to train executive assistants who think ahead of problems instead of just reacting to them, and why SupportDDS holds turnover down to 6.2% when the industry average runs far higher. She breaks down what real support actually looks like, from protecting an owner's priorities to running daily check-ins that keep the whole day on track, and what changes for a practice once that kind of support is finally in place. 🔗Learn more about SupportDDS: supportdds.com 📲Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/supportdds 🔗Interested in the Executive Excellence Academy? Learn more here: https://eea.zimworx.com/ 💡 Running your practice shouldn't feel like survival mode. Join DEO's Growth Secrets Newsletter, the daily email with real tips on growth and profitability 👉 Subscribe Now: https://deodentalgroup.com/newsletter/ Today's episode is sponsored by SupportDDS, a partner of the DEO.
July 16 · 45 min
274: Stop Wasting Your Front Desk's Time on the Wrong RCM Problems
Your front desk didn't sign up to be an insurance department. So why are they buried in one? Kendall sits down with Louis Chan and Vere Whittome, co-founders of Kaylie AI, to break down the walls between insurance verification, treatment coordination, and claims management. Louis explains how five-star doctors at his old oral surgery group kept getting one-star reviews, why most practices react to problems instead of catching them early, and how every denied claim carries a lesson. They also get honest about where AI still falls short and why teams end up chasing a 5% problem with 80% of their time. If you've ever wondered where your front desk's time is really going, this one will change how you see it. Connect with Kaylie.ai: 🔗 Website: http://kaylie.ai/deo 📲 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaylie-ai/ 💡 Running your practice shouldn't feel like survival mode. Join DEO's Growth Secrets Newsletter, the daily email with real tips on growth and profitability. 👉 Subscribe Now: https://deodentalgroup.com/newsletter/ Today's episode is sponsored by Kaylie AI, a partner of the DEO.
July 9 · 46 min
273: The New Legal Rules Every Dental Practice Owner Must Know
What happens when the laws governing your practice change every few months, and you find out the hard way? Emmett Scott sits down with Eric Scalzo and John Saran, partners at Holland & Knight, to break down the wave of new state regulations reshaping dental practice growth in 2026. They walk through the recent California settlement making headlines, why non-competes and ownership disclosures are under new scrutiny, and how practices in Indiana secured their own exemption simply by showing up during the legislative process. The takeaway: the practices protecting themselves right now aren't panicking, they're paying attention. This one's essential listening before your next hire, partnership, or transaction. Learn more about Holland & Knight's work in the dental space 👇 🔗 Website: www.hklaw.com 🔗 HK Navigator (state-by-state regulation tracker): https://www.hklaw.com/en/general-pages/holland-knight-navigator-mapping-healthcare-transaction-laws 💡 Running your practice shouldn't feel like survival mode. Join DEO's Growth Secrets Newsletter, the daily email with real tips on growth and profitability. 👉 Subscribe Now: https://deodentalgroup.com/newsletter/ Today's episode is sponsored by Holland & Knight, a partner of the DEO.
June 25 · 40 min
272: Why This Dental CEO Believes People Matter More Than Locations
What if growing from one office to ten was never really about the locations at all? Dr. Ronald Taylor sits down with Kendall Hussein to share how he built Trident Endo Dental into a multi-state endodontic group, and why none of it would have worked without putting people first. Ron opens up about a ransomware attack, hiring the wrong people more than once, and the moment he realized his job wasn't running practices. It was building a culture his team wanted to stay in. He breaks down what servant leadership looks like day to day, and why he now measures success by the relationships he's built, not the number of offices on a map. Ready to join DEO members who have already solved the challenges you are facing today? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/
June 18 · 41 min
271: Why Your Dental Practice Collections Drop as You Grow
What if your biggest profitability opportunity isn't a new patient or a new location, but the revenue you've already earned and never fully collected? Kendall Hussein sits down with Shreyas Parab, who grew up running every job in his mom's small dental practice in Philadelphia before founding Daydream, one of the most AI-driven RCM companies in dental today. Shreyas breaks down why collections actually drop as practices scale, why a 99% collection rate can still mean you're 45 days from your money, and what it costs when your office manager is on hold with MetLife instead of filling chairs. He walks through how Daydream's AI-powered billing team helped DEO member Beam Dental recover $36,626 in just 76 days. 📞 Connect with Daydream 🔗 Website: www.daydream.dental 📲 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daydreamdentalbilling/ 📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daydream_billing/ 💡 Daydream is part of DEO's Cost Savings Club. DEO Members get 6 months of ChatPMS free. 👉 Claim your free access: https://app.daydream.dental/chatpms Not a DEO Member? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/ Today's episode is sponsored by Daydream, a partner of the DEO.
June 4 · 33 min
270: Is Your Patient Financing Helping or Hurting Your Dental Practice?
What if patients aren't saying no to treatment, but saying no to how you're asked to pay? Jordin McEntire sits down with Luke Johnson, Chief Revenue Officer at HFD, to break down what's really happening when patients leave without scheduling. Luke's family bought HFD in 2017, not as bankers, but as entrepreneurs who saw a gap most lenders weren't willing to close. They spent the next 17 years building data on the patients every financing company turns away, and what came out of that is a 99% approval rate the industry hadn't seen before. Luke explains why most financing platforms are built to deny rather than approve, what that does to your treatment coordinators' confidence, and how knowing nearly everyone can qualify changes the way you market and present care. 🔗 Website: www.gohfd.com 📲 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/gohfd 📲 Facebook: facebook.com/gohfd.us 📥 Download the Free Case Study: https://tinyurl.com/ybrc63vz 💡 HFD is part of DEO's Cost Savings Club. DEO Members can submit an interest form in the DEO App to get access. 💡 Running your practice shouldn't feel like survival mode. Join DEO's Growth Secrets Newsletter, the daily email with real tips on growth and profitability. 👉 Subscribe Now: https://deodentalgroup.com/newsletter/ Today's episode is sponsored by HFD, a partner of the DEO.
May 28 · 43 min
269: Why Two Doctors Make More Money Than Two Dental Practices
What if the single biggest money mistake you're making has nothing to do with marketing, overhead, or your fee schedule? Emmett Scott sits down with Dr. Brett Wells, CEO of Loren Dental Partners, who built nine locations — eight of them de novo startups — and spent six years grinding solo while leaving a fortune on the table. Brett shares why he waited way too long to bring in a second doctor, how that one decision took a single practice from $2M to $6M a year, and why two doctors in one location will always make more money than two separate practices. He also opens up about building and selling Dental HQ, a half-million dollar hot dog restaurant that almost made it to Shark Tank, and the communication lesson that changed how he leads. Ready to join DEO members who have already solved the challenges you are facing today? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/
May 21 · 40 min
268: How One Dental Group Went From 40% to 78% Case Acceptance
What if every conversation in your operatory is already telling you where your production is leaking...and you just can't hear it? In this episode, Jordin McEntire sits down with Danny Bessonov, CEO and co-founder of Avora, to break down why most dental groups are flying blind on case presentation, team performance, and patient experience. Danny shares how ambient AI turns every appointment into real-time coaching data, giving operators visibility into conversations they'd otherwise never hear, and a scorecard for every role that touches the patient. He walks through why case acceptance is a systems problem and not a people problem, and Jordin shares a live result from a DEO member using Avora: case acceptance went from 40% to 78% — with fewer staff than the quarter before. 📞 Connect with Danny: 🔗 Website: getavora.ai 🔗 Free Case Presentation Report: getavora.ai/report/case-presentation 📲 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dbessonov 💡 Avora is part of DEO's Cost Savings Club. DEO Members can learn more in the DEO App. Ready to join DEO members who have already solved the challenges you are facing today? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/ Today's episode is sponsored by Avora, a partner of the DEO.
May 14 · 44 min
267: How Getting Out of the Chair Tripled Their Dental Group
What if the thing that finally pulled you out of the chair wasn't a plan, but a crisis? Emmett Scott sits down with Dr. Alex and Bobby, co-founders of Halex Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, a 15-location pediatric dental and orthodontics group they've built together over nearly two decades in coastal Virginia. Bobby spent years as the lead producer while Alex ran the business. Then a sudden open heart surgery forced him out of the chair for three months, and the practice kept growing without him. That moment changed everything. They open up about rebuilding after bad partnerships and financial setbacks, why chasing revenue instead of profit is a trap, what it really looks like to hire people smarter than yourself, and how building a team bigger than any one person is what finally unlocked real growth. Ready to join DEO members who have already solved the challenges you are facing today? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/
May 7 · 42 min
266: Build Your Dental Practice to Be Sold Tomorrow but Owned Forever
What if you had to sell your dental practice tomorrow? Would it be worth what you think it is? In this episode, Brannon Moncrief, Principal and CEO of McLerran & Associates, pulls back the curtain on what dental practice buyers are actually looking for right now and why so many owners are unknowingly setting themselves up for a disappointing exit. With 35 years in the industry and roughly 400 practice evaluations a year, Brannon has seen it all...the clean, the messy, and everything in between. He breaks down EBITDA in plain English, walks through the difference between a Class A, B, and C asset, and shares what it really takes to build a practice that commands top-dollar multiples in today's market. Whether you're thinking about selling in two years or twenty, this conversation is one you need to hear. 📲 To learn more about McLerran & Associates or connect with Brannon directly: Website: www.dentaltransitions.com Call or Text: (512) 660-8505 Email: brannon@dentaltransitions.com Not a DEO member? Join over 600+ dentist entrepreneurs who have already solved the challenges you are facing today. ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/ Today's episode is sponsored by McLerran & Associates, a partner of the DEO.
April 23 · 49 min
265: How Dental Practice Owners Lose 3% of Revenue Without Even Knowing It
What if the data you need to grow your dental practice is already sitting right in front of you...you just can't see it yet? In this episode of DEO's Growth Secrets, Emmett Scott sits down with Emily Ryba, Co-Founder and CEO of OSDental, who started her career as a CPA specializing in dental and spent years watching practice owners make major decisions without the full financial picture. After building a $1 million data warehouse for a 42-location dental group, she realized there had to be a better way...and OSDental was born. You'll hear why most practice owners are only seeing 30% of their data and what's hiding in the other 70%, why the average dental practice loses 1 to 3% of revenue simply from lack of data visibility, and why your collections report might be telling you a story that isn't actually true. Emily also breaks down how data transparency changes team behavior, what untreated perio is quietly costing your practice, and why giving your team access to the right data is the fastest way to make them act like owners. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by your numbers or unsure what they're actually telling you...this one will change how you see your business. 📲 To learn more about OSDental, visit: https://osdental.io/ 💡 OSDental is part of DEO's Cost Savings Club. DEO Members can submit an interest form in the DEO App to get access. Not a DEO Member? 🎯 Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://bit.ly/4mt66YI
April 16 · 36 min
264: The Systems Every Dental Practice Owner Needs Before Opening a Second Location
What if the cracks in your dental practice were always there...and growth just made them impossible to ignore? In this episode of DEO's Growth Secrets, Kendall sits down with Karen Gray, Chief Customer Officer at Oryx Dental Software. With nearly 20 years of executive experience across vertical SaaS, Karen is a proven customer leader with a front-row seat to what actually happens when dental practices start to scale. She breaks down why the jump from one location to two exposes operational gaps most owners don't even know exist. You'll hear why being the busiest practice on the block is not always a green light to expand, the three questions every owner needs to answer before opening a second location, and why the dentist who is involved in everything is often the biggest bottleneck to their own growth. Karen also draws a clear line between having software and having real operational infrastructure, and why that difference determines whether scaling feels like momentum or chaos. 📲 To learn more about Oryx Dental Software: Website: www.oryxdental.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/OryxDentalSoftware LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/oryxdental Instagram: www.instagram.com/oryxdentalsoftware 🎯 Ready to increase your profit, build a stronger team, and finally break free from the day-to-day? Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://bit.ly/4mt66YI Today's episode is sponsored by Oryx Dental Software, a partner of the DEO.
April 9 · 47 min
263: How One Dental Practice Owner Almost Lost Everything and Then Built a $1.2M Practice
What happens when you do everything right...build the practice, hire the team, open a second location...and then it all starts falling apart? In this episode, Emmett Scott sits down with Dr. Nada Elsadig, a multi-location practice owner who went from a $200K acquisition to $1.2M in her first year, only to face a health crisis that left her practice vulnerable, her team working against her, and her confidence at an all-time low. She shares the raw truth about what it took to rebuild, why she almost walked away from dentistry entirely, and how the right systems and support changed everything. You'll hear how Dr. Nada approaches case acceptance through what she calls the "emotional treasure," a simple but powerful method for getting patients to say yes without pressure. She also breaks down the leadership shift that transformed her practice culture, why she stopped holding on to team members who weren't the right fit, and how she's now expanding to her third location with a clear vision for training the next generation of dentists. 🎯 Ready to increase your profit, build a stronger team, and finally break free from the day-to-day? Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉 https://bit.ly/4mt66YI
April 2 · 41 min
262: The Hidden Risks of Scaling a Dental Practice
What happens when your practice is growing…and then a lawsuit or claim hits that you thought you were covered for? In this episode, Herb Ford and Kyle Wallace from Risk Strategies break down what most dental practice owners don't think about while they're focused on growth. You're adding a provider or opening another location, and naturally your attention stays on production and keeping everything moving. But as the practice grows, the risk behind it grows with it. The coverage that worked for one location doesn't always fit a second. A general policy that felt fine early on may miss the nuances of a dental practice as complexity increases. And without the right partner guiding that strategy, small gaps can build quietly in the background. Herb and Kyle walk through where those gaps tend to show up, from employee issues to liability and operational risks, and why most owners only discover them when it's already costing them. 👉 Learn more about Risk Strategies: https://www.risk-strategies.com/dental 📄 Download the free white paper here: https://bit.ly/4s7tUSZ Not a member? Join over 500+ dentist entrepreneurs who have already solved the challenges you are facing today. ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/ Today's episode is sponsored by Risk Strategies, a partner of the DEO.
March 26 · 38 min
261: The Three Location Trap That Kills Dental Practice Growth
Why does your dental practice get harder to run the moment you hit three locations? In this episode, Chris Hadziev from Planet DDS shares data from over 8,000+ practices on why some offices grow nearly three times faster than others. New patient flow is one of the key drivers. But the deeper story isn't just about getting more patients in the door. It's what happens next. Chris shares how one growing group had all the right tools in place, yet nothing connected. Their ops leader became the system, manually stitching together reports just to keep things running. It highlights how the 3 location mark is when systems begin to break down. What once worked at the beginning starts to create friction instead of momentum. This episode walks through what's actually driving the gap between top and bottom performers, why operational consistency beats expansion, and how small breakdowns in case acceptance quietly limit your production without you realizing it. 📍 Connect with Chris Hadziev on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-hadziev/ 🦷 Learn more about Planet DDS: https://www.planetdds.com/ 📘 Download the Scaling Smarter: Standardization Guide for DSOs and Dental Groups: https://www.planetdds.com/resources/standardization-guide/ 📊 Get the 2026 Dental Industry Outlook: https://bit.ly/4uSAyPt Not a member? Join over 500+ dentist entrepreneurs who have already solved the challenges you are facing today. ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/ Today's episode is sponsored by Planet DDS, a partner of the DEO.
March 12 · 42 min
260: What Dental Practice Owners Must Know Before Spending Another Dollar on Marketing
If your marketing agency is leading with traffic, clicks, and impressions... they're measuring the wrong things. And while you're nodding along to their monthly report, your business stays flat. Most dental practices don't have a marketing problem. They have an accountability problem. In this episode, Daniel Sosa, CEO of OM Performance Marketing, breaks down why traditional dental marketing is bleeding your budget dry and what performance marketing actually looks like. You'll learn why new patients and production are the only metrics that matter, how to tie your marketing directly to hiring decisions and practice growth, how to vet a marketing agency so you never get burned again, and why month six is when real growth finally takes off. 🔗 Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dsosa1/ 🌐 Learn more about OM Performance Marketing: www.growwithom.com/dso 📋 Grab their free Digital Marketing Agency Cheat Sheet, so you know exactly what to look for when evaluating your next marketing partner: https://bit.ly/4uoOQHo Not a DEO member? Join over 500+ dentist entrepreneurs who have already solved the challenges you are facing today. ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/ Today's episode is sponsored by OM Performance Marketing, a partner of the DEO.
February 26 · 47 min
259: How a Dental Practice Owner Grew From 0 to 7 Offices and Gained Her Freedom
What if you could build a thriving dental organization and still be present for the moments that matter most? In this episode, Dr. Whitney Weiner shares her journey from starting with zero patients to buying seven offices and consolidating them into three. She talks about the early grind, cash being tight, remodeling operatories on weekends, and carrying the weight of growth on her shoulders. She opens up about her worst financial quarter ever and the realization that being the super producer was actually slowing her company down. The shift came when she learned to let go, hire people wiser than her, and step into architecting the business instead of doing everything herself. Today, she blocks time on her calendar to help her son with algebra, builds her schedule around family, and chooses what she says yes and no to. Listen in to hear Whitney's story about growth, failure, freedom, and building a practice that works around her life. Ready to join DEO members who have already solved the challenges you are facing today? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/
February 5 · 43 min
258: Cut Marketing Waste and Get More Patients in Your Dental Practice
Are you spending thousands on marketing, but still don't really know what's working? In this episode, Kendall sits down with Ali Soufi, CEO of DocSites, to talk through what's really happening behind the scenes of dental marketing. They cover why many practices overspend on Google Ads, how "vanity websites" quietly hurt ROI, and what it looks like to focus on efficiency first. You'll hear real examples of practices cutting the fluff, reallocating spend, and building websites that patients actually respond to. If marketing has ever felt confusing, expensive, or out of your control, this episode will help you see where to look and what questions to start asking. Learn more about DocSites or connect with their team 👇 www.docsites.com 🎁 DEO Members: DocSites offers an exclusive, member-only offer. To learn more or access member perks, reach out to your DEO Coach or Community Coordinator. Not a member? Join over 500+ dentist entrepreneurs who have already solved the challenges you are facing today.✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/
January 22 · 53 min
257: From Failing Dental Practices to Profitable Multi-Location Growth
What do you do when you buy failing practices and suddenly you're the one holding every location together? Seth Huish and Clark Brinton from Arvory Dental Group bought four practices in 2017. What started as an ambitious growth plan quickly turned into lost associates, burned savings, and the pressure to produce their way out of problems. Now at eight locations with every practice clearing $1M+, they share how they moved from associate to partner models, slashed costs by 30% with AI, built vertically integrated systems, and why radical candor became their secret weapon for tough conversations. Ready to join DEO members who have already solved the challenges you are facing today? ✨ Schedule your free Growth Accelerator Call and take the first step toward becoming a DEO member 👉https://deodentalgroup.com/interest/
January 15 · 27 min
256: What It Really Takes to Scale a Dental Practice
What if the real reason scaling feels harder is because your systems were never built to scale in the first place? Kendall sits down with Ted Wegman, co-founder of Access DSO Solutions, to break down what really goes wrong when dental groups grow too fast. Ted explains how practices hit facility bottlenecks, miss critical details, and end up with systems that don't talk to each other. Before they know it, owners are pulled back into decisions they thought growth would eliminate. He shares real stories from large dental groups that scaled right and wrong, why scalability and EBITDA drive real value, and how building systems before expansion creates freedom instead of friction. 📞 Connect with Ted Wegman 📧 Email: TWegman@AccessDSO.com 📱 Call/Text: (314) 497-0403 💡 Running your practice shouldn't feel like survival mode. Join DEO's Growth Secrets Newsletter, the daily email with real tips on growth and profitability. 👉 Subscribe Now: https://deodentalgroup.com/newsletter/