The Dental CEO Podcast

Tom Angeloni, Regional Executive and National Sales Director at Bank of America with ~30 years in banking and healthcare lending, explains modern dental financing. He covers rising startup loan sizes, what makes a dentist lendable, and why acquisitions often fund easier than startups. The chat also breaks down underwriting quirks, renovation funding, and scaling beyond one practice.

Dentists talk about overhead, EBITDA, and take-home pay all the time—but most aren’t actually calculating them the same way. In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune breaks down what these numbers really mean, how to calculate them correctly, and the benchmarks healthy practices should aim for. He explains the difference between true overhead and discretionary spending, how EBITDA should be calculated after doctor compensation, and why many dentists with 60–65% overhead are unknowingly losing hundreds of thousands in potential income each year.

What would happen if you treated your practice like you just bought it? In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune breaks down a practical 90-day strategy to rapidly grow collections and profitability. He explains the key drivers of new patient flow, diagnosis, case acceptance, fees, and expenses and the specific actions that can quickly move the needle, from improving marketing and phone systems to implementing AI diagnostics, simplifying treatment plans, optimizing insurance fees, and tightening major expense categories like supplies, labs, and staffing.

Is buying a dental practice really the safer move, or has the equation changed? In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune revisits the buy versus startup debate and explains why his thinking has shifted in today’s market. He defines what a modern well executed startup actually looks like, including lower build costs, smart lease negotiations, optimized footprints, advanced cloud based systems, AI integration, ideal equipment selection, and a fully designed patient experience. He then contrasts that with the realities of acquisitions, from compromised locations and outdated systems to cultural resistance, upgrade costs, and limited long term growth ceilings. While acquisitions may provide short term financial stability, startups today often offer greater control, higher ceilings, and stronger long term returns when properly funded. If you are deciding between buying and building, this episode provides a clear strategic framework for making the right move.

Should your next move be a startup, an acquisition, or even a merger? In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune explains why repeating the same growth strategy over and over can stall momentum and how a blended approach creates smarter expansion, easier funding, healthier cash flow, and stronger long term equity. He breaks down how bank underwriting changes after your first location, why stacking too many startups can strain your organization, how acquisitions can deliver immediate profit improvement, and how mergers and larger group structures increase overall valuation through EBITDA multiple expansion. If your goal is to build real net worth and not just add locations, this episode outlines a practical strategic framework for sustainable multi location growth.

A deep dive into the crucial weeks before a practice opens and why pre-opening planning decides success. Practical takes on hiring experienced staff early and training with intention. Step-by-step setup of systems, automation, and daily checklists to choreograph the patient journey. Advice on soft openings, role-play rehearsal, and scaling schedules to avoid a chaotic launch.

Legacy dental IT systems were built for a different era—and continuing to rely on them is becoming more expensive, more disruptive, and more limiting every year. In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune breaks down why server-based setups, patchwork software integrations, and outdated infrastructure are no longer sustainable in modern dentistry. The conversation explores how cloud-based platforms, integrated imaging, automation, and AI-ready systems are reshaping clinical workflows, reducing IT costs, and improving both patient and staff experience. From startups and new builds to existing practices and multi-location groups, this episode explains when it is time to modernize, what a clean and future-ready IT stack looks like, and why waiting only increases cost and complexity.

Dustin Johnson, Co-founder and CTO of SodaCloud, builds cloud-based dental imaging and AI integrations. He explains why server-based, siloed imaging hinders multi-location practices and AI adoption. Listens on cloud backups, seamless specialist access, CBCT in-browser viewing, staff tracking and analytics, and how cloud imaging lowers costs while future-proofing workflows and referrals.

Rising construction costs have made dental office design one of the biggest financial risk factors in a startup. In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune sits down with Chris Raba, owner of Lean Dental Design, to explain how poor space planning, bloated layouts, and inefficient design decisions quietly drive up construction costs and leave dentists over budget before they ever open. They break down why usable square footage matters more than total size, how small design choices can create massive cost swings, and why detailed planning and value engineering are now essential in today’s construction climate. If you’re planning a startup, relocation, or expansion, this episode shows how smarter design can protect your budget and your long-term success

Eric Masson, Partner at Eskow Law Group, joins Scott Leune on The Dental CEO Podcast to break down the legal strategies dentists need when starting, buying, or growing a practice. Drawing from years of experience in healthcare transactions, Eric explains why lease agreements are often landlord-friendly, why legal counsel should be involved before signing a Letter of Intent, and how to properly structure associate agreements, non-competes, and partnerships to avoid costly disputes. He also shares insights on deal fatigue, partner buy-outs, and DSO structures for asset protection, estate planning, and easier access to capital—providing essential legal knowledge every dental practice owner should understand.