Growth in Dentistry: A Dental Intelligence Podcast

In this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, host Steve Jensen sits down with Olivia Smith from OS Dental Consulting to tackle one of dentistry's most persistent challenges: improving case acceptance. With case acceptance rates trending downward across the industry, Olivia shares her expertise from working with over 100 practices to reveal the real barriers preventing patients from saying yes to treatment—and how to overcome them.We discussed:Industry trends: Declining case acceptance ratesCommon Barriers to case acceptanceThe importance of comprehensive presentationTeam member rolesFinancial conversationsLab case management…and so much more!Guest Bio: Olivia Smith is the founder of OS Dental Consulting and has been in dentistry for over 11 years. With a background in marketing and business management, she has worked with over 100 practices across the country and spent the last 7 years coaching practices to improve their systems, case acceptance, and overall growth. Olivia specializes in helping practices identify barriers in their patient journey and implementing systems that lead to 15-20% increases in case acceptance.Connect with Olivia at olivia@osdentalconsulting.com or visit her website, www.osdentalconsulting.com. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode of Growth in Dentistry, host Steve Jensen sits down with Dr. Avi Patel to explore how clear aligners can transform a general dental practice. Dr. Patel shares his journey from burnout to building a thriving practice centered around clear aligner therapy, demonstrating how this service can improve profitability, work-life balance, and patient care simultaneously.Listen in to hear more about:Why Dr. Patel chose dentistryHis early career challengesThe clear aligner turning point and its impact on practice and lifestyleThe “Gateway Effect” of aligners into other forms of dentistryTeaching and mentorship…and so much more!Connect with Dr. Avi Patel:His website: https://www.clearaligneradvisor.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-avi-patel-clearaligner-advisor/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor.avi/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@doctoraviSee a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

Tune in to this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, where host Steve Jensen sits down with Katherine Eitel Belt, founder and CEO of LionSpeak, to discuss managing tough conversations in dental practices. With over 35 years of experience as a keynote speaker and communication coach, Katherine shares her proven framework for having courageous conversations that solve problems while strengthening relationships.Key topics covered in this episode:Why most people avoid difficult conversations and the cost of avoidance in dental practicesThe importance of emotional state and taking ownership before engaging in tough conversationsThe ARCH Framework: A four-step process for having productive, courageous conversationsThe Three-Conversation Leadership TierCulture and Communication: How communication skills directly impact practice culture and employee retention...and so much more!Interested in learning more about Katherine Eitel Belt and her work at LionSpeak? Visit their website: www.lionspeak.net. Download your free ARCH Framework: https://www.lionspeak.net/courageous/. Connect with Katherine: info@lionspeak.net. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this deep dive episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, Dr. Simone Ellis shares her remarkable journey in dentistry - from deciding to become a dentist at age 7 to building a successful cosmetic dental practice and becoming a coach and speaker. Dr. Ellis discusses the challenges of transitioning from being a clinician to an entrepreneur and the mindset shifts that helped her overcome early struggles.Listen in to hear about:Dr. Ellis's early inspiration in dentistry and how it led to her career in dentistryHer bold business move to open a practice from scratchHer struggles as an entrepreneur and how they led to a breakthrough in practice ownershipHow Dr. Ellis promotes leadership development in her team…and so much more!About Dr. Simone Ellis:Dr. Simone Ellis has been running a successful cosmetic dental practice for 15 years. After just one year as an associate, she opened her own practice and has since become a dental coach and speaker. She hosts her own podcast called "Beyond the Chair."Connect with Dr. Ellis: https://www.drsimoneellis.com. Catch up on Dr. Ellis's podcast: https://www.drsimoneellis.com/beyond-the-chair-podcast.See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode, Steve Jensen speaks with Sara Hansen about the often overlooked gold mine of internal marketing in dental practices. Sara shares her expertise on how practices can grow significantly by focusing on existing patients rather than spending thousands on external marketing campaigns. Listen in to this episode to hear about:The untapped potential of internal marketingThe Three R's approach: Referrals, reviews, and reactivationSara's patient reactivation strategyUtilizing practice management software to identify and target specific patient segmentsThe ROI of internal marketing…and so much more!Interested in learning more from PDA? Check out their website: https://productivedentist.com/.Get connected with Phoenix Dental Agency: https://phoenixdentalagency.com/.Connect with Sara: sara@phoenixdentalagency.com.See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, host Steve Jensen interviews Wendy Briggs, RDH and renowned hygiene coach. They discuss the changing landscape of dental hygiene, including rising costs and wages, and how to transform hygiene departments into profitable centers while delivering exceptional patient care.Listen to this episode to learn about:The changing economics of hygiene - Hygienist salaries rising and the financial pressure that creates on practicesThe three critical roles of hygieneThe Doctor-Hygienist partnershipElevating preventive carePeriodontal therapy…and so much more!Want to learn more from Wendy and The Team Training Institute team?Check out their website to learn about the different trainings and courses they offer: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/Listen to The Team Training Institute podcast: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/podcastSee a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode of Growth in Dentistry, host Steve Jensen interviews Dr. Sarah Blair, a successful dentist who transitioned from clinical practice to helping other dental practices thrive. Dr. Blair shares her journey from dental school to practice ownership, where she tripled her practice revenues within five years.Jump in to hear us discuss:Dr. Blair's unique path to dentistry, including prior experience in the service industry and dental assistingThe importance of practice ownership preparation and investment in technology, marketing, and trainingCommon challenges dental practices face, including lack of role clarity and financial awarenessThe significance of data-driven decision-making in dental practice managementBalance between metrics and team culture in practice leadership…and so much more!For more information about practice development and coaching, visit www.indiepractices.com. And to take the quiz for your scorecard, click “Get Your Scorecard” in the top righthand corner of the website to get started.Interested in connecting directly with Dr. Blair? Email sarah@indiepractices.com. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, host Steve Jensen interviews Ashley Boaz, CEO of Mint Conceptions, who also serves as Chief Human Resource Officer and COO of a dental group. With over 20 years of experience in dentistry, she has held nearly every role in a dental practice, from dental assistant to hygienist to management. Tune in to hear valuable insights on enhancing the patient experience through improved communication, trust-building, and understanding patient needs.Listen in to hear Ashley and Steve chat about:Communicating well and building trust with your teamUnderstanding patient needsAppointment timingWho should be having financial conversations with patients…and so much more!Want to learn more from Ashley and Mint Conceptions? Visit https://www.mintconceptions.com. And take the Discovery Assessment here: https://mintconceptions.scoreapp.com/.See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, hosts Steve Jensen and Nate Baker, DI Enterprise Account Executive, interview Dr. Brad Hughes, CEO of Vision Dental Partners. Dr. Hughes shares his journey from starting as a solo practitioner in 2007 to building a successful dental group that received the "Emerging Dental Group to Watch" award from Group Dentistry Now for 2025.Listen in to hear more about:Dr. Hughes' career journeyHis practice growth strategy and how he spent six years focused on tripling the revenue of his single location before expanding to additional practicesHis growth philosophy: increase new patients, increase the size of the purchase, and increase the frequency of the purchaseTeam Building: the importance of shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset focused on team development…and so much more!See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

Welcome to this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast! In this episode, Steve chats with Lauren Anderson, Managing Director at Rain Global, discussing innovative staffing solutions for dental practices facing rising costs and retention challenges.Listen in to hear about:Rising staffing costs in dentistryThe challenge of replacing experienced staff with new hires requiring extensive trainingBenefits of remote workers for administrative tasks and which tasks can be outsourced well…and so much more!Want to learn more about Rain Global? Visit their website: www.rainglobal.comOr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/rain-global-dental/See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.