Coverage
Dental
The practice-owner conversation in dentistry. What dentists and their advisors are saying about patients, staffing, and the business of the practice.
Refreshed nightly · readings through August 5, 2026
What the Dental conversation reads like
Sentiment across the five topics we score, measured only on dental shows. Trailing 30 days against the same window a quarter ago; thin cuts fall back to a 90-day read.
Future Outlook
78.8
Economy
45.8
Industry Forecast
56.6
AI
55.2
Innovation
71.2
Future Outlook
12-mo avg 80.2 · points from average
Economy
12-mo avg 46.4 · points from average
Industry Forecast
12-mo avg 58.6 · points from average
AI
12-mo avg 56.0 · points from average
Innovation
12-mo avg 75.2 · points from average
Each topic against its own 12-month average (the zero line), within dental shows only. Above means the conversation is running hotter than normal for that topic; below, cooler.
Latest in Dental
newest across the tracked shows
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Aug 4, 2026
2567: Collective Intelligence-Unlocking Growth Through AI, Marketing & Operations
Ryan Gross presents on how AI, marketing, and operations must work together to help dental practices grow effectively. He explains that AI is a tool to improve efficiency and pattern recognition, not a magic fix, and emphasizes that strong team culture and patient relationships are foundational. Gross breaks down critical metrics including phone answer rates, cost per new patient, hygiene production, and case acceptance rates, showing how practices can use data to ask better "what if" questions and make smarter operational decisions.
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Aug 4, 2026
Very Clinical: Dr. Sully Sullivan on Replacing Yourself
Dr. Sully Sullivan from Nashville, Tennessee discusses the origins and philosophy of the 3D Dentists Mastermind program, which emphasizes teaching dentists to "replace themselves" to overcome bandwidth limitations and enable practice growth. He explains the core principles of comprehensive diagnosis, lower case acceptance rates (15-20%), and fewer well-planned visits, while detailing the Mastermind curriculum that includes accountability through peer groups and mandatory DSLR photography. Sullivan also covers the Digital Implant Continuum course, a live-patient training program held at a nonprofit facility in North Carolina that teaches extraction, grafting, guided implant surgery, and restoration, with a 2-to-1 mentor ratio and unlimited post-course support.
Aug 3, 2026
Leaving the Chair Without Quitting
Dr. Todd Christensen, a 45-year-old dental practice owner from Minnesota with 20 operatories across two locations, calls in to discuss his struggle with transitioning out of clinical dentistry into an executive role. Peter and Craig challenge his framing of the problem, suggesting he may be conflating burnout with a need to leave dentistry entirely, and offer practical strategies for gradually reducing clinical duties, transferring patient relationships to associates, and discovering what he actually wants for the next chapter of his life.
Are You Missing the Clarity of Vision Needed for Sustainable Dental Practice Growth?
Dr. Andrew Clingan delivers a solo episode addressing the critical importance of vision clarity for sustainable dental practice growth. Using a real-world example of a successful but directionless young practice owner, he explains how talent and willpower alone eventually lead to unfocused decision-making. Clingan emphasizes that dentists cannot simultaneously optimize for elite clinical mastery, aggressive scaling, and perfect work-life balance—choices must be made deliberately. He provides practical frameworks for finding focus, including ignoring social media extremes, auditing time allocation, and building optionality through conservative early-career financial practices.
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Aug 3, 2026
2566: How Dentists Can Build Wealth With Intention
Matt Mulcock, CFP and Managing Partner at Dentist Advisors, discusses comprehensive financial planning strategies for dentists across all career stages. The episode covers early-career priorities including managing student debt while building liquidity for practice ownership, mid-career focus on emergency funds and retirement optimization, and late-career preparation for practice exit and succession. Matt emphasizes the importance of intentional planning, organization, and diversifying assets outside the practice rather than relying solely on practice sale proceeds for retirement security.
Aug 3, 2026
5 Levers That Decide How Much Your Practice Produces
Dr. Paul Etchison hosts fellow DPH coaches Dr. Stephen Markowitz and Dr. Henry Ernst to discuss the five key levers that determine dental practice production: diagnosis, treatment planning, case acceptance, clinical efficiency, and service mix. Rather than chasing new patients, the coaches emphasize that dentists must maximize opportunities already present in their practice by improving their diagnostic skills, building confidence in treatment recommendations, and maintaining consistent hygiene check-ins. The episode addresses common psychological barriers dentists face when recommending comprehensive treatment and explores how honest feedback from teams and peers can unlock hidden revenue.
Need this cut deeper?
Term-level trends, competitor mentions, and custom segments within the dental conversation are available as custom research. See the Conversation Index or get in touch.