The DSO Hygienist with Christine Diehl

4 episodes scanned.

Recent Episodes

1. What Great Hygiene Leadership Looks Like

   Oct 13, 2026

   Misty Mattingly, SVP and Chief of Dental Hygiene Operations at Sage Dental, discusses hygiene leadership, including how to build consistent clinical standards across a large DSO, how hygienists can move into business roles, and how to roll out new equipment across many practices. The conversation also covers the need for more men and greater diversity in dental hygiene, the role of AI in hygiene workflows, and her SmileSip oral health drink project.

2. The Hidden Risks Behind DSO Growth

   Sep 8, 2026

   Linda Harvey, founder of the Dental Compliance Institute and nationally recognized healthcare risk manager, discusses the hidden risks DSOs face as they scale rapidly. The episode explores how DSOs often expand faster than their safeguards, leading to latent errors in processes, improper AI governance, and compliance gaps. Harvey emphasizes that compliance is a leadership behavior, not a department, and introduces her "Scaling Without Exposure" executive summit designed to help DSO leaders implement real-world risk management and governance frameworks.

3. What most Dental Leaders misunderstand about AI adoption

   Aug 24, 2026

   Dr. Sonia Szamocki, CEO of 01Health, discusses AI adoption misconceptions in DSO leadership and why most organizations approach AI backwards—buying tools to justify adoption rather than solving specific problems first. She explains her framework of 'build dashboards, buy chatbots' and reveals how 01Health empowers hygienists as underutilized growth engines through chairside AI tools for patient education in orthodontics and sleep medicine.

4. Why the Next Three Years Will Change Dentistry Forever

   Aug 11, 2026

   Dr. Alan J. Acierno, founder of DecisionOne Dental Partners and Chief Dental Officer at Smile Brands, discusses the transformative future of dentistry over the next three years. He shares his journey from solo and group practice to building a DSO, emphasizing the critical importance of relationships, systems, and elevating the standard of care through technology adoption. Dr. Acierno addresses the paradigm shift in dentistry driven by AI and diagnostic innovation, and stresses that dentists must embrace change or risk obsolescence.

5. Turning Dental Data into Measurable Growth

   Jul 23, 2026

   Elliot Zibel, CEO of ClariFi Health, discusses how DSOs can shift from acquisition-focused growth to organic, same-store growth by improving provider productivity and patient care. He emphasizes that hygiene represents the largest opportunity for DSOs to drive profitability, and explains the "execution gap"—the difference between clinical standards and what patients actually receive. Zibel argues that technology investments have failed because they focus on data collection rather than driving real-time behavioral change, and introduces ClariFi's "system of action" approach designed to support providers in the moment of care.

6. Leading with Purpose: Empowering Women in Dentistry

   Jun 23, 2026

   Dr. Aman Kaur, founder and president of Women in DSO, discusses the organization's five-year journey and evolution as a platform empowering women leaders across the dental industry. The conversation covers Women in DSO's expansion globally, including summits in Canada and London, the impact of their annual Empower & Grow conference, mentorship programs, and the LEAD magazine. Dr. Kaur shares insights on emerging leadership trends, the importance of mentorship, and the organization's mission to create gender balance in DSO executive leadership.

7. DSO Due Diligence: The Tech Deal Breakers

   Jun 1, 2026

   Mike Huffaker, Chief Revenue Officer of Planet DDS, discusses how technology infrastructure has become a critical focal point in private equity due diligence for DSO acquisitions. He explores common technology gaps that trigger buyer concern, the impact of outdated systems on valuation, and a practical framework for identifying risks before they become negotiation obstacles—from data standardization and cybersecurity to operational consistency and scalability.

8. Revenue Leakage Is Quietly Killing Dental Practices. Here’s How to Stop It

   May 19, 2026

   Helen Sublette, founder and CEO of Coastal Dental Professionals Consulting, discusses how revenue leakage quietly costs dental practices $100,000–$500,000 annually through inaccurate insurance verifications, low clean claim rates, underworked accounts receivable, and unchallenged underpayments. She explains how high-performing practices use weekly KPI tracking, standardized workflows, and accountability systems to prevent leaks, and shares a real case where front-end process improvements recovered over $250,000 in lost revenue within 12 months.

9. The Invisible Expert Problem (And How to Fix It)

   May 6, 2026

   Janis Sadoyama, founder of Stratum Brand Partners, discusses the concept of personal branding for professionals who feel invisible or undervalued in their careers. She explains why highly qualified experts often remain unknown in their industries, how to excavate rather than create an authentic personal brand, and the tangible benefits of building visibility even without plans to change jobs or start a business.

10. Capital that Clocks In

    Apr 21, 2026

    Clint Harris, a former cardiac medical device sales representative with 16 years of experience, discusses his transition to full-time real estate investing and passive income strategies tailored for dental professionals and healthcare providers. He explains syndication models, particularly his specialty of converting vacant big-box retail buildings into climate-controlled self-storage facilities across the Southeast, and emphasizes how busy healthcare professionals can build diversified revenue streams without sacrificing clinical practice time. Harris advocates for a holistic approach to financial independence that encompasses not just wealth-building but also time, location, and purpose independence.