The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes 2355: Balancing Growth and Simplicity in a Multi-Practice Journey
Oct 10, 2025
Dr. Karley Schneider, a dynamic Tucson-based dentist and entrepreneur, shares her inspiring journey from dental school to owning multiple practices. She discusses the complexities of practice acquisitions and the challenges of associate recruitment. After her daughter’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, Karley founded a nonprofit to support families like hers. With insights on balancing growth and simplicity, she reveals how to maintain team performance and offers a glimpse into her innovative approaches in the fee-for-service and PPO markets.
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Early Decision And Business Prep
- Dr. Karley Schneider decided at 16 to become a dentist and pursued a business degree to prepare for ownership.
- She went to OHSU for dental school, returned to Tucson, and joined DSI right after saying yes to her first practice purchase.
Buying And Expanding Local Practices
- Karley bought her first small four-op practice in 2018 where she'd already been working, easing the transition to ownership.
- She later bought a neighboring practice, renovated, and moved into an expanded eight-op location in 2021.
Acquisition Followed By Family Crisis
- Karley purchased a fee-for-service practice in May 2023 after the owner became unable to continue.
- Two days after taking over, her daughter Lily was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, creating immediate personal challenges.