The Dental CEO Podcast

Dental teams want—and deserve—to be paid more. The challenge is that practices are also facing higher costs across the board, from supplies and labs to rent and debt. In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune explains how practices can afford to pay top salaries without sacrificing profitability. He shares how maintaining healthy ratios, maximizing hygiene production, improving case acceptance, filling schedule gaps, and implementing a simple weekly bonus plan can create a practice where team members are paid at the highest levels, owners stay profitable, and everyone wins.

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune explores how virtual assistants are reshaping the modern dental practice. He breaks down why overburdened front desks, rising staffing costs, and hiring challenges make the VA-supported model so powerful. From insurance verification and patient recalls to answering missed calls and streamlining workflows, listeners will learn how practices can offload non-clinical tasks to highly trained virtual team members at a fraction of the cost. This model not only reduces stress for in-office teams but also drives profitability, elevates patient care, and creates sustainable growth for practices of all sizes.

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune explores how dentistry is evolving around the world—and why the U.S. remains years ahead when it comes to the business side of practice ownership. From the rise of DSOs in Australia and Canada to untapped opportunities across Europe and beyond, Scott explains what non-U.S. dentists can learn from the American model to accelerate growth and scale more effectively. He also shares stories of dentists who applied U.S.-based business strategies abroad and multiplied their success, offering a roadmap for anyone looking to stay ahead in the rapidly changing global dental landscape.

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune talks with Irene Janku—hygienist, educator, and practice owner in Toronto—about one of the most unconventional but thought-provoking models in dentistry: hygienist-owned practices. Together, they explore how this model works legally and financially, what it means for dentists and hygienists working side by side, and why it could reshape how practices are structured and staffed. From funding hurdles to systemization to the potential of dentist-hygienist partnerships, this conversation challenges assumptions and opens the door to new possibilities for independent dentistry.

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott Leune tackles one of the most important questions in the profession: does dentistry still make sense as a career? With record-high student debt, stagnant associate pay, and rising stress, many young dentists feel stuck in roles that limit income, autonomy, and fulfillment. Scott contrasts the challenges of associateships with the opportunities of practice ownership, making the case for why ownership remains the clearest path to building wealth, freedom, and long-term satisfaction. Whether you’re a student, an associate, or an owner, this episode will reshape the way you think about the future of your career.

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Scott sits down with Ophir Tanz, founder and CEO of Pearl, to explore how AI is transforming dental practices—from radiology that detects more disease to automated charting, treatment planning, and real-time claims. These tools reduce inefficiencies, minimize errors, and build greater patient trust. They also look ahead to 3D imaging, ambient note-taking, and practice management intelligence that could free dentists to focus more on patient

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune explains why most dental exams are inconsistent and miss valuable treatment opportunities. He introduces a structured assessment protocol for the hygiene chair that standardizes preventive, Perio, Ortho, Implant, Sleep, and Cosmetic evaluations. By following this “recipe” for thorough exams, practices can improve patient care, capture more specialty cases, and create a reliable system that boosts both efficiency and profitability.

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune tackles one of the toughest challenges in private practice ownership: building fair and effective associate agreements. Drawing from years of experience, he breaks down the 10 most important elements to include—tiered compensation, lab fee adjustments, guarantees, notice clauses, CE commitments, referral expectations, column load management, supply and lab agreements, weekly performance reviews, and profit-sharing opportunities. Whether you’ve been burned by a past associate arrangement or you’re preparing to bring on your first one, this conversation will give you a clear framework to protect your practice while keeping agreements ethical, balanced, and attractive to top-performing dentists

In this inspiring episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune sits down with comedian, author, and motivational speaker Zach Anner to explore how resilience, humor, and community can transform life’s toughest challenges into opportunities. Born with cerebral palsy, Zach shares his journey from winning Oprah’s reality show and creating viral YouTube content to writing for television and becoming an ambassador for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. Together, Scott and Zach discuss the power of “joyful grit,” the importance of narrating your own story, and why connection and vulnerability are essential for leaders and entrepreneurs alike. Whether in dentistry or everyday life, this conversation is a reminder that challenges don’t define us—they give us the tools to thrive.

Laura Gassner Otting, a top motivational speaker and author, brings years of experience to the convo. She explores the concept of aligning money, freedom, and passion to foster a motivated dental team. Listeners dive into the emotional landscape of success, including the paradox of 'Wonder Hell.' The discussion touches on the importance of redefining success and the need for a supportive work culture. Laura also emphasizes regularly assessing career goals to counter burnout and enhance job satisfaction, offering actionable strategies for practice owners.