Shared Practices | Your Dental Roadmap through Practice Ownership

Dr. Brady Smith joins Dr. Richard Low for a raw, hilarious, and insightful conversation about the wild turns his dental career has taken—from owning Comfort Dental franchises to building a hygienist-less group practice, launching comedy shows, and pioneering charitable dentistry. They explore Brady’s bold social media strategy, his unfiltered patient interactions, and how making dentistry fun again can redefine fulfillment. Whether you’re into practice ownership, stand-up, or scaling without hygiene, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode of the Shared Practices Podcast, Dr. Richard Low and Dr. Alex Sharp tackle an important question: Once you’ve built a thriving practice and reached financial success, what’s next?Most dentists focus on growing their practice and increasing income, but after hitting a financial milestone, the next steps become less clear. Richard and Alex explore the challenges, mindset shifts, and opportunities for investing beyond the dental practice.

In this Coach’s Corner episode, Richard and Caitlin dive into one of the most common challenges for practice owners—getting their team to truly buy in. Spoiler alert: It’s not about throwing more money at the problem! They break down three key areas that drive real engagement: genuinely caring about your team, defining the “why” behind your practice, and clearly communicating your vision and expectations. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by a disengaged team, this episode is for you.

Expanding a dental practice is an exciting but high-stakes challenge. In this episode of Ask George, Richard and George take a deep dive into the operational and financial realities of scaling up. From hiring the right office manager to streamlining systems for efficiency, they discuss the critical steps that can make or break a growing practice.The discussion also touches on the financial stress of expansion, how to prepare cash reserves, and why managing risk wisely can mean the difference between a thriving multi-doctor office and a financial disaster. Whether you're adding an associate or considering a large-scale expansion, this episode offers real-world strategies and key insights to help you navigate the process successfully.

In this episode of the Shared Practices Podcast, Dr. Richard Low interviews Dr. Simon Wu about his journey from associate to successful practice owner in Southern California. Dr. Wu shares how he navigated the challenges of buying a practice with high overhead and low new patient flow, the strategies he used to turn it into a thriving business, and the role coaching played in his success. Listeners will gain insights on evaluating practice opportunities, negotiating PPO fees, and scaling a practice while maintaining work-life balance.

Dr. Richard Low and Dr. Alex Sharp discuss crucial financial strategies for dentists aiming for financial escape velocity. They tackle managing student loans, building wealth, and navigating income disparities. Key insights include the importance of entrepreneurship, making smart financial decisions, and focusing on income-generating opportunities. Listeners learn about aligning their lifestyle with income while developing strong clinical skills. The conversation emphasizes the need for resilience and strategic planning in achieving long-term financial success.

Expanding your dental practice isn’t just about opening new locations; it's a complex journey filled with critical decisions. The conversation highlights the need for passion, clear goals, and self-assessment before diving into multi-practice ownership. The speakers weigh the pros and cons of startups versus acquisitions, stressing the importance of a solid foundation and effective leadership. They caution against reckless growth and emphasize quality management, all while sharing lessons from their own experiences in the dental field.

Dr. Mohiuddin Ifaz, a dentist who upgraded a 40-year-old, paper-based practice into a thriving digital hub, shares his journey of transformation. He discusses the initial challenges of modernizing operations and the swift adoption of technology. The conversation also delves into strategic insights for navigating practice acquisition and patient engagement. Dr. Ifaz emphasizes the significance of mentorship in scaling practices and maintaining a clear vision, all while managing the intricacies of transitioning to a fee-for-service model.

In Part 2 of our deep dive with Gregorio, we lay out the step-by-step blueprint to scale his $1.9M, 7-op practice into a $3.5M mega-group practice—all while reducing his clinical days to just two per week. George walks through the critical decisions Gregorio must make, including expanding the facility, hiring the right associate, and implementing an office manager to streamline operations. They also discuss profit-sharing vs. equity, how to finance the expansion without disrupting cash flow, and why a strategic hiring approach will be the key to long-term success.If you haven’t listened to Part 1, go back and start there for context!

George Hariri chats with Gregorio, a dentist navigating the transition from associate to owner of a booming $2M practice. They dissect the balancing act of scaling the business while aiming for a two-day clinical work week. Insights on clinic dynamics, including an implant and endo-heavy mix, emerge. The duo confronts bottlenecks in hygiene and the high-stakes question of dropping insurance for growth. Listeners will discover strategies to enhance operations, tackle patient flow, and maintain profitability amidst ambitious expansion plans.