
Dental Practice Heroes
Where dentists learn how to cut clinical days while increasing profits - without sacrificing patient care, cutting corners, or cranking volume. We teach you how to grow a scalable practice through communication, leadership, and effective management. Hosted by Dr. Paul Etchison, author of two books on dental practice management, dental coach, and owner of a $6M collections group practice in the south suburbs of Chicago, we provide actionable advice for practice owners who want to intentionally create more time to enjoy their families, wealth, and deep personal fulfillment. If you want to build a scalable practice framework that no longer stresses, drains, or relies on you for every little thing, we will teach you how and share stories of other dentists who have done it!
Latest episodes

Jun 30, 2025 • 21min
How to Mentally Shut Off the Practice
You get it, you need to let go. But how do you actually step back, stop micromanaging and see what your team can really do?In this episode, we share actionable ways to reduce your workload, delegate the right tasks, and leave work stress at the office. Learn how you might be getting in your own way and why letting your practice fail is the first step to real growth!Topics discussed in this episode:Why letting go is so hard for practice ownersHow to manage the guilt of letting goExercises to redefine your role and delegate effectivelyWhy you should let your practice failBuilding your perfect work weekText us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 25, 2025 • 11min
Why Patients Start Treatment But Never Finish: Understanding the Psychology of Momentum
Discover the psychological key that unlocks patient follow-through with the endowed progress effect—a powerful concept that transforms how dental professionals communicate about treatment plans. This game-changing approach doesn't require changing your fees, procedures, or recommendations—just the way you frame patient progress.Through a fascinating car wash punch card study, we explore why patients who feel they've already made progress are dramatically more likely to complete their treatment. Rather than overwhelming patients with everything that needs to be done, learn to recognize and celebrate the steps they've already taken. For new patients with extensive needs, acknowledge that simply coming in was "half the battle." For returning patients after a hiatus, reinforce that they're "the type of person who cares for their teeth" rather than making them feel they're starting over.Text us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 23, 2025 • 24min
Making Multi-Doctor Practices Work: Partnership Risks and Rewards
Thinking about making your associate a partner? This episode will help you decide if it’s the right move for you and what other options you have to keep associates in your practice without giving up equity.You'll learn the must-haves of a successful partnership, the common reasons they fail, and what to look for in a potential partner. Listen now to hear the benefits of partnership and why you might want to stay solo!Topics discussed in this episode:The first step to partnershipThe benefits of partnershipWhy Dr. Henry chose to stay soloWhy partnerships failHow to make partnerships successfulAlternative ways to structure partnershipsText us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 18, 2025 • 24min
How to Make your Membership Plan Win-Win for Everyone
There’s an easy solution for patients who can’t afford treatment: membership plans. In this episode, you’ll learn how to structure your plan, price it so patients sign up, and get your team on board.The DPH coaches share what’s worked in their practices and easy mistakes you can avoid, whether you're creating a plan or revamping one you already have. Tune in for tips to build a plan that keeps patients coming back and feels like a win for everyone!Topics discussed in this episode:Why membership plans are good for your practiceHow membership plans benefit patientsPlan structures and pricingHow to get team buy-inMarketing and getting patients to sign upTo download the Membership Plan Documents mentioned in the episode click here! Text us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 16, 2025 • 36min
Leaving Clinical to Mentor Doctors Into Partners w/ Dr. Sten Erickson
Most owners manage the day-to-day; Dr. Sten Erickson is turning doctors into partners. He joins me in this episode to share how he stepped into a true leadership role and expanded his practice after leaving clinical work behind.From scheduling weekly meetings across multiple practices to case reviews, we talk about the strategies and systems that help him get doctors ready to lead, drive culture, and grow a multi-location practice without micromanaging or seeing patients. Tune in to hear how he structures his time to mentor doctors and scale without burning out!Topics discussed in this episode:Mistakes as a young practice ownerThe ideal practice size of new ownersMaintaining culture as you expandDr. Erickson’s meeting schedule and training systemHow your role changes when you step back from clinicalStrategies to keep associates engaged and growingText us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 11, 2025 • 34min
The Hybrid Ownership Model for Ultimate Work-Life Balance w/ Dr. Jennifer Haddad
Practice ownership doesn’t have to mean running an office or signing a lease. Dr. Jennifer Haddad designed her practice around a hybrid model that keeps her schedule and clinical decisions all within her control. In this episode, she shares how it works inside an existing practice, the benefits of this non-traditional path, and how she began building a brand before ownership. Tune in to find out if this model is right for the career and lifestyle you want!Topics discussed in this episode:Struggling with work-life balance as a new motherLogistics of the co-working hybrid modelBalancing responsibilities and patient careStarting a brand before ownershipBuilding a brand based on referralsText us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 9, 2025 • 12min
5 Scheduling Hacks that Allow you to Easily Cut Clinical Days
Feeling trapped in the operatory five days a week? Imagine reclaiming an entire workday without sacrificing income or patient care. That's exactly what today's episode delivers—a practical blueprint for dental practice owners who want to work smarter, not harder.I break down five seemingly small schedule adjustments that combine to create massive efficiency gains. From the simple act of staggering assistant lunches (yes, you can eat quickly!) to training your team to handle crown deliveries up to the final cementation, these strategies address the hidden time thieves lurking in your daily operations. By implementing these changes, you'll reclaim a staggering 16 hours of production time weekly while simultaneously increasing your hourly production value.The math is compelling: just two crown appointments daily at $1,500 each generates $3,000 daily—that's $430 per hour or nearly $331,000 annually. Combined with your newly reclaimed production time, this approach transforms practice economics while reducing your chairside hours. These aren't theoretical concepts—they're the exact strategies I've implemented in my own multi-doctor practice and helped countless coaching clients adopt with remarkable results.This episode reveals the foundation of what makes a "three-day dentist" possible. You'll discover how seemingly minor inefficiencies compound into major production losses, and more importantly, how addressing them systematically can revolutionize both your practice and your quality of life. Ready to spend more time with family, pursue other interests, or simply reduce the physical toll of clinical dentistry? These practical strategies offer the concrete pathway many dentists have been searching for.Want to implement these systems with expert guidance? Visit dentalpracticeheroes.com to explore our coaching options designed to help practice owners install efficiency-driving systems that ultimately allow your practice to run itself. Work less, earn more, and fall back in love with practice ownership.Text us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 4, 2025 • 16min
Why Your Practice Keeps Taking From You
Ever felt that mounting frustration when someone keeps crossing a line you never actually drew? That's exactly what happens in dental practices without clear boundaries. When you're constantly putting out fires, feeling resentful toward team members, or watching work bleed relentlessly into your personal time, it's not just about difficult people—it's about undefined limits.The truth is uncomfortable but liberating: your practice will take whatever you allow it to take. Those late-night texts from team members, patients who expect weekend emergency care despite ignoring your treatment recommendations for years, staff who consistently arrive late to morning huddles—these aren't just isolated annoyances. They're symptoms of boundary deficiency.Text us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

Jun 2, 2025 • 36min
Why Are DSO's Failing? What's Happening Inside Dentistry with Jake Berry
Why have dozens of DSOs collapsed? What’s the impact on the dental industry? And how can you protect yourself, even if you never plan to sell? Tune in to learn what’s really happening in the DSO market, and what YOU should look for if you're considering a DSO!Topics discussed in this episode:Why so many DSOs are failingWhat investors look for in DSOs today3 characteristics of an ideal partnerRisks of the DSO business modelBenefits of partnering with a DSO_________________________________****To learn more about MB2 and get a free valuation for your practice: Text "MB2" to (312)910-2603****Text us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

May 29, 2025 • 23min
Built to Sell: Increasing the Value of Your Practice
A sellable practice runs smoother, earns more, and stresses you less. But what does it mean to have a sellable practice? In this episode, the DPH coaches share the seven signs your practice is sellable and explain why you should build a sellable practice even if you never plan to sell. Learn how to increase the value of your practice, what metrics matter to buyers, and how long it takes to make a practice sellable. Tune in to find out if your practice checks all the boxes of a sellable practice!Topics discussed in this episode:The benefits of building a sellable practiceWhat healthy businesses have in commonCharacteristics of sellable practiceHow long it takes to build a sellable practiceIncreasing the value of your practiceWhen to sell vs. keep building Text us your feedback! (please note: we cannot respond through this channel)) The 2025-2026 DPH Mastermind is now taking applications! Make this the year you decided to create the practice you've always dreamed about!Take Control of Your Practice and Your Life We help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams. Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.