The Dentalpreneur Podcast Archives - Dental Success Institute

On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with longtime dental industry leader Laura Nelson live from Thrive Live in Las Vegas. Laura shares her journey from running the front office in her husband’s dental practice to building Front Office Rocks, becoming a trusted voice in dental team training, and now leading AI innovation with Mango Voice.

She and Mark discuss why patient experience matters just as much as clinical care, how short-form training changed front office education, and why understanding the “why” behind systems is essential for team success. Laura also breaks down how AI tools like Mango’s Margo can help practices capture missed calls, improve patient communication, support overwhelmed teams, and even role-play phone skills through AI-powered coaching.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Jas Banga live from Thrive Live 2026 in Las Vegas to talk about one of the most overlooked but critical parts of practice ownership: dental real estate. Jas shares how he went from marketing in the dental world to becoming a leading healthcare real estate advisor, helping dentists across North America make smarter, data-driven decisions around site selection, lease negotiations, renewals, expansions, and acquisitions.

They discuss common lease traps like narrow use provisions, triple net expenses, assignment language, and seller liability, as well as the big question of whether dentists should buy or lease their space. Jas also explains how demographics, saturation levels, traffic flow, future development, and AI-powered market analysis can help doctors choose stronger locations and build long-term practice value.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes is joined by Ashlee Hirschfeld for another Back to Basics conversation, this time focused on leadership and difficult conversations. Mark and Ashlee discuss why leadership requires self-awareness, emotional intelligence, clear expectations, and the willingness to address issues before they damage the entire team.

They also explore how to approach corrective conversations with less drama, why avoiding conflict can create bigger problems, and how strong leaders take ownership before asking others to do the same. This episode is a reminder that great culture starts at the top, and the way you communicate, respond, and hold people accountable will shape the health of your entire practice.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Dr. Matt Slivka, owner of Rockside Dental and DSI Black Belt coach, for a conversation about growth, purpose, and the impact dentists can make far beyond the operatory. Matt shares how mentorship and community helped transform his practice from a chaotic startup into a thriving multi-doctor organization, and how that same mindset pushed him to launch Rockside Reach International, his nonprofit providing dental care in Guatemala.

The conversation explores the power of influence, the importance of relationships, lessons from mission work around the world, and why fulfillment often comes from becoming the person you’re meant to be rather than simply achieving more. Mark and Matt also preview Matt’s upcoming Unlock Your Potential course, a unique personal development experience centered around the Four Futures of mind, meaning, muscle, and money, designed to help doctors, team members, and leaders create a more intentional and impactful life.

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On today’s episode, we dive into the very real problem of overwhelm in dentistry and why it is not simply about having too much to do. Dr. Mark Costes breaks down how decision fatigue, multitasking, cognitive load, sleep debt, clutter, caffeine, alcohol, and constant content consumption can push practice owners from intentional leadership into reactive survival mode.

He also shares practical ways dentists can reduce overwhelm through better prioritization, delegation, systemization, walking, sleep hygiene, closing open loops, and building the right support around them. From managing hygiene exam overload to knowing when it may be time for a coach or executive assistant, this conversation gives dental leaders a clearer path toward more calm, clarity, and control.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Taher Dhoon sits down with Dr. Chris Hill to talk through the systems, lessons, and real-world experience behind predictable full mouth reconstruction. Dr. Hill shares how years of cosmetics, occlusion, TMJ, and reconstruction training shaped his approach, and why having a clear, repeatable system is what helps dentists move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling confident with bigger cases.

The conversation covers common FMR challenges like losing the bite, managing vertical dimension, deprogramming, temporaries, lab communication, case phasing, and why doctors need to lead the case instead of relying entirely on the lab. Dr. Hill also explains the importance of photography, collaboration, mentorship, and having a support system that helps clinicians implement complex dentistry more predictably in their practices.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Dr. Christian Pavel live from Thrive Live 2026 in Vegas for a grounding conversation on wellness, burnout, breathwork, and purpose in dentistry. Known as the Dental Yogi, Dr. Pavel shares how yoga, intentional breathing, and holistic health became central to both his personal life and his mission to help dental professionals reconnect with themselves.

He and Dr. Costes discuss the pressures facing modern dentists, including shrinking margins, rising costs, overstimulation, and the quiet burnout many providers experience while trying to power through. Dr. Pavel also shares the origin of Revive Mission, a dental mission experience that combines service, yoga, breathwork, and deeper human connection.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes continues his April 2026 Mastermind presentation by exploring the deeper identity shifts required to move out of the hustle trap and into a more sustainable version of success. He shares a powerful eulogy exercise and personal reflections on loss, legacy, and the difference between resume virtues and eulogy virtues.

Dr. Costes connects these ideas back to the Four Futures, encouraging dentists to examine their mind, meaning, muscle, and money to determine what needs realignment. He also challenges practice owners to subtract what no longer serves them, delegate more effectively, use the DSI community and coaching resources, and build businesses that create freedom rather than more complexity and obligation.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes opens his April 2026 Mastermind talk with an update on the whirlwind first quarter of mission work through SOI, including trips to Guatemala, Fiji, and Honduras, before shifting into the idea of quiet reinvention. He explains how high-performing dentists often become trapped by the very habits that made them successful, especially hustle, grind, overproduction, and self-sacrifice.

Dr. Costes introduces the four seasons of a dental career: spring as the builder phase, summer as the growth phase, fall as the optimization phase, and winter as the reinvention phase. He challenges listeners to identify which season they are currently in and recognize when the behaviors that once created success are now causing burnout, resentment, or stagnation.

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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Jon Padolsky of Flex to explore how dental technology is transforming the front office experience. Jon shares his journey from growing up around dentistry and spending 14 years as a dental office manager to helping practices streamline operations through Flex.

The conversation covers the evolution from paper charts and manual reminders to digital forms, online scheduling, integrated payments, insurance verification, and treatment planning tools built specifically for Open Dental users. Jon also explains how Flex helps teams present treatment more clearly, use patient photos to improve case acceptance, reduce time spent on insurance verification, and consolidate multiple systems into one deeply integrated platform.

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2550: Smarter Phones, Better Teams, and Happier Patients

2549: The Hidden Risks Inside Dental Office Leases

2548: Back to Basics: How to Lead Through Hard Conversations

2547: From Practice Owner to Purpose Driven Leader

2546: The Dentist’s Guide to Beating Overwhelm

2545: The Bite Mistake That Can Derail an FMR Case

2544: Finding Wellness in a High Pressure Profession

2543: The Quiet Reinvention: Pt. 2

2542: The Quiet Reinvention: Pt. 1

2541: Why Dental Teams Are Moving Beyond Plugin Overload