Dental Practice Heroes

Dr. Paul Etchison
  • 4.8 (160)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

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!

  1. 4h ago

    Short Staffed? Here's What to Do

    Your dental practice feels like it’s barely surviving, the team is overwhelmed, and the plan sounds logical: “Once we hire one more assistant or one more hygienist, then we’ll fix the systems.” I’m challenging that idea head-on, because waiting doesn’t pause the chaos. It feeds it. When we delay training, accountability, and process improvement, we create the exact environment that drives burnout, frustration, and turnover in a short staffed dental office. I walk through the cycle I see constantly in dental practice management: we hire someone, we rush onboarding, the new team member is afraid to ask questions, mistakes pile up, coworkers get resentful, and suddenly we’re hiring again. The problem isn’t effort, it’s predictability. That’s why building a systematized dental practice is not a “nice to have.” Clear expectations, simple workflows, and consistent follow-up are powerful staff retention strategies that make the day feel doable and the job worth keeping. You’ll get a practical leadership playbook for what to do right now: talk to your team with transparency, pick one recurring friction point to fix instead of launching five projects, and protect training even when the schedule is packed. Training isn’t extra work, it’s how we reduce future work and help people feel confident, capable, and loyal. If you want help building the systems and training that keep great people, head to dentalpracticeheroes.com/slash strategy and set up a call with me. Subscribe, share this with a practice owner who’s stuck in survival mode, and leave a five-star review so more dentists can find the show. Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    Short Staffed? Here's What to Do

  2. 3d ago

    What Your Front Desk Wishes the Clinical Team Understood (And Vice Versa)

    Front desk versus clinical: every practice has this quiet rivalry, but it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, the DPH coaches break down why these two sides of the office resent each other and how you as the owner might be making it worse. They share exactly what you can do to create cohesion in the office, from an exercise that breaks tension and gets people talking to an easy fix for the most common source of conflict. Topics discussed: (00:00) Introduction (02:43) What causes front and back office drama (06:55) The exercise that bonds your office (14:11) Managing unspoken expectations (15:42) How to handle team complaints without losing safety (18:55) Who should handle team conflict (21:45) The trust exercise every office needs (25:13) When getting involved backfires (27:22) What causes the most conflict and how to fix it This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Check out the Growth Program Here Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    What Your Front Desk Wishes the Clinical Team Understood (And Vice Versa)

  3. Jul 16

    Stop Hiring People to Solve This Problem

    Your dental practice can feel like it’s drowning even when you’re fully staffed and the schedule looks reasonable on paper. The real culprit is often smaller and harder to spot: tiny steps in your systems that get skipped, “just this once,” and then explode into bigger problems for the next person downstream. I’m breaking down how that ripple effect creates the daily feeling of chaos, backlog, and burnout and what to do about it as the leader.  We walk through concrete dental practice management examples that every team recognises. First, pre-collecting patient copays for larger appointments: when we avoid a brief, uncomfortable money conversation, we often create longer conversations later, more insurance re-checking, slower check-in, and weaker patient commitment that leads to cancellations and holes in the schedule. Then we talk about scheduling hygiene and recall the right way, including the simple commitment question that reduces last-minute reschedules and protects production, team bonus, and momentum.  We also dig into the front office and back office handoff, and how small documentation mistakes can quietly destroy trust. When the front desk has to keep double-checking what happened in the operatory, it slows everything down and can even lower treatment acceptance because patients feel the uncertainty. The solution is not hiring another person. It’s building clear agreements, coaching the “why,” and creating a culture where each team member asks, “Did I make someone else’s job easier or harder?”  If you want calmer days, stronger systems, and a team that runs smoother together, subscribe, share this with a practice owner friend, and leave a quick review so we can help more offices. What small step gets skipped most often in your practice? Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    Stop Hiring People to Solve This Problem

  4. Jul 13

    How to Hire a Hygienist Fast in a Tough Job Market

    Where did all the good hygienists go? You may be asking yourself this question, but the truth is they're out there. They're just choosing someone else. In this episode, you’ll learn how to become the office people want to work at (and stay). The DPH coaches share how one of them out-recruited six offices for a single hygienist, why your job posting is costing you good candidates, and the interview red flags you can’t ignore — even when you're desperate. Topics discussed: (00:00) Introduction (02:45) Landing a hygienist every office wanted (07:12) Doing more with fewer hygienists (09:21) Why recruiting is really sales (12:25) Write an ad that stands out (14:05) Get ahead of turnover before it hits (19:02) Why you should involve your team (20:15) Interview questions that assess culture fit (23:45) Qualities that matter most in a hire (25:38) What's more important than recruiting This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Check out the Growth Program Here Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    How to Hire a Hygienist Fast in a Tough Job Market

  5. Jul 9

    How to Fill Your Schedule Without a Single New Patient w/ Dr. Spencer Greer

    What does it take to be a better producer? For Dr. Spencer Greer, it's not about chasing new patients or pushing treatment. In this episode, he shares the exact language he uses to present treatment without sounding greedy, losing trust, or pressuring anyone into a "yes." You'll learn where most dentists drop the ball on case acceptance and the traits that turn a surprising hire into a top producer. The best part: the growth you're after is already sitting in your schedule. Topics discussed: (00:00) Introduction (02:03) From salesman to dentist (04:04) Building your career with intention (06:56) Why he hands all production to associates (09:25) The benefit to hiring new associates right out of school (15:30) Communication mistakes (+ how to fix them) (18:46) Having hard conversations without sounding greedy (21:28) Presenting it delicately, with a real example (22:42) How to handle rejection (24:57) More production without more patients (30:48) Dash Production course Use code PAUL for 10% off Dr. Spencer Greer’s Dash Production course! The course starts on July 17th, so sign up here today: https://highleveldentists.com/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Check out the Growth Program Here Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    How to Fill Your Schedule Without a Single New Patient w/ Dr. Spencer Greer

  6. Jul 6

    Efficiency vs. Speed: What Actually Keeps You on Schedule

    Slow doesn't mean careful. Fast doesn't mean sloppy. Most dentists think efficiency comes at the cost of quality  — but this episode will show you it's actually the key to managing a busy schedule. The DPH coaches break down how to get through your procedures faster without cutting corners. You'll hear their tips on how to speed up everyday procedures, the three things that let you run a 5-minute exam, and where your day quietly loses the most time. Topics discussed: (00:00) Introduction (02:24) Why efficiency starts with data (04:46) How to learn from your co-workers (06:57) Mistakes that cost you time (09:55) Mastering the juggle of a busy schedule (11:51) How to shorten your time with patients (14:44) The debate: watching associates work (20:15) How fast is fast enough (24:54) Why you can't skip steps This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Check out the Growth Program Here Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    Efficiency vs. Speed: What Actually Keeps You on Schedule

  7. Jun 29

    Why You Can't Leave Your Work Stress at the Office w/ Neo Positivity

    Feeling lost? The biggest thing holding your practice probably isn't your team, your overhead, or the economy — it’s the stories you’re telling yourself. In this episode, Neo Positivity, creator of the Thoughts Become Things movement and author of Your ATM, explains how the brain's "algorithm" can keep you stuck and how to take back control of your thoughts. You'll learn daily exercises and mental habits that combat negative thinking and change how you lead your practice. Topics discussed: Why most of your thoughts run on autopilotThe stories you tell yourself about your practiceWhy the leader is often the real problemHow to stop a negative thoughtWhy your home and work mindset can't be separatedThe question that reveals your purposeThis episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Check out the Growth Program Here Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    Why You Can't Leave Your Work Stress at the Office w/ Neo Positivity

  8. Jun 25

    You're Busy, So Why Isn't Your Practice Growing?

    If your days feel jam-packed but your dental practice still isn’t improving, the problem usually isn’t effort. It’s urgency. The loudest problems in a practice always win, and they trick us into believing we’ll work on systems, leadership, and growth “once things slow down.” They don’t slow down, and that’s exactly why so many practice owners feel stuck, overworked, and quietly frustrated. We unpack the real difference between reactive work and proactive work in dental practice management. Reactive work is the constant stream of fires: insurance denials, upset patients, schedule chaos, staffing surprises, and equipment problems. It keeps the lights on, but it doesn’t build the future. Proactive work is what creates a practice that runs without you: onboarding systems, checklists, phone scripts, KPI scoreboards, P&L review, and leader development that prevents issues before they explode. We also talk about why this matters for your key leaders, especially the office manager. Many office managers spend their whole day reacting like a highly skilled admin employee, when what you really need is protected time for true management. I share the shift I had to make when I hit a breaking point, and how blocking and defending CEO time became the turning point for building momentum again. If you’re ready to stop living in reaction mode and start building a calmer, more profitable practice, listen now, share this with a colleague, and subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next. And if you want help installing systems and protecting proactive time, book a free strategy call at dentalpracticeheroes.com/slash strategy, then leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More Information 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.

    You're Busy, So Why Isn't Your Practice Growing?
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4.8
out of 5
160 Ratings

About

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!

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Paul Etchison
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    687
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dental Practice Heroes
  • Show Website
    Dental Practice Heroes

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