The Dental Boardroom

PracticeCFO
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A place for dentists to find expert insight and information around everything from navigating residency and associate opportunities to being a successful dental practice owner.

  1. 1d ago

    165: Private Practice Isn't Dead

    Participants: Wes Read, host, Practice CFO and Practice OrbitJared Bergquist, a licensed business and commercial real estate broker in Nevada who runs his own brokerage selling dental practices and handling dental real estate across Nevada, Utah, and Arizona Duration: 57 minutes A broker and a CPA walk through what the practice acquisition market looks like right now: where DSO activity stands, what private buyers are competing for, and why the "perfect" practice is the wrong target. They cover building ownership, rent as a percentage of collections, and how staff stability drives both value and a successful transition. Key topics DSO activity and divestituresPrivate practice acquisitionBuying versus leasing your buildingStaff retention through a transition Key takeaways Waiting for a flawless practice is why many qualified buyers never buy one.DSO divestitures over the next five to ten years will create locations, equipment, and patient bases worth pursuing.Owning your building controls the one expense you cannot renegotiate later.A de novo that fails to launch is very hard to sell, because leasehold improvements and used equipment carry little value. Actions to consider Check rent as a percentage of collections against the seven to ten percent target and know what a long lease escalates to.Widen your acquisition criteria to four and five operatory practices and offices with fixable problems.If you are buying, negotiate for the seller to stay on twelve to eighteen months to hand off staff and patients.

    165: Private Practice Isn't Dead

  2. Aug 11

    164: Investing in the AI IPO Boom: SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic

    Participants: Wes Read, host, PracticeCFOPaul Lipcius, CFO advisor at PracticeCFO, a CPA and Series 65 investment advisor focused on higher net worth clients and capital marketsHoward Farran, host of Dentaltown, who interviews Wes and Paul in this crossover episode Duration: 71 minutes With SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic all heading toward historic public offerings, dentists want to know whether to chase the hype. Wes and Paul explain why euphoric IPO pricing rarely rewards latecomers, how to capture AI's real growth through the less obvious companies underneath it, and why a doctor's own practice, not a moonshot stock, is still their highest returning asset. Key topics AI mega IPOs: SpaceX, OpenAI, AnthropicCapEx trickle-down and downstream suppliersConcentration risk in the S&P 500The practice as the core wealth engine Key takeaways Euphoric IPO valuations already price in years of unproven growth.The winner is often the second or third mover, not the first to market.Own AI through the picks and shovels suppliers, not just the headline names.A well designed portfolio's job is to be boring, disciplined, and consistent. Actions to consider Cap any speculative bet, a single IPO or crypto, at a small insurance sized allocation.Pick three or four practice metrics to improve this quarter instead of chasing every new one.Pressure test your advisor's fees: ask whether anyone other than you pays them.

    164: Investing in the AI IPO Boom: SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic

  3. Aug 4

    163: The Q2 2026 Dental Economy: The Fiscal Squeeze and the AI Shift

    A Dental Boardroom data deep-dive, PracticeCFO A breakdown of the Q2 2026 State of the U.S. Dental Economy Report from the ADA Health Policy Institute, translating national data into what it means for an independent practice. The core tension: dentists feel confident and are busier than ever, yet revenue is flat and margins are squeezed from every side. This episode decodes why, and what owners can do about it. Key topics The confidence versus consumer disconnectThe fiscal squeeze on practice marginsInsurance reimbursement as rent controlAI adoption for the back office Key takeaways Dentists feel recession-proof, but consumer dental spending rose just 1 percent in a year.Overhead and wages are climbing far faster than reimbursements, so owners eat the difference.Packed schedules and two-week waits mask flat revenue, not real growth.AI is being adopted fast for admin and imaging, yet 82 percent refuse it for treatment decisions. Actions to consider Audit your payer mix and renegotiate or drop the worst-reimbursing plans.Pilot AI scribing or insurance-verification tools to reclaim staff hours.Weigh a DSO's back-office scale against your true overhead before ruling it out.

    163: The Q2 2026 Dental Economy: The Fiscal Squeeze and the AI Shift

  4. Jul 17

    162: Quarterly Investment Update — AI & the Federal Reserve

    The PracticeCFO investment committee sits down for its quarterly market update, digging into how AI is reshaping valuations and where the Federal Reserve stands today. The core message for practice owners: AI is genuinely transformative, but most of the hype is already priced in — so valuation discipline and diversification still decide long-term returns. Hosts & guests: Wes Read (host, PracticeCFO), Brandon Hobson (Chief Investment Officer, PracticeCFO), and Paul Lipcius (PracticeCFO investment committee). What we cover: AI's effect on market valuationsGovernment involvement and regulation of AIFederal Reserve policy and interest ratesPortfolio positioning and risk assessment Key takeaways: AI is groundbreaking, but the hype is largely priced in already.Every prior CapEx cycle eventually reversed and normalized — this one will too.The Fed is holding steady, with a hike now more likely than a near-term cut.New Fed leadership is prioritizing inflation, easing fears about Fed independence.Strong balance sheets and diversification protect wealth better than chasing momentum. Actions to consider: Reassess your true risk tolerance now, while markets are strong — not after a drop.Trim over-concentration in high-flying AI and tech names.Rebalance toward a diversified mix: bonds, some cash, healthcare and consumables, and precious metals.

    162: Quarterly Investment Update — AI & the Federal Reserve

  5. Jun 3

    161: The Trusted Transition: Dental Practice Brokers & Better Technology

    In this episode of The Dental Boardroom Podcast, Wes takes a break from his discussion of The Five Types of Wealth to tackle an important topic for dental practice owners: buying and selling dental practices. Drawing from years of experience as a dental CPA and financial advisor involved in hundreds of practice transitions, Wes explores why dental practice sales remain an inefficient marketplace, the critical role brokers play in successful transitions, and the challenges buyers and sellers face throughout the process. He also shares the vision behind Practice Orbit, a technology platform designed to modernize and streamline dental practice transactions while supporting brokers, buyers, sellers, lenders, attorneys, and advisors. Key TakeawaysDental practice transitions are complex, emotional, and financially significant events.A skilled broker can provide tremendous value by finding buyers, coordinating the process, and helping avoid costly mistakes.Dentists should carefully evaluate broker experience, incentives, and transparency.DSO offers should be analyzed beyond the headline purchase price.Technology can improve efficiency, transparency, and communication throughout the transition process.The future of dental practice sales may involve a combination of experienced brokers and modern marketplace technology.

    161: The Trusted Transition: Dental Practice Brokers & Better Technology

  6. Jun 2

    160: The Life Razor - Cut Through What Doesn’t Matter

    Wes Read continues his series on The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom, diving deep into Chapter 4: The Life Razor. Building on the five categories of wealth Time, Social, Mental, Physical, and Financial Wes explores how a single, carefully crafted sentence can become the most powerful decision-making tool in your life and practice. From the cockpit of Apollo 13 to Netflix’s boardrooms, to a late afternoon assembling a hydraulic bed with his son, this episode delivers a framework that is equal parts philosophical and practical. What You’ll Learn Why your net worth number alone doesn’t define true wealth and what fills the gapThe philosophical concept of a “razor” and how it applies to your personal lifeThe 3 non-negotiable traits of a powerful life razor: controllable, ripple-creating, and identity-definingHow Marc Randolph (co-founder & first CEO of Netflix) used a five-word rule to protect his marriage through startup chaosA step-by-step process to discover and draft your own life razorWes’s personal life razor and the touching story behind it

    160: The Life Razor - Cut Through What Doesn’t Matter

  7. May 27

    159: ES: AI & The Dental Practice

    159: Executive Sessions: AI & The Dental Practice What does AI actually mean for your dental practice right now? In this executive session, host Wes sits down with Michael Anderson from Wonderist Agency, one of the nation's largest dental marketing firms, and Dr. Megan Shelton of Shelton Solutions to cut through the hype and talk about what's really changing. They cover the dramatic shift in patient search behavior (ChatGPT now accounts for 20% of all searches and is growing), why the fundamentals of digital marketing still drive AI search results, how AI-informed patients are showing up differently at the front desk, and why the human connection at the center of your practice is more valuable than ever. Wes also shares a powerful framework from Lawrence Ford's book The Difference Between Knowledge, Intelligence, and Wisdom and explains exactly how Practice CFO is approaching AI adoption, client investment strategy, and the future of financial advisory. What You'll LearnWhy 20% of patients are now searching for a dentist via ChatGPT — and what that means for your marketingThe "unsatisfying but true" answer to ranking in AI search: go back to the basicsWhy AI-generated content is not penalized — but lazy AI content is a dead endHow the AI-prepped patient is changing chair-side conversations and silently eroding trustThe knowledge → intelligence → wisdom framework and why wisdom is AI-proofWhy documenting your SOPs is the mandatory first step before any AI automationWhat Practice CFO is doing with client investment strategy in an AI-dominated market

    159: ES: AI & The Dental Practice

  8. May 7

    158: The Richest Dentist You Know Isn't the Wealthiest

    In this episode, Wes Read continues his deep-dive review of The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom, a book that profoundly influenced his thinking as a financial planner who has spent his career helping dentists build meaningful lives through their practices. Wes covers the book’s preface and Chapter 2, unpacking the research on money and happiness, the philosophy behind redefining wealth, and Sahil Bloom’s powerful framework: the five types of wealth that truly define a fulfilled life. What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy money matters but only up to a point. Wes walks through three core findings from the research on money and happiness, including the concept of declining marginal utility.The Pyrrhic Victory. The story of King Pyrrhus in 280 BC and what it means to win the battle but lose the war, and how this applies directly to the pursuit of financial success at the expense of everything else.Wealth inequality by the numbers. A candid look at Federal Reserve data on how wealth is distributed in America and what it means for dentists trying to cross from labor income to capital ownership.The comparison trap. Why “there’s always a bigger boat” and how excessive comparison is one of the greatest enemies of happiness.The 90% rule. A striking stat: 90% of all the time you will ever spend with your children happens before they leave home. The Five Types of Wealth are defined: Time Wealth: The freedom to choose how, where, with whom, and when you spend your time.Social Wealth: The depth and breadth of your meaningful relationships; the #1 predictor of happiness.Mental Wealth: Connection to higher-order purpose, lifelong growth, and a healthy relationship with your mind.Physical Wealth: Your health, fitness, and vitality; the most entropic form of wealth requiring consistent daily habits.Financial Wealth: Assets minus liabilities, but with a twist: your expectations are also a liability. The seasons of life. How your priorities across these five categories will naturally shift over time, and why balance, not perfection, is the goal.

    158: The Richest Dentist You Know Isn't the Wealthiest
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About

A place for dentists to find expert insight and information around everything from navigating residency and associate opportunities to being a successful dental practice owner.

Information

  • Creator
    PracticeCFO
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    167
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 The Dental Boardroom
  • Show Website
    The Dental Boardroom

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