The Freedom Founders Podcast - Practice Freedom For Dentists

Dr. David Phelps

Podcast for dentists – practice transformation and passive cash flow generation.

  1. 1D AGO

    From Grief to $23M: Building a Dental Legacy Without Selling Out - Dr Kelly Brown: Ep# 574

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> This is real freedom after decades of building, grinding, and scaling. Today, I sit down with dentist and entrepreneurial leader Dr. Kelly Brown, whose journey spans nearly five decades—from hanging a shingle in a small Oklahoma town to building a multi-state dental organization rooted in mentorship, partnership, and purpose. Kelly shares the painful early lessons that forced him to stop blaming circumstances and start taking ownership, ultimately reshaping not just his business, but his entire life. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #573 - The Fourth Turning Is Here: Navigating Crisis With Community And Capital – Neil Howe Ep #510 - Planning for Your Practice Exit – What You Need to Know – Brannon Moncrief Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    53 min
  2. JAN 30

    The Fourth Turning Is Here: Navigating Crisis With Community And Capital - Neil Howe: Ep# 573

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> We are living through a historic turning point. I sit down with generational historian and economist Neil Howe, co-author of The Fourth Turning, to unpack what's actually happening beneath the surface of today's economic, political, and cultural instability. Rather than forecasting fear, Neil provides context—explaining why long periods of stability breed complacency, why trust in institutions breaks down, and why agency and community suddenly matter again during crisis eras. From inflation as a policy tool to the return of community, authority, and shared purpose, this conversation challenges listeners to stop outsourcing responsibility and start preparing intentionally. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #572 - An Argument For DSOs – Compliance, Consolidation & the Future of Dental Practice – Brian Colao Ep #567 - Rewriting The American Dream in a Stagflation World – Dr. David Phelps Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    56 min
  3. JAN 23

    An Argument For DSOs - Compliance, Consolidation & the Future of Dental Practice - Brian Colao: Ep# 572

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Selling your practice can look like a financial win—and still feel like a personal loss if you choose the wrong partner. In this episode, Brian Colao, one of the earliest architects of the DSO legal framework, unpacks what most dentists misunderstand about consolidation, private equity, and the true risks hiding behind "fair value" offers. With nearly three decades advising DSOs and representing more than 780 dental organizations, Brian brings rare clarity to a space filled with noise, fear, and half-truths. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #571 - When The Practice Doesn't Need You Anymore – Dr. Dylan & Kelsey Everett Ep #550 - Every Dentist Must Master Leadership, Exit Strategies and Burnout – Dr. John Meis Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    58 min
  4. JAN 16

    When The Practice Doesn't Need You Anymore - Dr. Dylan & Kelsey Everett : Ep# 571

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Success can quietly hollow out what matters most. In this episode, Dr. Dylan Everett and his wife, Kelsey, share how seven-day workweeks and relentless pressure forced them to reset their definition of success. Instead of a quick fix, they deliberately rebuilt: merging practices, restructuring leadership, removing misaligned team members, and reclaiming time swallowed by obligation. Their story shows how stepping back from the chair and building a team that doesn't rely on the owner's constant presence enables growth without sacrificing family, margin, or life itself. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #570 - Don't Quit. Lessons in Resilience, Reinvention, and Relentless Action – Tony Rubleski Ep #563 - Realigning Priorities is Non-Negotiable – Faith, Family, and Practice – Dr. Michael and Jennifer Kelly Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    38 min
  5. JAN 9

    Don't Quit. Lessons in Resilience, Reinvention, and Relentless Action - Tony Rubleski: Ep# 570

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> The entrepreneurial journey can be one of the most rewarding paths—or the loneliest—depending on how you walk it. In this episode, David Phelps sits down with longtime friend, keynote speaker, and author Tony Rubleski to explore what it really takes to keep going when motivation fades and progress feels slow. Centered around Tony's new book, Don't Quit: 50 Lessons From the Pages and Stages of Life, this conversation unpacks why discipline, not inspiration, is what carries people through the hardest seasons. Together, David and Tony talk candidly about reinvention, forgiveness, gratitude, and the unseen struggles behind long-term success. From entrepreneurship myths and burnout to asking for more, following up, and managing regret, this episode is a powerful reminder that freedom is forged by showing up—especially on the days you don't feel like it. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #569 - Reinventing Dental College Education: The High Point University Model – Dr Kevin Cain & Dr Muhammad Ali Shazib Ep #544 - Leadership Reimagined: Why Human Connection Still Wins – Tony Rubleski Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    37 min
  6. Reinventing Dental College Education: The High Point University Model - Dr Kevin Cain & Dr Muhammad Ali Shazib: Ep# 569

    JAN 2

    Reinventing Dental College Education: The High Point University Model - Dr Kevin Cain & Dr Muhammad Ali Shazib: Ep# 569

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Dental education is overdue for disruption, and this episode shows how that disruption is happening and can benefit you. Dr. Kevin Cain and Dr. Muhammad Ali Shazib reveal how the Workman School of Dental Medicine is training dentists inside real practices, integrating business and clinical judgment from day one, and preparing graduates for ownership and leadership in a rapidly changing profession. This is a candid look at why the old model is failing and what the future of dentistry demands now. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #566 - Partnerships, Practice Deals, and Pursuing Adventure – Freedom Through Relationships – Dr. Jose Vicens Ep #564 - The DSO Reckoning – What Every Doctor Needs to Know Before Selling Their Practice – Brannon Moncrief Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    47 min
  7. The Principles and Filters That Guide Successful Practice Transitions - Drs. Ed and Lisa Wentz: Ep# 568

    12/26/2025

    The Principles and Filters That Guide Successful Practice Transitions - Drs. Ed and Lisa Wentz: Ep# 568

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> They didn't chase an exit. They designed alignment.  Drs. Ed and Lisa Wentz built successful practices: Ed a 10-practice orthodontic group, and Lisa a highly intentional solo practice. But their transition out of practice required something different. A shared filter grounded in faith, family, and stewardship. What they reveal isn't a strategy. It's a mindset that protects marriages, teams, and purpose long after the deal closes. This conversation walks through how they navigated selling, honored their teams, and resisted the pressure to follow someone else's timeline. If you're wondering how to transition without drifting, burning out, or losing alignment, this episode is a guide. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #566 - Partnerships, Practice Deals, and Pursuing Adventure – Freedom Through Relationships – Dr. Jose Vicens Ep #564 - The DSO Reckoning – What Every Doctor Needs to Know Before Selling Their Practice – Brannon Moncrief Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    45 min
  8. 12/19/2025

    Rewriting The American Dream in a Stagflation World - Dr. David Phelps: Ep#567

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-68d64588-408c-832e-9ddb-19cf6e6e6fca-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-24" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "b876dbf2-e901-4d0a-bf9f-4945aa73604f" data-testid= "conversation-turn-46" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Economic Cycles Don't Decide Your Future. Your Strategy Does.  This episode was an internal update to my Freedom Founders community that may be helpful for you. I share how economic, cultural, and generational pressures are reshaping the marketplace, how inflation and debt dynamics are influencing opportunity, and the actions to consider to build a life that isn't just bigger—but better designed. If you're worried about the economy or unsure what step to take next, this episode will help you see more clearly and act with confidence, not anxiety. If you like this episode, here are more episodes we think you'll enjoy: Ep #566 - Partnerships, Practice Deals, and Pursuing Adventure – Freedom Through Relationships – Dr. Jose Vicens Ep #560 - The End of Cheap Money – 5 Rules To Thrive In The Next Decade – David's Monopodcast Check out the show notes for more information! P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are some other ways I can help fast track you to your Freedom goal (you're closer than you think): 1. Schedule a Call with My Team: If you're tired of running on the hamster wheel, and are looking for a proven blueprint to create more freedom and reduce dependency on your practice income, schedule a call with my team to learn more. 2. Get Your Dentist Retirement Survival Guide: The winds of economic change are here, and now is the time to move to higher ground. This guide gives you the steps to protect your retirement, your family, and your peace of mind. Get the 25-point checklist here. 3. Get Your Free Retirement Scorecard: Benchmark your retirement and wealth-building against hundreds of other practice professionals, and get personalized feedback on your biggest opportunities and leverage points. Click here to take the 3 minute assessment and get your scorecard.

    32 min
4.7
out of 5
78 Ratings

About

Podcast for dentists – practice transformation and passive cash flow generation.

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