The Dental Economist Show

In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Dustin Netral, President and CEO of Vista Verde Dental Partners and Vice President of ADSO.
Join them as they discuss:

• The transition from emergency dental care to specialized treatment
• Data-driven approaches to practice management
• Patient experience optimization
• Industry advocacy and legislation
• The importance of accountability in patient care
• The role of DSOs in expanding access to care

Dustin Netral brings a unique perspective to dental practice management, with a rich background spanning healthcare, retail, and digital transformation. As President and CEO of Vista Verde Dental Partners and Vice President of ADSO, he has been instrumental in reshaping dental practice support through innovative strategies. Under his leadership, Vista Verde has expanded its operations across 5 states, focusing on specialized denture and implant solutions.
Episode Highlights:
05:54 - 08:14 - Business Evolution and Strategic Focus
12:39 - 15:16 - Patient Experience and Performance Tracking
15:32 - 16:59 - Managing Patient Feedback and Accountability
17:28 - 19:52 - Industry Challenges and Solutions

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In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Demias Pegues, CEO at Key Dental Management Solutions.
Join them as they discuss:

• The importance of employee engagement
• Effective communication
• Data-driven strategies for consistent growth
• Optimizing patient acquisition
• The benefits of outsourcing call management
• Leveraging technology to enhance patient experiences

Demias Pegues serves as the CEO of Key Dental Management Solutions, which manages, develops and acquires community orthodontic practices. His role involves overseeing operations and strategic initiatives within the company, which focuses on managing dental practices and enhancing their operational efficiency. Before this, Demias worked as COO at Key Dental Management Solutions, and Chief Operating Officer at Great Lakes Dental Partners.
Episode Highlights:
10:32 - 13:30 - Optimizing the Patient Funnel to Drive Growth
23:41 - 25:12 - Implementing the EOS System for Goal Tracking and Alignment
27:18 - 29:00 - Prioritizing Key Leadership Roles to Support Frontline Staff
34:16 - 36:00 - Leveraging Technology to Streamline Operations and Enhance Patient Autonomy

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

On the latest episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker welcomes Founder and CEO of Accelerate Dental, Mike Baird - a serial entrepreneur and visionary leader with a remarkable track record of building and scaling transformative businesses in healthcare and technology. Through the engaging discussion, they cover eye-opening insights on:

• Why the dental ecosystem needs an overhaul, with dentists leading the charge
• How the ‘Perpetual Model’ can encourage higher levels of ownership and participation from dentists
• Increasing majority ownership, facilitating a shift towards dentist-first businesses
• The intersection of technology and dentistry, and how it will revolutionize patient care in the near future

If you’re looking for fresh perspectives and actionable ways to challenge the traditional DSO model and reimagine the future for dentists and patients alike, tune into this episode!Episode Highlights:1:18 - 10:55 - Choosing Dentistry & Reimagining the Industry

Mike Baird discusses how his tech background played into his choice of venturing out into the dentistry industry, why the space is “simple but not easy” and the importance of creating partnerships with a dentist-first approach. 10:56 - 27:49 - The Perpetual Model and Autonomy in Work

Rethinking partnerships in the dental business requires fresh perspective and a radical approach. According to Mike Baird, that approach is giving dentists complete autonomy, changing majority stakes in DSOs, and implementing the ‘Perpetual Model’.
28:17 - 38:13 - Leadership by Influence & The Culture Quotient

Crafting a culture to encourage leadership can elevate the day-to-day operations, enhancing patient care and the dentistry experience overall. There are certain culture codes, backed by strategy that must be followed in order to create long-standing partnerships that are beneficial for all parties. 38:15 - 48:25 - Scaling for Success & Using Technology

Technology is here to revolutionize dental businesses in the near future - from billing to patient care, dentists have the opportunity to take their practices to the next level.
The future of dentistry is changing—are you ready? Tune in as Mike Baird shares expert strategies for success in the industry. Don’t forget to subscribe and join the conversation!
The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Dee Fischer, CEO of Fischer's Professional Group.
Join them as they discuss:

• The DSO sector
• Dee’s journey in the dental industry
• Focusing on inefficiencies rather than just profit
• Dental business growth
• The benefits of standardizing systems
• Efficient workflows
• The potential of AI and analytics in the industry

Dee Fischer is the CEO of Fischer's Professional Group, a dental consulting firm based in Orlando, Florida. She has decades of experience helping dental practices and DSOs grow and succeed. Fischer's Professional Group provides a range of services, including strategic planning, business development, team building, and consulting. Dee Fischer is also recognized as a leader and mentor in the DSO industry. In 2023 she won the Women in DSO Leadership Award for Business Excellence.
Episode Highlights:
04:35 - 05:52 - Inefficiencies vs PNL
10:45 - 12:28 - System Standardization
17:47 - 19:57 - Optimizing Schedules
28:18 - 30:03 - Navigating Challenges

The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

On the latest episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker welcomes Jill Nesbitt, a seasoned expert in dental consulting and practice management and Independent Consultant at Optimize Dental Consulting for an eye-opening conversation on how technological implementation done right can transform dental businesses for the better. Together, they unpack:

• The need for a robust tech and software implementation strategy to guide successful management
• Why consultants are best placed to support and enable the transformation and operations of a business
• Unique approaches to creating efficient and scalable processes tailor-made to each practice’s unique requirements
• The need for high quality automation in day-to-day operations and how to identify what can and cannot be automated

If you thought technological application had hit its peak in the world of dentistry, think again. Tune in for valuable takeaways and stay ahead of the curve! Episode Highlights:2:40 - 12:40 - From Spanish to Dentistry & The Implementation Niche Jill Nesbitt discusses her unique journey from pursuing a major in Spanish to finding joy in maximizing operational efficiency at dental practices and the vast experience it gave her in the field of operational management. She further traces the path to software implementation as a niche, emphasizing the need for strategic, process-driven technology implementation in dental practices.
12:42 - 29:00 - The Making of a Successful Implementation Project From transparent conversations with leadership and stakeholders to change management content, the ace consultant underscores the steps in taking an implementation project to fruition. She also reveals some of the biggest missteps made in the introduction of software to a dental practice. 29:01 - 41:24 - Consultancy, Dentistry & Ensuring an ROI on Investment

Getting an accurate ROI on software investment can be difficult but it’s a worthy attempt at strengthening a dental business’ capabilities. Jill reflects on why the consultancy approach is perfect for guiding software implementation and making the best of this unique intersection.
41:25 - 52:54 - Automation & Enabling Tech-Led Change

While Jill remains most optimistic about the change that automation continues to bring to the table, she also spotlights some key reasons for why dental businesses should move into the future with a tech-first approach and how the can stay agile to make the most of the moment.
Tune in to discover how to make data-driven decisions that drive growth. Don't forget to follow, rate, and review the show!
The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so