Dental Operations Unpacked

Most DSOs think software will solve their problems. The reality? Software implementation reveals them. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked, Jake Larsen and Clint Berry sit down with Jill Nesbitt, Founder of Optimized Dental Consulting, to discuss why software transitions often uncover hidden operational issues, inefficient workflows, revenue cycle blind spots, and gaps in standardization...

What does it take for an office manager to become a true business leader? In this episode, Katie Robinson, Director of Operations at Cook Dental Group, joins Jake Larsen and Clint Berry to discuss how dental organizations can empower office managers to drive performance, lead teams, and influence outcomes across every location. Katie shares actionable insights on leadership development, delegation...

The dental talent problem goes far beyond just “finding people.” In this episode, Humberto Briceño joins us to break down what operators don’t understand about hiring, retention, candidate experience, and building strong dental teams for the long term. From recruiting specialists and hygienists to creating better hiring systems inside DSOs, this conversation is full of practical insights for denta...

Why do claims pile up so fast in dental practices? And more importantly… why do they never seem to go away? In this episode, we sit down with Sissy Mangrum to unpack the “silent cash leak” happening inside revenue cycle processes. From eligibility mistakes to behavior-driven breakdowns, we explore why most practices are fixing symptoms instead of solving the real problem—and how that’s costing tho...

If you’re a dentist feeling stretched thin… you’re not alone. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked , we sit down with Mike Baird, CEO of Accelerate Dental, to talk about what’s really changing in dentistry—and why the traditional solo model is getting harder to sustain. From rising costs to insurance pressure, dentists today are being pushed into tough decisions: stay independent and carr...

Sales in dentistry has a bad reputation. But what if the problem isn’t sales… it’s how we think about it? In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked , Jake Larson and Clint Berry sit down with Dr. Jason Gladwell (CEO of Gladwell Orthodontics) and Emily Abecasis (Senior Director of Operations at Lightwave Dental) to break down: • Why sales feels uncomfortable in clinical environments • The real...

Most DSOs don’t have a data problem. They have a visibility problem. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked, we sit down with Daniel Lopez Borge, Director of FP&A at FivePoint, to break down what it really means to become a financial operator inside a DSO. From real estate in Costa Rica to investment banking at Goldman Sachs to leading finance inside a fast-growing DSO, Daniel shares a...

Most leaders get stuck doing everything themselves. But the real shift happens when you learn to step back and build others. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked, we sit down with Sarah Martin, Regional Operations Manager at Ohio Kids Dental, who shares her raw and real journey from a 19-year-old college dropout to leading rapid multi-office growth. She opens up about: Building a career i...

Insurance doesn’t have to feel like chaos. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked , we sit down with Taylor Ashcraft, Director of Operations at Accelerate Dental, to break down one of the most frustrating (and misunderstood) parts of dental operations: insurance and claims . If your team feels like they’re constantly chasing denials, fixing errors, or waiting too long to get paid… this epis...

Insurance relationships in dentistry are often viewed as transactional. But strong payer partnerships can actually become a key driver of operational stability. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked , Jake Larson and Clint Berry talk with Osher Zaafaran, Vice President of Payer Relations at The Smilist Management, a 130+ location DSO. Osher shares how payer relations goes far beyond negoti...

In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked , hosts Jake Larson and Clint Berry sit down with John Hullette of Specialty Dental Brands for his first ever podcast interview . With over 13 years of experience in dentistry and leadership roles across major DSOs including Smile Brands, Guardian, and Peak Dental, John shares powerful insights on what separates short-term operators from long-term lead...

Most dental organizations are drowning in dashboards. But data alone doesn’t build high-performing teams. In this episode of Dental Operations Unpacked, Jake Larson and Clint Barry sit down with Ann Alterson  , Director at Elite Dental Partners, to talk about what actually drives execution across multi-location dental organizations. Ann shares: Why being a top performer doesn’t automatically make...

Scaling a dental practice sounds exciting. Until your margins shrink. In this episode, we’re joined by Lesie Espanola , fractional COO at DEO , who breaks down the three operational pillars every practice must strengthen before expanding. Lesie shares: • Why most dentists don’t actually know their case acceptance rate • The hidden danger of weak collections • How growth amplifies operational gaps...

Christin Lisenby, VP of Hygiene at Dental Care Alliance, joins us to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of practice profitability: hygiene. With 27 years in dentistry — from assistant to hygienist to COO to DSO executive — Christin introduces a simple but powerful metric she calls True Hygiene Value (THV). THV connects hygiene visits to total adjusted production, helping operators predict p...

New year, new season, new name. We’ve officially rebranded from Dental Disruptors to Dental Operations Unpacked , a show built for operators who want practical, real world conversations that make them better at the job. To kick off Season 2, we’re joined by returning guest (and Kolla teammate) Jordan Trenticosta to unpack a big question: If you have a data warehouse, what should you build first? W...

This is our final episode of the Dental Disruptors Podcast for 2025. In this short year-end wrap-up, we reflect on the past season, share some of our favorite episodes and moments, and talk honestly about what we’ve learned after nearly 30 episodes. From passionate discussions about data access and innovation to memorable guest conversations and live recordings, this year was all about learning an...

In this episode, Jake and Clint sit down (again!) with Bonnie Thompson, COO of Forest Family Dentistry and one of this year’s Top Operational Leaders in Dentistry. Bonnie shares how she went from 16-year-old dental assistant to COO, how she uses EOS, KPIs and technology to scale five (soon seven) locations, and why culture and alignment matter more than ever for DSOs.

Jake Larsen and Clint Berry launch a new Dental Disruptors series honoring the operators who keep DSOs running behind the scenes. In this episode, they sit down with Brandi Carter , Director at Sage and one of this year’s industry award winners, to unpack how she led her market to 14.5% year-over-year growth without adding new doctors or locations. Brandi shares her journey from RV sales into dent...

In this episode of Dental Disruptors , hosts Jake Larsen and Clint Berry sit down to unpack one of the biggest debates in the dental industry — data ownership . They discuss: Why most dental practices still use on-premise systems The push from companies like Henry Schein, Patterson, and Open Dental to control cloud data How developer fees are quietly increasing costs for DSOs The recent Vyne vs. H...

Key takeaways Lagging vs. leading : Production/collections reflect the past. Coach daily behaviors that create tomorrow’s results. EPIs > vanity metrics : Measure empathy (names used, wait time, clarity, felt-heard scores) alongside revenue. Right data, right level : Not every role needs P&Ls. Share metrics that inform their behaviors , not anxiety. Happy teams = happy patients : Engagement...

Janet’s path: hygienist → hygiene director for 100+ locations → fractional CHO Building a best-in-class perio program and regional hygiene leadership model Case acceptance: mindset, questions, emotional + logical alignment Why soft skills matter more as tech advances Culture you can live and measure across locations Starting points: coaching, org chart, HR/handbook compliance, KPI tracking

AI voice is finally good enough to handle real dental scheduling—multi-kid, reschedules, emergencies, the works. Dr. Miles Beckett (MD turned serial founder) shares Flossy’s journey from a dental discount marketplace to “Fiona,” an AI receptionist that answers calls, books new patients, reschedules, triages, and lifts after-hours conversion. We dig into latency, PMS integrations, scheduling logic,...

Meet Jay Hogan and Dr. A from Perfect Fit Ortho —a “virtual orthodontist” model that helps GPs and DSOs say yes to more clear-aligner cases while freeing chair time. They’re scanner- and aligner-agnostic, do the design/setup for you, provide time estimates, help with financing, and monitor cases weekly—so you can keep revenue in-house without adding visits. In this episode: Why “virtual orthodonti...

Live from the Dental Operations Symposium in Frisco, TX, we grabbed “cliffnotes” with five standout leaders: • Bonnie Thompson — COO, Forest Family Dentistry (Austin) • Leslie Soto — VP of Operations, FivePoint Dental Specialists • Suzanne Jackson — Executive Leader, Rodeo Dental (multi-state ops) • Ray Caruso — CEO, Lone Peak Dental Group • Teresa Williams — CFO & COO, Dental Express; Coach a...

In this episode of Dental Disruptors Podcast, Jake Larson and Clint Barry sit down with Emily, CEO & Co-Founder of OS Dental. Emily shares her journey from dental accountant to leading a fast-growing SaaS company that’s changing how DSOs and group practices use their data. We dive into:The evolution of dental analytics over the past decadeWhy most groups still struggle to trust their dataHow O...