Soft Bites Podcast

After four years, this is our final episode. And it feels fitting to close with a conversation about one of the most complex and emotional decisions a professional can make: selling your dental practice. This episode is not about transactions. It’s about identity, timing, strategy, and perspective. Selling a practice is rarely just a financial decision. It can be driven by lifestyle recalibration,...

In this episode, we welcome back Professor António Mata to explore one of the most talked-about topics in modern healthcare: artificial intelligence. AI is everywhere—but what does it really mean for healthcare, and more specifically, for dentistry? Is its impact going to be incremental or truly transformative? Will AI reshape dental practice profoundly? The conversation also turns to Professor Ma...

In this episode, we sit down with Hugo Madeira, a leading figure in Portuguese dentistry and an innovative force in healthcare. Hugo takes us through his personal and professional journey—reflecting on the early days of social media, the challenges he's faced, the milestones he's reached, and the vital importance of self-care in sustaining peak performance. Hugo is the CEO of Clínica Hugo Madeira...

Why are so many dental offices toxic work environments? We are trained to fix teeth, yet when a dentist opens a practice, they must now possess the knowledge to manage staff, market, provide good customer service, etc. That’s a lot of extra responsibilities we were never trained in. Together with an already stressful profession, the result can be gossip, drama, a high staff rotation, and a very to...

Having a knowledgeable dental office manager is not only good for the dental practice but also helps the dental team succeed and grow. In this episode, Jorge Adré shares his experience, and we reflect on the benefits of having a dental office manager. We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media. Your comments and messages will help us kno...

Have you ever worked for a dental clinic where a ‘work-family' environment is promoted? Or are you a dental clinic owner who encourages the internal culture of "We’re a family here"? In our Conscious Leadership Course in Dentistry, we always pointed out how this "family" culture is not the right one for a dental clinic. It seems like something of little importance. However,...

We all have been there; as dentists, we all get to work with an alpha nurse at least once throughout our careers. In this conversation, we try to understand the dynamics of working with an alpha nurse from the perspective of a young dentist or a practice owner. We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media. Your comments and messages will h...

Dentistry has no shortcomings. A successful dental practice is a long-term game, and dentists must learn to play it if they want a long and fulfilling career. Surrounding yourself with good people is one of the many secrets to playing the long game, but there are many more. We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media. Your comments and me...

It’s still easy for dental clinics to offer minimum to low wages and salaries – especially if the applicants have no differentiated education or are new to dentistry. However, not every employee will comply and accept the offered payment, especially when they know how much money your clinic makes. When that happens, consequences will affect all dental practice, and can include low loyalty, high em...

In this episode, we talk to António Roma Torres, a Portuguese endodontist with a private practice focused on advanced endodontics, utilizing surgical microscopes for precision treatment. António is a graduate of the University Fernando Pessoa in Porto (DDS, 2010) and a Specialty Training at Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Lisbon (2013-2016) in endodontics, and has been training dental pr...

In this episode, we dive deep into how can we develop the (genuine) desire to help others succeed in a highly competitive field like dentistry. First question: Do you feel joy at other's dentist's success? Or does their good news make you feel competitive? It’s impossible to find anyone who’s entirely self-made—we all rely on and benefit from others. Insight: Viewing individual success as communal...

In this episode, we talk to Mehy Lo Presti, a specialist in restorative dentistry based in London and co-founder of Global Dental Collective, a community for dentists that brings joy and creativity to dentistry. Mehy talks about his journey in dentistry, Global Dental Collective, and  Dentorama, which is not your typical seminar but a revolutionary way of learning and networking. Imagine watching...

Last year we were invited by an enthusiastic colleague to take our Conscious Leadership in Dentistry Course to Amsterdam. We were curious and scheduled a meeting. We discovered Olavo Guerreiro Viegas, a passion-driven dentist wanting to bring something new to dentistry. In this conversation, we discussed Olavo's journey in dentistry until now, moving from Portugal to France and The Netherlands...

In this conversation, we explore the often-forgotten positive aspects of being a dentist. Come on, our job provides many rewards and opportunities. It's a tough job, but Dentists are often at the top of the list of the best jobs because it's a career that offers a variety of benefits. And we love it! What about you? What is your favorite thing about being a Dentist? We would love to hear y...

In this episode, we are joined by Dental Hygienist Andrea Dagot. Believe it or not, in many European countries, dental hygiene is still not recognized as a profession in its own right and there is a lack of uniformity and consistency. Each European country has a different level of training and scope of duties. As a result, what a dental hygienist is allowed to do is not the same everywhere in Euro...

Onboarding refers to the process of providing new employees with the resources they need to transition into a company. It essentially helps new hires feel more comfortable with their new job. According to Glassdoor, organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. In a dental practice, the onboarding process is completely different for...

This is a surprising conversation. We already knew Francisco Teixeira Barbosa as an exceptional oral surgeon and speaker. What we didn't expect was the vulnerable human being. Francisco took us through his career journey and how he got to the point of burnout and healing. He also discussed the future of teaching and dentistry, how certain experiences change you, work-life balance, success, mindset...

WE WENT LIVE and we would love to hear your insights on this. What is more important in a dental practice: the patients or the team? Listen to our conversation about the two most important dental practice success factors! If you want to develop your leadership skills join us at the next edition of the Conscious Leadership in Dentistry Course. 3, 4 & 5 October in Sagres, Portugal. An immersive...

Dr. Laila Hishaw is a fellow American Dentist, received her doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and her specialty certificate in pediatric dentistry from UT Health Science–San Antonio and is a board-certified pediatric dentist and the founding partner of Tucson Smiles Pediatric Dentistry in Tucson, where she lives with her husband and three children. But she is...

Hiring the right Dentist for your clinic needs can be tricky. Should you go for someone with 20 years of experience or no experience but with the right energy to be a good team player? Of course, this is not black or white, experienced dentists can also be good team players, but let's face it, with experience comes a more individual attitude. This is not necessarily bad, it just needs more adj...

There is no question that dentists view learning and constant technical updates as part of their profession. But when the subject is human skills we are not that interested. What would happen if dentists develop a learner mindset for human skills and connection? What would happen if we shifted away from a non-productive, conflict-oriented judger mindset? We think that with a learner mindset, you b...

Difficult conversations are hard but much needed in a dental practice if you want things to go smoothly. It seems a paradox but it's not: confrontation is part of healthy conflict resolution. Confrontation situations can be described as conversations where you are worried about an emotional reaction (either from you or from the other person). Mastering confrontation is difficult and most peopl...

Bruno Seabra is a Dentist with a mission: helping dentists be better professionals through dental photography. In this conversation, we talked about: - Why taking good dental photographs is important to a dentist's career development; - Fundamentals to make dental photography; - How to start documenting your cases; - How to get consistent and predictable photos - Why should all the team learn...

In team communication ”PLEASE”, “THANK YOU” and “SORRY” are three of the most important words. Especially in Dentistry where you spend your day working directly (or indirectly) with other people. Please is a respectful request for cooperation; Thank you shows gratitude; Sorry embodies the courage to take responsibility for our actions; Insight: Often overlooked, these simple yet powerful words pla...

The performance of a dental team can depend on many factors, but clear communication can make all the difference and should be a priority in a dental practice. In an ideal world, team meetings should be held regularly, but let's face it: it's not easy for everyone to attend. So why not implement a system with clear guidelines for written communication? Written communication is an easy way...