The Bryan Laskin Podcast

There's always another aspect of dentistry that can be improved through innovation, and this is perfectly demonstrated by Debora Carrier, RDH of The CPR Sisters. Deb and her sister have developed an innovative and highly personalized CPR training curriculum that helps dental professionals get the maximum benefit from the training without added performance anxiety. In this short and sweet episode o...

Just as advances in technology are moving the practice of dentistry forward, so advances in clinical care are making a huge impact in the quality of care patients today receive. And sometimes, more advanced clinical care means going back to deceptively simple basics. The dynamic Aimee Vail, RDH, MHA/Ed and Special Markets Manager for Centrix joined me in the Toothapps® booth at the 2025 Chicago Mi...

In this current climate of healthcare worker shortages, many dental practice owners struggle to find and retain the talent they need to sustain efficient operations while delivering high-caliber care to their patients. As a result, most dentists understandably feel they can't afford to be picky when it comes to hiring temp workers. Fortunately, the highly rated Kwikly Dental Staffing takes care of...

I always say that the two greatest charlatans in dentistry (after dental insurance companies, of course) are marketers and consultants. But this one marketing consultant breaks the mold. In fact, she's the one who set the bar in the first place. Nancy Lashley Sullivan began her rich and storied career 25 years ago when "dental marketing" wasn't yet a concept. While the landscape of marketing in de...

The third-party payer system for healthcare in the United States isn't as broken as you think…it's much, much worse. Although virtually every American citizen has had to contend with the needlessly yet deliberately complex circus of healthcare insurance, few have dug down as deep as author Frank Lobb to uncover the truth of how the system works. In this episode of The Patient First Podcast , Frank...

More important than being a skilled clinician is being a caring one. Dr. Michael Sonick is an internationally renowned periodontist who has learned this through personal experience, as both a patient himself and as a very successful practitioner. And what's really interesting is how technology like Toothapps® can actually support dentists in experiencing the benefits of being caring, people-centri...

Although the concept of "teledentistry" has taken off in recent years, many dentists are still in the dark about its potential and the surprisingly simple ways they can begin implementing it. At this year's Yankee Dental Congress, I sat down with the dynamic dental personality Melissa K. Turner to talk about the benefits of teledentistry and what she is doing to help more practices and patients be...

Toothapps® is solving problems and bridging gaps in communication and in the continuum of care in dentistry.  In fact, it's developing new ways to do this so rapidly, even current users of the Toothapps software are surprised to learn about what it can do. In this interview with Corey Hastings, DDS, MS, MBA and Owner and Operator of Blue Sage Management Group, you'll learn how Toothapps is helping...

HIPAA training and talk about data security might not be the most exciting topics in dentistry, but they could lead to more excitement than you want, if you neglect them. In this episode of The Patient First Podcast , Copper Penny Consulting CEO Amy Wood shares her own horrifying true story of what can happen when a dental patient's personal information makes it out onto the Internet. She explains...

It's that time of year again where I share my predictions for 2025 regarding Connected DentistryⓇ, and this time, I'm going bolder than ever before.  I had Dave Pryor of Planet DDS join me in the studio for this episode of The Patient First Podcast where we had a great time exchanging and debating ideas about trends in 2024 and trends we can expect in 2025. We discuss medical-dental integration, A...

We expect advances in clinical dentistry to make our jobs easier on us and to make outcomes more satisfactory to patients. Why shouldn't we expect similar advances in other areas, like payment processing? Faster and more convenient payment methods are not only easier on patients—they're easier on your team and on your practice's bank balance. In this episode of The Patient First Podcast , I give a...

It's time to rethink what you know about dental practice management software. There's no denying we practice owners are all increasingly dependent on digital solutions both to render dental services and to manage the business side of our practices. However, we are well into an age I like to call "Dentistry 3.0," or the age of Connected DentistryⓇ. This means that we're now living in a time when we...

Holly Doherty is the Founder, President and CEO of VIF, a team that has developed a groundbreaking tool to support families in getting the personalized care that their loved ones with special needs deserve.  Far from leading the charge in name only, Holly brings decades of personal experience with caregiving to the table and champions the use of technology and interoperability between medical disc...

Cybersecurity is a topic that pops up with increasing frequency in the oral healthcare space. Practices and networks of all sizes are prime targets for cyberattacks, as CEO of Black Talon Security Gary Salman explains. But the unfortunate reality is that, despite the immense target on the backs of dental practice computers, too many practice owners overestimate the security of their systems and re...

Are you interested in taking your dental practice to the next level but are not sure where to start? DSOs have been around for quite a number of years now, but they are no longer the only option for practice owners who want to experience greater business success. In this episode of The Patient First Podcast , I sat down with Ian McNickle, CEO and one of multiple founders of ICON Dental Partners, t...

Hate doing dentures? This is the episode for you. Voyager Dental is pushing the limits of restorative dentistry with a surprising application of artificial intelligence to the design of dentures. As a result, patients and dentists alike are experiencing phenomenal benefits. In this short but very special episode of The Patient First Podcast , I talk with Steve Floe, the CEO of Voyager Dental, abou...

Many people wear smartrings, smartwatches and other wearable health technology like continuous glucose monitors to gain insights about their health and to support physicians in rendering more timely and individualized care. Can you imagine the ways oral healthcare would be transformed by a dental health wearable? Lura Health is working on an intriguing solution: a continuous saliva monitor. In thi...

Dentists face an enormous amount of pressure when it comes to making real estate decisions. Should you lease or purchase a site for your practice? What factors should you consider when selecting the ideal location? Is buying real estate for your business really the best investment strategy for you? Austin Hair, Managing Partner at Leaders Real Estate helps unpack some insider information that dent...

If EBITDA is still a mystery to you, don't worry—you're far from alone. Plus, Matt Ornstein from Dental Pitch Brokerage is here to help with a phenomenal book and insights that he shares with us in this episode of "The Patient First Podcast." Matt has extensive experience with the business side of dental practice ownership and he explains, not only the basics of EBITDA, but the importance of balan...

It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the vast array of dental software solutions there are to choose from. But going all in on the latest "all-in-one" program isn't necessarily the answer. In fact, solutions that claim to be one-size-fits-all could potentially hinder your practice's ability to adopt new innovations later on down the road. In this episode of The Patient First Podcast , I interview Mik...

Dental clinicians are trained and licensed individuals who must keep up with their CE requirements, but what about those in non-clinical roles?  Managers, treatment coordinators and other front desk team members may not directly generate revenue, but they are still essential to the smooth day-to-day functioning of dental practices.  This is where SPS Dental Academy steps in to bridge the gap and p...

For any dentist out there who feels that maintaining a social media presence for the practice is an utterly hopeless endeavor, I want you to know that I hear you and that this episode is for you. Rita Zamora of Connect90 helps dental practices maximize the results of a social media presence with minimal effort. In this interview, we discuss some of the solutions her company offers, as well as the...

David Pryor of Planet DDS is back on "The Patient First Podcast," and in this episode, we discuss a hot topic: how to successfully implement a new technology in a dental practice or DSO network to unlock its full potential. Overwhelmed with the vast array of innovative technologies currently available to choose from, it's all too easy for the well-intentioned decision-makers of dental care organiz...

This is the episode I wish someone had made for me to watch back when I sold my practice to a DSO. My biggest regret from the sale? Trying to go it alone.  Many dental practice owners today feel as overwhelmed by their options as I did back then, and it can be challenging to navigate negotiations to secure a deal that protects your interests. That's why I was so excited to have Ryan Mingus, Managi...