The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes continues his conversation with Dr. Paul Etchison, host of the Dental Practice Heroes Podcast and owner of a thriving group practice. They dive into the unavoidable drama of running a dental office, the psychology behind why people create conflict, and how leadership plays a crucial role in managing team dynamics.  Paul shares a real-life example of a team dispu...

On today's Part 1 episode, Dr. Mark Costes is joined by longtime friend and fellow podcaster, Dr. Paul Etchison. As the host of the Dental Practice Heroes podcast and author of two books on dental practice management, Paul shares his journey of building a large group practice in the Chicago suburbs. The conversation kicks off with stories about aging, injuries, and the unexpected challenges of sta...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes shares his personal journey from overworked and underprepared to building a highly systemized and profitable dental practice. He reflects on his early struggles, including the financial and operational challenges that forced him back to work just days after major surgeries.  Mark also introduces the Elite Practice Blueprint and Four Futures Framework, which help...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes welcomes back Dr. Addison Killeen to dive deeper into The Dental Office Manager Position Manual, co-authored with Dr. Chris Green. They explore how to take an average office manager and transform them into a high-performing, servant-style leader using the detailed playbook they've developed. From assessing leadership readiness and navigating tricky team dynamics...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Dr. Addison Killeen—Black Belt coach at DSI, mega-practice owner, and prolific author—to unpack the powerful insights behind Addison's newest release, The Dental Office Manager Position Manual.  They discuss how this extensive 309-page resource can transform the way dentists elevate and train office managers, equipping them with not only tactical...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes dives into the key factors that separate top-performing dental practices from the rest. He emphasizes the power of mindset, leadership, and collaboration in creating a thriving, systemized business. He discusses why scarcity thinking holds dentists back, how personal accountability leads to long-term success, and why tracking both objective and subjective metric...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes shares his journey of building multiple successful businesses, from the Dental Success Institute to the newly launched Smile Outreach International. He breaks down what makes franchises like McDonald's and Chick-fil-A so successful—and how dentists can apply the same principles to systemize and scale their practices.  Mark also discusses the importance of defini...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes unpacks the essential elements of rapport, communication, and charisma—the three key factors that influence patient trust and treatment acceptance. He explains how first impressions happen in an instant and why overcoming negativity bias is crucial in a dental setting.   Dr. Costes also shares practical nonverbal communication hacks, like posture, hand movements...

On today's Part 1 episode, Dr. Mark Costes breaks down the science of charisma and likability—and why mastering these traits can transform your dental practice. He explores evolutionary psychology, explaining how people make instant snap judgments about trust and rapport within a single second of meeting you.  In an industry where patients often arrive with fear and negativity bias, Dr. Costes sha...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Jaclyn Nona, CEO and co-founder of Clever Dental Co. With a background in marketing and years of hands-on experience in the dental industry, Jaclyn shares her insights on the often-overlooked power of internal marketing. She explains how having an in-house team member dedicated to social media, reputation management, and patient engagement can rev...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes shares a powerful case study of Dr. Rex, a struggling dental practice owner who transformed his business from barely surviving to thriving. Dr. Costas walks through the Elite Practice Blueprint, the Four Futures framework, and how strategic overhead control, systemization, and leadership can create massive financial success.  Mark also highlights the importance...

In today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes dives deep into the critical elements of creating an operational infrastructure that drives revenue, efficiency, and work-life balance. He shares his personal journey—owning 16 practices, suffering from burnout, and ultimately developing the frameworks that transformed his businesses. Dr. Costes outlines his 6 Pillars for Business Success, including operational...

In today's episode, we bring you Part 2 of the Elevation Association panel discussion from the 2025 Life Summit in Nicaragua featuring James Heaton, Michael Allen, Jared Hill, Mark Costes, Matt Mulcock, and Ryan Isaac. The conversation continues with deep insights on partnerships, vision alignment, and the ongoing shift in dentistry toward DSOs and private equity. The panelists break down why shar...

In today's episode, we bring you Part 1 of the Elevation Association panel discussion from the 2025 Life Summit in Nicaragua. This powerhouse panel—featuring James Heaton, Michael Allen, Jared Hill, Mark Costes, Matt Mulcock, and Ryan Isaac—dives into one of the most overlooked yet critical aspects of running a successful dental practice: leadership. The conversation explores why leadership is oft...

On today's episode, we're back with part two of our live panel from the Women in DSO event, featuring Dr. Mark Costes and his powerhouse executive team—Ashlee Hirschfeld, Kay Lange, Sydney Robinson, and Mary Lafferty. This conversation dives deeper into the key operational strategies and leadership principles that drive growth and efficiency in DSOs. The team explores the importance of accountabil...

In today's Part 1 episode, Dr. Mark Costes takes the stage at the Women in DSO event, sharing insights into the incredible growth of Dental Success Companies and the lessons learned from scaling multiple businesses. He's joined by his powerhouse executive team, including Ashlee Hirschfeld, Kay Lange, Sydney Robinson, and Mary Lafferty, who break down key strategies for running a thriving DSO. They...

On today's episode, we take a deep dive into the personal journey of Dr. Mark Costes as he shares an exclusive reading from his book, Rich, Fit, and Fulfilled: Redefining What It Means to Have It All. Dr. Costes pulls back the curtain on the reality of achieving financial and professional success—only to find himself overwhelmed, disconnected, and unfulfilled.  Dr. Costes challenges the traditiona...

On today's episode, Dr, Mark Costes dives into the psychology of success, the power of identity, and how small, consistent changes can create massive long-term results. Learn why focusing on who you want to become rather than just what you want to achieve is the key to sustainable change. Dr. Costes also discusses the impact of accountability, habit stacking, and identity-based goal setting, refer...

On today's episode, we dive into a revolutionary way to approach periodontal disease with Dr. Ben Kacos and Dr. Ashlee Hirschfeld. Instead of getting lost in probing depths and pocket numbers, Dr. Kacos shares how his practice shifts the conversation to what truly resonates with patients—the systemic health risks of gum infections.   Dr. Kacos explains how implementing a microscope in hygiene appo...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes dives into the reality of hustle culture and why working harder doesn't always lead to better results. He breaks down the different seasons of entrepreneurship and explains how practice owners can transition from grinding endlessly to optimizing their time and efficiency. By setting clear non-negotiables, leveraging delegation, and focusing on high-value activit...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes dives into creating a strong dental practice culture and leading with structure. He emphasizes the importance of defining core values and involving the team in their creation to foster true buy-in. Dr. Costes also introduces a Cultural Assessment—a simple way to measure alignment with those values, ensuring that team members are motivated, skilled, and contribut...

On today's episode Dr. Mark Costes explores the challenges of leading a dental team during a workforce shortage. With a 30% decline in healthcare workers since the pandemic, dental practices are struggling to find and retain skilled employees. Dr. Costes shares his own leadership journey—learning from early mistakes, overcoming high turnover, and shifting from a rigid management style to an approa...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes chats with Michael Lomotan, co-founder of the Dental Success Network, and Cameron Buhman, DSN's vendor relations specialist. They dive into the power of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and how DSN helps dentists negotiate better pricing on supplies, lab fees, patient financing, and more—saving members tens of thousands without increasing production.  They...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with Lane Rizzardini, co-owner of Sleep Apnea Leads, to discuss the challenges and opportunities of marketing sleep dentistry. Lane shares why traditional dental marketing approaches often fail for sleep apnea and how creating a separate brand and digital presence can dramatically improve patient acquisition. He also dives into the power of AI-driven f...

On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes breaks down the trap of hustle culture and why working harder doesn't always mean achieving more. He shares how practice owners can transition from grinding endlessly to increasing productivity while working fewer hours. By recognizing different seasons of entrepreneurship, setting clear non-negotiables, and leveraging delegation, you can avoid burnout and maxim...