The Real Talk of Dental

Employee benefits compliance for dental practices is no longer optional paperwork, it's a legal responsibility every practice owner and DSO leader now carries under federal law. If your team has ten people or ten thousand, you are the fiduciary on that plan, and that means real liability if your broker compensation isn't documented and your benefits process isn't transparent. Brandi Marzolino, 20...

Dental Entrepreneur Woman is the support community Anne Duffy built after one phone call ten years ago, when a friend in the dental industry was reduced to tears over a comment about her smile. If you have ever walked into a room full of dental professionals and felt like you did not belong, Dental Entrepreneur Woman is proof that feeling does not have to be permanent. On this episode, Anne Duffy,...

Dental assistant digital workflow training is the missing piece between the technology your practice already paid for and the results you're still waiting on. Practices across the country are dropping six figures on intraoral scanners, 3D printers, and CAD/CAM systems, then handing the keys to team members who were never properly trained on any of it. The technology sits. The ROI doesn't come. And...

A dental practice emergency exit plan is the document that protects everything you built if the unthinkable happens. And most dentists don't have one. Whether it's an unexpected death, a contentious divorce, a disability, or a personal decision you'll deeply regret, the cracks that destroy practices usually don't come from outside. They come from you. In this episode, Brandi Marzolino, 20-year den...

What actually makes someone a great leader? It's not charisma. It's not confidence. And it's definitely not having all the answers. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Ralf Tomandl, COO of HR for Health, to explore the leadership lessons that only come from real life experience. From surviving cancer and supporting a special needs child through life-threatening health...

Think AI is helping you make smarter HR decisions? It might actually be creating evidence against you. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with HR compliance expert Kara Kelley for a candid conversation about the growing risks of using AI for hiring, firing, employee relations, and workplace compliance. From AI-generated employee handbooks and employment law advice to the...

What happens when influence becomes more important than integrity? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Beverly Wilburn, longtime dental leader, practice owner, and former ADOM Office Manager of the Year, for a brutally honest conversation about authenticity, scarcity, and the “pick me” culture taking over dentistry. From speakers and consultants chasing visibility, to...

AI is not replacing dentistry. It’s exposing where dentistry has been overwhelmed all along. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Danny Bessonov, founder of Avora, the voice AI platform helping dental practices automate documentation, improve patient communication, and create more human-centered experiences inside the operatory. But this conversation is about much more...

Most hygienists aren’t underpaid because they lack skill. They’re underpaid because they don’t understand the numbers. And once you see it… you can’t unsee it. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Sade Morel shares how she went from working inside corporate dentistry to building a multi-provider hygiene business that generates tens of thousands per month, on her terms. This is not just a c...

Dentist burnout is real, and many high performers don’t see it until it’s already affecting their health, relationships, and work. If you’ve been feeling constant pressure, anxiety, or exhaustion in your career, this episode will hit close to home. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Dr. Eric Recker shares what burnout actually looks like behind the scenes of a successful career. After mo...

What if the “hygiene shortage”… isn’t a shortage at all? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , we pull back the curtain on one of the most talked-about issues in dentistry right now, and challenge everything you think you know about hiring, retention, and what’s really happening inside dental practices. Jennifer Steadman brings a rare, full-spectrum perspective, former hygienist, operator,...

What if the biggest risk inside your dental practice… isn’t what you can see? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , we dive into a topic that isn’t flashy, but could change everything, dental waterline safety. Landon Hilliard from Dentist Safe breaks down the hidden dangers inside dental unit waterlines, why over 80% of practices aren’t testing them, and how contaminated water can impact bo...

What if the biggest financial mistake in your dental career… has nothing to do with dentistry? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Kyle Wheeler, a commercial real estate expert who exclusively represents buyers and tenants in dentistry, to unpack the hidden risks, missed opportunities, and costly misconceptions that happen every day in practice acquisitions, leases, a...

What happens when the systems meant to protect patients and providers… aren’t actually being followed? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Brandi sits down with infection control expert and educator Sherrie Busby to unpack one of the most overlooked risks in dentistry, the gap between what’s taught, what’s required, and what’s actually happening inside practices. Sherrie shares the story...

What happens when two dentists give you two completely different diagnoses, just months apart? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Brandi sits down with Wardah Inam, CEO and founder of Overjet, to unpack the real reason AI is entering dentistry, and what it actually means for clinicians, patients, and the future of care. Wardah shares the personal moment that sparked the creation of Overj...

Dental events are getting more expensive. More crowded. And for many vendors, less effective than ever. What happens when the traditional conference model stops delivering real results? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Brandi sits down with Michael Scott of Smile Together to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes at dental events, and why a new model is starting to take over....

Dentistry is facing a growing tension no one wants to talk about. New dentists entering the profession often expect six-figure incomes, shorter work weeks, and rapid success. Meanwhile, practice owners are carrying the financial risk, team leadership, and operational pressure behind the scenes. So where is the disconnect? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Brandi sits down with Dr. Anush...

Is there really a dental hygiene shortage… or are hygienists simply refusing to tolerate toxic environments? In Episode 34 of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Kendra Flowers to unpack one of the most controversial conversations happening in dentistry right now. From the so called hygiene shortage to the growing tension between dentists and hygienists, this episode goes straight to th...

What happens when you realize, three years into your dental career, that chairside dentistry is not for you… and you feel completely trapped? In Episode 33 of The Real Talk of Dental, Dr. Laura Brenner shares her unfiltered journey of leaving clinical dentistry after a decade of practicing. What started as quiet dissatisfaction turned into years of chronic low-grade depression, identity conflict,...

What happens when you are the strong one in dentistry, the leader, the provider, the one everyone depends on, and you are quietly carrying grief no one sees? In Episode 32 of The Real Talk of Dental , Dr. Parul Dua Makkar opens up about losing her younger brother to oral cancer at 34, followed by the sudden loss of her father just three years later. As a sole practitioner, mother, and healthcare p...

What happens when you step into one of the most powerful leadership roles in dentistry just as the profession finds itself at the center of political controversy, anti-science narratives, and national scrutiny? In Episode 31 of The Real Talk of Dental, Dr. Brett Kessler reflects on his term as President of the American Dental Association and the unexpected intensity of leading dentistry through on...

Burnout in dentistry doesn’t always look like exhaustion or breakdown. Sometimes it looks like tight shoulders, shallow breathing, emotional numbness, or the constant feeling of being “on” for everyone else while slowly disappearing from yourself. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , I sit down with Lori Bulloch , registered dental hygienist, certified yoga instructor, natural health educa...

After 42 years in dentistry, Dr. Alan Stern found himself financially stretched, emotionally exhausted, and questioning the meaning of a career he once believed would bring fulfillment. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental , Dr. Stern shares his honest journey through burnout, comparison, financial stress, and the pursuit of significance, and how hitting rock bottom led him to redefine succe...

In this deeply moving and necessary episode of The Real Talk of Dental , I sit down with Linda Kane—RCM expert, billing master, author, podcast host, and unapologetic advocate for mental health in dentistry. Linda has been in the dental industry since 1999, but her mission was forever changed after losing a doctor she worked closely with to suicide. What followed was three months of holding a prac...

In this deeply honest and wide-ranging episode of The Real Talk of Dental , I sit down with Dr. Eric Block—practicing dentist, entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and co-founder of the International Academy of Dental Life Coaches. Eric shares his real, unfiltered journey through burnout, anxiety, and regret in dentistry, including the moment he hit rock bottom and questioned whether he could stay in...