The Tooth Sleuth Podcast

In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Thomas Passalacqua—speaker, consultant, and dental operations expert—to talk about what it truly takes to level up in leadership, systems, and patient experience inside the modern dental practice. Thomas shares the lessons he's learned working with dental teams across the country, breaking down why clarity, alignment, and...

In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with DeVon Banks, CEO of DTEK Billing and Claims, to talk about the systems, culture, and collaboration that drive success in dentistry. They dive into how DeVon built her company from a one-person operation to a trusted partner for dental teams across the country—and why trust, transparency, and people-first leadership matter...

In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Al Kushner—award-winning author and LinkedIn growth strategist—to talk about the biggest mistake professionals make on LinkedIn: pitch-slapping. They explore how to replace salesy outreach with authentic connection and how AI can support your personal brand without losing your human touch. Inside this episode: The #1 Link...

In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg chats with Loren King—global speaker, RDH, and Chief Evangelist at Trust.ai—about real-life leadership, tech that actually helps clinicians, and the lesson she learned on her 34th solo skydive: speak up for yourself and know when to quit. They kick off swapping dog stories, define what it means to be an ambivert, and settle into a candid conversati...

Austin and Nate Show Notes  🎙 Episode Snapshot Guests: Nathaniel Baker — Enterprise Sales / Key Account Executive, Overjet Austin Moffat — Fractional CFO & DSO Growth Expert, DSO CFO What happens when AI hype meets the reality of dental operations? In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, host Greg Essenmacher sits down with Nathaniel Baker (Overjet) and Austin Moffat (DSO CFO) to break down h...

🎙 Episode Snapshot   What defines an ideal patient—and how does your practice attract them?  In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, host Greg Esenmacher sits down with Kirk Teachout, content creator, speaker, and practice growth strategist, to explore how boundaries, leadership, and accountability shape thriving dental teams and stronger patient relationships. From creating systems that serv...

What does it really take to elevate women into leadership roles in dentistry? According to Dr. Aman Kaur, Founder of Women in DSO, it's more than writing a check—it's about action, mentorship, and sponsorship. In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Dr. Kaur to explore her journey through 18 years in the DSO space, her inspiration for founding Women in DSO, and...

🦷 The Tooth Sleuth Podcast – Episode with Michal Butler, Vision Dental Partners Host: Greg Essenmacher Guest: Michal Butler – Vision Dental Partners     🎙️ Episode Overview In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, host Greg Essenmacher welcomes Michal Butler, the powerhouse behind operations at Vision Dental Partners. They dive into leadership, culture, patient experience, and the lessons lea...

  What does it take to turn complex full arch cases into life-changing patient decisions? In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, host Greg Essenmacher sits down with Sarah Bogard, sales trainer at GnA Consult, who brings 20+ years of oral surgery experience and a track record of scaling a full arch practice to nearly 200 arches per year. Sarah shares: Why empathy, assurance, and zeal (the EA...

What would you do if you bought a company for just $1? In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, host Greg Essenmacher sits down with Cory Pinegar, CEO of Reach, to talk about his journey from acquiring a fragment of a business for a buck in 2016 to leading over 1,000 team members today. Cory shares candid insights on leadership, scaling teams, and why the phrase "kind is clear, and clear is ki...

Scripts don't book consults—humans do. In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg sits down with Nai Weierman, a seasoned dental professional and sales trainer at GnA Consult, to talk about what it really takes to convert a phone call into a full arch consultation. After more than a decade in dentistry—spanning corporate, fee-for-service, cosmetic, and full arch practices—Nai learned that e...

Rivers Morrell Show Notes   Napkin AI or Not? The Truth About Dental Data with Rivers Morrell 🎧 Episode Summary: Most dental AI products are overhyped. Rivers Morrell is not. In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth, Greg sits down with Rivers Morrell, CEO and founder of Hey Donto, to break down what real AI in dentistry looks like—and why most of what's out there is just "napkin AI." From building th...

  🎙 Episode Snapshot What's the bridge between awareness and real, lasting change in your practice? In Part 3 of Why GnA, Greg Esenmacher gets personal—sharing the biggest challenges he's faced as a founder, the role of acceptance in creating sustainable action, and why empathy, leadership, and accountability are at the core of every successful Full Arch practice. From building a brand that connec...

    🎙 Episode Snapshot Selling or buying a dental practice? It's not just about the numbers—it's about timing, fit, and legacy. In this episode, Greg Esenmacher sits down with David Cohen, founder of Cohen Law Firm, to unpack what really happens during dental practice sales—whether you're selling to a DSO or private buyer. With 300+ transactions a year under his belt, David shares insider tips on...

      🎙 Episode Snapshot What does it take to truly master the business of Full Arch? In Part 2 of Why GnA, Greg Esenmacher dives deeper with John Stamper into the 360° approach that sets GNA Consult apart—from hands-on surgical experience to understanding the financial heartbeat of a practice. From hidden arches in your pipeline to knowing exactly when to scale, Greg shares why clinical knowledge...

You can't build a high-performing DSO—or even a profitable single location—without tight procurement systems. In this episode, Greg sits down with Karla-Marie Santiago, MBA, an operations and procurement powerhouse, to unpack how procurement strategy can make or break growth in the dental industry. From equipment forecasting to vendor alignment to e-procurement tech, Karla drops practical, real-wo...

🎙️ Episode Snapshot Ever wonder how someone goes from rental cars to leading the full arch revolution in dentistry? In this episode, the mic flips on Tooth Sleuth host Greg Esenmacher as John Stamper takes over to uncover the story behind GNA Consult, the challenges Greg faced starting out, and what it really takes to grow a full arch empire from the ground up. From sobering turning points to surg...

What happens when you stop viewing full arch as just a procedure—and start treating it like a lifelong commitment? In this episode, Greg sits down with Anjuli Avis, RDH, to break down how practices can reprogram their mindset around implant dentistry. Anjuli brings years of experience in hygiene, operations, and education to the mic to explore how dental teams can show up more responsibly—for pati...

💥 Episode Summary: In this vulnerable and empowering conversation, Greg welcomes back Brandi Marzolino to the podcast for a deep dive into what it really means to lead as a woman in today's world — especially in the dental industry. Brandi gets real about her personal journey through burnout, self-abandonment, and recovery — and how it led her to create The Lead(Her)ship Experience, a 6-month imm...

🎙️ Tooth Sleuth Podcast – Episode 120 Title: Don't Poo Poo the Woo Woo: What Burnout, Energy & Career Freedom Really Look Like Guest: Dr. Laura Brenner, Career Coach | Founder of Dentist Side Gigs | Ex-Dentist | Woo Woo Whisperer     🔍 Episode Snapshot Feeling stuck in your dental career? Tired of the burnout buzzword, but know something's off? Dr. Laura Brenner is back—yes, back!—to join Greg fo...

Title:   Beyond the Drill: Emergency Preparedness in Dental Practices   In this episode 119 of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg sits down with dental anesthesiologist Dr. Richard Marn to tackle a critical topic: emergency preparedness in dentistry. With one patient dying each day from medical events in dental settings, this isn't just important—it's urgent. Dr. Marn breaks down the four pillars ever...

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness In this episode of the Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg sits down with Dr. Glenn Vo—dentist, entrepreneur, and founder of Nifty Thrifty Dentists—for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about success, mindset, and the importance of staying aligned with your values. Dr. Vo opens up about the power of morning routines, the quiet strength of stillness, and why...

🎙️ Episode Title: From Pike Place to Prime Guest: Joseph Michelli, Ph. D. Host: Greg Essenmacher In this episode of The Two Sleuth Podcast, Greg sits down with Joseph Michelli, Ph. D.—bestselling author and world-renowned expert on customer experience. From revitalizing the Pike Place Fish Market to guiding One Medical through its $4 billion acquisition by Amazon, Joseph shares what it takes to cr...

On this week's episode, I sat down with Stephen Nance, CPA. Steve is a seasoned tax strategist at DrillDown Solution, where he helps dental professionals and business owners plan for and minimize tax liability. With years of experience in accounting and a deep understanding of industry-specific challenges, Stephen provides tailored financial guidance focused on tax planning, growth, and profitabil...

On this week's episode, I sat down with Kari Carter-Cherelus. Kari has been in the dental industry for 10+ years, her background is in the DSO space - specializing in dental operations and procurement/strategic sourcing. She has worked on the DSO side as a Director of Procurement and as a Consultant.   In this conversation, Greg and Kari delve into the critical issue of burnout in the dental commu...