wRight to the Root

We’ve been sold the idea that insurance protects us. In this powerful talk, Stephanie Wright uncovers how “coverage” is often an illusion; where algorithms override doctors, patients are left with the bill, and corporate profits come first. From her own cancer journey to real-world patient stories, she exposes a system that benefits from confusion and silence and shows how speaking up is the one t...

On this episode of wRight to the Root , Stephanie Wright sits down with Dr. Phillipa Boulle , a non-communicable disease (NCD) advisor with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Switzerland , based in Geneva, to expose what it really takes to treat chronic illness in the middle of crisis. Dr. Boulle breaks down the growing global diabetes emergency, including why the vast majority of people living with di...

I flew all the way to Montevideo, Uruguay to sit down face-to-face with Dr. Ashok Philip (Malaysia), President of the World Medical Association , and this conversation goes straight to the root of why healthcare systems keep failing the people they are supposed to serve. The World Medical Association (WMA) was born in the shadow of the Nuremberg Trials and the medical atrocities of WWII, and that...

In this episode of wRight To The Root , Stephanie Wright is joined by Candice Sehoma , a Johannesburg-based access advisor with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) , to unpack the global insulin access crisis and why a medication that has existed for over 100 years is still priced, patented, and distributed like a luxury. Candace shares how growing up in Alexandra, a historically marginalized township s...

On this episode of wRight To The Root , Stephanie Wright sits down with Dr. Ed Weisbart — a retired family medicine physician, former Chief Medical Officer at Express Scripts, and longtime healthcare advocate with Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). Dr. Weisbart shares what pushed him from fighting for patients in the exam room to fighting for them in the streets and in policy: years...

Note on this episode’s audio: This conversation was recorded in October 2025 in Reykjavík. Due to a camera malfunction, we were only able to recover the audio —and it was saved on a note-taking device , so it’s not studio-quality. That said, I’m genuinely pleased with how it turned out, and I’m excited to share it with you. In this Reykjavík sit-down, Stephanie Wright visits with Brynja Björk , an...

We’re back for Season 2 of wRight To The Root — and we’re kicking things off with a term most of us have heard, but few can actually explain: antitrust laws . On this episode, host Stephanie Wright sits down with Jake, a licensed dentist turned healthcare attorney, to demystify one of the most misunderstood forces shaping our care: antitrust law. Together, they unpack how rules that are supposed t...

Dr. Paul Henny is back for another episode, and in this one we're discussing some of the challenges modern dentists face: high overhead, pressure from insurance, and how school debt can make prioritizing profits over patients unfortunately tempting for many. We also dig into something often overlooked in dental care: the psychological aspects of patient behavior, and how lacking understanding...

Pretty much every American has had at least one negative run-in with their medical or dental insurance, but it wasn't always like this. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Paul Henny, a fee-for-service dentist who transitioned away from accepting dental insurance and all its limitations. We talk a bit about how insurance companies transitioned from focusing on patient care to financial gain...

¿Dónde está la dentista? This episode with Dr. Raúl Pascual—a dentist with his own clinic in Sevilla, Spain—is a real treat. If you've ever wondered how different dental schooling is abroad, Spain is an interesting example. From the length and topics of their schooling to the price (unsurprisingly lower than the US!), how different countries treat potential future dental professionals could ha...

We're back in this episode with part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Susan Maples! In this episode we're digging a little deeper into some of the topics we covered in the previous episode, plus exploring a couple new ones. Join us as we talk about what truly motivates insurance companies and the ways it prevents them from truly caring for their patients. We also talk a little bit about insur...

I am SO excited to have Dr. Susan Maples on the show with me today! As an author, speaker, and dentist practicing total health dentistry, she has a lot of first-hand experience with the ups and downs (mostly downs) of the dental insurance industry. In this episode, Susan and I talk about how critical prevention is in patient care, but how little the current insurance, dental, and medical systems p...

Known for his viral "Daisy Dukes dentist" video, Gary Scott has publicly shared some pretty strong opinions on dental insurance companies. As reimbursements continued to drop for dental offices, some dentists—including Gary—have decided to crawl out from being under the suffocating thumb of dental insurance providers and have come out on the other side. In this episode, Gary and I talk about what...

Dentistry has changed a lot since today's guest, Gary Scott, graduated from dental school in the early 90s. Some things—like the more hands-on education and emphasis on student shadowing—have gotten better. But with the way higher education and dental insurance are structured makes it much harder for new dentists to get off the ground and start their own practices. In this episode, Gary and I...

I can't wait for you to hear from today's guests, Drs. Jana and Lara Baatenburg. These sisters stuck together through their undergraduate degrees, into med school, and even into their residencies. They now own their own practice where they employ a unique type of medical care: concierge medicine. After a few years practicing, they both knew they wanted the opportunity for a more personal c...

Anyone who's attended school out-of-state knows it has its unique challenges, but what about pursuing higher education in a totally different country? Icelandic orthodontist Dr. Gísli Árnason is back in this episode, and we're discussing what it was like for him to specialize in orthodontics across country borders and an ocean. (Meanwhile, in the states doctors can't even cross state lines and pro...

My first-ever recording—set in Northern Iceland—makes this episode with Dr. Gísli one I’ll never forget. We break down Iceland’s healthcare and dental systems, discussing both flaws and improvements. But the real jaw-dropper? Dr. Gísli’s reaction when he learns just how much debt doctors in America take on compared to those in Iceland and across the EU. And to make it worse—while U.S. medical educ...

I hope you're ready for our third and final episode with Dr. Kurt Lindberg! We had a really insightful conversation about some of the overlooked nuance when considering the future of healthcare in the US. From "concierge medicine" (which I have a future episode that I can't WAIT to share) to the difference in provider accountability in medical versus dental practices, Kurt brought up some topics t...

The idea of "universal healthcare" is pretty divisive in the US. Those arguing against it worry about increased individual costs as they pay for healthcare for undocumented immigrants or unemployed citizens. Those in favor of it argue it's more important to provide adequate care for the entire population, regardless of immigration or employment status. What if we could make everybody...

Since starting his family medicine practice in 1999, Kurt realized the US healthcare system is stuck in a vicious cycle. Patients who can't afford preventative care end up having serious (usually expensive) medical events, like a heart attack or stroke. Medical practitioners are so busy trying to keep up with the increased demands caused by these larger events that they don't have time to stop and...

America’s healthcare system is a mess—and I'm calling it out. I'm Stephanie Wright, dental and healthcare advocate, and host of the wRight to the Root podcast. Every other week, I dive into the issues shaping modern healthcare, sharing insights from medical professionals around the world. Expect bold, no-BS conversations about building a system that puts care over profit. Listen to wRight...